A belated happy birthday to the Navy.
The Tripolitan War as grey zone conflict: "Countering maritime insurgencies in the gray zone is not a new mission—indeed it was the U.S. Navy’s founding mission." Think the South China Sea. I looked at the war in 1998 as an example of limitations on what can be achieved without going ashore. We re-examine the past to illuminate current problems.
I heard an American professor on live streaming who was discussing the Last Hamas War call the A-10 the "Hogwart." Oh, so close. But it doesn't have a magical chain gun.
I think we have a winner in the Luxury Belief Olympics.
I hope Illinois has the death penalty: "A
Plainfield man stabbed a 6-year-old boy to death and seriously injured
his 32-year-old mother after targeting them because they were Muslim
and the man was upset about the ongoing conflict involving Hamas and
Israel[.]" This is a big country. And anything can be national news. Doesn't make this less horrific. But even rare events are visible. Be careful out there. And calm the ef down. I have to wonder if all the ugly
pro-Hamas rallies that excused the murder of Jews had an effect. Maybe
the media will look into that diffuse "stochastic" cause of hate they
see everywhere. I still hope the man who murdered an innocent boy is
executed--following conviction, of course. How will the left's soft-on-criminals trend affect this case?
Finally: "Ukrainian pilots are expected to begin training to fly the F-16 fighter jet at an Air National Guard base in Tuscon, Ariz.[soon.]" Training will be accelerated. When I was in basic training we were told the BS would be stripped out and we'd go to our MOS training at night in case World War III started in Europe. This could have been much faster.
The Army plans to use ground-based fires to reach very long distances? You may ask, isn't that the Air Force's job? Well, technically.
I spent a summer there: "An electronic-warfare testing range is slated for construction at Fort
Gordon in Georgia, a development U.S. Army officials said will greatly
bolster troop readiness." We need that. And now I have to remember it will be called Fort Eisenhower soon. Am I the only one who wonders why we are abandoning our transformation of Confederate icons into symbols of the Army that defends modern America which has long rejected slavery and has made great progress in civil rights that would have horrified those men? Seems like we are throwing away the symbols of victory. Oh well. I like Ike.
Not all soft targets were soft when Hamas killers approached.
Kirby is just making himself look like a liar and a fool when he denies fungibility of money regarding the $6 billion America allowed Iran to access. His claims of all the additional sanctions the Biden administration has put on Iran fall flat when you consider that Iranian revenue has been going up dramatically. I assume the many sanctions are tightly focused and really designed to let someone like Kirby make his misleading claim.
Rethinking the civil service. A number of great points. I think our growing debt will kill it. Even if the Democrats don't want to get rid of this source of votes and political donations, we can't afford it. What replaces it? Maybe a bigger cabinet with presidential appointees at the top and stripped down departments and agencies under them focused on permanent technical functions like IT, sending money to states that get the authority to spend the money, and auditing. The winning administration would flesh the structure out a bit for policy and management--including writing rules--perhaps using temp agencies that specialize in this function, with each party knowing which ones are friendly. Just spitballing. I reject the notion that existing departments should be sent into the heartland to "fix" their outlook. I think that would just spread the disease out of Washington, D.C. Anyway, the lingering swamp of the near-evil Wilson still harms us.
The Space Force's first Ranger. Until those Rangers actually fight away from Earth rather than wearing an honorific, it doesn't count.
Arctic weather needs special equipment and training to live and fight in. Although much like ice breaker projects, I wonder why we need this when I hear global warming will make the Arctic ice-free all year. But perhaps it is wise to prepare in case the climate Apocalypse doesn't happen. Also, I'm sure our Norwegian allies could have told us that Strykers would make lousy Arctic vehicles.
There is a urgent need to find an effective counter to the cheap kamikaze drone that can loiter and come in swarms. Yes. My 2018 contribution to this debate in Army magazine recognized the problem for forward combat units and called for American fighter plane drones.
Putin will talk to Netanyahu and the Egyptian and West Bank Palestinian leaders on Monday. My guess is the Israelis will want Russia to restrain Iran's hand puppets and note how Israel has thus far refrained from providing Ukraine weapons.
That's fun. Now test a Moslem bakery with rainbow cake orders. Actually, the right should do that to get a case before the appropriate state courts. Tip to Instapundit.
Is it really satire? "Members of the terrorist organization Hamas were left frustrated after hearing many leftists in the United States and throughout the world were skeptical that Hamas had brutally massacred over 1,300 Jewish civilians after Hamas had put serious effort into livestreaming the atrocities." Tip to Instapundit.
Rising interest rates are a threat to the economy? Are high rates bad? Sure. But what about the middle class-killing inflation that the higher interest rates are intended to fight? What about the runaway federal spending that fuels inflation? Address the spending problem first and interest rates can decline. That's the proper order of action.
Democracy dies in letting thugs sell oil: "The Biden administration and the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro have agreed to a deal in which the U.S. would ease sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry and the authoritarian state would allow a competitive, internationally monitored presidential election next year, according to two people familiar with the breakthrough talks." Maduro knows how to work around narrow technical voting monitoring. And we know he knows. But Maduro knows we don't care because we would rather strengthen a foreign thug ruler than approve one more filthy oil well in American territory. Tip to Instapundit.
Shame on South Korea: "South Korean authorities cited the risk of Chinese economic retaliation when they charged marine technology firm SI Innotec last year with violating trade laws for its work on Taiwan's new military submarine program[.]" Unless this is just Prosecution Theater to let China pretend its pressure works. Also, a point of order. Submarines are an asymmetrical weapon against China's surface fleet.
This took way too long: "All 31 U.S.-made M1A1 Abrams tanks promised to Kyiv by the Biden administration have arrived in Ukraine, according to the U.S. military."
As long as they don't wear aquaflage: "The U.S. Army is looking just a bit more naval as it adjusts to the Pacific region, adopting missiles long wielded by its sister service and even developing new cargo vessels." I have long worried the Army in the Pacific will become a Navy auxiliary. Although my worries have eased recently.
India can repair American Navy ships. With a common foe--China--more cooperation in many areas is possible. While India's history of non-alignment that rejected America is a speed bump, "The United States and India have also found that at sea, where protecting commerce and shipping are widely shared interests, partnerships are less politically fraught."
The Australians are lightening up their army to make it more of an expeditionary north of Australia, backed by anti-access/area denial force long-range strike assets. They will eventually include nuclear-powered attack submarines as part of their fleet. An American Marine battalion-sized force rotates through northern Australia to train with Australian and other forces in the region. Australians could be a major part of neutralizing or capturing Chinese military bases in the South China Sea. Of note, Australia will produce 155mm ammunition, which beats shipping it in from America.
One thing you can say about the many pictures of weeping Gazans is that while some Hamas fanboys in the West and the jihadis themselves claim "they love death," it is more accurate to say "they love killing." Ordinary Palestinian people don't seem to love their own death one bit. Of course, German civilians surely wept as the Allies swept through Germany in 1945. Their horrible experience didn't shield them from our military campaign to destroy the Nazis.
Conservatives complain that Biden hasn't taken back the $6 billion it gave Iran access to, it has frozen the account. I can't rule out that right now the administration is trying to deter Iranian support for a wider war against Israel by leaving access an open question rather than taking the cash away completely.
If diversity strengthens America as the left claims, how can the left simultaneously condemn white "cultural appropriation"--which is essentially adopting good ideas from the diverse cultures that exist?
"Japanization" of China's economy might be the best-case scenario between the chaos and damage of aggressive war on the one hand and fragmentation and chaos on the other. Japan is still a prosperous--and increasingly powerful--nation. It just faltered on the path to the top economy that so many thought it was on.
I wonder about the so-called sophisticated Hamas tunnel system under Gaza. There are tunnels. No doubt. But I remember the stories--complete with illustrations--about the sophisticated tunnels that Osama bin Laden allegedly built for al Qaeda in Afghanistan that turned out to be completely wrong.
It's the only fighter game in town so I sure hope that this problem is just the teething problems of putting a new plane in service: "Lockheed Martin Corp. continues to produce F-35 jets with flaws discovered after the fighter jets are delivered to US military units, according to the Pentagon’s contracts management agency." When it works, pilots seem to love it.
Victory in war has no immaculate conception despite demands for a miraculously clean war that doesn't kill civilians. Add in the problem of fighting monsters like Hamas who not only deliberately murder civilians in the cruelest manner possible but also deliberately use their own people as human shields.
I'll resist the belief that the "walls are closing in" until the walls visibly move. And if true, does this shield Trump to avoid also hurting Biden? Or does it doom Trump in an effort to dump Biden without Democratic Party fingerprints left at the crime scene? Tip to Instapundit.
No! Way! "College 'disinformation' centers suddenly silent as Hamas propoganda [sic] takes over social media[.]" Tip to Instapundit. And now for something completely different:
Democrats continue to be unaware of cause and effect: "Californians are complaining about barely-clothed
prostitutes roaming the streets in broad daylight, an issue heightened
by Democratic Gov. Newsom signing Senate Bill 357, local officials say." Tip to Instapundit.
Russia withdrew from the nuclear test ban treaty. I assume this is just another way to rattle a nuclear sabre at the West. Although I wonder if Russia might detonate a surface nuke near their border with Ukraine to scare them. Which would have the advantage of not risking firing a nuclear missile that fails to explode.
A Marine artillery regiment in Japan is converting to a Marine Littoral Regiment. Three are planned for the Pacific to battle the Chinese fleet.
This isn't necessarily predictive, but it sure will encourage China: "If there was to be a fight with the mainland, 70% of Taiwanese between the ages of 20-29 say they are not fighting, 54% of all ages saying the same, and 46% of all Taiwanese believing the US will not come to save Taiwan." And it is my biggest worry about Taiwanese defenses.
I wonder if we've had much success in getting Americans (not hostages taken by Hamas from Israel) out of Gaza? I assume we are quiet about this to avoid tempting Hamas and its jihadi allies from holding them hostage. Or maybe we're quiet for the same reason the government has been quiet about Americans in Afghanistan--it isn't doing anything.
Is South America the Persian Gulf of rare earth elements? If it is becoming that, it is only because Western countries refuse to mine their resources. And unless America proves completely inept in foreign policy, this "Persian Gulf" should be safe from enemies. So we're screwed, I guess.
So this is actually happening (tip to Instapundit): "This coming Wednesday is the so-called 'Transition Day' when the
expiration of the U.N.’s embargo against Iran’s ability to procure and
sell missiles and drones goes into effect." To be fair to the Biden administration, nuclear warheads are less useful without missiles to deliver them. Ah, the coincidence of timing. I will hold off on assuming the American replacement sanctions are designed to be effective.
Can Russia stoke a crisis in the Balkans to further distract NATO from helping Ukraine?
I have no doubt the Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket that struck their own hospital--and let's wait to see how many actually died rather than trust Hamas counting--was an accident. Mind you, it was aiming at Israeli civilians. So the intended target represents a PIJ war crime. But what about the accidental hospital strike? Maybe firing with civilians around you is also a war crime. I'm not sure about that angle. But as I've warned about our own military facilities, having military assets in the midst of friendly civilians invites civilian casualties that are not the fault of those shooting at your military assets. I was worried it might be our war crime waiting to happen. So I'm consistent. Also, did the single PIJ rocket really blow up the entire hospital? And if it did, was the real damage from secondary explosions of rockets stored inside the hospital? Although I read that a rocket crashing right after launch would have a lot of fuel. Again, I'll wait to be sure. [NOT MUCH LATER: Yeah, a PIJ rocket. That hit the parking lot. And clearly caused far fewer deaths contrary to what the Hamas "health ministry" claimed.]
The two decades-long genocide in Darfur is on again. But locals are doing it so it is just one of those quirky local customs rather than a war crime if Westerners were doing it.
I heard a British analyst say that a single retired Israeli general who spoke of poisoning the water of Gaza to drive them out would be a war crime--if the Israeli government went along. Big "if". On the other hand, the massive terror attack and obvious popular Arab support for the terror attack--and rage against the West--doesn't mean the Palestinians don't deserve their own state. Big reality. Fascinating way to weigh guilt, eh?
Iran tried to kill American troops in Iraq: "The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iranian-backed militias, issued a statement afterward claiming responsibility for the two attacks and saying it 'heralds more operations' against the 'American occupation'" The Biden administration doesn't want to admit we are at war with Iran inside Iraq. Because the administration loves mullah-run Iran.
Let me point out that Saudi Arabia has experience in Yemen with being blamed for the consequences of their enemy's actions. Hopefully that makes Saudi Arabia patient with Israel--as long as their people don't get all excitable.
Our aircraft carriers and Air Force planes are visible signs of an effort to deter Hezbollah and its Iranian master from expanding the Last Hamas War. But behind the scenes, is the Biden administration trying to deter them or trying to appease them? I mean, I have reasons to ask.
Yeah, don't get your hopes up too much for Ukraine's Western tanks: "Technology does not win battles. Properly trained soldiers win battles. To ignore that enduring reality is to invite disaster and defeat."
Is occupying a Congressional building--in support of terrorists, no less--no longer an effort to hinder the business of Congress, and is therefore an insurrection? How did they all get inside? Just asking for some imprisoned friends.
She can also suck up electronic emissions of enemies: "The U.S. 6th Fleet command-and-control ship Mount Whitney is heading to the Eastern Mediterranean Sea to support U.S. operations there, the Navy announced Wednesday[.]"
Are Democrats still determined to stop and punish misinformation? That was a rhetorical question. Democrats want to suppress and punish inconvenient information--like the Hunter laptop. The linked actual misinformation is ... ah ... acceptable ... to their base. Tip to Instapundit.
The Iran-Israel quasi-war that I've mentioned before. The story highlights cyber-war. But as I've warned about getting overly focused on high tech: '[Troops] can't be so focused on their computer screens that some low tech insurgent hits them on the head from behind with a rock." Hamas is Iran's rock. Cyber warriors fight online but they live in the real world.
Ef LED bulbs. I bought extra incandescent light bulbs to get me through what I hoped would be a brief ban. We seem stuck with the forced virtue-lighting. But honestly, my small stockpile will probably last me the rest of my (long) life given how rarely I have to replace my cheap bulbs. Although I'm starting to worry that the incandescent flood light lamps exempt from the ban that I didn't stockpile might now be illegal. Tip to instapundit.
No matter how much you distrust and hate the mainstream media, it isn't enough.
More like CNN coverage suffers from the fog of leftism. You think you hate and distrust the main stream media enough. You don't.
I heard a British analysts say that we must not assume Hamas represents all Gazans. Fair enough. He said that Gazans weren't really supportive of Hamas. And that lack of support was why Hamas struck Israel. Wait. What? To gain support of its people Hamas planned and carried out a mass slaughter of Jews? I don't think that argument is as supportive of the analyst's position as he thought.
He should count himself lucky that North Korea didn't want to keep him: "An Army private who fled to North Korea before being returned home to the United States last month has been detained by the U.S. military, two officials said Thursday night, and is facing charges including desertion and possessing sexual images of a child."
Huh: "China’s nuclear arsenal has more than doubled in the last three years, amid what a senior Pentagon official calls a 'major expansion of their nuclear forces.'" I suspect China wants to deter Russian use of its nukes and still have some to deter America.
A defense of our big dinosaur tanks. I'm conflicted. Tanks have a history of being destroyed in war and still being vital. I've long defended the tank as the embodiment of mobile, protected firepower--which is absolutely needed. Until something replaces the tank for that role, the tank will remain central to maneuver. I don't say that because of cheap drones. But I've grown concerned that the increasingly heavy and expensive main battle tank isn't the way to provide mobile, protected firepower. We'll see how Israel uses their tanks in Gaza City.
How the Fuck-Up Fairy World Tour: Russia has worked out: "At this point it seems like a good idea to call off the Russian invasion and halt the heavy personnel, armored vehicle, munitions and usage and take care of the Russian people." Russia could use those capabilities elsewhere.
I don't believe all the leftist protests against Israel and in support of Hamas that justify mass terror are anti-Israel rather than anti-Jew. Back in 2004 when a lot of Russian school children died in a Chechen hostage raid at a school in southern Russia, I sent a donation when I was quite broke, notwithstanding my long determination to stop Russia from being a threat. Dead children were not an excuse for me to pile on Russia at that moment. Humane people can do that. What we are seeing on our campuses and streets is not what humane people do. You are witnessing the recruiting pool for concentration camp guards.
Wow. An analyst claims that growing Arab-Israeli peace trend under the Abraham Accords that doesn't let the corrupt and maximalist (as in, death to Israel) Palestinians hold the peace and prosperity of the region hostage is the cause of the Hamas terror horror on October 7th. Just the most disgusting form of the "Let the Wookie win" argument. I say the October 7th terror slaughter is exactly why Palestinians under their murderous leadership need to be set aside to let them sit in their own hate and poverty until they hit rock bottom and reconsider their maximalist goal. Let our enemies fund these delusional haters.
The author has a point about not letting the pursuit of the perfect be the enemy of good. But Ukraine's pursuit of "complete victory" means expelling Russia from its conquests in Ukraine--not marching on Moscow. Russia's pursuit of that is the complete defeat and occupation of Ukraine. Why don't people spend more time convincing Russians not to pursue their far more "complete" version of victory? I don't want America to be Russia's proxy in negotiating with Ukraine to let Russia keep as much of its conquests as possible. But the author wrecks his argument with this purported supporting evidence: "Even 1945 involved a kind of compromise peace, since the U.S. and its
allies had no choice but to accept that their fellow victor, the Soviet
Union, would control eastern Germany." FFS, World War II resulted in the absolute military defeat and occupation of the actual enemies, Germany, Japan, and Italy! As I've long noted (and I think Kissinger coined it), a victory is just the entry ticket to the next problem to solve. I'll add that victory is a prerequisite for getting the ticket. Losing gets us a ticket for a worse problem ticket. We can keep that author's point on caution in mind. But don't think compromise means not new ticket. So let's also take Grant's advice on this war. Make Russia compromise.
I'd say Cure can't possibly be a BLM hero. But I've watched the left justifying and celebrating Hamas mass murder of Jews for a couple weeks now.
Executive Summary: How the Obama appeasement policy for mullah-run Iran that was revived by Biden unexpectedly led to death and war. Ah, Smart Diplomacy®!
The United States defense industrial base. We need a two-war production base.
As it has been from the beginning, no matter how many reservations I've had about Trump or his die-hard supporters, the Democrats' drive to criminalize dissent and divide America always make MAGA look better.
The American test isn't a nuclear test no matter what Russia complains about. It is a non-nuclear test to help detect actual nuclear tests. Russia lies. A lot.
Really? "The situation raises alarming prospects of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, underscoring the growing instability in the Black Sea." I don't think Russia wants to open the Black Sea Turkey Shoot. FFS, Russia is struggling in the Black Sea against Ukraine--which doesn't have much of a navy or air force.
Germany has decided to rearm since 2016. Well, technically. But it has been a very slow march back from strategic insanity.
For decades I've been astounded that American Jews backed Democrats, given the increasingly anti-Israel and anti-Jewish twist in its political positions. And in the aftermath of the largest one-day killing of Jews since 1945 by Hamas terrorists on October 7th, American Jews are forced to admit that rather than the Deplorables being the haters, their intersectional allies are the haters who used Jews even as those "allies" were cool with--when not actually excitedly cheering on--the slaughter of Jews as just the first step to wiping them out between the river and the sea. Don't worry, the Deplorables will welcome American Jews with open arms. We'll see if the lesson survives Trump's next mean Tweet. Tips to Instapundit.
Well, as Dr. Hanson knows well, some haters are more equal than others. Tip to Instapundit.
Honestly, I don't know why Ukraine doesn't more actively recruit soldiers in the rest of the world.
We should be happy that campus leftists are exposing the hate of the pro-Palestinian ranks. This is a value of free speech, no? Would it be better if it grew unseen? Democracy dies in darkness, I'm told.
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation can't ignore China's continued genocide against its Uighurs? Don't be silly. Of course they can. The Moslem world has been ignoring it for ages now. For APEC members it will be easier. I mean, you don't see Arab violent protests at Chinese embassies, do you?
I'm sure Hamas and its allies hope that it can release an average of one hostage per week to get countries to put pressure on Israel to hold off entering Gaza until the hostages are released. How anybody can call this release a "good will gesture" by murderous thugs is beyond me.
Biden's spending proposal regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war started by Hamas, and Chinese threats to Taiwan. I'm uncomfortable providing money for "humanitarian" aid to Gazans. That will end up being logistics support for Hamas, if history is a guide. I'm open to the idea that this might be the necessary price to keep Arab governments safe from angry populations while Israel guts Hamas and the related jihadis in Gaza. Although I have no idea if the loud protests reflect more than the Islamist rent-a-mobs deployed for Western cameras.
The Department of Homeland Insecurity. Tip to Instapundit.
Oh? "Comedian Sarah Silverman claimed she made a 'mistake' while 'stoned' after she shared a post that defended Israel’s move to pressure Hamas for the release of hostages by cutting off water and electricity to Gaza." I think you have to be stoned to think Israel needs to supply its enemy and help them resist longer, killing more Israeli soldiers. Doing that is not a human rights violation by Israel. Why does Israel have to care about the "humanitarian crisis" more than Hamas does? Hamas can surrender at any moment and international humanitarian aid will commence very quickly. I also think American Jews who support Hamas should offer to exchange themselves 1:1 for hostages Hamas took in their October 7th murder and hostage-taking raid. I mean, their beloved Hamas friends wouldn't think of harming their intersectional allies, right? Tip to Instapundit.
A Chinese paper published by a defense contractor for the PLA stated "the effectiveness of nuclear strikes based solely on land-based capabilities, which is all the authors believe Israel possesses, is 'questionable'." Interesting. I wonder if the Russian pucker factor is exceeding design parameters as they wonder if this line of inquiry extends to Russia's nuclear weapons?
American direct military support and logistics support for Israel. Shooting down drones and cruise missiles headed to Israel fired by Iran's Houthi proxy force in Yemen is only the most obvious form of support. Question: what price did the Biden administration exact from Israel that will handicap Israel's offensive? Or maybe I'm too cynical. Biden doesn't want an expanded war. And I'm sure it would love to claim its ability to deter Iran proves that we can compel Iran to sign an effective nuclear deal. Assuming Iran even needs that shield.
It's funny until you remember it's about a member of Congress:
The other Israeli hostages: "Very little has been heard about Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu and Bedouin Arab Israeli Hisham al-Sayed, seized in 2014 and 2015 respectively." Delende est Hamas.
The DOD announced force deployments in response to the Hamas war and Iran's threats to expand the fighting. Notably, Eisenhower is heading to CENTCOM so there won't be two carriers in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. But it could help protect American troops around the Persian Gulf. Also, American missile defenses are being deployed to the region to protect American forces. Although the long-range THAAD seems more useful to protect Israel from Iranian missiles fired from Iran. I wonder where the battery is going?
China's subliminal war on the territory of the Philippines: "China and the Philippines traded accusations over a collision in disputed waters of the South China Sea as Chinese vessels blocked a Philippine boat supplying forces there on Sunday, the latest in a series of maritime confrontations."
More details on Carney's air defense effort: "A US warship that intercepted drones and missiles near the coast of Yemen on Thursday encountered a larger and more sustained barrage than was previously known, shooting down 4 cruise missiles and 15 drones over a period of 9 hours[.]" Dribbling them out is ideal for air defenses. Although that's a good chunk of the destroyer's missiles needed for all those drones. I was hoping other means were used to shoot down the drones rather than missiles.
A Norwegian study questions whether greenhouse gasses are the primary cause of temperature changes: "it seems impossible to determine how much of the temperature increase is due to emissions of CO2." That's been a major objection of mine to the panic--besides the reliability of the data. I accept that humans are affecting the temperatures. But is it decisive when placed alongside natural factors, many of which are poorly understood. It's one study. But it is a bold claim to make in today's politicized "science" environment. Tip to Instapundit.
Israel should track where the humanitarian goods go inside Gaza and bomb the locations. That's probably a good proxy for where Hamas troops and leaders are hiding. I'm mostly kidding. But this humanitarian aid is now the Hamas logistics line.
Hmmm. Do China and Russia think the West is declining and ripe for defeat? I don't know if China can risk that given how Russia proved that kind of assessment wrong about Ukraine and the Western response to Russia's invasion. And even if China agrees with the assessment, Russia is proving more of a liability than an asset in that fight. Europe won't be able to help America much in Asia. But it will be able to fight China's ally in Europe. And Russia will have little to help China. But as long as China is tied to Russia, China will find its resources diverted to Europe to prop up its weak ally. But who knows what they think? Please check the safety margin of your pucker factor.
If Hezbollah starts shooting rockets into Israel, Israel will have to invade--and go all the way to Baalbek as I've long held--because of Israel's inability to stop the rockets with Iron Dome and the inability to knock out all the rockets Hezbollah has with air and artillery power. Netanhayu's warning to Hezbollah implies Israel would rely on bombardment. Israel has already lost over 300 soldiers from the Hamas terror raid, I heard. Israel no doubt isn't eager for a land war in Lebanon. Israel would prefer to inflict a decisive defeat on Hamas that even they can't spin into a "we survived, therefore we won" argument. But the logic says a land war is needed. I don't know if Hezbollah's restraint on using their rocket arsenal to attack across the border means Hezbollah is carrying out Solidarity Theater because it does not want to risk an Israeli invasion.
Americans arguing that Western humanitarian aid is vital to keep Palestinian civilians from starving is insane. The very moment Hamas is sufficiently concerned about their own people, they can surrender. Aid will quickly follow. We--let alone the Israelis who reeled under the murder-rape-kidnapping raid--are not required to care more about Palestinian lives than Hamas and the other terrorists fighting in their name care. The terrorists are hiding behind their own civilians. And we're letting them succeed. This is madness.
The American government is "rattled" more wars than we can handle will break out? To be fair, the crew running this government is pre-rattled. Maybe we should pay more attention to logistics which the Winter War of 2022 warned us about. Ultimately, we need to follow Grant's advice and make the leaders of our enemies worry about what we can do to them. Tip to Instapundit.
How effed are we? This effed (tip to Instapundit): "The United States Naval Academy is reviewing applications for a scholar in 'Gender and Sexuality Studies' to teach in its English department." Navy leadership. What is it?
But can Europe provide the weapons and ammo? "This year the EU (European Union) replaced the United States as the major supplier of aid for Ukraine by already spending $14.3 billion with $4.7 billion more to come before the end of the year. The U.S. contributed $10.9 billion. In 2022 the Americans provided $11.98 billion compared to $7.96 billion for the EU. " Or at least provide the money to buy it from America because too many conservatives oddly don't see the value in killing invading Russians?
Israel struck a mosque in the West Bank being used to plan a terror attack. We had a lot of experience in Iraq of terrorists and insurgents using mosques as military installations to store weapons and safely gather.
I asked about these Americans who had been in Gaza when Hamas launched its terror raid in the last data dump: "Hamas is preventing Americans and other foreign nationals from exiting the Gaza Strip, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday." So more hostages to hold in front of Hamas.
