Weekend Data Dump

Despite our 1995 military intervention in support of Bosnians, Bosnia still faces unrest. Russia has a hand in the crisis, of course, enabled by America's gradual withdrawal over the years.

The Dutch caught the Russians trying to hack the OPCW, the "chemical watchdog" group that documents Syria's violations of the glorious 2013 Kerry-Lavrov chemical weapons deal that did not end Syria's use of chemical weapons, and which as I predicted just helped Assad in his civil war.

Here's the report on the American defense industrial base shortcomings.

We're a long way from knowing what happened at a Saudi consulate in Turkey and whether bin Salman had any connection to it in execution or concealment after the fact, but if true, good Lord that's bad. Tip to Instapundit. And the US is putting pressure on the Saudis to explain this.

We had Columbus Day this last week. He may have saved the West, to the benefit of the world that has Western concepts of democracy, freedom, and free market capitalism (but sorry about the communism stuff).

China is more aggressive about defending its outlandish territorial claims in the South China Sea. Which is dangerous. The recent near collision was averted only when the American destroyer changed course in the face of a Chinese warship apparently intent on causing an accident is the latest incident of concern. I suspect it is because we are now doing actual freedom of navigation operations rather than innocent passage masquerading as FONOPs. The last time the Chinese pulled this was in 2013 when the Chinese wanted to brush back an American cruiser observing their new carrier (from this excellent tour of China whose economy is slowing down, which the government would prefer their people not read about). We need to overwatch our FONOP assets to protect them in case of an incident. Don't forget that the Chinese rammed our EP-3 aircraft in 2001 (although I suspect it was pilot error on China's part).

Lack of efficiency in aid projects as part of a war effort isn't something that usually outrages me--I consider it "ammunition" and would no more complain about ammo usage efficiency--but this program in Afghanistan seems above and beyond in waste and possible corruption.

While it is a saying in Australia that "you aren't drunk until you throw up on your shoes," that isn't the legal standard.

Good Lord, what is going on? The woman's murder is bad enough but if it was done to stop her investigation into corruption, that's big picture bad for rule of law.

Orban is right, you must admit.

A look at Iran's "museum grade" air force. Not that it couldn't do some damage. But it couldn't do damage for long if opposed by actual air power.

The Army is heading to urban areas with new strategies to recruit in regions that historically haven't provided recruits. I suggested a program with a dual mission of making urban areas more resilient to casualties from terror or natural disasters--or just crime--while exposing more people to the value of the Army for personal choices.

Worries about American commitment to European defense are silly considering that NATO is a treaty commitment that transcends individual presidents--and our current president has affirmed the commitment explicitly--and considering that America is increasing its capabilities in Europe even as America pushes Europeans to do more for their own defense. In what alternate world is this a questionable American commitment? But it is true that European "intellectuals" calling for a strong Europe are not capable of replacing America. But my view is that the intellectuals simply want to downgrade and ultimately eject America to clear the path to a European empire under the EU, and defense of Europe be damned. The Baltic states at the edge of that proto-empire know America is the key to their defense and not Brussels.

I'm not sure how you can argue against up-arming the Stryker. As long as you recognize it is a start and not the solution, the downside eludes me. Mostly I'd like to move beyond the issue of up-gunning the Stryker and admit we need an actual armored cavalry regiment in the force structure.

Without a description of how many missiles Iran has in their arsenal, I find this article describing the models of missiles less than useful.

Trump isn't about to "shuffle" America's top officers as the headline states, he is about to replace a number of senior officers whose terms are ending, as the article describes. The news may not be fake but the headline is sure fake, implying some level of so-called "chaos" and turmoil. And you wonder about my caution in using news sources?

I got a human scammer calling me about issues with my gas usage. Normally they are by computer generated voices and are kind of hilarious in their grammar and subject matter. This request for a call back sounded legitimate but ... off, in some of the details. Plus, I've never ever had my energy company call me so figured given my low use of gas this time of year that this was a scam. I just got my monthly bill and all is normal. Be careful out there. Never call a number that is given by someone calling you. Use a number from your own resources if you think it might be real.

So Krugman thinks Venezuela was trying to be Venezuela when Hugo Chavez started the country down their suicidal socialist path to the cheers of people like him? Good Lord, of course Chavez believed he would produce paradise. Of course he didn't intend to create today's basket case of a nation. But that's really the point of the Siren Song of socialism that inevitably leads to despair and despotism despite the claims of progress and equality, now isn't it?

I wonder if this State Department base on Cyprus was set up with an eye toward promptly evacuating Americans from Lebanon in case Israel invaded. Since it was shut down, what would that say (if my wonder has a basis in fact)?

Since ditching communism and despite the loss of a lot of territory in 1991, Russia is again an exporter of wheat. I did not know that.

They say the prospect of a hanging focuses the mind.

I don't think that Saudi air strikes in Yemen are the problem. Houthi willingness to use human shields is the problem. More of a problem is lack of food, and even that looming crisis is made worse by Houthi actions to divert aid for their war effort. If Iran hadn't gotten involved in the civil war, Saudi involvement would be minimal.

As long as fanatics are drawn to social media, the ability to quickly analyze the traffic is certainly very useful.

You've got to be kidding me. If it turns out that nobody ever resets the default password of "password" I will be very upset. Well, the bayonet and entrenching tool will always work, eh?

I've been pronouncing "carbine" wrong my entire life. Not that it comes up much. Now the correct pronunciation just seems so wrong to my ear. I'll get used to it. You learn something new every day.

Wow. Ukraine's Orthodox Church will split from the Russian Orthodox Church. It's the state church in Putin's Russia and Ukraine doesn't want to be part of that state. But as long as one Russian Orthodox believer remains in Ukraine, Russia will be willing to go to battle for that poor soul! #WhyRussiaCan'tHaveNiceThings.

American sanctions are sharpening the contrast between the corrupt wealthy and distressed poor in Iran. Good.

This article discusses Australian army developments. Personally, I think the Australians need an army on wheeled armored vehicles mobile enough to defend their large continent and able--with naval infantry--to hold outposts north of their country to shield Australia. Submarines and good aircraft able to attack approaching superior naval and amphibious forces are crucial; while good surface warships capable of supporting amphibious operations north of Australia are needed, too. Build that kind of military and it will be of use further abroad as well.

The speed of Russia's S-300  deployment to Syria's military following the Syrian shootdown of a Russian plane while blaming Israel led me to suspect that it was a token capability rather than a real deterrent to Israeli aircraft going after Iranian and Hezbollah targets. I didn't even bother to blog it in a data dump. The deployment is not much of a big deal in the short run.

NATO will reactivate an Albanian air base at Kucova. Which will be a nice backstop to facilities from Romania to Bulgaria, to Greece, to Crete; as well as being an outpost to watch over Serbia.

I started to watch Designated Survivor on Netflix. I lasted four episodes before I grew weary of the all-too-predictable foes to the suddenly elevated liberal everyman president that included a tiresome conservative Islamophobic governor, a pro-coup warmongering general, and a scheming Republican representative. The trinity of evil for liberals. Even Maggie Q couldn't keep me in longer than that. Maybe I'm missing out on the big reveal that the ACLU was behind the massive bombing that provides the premise for the show, but I'll risk it.

It is sad that the far left Twitter mob has decided to condemn someone who actually killed lots of actual Nazis. And insult our British allies.

And yet the Philippines will still be a better than average thug member of the UN body.

Useful idiots. To be fair, we knew that about Vox. Now we just know that China finds them useful. Tip to Instapundit.

I mentioned that real casualties would be inflicted if Palestinians penetrate the fence between Gaza and Israel and launch attacks inside Israel. Palestinians did both and 7 were killed. These are not protests. They are attacks with lots of human shields--shields no less for being willing.

We may have solved our aircraft oxygen generating problem. I hope so.

Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida sustained a lot of hurricane damage. Let's hope the F-22s left there because they could not fly out can be repaired. We have few of these excellent aircraft and can't afford to lose them.

Ukraine suspects sabotage as the cause of a large ammunition depot explosion. Things should be blowing up in Russian-occupied Donbas, if you ask me.