Space Warriors Versus Space Worriers

I think I threw up a little bit in my mouth when I read that Senators are worried Space Force doesn't have enough lawyers. We don't have friggin' space lasers yet. But we're right on that issue of space JAGs.

I find this depressing:

As Space Force leaders push for more orbital warfighting capabilities and even potential moon operations, senators want to make sure they have enough space-focused military lawyers for future conflicts.

How many of our enemies fight us with this kind of legal anvil weighing down their military operations. Sadly, we assume victory and believe the only question is how cleanly we can fight the war. 

We want our troops to fight with honor. But fighting under a microscope is no way to win wars against determined and capable enemies. 

Mind you, for administrative stuff, sure we need military lawyers for this new domain. But when you say they are needed for "future conflicts" my hull breach alarm starts ringing loudly. 

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here. 

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: I made the image with Bing.

Poland Seeks American Support

Poland wants America rather than Europeans as the main pillar of external help to bolster their impressive armament campaign.

Poland wants powerful friends to hold of Russia's imperial ambitions in the west:

Some European states are responding to the Trump administration by seeking “strategic autonomy.” Poland, however, is trying to make itself a more appealing ally to Washington. 

Some European states are trying to stoke a crisis over America for their own European Union imperial ambitions. 

Hell, one European leader in particular wants such a crisis to get the crown. 

I think Polish worries are a byproduct of the self-serving worries of European states less than eager to arm up when America has carried the spending burden for so long. An American armored brigade would settle the Poles down. Which makes sense as the U.S. Army settles on Poland as its center of gravity in Europe.

America wants allies who step up in their own defense. America will help such allies. Poland has done that.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: Polish Ministry of National Defence photo.

Follow the Oil

Iran may use their Houthi proxy to interfere with Red Sea traffic, some of which is bypassing Hormuz. Iran has spent a lot of years trying to build a proxy in that region capable of doing this.

Iran looks farther away:

Having choked off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is now signaling it could play its most dangerous card yet: using Yemen's Houthi allies to shut the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, opening a new front against Washington and putting two of the world's most vital energy arteries ‌at risk. 

I quibble with the claim that Iran has choked off shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. I say their threat could be defeated but nobody wants to expend the effort to do so, preferring to wait until the crisis ends ... somehow. If oil shortages really hit, the effort would be made. 

But yes, Iran has a Plan B for the Gulf State Plan B of bypassing Hormuz. A capability Iran has long pursued. 

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here. 

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: Photo from the article.

Chinese Communist Party Bridgeheads On American College Campuses

China has infiltrated America via its Chinese Students and Scholars Associations (CSSAs) on American college and university campuses.

 China has 150 bridgeheads in American higher education (tip to InstaPundit):

There are 150 CSSA chapters at colleges and universities across the country. Though they appear to be harmless cultural groups at first glance, these organizations play a central role in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) united front work, which aims to monitor Chinese students abroad, stifle any form of opposition to the regime, and co-opt individuals who aren’t affiliated with the party. 

This is sadly nothing new. I've called attention to the issue in the past when China had Confucius Institutes in their arsenal of influence weapons inside America. 

Names change but the CCP war against America continues. Are we powerless to stop this?

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here. 

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: Image from the article. 

The Winter War of 2022 Ponders Its Life Choices

 

I must conclude that Russia’s ground forces have essentially collapsed for all practical purposes in an offensive role. When they have proven for three months that they are no longer the relentless steam roller constantly—if slowly—advancing into Ukraine despite losses, refusing to accept that is willful blindness. And their defensive abilities are suspect. Russian ground forces could recover, of course, given time and resources. Is Ukraine capable of exploiting this time of military troubles plaguing the Russian ground forces?

Head on over to Substack for the essay. I decided to put the essay there. But you can always get the link here on TDR.

NOTE: ISW updates continue here.

NOTE: Also, I put war-related links and commentary in the Weekend Data Dump on Substack. You may read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved.

Weekend Data Dump

The Weekend Data Dump is a compilation of short entries about the previous week’s defense and national security news that I found interesting. I couldn’t possibly comment on everything in my news flow or delve into everything that interests me. So most news that interests me doesn’t make the cut for a post. The rest go in the data dump. Enjoy!

HOP ON OVER AND READ IT! On the bright side, you can comment on Substack!

In case you missed it on Substack: A Redesignation Ceremony! A Redesignation Ceremony!! 

In case you missed it on Substack: The Air Force Steps Up to Kill Ships

In case you missed it on Substack:  America Doesn't Lead?

In case you missed it on Substack:  Blockading Taiwan (Part 1)

Help me out by subscribing on Substack and by liking and sharing posts. I occasionally post short data dump-type items (or not-so-short) on my Substack "Notes" section.

A Mission Kill is Equivalent to Sunk if Repairs are Impossible

Unless you assume that great power war will quickly escalate to world-ending nuclear exchanges, repairing battle damage to our fleet is a vital component of waging war. America has problems.

Cross-filed in the “Well, Duh” and “Sh*t Got Real” files: 

Battle-damaged U.S. warships could not be quickly repaired and returned to combat during a war with China, according to a new report. ...

“The Navy has not faced damage at the level likely to occur in a major war since World War II,” warned RAND.  

I worry a great deal about that. Although perhaps we can return the favor in our own way.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here. 

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

The Invisible Stealth Edge

Does China fail to appreciate what makes American stealth aircraft so formidable?

That's quite interesting:

But China has learned the wrong lessons from America’s stealth program, according to U.S. Air Force analysis released this month. China is convinced that advanced technology is the foundation of U.S. stealth capabilities.

But in reality, the key to American success has been treating stealth as just one component of integrated aerial warfare, the report said.

The Chinese seem to think a wonder detection system can defeat our stealth wonder weapons.

Do the Chinese think that stealth aircraft don't need to operate with electronic warfare support and all the other assets that America brings to an air campaign? 

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here. 

NOTE: You may also like to read my posts on Substack, at The Dignified Rant: Evolved. Go ahead and subscribe to it. It's the right thing to do!

NOTE: Photograph from the article.