gearhog

Again, I still get the impression you think we're on opposite sides of the issue. The article makes the very same justifications as Ukrainian President Zelensky, Ukrainian gov't officials, and Ukrainian military leadership, and other world leaders have been making for Ukr getting Vipers. You think it's bullshit, and I've already said I agree. But that's the argument being made by those who think we're not doing enough. Why did I include it? So someone like yourself could call out the BS better than I could. Well done.

You can't put a price on happiness, right? I don't want to mischaracterize your position, but I think what you're saying to Zelensky's repeated requests is: 1. It takes too long to train good pilots and we choose not to spend that time and money. Shooting a missile is easier. 2. Even if we gave you aircraft, you don't have the support and you would probably fuck it up. 3. We could give you that support, but it costs too much. 4. You're doing fine. (Recent Russian advances notwithstanding) I hope you don't think I disagree with you.

What is that point? Just ballpark it. EDIT: This headline dropped in the last 10 minutes. Biden Admin. To Send Ukraine New $2.2B Aid Package That Includes Long-Range Missileshttps://breaking911.com/breaking-biden-admin-to-send-ukraine-new-2-2b-aid-package-that-includes-long-range-missiles/

That's a fair argument. I'll agree with you that $14 billion really isn't a lot of money. But if you know what isn't a lot of money, then you must also know what is. Would it be fair to say that ten times that is a lot of money? Where would you make the distinction? Slow down. It seems like you think my position is to provide Ukraine with Vipers. That's not true. I'd argue Ukraine doesn't attempt Air Superiority not because they don't believe in air platforms as part of their "military model"... but perhaps because they dont fn have any. Ukraine is absolutely begging for both ground and air equipment, specifically F-16s. Are they not fighting this war? You should be explaining to them, not me, what they do and do not need. Just tell them "Air Superiority is achievable through superior ground-based Air Defenses." I'm just curious as to the logical gynmastics required by those who want to "help" Ukraine, but not that much. https://theaviationist.com/2023/01/27/ukraine-requests-two-squadrons-of-f-16s-but-giving-vipers-to-kyiv-is-easier-said-than-done/

This article raises and interesting question. If anyone believes NATO is sincere about backing Ukraine, intending for them to win and drive Russians out, why would we send hundreds of billions of dollars in aid and ground equipment, but little for them to establish air dominance over their own territory? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/31/ukraines-tanks-will-achieve-little-without-modern-fighter-jets/ Another question, is this a legit military target while underway? https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/ukraine-situation-report-m2-bradleys-have-begun-their-voyage-to-the-battlefield https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/russian-warship-armed-with-advanced-missiles-sails-into-western-atlantic-in-strategic-chess-game-1.6248491 US Treasury. LOL. https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/reports-statements/financial-report/unsustainable-fiscal-path.html

Lots of action today. This apparently is more than a slap on the wrist. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Headquarters just got smashed in Mahabad, Iran. This was the site of one of the heaviest crackdowns during the recent protests. https://twitter.com/gchahal/status/1619793176734359552?s=20&t=Ug9bHYNdfQxcLM8oe8tXlw

CIA Director Bill Burns arrived in Israel on Friday. https://www.timesofisrael.com/amid-escalation-cia-chief-said-visiting-israel-west-bank/ Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will arrive in Israel tomorrow - https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/blinken-begins-middle-east-trip-amid-spate-violence-2023-01-29/ Vid of the Khoy earthquake during the strikes on Iran yesterday. Looks like the earthquake caused some electrical transformers to explode. https://twitter.com/GraduatedBen/status/1619522084346138624?s=20&t=yCwJEv6gCVydRFnFUpMPOA EDIT: Aircraft are striking multiple targets in Syria now at the same location we had aircraft over yesterday (Al-Bukamal, Syria and Al Qaim, Iraq).

And earthquakes in NW Iran at the same time. WTF? Perhaps a coincidence, but sure is bizarre. https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?currentFeatureId=us6000jk1j&extent=24.8665,26.47705&extent=45.213,72.24609

It's like the Army version of the Defensive Egg.

Depends. Are the tanker guys WIC grads?

Looks like Iran is getting hit. Multiple reports of explosions in multiple locations. Unconfirmed rumors of drone strikes and Iranian jets in the air. https://twitter.com/search?q=Iran explosion&src=typeahead_click&f=live https://twitter.com/HananyaNaftali/status/1619476912664895490?s=20&t=rmhNlrszJtjHMGDxHUA9vA

Let's arm our foes with new US military equipment, and send Ukraine their old shit equipment. Another brilliant idea. "The US intends to take Soviet weapons for Ukraine from Latin American countries such as Cuba, Nicaragua or Venezuela, as long as these countries replace Soviet weapons with American ones. -US Army General Laura Richardson" https://twitter.com/PadreEmerito/status/1616755950819618822?s=20&t=KG0N9myLOcCIPwWjZ0Nttg

You're fabricating false positions and attributing them to me while admitting you don't have sufficient evidence to know if they're true. You guys suck at insults. 😄 Wow, you're smarter than you initially seem. Nothing in your post is false. You have a keen grasp of the obvious.

I think you're accusing me of "not bitching" about less important shit as if it were an insult, but who tf knows...

"The last time we were here in Davos was January 2020..."

Hilarious that he publicly incriminates himself the very next day after they were allegedly found, during a press conference, on live TV, while the investigation is open. Absolutely nutballs. Would love to have seen the White House legal staff's reaction as he answered Doocy. Honest question: who initiated these searches two years into his presidency and why? Is he being hung out to dry?

I believe humanitarian/moral concerns aren't a part of the calculus with regard to these types of foreign policy, economic, and conflict decisions. They're the justification, the fuel, and the propaganda used to emotionally manipulate the population, but they're not the reason we (our leadership) spend or fight. Superpower status is. None of us here are indifferent to human suffering, I'm sure, but that's not why we're supporting them. Not to help Ukraine, but weaken Russia. Everyone knows unlimited debt spending ends tragically, and we're too far down the road to turn back. The United States and partner nations are attempting to prepare a landscape that when the devastation occurs, we just won't be devastated as badly as the rest of the world. We're the reserve currency, the dollar kicking ass, our military is unmatched. We can't maintain that forever, but once we fail, we hope to fail last, and be the best of what's left.

Sad day for the USAFA and the Falcons. Offensive lineman Hunter Brown died while walking to class. https://goairforcefalcons.com/news/2023/1/10/football-academy-mourns-tragic-loss-in-cadet-wing

F'n Finally. DoD rescinds vaccine mandate.

House just passed this years defense budget, which rescinds the vaccine mandate. I guess that's one way to get conservatives to look past the 100 Billion Dollar increase. Think it'll pass Senate?

Poland news the past few days also seems to point to escalation and a widening conflict. Ukraine will be attempting to fight back the Russians during the winter in a possible complete blackout. If they struggle with that, we should see all the below pour into Western Ukraine from Poland. 5 Dec: First 600-700 of 2,400 US tanks and vehicles arrive in Poland ahead of The Big Red One for Atlantic Resolve. https://www.polandatsea.com/american-military-equipment-arrived-in-gdynia/ 6 Dec: Korea delivers tanks and howitzers. https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/10/25/poland-receives-korean-tanks-howitzers/ 6 Dec: Poland to draft up to 200,000. https://tvpworld.com/64936493/poland-plans-to-draft-200000-for-military-training-next-year 6 Dec: State Department agrees to sell another 116 M1A1s and other equip to Poland: https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/poland-m1a1-abrams-main-battle-tanks Poland to buy hundreds of HIMARS and Korean rocket systems. (Ukraine has 20). https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2022/10/14/poland-to-buy-hundreds-of-s-korean-chunmoo-multiple-rocket-launchers/

Turns out their hands were tied.

I don't understand that thought process either, but I also haven't heard anyone make that claim. If Russia is in Ukraine, Ukraine should have every justification to hit every military target inside Russia. But why haven't they? If anyone wants Ukraine to have it's hands tied, it would be NATO as it would also tie the hands of Russia. NATO benefits from a protracted limited conflict in Ukraine that bleeds Russia until they pack it up and go home. Ukraine itself likely doesn't have the patience as their homeland is being destroyed, so they lob a 1970s Soviet drone at a strategic nuclear base. They stand to benefit from a wider war. Events like this puts us at the threshold of moving beyond conventional conflict. Russia likely believes they can still achieve whatever goals they have with a limited conflict within Ukraine. I personally would like to see Russia fail miserably, but what does that look like? De-escalation and withdrawal.? There are no trends in that direction. History has shown that Russia's definition of "struggle" with regards to combat losses is somewhat different than ours, so we should hesitate to use it as a gauge of success/failure. It seems that unless all sides of the conflict are willing to make significant concessions, and that doesn't seem to be the case, the only other option is escalation by striking more targets within Russia.