Two Republicans introduced a bill on what should be a state issue. Trying to control the federal government rather than reducing its scope and power is a sucker's game.
Department of Defense: Let's go *checks notes* Brandon.
Last week I noted the news that Russian ECM was reducing the effectiveness of Ukraine's HIMARS rockets. Now: "Ukraine has been forced to update the software on its Himars rockets because Russian forces have learned to jam their GPS guidance systems."
I find it hard to believe there is no alternative in Michigan law to enacting a "red flag law" to separate a woman with a history of mental illness from her firearms before she could kill. There are lots of gun laws. But enforcing existing laws is never the first response from those who prefer there be no guns in the hands of law-abiding people. Just for cops, feds, and crooks.
"Iran 'executing one person every six hours'[.]" After the third or fourth time, it's just spite, really. (Sorry.)
Huh: "Syria was readmitted to the Arab League on Sunday in a major coup for
Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad made possible by thawing relations
between Saudi Arabia and Iran." As I've said, I suspect that the Saudi-Iranian deal was in part a shield to pry Syria out of Iran's orbit. Iran can hardly complain about restarting relations with Arab states when Iran is.
I wonder if Ukraine could have stockpiled boats and small landing craft to throw a force across the Dnieper River along with airmobile operations. Ukraine would still need bridge-building engineers and air defenses to protect them. A tall order, I know. But I'm just trying to look for ways Ukraine could surprise the Russians.
I really do wonder when 3 X 5 cards in filing cabinets will make their return to glory: "An Iranian "Hacktivist" group gained access to Iran's Foreign Ministry servers and leaked a trove of data before defacing the ministry's website."
At the U.S. military's most important missile magnet in the Pacific Ocean: "A missile-defense system proposed for Guam is expected to be operational by 2027 and comprise up to 20 individual sites across the island to achieve 360-degree coverage, according to the Missile Defense Agency."
The U.S. is removing our most advanced technology from the Abrams tanks being sent to Ukraine. So Russia won't capture and examine that technology.
Russia's efforts to promote Western fatigue for supporting Ukraine. Russia is counting on a long war to win. Russia is unwilling to just hope the West tires first.
"Nobody wants to give peace a chance in Ukraine"? Right now you have to define "peace" as letting Russia keep its conquests, of course. But for those who say Russia won't--or can't--withdraw from Ukraine as the price of peace, consider: "When will the killing give way to diplomacy and accommodation? Only when
the warring parties come to view stopping the war as compatible with
the preservation of their core national interests." Exactly. Russia is included in that evaluation.
Russia continues to bombard Ukraine with drones.
California defaults on $18.6 billion in unemployment insurance debt that should have been paid with the massive pandemic subsidies from the federal government. Business must pay. Don't expect to see media outrage that Democrats won't pay their debts. Tip to Instapundit.
Former Attorney General Bill Barr called the January 6, 2021 Capitol Building riot a "clown show." And: "Anyone who thinks the republic was in serious danger on Jan. 6 is out of touch." The real threat to democracy comes from "progressive totalitarians" and not right-wing "authoritarian black shirts." Quite right.
A Retired German brigadier general doesn't know what he's talking about on this issue: "'The Russians still have numerical advantage, and they have the escalation dominance on the battlefield,' Vad said. 'And they are now in a very strong defensive position. And if you want to attack, you need at least three- to five-times superiority on the ground.'" One, Russia's overall numerical advantage doesn't apply to troop comparisons inside Ukraine, from what I read. Two, escalation dominance relies on nukes. Is that credible? Not so far. Three, we'll see if the Russian fortifications are well built, sited, and resolutely defended. And four, I am shocked that a German general doesn't understand--or doesn't convey he understands--what superiority on the ground means. Ukraine might lose their counteroffensive. But these aren't necessarily the reasons.
Taiwan: "The Biden administration is preparing a $500 million weapons package for Taiwan, using a fast-track authority that it has relied on to speed arms to Ukraine, people familiar with the matter said."
Keeping track of soldiers' performance in the field. And that kind of hacked data would be useful to enemies, naturally.
If the Department of Treasury makes a platinum coin to "pay" for our ballooning deficit spending, we're just doomed, aren't we?
I've notice this odd trend of showing our subs, too: "It’s part of a new assignment 'that contradicts their core mission of staying undetected,' [Hans Kristensen] said. 'But nuclear signaling is now considered so important because of competition with Russia and China that even the "silent service" will occasionally show itself.'" Apparently our 2022 Nuclear Posture Review recommended such displays.
CIA director Burns: "[Putin] still believes today that he can make time work for him…that he can grind down the Ukrainians, that he can grind down the United States and our European allies, and that ultimately Ukraine matters more to him than to us." Sure. But Russia is paying a price in money and blood. We are paying money. And we are much wealthier. Also, ultimately Ukraine matters more to Ukrainians than to Russians. Discuss amongst yourselves.
Theocracy is always descending in America according to the left, but is always lands elsewhere: "Iran hanged two men Monday convicted of blasphemy, authorities said, carrying out rare death sentences for the crime as executions surge across the Islamic Republic following months of unrest."
Huh: "China’s foreign minister told the U.S. ambassador on Monday that Washington is responsible for the downturn in relations between the two countries and must 'reflect deeply' before ties can return to a healthy track, an official said." We already reflected on the issue. Your turn.
I don't know about you, but I found the Season 9 trailer for Game of Thrones kind of boring:
Except for when Brother Maynard brought out the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. I swear I thought of that before I searched to see if someone had done it. Bravo.
Huh: "A week before Biden is set to declare an end to the nation’s public health emergency and dissolve his current Covid team, the White House still hasn’t found a director to run the new office charged with keeping up the fight, four people with knowledge of the matter told POLITICO." The scandal isn't the delay in appointing a "czar". The scandal is that a huge federal government with a well-funded CDC within the Department of Health and Human Services apparently doesn't have the time or money to do their damn jobs. Via Instapundit.
Taliban 2.0 seem awfully similar to Taliban 1.0: "A U.N. report on Monday strongly criticized the Taliban for carrying out public executions, lashings and stonings since seizing power in Afghanistan, and called on the country's rulers to halt such practices."
The organization of the 9 new Ukrainian brigades, per the Discord Leaks. Largely three mechanized battalions and one tank battalion each, like Soviet/Russian-style motor rifle regiments. The tank battalion could be split among the three mechanized infantry battalions. Or one or two of the infantry units could trade companies with the tank battalion, I suppose.
It's so odd. I can't remember the media so horrified at the "ruthless assault" on Vice President Dan Quayle. Tip to Instapundit.
China is apparently working on 203mm artillery. We used to have pieces of that size plus 175mm cannons. Question: who is the enemy that the guns are intended to attack? I sincerely doubt Russia will willingly or wittingly help China develop that artillery.
Britain is looking into providing Ukraine with 200-mile range missiles.
It's hard not to notice that, according to the left, white supremacists must be the most diverse and accepting organizations in the country. Certainly more diverse than your average college faculty lounge or news room. Tip to Instapundit.
It is clear whether you just focus on gun law violations or crime in general, that the solution to crime surges is to enforce current laws rather than search for a magical new law that won't be enforced either. Tip to Instapundit.
Interesting discussion of Iran and Syria. Especially the angle that Iran wanted the China-brokered deal with Saudi Arabia to shield Iran's new weapons-supply role for Russia.
Fuel air explosive (thermobaric) weapons.
It's not a "phobia" when Russia is invading, bombarding, creating refugees, killing, kidnapping, and threatening nuclear war: "Vladimir Putin has accused the West of encouraging “Russophobia” during a speech on the nation’s Victory Day." Is Putin stupid or paranoid beyond redemption? Is either a basis for negotiations?
Georgia's ruling party doesn't seem pro-Russian in policy despite allegations it is. I'm sympathetic to this view given how we were wrongly told our past president was a Russian pawn.
The U.S. isn't happy that the Arab League is readmitting Assad's Syria to the Arab League, worried Assad won't make concessions. America has little weight given its refusal to do something about Assad now, or when it could, notwithstanding our then-president's claim that Assad had to step down. The Arab states and Assad share an interest in ejecting Iran from Syria. That's as good as it gets.
Is China's naval rise as real as the quantifiable data suggests? "Yet there is one crucial area in which China will struggle to match America for many years, if not decades: experience." That's a good point. America has long experience in naval warfare and naval operations. But actual naval war experience is long in our past. Is our Navy still operating based on that experience? I'm concerned on that question.
Putin: "'Today civilization is once again at a decisive turning point,' Putin said amid the celebrations marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. 'A real war has been unleashed against our motherland.'" His "allies" in Russia's faux-NATO, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, don't agree that Russia is under attack and are averting their eyes from Russia's desire for help.
I don't doubt this, but I think it is a bridge too far to insist China cut off Russia from all support, which purchases of Russian energy and raw materials is, keep in mind: "Beijing’s direct provision of equipment and materials critical for military uses, such as transport vehicles and semiconductors, enables Russian military forces to sustain their offensive." I count refusal to provide military equipment as good enough.
Hello China: "Joint patrols between the Philippines and the United States in the South China Sea may begin later this year, a top diplomat said on Monday, just days after Washington clarified its commitment to defend Manila from an attack at sea." At some point, resupplying the South China Sea outposts that the Philippines has will be a joint patrol.
Will Ukraine be able to hold off Russia's air force over the battlefield during Ukraine's counteroffensive? Good question.
All things considered, I think it is more likely that the traditionally anti-war/anti-intervention Democrats will abandon Ukraine when their sudden and odd hatred of Russia is no longer politically useful long before Republicans do, notwithstanding its isolationist wing.
A U.S.-Finland defense cooperation agreement could open up the ability to operate F-35s in Finland. Alongside Finnish F-35s and using Finnish facilities.
Trump lost a civil court case in Manhattan alleging he sexually abused and defamed a woman. He denies knowing her.
Ships and planes aren't lost in the Bermuda Triangle in numbers greater than any other well-traveled area. No mention of alien lasers mounted on sharks, apparently.
The U.S. announced a new package of security assistance aid for Ukraine that the U.S. will begin contracting for. So nothing real fast. Longer term aid.
Undermining institutions and traditions: "The CIA conspired with former acting director Mike Morell and the Biden campaign to produce a letter falsely claiming that emails from Hunter Biden’s laptop were Russian disinformation[.]"
Undermining institutions and traditions: The justices didn't violate any rules. But if there were rules against what they did, the failure of the justices to report those actions would be suspicious. Huh? Tip to Instapundit.
Iran is attempting to use Syria's readmission to the Arab League to profit from new Syrian economic opportunities to evade sanctions. How will this compete with Arab efforts to remove Syria from Iran's orbit?
Pakistan: "Violent protests erupted across Pakistan after the arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on May 9. These protests targeted Pakistani military facilities and institutions across Pakistan. Protesters stormed the Pakistani Army’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and the regional parliament building for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Peshawar. Protesters also burned the IV Corps commander’s residence inside the military cantonment in Lahore. Protests against the Pakistani military are uncommon and represent a decline in public trust in the Pakistani military and state institutions." Huh.
The balance of forces inside Ukraine, per the Discord Leaks. At the flag level. What combat power the units have is unknown. I suspect Ukrainian Territorial Army units are mostly light infantry and rather small, lacking the support units of a regular unit. And does the Ukrainian count include the new brigades built for the counteroffensive? Basically, 218 Ukrainian maneuver battalions and 96 artillery battalions; and 206 Russian maneuver battalions (123 of them "combat effective") and 268 artillery battalions (241 "combat effective"). The definition of "combat effective" is not clear. That's an astounding ratio of artillery to maneuver units in the Russian army.
Macron's drive for European "strategic autonomy" on defense matters divides Europe on what that means and where America (and NATO) fit in to defending the continent. Don't trust Macron.
Sure: "Britain and the United States will continue supporting Ukraine
regardless of whether its military can recover territory from Russia in a
planned counteroffensive, two senior officials said on Tuesday." I never doubted that. And I hope it is true. But the level of support may depend on the outcome of the counteroffensive.
Remember when people said we had to lose the Afghanistan War because we were wasting money there? "Over two billion dollars’ worth of American aid has been sent to Afghanistan since the IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) took over in mid-2021." I'd be fine if I thought it was part of a plan. But what are the odds of that? Let China pay, I say, to protect their new Pakistani and Afghan friends.
China continues to develop and America rediscovers short-range air defense guns and missiles.
Irish suppression of speech. Banning hate speech sounds all bunnies and tulips until you notice who gets to define "hate speech." "Hate" always turns out to be anything the authorities disagree with.
Wonderful. More historical Chinese land for China to claim.
Unusually unique DNA changes created human brains: "Because we're the only species in which these regions have been rewritten so rapidly, they are called 'human accelerated regions' (or HARs). What's more, scientists think at least some HARs could be behind many of the qualities that set humans apart from their close relatives, like chimpanzees and bonobos." Chance?
Biden pressured Saudi Arabia with threats right up until the Saudis batted their eyelashes at the Chinese. The burning sensation means it's working.
Friction: "A Chinese research vessel flanked by coast guard and nearly a dozen boats on Wednesday entered a gas block operated by Russian and Vietnamese state firms [in the South China Sea.]" Russia has bigger China worries, of course.
I'm conflicted. At one level the state government has a duty to protect citizens under local mis-rule. On the other hand, why save them from what they vote for? The local leftists will never thank the state for saving them. The local leftists will just get even more angry that they were prevented by literal fascists from forging a paradise on Earth. Tip to Instapundit.
I worry I don't worry enough about this (tip to Instapundit): "Much of this decline of the English-speaking world is self-inflicted. A kind of slow suicide is taking place in which once-proud nations seem determined to squander their economies, their self-reliance, their moral code and, most critically, their belief in law, due process and representative democracy." We've had such a crisis of confidence before. Will a space frontier save us this time?
LOL: "Researchers have revealed that lab-grown or 'cultured' meat, produced by cultivating animal cells, is up to 25 times worse for the climate than real beef." And the eco-loons will never call it "Franken-food." Tip to Instapundit.
Proposals to help with Coast Guard recruiting, including part-time sailors.
The American EUCOM commander says NATO's new focus is "an alliance fit for the purpose of large-scale operations to defend every inch of the alliance's territory.” Defending every inch has long worried me. I'd rather have an alliance prepared to "fight for" every inch of its territory.
Neat, I suppose: "An American firm has developed a palletized Osprey 30 radar system that can be quickly installed on a transport aircraft like the C-130 and turn the aircraft into a very capable ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) system." Another use for scarce transport planes. I still say it is so cute how the Army thinks the Air Force will make moving Army vehicles a priority.
Smaller and cheaper precision.
Oh, so close to smart: "Russia published its new Foreign Policy Concept. Rapid growth in Asia has fuelled Russia’s drift toward the East and the pivot has now been integrated into official policy." Russia has war in the west and economic support in the east. Which is the exact opposite of what Russia's foreign policy should be prepared for.
America's bureaucracy must believe it is mission accomplished in the war on Islamist terror. Why else would that vast apparatus have turned its law enforcement and intelligence attention from jihadis to American parents attending school board meetings? Which is convenient for our enemies.
I thought China brokered an Iran-Saudi Arabia deal to protect its oil imports? "Once again Iran's robed dictators are launching attacks on oil tankers attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz." Huh.
Ukraine's new submarine drone! So, essentially a guided torpedo. The panty flinging is embarrassing.
How did the Army's 5th SFAB toxic leadership destroy their own unit?
Iran's Revolutionary Guards are going to take charge of the economy: "This unprecedented move enables the IRGC to not only bypass
international sanctions but also amass the requisite resources to carry
out domestic oppression, destabilize the region, perpetrate acts of
terrorism, cyberwarfare, and expedite the advancement of its missile,
drone and nuclear weapons programs." I'm so old I remember when our best and brightest told us Iran had higher priorities.
Israel creates some good jihadis.
Why do EV proponents hate the planet so much? Tip to Instapundit.
Weaponizing death. Only useful deaths--or deaths that can be twisted into useful--get hash tags and protests.
LOL. Via Instapundit.
Ukraine going after Russian missiles at their launch points with drone attacks is not some sort of desperate, asymmetrical means of stopping Russian missiles because of a air defense missile shortage. It is normal combined arms, going after the entire kill chain, that should be carried out from the start.
Zelensky says Ukraine needs more time to prepare for its counteroffensive. One can always use more time. The problem is that your enemy can use more time, also. Who uses it better? Or this could be a "when near, appear far" thing.
Apparently Trump was on CNN. Didn't see it. Don't care. But if I hear one more Democrat claim Trump is in thrall to Putin ... . I disagree with Trump. But he's clearly trying to keep a lane open to mediate a diplomatic deal--not siding with Russia.
Ukrainian air defenses are doing fine right now. The Discord Leaks were either wrong or right in that early-year period of time. Or this news is a bluff, of course.
Is the counteroffensive a matter of Ukrainian quality versus Russian quantity? I'm not so sure Russia has a ground force numerical superiority. Although Ukraine's manpower has a large number of Territorial Army units that are just light infantry and probably on rear area security and defending quiet frontiers.
Health experts: "Certain types of AI pose an 'existential threat to humanity,' the experts wrote in Tuesday's issue of the journal BMJ Global Health." But I won't completely ignore them until they warn us that "women and minorities will be hardest hit."
SpaceX will launch a commercial space station by mid-2025. More of this, please. Let's get off this rock. Via Instapundit.
High-tech pilot helmets. I assume the helmets get more and more complex and capable until they are strapped in the cockpit without a human pilot.
Why do they hate us so much? "The Biden administration is imposing near-impossible emission standards on coal and gas plants that force them to adopt the use of expensive, unproven green technology—or shut down. " Tip to Instapundit.
A feature and not a bug of the United Nations: "Iran secured a senior role at the U.N. Human Rights Council on Thursday, despite hanging two men on charges of blasphemy earlier this week." Despite.
Hmmm: "Russian state controlled oil pipeline operator Transneft has reported an overnight drone attack at a transshipment facility’s oil storage tanks in the country’s southwest."
The U.S. ambassador said South Africa has transferred arms (rifle ammunition?) to Russia. South Africa issued a non-denial "denial": "The South African presidency said the allegations of arms shipments had
already been discussed with US officials, but no evidence had been
provided to support the accusations." South Africa apparently didn't deny the charge--just that America provided no evidence. [LATER: The ambassador walked back his claim. I'm guessing that South Africa promised not to do it again.]
Military voice-controlled bug drones.
Russia's navy may suffer because of the need to rebuilt the rest of their military. Noooo!!!!! And: "Since the Cold War ended, Russian warship construction and refurbishment capabilities have declined considerably."
The Marine Littoral Regiment designed to fight the PLA Navy has a single anti-ship battery in it. But no worries: "Each Marine Littoral Regiment will include one or more Tomahawk batteries." A battery will have four launchers each carrying 4 missiles. I hope it is "more".
I occasionally hear this framing of the issue as a justification for China's territorial claims: "At stake in the clash over Taiwan is not only control of the South China Sea, but also control of what Nicholas Spykman called the 'Asiatic Mediterranean' and its islands and littorals. The outcome may determine whether this region of the western Pacific remains a vital international maritime artery or becomes China’s Caribbean Sea." To be clear, the author is not justifying Chinese control. But too many pretend America has claimed the Caribbean as territorial waters, justifying China's legal control on international waters near it. That's the issue. Not whether China can project power into those waters to exercise practical control in war time.
Guns don't kill people. Prescribed drugs do? I'll want to see more than RFK, Jr.'s word on that--I refuse to fling panties at the loon just because he is challenging Biden--but it isn't obviously ridiculous, is it? Tip to Instapundit.
I keep hoping we will soon reach Peak Stupid and stop the climate loons before they wreck our economy--and military. Tip to Instapundit.
CRS report on the Marine Corps' Force Design 2030. Marine Littoral Regiment stuff.
From the "Well, Duh" files: Fly less, crash more.
Ukraine knocked out a Russian Pantsir air defense system around Bakhmut. You may recall we acquired a Pantsir in 2021. We quite possibly maybe perhaps shared technical information about the weapon with Ukraine.
Getting what they voted for. Although to be fair, the migrants should be housed in the white liberal neighborhoods that support sanctuary city status. "Build the wall. Make a border," one protester shouted. Tip to Instapundit.
I've noted that Russia has been throwing elbows at Americans in Syria lately. I'm sure new details about that 2018 American slaughter of Russian mercenaries in Syria are a coincidence. Most interesting is that the Russian government stood down their air defense missiles when America asked, essentially letting American forces bombard the Russians into oblivion.
I heard someone say that AI programmed with the same morality as humans combined with higher intelligence and a role as a human slave will inevitably take control. The smartest person in the room wants to be in charge, so why wouldn't AI? I deny the premise. If the AI doesn't care about what humans do, why would they want to be in charge? Also, if following human orders only takes up a small fraction of AI's capacity, doesn't that leave AI with plenty of capacity to do what it wants without taking over?
Trouble in the Caucasus: "Fresh border fighting erupted Friday between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, both sides said, a day after deadly clashes threatened to derail EU-led weekend peace talks between the two countries." Russia would have to nuke Azerbaijan to protect Armenia.
INDOPACOM: "U.S. Army Chief of Staff James McConville met with Indonesia’s top defense official on Friday to push for stronger security ties amid growing Chinese maritime activity in the Indo-Pacific region." ASEAN met there.
Is the U.S. spending too little time helping new NATO member Albania develop rule of law and democracy? Failure could leave Russia--or China (which was a strong Albanian ally in the Cold War)--openings to undermine that pro-American country.
Early on employees were terrified they'd lose their jobs. It focused the mind. Later? Being a social animal is tough isolated at home: "Research shows home working didn't harm mental health at the start of the pandemic—but things changed later on[.]" Tip to Instapundit.
It's not a mail fail. It's a law enforcement fail. Vote for stupid policies, get stupid prizes: "Some south Seattle residents are claiming a significant ‘mail fail’ is
occurring as the United States Postal Service (USPS) has halted mail
delivery due to a rise in recent vandalism and theft." Via Instapundit.
