I post at The Dignified Rant: Evolved on Substack. Help me out by subscribing and by liking and sharing posts. I continue posting here on TDR seven days a week, including Weekend Data Dump and Winter War of 2022. I occasionally post short data dump-type items on my Substack "Notes" section.
Nobody there is even nominated for Queen of the Victim Prom: "Rebel forces backed by Rwanda have captured the town of Masisi in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to various reports." So the sainted international community won't bestow Palestinian-level focus and aid upon them.
Good: "A major Ukrainian metal and mining company that makes so-called cope cages for the country’s tanks and fighting vehicles says it has installed a new armor protection system on at least one of Ukraine’s operational high-end air defense systems[.]" In Vietnam we used vehicle- and ground-based RPG screens.
Sea power: "The Turkish navy has begun the new year by announcing the construction
of three warships based on domestic designs: a submarine, an aircraft
carrier and the lead ship of the highly anticipated TF-2000 air-defense
destroyer series." A quasi-empire needs a fleet.
They sure do try: "Russia has abandoned its 29-ton twin engine Su-57 Felon project after only 32 prototype and pre-production aircraft were built. This was another effort to build a stealth fighter to match the American F-22 and F-35." The Su-75 Plan B isn't likely to move into production.
Ukraine's aerial drones extend their reach: "The longer range drones enable Ukraine to strike targets deep inside Russia. These attacks now include drones dropping guided bombs from one kilometer altitude. This way the bombs can glide for long distances and strike Russian targets unexpectedly."
Trump must avoid getting sucked into the Winter War of 2022. Fair enough. But Trump must also avoid getting sucked into enabling--by excusing or even welcoming it--Russia's conquest of Ukraine.
Where the Air Force fears to tread: "The primary role of the MDACS is to defend stationary and semi-stationary positions [using hypersonic shells] from attacks by drones, cruise missiles, aircraft, and helicopters."
Sadly, Britain is only deploying the division headquarters for a NATO exercise. My dream of the British Army of the Vistula remains just that.
Britain counts on distance from Russia and allies in the way: "Britain’s government is gambling that allies care more about its defence than it does. An odd definition of leadership." I feel your pain, buddy. Dress it up as "leading from behind" but you only fool yourself.
CDR Salamander highlights China's D+0 cyber capabilities against the West. I noted this 20 years ago: "The Chinese should also initiate cyberwarfare against Taiwan on a massive and continuing scale and small attacks against the US, Japan, and European countries that end within a few hours [as a warning]."
Trudeau has resigned as leader of his party, but because of the parliamentary system will remain prime minister until a replacement is chosen. He is a special sort of awful. Best wishes to our neighbor and ally going forward.
Yeah: "Some seem to think that Trump’s return is the spur Europe needs to finally stand on its own two feet. But they need to recognise, as was the case during the Second World War and the Cold War, that only a strong alliance between Europe and the US offers any hope of resisting [a rising China-centric axis.]"
The last tango at sea: "For years, A-10s have been patrolling over the Persian Gulf as part of a multinational maritime security initiative." Last month I noted a similar deployment to the Philippines. While I'm a fan of the A-10, my real concern is the loss of the skill set that made the A-10 effective.
This is weird and disturbing: "A standoff between rival government forces outside the presidential compound in South Korea has been startling even for those used to the country’s famously rough and tumble politics."
New York Army National Guard troops are heading to Djibouti; and Pennsylvania Army National Guard troops are heading to Iraq. The use of the National Guard as an operational reserve rather than a strategic reserve continues.
How many Americans still believe Russia had nothing to do with starting the Korean War? "[In] the 1990s, the Russian government released telegrams sent before 1960, by Russian and North Korean leaders, making it clear that Russia wanted the invasion, and that North Korea duly carried it out."
If the campaign against the Houthi is testing the ability of the systems and crews in Navy Combat Information Centers that wield a ship's combat capabilities, how will they fight a war against China? But perhaps then the first line of ship defense would be destroying the enemy missile launchers.
They should have been executed as unlawful combatants long ago: "The Pentagon said Monday it had transferred 11 Yemeni men to Oman this week after holding them for more than two decades without charge at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."
The war on [Islamist] terror is not over: "F-16s and F-15s carried out airstrikes against ISIS fighters operating in Iraq’s Hamrin Mountains. U.S. Air Force A-10s, which were called in to support ground forces, were successful in killing Islamic State militants fighting in the cave, the command said."
China wages war on Taiwan: "A Chinese-owned cargo ship suspected of damaging a subsea telecoms cable off Taiwan has stopped transmitting its location on the high seas, Taiwan's coast guard said Tuesday." It's not the explodey sort, but it's war.
I let my membership lapse after seeing how left-wing it was at the 1991 AHA national convention. Skip forward to today: "The American Historical Association passed a resolution condemning Israel and proceeded to break out in chants of 'free, free Palestine' over the weekend." Tip to Instapundit.
Why couldn't America reduce its military "aid" to Ukraine by having Europeans unable to produce the needed equipment purchase a portion of American military equipment, ammunition, and assistance for Ukraine? Total military assistance from America wouldn't change--just the burden of paying for it.
North Korea test fired an intermediate range ballistic missile.
Just going to note that the Persian Gulf is also called the Arabian Gulf; part of the South China Sea is also called the West Philippine Sea; and the Sea of Japan is also called the East Sea. Disputes are not uncommon. Also, a name does not convey ownership. Calm down.
To resist Russia's invasion, America and its allies have given Ukraine "more than $126 billion in weapons and military training and assistance." America has provided $66 billion of that.
The war on terror continues: "U.S. forces helped evacuate Somali troops from harm’s way during a recent operation against insurgents that resulted in the deaths of 10 militants from al-Shabab, U.S. Africa Command said Tuesday."
Drones firing drones: "Ukraine has claimed that it’s successfully used uncrewed surface vessels (USV), better known as drone boats, to launch aerial drones against Russian targets for the first time."
Perhaps Hezbollah is weakened enough to make this not futile: "The Biden administration in its final days is shifting more than $100 million in military aid from Israel and Egypt to Lebanon as it tries to bolster a ceasefire agreement it helped mediate between Israel and Hezbollah."
A line in the sea: "The United Kingdom is leading a Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and NATO effort to track Russian 'Shadow Fleet' vessels in Northern European waters, in real time, to protect critical undersea infrastructure, the United Kingdom’s defense minister announced Monday."
That seems less than optimal: "Taiwan began three days of military drills on Tuesday as concerns rose over potential cuts to the defense budget due to legislative wrangling between the island’s two major political parties." The article highlights criticism of Taiwan's new Abrams tanks. I vigorously dissent.
The Australian Roadrunner suicide drone designed to take down aircraft, helicopters, and other drones. American special forces have purchased it. Huh.
Why isn't Britain being condemned by global human rights groups and pursued by the International Criminal Court for this failure to protect so many victims? I remain dumbfounded that feminists aren't the most committed anti-Islamist warriors. Tip to Instapundit.
If you can't put boots on the islands China wants, China will take them: "Navies across the Asia-Pacific region are boosting amphibious capabilities in an effort to protect their complex coastlines, as China continues its flex its military muscle in the region."
Your moment of cat zen:
Service in the Army did not radicalize Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the New Orleans terrorist. But that belief marinating in anti-military circles surfaces so easily. How fun! Now do Islam, about which the default view here is always "why do they hate us", as if we did something to provoke the murderous hate.
China's recent attacks around Taiwan and in the Baltic Sea to destroy underwater conduits either indicates China is not as vulnerable to losing use of the seas or indicates the Chinese fear no retaliation, or indicates the Chinese are just being self-destructive. Perhaps an Alignment of Upheaval right now.
Buh bye: "Moscow no longer appears to have any attack submarines in the Mediterranean Sea after NATO forces spotted its last known submarine leaving the region last week." That's for the best, really. Russia's flotilla would lead a short but exciting life in a war with NATO.
Milley authorized the use of directed-energy weapons against rioters in June 2020 Washington, D.C. unrest. This is not a scandal. I may not like Milley much, but these less-lethal weapons (don't call them non-lethal) can send rioters running for home without the casualties of rifle fire or batons. Via Instapundit.
Blowback: "Finnish President Alexander Stubb will host a summit in Helsinki of the NATO countries that border the Baltic Sea together with Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal next Tuesday." Putin is Russia's worst enemy.
Ah, a quarter century of the F**k-Up Fairy dragging Russia into the abyss!
Ef that: "The objective should not be the total defeat of Russia—a nuclear-armed
state—but its transformation into a pivot power that seeks to balance
its interests between Washington and Beijing." Beat Russia down with the Clue Bat until it accepts it's smarter to defend their Far East than attack NATO.
Turkey may invade Syria: "Turkish efforts to interdict SDF supplies may be a precursor to a wider operation, especially if these interdiction strikes attempt to strike deeper behind the front line." The Turkish foreign minister said Turkey would attack Kurdish units if they don't let HTS absorb them.
Security: "Since the 1940s, the Pentagon has valued Greenland, which serves as a gateway to the Arctic. During the Cold War, the military had more than 10,000 troops in its territory, which hosts Pituffik Space Base, formerly known as Thule Air Base." China claims the fake status of a "near-Arctic" state.
How China's Great Firewall cracked during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Also, Russian and Chinese propaganda efforts.
But counter-measures are still weak: "Starting in 2023 the proportion of casualties inflicted by drones in the Ukraine war soared to more than those inflicted by artillery, and in 2024 an outright majority of all casualties have been inflicted by drones." Am I wrong about how FPV drones will eventually fit in?'
The cheese-eating surrender monkeys go all Patton on a fake threat: "French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot suggested moves on [Greenland] would be an attack on the European Union." Guess what threat the French ignore? And FFS there will be no American Anschluss with any unwilling party.
The Burke is a mature and successful design--but of course: "The U.S. Navy’s Flight III Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers are facing cost increases and delays, jumping from an average of $2.1 billion per ship to $2.5 billion per hull, with even steeper cost increases coming in the future[.]" Eh, it'll be fine!
For no particular reason, let's review who can wage war under our Constitution. Remember that prior to Hitler declaring war on America that America waged an undeclared "gray zone" naval war on Germany in the Atlantic. So it isn't as clear as you may believe.
True: "The year 2027 is just a year. We should remain watchful as it approaches, lest the prophets of automatic warfare prove correct, but we should neither relax our guard in the meantime nor resign ourselves to a certain clash of arms." And timely.
Europeans are our friends. The European Union is not: "Rattled by the rise of populism, and their authority rotting from within, Europe’s supposedly ‘sensible’, self-described ‘centrist’ leaders have resorted to ever-more authoritarian means to keep their grip on power." A reason for America to lead.
Where's the global human rights "community" that cares so much more than you or I do? #MeToo #NotYou. Tip to Instapundit.
Defending freedom of navigation: "[Navy] forces, which were not identified, struck two Houthi underground Advanced Conventional Weapon storage facilities in Yemen, according to the Wednesday news release."
I have little doubt these are intended to help Finland if Russia invades Sweden's ally: "Sweden is purchasing 44 new German Leopard 2 A8 main battle tanks and plans to modernize its existing fleet of 66 Leopard 2 tanks as well as other combat vehicles in its military arsenal[.]"
In harm's way: "Taiwan on Thursday demonstrated its sea defenses against a potential Chinese attack as tensions rise with Beijing, part of a multitiered strategy to deter an invasion from the mainland."
Don't pretend the war on terror is over because we "ended" the Afghanistan campaign (by losing it, to be clear): "The Islamic State has evolved and expanded globally since the territorial defeat of IS in Iraq and Syria in 2019, enabling the organization to continue to orchestrate and inspire attacks on the West."
Fingers crossed: "As Côte d’Ivoire’s relations with its former colonial master have continued to deteriorate, culminating with last week’s decision to expel the 600 French troops in the country, the United States has increasingly stepped into the breach." The region needs resilience to kill jihadis.
Isn't this a big Chinese middle finger to Russia? "Serbian defense authorities announced that the Chinese-made FK-3 air defense systems are now in service with the Serbian Air Force, marking a success for Beijing[.]" Serbia should be cautious lest China declare it is a "near-Balkans" state.
We focus on a boat-load of cruise missiles, but the class has always has a special operations capability: "The U.S. Navy’s Ohio class guided missile submarine USS Michigan made notable use of uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUV) in the course of operations between October 2022 and January 2024[.]"
This seems like a no-brainer. Why is it delayed? "The U.S. Navy has long eyed a return to a cavernous former Royal Norwegian Navy base that could serve as a convenient support point for submarine operations in the Arctic."
Well that's fun! "Several European leaders have cautioned Donald Trump against violating
the sovereignty of other NATO allies across the continent, following
comments by the U.S. president-elect that did not rule out using
military force to annex Greenland’s territory." Now do Islamist fanatics. But that's not safe.
The race between Chinese anti-ship ballistic missiles and hypersonics on one side, and American SM-3 and ship-mounted Army Patriots on the other. China works hard to target our ships. Don't forget that breaking China's kill chain starts with destroying the missiles on the ground before they launch.
Fingers crossed: "Donald Trump's media genius strikes again, this time calling national and international attention to two slowly developing but strategically treacherous threats to North America's military and economic security: [defending the Arctic and maintaining use of the Panama Canal.]" It sure got attention!
This is needed: "The U.S. Air Force’s F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle IIs are now set to be armed with the AGM-158C-1 LRASM (Long Range Anti-Ship Missile), allowing the Air Force’s assets to engage surface targets at sea." That gets TDR stamp of approval!
Corruption is a weapon: "The recent, high-profile case of Alice Guo—a former mayor accused of graft, money laundering, and espionage—shows how domestic corruption leaves the Philippines vulnerable to Chinese infiltration and subterfuge."
Per the Pentagon, America is exploiting the sudden east Syria power vacuum: "When you saw the fall of Assad, you saw Russian assets further consolidate, which allowed U.S. Central Command to take actions in the Badiya desert and elsewhere where we hadn't previously done a significant amount of strikes[.]"
A Taylor Swift super fan lacks resolve? "While Trudeau has made some noteworthy pronouncements about Canada’s role in the world, his actual record reveals a profound failure to safeguard Canadian sovereignty and support the Canadian Armed Forces." No! Way! There is a way forward.
Putin said that if America takes over Greenland that it justifies Russian expansionism. LOL. Putin should worry about the precedent he is setting for Chinese claims on Russia's Far East. Putin is a moron clearly being guided by the F**k-Up Fairy.
Afghanistan faces a complex set up challenges in 2025? No, the challenge is pretty simple: the Taliban. And FFS, America shouldn't subsidize the Taliban rule. Let their new friends in Pakistan and China fund them.
Shut up, the European Union said: "Will the EU sacrifice the American market and estrange itself from its military defender for the sake of content moderation?" Of course it will. I firmly believe that without American influence--whether NATO or Musk--continental Europe will drift back to its autocratic history.
Good grief people, being not-Assad doesn't make the new Islamist rulers good guys. I suspect Europeans will reward HTS and the other jihadis as long as refugees don't flow from Syria into Europe.
Interesting: "Iran is increasing its military presence in Venezuela, with officials and personnel, with some members of the country's elite acquiring properties in the Latin American country and being offered political asylum should they eventually need it." If Iran goes down, will the open door for exile close?
Britain's Labor government sent volunteers to help Harris in the recent campaign. And I guess bad habits from impressing American sailors live on: "The UK government has tasked its 'Counter-Extremism' unit with investigating billionaire Elon Musk following his sharp criticism of Prime Minister Keir Starmer."
Stopping NATO, Nazis, and Satan himself wasn't enough reason to end business as usual: "The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine failed as a military effort but was successful at creating many new opportunities for corruption. This included Russians of all types." The cogs notice.
Cogs with doubts: "The war in Ukraine has cost the Russian military over a million soldiers dead, disabled or fled the country. Several million more military age men have left the country or gone into hiding while still in Russia. There are labor shortages everywhere." Employers help employees evade military service.
Trump's hyperbolic language certainly raised this vital issue: "Denmark acknowledged on Thursday it had long neglected the defence of Greenland, a vast and strategically important Arctic island, after President-elect Donald Trump said acquiring the Danish sovereign territory was vital for U.S. security."
The sainted international community doesn't care about those people because they aren't Palestinian terrorists: "More than 100,000 people have been displaced since the start of the year in eastern Congo as a result of a new rebel offensive, according to a United Nations report released Friday."
Sh*t got real: "Germany's Bundeswehr will establish a major new land forces unit dedicated to securing critical infrastructure and key military facilities across the country, an army spokesman said on Saturday." It's a blend of active and reserve troops.
The Philippines is upgrading two ports and an airfield in the Spratly Islands. Hopefully the Philippines defends them lest it is just upgrading a future conquest by China.
Notwithstanding closer ties to China, China is the biggest sovereignty threat: "Indonesia will expand its existing defence partnerships and step up its handling of strategic issues impacting its sovereignty, including maritime security and the safety of sea passage and fisheries, its foreign minister said[.]"
I'm starting to think America should grant any family in Great Britain that includes young girls immediate refugee status based on a fear of imminent harm. Tip to Instapundit.
America's presence helps keep disputes limited to ballots and not bullets: "There are early indications that some Iraqi Sunni and Kurdish politicians are trying to build an alliance ahead of the Iraqi parliamentary elections in October 2025. Such an alliance would challenge the Iranian-backed Shia parties[.]"
I never trust the media when it calls a European party "fascist" or "neo-Nazi" because a major success of the left has been to hide the fact that Hitler was a socialist. Remember, communism is the last stage of socialism building toward that withering away of the state and its gulags. A stage we've never seen.
New French suicide drones to Ukraine and a review of how Ukraine uses French Caesar artillery pieces.
Combat fatigue (PTSD), desertions, and temporary AWOL in the Winter War of 2022 affect Ukrainians and Russians. Political fatigue affects nations supporting Ukraine. I will note that Russia might have more combat fatigue problems if more of their troops survived their tour of duty invading Ukraine.
Iraq still fights ISIL: "The Iraqi Army and Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) launched an operation targeting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the Hamrin Mountains, Diyala Province. The Iraqi Air Force conducted an airstrike on January 10 that killed four ISIS members."
Iraq reinforces border defenses: "Iraqi security forces have extended the border wall between Iraq and Syria by 83 kilometers, increasing the total length of the wall to around 400 kilometers. Iraq seeks to extend the wall by another 215 kilometers." ISIL's revival could pave the way for Iranian influence.
If North Koreans knew, that will hurt Kim Jong Un: "The [North Korean] POW told Ukrainian authorities that he had undergone coordination training with Russian forces for only one week before deploying to combat and that he thought he was going to a training exercise in Russia, not to the war in Ukraine."
Human waves: "The Washington Post reported on January 11 that North Koreans
fighting in Kursk Oblast are attacking in large groups with support from
Russian artillery and drones, unlike Russian forces who usually move in
smaller groups." To be fair, they aren't intended to return home.
