Sad part is that if we decided to take the non-nuclear gloves off, the US could shut the ayatollahs down permanently in about a week and let the Persians have their country back.

 

7 minutes ago, FourFans said:

Sad part is that if we decided to take the non-nuclear gloves off, the US could shut the ayatollahs down permanently in about a week and let the Persians have their country back.

Won’t happen…spoiled progressive kids going to expensive colleges would never allow it.

48 minutes ago, ClearedHot said:

Iran's Mullahs, are certainly capitalizing on a wag the dog moment but they are already trying to frame this and back away.

I suspect this is mainly a message to their own population.  Secondarily could be about putting the rest of region between a rock and hard place when Israel goes asking for overflight.

Not to be a simpleton, but do they ask?  In the past hasn’t really been their thing. 

20 minutes ago, Clayton Bigsby said:

Not to be a simpleton, but do they ask?  In the past hasn’t really been their thing. 

Seems to me like a chance to prove how "stealthy" the 35 really is.

1 hour ago, ClearedHot said:

Interesting play by Jordon as well...

They were knocking them down inside their own airspace, but they knew they were headed to Israel. Interesting indeed… 

I wonder if they spin it as a “Sorry Iran, airspace was closed. Moose out front should’ve told ya!” 

(I think that’s what you’re referring to, but 🍻 if not!)

2 minutes ago, RegularJoe said:

Seems to me like a chance to prove how "stealthy" the 35 really is.

Even without LO…Entebbe, Osirak, Deir-ez-zor/Al Kibar…they’ve always found ways to go where they need

1 hour ago, busdriver said:

I suspect this is mainly a message to their own population.  Secondarily could be about putting the rest of region between a rock and hard place when Israel goes asking for overflight.

That is literally what I said...have you seen the movie?  The Mullahs have really fallen out of favor the last 18-24 months so a very opportune moment for them to shift focus to an external enemy. 

Well color me the asshole. I didn't put that together.  Sheesh.....

I'm blaming a lack of sleep and flying across the country very early in the morning.

 

In any event, very much in agreement then.  They may have bit off a bit too much, we'll see.

4 hours ago, Sim said:

Looks like few TBMs leaked through defenses. 

 

I would venture to guess that impact points are factored into what inbounds are hit.  Prioritized.

4 hours ago, FourFans said:

Sad part is that if we decided to take the non-nuclear gloves off, the US could shut the ayatollahs down permanently in about a week and let the Persians have their country back.

Send John Clark

11 hours ago, FourFans said:

Sad part is that if we decided to take the non-nuclear gloves off, the US could shut the ayatollahs down permanently in about a week and let the Persians have their country back.

No way. We'll just end up with a bunch of complaints about the Israeli failure to do more for the Iranian civilians.

Edited April 14, 20241 yr by Lord Ratner

10 hours ago, uhhello said:

Send John Clark

All I keep thinking is "The Ryan Doctrine"

All I keep thinking is "The Ryan Doctrine"

I just finished a reread of Rainbow Six


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1 minute ago, herkbum said:

I just finished a reread of Rainbow Six
 

Recently finished the whole series right up thru Bear and the Dragon

Stolen

Great decision by Obama...I am sure none of that cash was used to buy/build drone/cruise missiles/TBMs that were shot at Israel last night.

 

 

2 hours ago, Zero said:

Re-sharing these gems:

 

China needs oil a lot more than they need a rock with angry Taiwanese on it. WW3 was always going to start over Middle East oil. CENTCOM with Chinese characteristics.

 

It's been decided. Ukraine is failing. We're going to war.

General Christopher G. Cavoli is the CC of the European Command and the NATO Supreme Allied Commander.

Here are some of his remarks at the Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing.

 

Tuberbille: "It's obvious to me just being in all these meetings uh and hearings not just you of other people we're getting ready to go to war with Russia uh have we got a game plan for that for how many people we're going to need on the ground young men and women from uh United States when this war starts?"

Cavoli: "Sir, we have standing operational plans um around the globe for a variety of problems."

Tuberbille: "How many do you think it's going to take for us to beat Russia? Because Ukraine can't beat Russia."

Cavoli: "Sir, can I take that in close session please, sir?"

Tuberville: "Okay, uh what about the budget? 60 billion is going to be a drop in the bucket to the American taxpayer we're 35 trillion in debt what is this going to cost us I know y'all surely put the numbers to that uh of of our conflict versus uh Russia when this all starts have we done that?"

Cavoli: "Sir, um the number I would have to talk in close session about also um but I agree if we were to go to war with Russia in uh um it would the the money we're spending in Ukraine would be a drop in the bucket."

Tuberville: "Yeah, where where are we going to get our energy from uh when this starts because they don't have any in Europe uh uh the Saudis I don't know where they're going to help us out uh we're going to have to buy it from Ukraine I guess I mean Iran CU we're not pumping the oil and gas that we need where we going to get our fuel for a war like this."

Cavoli: "Sir, that that's outside of my area of expertise but I'm sure I can get you the answer."

Tuberville: "Do we have enough right now uh you know to get a war started uh on the ground there for our troops?"

...

Cavoli "I would agree with that for instance the US Army is now 450,000 when I joined it it was 785,000.

Tuberville: "With Ukraine um fighting right now as they are uh do we have any count of numbers of how many soldiers that they have actually fighting uh that they have in their military against Russia?"

Cavoli: "It's between 900,000 and a million right now"

Tuberville: "How about Russia? How many they have uh deployed uh within Ukraine not not on the borders but how many do they have deployed in Ukraine?"

Cavoli: "Inside the country 470,000 outside the country more and then they have the rest of their military"

Tuberville: "Yeah my understanding is after the uh Massacre they have been growing at 40,000 uh soldiers a month that are volunteering for the military.is is that pretty good Intel or not?"

Cavoli: "I'm tracking 30,000 but yes, the size of the Russian military is bigger today than it was when the war started and it's bigger today than when the massacre started."

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 18, 20241 yr by gearhog

If you think Tommy Tuberville will make that decision, we really are fucked. And hearing a high ranking GO actually be honest about costs, troop numbers, etc is a nice departure from the Afghanistan hearings.

I will start by saying that I hate that news outlets are using the term "Russian friendly Republicans."

 

I do not believe the Republicans against this funding are necessarily Russian friendly. I do however believe they are idiots.

 

Not a single one of them seems willing to answer a simple question. What do we do if Russia marches on Kiev? The argument before was that Russia was just taking historically Russian territory in East Ukraine with a majority Russian population. But now that Russia is advancing, and making some moves towards Kiev, he's the new position that Russia should be allowed to annex the entire country?

 

We have a group of phenomenally stupid legislators on both sides, and it now appears increasingly likely that we are in fact going to go to war. Would have been cheaper to just send them the money.

1 hour ago, Lord Ratner said:

Russia should be allowed to annex the entire country?

At the end of the day, yes.  They aren't NATO.  This was always about making Russia bleed to take Ukraine, and destroy as much of their shit as possible in the process.

This is the spark that will re-arm Europe, and the wall will go back up.  This war will be fought economically.  Hopefully.

I really really hope.  Because all the politicians are in fact stupid children.

EDIT: Just to clarify, I'm saying sending western troops to fight for Ukraine is dumb.  Sending more money/equipment is par for the course.  

Also Moldovia is fucked too.

Edited April 18, 20241 yr by busdriver