And I'm hoping it is extremely unpopular with North Korea: "Australia has become one of a growing number of export customers for the South Korean K9 Thunder self-propelled 155mm howitzer."
Russia won't get a quick and glorious war of conquest in Ukraine. Which is what I figured. Yet if Putin wants concessions from Ukraine by inflicting pain, what if Ukraine inflicts pain on Russia and drives Russian objectives higher to justify the pain endured?
Bluffing. Putin is threatening war beyond his means. The problem with acting crazy is that Putin's own people can see it, too. They may worry more than NATO.
Does Putin really think a major war for Ukraine is a good idea? In 2020, "Russia experienced the largest drop in its population since 2005, driven largely by COVID-19 deaths. Also, "the birthrate reached a 20-year low and emigration exceeded migration." That said, Russia is a problem right now. But is Putin in a murder-suicide pact with Russia?
Well, the Chinese Communist Party apparently considers Elon Musk a threat to them. The real threat to the CCP is Chinese citizens getting his Starlink satellite Internet service not filtered by the Great Fire Wall.
I bet that no Arab or African states will be on any list of countries that should be liable for slave trade reparations.
Taliban 2.0 same as the original, after all: "In Afghanistan, the Taliban authorities say women seeking to travel long distances should not be allowed on road transport unless they are accompanied by a close male relative." The "authorities" means the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, FYI.
Russian talks with NATO regarding Russian threats to Ukraine will soon begin.
The Air Force B-21 is making progress.
The Bradley IFV is moving toward a replacement. I wonder if there will be much money for it when the Navy is desperate to add ships and submarines.
Civilian imagery got better much faster than the military's willingness to distribute its secret imagery in a timely manner: "The U.S. military wants to directly plug commercial imagery satellites into its forthcoming orbital networks, enabling soldiers in the field to access that data faster."
Ukrainians definitely need to learn how to resist Russian occupation. But they should remember that resisting an American "hearts and minds" COIN campaign is different than resisting a Russian "kill them all" scorched Earth campaign.
He talked to a reporter and is getting in trouble for what the reporter said. That sounds pretty ordinary, sad to say.
Iran is losing influence in Iraq quite dramatically. The pro-Iran militias may yet be disbanded. I've long said that claims that overthrowing Saddam simply turned Iraq over to the Iranians was ridiculous. But we certainly have to fight Iran in Iraq.
Hunting and neutralizing mines.
I hope we start studying the effect of "long lockdown" on people, especially children. Our response to the Xi Jinping Flu Covid 19 virus surely saved lives from the virus. But I'm not so sure that an examination of the net deaths over time will show a significant success against the virus. I'd like to be surprised because the next pandemic might be much worse.
I'm guessing the 3% is from someone accused who has the "trait" of ties to a powerful person in the CCP: "Scientists in China have programmed artificial intelligence to identify crimes and press charges 'with 97% accuracy,' they claim."
I don't see this as a sign of Russian-Chinese cooperation that will enable Russia to dominate Europe: "Putin’s recent expression of support for Xi’s claims to Taiwan, in exchange for Xi’s support for Russia’s sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, are the clearest expressions of this grand design." I see this as an expression that each want the other to go to war with America.
On January 10th, the United States and Russia will discuss Ukraine. Russia is threatening to destroy Ukraine. America is promising to help Ukraine resist destruction. Let's hope America understands that basis for talking and doesn't think the two positions are equivalent, subject to splitting the difference.
Mapping Russian troop positions: "A pair of the U.S. Air Force’s best surveillance planes on Monday flew over eastern Ukraine fewer than 40 miles from territory controlled by Russian-backed separatists."
Ukraine needs air defense and anti-ship weapons.
When I saw a commercial for "Bark Box" which sends treats and toys to your dog every month, I nearly gave up on humanity's survival. If dogs are being treated like children by too many people, we're doomed. I am grateful God gave me two children. I can't imagine my life without them.
The war against Iran in Syria goes on: "Israel launched an air strike on the Syrian port of Latakia on Tuesday, setting ablaze the container storage area and damaging nearby buildings in a second attack on the facility this month[.]"
Lukashenko plans to rule Belarus until 2035.
I'll ask again, will Russia really risk war in Ukraine when a hard war might break Russia's fragile army?
How to rig an election. Part I. Via Instapundit.
If you can't see inside a building, predicting inside a building might be good enough.
If the clash of civilizations was taking place between the West and the rest, we'd be fine. But sadly the largest battle is taking place within the West. As I asked long ago, why do we hate us? I keep asking that question as I see more displays of Westerners who hate the West we've inherited. Anyway, do read it all (the Steyn piece; but mine, too, if you like).
If capital for investment becomes scarce in the '20s, it won't be because "climate change" is one cause. It will be because governments insist on diverting capital to the feel-good chimera of windmills and electric cars.
India's fortress at the entry to the Indian Ocean, the Andaman and Nicobar islands. I've mentioned those islands and their role. But don't go all Maginot Line over the islands. A fleet and air power must back the fortress.
I don't see the slow pace of Ukraine's path to NATO membership as a bug, but a feature. Gradually closer relations ratchet up the normal until membership isn't as big a step. And it avoids extending a NATO defense guarantee ahead of the ability to counter the potential threat. Both from Ukraine's and NATO's perspective. And hopefully the Russians get used to it without getting paranoid.
Yes, Russia's demands on NATO should be rejected: "Because we are so accustomed to outrages from Russia, we do not seem to really appreciate how outrageous this is. Ukraine is a sovereign nation that can decide for itself which international organizations to join[.]"
I recently wrote of Fauci, "He sees you when you're shopping He knows when you're not home", but I had no idea Canada actually did that. Tip to The Morning Briefing.
No. Leave the Constitution alone. Naturally people who want power above all else hate the foundation of rule of law. And yes, as long as we're at it, repeal the 17th Amendment and make U.S. senators agents of the states, again.
Don't trust Chinese Communist Party pandemic statistics. Everything is required to bolster CCP primacy.
Yeah, I'll take Elon Musk's contributions to America over whatever Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warner are doing to it, any day.
Could a Russian invasion of Ukraine trigger nuclear reactor catastrophes? Hmm. "If the reactors are damaged in late December or early January, the prevailing winds are from Siberia, and weather patterns can be expected to push dangerous levels of caesium-137 and other contaminants directly to the west." The prevailing winds eventually make it a threat to Russian territory.
If we're going to defend Taiwan, we should be able to fight together: "Taiwan should be invited to the world's largest naval exercise next year, according to the US' 2022 defense spending blueprint signed into law by President Joe Biden this week."
Profiles in journalistic suicide. And they wonder why people think so little of their profession. Tip to Instapundit.
The reasons for the currently high pandemic cases right now in blue states probably have nothing to do with politics. But if red states were experiencing this our media would absolutely be screaming it is all the fault of politics. Tip to Instapundit.
Yeah, if Putin wants (what he hopes will be) a limited offensive, taking Black Sea coastal territory from the range of Odessa to Mariupol makes sense. A small bite would cement Russia's Sea of Azov control. A major bite would aim for all of the Black Sea coast.
Screw the EU's demands: "The EU should play an active role in the upcoming U.S.-Russia talks over security concerns around Ukraine, the bloc’s top diplomat told German media on Wednesday." This is a NATO issue. The EU objective is the authority of a sovereign political entity.
The Truman carrier strike group will remain in the Mediterranean Sea a little longer. Because Russia. Remember that our Mediterranean "fleet" is almost exclusively made up of ships in transit to and from somewhere else.
That's quite the leap of faith by Ukraine considering the inability of the Biden administration to control America's southern border: "The United States will finance projects including surveillance and monitoring equipment to strengthen Ukraine's borders with Russia and Belarus[.]"
Hmm. Did Elon Musk launch an anti-satellite swarm with a secondary Internet capability? "China is calling on the United States to protect a Chinese space station
and its three-member crew after Beijing complained that satellites
launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX nearly struck the station." [LOL: later I see someone else with the same thought!]
As it turns out, China could stand in the middle of the Wuhan Institute of Virology and kill millions around the globe, and get away with it. Tip to Instapundit.
No! Way! "Facebook allowed photos of beheadings and violent hate speech from ISIS and the Taliban to be tagged as 'insightful' and 'engaging'…" Via PJ Media. Too many Westerners are honored to be their victims.
I don't "deny" that humans affect the climate. I deny we know it is the decisive factor. Something other than mankind is going on. Tips to Instapundit.
These leftist losers couldn't build anything of value but they bolster their self esteem by tearing down what was built by past flawed--as all humans are--Westerners. A healthy society would reject and marginalize these barbarians. And yes, what will future generations plagued by low birthrates think of the left's celebration of abortion?
I was uncomfortable with selling the UAE the F-35 out of fear of loss of technology. I don't think the UAE choosing the French Rafale is a problem. The UAE doesn't need the F-35 to fight Iran. And perhaps we stood aside to give France a win after the AUKUS submarine deal. Now, I would have worried if the UAE chose Chinese or Russian planes rather than a Western plane. But that didn't happen. Yes, it is bad that the UAE is welcoming Chinese 5G technology. And we should carry on the fight against that.
This not-yet peer-reviewed study potentially bolsters my decision to get the Johnson and Johnson booster shot. If everyone will get Omicron, I want it to be as mild as it appears to be with me. If I was ten years younger I wouldn't worry.
Thank God the Europeans can effectively design warships. What America's major malfunction is, is beyond me.
Do not become confused, Iran built this to be an ICBM.
Fear: "In Beverly Hills, the craving for additional [private] security dates to the riot that followed an otherwise peaceful Black Lives Matter protest." Remember, suffering from lack of police protection is for the little people:
These morons don't think public health credibility has cratered fast enough the past two years. Seriously, there will be a next time and nobody will believe anything the way these fools censor.
The Russians fear defeat in war more than they fear lack of a buffer in Ukraine; and NATO is unlikely to got to war over Ukraine: "So the coming negotiations [between America and Russia] will break down here and there; Russian forces will be on full alert, but Russia can’t afford a defeat and can’t be certain of victory. In the end, the thing that the Russians will have gained is that they sat down across from the Americans as equals, and the rest of the world will have seen it. There will be consequences to America for conceding the point, and the Europeans will proclaim the end of American power for the hundredth time. And history will go on." Let's hope no damn fool thing in the Donbas spirals out of control.
Forgive me, Fauci, for I have sinned.
Purportedly satire. Via The Morning Briefing.
The end of movie theaters? Friends and I were recently talking about this. Is the future of multiplex theaters over? Will theaters have to become destinations with fewer theaters? With some huge for blockbusters and some small for group rental. And the rest of the screens converted to bars, restaurants, and video/VR arcades, for example, so the "theater is a destination for the entire evening. They have ample parking, already.
Don't trust China. China is asshole: "Pro-democracy website Stand News has been forcibly shut down by Hong Kong police as Beijing continues its authoritarian crackdown on the once-free, former British Crown colony."
The Navy is pushing training for new technology. That's fine. But now is a problem. More missiles are a quick way to bolster the fleet before adding more ships. But knowing how to fight with the existing ships and weapons is another. And after the crews are trained for existing systems and new systems, all we need to do is make sure senior leadership can win the war they fight.
Well what's the purpose of an Anschluss if Putin doesn't get to use Belarus for Russian objectives? "Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia and Belarus will hold joint war games early next year."
I'm worried that our government wants to "end" another war while the first one it "ended" still stings. I still haven't read any reason why formally ending the Korean War while North Korea wants to nuke us is in our interest. And why would South Korea go along when a ceasefire keeps the UN on their side?
By then it was weeks if not months too late: "Hours before Kabul fell to the Taliban on Aug. 15, the Afghan Air Force was melting down." America abandoned them and pretended the Taliban wanted peace rather than victory.
A Marine Osprey squadron will be based in Sicily after moving from Spain. This used to be a Marine rapid response force stood up after the Benghazi debacle (the "other 9/11"). But now it is just Marine MV-22s that can carry Army troops.
A Space Force Reserve makes sense, but I honestly don't see why there should be a Space National Guard. No go, for now. Let's wait until we have some ex-active troops living in space, shall we?
You know it is only a matter of time before someone writes their PhD thesis with emojis:
France will take command of NATO's rapid reaction force: "The core of the unit, formally known as the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, includes a multinational contingent of several thousand troops and a French-German brigade, NATO said Wednesday. The changeover takes place Jan. 1." I say we keep adding adjectives to the force until the Russians wet their pantskies.
Why do the Germans hate the planet and love Russian energy so much?
American Army special forces are teaching their Resistance Operating Concept "for building up the capacity of friendly countries to mount an effective civil and military resistance if they were to face invasion and occupation from a hostile great power."
Michigan had a great football season unfortunately punctuated by a loss in the Orange Bowl to a Georgia team that is just awesome. That hurt to watch.
Well, the world isn't doing much to combat the monsters in their closets or under their beds, too: "Weak action on climate change stressing young people around the world[.]" Tip to Instapundit.
Oh ... that's what's going on! Critics are mad they can't date me! Now it makes sense. For a while there I thought it might have been something I said.
Pilot testimonials and large hostile neighbors are the best salesmen for the F-35.
Iran's Iraqi minions remind the world that Qassim Soleimani remains at ground temperature.
Conveniently overlooking the Russian invasion that would precede sanctions: "Russian President Vladimir Putin warned President Joe Biden in a phone
call on Thursday that relations between the two countries could collapse
if the US imposes sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine." Russia needs American friendship more than America needs Russian friendship.
Nice template for rebuilding the Navy: "We have been in such a situation before, and with strong political and military leadership, we can rebuild the Sea Services." But I have little confidence that our current Navy and civilian leadership is up to the task.
The Chinese are mining social media to compile information on journalists and academics. This helps to know who the Chinese need to bribe, blackmail, or leave alone as a useful idiot. But seriously, tracking politicians and bureaucrats isn't part of this effort?
Even if Putin actually has identified the reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union--a dubious possibility given how humanity repeatedly fails to do that--I doubt he can use the knowledge to keep Russia from suffering problems. At best, he'll ef things up in wholly novel ways.
Huh (via Instapundit): "China claims to have achieved a major breakthrough in hypersonic weaponry by adding heat-seeking capabilities to its missiles[.]" The story mentions moving vehicles and carriers as potential targets. Unless the vehicles are mobile ICBM launchers (coughrussiacough) that makes little sense. But the carriers? Oh yeah.
With enough of these networked, a Navy kill web won't need satellites.
Military contractors won the Afghanistan war? That's rather moronic to argue. That's like saying the Air Force won the war because of the new sensors and bombs. Or that the Army Signal Corps won because of new radios. Contractors were a tool that saved troop lives and in the long run saved money. FFS, the Taliban won the war. Or rather, we needlessly blew it and lost it.
When everyone "virtuously" greens their power generation, counting on neighbors to make up shortfalls, eventually that escape hatch is closed. Tip to Instapundit.
I don't know, it might provide hope that ordinary people can be supreme over their rulers: "Should those polls [about Republicans trouncing Democrats in 2022] prove accurate, China’s propaganda machine will relish a fresh chance to declare that China enjoys order and prosperity thanks to one-party rule, while American-style democracy brings only chaos, dysfunction and decline."
The year is very young, but we have already identified the world's dumbest person for 2022: "An unidentified person entered North Korea from the South on New Year's Day, the military in Seoul said Sunday, a rare breach of the heavily fortified border between the neighbours."
