Don't panic about the climate. Remember, we really don't get to see the science. We see the science snipped and slanted by partisan activists; and then selected and edited by partisan media. Is that really the basis for policy action, let alone reason to panic?
Well that's certainly clear as mud now.
Amusingly enough in Biden's recognition of the Armenian genocide by the Turks a century ago, he "dead named" Istanbul. Surely in woke circles that's a thought crime that rivals actual genocide, right? And to offer some potential credit to the Biden administration, is this a shot across the bow to China for its ongoing multi-generational genocide against Uighurs? Nothing can be done for those long dead at the hands of a prior generation of Turks, after all. Is this declaration not really about the Turks and their Armenian victims? Is that why the Turkish response has been muted?
Wonderful. Central Africa doesn't have enough problems.
The Green New Deal will impoverish America? Well, sure. But it has stiff competition from now-counter-productive "Covid" stimulus spending and the so-called "infrastructure" spending plan. Economists with greater knowledge than I have will need to decide what created the rubble and what just bounced it.
America's FOB Jezero Crater seems to be working out well with a unmanned ground vehicle Perseverence providing local security and an unmanned aerial vehicle Ingenuity providing medium-range threat evaluation.
Germany and France are having Xi Jinping Flu pandemic problems. Did Trump move over there? Because I was informed that he was the reason we were hit so hard. Nuance is hard, I guess. Even for Europeans. Like I've said, judge national responses to this when it is over, not during it.
Well that's certainly a convenient excuse for the corrupt rulers to rule out any chance of losing office: "The Palestinian leadership will convene later this week to discuss
whether to postpone next month's elections if Israel does not allow
voting in east Jerusalem, where days of violence have ratcheted up
tensions." Not that Hamas in charge wouldn't be worse. But that's hardly a ringing endorsement of the status quo. And maybe if the sainted international community stopped subsidizing bad choices by the Palestinians, they'd have consequences to learn from.
India is having serious Xi Jinping Flu problems. There was a time when India seemed amazingly resistant to the virus. Did that false confidence lull India? America is stepping up to help. I applaud the Biden administration for this decision. India is too large and poor to shut down long enough to vaccinate. A lot of people have to work to eat with little margin for friction.
Imagining a naval war with China.
Defending a continued role for American ICBMs.
France will design a new generation of nuclear ballistic missile submarines. I don't worry about France having nuclear weapons.
There was a story about how China and Russia want to defeat America with information warfare that undermines our country. The problem isn't what China and Russia do. The problem is that we are a target-rich environment with too many Americans glad to have even enemies reinforce their domestic policy views. So much for the rally-around-the-flag effect.
Iran continues to supply the Yemen Houthis so they can strike directly at Saudi Arabia.
Good idea: "The debate over the naval future of the United States should center on strategy rather than how many of what kinds of ships will make up the fleet, four authors who published pieces on the future of the Navy said on Thursday." I fully endorse that suggestion: "Instead of having a carrier debate, can we have a sea power debate?"
Huh: "Russians today are chagrined to learn that they are worse off than Romanians and Turks. Although President Vladimir Putin would like them to think that their country has been the victim of "outside forces" such as declining oil prices, no one has done more to hurt their living standards than he has." Will no advisor tell Putin he is effing up royally? With a bonus warning to Ukraine.
The Germans and British are looking into joint tank design and production for a European tank. You can see how economies of scale can be achieved when you consider Britain could buy two of those tanks while Germany buys one ...
Science! The "six-foot" rule always seemed like BS to me, applicable only if you are pondering how close someone can sneeze or cough directly in your direction. Stay indoors long enough and you can accumulate enough of a viral load to infect you. Ventilation is way more important. And actually, the results make me wonder how I didn't get the Xi Jinping Flu when I went to Las Vegas last fall despite wearing a mask in the casinos. Cumulative exposure was way more than 20 hours. With way more people around me and some of the time with my mask removed for eating or drinking. Or maybe I got it and didn't realize it. Soon after getting home, I had maybe five hours when I wondered if I was getting sick. But with a 14-day self-quarantine and minimal contact--while masked--even after that, there was no way practical effect on others if I did get it. Although it might have gotten me through the winter spike until I got vaccinated. Our government sure made a lot of big decisions with little solid information to go on.
Kerry told the Iranians about Israeli attacks on Iranian targets in Syria? Sure, that's slimy. It isn't treason, of course. American forces weren't involved. But to be fair, what are the odds that the Iranians thought their assets were mysteriously dying like Spinal Tap drummers? And if hardliners leaked that to keep Iran out of a new nuclear deal, that doesn't mean a nuclear deal is good for America. It just means the hardliners disagree with the so-called moderates who prefer to pretend that Iran doesn't want nuclear weapons. I think the hardliners have too much contempt for us to pretend. I hate it when stories are slanted by the right to make me defend Kerry, who is the worst American secretary of state in modern memory.
Leftists-with liberals along for the ride without protesting--are rebuilding the tribalism in America that the West fought so long to suppress. It's just straight up evil to do that.
Japan will be ready if North Korea's ballistic missile submarine goes to sea with nukes. Or if the Chinese get aggressive. Although I wonder if North Korea will send their SSB to sea with a herd of ancient diesel attack subs to soak up ASW weapons until the sub can launch.
Has anybody studied what effect everyone carrying a phone has had on the reasons people dial 911 for police help? Running back to your home or finding a pay phone to get that help was a bigger decision because it was not as easy to do.
Don't trust communist China: "In northwest India (Ladakh State) Chinese forces have not only slowed their agreed withdrawal from disputed territory in Ladakh but have quietly moved in HQ9 air defense systems."
We really have no idea how many nuclear weapons China has.
As the need to fight for air superiority rises the Air Force is lowering its pilot standards? How soon does the Air Force think robots will take over? Or will AI make up for lower standards? This seems insane to me.
The Marines are thinking about an armed LPD. That sounds like a splendid idea (behind the USNI pay wall). And it seems like a major slap at the existing flawed LAW concept.
Biden is in a hurry to directly surrender to Iran on a nuclear deal rather than wait for the indirect European initiative to negotiated a pretend nuclear deal. Remember, the outline of a deal will be simple. Iran will pretend not to have a nuclear weapons program. And America will pretend to believe Iran.
Will South Africa intervene in Mozambique to fight jihadis?
The Iranians effed with American Coast Guard ships in the Persian Gulf. For some reason the Navy didn't immediately sink the Iranian Revolutionary Guards ships. Still, in a later incident a small Navy ship fired warning shots as Iranian speedboats continued to ef with the ships.
Iranian-backed Houthi attacked a Saudi Red Sea port with an explosive-packed unmanned surface vehicle. Remember, the Red Sea is Saudi Arabia's Plan B oil export route if Iran shuts down the Strait of Hormuz. Iran wants to be able to cut that off, too. And yet the Biden administration tries to gain favor with Iran by ending Saudi pressure on the Houthi. Gosh our enemies sure missed America's Smart Diplomacy!
I heard somebody discuss the possibility of people hiring other people to carry out acts of war with armed drones. I was all over that fifteen years ago.
The CDC now says wearing a mask outside doesn't do much good. I've felt that way for a long time and haven't worn a mask outside since early days of 2020 when we knew too little to know better. But glad the CDC is catching up with the obvious.
The Enforcement Coordination Cell battles North Korean smuggling at sea.
Boko Haram jihadis, piracy, and mass oil theft are starting to look like the best case scenario for Nigeria's future. Corruption kills. Normally at a lower rate. But sometimes at war rates. AFRICOM has its hands full.
France is seeking an opening for influence in northeast Syria. The coalition in eastern Syria protects the Kurds and others who oppose Assad. But it is as much about preventing that territory from being a jihadi logistics area for operations in Iraq as it was during the Iraq War. If this is a French Plan B as it loses influence in Lebanon, I regret them giving up on fighting Hezbollah's influence and power.
Yes: "KenDiAngelonianism, in its infantilization of black people for purposes of white self-congratulation, is racist[.]" Tip to Instapundit.
If Biden was Obama's insurance against being assassinated, Harris is Biden's insurance that no White House Doctor will ever call time of death on him prematurely.
Cable-Chewing Beavers. Admit it, that would have made a great name for a lesbian punk rock band. Tip to The Morning Briefing.
Yes, with a long enough and broad enough horizon, liberty and prosperity are winning. The only hitch is that we have to get through a retrograde era right here and right now.
BOOM! The walls are closing in.
Biden is delusional and the jihadis will prove him wrong. If Biden's claim was true I'd have no problem with fighting the threat. Sadly, Democrats will treat West Virginia as a vast figurative free-fire zone. Because if a white person there says something racist, he's a racist. But if he doesn't say something racist, he's a well-disciplined racist. Also, the Capitol Building riot had zero chance of challenging our democracy. Zero. The Democratic over-reaction to that riot is another question altogether. Meanwhile on the other side of the country, actual insurrection.
Iran's efforts to steal nuclear technology from Germany is an annual story at this point. And the presence of so many Iran-affiliated terrorists and their supporters in Germany is hardly a shock.
Japan and South Korea object to Biden administration attempt to give goodies to North Korea to re-start nuke talks. North Korea has long been willing to accept stuff and pay the price of sitting at a table with us for a bit. Apparently, a really, really sincere American offer of stuff will do the trick. This time for sure. Also note the successful local resistance to police efforts to crack down on black markets. And the punishment/slave camps. Lovely place. I bet the North Koreans regret wasting the insult "dotard" on Trump.
Those women should be terrified of a return of the Taliban. Why Western feminists aren't the most hard core anti-jihadis is beyond my comprehension. To be fair, it is far safer and profitable to bitterly complain about Western men.
Oh good, the Department of Defense is more vulnerable to hacking to disrupt internal communications.
China launched the main module of their planned space station.
Once again, American policy seems to be to reward Iran up-front for restoring a nuclear weapons agreement. Gosh, I wonder if we can bribe Iran into pretending it doesn't want nukes? And will we again pretend to believe Iran? The suspense is killing me. The display of Smart Diplomacy amazes me. Giving up your leverage as an opening gambit is truly brilliant.
Russia's low threshold for first use of nuclear weapons. It's a product of Russia's national defense bankruptcy. It's hard to defend your borders when you are a regional military power with continents-spanning borders. And while the effect of Russia's claim to use nukes in a "conventional" war is limited--if true--given that NATO has no interest in invading Russia, what if Russia believes it can invade NATO and shield itself from a counteroffensive with nukes? Have a super sparkly day.
China has shiny new weapons. Can they use them effectively? Probably not as effectively as we fear. But my confidence that America can maintain the soft aspects of leadership, morale, training, readiness, and logistics is not as strong as it once was.
The Marines have continued to build up their rotational presence in Australia. Question: Is this still a Marine Expeditionary Unit--as the original plan aimed for--or is it disaggregated for anti-ship island operations under the new Marine focus?
Army deployments to Poland are supposed to deter Russia--not make it rain.
An American destroyer tracked the PLAN Liaoning carrier group.
The British are looking to collaborate with America on a new fighter aircraft. The British are diversifying their partnerships as the attempt to work with the EU on new tanks shows. Which seems prudent for a country in geographic Europe but not political Europe. Those are different things.
The Abraham Accords have some momentum even without America pushing the effort; and Saudi Arabia looks to China as a possible Plan B to American support. Recall that 40 years ago the Saudis had Chinese intermediate range missile waiting for Pakistani nuclear warheads if necessary.
What the HOLY FUCK is going on in France? Is it too late already?
America has never had a shortage of useful idiots, that's for sure.
Precision 120mm mortar shells.
I had retreated from my concerns about the Russian vaccine for the Xi Jinping Flu virus. It seemed okay. But Brazil says it has a big flaw. Russia denies it. In a rather threatening manner. Is it a flaw in the vaccine? Is the vaccine Brazil got different from the tested version that seems okay? Were the clinical trials flawed? Is there a quality control problem in production?
The Navy is getting ready to go to sea with the F-35C. I've long wondered why the Navy has lagged the Air Force and Marines in getting the F-35 into action.
I commend the Biden administration for having our special forces work with the Ukrainians to make them better able to fight the Russians.
Speaking of bastards: "Russia also maintains a large naval presence off the coast of Ukraine and Moscow said it will block all foreign naval vessels from transiting a part of the Black Sea known as the Kerch Strait until October." Clearing out other navies for training is one thing. But an exercise stretching to October that blocks the strait is in effect a blockade of Ukraine's Sea of Azov coast--an act of war. Will our Coast Guard vessel in the Black Sea attempt to pierce that blockade to reach Mariupol?
Blue collar people of color don't like the riots that woke college-educated people think are justified from their safe perches insulated (by police or private security) from those riots. How it is pro-minority to justify and cheer on communists in BLM and Antifa who destroy minority neighborhoods and businesses is beyond me. I'm more disgusted with the woke than the communists. I expect communists to be vile destructive scum. The woke claim to have a monopoly on compassion. Where is it?
Will Brexit ever really be completed? Well, not as long as the European Union is a quasi-autocratic proto-imperial entity. As long as that entity needs to punish Britain to keep its smaller subject states in line, Britain will regularly experience legal punitive missions directed at it from the continent. Perhaps Britain needs to look at this era as a new Napoleonic War to break this new continental system around the periphery.
Well that's a take: "Removing U.S. troops from Afghanistan won’t endanger national security but will demonstrate 'American leadership' by halting the cycle of endless armed conflict, President Joe Biden argued in his address to Congress on Wednesday night." It is leadership to leave an enemy an advantage by getting out of their way? The "cycle of violence" is carried out by death cult jihadis. It is simply wrong to imply that America and our allies contribute to violence by standing in the way of the death cult jihadis.
The SEALs are joining the shift away from counter-terrorism to great power competition missions.
We have no idea if our systems to deflect incoming anti-ship missiles work: "The U.S. Navy 'currently does not have a well-defined strategy or funding' for testing to determine whether radar and self-defense systems on board many of its vessels can stop anti-ship cruise missiles, according to the Pentagon’s acting director of combat testing." This requires "unmanned test platform to fire at, live test data and a sophisticated and verified model and simulation" which the Navy has no plans to create. I'm assuming this is about ship electronic counter-measures rather than kinetic anti-missile systems.
The hoods are figurative, of course, and internalized through the denial of agency to minorities.
I watched a university feature on YouTube the other day. It had closed captioning. It worked really well. The video also had a sign language translator in the corner. That's just virtue signaling at this point, isn't it?
There are long-term health issues associated with getting the Xi Jinping Flu. Is that normal for a covid virus? Or is this an indication that it was created in a lab? And it could still have been accidentally released from a lab for that to be true.
An interesting discussion of the Chinese threat to invade Taiwan and the consequences: "China’s growing military confidence puts Taiwan at risk[.]" The fate of Taiwan is more than a question of Taiwan's fate. And China just have to believe--even if they are wrong--that they will win for them to start a war. Also, be careful how you define a Chinese defeat. As I wrote in Military Review, if China remains on Taiwan after a ceasefire is declared, China has effectively won the war even if it takes years for Taiwan to be defeated.
The American Coast Guard ship that entered the Black Sea exercised with the Turks.
When it positively has to get there overnight. Six American F-15s ferried JDAMs to the UAE using transport carriages. That's new.
Australia is purchasing 160 Abrams tanks and variants based on the hull. Huh. That would eject any light enemy bridgehead from their continent. Also, four heavy lift helicopters.
The American and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan will create a power vacuum that others may try to fill for good or ill. Nah, it'll be fine. What could possibly go wrong?
I'm going to let time solve a problem I created. I had an older rug at my entry. I put it there for the winter so a nicer rug wouldn't get dirty. But it slipped on the floor. So I put down sticky rug anchors so nobody would break a neck. I recently put a better carpet down that has friction with the floor. I thought I should pull up the anchors. No go. I thought of really forcing them. Then wondered if it would rip the finish out. That would require a major repair effort to rip up the floor and put down replacement sections. What if I can't lift the anchors at all without risking damage? Then I thought, who cares? I always have a rug there. Sure, it bugs me that I can't have the bare floor now. But let's think long term. Has there ever been any glue I have used that has not failed at some point? Nope. So I'll just leave the anchors and let time do its job of drying out the glue and making them come up easily. Hell, by then I'll probably be annoyed they no longer stick.
Follow the science union! Tip to Instapundit. Remember, it's the American Federation of Teachers--not the American Federation of Teaching.
Yes, communists are evil and are monsters. It needs to be said that clearly.
A complicated Norway-Germany two-way weapons deal.
Chemical factory fire in Iran. Cause unknown.
Biden will reject Trump's and Obama's approaches to North Korea. But the story mis-characterizes Trump's approach: "Donald Trump’s deeply personal effort to win over Kim Jong Un and Barack Obama’s more hands-off approach." Trump tried to win over Kim, but he also tightened sanctions. I was actually pleasantly surprised by Obama's approach. I feared he'd try to bribe North Korea. Which is a futile approach. And I fear that setting up his predecessors' approaches the way the story does is the beginning of a new effort to throw rewards at North Korea. North Korea will accept the goodies and do nothing for them.
I keep expecting--for decades now--our deficit spending to ignite inflation. But every time an increase in that spending doesn't cause inflation, the politicians increase the deficit even more. This year all caution has been dropped and the spending is skyrocketing. Maybe this time inflation will be the result. There are already signs of it. God help us. It's a killer of the middle class.
Either our colleges--run by woke left-wingers--are hate-filled white supremacist havens, or the supply of white supremacy exceeds the demand on those campuses. Tip to Instapundit.
Amazingly, even privileged professors are eager to claim the mantle of victimhood. I swear to God, the Iron Throne on Westeros had less competition for it.
Good Lord, we should send a lot more help to India to fight the Xi Jinping Flu pandemic.
The State Department denies a report on Iranian TV that America released $7 billion for four Americans held by Iran. Tell me you don't know that the truth will be that we provided access to $6.5 billion. Or that it involved 5 American hostages.
I took advantage of an unseasonably warm day in the middle of dreary coolness to walk downtown and get a beer and lunch. It had been 20 months since I'd last been to my favorite pub (winter and the plague). And a mask didn't touch my face for any of it! A simple joy. But I have it back.
The Iran nuclear deal was horrible and basically designed to enable Iran to build nuclear weapons without worrying about being attacked. And the "inspection" provisions were just dog and pony shows to lull the West into believing Iran was blocked from getting nukes. It is shameful that Biden wants to restore a deal. Tip to Instapundit.
