May your New Year be a good one. Change what you can. Accept what you must. And reevaluate those categories continuously. Life is good. And I don't define America as the politicians and bureaucrats who sit in Washington, D.C.
Ukraine stretches their Neptune anti-ship missile already converted to be able to attack land targets: "Long Neptune has enough range to hit targets throughout Crimea." Can these be part of a Ukrainian Doolittle Raid?
China joins the big boys in carrier technology: "Satellite photos have shown the latest Chinese aircraft carrier, the 80,000-t0n Fujian (CV-18), with a flat flight deck and using catapult to launch aircraft." I don't think these are intended to fight for sea control. Unless China thinks it can isolate India.
America is enduring society-wide Lysenkoism, isn't it? "There are many beliefs out there that I think are toxic and out of touch with reality. 'Queers for Palestine!' 'Keep Government’s Hands Off My Medicare!' And so on. Antisemitism is just one crazy belief among many that have caught on with young elites. ... We are in the process of becoming a society where fashion is more powerful than logic."
Hamas has failed to expand the ground war into Israel's northern border (Hezbollah and Iran's militias in Syria) or the West Bank. But Iran is expanding the war at sea against shipping. The attacks on ships is seemingly meant to scare America into pressuring Israel into ending its offensive in Gaza. But it puts the conflict at sea out of sight of easy reporting and in a domain best suited to American and allied naval and air power to defeat--if America chooses to make Iran fear Western power rather than act like Iran is the scary power. Note that while I think Iran would be happy if the West Bank exploded and are happy to use the Houthi for attacking civilian ships, Iran doesn't want to risk its assets in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.
Democrats need to stop their murky lawfare attempting to defeat Trump outside of the 2024 election. I'm on strong ground having urged Republicans to quickly prove decisive fraud in 2020 or move the fight into politics: "Better to endure a poor emperor than take an extraordinary measure outside of the law that defeats that emperor in favor of a good emperor and guarantee endless battles for the purple for generations to come. I can't remember who said that in regard to the Roman empire. Better to investigate the election after Biden's inauguration and use, if necessary and justified, the provisions in the Constitution on impeachment." Never think things can't possibly get worse.
I'm not exactly against this: "The Defense Department on Friday unveiled its new rules for reducing harm to civilians while striking military targets, a development inspired by 2021 reviews of the U.S.’ erroneous targeting of civilians in Syria." As long as it doesn't in practice reward using human shields.
Justice: "A U.S. drone strike has killed a senior Somali militant accused of masterminding a 2020 attack on a military base in Kenya that killed three Americans, a top Somali official told The Washington Post on Friday."
A diverse military is fine as long as everyone is a finely milled cog in the green machine: "The new year will prove the first full calendar year with the Army’s two new senior leaders at the helm, and if the early portions of their respective tenures are any indication, 'discipline' is the service’s new watchword." Diversity doesn't intrinsically improve warfighting. I'm hopeful.
The X-37B is scheduled to go up again this week.
Still in a useful location: "The North Field, or Tinian North airfield as it is also called, is
currently being prepped to be renovated and turned into an active modern
U.S. Air Force facility, according to Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, commander
of Pacific Air Forces." We need more baskets. Ten years ago we were talking about Tinian.
FFS: "America does not have a viable [drone] quadcopter industry because its cumbersome technological export rules prevent American companies from exporting their products to foreign markets. We have our own troublesome bureaucracies."
Yes, Assad considers America's military presence inside Syria to battle jihadis to be illegal. But America shields Iraq from those jihadis--which Assad illegally funneled into Iraq to be suicide bombers. That program bit Assad in the butt. Which I warned could happen.
Guam, finally: "Starting late next year, a logistics detachment is expected to kick off a long-awaited, multiyear relocation of Marines from Okinawa to the service’s newest base in the Indo-Pacific." We island-hopped across the Pacific from 1942 to 1945 against opposition far faster than this single move.
Until Hamas is crushed, Gazans can't be "de-Nazified": "populations dominated by brutal extremists cannot be 'won over'." Failure to crush Hamas and de-radicalize Gazans means Hamas will try to repeat October 7, 2023 one day. On a larger scale. Still, pressure might force Israel to fall short of their ultimate goal. Which might actually work out for Israel. And Gazans. And besides, the long campaign to hunt down and kill or capture the Hamas leadership globally will continue after the war in Gaza is "over."
Defiance: "The Philippines is not provoking conflict in the South China Sea, its military spokesperson said on Tuesday, responding to China's accusation that Manila was encroaching on Beijing's territory."
To me, this seems like an opportunity for Belarus to exploit Russian corruption to get a nuclear deterrent to expel Russia: "The president of Belarus said Monday that Russia has completed its shipments of tactical nuclear weapons to his country, an initiative that raised strong concerns in neighboring Poland and elsewhere in the region." And since this adds nothing to Russia's ability to nuke NATO, I wonder if Russia sent working nukes to Belarus to provide that opportunity.
Reaction: "The Indian navy will deploy guided missile destroyer ships in the Arabian Sea as a deterrent after an Israel-affiliated merchant vessel was struck off the Indian coast over the weekend."
Defiance: "Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi vowed retribution after Israel reportedly killed a high-ranking general in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria on Monday." But is it more chest-beating and flinging poo?
NYT gives a Hamas front man space to weep about suffering during the war they started with Israel by raping, slaughtering, and kidnapping hundreds. Tip to PJ Media. And let's not forget how NYT gave space to Putin back in 2013. That was a satire post with the Putin piece only linked. But welcoming Putin was before the Democrats' sudden flip against Russia.
Why God gave us JDAMs: "A network of NGOs, or non-governmental organizations, seems to be
playing a powerful role in coordinating the large-scale invasion of
illegals at the US southern border." Tip to Instapundit. And don't say I'm not even-handed when it comes to the issue of NGOs going to war.
South Korea will buy 20 more F-35As.
The Army wants industry proposals for making command posts flexible and mobile.
I had been shocked early in the war that I saw no evidence of what I had thought were good Russian electronic warfare capabilities. Now: "Along almost the entirety of the front lines, an invisible wall of electromagnetic pulses now stretches like a shield." They affect drones, too. Not mentioned is use of inertial guidance as a backup for GPS-guided rockets, bombs, and shells. Note that the story said the Russians always had good EW capabilities. But now Russia had superiority over Ukraine by pushing lots into the campaign.
India is acting like Iran is the one who should worry about attacking India: "New Delhi’s defense officials vowed to bring those responsible for the recent attacks on two predominantly Indian-crewed merchant vessels to justice amid the ongoing Houthi and Iranian missile and drone strikes in the Red Sea and beyond."
That capability is relevant as Iran unleashes a quasi-war at sea against commercial shipping: "A Navy mine countermeasures ship based in Bahrain could be back on duty earlier than expected after crews finished months of scheduled maintenance more than two weeks ahead of time."
UGVs.
Coping with loose naval mines: "Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria contributed mine clearing vessels and equipment. NATO members that do not border the Black Sea but do have a lot of commercial shipping operating in it, are also contributing mines clearing ships and equipment."
Quasi-war: "A U.S. guided-missile destroyer and fighters from aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) interdicted a dozen suicide drones and anti-ship missiles on Tuesday, according to U.S. Central Command."
Yes, without the Byzantine Empire holding the line before the Balkans, Islamic armies might have crushed Western civilization before it could get going. And nobody would be around to define let alone lament the loss of European culture to alien "settler colonialism." Lord, every country today is settled by the victors of sometimes ancient wars that let the conquerors settle in and populate the lands and impose their own culture on the losers.
Putin is signaling interest in a ceasefire to divide the West and encourage it to pressure Ukraine into accepting such an outcome. This would lower Ukrainian morale and slow Western military support. And if he does accept a ceasefire, it will be seen in the West as "peace" while Putin will see it as time to reload. And that gulf in perceptions won't work out well for the West or Ukraine. Unless a magical internal Russian political event saves us from the folly of thinking Putin wants actual peace.
Allies: "The coming year will likely see Washington and Manila expand their cooperation and ready their respective navies to counter China’s assertions of ownership over parts of the South China Sea."
If Iraq won't or can't suppress the Iranian-backed militias attacking our forces, we will: "Iraq condemned as 'a clear hostile act' the overnight US strikes, saying they had killed one member of the security forces and wounded 18 other people, including civilians." Failing to protect our forces there to help Iraq is a clear hostile act. But I assume that the fearful Iraqis quietly approved an attack without getting to know the details. Also, why are Iraqi security forces co-located with Iranian militias?
Russia warns that Japan's sale of Patriot missiles to America will have "grave consequences" for Russia-Japan relations. It's an indirect method of arming Ukraine. The U.S. is grateful. Short of nukes I don't think Russia can do much to keep Japan from sweeping Russian ships and planes from the Sea of Japan.
This is obviously false because if it was true Erdogan would really like Netanyahu: "Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was no different from Adolf Hitler" Turkey remains NATO's black sheep ally.
Record number of illegal Chinese immigrants entering America. Regardless of why they are coming the border needs to be brought under control to make sure immigration is done on our terms. But I don't assume that this is a hostile measure by China. Isn't the simple explanation that Chinese people are fleeing a cruel dictatorship with a slowing economy? Although, sure, some part could be agents of China. Again, we need to control our border regardless of why so many people are streaming into America.
This article blames Obama for much of our current foreign policy problems. But the effort to be balanced by blaming Bush 43 for so-called failures in Iraq and Georgia founder on the reality. Still, this is right: "At a minimum, we will see a return to the Obama doctrine that equates passivity with peace." I wrote about that misconception.
Is this really fully intended for occupation duty inside Russia-controlled Ukraine? "Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a series of laws on December 25 to help further bolster Russia’s force generation capacity. Putin signed laws allowing Rosgvardia to form its own volunteer formations, providing for the possibility of conscription service in the Federal Security Service (FSB)[.]" The Rosgvardia (National Guard) is Putin's own ground force, after all. Is this really about expanding his personal protection army? Which will be useful to consolidate Russian control inside Ukraine. But ultimately it might be intended to keep a Russian army from marching on Moscow.
Israel's long-term objectives: "the destruction of Hamas, the demilitarization of Gaza and the beginning of a deradicalization process of Palestinian society." Somehow Israel needs to create a future peace partner from scratch.
Democratic and media insistence that the only solution to migrants flooding across our border is to rewrite our immigration laws is ridiculous and an assault on reason. How we treat people who illegally enter America is completely separate from the issue of keeping people from entering our country contrary to our existing immigration laws. I've long said that controlling the border must take place before rewriting those laws on whether migrants can stay. It's a lie to our public that Biden tried on the Afghanistan skedaddle debacle, too.
Oh? "A top Kremlin propagandist called on the US to hand over its European military bases to Russia in a terrifying warning this week." Terrifying? No. But I'll have what he's drinking. #WhyRussiaCan'tHaveNiceThings. Tip to Instapundit.
I think we could do without--and probably thrive--with a quarter of the capacity. Assuming attendance is based mostly on merit. Via Instapundit.
Purged for corruption or for insufficient perceived loyalty to Xi? "Scores of officials have been snagged in Chinese leader Xi Jinping's campaign to cleanse vulnerable sections of the military of corruption, a China-focused consulting firm says."
The DOD description of INDOPACOM initiatives in 2023.
Thoughts on improving NATO ground-based air defenses.
Via Instapundit, why you don't hate the media enough. I'm clearly not the only one who thinks you can't hate and distrust the media enough. He's mostly mad about the double standard. And he has a point. But is it providing valuable information in rare publication real estate? Or is it propaganda from an evil enemy? That's my main problem.
A regional benefit of global warming.
Russia builds a navy port in Abkhazia to avoid Ukraine's growing anti-ship reach. When Russia leased Sevastopol from Ukraine, Russia didn't have this problem. But in 2014 Russia made Ukraine an enemy rather than a trading partner and landlord.
Well that's innovative: " Ukrainian experts examined a Russian cruise missile that had crashed, and discovered that the Russians were using telephone Ukrainian network SIM cards that allowed the missile to use Ukrainian mobile phone network to navigate to targets despite possible GPS jamming. Both Ukraine and Russia are improvising to take advantage of technologies not available in previous wars."
China liked it better when it waged a subliminal war against its neighbors beneath the notice of the world: "China's defence ministry lashed out at the United States on Thursday, a week after their top military officials resumed high-level talks, criticising its continued meddling in the Asia Pacific region and saying it maintained a 'Cold War' mindset." How will China react to the Philippines more open resistance to that Chinese subliminal war?
To be fair, Biden doesn't inspire much confidence in his resolve: "U.S. President Joe Biden hoped to present a firm international response to Yemen's Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping by launching a new maritime force, but a week after its launch many allies don't want to be associated with it, publicly, or at all." Especially when asked to confront Iran.
That lickspittle of Putin has a point. The West won't just let Russia and its fellow thug states just take what they want: "The intrigues of Western countries whose dominance is ebbing away are largely responsible for pitching the world into turmoil, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Thursday." Because they always want more.
I don't give up on a better Russia. But its brutal invasion of Ukraine means we have to accept that we can't work with current Russian leadership to build a better Russia. But there is a basis in common interest to end the war with even a bad Russia. And then work for the better elements gaining influence and power.
That was fun for undermining unit cohesion: "The [Pentagon] report concludes that extremism in the military is rare but dangerous." It's rare. You have to read deep into the article after reading that extremism experts expected the report to show "how bad the military’s extremism problem is." Not whether there is one. But how bad what we all know is there is. Now do left-wing extremism.
Good: "The U.S. Navy’s recent force structure study puts even greater importance on small combatants, the director of surface warfare said, a shift in priorities that could require the surface navy to rebalance its ongoing modernization plans." We need networked numbers. Including unmanned vessels.
Practicing to fight for the high ground.
Well, North Korea has claimed for about seventy years that America is preparing to invade North Korea: "North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has ordered his country's military, munitions industry and nuclear weapons sector to accelerate war preparations to counter what he called unprecedented confrontational moves by the U.S., state media said on Thursday."
LOL: "China's defence ministry on Thursday urged the Asia-Pacific to be on high alert as the United States steps up forward military deployment in the region, after reports of a U.S. plan to revive a Pacific airfield that launched atomic bombings of Japan." Everyone knows China is the threat while America is the one trying to hold the line. By all means, countries in the Asia-Pacific region, stay alert to aggression.
The "commodification" of war with cheap weapons: "The war in Ukraine has made it increasingly clear that modern warfare is now undergoing its own aggressive period of commodification." I think that will help enable warBay for private actors wage war. But I'm not on board the idea that this threatens Western militaries, which in time will use the same weapons.
India and Russia discussed joint production of weapons. India needs weapons to resist China. And I think India is a potential means to get Russia to agree that China is a common threat.
The captain maneuvered the ship into shallow water to avoid sinking: "A civilian cargo ship struck a Russian mine in the Black Sea near Ukraine’s Danube ports Thursday, injuring two sailors[.]"
Interesting: "The Associated Press published an interview with Ukrainian Special Operations Forces personnel on December 26 wherein Ukrainian personnel stated that they were prepared to conduct a crossing of the Dnipro River to the east (left) bank of Kherson Oblast in late May 2023 but that the destruction of the KHPP dam and subsequent flooding postponed these plans.[11] The Ukrainian personnel reportedly conducted limited crossing attempts in July, August, and September 2023, but Ukrainian forces did not launch a larger crossing aimed at establishing a bridgehead on the east bank until mid-October 2023." Does this mean the current scale of operations could have diverted enough Russian forces to make the southern counteroffensive successful? Or does it mean Ukraine could have expanded operations beyond diversionary raids? And what is the state of the ground post-flooding for the purpose of expanding the current operations with bridging operations?
F**k these people and their pro-Hamas cause: "Thousands of anti-Israel protesters swarmed Manhattan on Thursday — with one group shutting down the front entrance to the World Trade Center’s Oculus and another organizing a funeral procession for children who were killed in Gaza." Palestinians celebrated the destruction of the original in 2001 and now they return to the scene of the crime.
Western feminists avert their eyes because of who committed the vile crimes: "A Times investigation uncovered new details showing a pattern of rape,
mutilation and extreme brutality against women in the attacks on Israel." Western feminists tell women to do their duty to the Left and just lie back and think of the oppressed.
Every last member of Hamas or their jihadi allies in Gaza
must die. Accept their surrender (and that's to preserve the humanity of the soldiers fighting Hamas--not to show misplaced mercy to the murderers and rapists). But act accordingly if they don't.
They wanted war? Give them more than they can handle. They are monsters unfit to be part of humanity.
NATO rearms. Ah, strategersky!
Ukraine really likes the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. And they find the old but modernized M-113 useful.
Does Ukraine already have F-16s in action?
Units have to be cut to make sure what exists isn't hollow from too many slots empty: "The Army finished fiscal year 2023 with only 452,000 active duty soldiers, its smallest force since 1940." Otherwise we will fool ourselves that the units on paper are combat ready.
Puffer fish reacts: "In a nationally televised address Thursday, Maduro said that 6,000 Venezuelan troops — including air and naval forces — will conduct joint operations off the nation’s eastern coast near the border with Guyana."
A full American amphibious ready group with a reinforced Marine battalion is back together in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. I assume this is puffing up to deter Hezbollah.
American infantry will soon get the LASSO suicide drone: "The Army envisions LASSO as consisting of three pieces of equipment: the reusable launch tube, the drone itself, and a reusable fire control station. This is not unlike a Javelin anti-tank missile, for example[.]"
Light tanks, an infantry fighting vehicle, and UGV "wingmen" for the Army.
The Washington Post has a new motto: Darkness dies in democracy. The bad guys see democracy as an obstacle to their goals. I'm very disappointed in Robert Kagan. From a freedom agenda abroad to a kill-your-political-opponent-at-home agenda. That's shameful. You don't need the ability to hear dog whistles to perceive his intent. Tip to Instapundit. As I've noted:
Because some people's new year's resolution is to kill infidels: "Security will be tight across France on New Year’s Eve, with 90,000 law enforcement officers set to be deployed, domestic intelligence chief Céline Berthon said Friday."
If I can overlook Trump's statements I can overlook Nikki Haley's--but hope she learns.
Knocker-uppers. I had no idea. Fascinating. Inexpensive clocks eliminated that job. Elaine would understand the need.
Well of course she said that: "New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones claimed on Sunday that the North did not actually fight to end slavery during the Civil War.
Victor Hanson is perplexed about the attitudes of many of the foreign-born anti-Jewish and pro-Hamas protesters in America: "Why would those who have fled despotic regimes in the Middle East to study, work, or reside in a free America, once safely here, rally for the very dictatorships they left behind and apparently do not wish to return to?" And he asks: "Why trash the very foundation and values of their American hosts who ensure their newfound freedoms?" Well, like American progressives, they gain emotional and financial benefits from tearing away at the fabric of American society, confident that the fabric will actually hold together to allow them to enjoy those benefits in a well-ordered society. But if too many tear away for long enough, society will be torn apart, wrecking the benefits for everyone.
It isn't "Islamophobic" to expect jihadis to murder people: "Turkish security forces have detained 32 people suspected of links to ISIS who were allegedly planning to carry out attacks on synagogues and churches as well as the Iraqi Embassy, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported Friday." Even Moslems are wise to worry.
I'd laugh at the ridiculous Democratic claims that "Trump is literally Hitler," but the people extruding that evidence-free claim are goose stepping while they do it.
Thoughts about dangers for the West in 2024.
The Democratic Party's Council of Guardians is forming before our eyes: "I’m no lawyer, but I doubt the 14th Amendment was designed to
empower unelected state officials to unilaterally strike major party
frontrunners from the presidential ballot." Or elected state officials, for that matter. Tip to Instapundit.
I'm skeptical that this is true: "in Ukraine, swarms of FPV (First Person View) UAVs
(Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) are revolutionizing how wars are fought.
There are few methods to defeat UAV attacks." Just wait for the combat air patrol drones, as I advocated in Army magazine. So I've been aware of the threat. I'm not denying FPV drones are useful. But I think their effect is outsized because countermeasures are lagging. And I suspect the static nature of the war on the ground creates better conditions for short-range drone warfare.
Closer relations between America and the Philippines has stitched together American allies from Japan to Australia concerned about China's aggressive intent and power. China is throwing elbows legally and with armed and unarmed force to split America and the Philippines.
Using surface-to-air missiles as surface-to-surface missiles.
Opening up the free fire zone on the White House. I've long thought that Democrats want Republicans to push Biden out of the 2024--and then raise funds by blaming the dastardly Republicans for putting Grandpa Joe on the ice flow. Tip to Instapundit.
China's rival trade bloc, BRICS, loses a candidate: "In a letter to the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Mr Milei said decisions taken by the preceding [Argentinian] government had been revised." Tip to Instapundit.
The news and entertainment media have long said they are ticking time bombs, victims of a uniquely evil war. But it was slander: "Suicide rates for Vietnam veterans over the past four decades were no higher than that of the general population." Tip to Instapundit.
Air power and damage assessment, from World War I to Ukraine's new suicide drones to strike targets hundreds of miles inside Russia. Note too the assessment that Israel failed in 2006 by relying on air power to fight Hezbollah. As I wrote at the time: "In 1973 the Israelis needed 18 days to mobilize and defeat the combined militaries of Syria and Egypt. This time the Israelis were unfocused, intent on winning with air power alone, then used minimal ground force in a shallow frontal assault that was just a low-level war of attrition, and then gathered forces for a big push that lasted all of half a day or so before pulling back." The clock always ticks when Israel fights.
Democrats in the government are using private hand puppets to keep Trump from even running for president in 2024: "Through this effort, government officials and well-funded NGOs are attacking democracy in the name of saving it."
In retrospect, Russia probably should have finished off Georgia before taking on Ukraine: "Russia is expected to revive its 2008 war with Georgia one it has extricated itself from the mess it made when it invaded Ukraine in 2022." Unless the West makes an own-goal by cutting off Ukraine and letting Russia win this war. Then Russia's strategy might be seen as brilliant in the long run for restoring much of the old Soviet empire.
Russia is flying over our bases inside Syria. I'm sure the Russian planes are passing information along to Iranian militias that attack our outposts in Iraq and Syria. I mean, we pass along a lot of intelligence to the Ukrainians. The difference is that our planes stay out of Russian and even Ukrainian air space. Russia risks accidental clashes if we mistake a Russian plane overhead for an imminent air attack.
Technically this may be narrowly correct but irrelevant because of how they "resist": "A United Nations official said in an interview last week that Palestinians who kill Israeli soldiers are not guilty of crimes because such killings are in line with their 'right to resist,' in the latest controversial comments by the anti-Israel official." But, the Palestinians who fight Israeli soldiers while refusing to wear uniforms under a command structure and/or use civilians as human shields to fight Israeli soldiers are absolutely committing war crimes. As are Palestinians who murder, rape, torture, and mutilate civilians or captured soldiers.
As long as their actions support America, I guess I can overlook that this statement could be used to blame China for starting the subliminal aggression or America for resisting the aggression: "Foreign ministers of Southeast Asia's regional bloc ASEAN on Saturday expressed their concern over growing tensions in the South China Sea which they said could threaten regional peace and urged for peaceful dialogue among parties."
We say we did it in self defense after the crews fired on us, but the effort to board should be justification enough for killing pirates: "The US Navy has destroyed Houthi 'small boats' attempting to board a container ship in the Red Sea." We should have also sunk the 4th boat that fled the scene.
Is this the start of civilian resistance to sending Russian men to die in Ukraine? Or is it just a futile gesture that only tells us not all Russians are willing to feed Putin's meat grinder? "As the second anniversary of the Ukraine conflict looms, the female relatives of Russia's mobilised men are becoming more and more outspoken in calling for their loved ones to come home." The government is unsure of how to respond.
Xi Jinping has more territorial ambitions: "Chinese President Xi Jinping said China would 'surely be reunified' with Taiwan during his televised New Year’s address, renewing Beijing’s threats to take over the self-ruled island, which it considers its own." Taiwan needs a gut check. Why Russians aren't scared witless, too, is beyond me.
My, that's pretty optimistic (via Instapundit): "What does it mean to be radical, left-wing, progressive? Well, in 2023, it meant making excuses for a genocidal anti-Semitism, refusing to believe evidence of mass rape and naysaying about the terroristic murder of infants. This was the year the ‘right side of history’ brigade exploded their phoney moral superiority for good." Radical left-wing progressives worshipped all the Soviets back to Lenin, Mao, Che, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh, Castro, Hugo Chavez, and any number of other depraved destroyers of life and society who said the right words about "the people" they actually destroyed. This recent Hamas golden calf will not be the last monsters they worship. Progressives are evil. Or at least evil-adjacent.
And in football news, the referees simply sided with Dallas to deny Detroit an epic last minute and gutsy win with a 2-point conversion. More here. Can't have Jimmy Johnson's day in the sun rained on by the Lions, eh? Tar. Feathers. That said, I was perplexed why we went for a TD on fourth down when down 3-7 rather than kick an easy field goal. We should have had three more points. Although obviously I know Dallas decisions would have flowed differently if they had been four points up rather than seven. Yes, the Lions could have won but for other plays (I don't even want to talk about the near safety against Dallas that somehow turned into a Dallas TD). But at that late stage in the game, there was only one way for Dallas to win--screwing the Lions with a bad call.
Well that's just stupid. Stupid to ask. Way more stupid to comply.
