gearhog

If we are on a path to a wider conflict, this is likely a significant step in that direction. One of Russia's primary strategic nuclear bomber bases was struck today. Wonder how they will respond? https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/three-killed-fuel-tanker-explosion-russian-airfield-2022-12-05/ Moscow says three killed in Ukrainian drone attacks on air bases deep inside Russia By Mark Trevelyan LONDON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Russia said on Monday that three of its military personnel were killed in what it said were Ukrainian drone attacks on two Russian air bases hundreds of miles from the front lines in Ukraine. Ukraine did not directly claim responsibility. If it did carry out the attacks, they were the deepest military strikes it has conducted inside the Russian heartland since Moscow invaded on Feb. 24. One of the targets, the Engels air base near the city of Saratov, houses bomber planes that are part of Russia's strategic nuclear forces.

He was previously a cop before he left the career field. Great idea I hadn't thought of, though. I might take a class with him. Was also thinking of IWB holsters or lights or something. So many options, I don't know what's what.

I have a family member who recently got a G43X. Any recommendations for must-have accessories I can give as a gift for Christmas?

I'm relieved to hear that the official numbers this EU official reported in her official statement about the Ukraine conflict were not accurate. I wish there were no Ukrainian casualties. However, it's good to know if you notice inconsistencies in their statements and call them into question, you're a Russian propagandist. I wonder how they distinguished between the people who pointed out the inaccuracy, and the Russian propagandists who "pounced" on it. Nice to see you finally contributing to the discussion. Welcome!

Contributes nothing, only downvotes. Probably someone's alternate account. upvotesdDownvotes are no longer counted on this forum. Why even bother?

UN just said over 100,000K Ukraine soldiers dead. Perhaps I haven't been paying close enough attention, but that number is absolutely staggering. More than all US service member losses since WWII.

No F'n way. I stayed in longer than I needed to because I was afraid to let go. Once I was out, I realized how much my QOL had improved in spite of missing the camaraderie at work, and was sad that I had stayed far too long.

Zalensky issues a statement clarifying the event and finally puts the matter to rest: Ukraine doesn’t make mistakes. Only NATO and Russia do.

If this war mobilization meeting in China's Guangdong province is to be believed, they intend to expropriate all civilian resources for the move on Taiwan. It's gonna be a shitshow. "..., to participate in the South China Sea interoperability, the mobilization of professional repair forces and air and sea transport forces to assist the troops to repair and set towers and markers, and the organization of militia fishing boats to respond to the infringement of the Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia and other countries, to fight well the people's war at sea." "...2) Maritime support mobilization, including roll-on/roll-off vessels ships, fishing vessels, salvage vessels, multi-purpose vessels and other types of vessels. They will mainly come from mobilization in the provincial industry system and fourteen coastal cities." "...But from the layout perspective, high-quality shipbuilding and retrofitting resources concentrate in Guangzhou, Yangjiang, Dongguan, and other places. The capability in east Guangdong is weak! We have taken three approaches to tackle this. First, we bring together the excellent forces, utilize the province's large ship repair yards, and organize over 1,000-ton transport ships. We centrally manage them according to their categories. Second, multi-point deployment. We choose 23 docks from coastal cities to rapidly retrofit motorized fishing boats." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUDKWh0QQn0&t=128s

Might as well go ahead and get this party started. US STRATCOM Commander ADM Charles A. Richard : "This Ukraine crisis that we're in right now, this is just the warmup" "As I assess our level of deterrence against China, the ship is slowly sinking," he said. "It is sinking slowly, but it is sinking, as fundamentally they are putting capability in the field faster than we are. As those curves keep going, it isn't going to matter how good our [operating plan] is or how good our commanders are, or how good our forces are — we're not going to have enough of them. And that is a very near-term problem." "Undersea capabilities is still the one ... maybe the only true asymmetric advantage we still have against our opponents," Richard said. "But unless we pick up the pace, in terms of getting our maintenance problems fixed, getting new construction going ... if we can't figure that out ... we are not going to put ourselves in a good position to maintain strategic deterrence and national defense." "We have got to get back into the business of not talking about how we are going to mitigate our assumed eventual failure to get Columbia in on time, and B-21, and LRSO, and flip it to the way we used to ask questions in this nation, which is what's it going to take? Is it money? Is it people? Do you need authorities? What risk? That's how we got to the Moon by 1969. We need to bring some of that back. Otherwise, China is simply going to outcompete us, and Russia isn't going anywhere anytime soon." https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3209416/stratcom-commander-says-us-should-look-to-1950s-to-regain-competitive-edge/

Is Russia losing the war, or isn’t it? What are we paying for? 1 month ago: Just now:

Reuters: Russia is performing so poorly in the war that we are graciously giving them an opportunity to save face and negotiate their retreat from occupied territories. Right? At least that’s the way I interpret it. We’re winning!! 3 minute readNovember 5, 202210:14 PM EDTLast Updated 7 hours ago U.S. privately asks Ukraine to show Russia it's open to talks -Washington Post WASHINGTON, Nov 5 (Reuters) - The Biden administration is privately encouraging Ukraine’s leaders to signal an openness to negotiate with Russia and drop their public refusal to engage in peace talks unless President Vladimir Putin is removed from power, the Washington Post reported on Saturday.

I believe the end result is the same. We can take the medicine now or try to experiment with MMT and kick the can down the road at greater cost.

The US Federal Government debt interest payments just hit $736.5 Billion annualized. For the first time, the interest on our debt exceeds the DoD budget of $715 Billion. Inflation or Insolvency. Choose one. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/A091RC1Q027SBEA

Lab Leak. Report from US Senate Committee. https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/senate-help-committee-minority-oversight-staff-releases-interim-report-analyzing-origins-of-covid-19-pandemic An Analysis of the Origins of the COVID-19 Pandemic Interim Report Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions Minority Oversight Staff October 2022 Substantial evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic was the result of a research-related incident associated with a laboratory in Wuhan, China. A research-related incident is consistent with the early epidemiology showing rapid spread of the virus exclusively in Wuhan with the earliest calls for assistance being located in the same district as the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s (WIV) original campus in central Wuhan. The WIV is an epicenter of advanced coronavirus research, where researchers have collected samples of and experimented on high-risk coronaviruses. This report describes a pattern of persistent biosafety problems at the WIV as indicated by a series of patents and procurements relevant to the biocontainment of a highly-pathogenic virus, like SARS-CoV-2. Also outlined in this report are a series of management and training concerns at the WIV further indicating biosafety problems and an unsafe work environment for laboratory personnel. The research-related incident hypothesis also explains the low genetic diversity of the earliest known SARS-CoV-2 human infections and the failure to identify an intermediate host and any animal infections pre-dating human COVID-19 cases. This investigation’s interim report concludes that SARS-CoV-2 and the resulting COVID-19 global pandemic was, more likely than not, the result of a research-related incident associated with coronavirus research in Wuhan, China. PDF: https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/report_an_analysis_of_the_origins_of_covid-19_102722.pdf

The 2022 National Defense Strategy was released today: https://www.defense.gov/National-Defense-Strategy/ While the content isn't surprising, the escalation in language, tone, and specifics from 2018 National Defense Strategy is. https://dod.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/2018-National-Defense-Strategy-Summary.pdf The trend line continues to reinforce the Thucydides Trap theory.

Hope he is ok. https://twitter.com/388fw/status/1582893659044708352?s=20&t=MTVQd_0vTp_NncTjHMj3aw

That was my point in the first reply. Sanctions are not etched in stone. As the political winds shift (and they are), sanctions can easily be lifted. The German government, and likely other EU nations, were feeling immense pressure to ease restrictions from the populace. However, permanent physical destruction completely eliminates that option. There's now nothing to protest. In addition, the brand new Baltic Pipe that I posted about on the first page, was a huge beneficiary of the sabotage. It was opened on the same day Nordstream was destroyed. It crosses over the Nordstream and delivers natural gas exactly to where? Sweden. That's not to say that they did it. I realize the article doesn't prove anything, but it adds new information. I believe a report could easily be prepared that doesn't reveal sources and methods, but strangely, they want to withhold all findings. All I want to know is who is intentionally being deceptive. Be it Russia, EU nations acting in concert, or NATO, this was pretty shady operation of consequence.

Just a few minutes ago. How difficult is it to say "Russia did it?" Thought I'd share and watch the belief perseverance taken to the absurd. https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-nordstream-germany-sweden/sweden-blocks-joint-investigation-on-pipeline-leaks-spiegel-idINL8N31F2B7

Enjoy your Sunday.

Nicely written. Best counter-argument here. I don't necessarily agree with the probabilities you're assigning to the unknowns, but you're making some good points. I'll have to digest it a little.

On a serious note, you should check out the financials and board members for CSIS. Try to look in the mirror and say "There is no bias or conflict of interest here" with a straight face.