Weekend Data Dump

The A-10 versus the Air Force. SPOILER ALERT: The A-10 won.

The view from space, obscured by the bureaucracy, is cleared up by the private sector.

Speaking of Foreign Affairs BS: "By surging troops and military hardware into the region and encouraging its allies to enlarge their arsenals, Washington is heightening tensions and increasing the risk of an avoidable conflict." Yes, China is the cause, he says. But risking conflict is still America's fault? When conflict would have to begin with a Chinese attack? Allies are not expanding their arsenals because of America. Allies are expanding their arsenals because of China. If American encouragement was so effective, NATO would have made more rapid progress toward spending 2% of GDP on defense. The FA argument is idiocy. American policy isn't only about military measures. But given China's military rise, our military response has to be robust with a sense of urgency.

I enjoyed having my son back home from his doctoral program. Unlike his last trip home when I was in Las Vegas, I could go to a Michigan football game with him and my daughter. Those times are slipping away.

Huh: "Women and pregnant people[.]" This is a strange grouping when what is on the left side of "and" represents 100% of the population of both sides of the "and". Tip to Instapundit.

Canada needs to commit to NORAD to make it effective. The collapse of the USSR ended Russia's ability to conquer Western Europe. Canada reacted by getting off that European front line yet didn't notice Canada itself is a new front line.

An MC-130J landed a HIMARS on a Gotland Island road, in an exercise with the Swedes.

There are left and right countercultures in America. While I have sympathy for the far right counterculture's indictment of the government-media class, I reject its indictment of America and embrace of authoritarian leaders as a solution. Every bit as much as I reject the far left's authoritarian impulses to "solve" non-crises. I don't think America is on the verge of either collapse or civil war despite my concerns about the country's woke direction. I am down about our political culture, but I have faith that America will pass through this period--at what price I do not know--and endure as a free and powerful country. We've endured worse than cancel culture twits. Tip to Instapundit.

Apparent military coup in Sudan. That's not likely to help the people, given the apparent Islamist tilt. But how does it affect the Nile River GERD dispute over river water flow to Sudan and Egypt from Ethiopia?

We're never going to reach Peak Stupid if people like "Doctor Valerie" keep pushing it ever higher. Tip to Instapundit. I think I'm experiencing moron stress disorder, if I may also coin a phrase.

Iran is working to spread pro-Iran Shia Islam in eastern Syria. Which is a problem given our military presence in eastern Syria. Despite a recent Iranian attack, America is unlikely to withdraw its 900 troops in Syria. But are we willing to die on that hill?

Good: "The country's largest school board association apologized late Friday for its letter to President Joe Biden calling on the FBI to investigate parents as potential domestic terrorists." But despite the retraction of the letter that called in the federal hammer, the federal hammer remains. Tips to Instapundit.

I've been all over this right-hander assault on my people (tip to Instapundit): "Activist lectures U. North Carolina students about ‘right-handed privilege[.]’"

 

When oppressive patriarchy is actually good! Don't you dare say otherwise.

While the Biden administration's publicity for the designation of Levine as an "admiral" is silly, I don't think the episode will hurt our military. The administration and the military leadership itself are doing enough on their own. But hey, it's Halloween time, so it is the season for costumes. Tip to Instapundit.

This should be really fun when the White House gets around to the Islamic world: "The Biden-Harris Administration issues first-ever national gender strategy to advance the full participation of all people – including women and girls – in the United States and around the world." We won't be equal until men have the same number of babies as women. Or more likely the way government works, women have as few babies as men. Tip to Treacher.

Throwing you all back in chains since 1865: It's amazing how many Democratic-run institutions are "structurally racist," eh?

Xi is tightening his grip on China: "China’s leadership believes that existing problems should be tackled by imposing ever more control—control that flows directly from the small working groups at the central level. This has strengthened the discipline of the Party at the cost of alternative opinions and flexibility within the system." Although rather than being a plan, Xi may be winging it. Which wouldn't shock me. Let's see if killing the geese that lay the golden eggs--the basis of legitimacy for several decades now-works out.

To be fair, Biden gave Putin a very short list of targets off limits to cyber attacks: "Tom Burt, a top Microsoft security executive, said in a statement Sunday that a group of hackers [previously linked to Russian intelligence services] had been linked to some 23,000 attacks this year on more than 600 organizations."

Can even "cruel" experiments on puppies turn off Fauci's panty-flinging fanboys and fangirls?
Tip to Treacher.

Huh: The Biden administration has told lawmakers that the US is nearing a formalized agreement with Pakistan for use of its airspace to conduct military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan[.]" I guess the Pakistanis aren't sure what they won. And now some American military help doesn't sound too bad to Pakistan. Let's make sure we strike targets that threaten America rather than be Pakistan's ISI air force to punish stubborn local Taliban.

All we need European NATO states to do in regard to China is not make China stronger with trade and technology deals; and be strong enough to deal with Russia, with minimal U.S. help. Okay, one more thing: resume selling weapons to Taiwan over China's objections.

So the author is saying Russia has a right to invade and conquer Georgia and Ukraine? What other ex-Soviet-controlled states should be sacrificed? Also, NATO membership does not require any state to fight an attacker, just to consult and take appropriate actions. The varied responses of NATO allies to the only Article V war in NATO's history--Afghanistan--should clearly show there is not automatic fighting clause. Russia shouldn't be a NATO enemy and we should pursue that objective. But detente should be on NATO's terms--not Russia's.

A look at American special forces training the Taiwanese. I almost never hear special forces called "Green Berets," as they are in this article, the last several decades. Is that nickname still used?

This is really odd given how often the Russians wave around their nuclear arsenal: "The Russian defence ministry on Monday handed a protest note to a German military attache due to the German defence minister's comments over the need to deter Russia's nuclear capabilities, RIA state news agency reported." The Germans weren't supposed to notice?

Staging or recovering Israeli aircraft that strike Iran's nuclear facilities would certainly be a great UAE contribution under this growing relationship: "The chief of the United Arab Emirates Air Force visited Israel on Monday on what the host country described as a harbinger of cooperation in air power."

Erdogan making friends and influencing people in Libya. 

Preparing to give the bear indigestion for as long as possible.

Estonia is big on Internet capabilities for a reason: "Estonia may be small but they know what is important. If the Russians come, the invaders’ bad behavior will be captured and broadcast, one way or another, as close to 24/7 as the Estonians can manage. Russia does not like its bad behavior exposed like that because even a lot of Russians don’t approve of that sort of thing. Broadcast the lies live and the lies lose their power." The Philippines should have live streams around everything as the first line of defense to expose what the Chinese do.

I mentioned recently that there is a great gap between those who think Taiwan will resist an invasion furiously and those that think Taiwan's troops lack the will and training to fight. Here's one (sadly paywalled) on the latter: "The concern that China might try to seize Taiwan is preoccupying American military planners and administration officials. Few of them think Taiwan’s military could hold the line." I'm with these guys, especially regarding reservists. While anti-ship missiles are great and subs would be great, the ability to fight on the ground when things look bleak is what Taiwan really needs. Oh wait, here's a version readable.

I assume that anybody caught committing voter fraud is the most careless or unlucky tip of the iceberg and not the result of a careful and successful search for a needle in a hay stack.

I do not want an electric vehicle. And I strongly suspect they have a higher carbon footprint than an internal combustion engine car from production through use to disposal.

Erdogan changed his mind about expelling Western ambassadors. Well, he did really overreact.

An upgraded American carrier and a soon-to-be Japanese carrier operated together in the South China Sea. Although that's no place to be early in a war with China.

Israel is thinking about setting up a $1.5 billion fund to finance a strike campaign against Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran doesn't like that very much.

Slavery: "U.N. human rights experts on Friday called on Mali to crack down on hereditary slavery after a series of violent attacks against people born into servitude. ... Descent-based slavery is also practiced in Mali's neighbours Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mauritania, which became the last country in the world to abolish slavery in 1981." Maybe we should be less focused on a 1619 Project and more focused on a 2021 Project.

I assume Russia pushes Belarus to be authoritarian and provocative to make it harder for the West to align with Belarus to resist Russian pressure to submit to Russia: "Belarus has forced the closure of the U.S. Embassy’s Public Diplomacy and USAID offices in a move that comes amid the tensions with the U.S. and its allies over Belarusian authorities' crackdown on protests." 

I almost didn't post anything from the Week in Pictures. But, LOL:

Let's see if the military is capable of defining political "extremism" that applies to all ideologies.

Logistics: "The Chinese military is thinking about how to stealthily destroy a naval port to cripple an adversary's capabilities and hinder its ability to fight, a People's Liberation Army Navy officer explained to state media after a recent explosive test that was reportedly meant to simulate an attack on a port." A port? I'd block the Panama Canal to really hinder America's ability to reinforce the western Pacific when China goes for Taiwan. And pull a "oops" maneuver in the Suez Canal, too, while they're at it.

Oh? "The U.S. Navy finally is deploying its controversial, near-shore Littoral Combat Ships in meaningful numbers where it matters—in the crowded, contested waters of the western Pacific Ocean. And it’s giving the deployed ships some of the weapons they would need actually to fight and survive in a clash with the Chinese fleet." This has long been the plan. The LCS is fine for peacetime presence. They are dead meat the moment China initiates war. But I'd rather lose those ships than destroyers or big deck ships as a tripwire. 

The Islamist nutballs have demands: "Pakistan's interior minister said on Tuesday the government was ready to consider the demands of a banned Islamist group that has threatened to march on the capital Islamabad, but could not accept their call for the French ambassador to be expelled." The Pakistanis shouldn't delude themselves. The jihadis want to expel the Pakistani government.

To be fair, none of the targets are probably on the "off limits" list Biden gave Putin: "Russia’s premier intelligence agency has launched another campaign to pierce thousands of U.S. government, corporate and think-tank computer networks[.] " What is not forbidden is allowed, right?

Interesting: "Turkey and South Korea have signed a letter of intent by which two Korean companies will supply engines and transmission mechanisms for the Altay, Turkey’s indigenous tank in the making." I bet Ukraine ends up getting the tank.

Last week I mentioned that someone attacked an American base in Syria. Well thank goodness the Iranians weren't parked nearby with anti-aircraft weapons as the plane took off: "Roughly 200 U.S. troops were evacuated by C-130 transport planes prior to the attack last week, while about two dozen remained at the small base, one military official told Fox News."

In pre-social media days you could believe something stupidly wrong for years without anyone knowing. Tip to Insanity Wrap.

I wouldn't write off America at all--although as Afghanistan shows, we have leadership that could eff it up--but this is correct: "China is definitely on the rise. But don't write off American dominance just yet." Don't panic. Work the problem. China is not "destined" to dominate the world.

"It's not one of my better moves." But it was a statement for a completely insane goal. So he's got that going for him. Tip to Treacher.

Well that sounds significant: "In one of nature's unexpected bounties, a harmless food-grade solvent has been used to extract highly sought rare-earth metals from coal ash, reducing the amount of ash without damaging the environment and at the same time increasing an important national resource." Tip to Instapundit.

The media is deeply offended that people are using a swear word against the president?? Tip to Instapundit.

Hmm. Perhaps I will hold off on that booster decision. I'm certainly set in not switching vaccines.

Yet Republicans couldn't buy that kind of friendly coverage at any price: "The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Reuters, and Politico have all published news-style pieces commissioned by the Chinese telecom giant [Huawei] to advance its interests, according to a Washington Free Beacon review."

The Israelis and Russians agree that Iranians and their allies in Syria can and will be attacked and killed. 

The Australians experienced the joys of the NH-90: "The Australian Navy is buying six more American MH-60R ASW (anti-submarine warfare) helicopters to replace six Airbus MRH-90 helicopters currently used."

China stands up for the Taliban. I guess the Taliban won't be standing up for the Uighurs.

The European Union--except Germany--is unhappy with Russia's hand on the spigot of Europe's winter heating fuel. No worries. Windmills will save Europe from Russian energy blackmail.

But don't you dare call them "stranded" there: "Nearly 200 Americans who want to leave Afghanistan remain in the country nearly two months after the U.S. military’s evacuation mission ended at the Kabul airport, Pentagon officials told senators Tuesday."

So Biden didn't "end" the war in Afghanistan? "Terrorist groups within Afghanistan could strike international targets within six months if left unchecked, defense officials warned lawmakers on Tuesday." We had the terrorists checked. And then we didn't.

 

Well, good! "The U.S. State Department refrained from referring to Taiwan as a country in a statement to the United Nations requesting that Taiwan participate in the international governing body." Never let it be said that I can't commend the Biden administration.

While there may not be unanimous cheers in the region for the AUKUS deal right now, China's military power is real right now while Australia's boats are in the future. There will be sighs of relief when Australian SSNs are patrolling the South China Sea.

Democracy dies in administration darkness. Is anybody really surprised?

Lying to justify government powers or too ignorant to set policy? Tip to The Morning Briefing.

American troops will remain in Germany: "The U.S. Army is here to stay in Germany, the service’s top civilian said this week during a stop in Munich that reinforced a growing sense that a proposal for big troop cutbacks in the country is all but dead." I guess we have to stay in case the Germans get all goose-steppy--as the Germans sometimes claim to excuse their weak military.

If it is forbidden to say Rachel Levine is a man, is it permissible to say Rachel Levine is the butt ugliest woman to ever exist since the camera was invented? I mean, surely something approaching truth has to be allowed. Right?

The beatings will continue until the private sector improves its ability to overcome stupid policies.

That's great, I guess. Now travel to an Islamic country with it. No? Islamophobe!

Huh? "As the country faces an unprecedented murder spike, President Joe Biden is claiming that eliminating cash bail for violent criminals is critical to promoting 'gender equity and equality.'" What does that even mean??Are Democrats not embarrassed that criminals are apparently a natural constituency? I assume the next step is replacing cash bail for pre-trial release from jail with a donation to the Democratic National Committee.

Submarine collisions. Sometimes stuff just happens.

And yet somehow their "good friend" China--where the virus started--hasn't helped Russia cope? "The Russian capital on Thursday started a nonworking period intended to stem coronavirus infections as new daily cases and deaths from COVID-19 surged to all-time highs."

Vietnam is on the front line of Chinese land and sea threats so welcomes Australia's future SSNs. The author welcomes Japan's consensus on arming up in the face of China's threats, and wishes Taiwan would do the same. 

Putin established he can take it away at any time. Will Europeans behave after that demonstration? "European gas prices dropped Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the country's major natural gas company to pump more gas into EU storages."

Oops: "China's largest class of warships—once thought to be wholly resistant to radar detection—are actually quite visible to radar scans after all." Tip to Instapundit. 

Reflecting on the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the threat from Hezbollah to Israel: "The IDF should not depend too much on the IAF, yet another lesson from the 1973 war. Israeli ground forces have to be fit and ready to carry out a large-scale offensive deep inside a hostile country." I concur.

Separate and unequal--and likely even that will not last once world attention fades.

Unless the holistic health and fitness effort to reduce damage to soldiers includes lightening the load that infantry are expected to carry around, the problem won't be solved.

America would have less of a supply chain problem if more of the links were made in America. Tip to Instapundit.

Screw that. I'm of the opinion that since Pakistan drove America from Afghanistan by supporting the Taliban, America has no obligation to stabilize the region for the benefit of Pakistan. Let Pakistan enjoy their victory and let China pay for stability. We simply can't afford to care more about other people than the leaders of those people or their neighbors.

You can call 200,000 men "special forces" but no force that large is special forces quality despite the statement that "they are believed to well trained and highly motivated." Once they were good, stealthy light infantry. Now they may just be crap with a good reputation. The mechanized offensive scenario described is by now a fantasy and North Korea needs to worry about South Korea pushing north of the DMZ.

Moqtada al-Sadr is a good thing now? "His anti-U.S. credentials are not in doubt; Sadr earned notoriety in the years after the U.S. invasion for unleashing sectarian militias under his control against U.S. troops. Yet it’s the U.S. government that perhaps should be most pleased by Sadr’s new status as a national leader." I fear we will, as I've long warned, rue the day we didn't kill that three-time insurrectionist and one-time(?) ally of Iran. A lot of American blood is on Sadr's hands. I don't think he's changed his ways enough to wash that away.

Oh, I just noticed that my Military Review Taiwan article is included in the MR "China Reader Special Edition". It may not make sense to send a corps to Taiwan depending on circumstances, but I want the Army in Asia to think beyond long-range fires to support the Navy. The Army should think about its core competency of large-scale combat operations outside of the Korean peninsula. At the very least, China will have to think about what we can do to them.

Sure (via Instapundit): "Woke media dubbed Kyrsten Sinema a ‘bisexual icon’ — until she voted against progressives[.]" Every member of any non-white male group is considered "authentic" only as long as that member is loyal to whoever dominates the Democratic Party. Bisexuals can only be the Bisexual Auxiliary of the Democratic Party if they don't want to be attacked and shunned.

I know it is almost required to sagely note that America didn't fight a twenty-year was in Afghanistan, but fought 20 1-year wars. Troops rotated home. I don't buy this as the reason for losing the war. Note that nobody says our troops should have been sent for the duration. Or even for their full term of enlistment. Our NCOs and officers returned at higher levels of command. We certainly won on the battlefields of Iraq by 2009 using 9-15-month tours. I would really love to see an analysis of Taliban fighters. Have they been in the fight 20 years? Or did the Taliban recruit for spring offensives year after year with new foot soldiers?

India tested a 3,000+ mile-range nuclear-capable missile. But nukes don't deter China from initiating lethal hand-to-hand combat over mere yards of barren territory on the Tibet border.

Comrades! I introduce Shockworker Linda from Peoria! Sadly, she will be discovered to be a hoarder and wrecker:

"Iran clearly wants a nuclear deal. Does Biden?" Well, Iran knows a deal is a shield to go nuclear and not an obstacle. Biden wants to give Iran all the things that put together could be called a "deal." But Biden doesn't want a document that he can be held responsible for.

China is going to be "face global pressure" at the COP26 global warming summit in Scotland? Really? Is Greta Thunberg going to scowl at them harder if they keep using coal? China will neither face nor feel any actual pressure at all from the scolds jetting into Glasgow.

North Korea. Where there is no floor for lowered expectations.

I should mention that I read that the claim that some Canadian government office banned using "Let's go, Brandon" didn't actually happen. I believe I linked to an article last week on that claim. My bad.

China screws the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Faking air defenses until they can make air defenses?

I think Bernard-Henri Levy is right: "'We did not fail. You Americans ... did not fail. We won this war,' said BHL. 'There was a real democratic aspiration in Afghanistan, which we just encouraged, helped. We, just by our presence, we dissuaded the Taliban too, for years, 'til now. Until this dark day of August 15.'" We made Afghanistan a better place in addition to creating a military that bled every day while killing jihadis. Until we screwed the pooch. BHL is also right that the war isn't over. Will we circle back to help the enemies of the Taliban?

I don't assume we'd fight Russia and China separately. I assume China will call the shots on targets and timing without consulting Russia. I assume Russia will have to follow along as best they can. And I assume the only possible support between the two is for Russia to sortie their Pacific Fleet in a futile effort to help China. And I assume the South Koreans and Japanese will sink the Russian surface fleet in short order. And I think that Russian-Chinese naval maneuvers are a way to get a close look at Russia's fleet capabilities for reasons Russia will not welcome.

Denying that Critical Race Theory isn't being taught to kids is narrowly true but also a lie. CRT isn't being taught to kids. But the conclusions from CRT that white people and our entire society are racist while all minorities (except for Asians when that is convenient to the CRT racists) are forever victims are absolutely being taught to kids.

Yes. Even if the Navy thinks that nothing can be repaired before a war ends, we'd need to quickly rebuild from war losses to prepare for the next fight: "Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.), who chairs the House Armed Services Committee’s readiness panel, told joint service officials Thursday that if shipyards and repair depots are as critical to readiness as officials say, then the services should better prioritize them in their budgets." Yet perhaps the Navy thinks more anti-ship missiles for the ships and planes we already have are more important than the long run.

A war over Taiwan could come soon. Could be. But I think China has had the ability to invade Taiwan for a long time--if it is willing to risk going to war. For those who reject that, what capabilities in the next 5 or 20 years--whatever the time frame is--will China gain that gives them a new capacity to invade?

Intelligence agencies didn't foresee the Afghanistan collapse: "Leading U.S. intelligence agencies failed to predict the rapid Taliban takeover of Afghanistan prior to the final withdrawal of American troops[.]" Much earlier I predicted a danger zone when morale could collapse. As time went on and only bad news came out of Afghanistan--especially our failure to help Afghanistan get through that danger zone--I began to worry that the end was near. And despite news that gave me hope we were still helping the Afghan security forces, we were not.

More cowbell? I don't know, but it sure seems like a transition to unreliable renewable energy made Europe more vulnerable to Russian energy blackmail.

I find it hard to believe that the Biden administration would really dole out half a million dollars or more to illegal aliens whose families were separated--to protect children from people who could merely be posing as parents, remember--after illegally crossing into America. And only during the Trump administration. Never mind that the government separates American parents from their children every day for a variety of reasons. But perhaps I suffer from a lack of imagination. Would the American people stand for such a huge transfer of money from American taxpayers to illegal immigrants? It's bad enough that lawbreakers aren't stopped or punished. Now Democrats will reward lawbreakers? And what does this say to legal immigrants who wait in line and follow our laws to get here? Is everybody a sucker except lawbreakers? Let's go Brandon, and the horse he rode in on. OMG, it appears to be true. Tar. Feathers.

Army laser development. Tip to Instapundit.

Well let's hope that the effects of leaving Iraq in 2011 is a lesson not to leave Iraq again: "The US will not leave Iraq as it did in Afghanistan, a top official from Washington said on Wednesday, amid fears that an American withdrawal would bring chaos to the country." But then, I thought the lesson of 2011 would have warned us not to abandon Afghanistan.

If Democrats didn't fabricate racists, would there be any racists in America? It turns out that (via Instapundit) the "Republican" version of Democrats, the "Lincoln" Project, took "credit" for it.

If you are expecting to get a serving of fruit, let alone strawberries, in your frosted strawberry pop tart, you are a moron and don't really "grok" pop tarts.

The 26th Cult of Prius (COP26) meets in Glasgow, Scotland (tip to Instapundit) to impoverish blue collar people. It's just a religious revival meeting. Now go and emit no more.

There's a reason the public doesn't trust the media (via Instapundit):

These are the droids that are looking for you.

It's parody ... so far. Via Instapundit. 

I'm sure the AUKUS submarine announcement was rushed to erase the taste of the Afghanistan skedaddle debacle: "Biden admitted that the announcement of the deal, which angered the French, was 'clumsy,' and said France is an 'extremely valued partner.'"

Can Japan forge a status quo based on trade relations that satisfies China, Taiwan, and America in a way that secures Japan? Amusingly, Russia is not mentioned once in the article.

Outsourcing American tax rates to foreign countries.

Oh, that federal family separation payment plan for illegal immigrants is based on leftist standard operating procedure. Leftists sue for a leftist cause and a friendly leftist administration doesn't defend against the suit. Instead, the friendly leftist government capitulates to the lawsuit. Thus doing what it wants without even an executive order, let alone a law passed by Congress and signed into law. It is shameful. For God's sake, what is their major malfunction?

Apparently, a lot of jokes that end with the reply, "Is the Pope Catholic?" will need to be reversed: "President Joe Biden received Communion at St. Patrick’s Church during Saturday Vigil Mass, a day after saying Pope Francis told him he should continue to partake in the sacrament, despite the opposition of some conservatives in the U.S. upset with his position on abortion." Not that I'd be considered a good practicing Catholic by doctrine. But at least I don't insist the Church bend to my failures. But apparently I'm all good.

Was our secretary of state's conversation with China's foreign minister about Taiwan "candid, constructive and productive" because he warned China away or because he assured China we'd stay out of the way?

When you read that an American military service is "weak", check the definitions section: "Since 2015, the Heritage Foundation has compiled an annual Index of Military Strength assessing each of the armed service’s ability to execute its warfighting mission." I'm not saying this measuring stick is wrong. In many ways it is very appropriate. But it is measuring the military not for quality and ability to fight, but in how well it can achieve stated national objectives against likely enemies. Which can be dangerous because if objectives are dramatically reduced, overnight every service becomes "strong".

Defending terrorists. Via Instapundit.

If I may be so bold, demonizing your police and honoring left-wing street violence would probably explain almost all of this: "Portland's record-setting year for murder fuels search for answers[.]" How do you fight gangs with that foundation? The police will eventually leave, thus giving Portland voters what they've long voted for. I have difficulty feeling sorry for those living in this city. I used to. But they've stubbornly stayed the course. Enjoy your paradise on Earth.

Why should Ukraine need to defend using a drone against enemies who occupy their territory and repeatedly kill Ukrainian soldiers? "Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has defended the use of a Turkish-supplied armed drone to strike Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, saying the military acted in self-defense and did not violate any agreements." Bonus for using a Turkish drone to piss off Putin more.

I say we keep the money and tell the Taliban it is a down payment for all the weapons we left them: "Afghanistan's Taliban government is pressing for the release of billions of dollars of central bank reserves as the drought-stricken nation faces a cash crunch, mass starvation and a new migration crisis. " And send the Taliban a bill for the rest or provide them with a mailing label to return them.

Wait. What? Are they saying you should basically get a J & J shot every two months? "Meanwhile, all adults age 18 and older given the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should get a booster shot at least two months after their first dose." Or is this just saying J & J should be a two-shot sequence?

And Now For Something Completely Different

Let's meme, Brandon!

 

If it turns out that accusations that Fauci is connected to abusive dog experiments as much of the right is discussing is not true, I shall surely note that here. But until then the John Wick reference is too good not to use.

A Climate of Stupidity

If our military doesn't get its head out of its backside and focus on training to fight and win, Bonhamme Richard won't be the last ship we lose.

We shouldn't have lost one of our big deck amphibious ships while it sat in port:

On 12 July 2020, a fire set USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD-6) ablaze for more than four days, and left the ship damaged beyond economical repair. Although the fire was started by an act of arson, the ship was lost due to an inability to extinguish the fire. In the 19 months executing the ship’s maintenance availability, repeated failures allowed for the accumulation of significant risk and an inadequately prepared crew, which led to an ineffective fire response.

Can't navigate. Can't do damage control. What do they do? 

The U.S. Navy is adrift in unfriendly seas. Befuddled by tough choices, dogged by inadequate training and crippled by poor judgment, our sea service is ill-prepared to meet its greatest challenges since World War II.

I can't believe that we even have to ask if our Navy can fight and win a war:

Writing in The Hill last week, Steve Cohen asked “Is the US Navy totally at sea?” But a more worrying question is whether the U.S. Navy is fit and prepared for a conflict with an adversary that is at least as well equipped and armed as it is.

But no worries. Our Pentagon has its eye on the ball. It has a shiny new climate risk analysis to guide it. Our EPA director secretary of defense said of that document:

The Department of Defense will continue to work with the interagency, our allies and partners, and the international community to tackle the existential threat of climate change. We share this planet, and shared threats demand shared solutions.

As the Department of Defense Climate Risk Analysis makes clear, climate change is altering the strategic landscape and shaping the security environment, posing complex threats to the United States and nations around the world.

Well that's just effing splendid.

The climate the Pentagon should be focusing on is the military climate that accepts less than fully trained personnel if they know the right Goddamn pronouns to use. The Navy, especially, has been worrying me in recent years:

Victory in the Cold War was sudden. And in the aftermath, the Navy surface warfare elements forgot that their core task is to control the seas and not merely exploit control of the seas[.]

But here we are. We have one fewer expensive Navy ship but made a commitment with like-minded militaries to "understanding national security risks posed by climate change, which will be key to ensuring that the Department fulfills our mission to defend the United States today and into the future."

If only our enemies shared that commitment to battling climate change. Sadly, they probably just want to kill us and alter the strategic landscape by kicking our ass. It must be damned tempting (full article behind the paywall):

You have to wonder how long before some other major power will take a look at a sickly creature like [America's military] and try to put it down.

Pity our military doesn't see fighting and winning our nation's wars as its highest and only mission. 

Will America ever get the needed flag officer purge? 

Yet there is hope amidst the ruins of our woke military leadership: "All told, five admirals are in Big Navy’s crosshairs for failures that led to the flattop’s loss."

That would be a good start, as the joke goes. But if not there will be a lot of grey hulls at the bottom of the sea--and burning vehicles and flaming plane wrecks--with the senior leadership we have.

Risky Business

McChrystal's strategy for pacifying the Pashtuns, who are the base of support for the Taliban, relied solely on a troop surge. The campaign was conducted without the precondition of the defection of the major enemy in Afghanistan--the Pashtuns--which was the necessary component of the dual basis for our victory in Iraq.

While that Afghanistan surge was far larger than the Iraq surge, McChrystal seems to have forgotten that Iraq had a concurrent Awakening of Sunni Arabs who switched sides to go after the common al Qaeda enemy:

General McChrystal was the prime leader in the Afghanistan nation-building effort that resulted in America’s catastrophic and total withdrawal. As the commander of more than 100,000 American and NATO troops, he insisted upon a fantastical strategy. American troops would, he wrote in his memoir, “protect the people . . . from insurgent and collateral [U.S.] violence” and “from corruption and predation of the Afghans’ own government.” The “people” consisted of 8 million Pashtun tribesmen scattered in 10,000 remote villages, all hurtling headlong into the ninth century. As an embedded journalist, I found that our grunts on patrol were bewildered by what they were supposed to be accomplishing. General McChrystal, however, was unfazed by that reality. “I was asking soldiers to believe in something their ground-level experience denied them,” he wrote.

I think of nation-building as trying to make the tribal-based people a cohesive "nation" and not state building--which is necessary at some level. Providing potable water or electricity is in no way nation building.

But there was never a Pashtun Awakening in Afghanistan. The campaign in the south did not create such an awakening. I think that is the key mistake rather than attempts to build infrastructure in an effort to at least get some Pashtuns to remain passive or to back us.

I was very worried we could not get such a defection on a large scale, which would cripple our strategy:

I do worry that we can't win the hearts and minds of Pashtuns in southern Afghanistan. I worry that we assume that the people are ready to support us if only we provide security against the Taliban. What if that isn't the case?

If it is the case that the Pashtuns of southern Afghanistan are determined to resist us, then we can't win their hearts and minds. That means that restrictive rules of engagement don't win us friends but let enemies live to fight another day.

I'm not saying that we should go to a scorched Earth policy or go counter-terrorism rather than counter-insurgency. We shouldn't. It didn't work for the Soviets and we simply won't be that ruthless. I do think that there are many in the south whose hearts and minds can be won. But I thought one part of our Afghan surge strategy was to hammer the enemy resistance to convince the practical Pashtuns that there's no money and no future in fighting a US-backed government and backing the Taliban and drug lords. If we're not hammering the enemy, how do we sway the people who rather like [the Taliban and drug lords] to abandon them?

We wasted lives and money in the surges when we'd done well enough already. We clearly set goals far higher than I wanted for the surge. 

And the price we paid during the surges may have been key in persuading Americans--until we had our noses rubbed in the defeat--that leaving Afghanistan and abandoning what we achieved was the right thing to do. As the author of the McChrystal piece observed:

By 2017, with only a few thousand U.S. troops in country and scant casualties, the U.S. military had imposed a sustainable stalemate: The Taliban held the countryside, and the government held the cities. However, that sensible small-footprint approach came too late. Two incompatible presidents, Trump and Biden, were stuck in the past, fixated on the gross overreach of the McChrystal strategy.

The McChrystal strategy wasn't risky. It was delusional. And while we overcame that mistake, the price we paid was too much for either Biden or Trump to set aside the past price and look ahead to the small cost of preserving what we had--an Afghanistan government that suffered large casualties while killing jihadis every day.

And here we are. How many Americans and our allies are still stranded in that jihadi Hell Hole?

UPDATE: I will say that in this light President Obama's decision to abandon the offensive in Regional Command East may have been a good--or least bad, at least--decision that avoided wasting more lives and treasure in a futile effort to pacify Pushtuns who showed no signs of wanting to be pacific. I was bitter about that abandonment of the plan but I am probably wrong to have thought that.

Playing Hard to Get

The Iranians don't even want to pretend that they want a plausible nuclear deal.

The Iranians just don't want to play ball with the Biden administration:

The new Iranian government ordered its negotiators to make demands that even the most pro-Iran Western officials could not accept. Initially the new Iranian negotiators made it clear that Iran wants all sanctions lifted before any serious, and probably unsuccessful, negotiations over ending the Iranian nuclear weapons program can take place. This attitude has not changed since May.

This attitude persists despite the many problems Iran is facing in the region and internally.

All Iran has to do is pretend they don't want a nuclear weapon to get the Biden administration to pretend to believe Iran. That outline of any deal has always been obvious. Democratic love for the mullahs is deep if unrequited.

But Iran is unwilling so far to make the smallest pretend concession to get the ball rolling. Which is odd considering what Biden is willing to do for Iran despite the obvious fact that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons. 

Biden's nuclear diplomacy has two stages.

Stage 1:

And Stage 2:

The amazing thing is that the Iranians are such fanatics that they can't appreciate the difference in American policy after Trump:

So many problems would be better if the mullah regime in Iran was gone--or at least weaker with fewer resources. But I guess Biden agrees with Obama that Iran under the mullahs can be a successful regional power that provides stability.

Have a super sparkly day.

UPDATE: Amazingly, the Iranians find the Biden administration isn't surrendering fast enough:

Iran is ready to hold talks with European parties to a 2015 nuclear pact, Iranian Press TV quoted an unnamed source as saying on Wednesday, while the country's top nuclear negotiator is in Brussels to discuss a resumption of stalled nuclear talks.

And the Biden administration will find reasons to cave in to European demands for a deal--any deal--that allows everybody to pretend Iran isn't pursuing nuclear weapons.

Highway to Hell

Will Belarus freedom advocates pry Belarus from Russia's grasp or provoke Russia into occupying Belarus with military force?

Russia is drawing an increasingly reliant Belarus into its grasp: 

The growing unity between Moscow and Minsk isolates Belarus from countries in the West, resulting in increased dependence and commitment to Russia’s strategic goals.

Which means Belarus increasingly obeys orders from Moscow: 

On October 7, Polish border troops reported being fired upon by their counterparts from Belarus. Though no one was hurt and the Belarusian soldiers were most likely firing blank ammunition, the incident is illustrative of the tension that has been building in that area since Moscow effectively assumed control over the government in Minsk to prop up Belarus’ authoritarian president, Aleksandr Lukashenko. ...

Ultimately, Belarus has more or less ceased to function as an independent entity.

Belarus once tried to play the West off against Russia to maintain independence. That Belarus would not be firing even blanks at the border. Or sending refugees and migrants to NATO as a weapon (back to the first article):

Tensions have also been rising on the border between the two countries as a surge of migrants has created a building humanitarian crisis simultaneously with the sensitive security situation. Migrants are largely heading toward Poland, as well as Latvia and Lithuania. Poland has accused Belarus of weaponizing migration against it, and accused Lukashenko himself of offering payments for migrants to move into the area. 

Every step that Putin makes in drawing Belarus closer to Russia makes it harder for Lukashenko to appeal to the West to balance Russia. Yet Russia, barely strong enough to take Crimea and eastern Donbas from Ukraine, would have problems conquering Belarus just because of the sheer size. Unless Russia moves in to support a compliant government and security force.

As I've said, the Anschluss is basically done. Which is a problem for NATO states Poland and Lithuania, especially. 

One day those incidents on NATO's frontier in Poland may be carried out with Russian troops visible in the background. Putin already has the army made for that role.

But I'm at least grateful that the Russians will be on Poland's eastern border rather than massed at the Fulda Gap. And no, don't tell me NATO expansion caused Russian hostility. Russia's paranoia has no longitude limit. 

Russia sure isn't acting like they are on the cusp of acting sane about true threats to Russian territory.

A Bridgehead Too Far?

China is improving its ability to sustain an air campaign over Taiwan. If this speeds up Chinese operations to establish bridgeheads and airheads on Taiwan, we risk China remaining on Taiwan even if we avoid a direct America-China war over Taiwan.

China increases its air options:

China is upgrading three airbases located opposite Taiwan, boosting its airpower capability in an already tense region that is flush with air combat capabilities. Construction of the new infrastructure began in early 2020 and continued uninterrupted through the pandemic, underlining its priority.

The ranges are calculated based on distance to Taipei.

But I think it is useful for air operations considerations. Those airfields are even more important if a Chinese invasion of Taiwan goes right for the jugular:

If speed is the key to China winning (by defeating Taiwan before America can lead an intervention), maybe China uses their limited amphibious assets to hit the mouth of the Tamshui (or Tamsui) River and advance on Taipei to support airborne forces also hitting the capital. Indeed, the river is apparently navigable, and so the Chinese might be able to sail ro-ro (loaded with tanks and other heavy equipment) and container ships right into the river to reinforce the lighter amphibious and airborne forces fighting inside Taipei.

Amphibious operations using older warships and civilian merchant ships to hit northern ports would take place as I speculated, and then drive on Taipei with heavier ground forces brought in by ships through the captured ports.

I think the Chinese want to end operations before America can intervene. As I've constantly written, China needs to defeat Taiwan. China needs to delay America.

And ending operations includes a ceasefire that leaves Chinese troops occupying a bridgehead on Taiwan that can be reinforced and used as a jumping off point for the resumption of the invasion even years later, as I wrote about in Military Review.

Don't let the Chinese remain on Taiwan except as POWs.

UPDATE: The Taiwanese flying the planes and firing the missiles may be technically proficient. But if the Chinese get ashore the ability and will to fight needs to be broad:

Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marines colonel who spent 2019 in Taiwan studying the island’s defenses, said Taiwan has a solid core of well-trained troops and "superb officers that are ready to fight." Other military experts compare Taiwan’s top pilots and officers to the world’s best.

But the Taiwanese military is underfunded, and its reserves system is a shambles, Mr. Newsham said. It needs improved pay packages, and it could become far more effective by training with the U.S. and its allies, he said.

A sense of urgency on Taiwan would help. Don't assume the Chinese threat is decades away.

UPDATE: Perhaps Taiwan is lucky and there is mutual assured apathy:

Young Chinese are curtailing their expectations and ambitions. Many of them are downgrading lifestyle choices around diet, travel, and more. They fill social media with talks of the futility of endeavoring and the hollowness of desire. And they are not ready for marriage and children, and don’t know if they will ever be.

To be fair, the recruiting pool here includes young people like that. But what's the PLA made of?

Weekend Data Dump

Team of Drivels (tip to Instapundit.): "Last week was another bad one for the continually disappearing Biden administration." Is anybody competent over there? They keep saying that if they had more power they could plan everything. But their ability to plan with the power they have suggests we'd be better off firing 2/3 of every department and agency. Except--so far--the military. These people have too much time on their hands to limit themselves to carrying out core missions. They'd rather focus on "climate change" which can't be judged for a century. How convenient. But we know why.

Well yes, Britain's strategy is undergoing a naval tilt. Which understandable. But I'll miss the British Army of the Rhine.

When Trump left the White House, the left didn't stop hating his voters. The left simply hated his voters for a different reason--not taking the Xi Jinping Flu vaccine. And this hatred is white hot despite the fact that certain categories of minorities resist the vaccine at higher rates than Trump voters. Will that wide net of hate cause collateral damage the next time everyone has a chance to vote?

Buying new planes from Pakistan hides the corruption that makes the planes from America unusable. But at least the new planes can bomb terrorists.

Russia can't build large warships and can barely upgrade them. The fact that the Russian fleet is a Red Storm Writhing is a horrifying fact when Russia looks east and seas better ships and better crews: "Russia looks on in envy, and fear that those ships could one day be used to regain the Chinese territories taken by the Russians in the late 1800s. China and Russia went to war over this once before, in 1969. China backed down but never forgot, or withdrew those claims." Yes, the claims. And yes, the fear. 

If I saw hope that personnel might be policy to swing Chinese focus inland, the policy is still focused toward the sea. Perhaps policy will change in time?

Getting what you wish (and vote) for, good and hard. And I simply no longer care. Seattle rejected federal help when Trump offered it. Now they can enjoy their sanctuary from reality. The really funny part is that the urge to reduce a police presence may just lead to a military presence if the state calls up its Army National Guard to step in. Reality-based community, indeed.

 

Colin Powell, former secretary of state and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, passed away./NOTHING FOLLOWS/

There is a difference between free market capitalism and state-directed capitalism.

Yearning to be free citizens and not deferential and obedient subjects. Tip to Instapundit.

I'm very impressed with "hearts of Romaine lettuce". It's the greatest marketing success since scrap chicken parts were coated with spices and rebranded as "buffalo wings". For the lettuce, processors stripped off the outer green leaves--the part with the nutrients--for bagged salads and other purposes, I assume. They discovered that they had the crappy part left. What to do? Well, call them the "heart" of the lettuce. Hahahahahaha! And people fall for it. It's like coring an apple for the apple flesh and selling the core and the bits of apple flesh as the "heart of the apple." I stand in awe.

Ignore Steele's lies in his public claims. We already know that people involved in the Trump-Russia collusion hoax make radically different claims in public than they do in private under oath. He may still be on Hillary's payroll.

Let's hope it doesn't come to war, because Biden will lose the entire southwest to the cartels if he uses force: "Texas National Guard soldiers on the southern border were fired on Thursday by suspected cartel gunmen from Mexico, authorities said Friday."

That Marine officer who angrily reacted to the flag officers' lack of accountability for losing the Afghanistan war was slapped on the wrist. And the judge slammed how senior officers treated the officer. Hopefully this is the beginning of flag officer accountability. The Marine should face consequences for undermining his chain of command. But I credit him for taking fire to fight for the objective of an officer corps that fights and wins our nation's wars.

Russia and China conducted joint naval maneuvers in the Peter the Great Gulf off of Vladivostok: "The exercises Joint Sea 2021 kicked off with a ceremony on Thursday in Russia’s Peter the Great Gulf and will run through Sunday." Why on Earth would the Russians encourage the Chinese to get used to projecting naval power to Russia's Far East?

Hopefully the Iraqis execute him.

I hope all the Brandons in Canada file a class action suit. Perhaps we need to return to the traditional "I Have Truly Found Paradise."

A bubble around ships to protect them from small drones.

I'm worried about three-time insurrectionist Moqtada al Sadr doing well in Iraq's elections. He spent a lot of time in Iran and I don't trust him. But Strategypage says he is anti-Iran. I still don't trust Sadr. On the bright side, the voting appears to have been honest.

So why isn't Russia's good "ally" China doing anything to help Russia? "Russia registered another daily record of coronavirus deaths Tuesday as rapidly surging infection rates raised pressure on the country’s health care system and prompted the government to suggest declaring a nonworking week." I mean, sure, China wouldn't give the West a head's up on the virus that started in Wuhan, China. It's almost as it China doesn't see Russia as an ally.

The European Union explains to Poland that there are two major rules in the EU: The EU makes the rules; and the members obey. If Poland tries to exit, it may find the Russians with their tanks and secret police easier to eject than the EU with its ten thousand cheese regulations binding Poland's legal system to the EU in knots.

Are technology, recruits, and public support key weaknesses that will threaten our military? The recruiting base is a problem. And public support is shaky now--with good reason given our flag officers. But is technology really going to fail us?

Britain will, for the first time, sell arms to Ukraine: "The Ministry of Defence is in talks with its Ukranian counterparts about the supply of surface-to-surface maritime Brimstone missiles and air-to-surface Brimstone missiles, according to a report in The Times." I guess Britain didn't take Russia's provocative Black Sea boasting as well as Moscow hoped.

The Air Force can turn a C-17 into an airborne "auxiliary cruiser" capable of launching missiles. The Navy should build on its mission modules for the troubled LCS class of ships to make actual modularized auxiliary cruisers. Also, note to Army: with this capability, don't count on the Air Force to have sufficient airlift to move significant numbers of that craptastic light tank you want.

That's neat. And useful. Especially if GPS is jammed. But unless we fix our flag officer problems One World Terrain will simply allow us to know exactly where we experience our next defeat in a war.

I remember Fractional Orbital Bombardment Systems during the Cold War. Nobody deployed them. I assume because they were considered too destabilizing and perhaps not worth the cost. Is China really going to build them? Are they more useful now that there are fewer strategic nuclear weapons to knock out with a first strike? I just don't know. Tip to Instapundit.

Sometimes I think that the left is the most pro-capitalist faction in our country. They think they can do whatever they want to it and yet still free market capitalism will save them from the damage they inflict. It's magical thinking, actually. They view our economy as a money tree that they can pluck without restraint and without any need to water and tend it--and simply let it grow.

Why yes there is an auto parts shortage (via Instapundit). My car has been on a dealer's lot waiting for a chip-enabled part to repair it for two months now. I'm fourth in line which may mean I get my car back by December. At least I was lucky when my 12-year-old computer monitor got the white screen of death the other day. I had an old smaller monitor sitting in the closet that I hooked up and I can keep going.

The Russians were too eager to exploit America's defeat in Afghanistan: "Ukraine’s defense minister fired back Tuesday at Russian predictions that the U.S., in light of its rushed exit from Afghanistan, will eventually abandon Ukraine." Wait. What? Abandon Ukraine to who? To Russia? Which totally isn’t waging war on Ukraine in the Donbas according to the Russians? Somebody didn't think through their threat to Ukraine.

American troops will continue to train Georgian troops to resist another Russian invasion.

Five contenders to replace the Bradley fighting vehicle display their concepts. I wonder if there will be an infantry vehicle and a cavalry vehicle like the Bradley?

What a shock that Taliban 2.0 is just as awful as the original Taliban. But the fiction was useful even for a short time to lose the war while pretending it would all work out fine.

If not her, just who should be locked up for this gross interference in the 2016 election? "The indictment of Hillary Clinton lawyer Michael Sussmann for allegedly lying to the FBI sheds new light on the pivotal role of Democratic operatives in the Russiagate affair. The emerging picture shows Sussmann and his Perkins Coie colleague Marc Elias, the chief counsel for Clinton's 2016 campaign, proceeding on parallel, coordinated tracks to solicit and spread disinformation tying Donald Trump to the Kremlin." Tip to Instapundit.

Defending the Aleutian Islands radar and airfield facility on Shemya.

I'd been meaning to do it, but this line--" ... a bug-eyed bridge troll like Lori Lightfoot"--got me to pull out my credit card and subscribe to Jim Treacher. 

I guess I'll get the Xi Jinping Flu booster. The Johnson & Johnson shot worked for me as I've gotten back to a normal life. And shot side effects were brief and tolerable. I won't risk getting a different company's shot on the assumption if the shot I had didn't cause more harm than it prevents it is more likely to work again. The question is when I get it after it is formally approved. That said, the massive hate-on that the left has for those who don't want to be vaccinated is infuriating. Suddenly--after Biden won--the "dangerous and rushed Trump vaccine" is required to participate in American life? I don't worry about the unvaccinated. I'm vaccinated! That's the bloody purpose, right?

Israel broke into the NATO air defense market.

Nigeria has problems.

Threats: "A boast by the leader of Hezbollah that he commands 100,000 fighters came as a surprise to many Lebanese, not least because it was addressed to a domestic audience rather than the militia's archenemy Israel." Although I don't think most Hezbollah fighters--and you may need to count all potential civilian militia members to get 100K--are eager to fight after their heavy losses supporting Assad at Iran's orders.

Yes: "Punishing India For Buying Russian Weapons Would Hurt America And Help China". India has a history of buying Russian weapons. Which helps India's defenses. Which increases Russia-China friction. Which nudges Russia into realizing that China is the true threat to Russian territorial integrity. Biden should not sanction India for this. Have a little Goddamn common sense. And I do have some small amount of hope that the Russians aren't too stupid to understand the true threat.

Don't panic. But without "welcoming the competition", work the problem of China's potential hypersonic nuclear weapon capability with common sense. Our missile defenses can't handle more than a small ICBM strike, anyway. Even if everything works right on our end.

Can the Navy repair its leadership to correct problems that led to this? "A Navy report has concluded there were sweeping failures by commanders, crew members and others that fueled the July 2020 arson fire that destroyed the USS Bonhomme Richard, calling the massive five-day blaze in San Diego preventable and unacceptable." I worry that the ships at sea are just as at risk as the ship in port under repair.

Facebook wants a new name (via The Morning Briefing). Is Panopticon taken?

Here's hoping we've reached Peak Woke. America can't afford the repeated blows to our figurative head without risking permanent damage that enemies will exploit. Of note, "progressive whites, notes the Atlantic, are the most intolerant of all Americans, led by those in the Boston area, while people in smaller towns and cities seem far more open." And here's a timely piece on the distinction between leftists (or progressives) and liberals. It is all too easy to condemn liberals given that racist and hateful leftists act in liberals' names without evident opposition. Will that change?

Moving forward to Australian SSNs.

Getting away with murder in Britain: "A possible act of Islamic terrorism takes place, and the chattering classes gab about how horrible Twitterstorms are. What is going on?" The idea that the solution to fanatical Islamist murderers--the latest by a "known wolf"--is to crack down on the online words of non-stabbers is insane. 

The Chinese Communist Party just forced Hollywood to kowtow to CCP propaganda in order to learn how to make their own blockbusters. In the meantime Hollywood alienated huge segments of America. Tip to The Morning Briefing.

I am not required to celebrate your differences. I am required to tolerate your differences. The distinction is that me tolerating you requires me to leave you alone. But making me celebrate you requires you to impose your standards on me. I'm happy to tolerate you. It's a free country. But I will not celebrate you just because you tell me to.

Taliban 2.0: "The Taliban praised suicide bombers who died during the war against the former government and its Western allies and offered their families sums of cash and promises of land, the movement's interior ministry said in a statement."

Oh Holy Hell: "A global shortage of magnesium could result in a near-total shutdown of the auto industry — one that experts say could come by the end of this year." Tip to Instapundit.

We're from the government, and we're here to regulate you. Regulators in government are mostly captured by the regulated. And information is shared quickly via the Internet to expose bad actors. Given those trends, is government regulation helping or harming people? There was once a case to make for government regulation for safety. Those days are long gone for most of our economy.

Oh, they'll wash that strange taste of "integrity" out of their mouth well before the 2022 elections.

The French army practiced operating helicopters off of coordinating French Navy ships. America has done this. And the British used an amphibious carrier during the Libya War for attack helicopter strikes.

Well, yes, America and our allies need secure sources of rare earths. China can't be trusted.

The Pentagon talked Trump out of sending troops to the Mexico border to protect it and attack Mexican drug cartels? Well, we did something similar a century ago. So I won't say we will never have to do that again. But Mexico is friendly now unlike a century ago, so we can cooperate with Mexico before it gets to that kind of crisis. And the current crisis doesn't make Trump seem like he had an "obsession," does it? I'd settle for Biden being "mildly interested in" border security.

Risky business.

Life works out for me. Supply chains in the automotive industry are broken and crippling production and repair of existing vehicles. And gasoline prices are rising significantly. But the supply chain has put my car out of action for the last two months so I haven't bought any gas in quite some time. I am a glass half-full kind of man, eh? Although I might have wanted to be more exact in my wish expression.

Clap louder comrade! Chairman Stalin might get the wrong idea about you! Tip to Instapundit.

My mail carrier vigorously informed us that if people at our complex don't put names on their mailboxes that the carrier would not deliver mail to those boxes. Fine. I did that quickly. But why am I continuing to get mail for people whose names I did not put on my mailbox?

Is Katie really the Hill that Democrats want to die on?

The State Department celebrates "Why America Gets Its Ass Kicked Day". I'm pretty sure that the Taliban arrest and execute anybody who uses alternative pronouns.

Taiwanese guided rockets and missiles could be effective against a Chinese invasion flotilla. Assuming the rocket launchers aren't knocked out en masse wherever they are parked before they disperse to firing positions. Taiwan needs them, but I wouldn't count on that shield. What does Taiwan do if the PLA gets ashore through the deadly gauntlet? Taiwan doesn't have a silver bullet that lifts the burden of being able to fight through all stages and aspects of a Chinese invasion.

Yes: "The U.S. Navy Surface Fleet Needs Distribution, Not 'Death Stars[.]'" The author is preaching to the TDR choir on this issue. 

Let's explore how successful the Fuck-Up Fairy has been in the Biden administration. Looks like systemic incompetence to me. But leftists say the problem is not them but systemic Americanism that must be destroyed with their fundamental transformation plans.

Yes, Russia and China are frenemies: "There is a growing trend in the West towards treating Russia and China as some single, threatening ‘Dragonbear’ (a reference to the two countries' national animals). This underrates the very real tensions between Moscow and Beijing, but risks pushing them even closer together." Can Russia avoid vassal status under China? We should be striving to split them apart at their fissures.

Yes (via Instapundit), Democrat vaccine mandates are imposing a new Jim Crow.

I read that if inflation was calculated the same now as in 1980, our inflation rate would be shockingly high instead of merely disturbingly high.

Say, here's a troubling thought that came to me. More than fifty years ago the USSR allegedly approached America to launch a joint nuclear strike on China. Is Russia's build up of shorter-range nuclear weapons--rather than being a bluff--designed to conduct a unilateral nuclear strike on China? And is China's sudden nuclear expansion a response to the Russian threat? After all, Russia has not built up enough conventional power to hold its Far East as it hoped it would by now. And if Russia strikes before China can use the missile defense technology it extorted from Russia, the technology won't matter. Sheer speculation, of course.

An American outpost in eastern Syria was hit with rockets. We need to decide if Syria is where we will fight and die.

Occupy the high ground first.

But how will Manila respond when missiles are used? "The Philippines has issued a diplomatic protest over Chinese vessels challenging its ships patrolling the South China Sea with sirens, horns and radio communications, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday."

American logistics are not up to an extended fight against a peer competitor.

And magically, Democrats no longer think dissent is the highest form of patriotism: "Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-The Moon) made the Democratic position clear Thursday: If you’re not with us, you’re terrorists." Tip to Instapundit.

Oil prices are rising and Biden unsuccessfully asked OPEC to raise production. Biden cancelled the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada. And ... "The Willow Master Development Plan has been abandoned by the Biden administration though the administration previously defended the oil and gas project in Alaska." Huh. Tip to Instapundit.

Exhibit X for why I mistrust the media. Via Instapundit. 

There is no pan-Arab nationalism. If it existed the always self-destructive Palestinians wouldn't be the skunk at the garden party in the Arab world.

How to make an economic clusterfuck.

Russia's decline is a myth? Seriously? It has shrunk a great deal since it was the USSR. While Russia has regained some of its military power since its post-Soviet nadir, Russia remains a regional power in strength yet has continents-spanning defense needs. Without nukes and bluster, we'd see Russia as a state only able to threaten neighboring and weaker targets. With that understanding, yes, Russia is a threat we need to deal with. But it is a far cry from the threat that could have crushed NATO by marching to the Rhine River.

A Target store in San Francisco is closing because it is a target for massive shoplifting. Good. Residents need to see cause and effect in action for voting for the politicians who have essentially decriminalized shoplifting. Enjoy. I don't care. Tip to Instapundit.

"It’s been a few months since somebody’s life has been ruined for making a circle with his thumb and forefinger, which our moral, ethical, and intellectual betters in the media are convinced is a sign of white supremacy."

 

Lock them up. I hope they enjoy the consequences of their trust fund insurrection. Honestly, I'm shocked they are being punished.

Enes Kanter will not kneel before Xi Jinping. Tip to Instapundit.

Oh, I suppose Science! deniers are going to dispute this? "Wesley Muhammad believes that the U.S. government and the Jews are using marijuana to make black men gay. The “Pot Plot” is a popular theory in Muhammad’s Nation of Islam cult." Big, if true, as the saying goes. Also, he's a lecturer at an American state university. Naturally. Tip to Instapundit.

Sure, Biden's town hall meeting was a shockingly faded facade of a real town hall meeting with a real president. But I don't think it reflects a declining America. I think it reflects a declining ruling elite that we will eventually discard. I don't know what price we will pay to get through this period. But we will. Don't write America off prematurely.

Wolf dine and dash.

That would be helpful: "The United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands – what Carter called 'the Quint' – 'are focused on the region' and the changing maritime security conditions in the Arctic. Those nations are also working with Estonia, Lithuania, Iceland and Latvia on building maritime capability for deterrence in the Baltic Sea. Russia maintains a naval enclave in Kaliningrad on the Baltic."

Small loitering attack drones.

Heh:

 

The war oddly goes on despite "ending" it by losing Afghanistan: "The U.S. military says it killed a senior al-Qaida leader in an airstrike Friday in northwest Syria."

There, I fixed the story by making it journalism instead of political advocacy: "Republicans have succeeded this year in passing a range of voting [INSERT "FRAUD"] restrictions in states they control politically, from Georgia to Iowa to Texas." And journalists wonder why they aren't trusted. Right up until Biden won in 2020 Democrats said the election would be rigged via hacking voting machines and because of stolen mail boxes. But now it is crazy to worry about voting security.

Here's more of that restoring our norms and institutions I heard so much about: "The White House said Friday that President Joe Biden would speak in the coming weeks about moving to 'fundamentally alter' the filibuster or even eliminate the legislative roadblock that empowers the Senate minority as he aims to pass sweeping voting laws and secure the nation's credit." If any random Democratic senator is going to abandon the Democratic Party, this would be the time to do it.

Paranoid, aggressive, nuclear sabre-rattling Russia has no clue why NATO has awoken from its post-USSR slumber: "The Kremlin said on Friday that NATO's adoption of a new Russia-focused strategy confirmed that Moscow's decision to sever ties with the bloc had been correct." Will no advisor tell Putin he is effing up royally? #WhyRussiaCan'tHaveNiceThings 

Thoughts on Australia's SSN decision for making Australia a contributor to alliance naval security rather than simply relying on an outside power to help defend Australia.

America must reinvent our alliances? Well, we are strengthening bilateral alliances in Asia, where a single alliance cannot hope to attract members devoted to far-flung allies. And NATO simply needs to get back to its core function of keeping the Russians at bay. Which mostly means don't let the EU get its own military to reduce the power of NATO.

Biden makes the "okay" sign at a town hall dumpster fire, and suddenly the fact checkers say it actually isn't a white power symbol. Tip to Instapundit.

Yes, are the Aztecs really the indigenous peoples hill the left want to die on?

Russia's revolutionary armored vehicles and the updated reality the troops actually use.

This is odd, because Iran claimed it had no nuclear weapons program in order to get the 2015 deal: "Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, warned that Iran was 'getting close' to a point at which simply returning to the 2015 deal would be insufficient 'because Iran has been using this time to advance its nuclear programme in a variety of ways.'" Funny that the deal didn't degrade Iran's ability to simply advance its nuclear program so easily. Or perhaps just do it publicly to extort money from the West in exchange for doing their nuclear work in the shadows again.

What possible harm could come from the Biden staff erasing Biden's statement of defending Taiwan by instead essentially declaring Taiwan outside of America's defense perimeter?

Sensitive much? "Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that he had ordered 10 foreign ambassadors who called for the release of a jailed philanthropist to be declared persona non grata." 

It's only crazy conspiracy talk when a Trump supporters says a fraudulent election denied their candidate victory. Tip to Instapundit.

May the New York Times rot in Hell. Tip to Instapundit.

To Hell with the Taliban. Let China and Pakistan pay to save Afghanistan from a humanitarian crisis. It's not our job any more. The Taliban will benefit from humanitarian aid and I see no reason why America should do it.

Well, I'm not shrinking my data dump entries nearly as much as I intended. I like more than a link most of the time. So my time spent blogging isn't going down as much as I hoped in order to spend time on publication writing. This is a work in progress.