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.
HTS tries to form a Syrian government while not frightening minorities and former Assad supporters, while preventing jihadis from [prematurely?] ruining the show. I don't assume the multi-war is over.
Ukraine did too good a job: "Turkey and Ukrainian special forces helped. This was an unexpected combination that no one inside or outside Syria saw coming." Better for Ukraine to have created a renewed front to distract Russia than defeat Russia fast allowing it to focus on fighting Ukraine.
Russian electronic warfare screws up civilian plane navigation.
I don't like meeting with Russia about Ukraine without Ukraine present. Don't let Russia pretend Ukraine isn't a sovereign state who America represents.
The Army is deploying a new spy plane, Athena-R. I guess the Air Force doesn't want to do that job.
Is NATO falling apart? I doubt it. Terms are changing. That doesn't mean it is ending--unless the EU kills to. It would certainly be awful that an alliance in search of a mission after defeating the USSR would fall apart just as Russia begins to march west again. NATO absolutely has a modern mission.
Truman's collision damage seems like an ugly fender bender and far from a mission kill.
I believe welcoming a "tame" Islamist government in Syria is suicidal.
I concede that Ukraine is losing the war now, as measured by territorial loss and considering its troop losses. But "losing" the war is not the same as "lost". Things change. And I suspect Russian indifference to losses is a desperate facade to get a good deal. Russia could break first.
Europe could rebuild the economic foundation for restoring military strength but they'd rather pursue fantasies. The EU has higher priorities than mere economic growth.
Poland was lauded as a model ally. Indeed. It is the center of gravity for the U.S. Army these days.
Interesting: Vance: "U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine are a consideration if Russia refuses to negotiate an end to the war[.]"
To the shores of Japan: "The newest America-class amphibious assault ship will head to its new home in Japan later this year, USNI News has learned."
China is selling munitions to Russia. I didn't think China would risk that. Did China judge there was no risk? Will there be risk going forward?
Well, make Putin actually compromise: "The Russian government still sends more troops to Ukraine but is also looking for some sort of compromise to end the war, and all those ruinous sanctions."
Russia leans on Iran and North Korea to sustain its economy.
In defense of tanks in Australia's army.
America first does not mean Europe alone. Remember, the proto-imperial EU wants Europeans to believe that.
The Ukrainians should be involved in talks to end the Winter War of 2022. But I can accept mostly involved in talks as long as Russia is forced to sign the deal with Ukraine, with other powers merely supporting signatories.
Hamas continues to dribble out hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. I imagine Hamas is running out of living hostages.
Russia has hardened its stance as talks on the Winter War of 2022 commence. Don't let Russia bank those demands as a condition for talks.
Vance's Operation European Freedom speech. We need to (again) shape Europe so it is sponge-worthy.
China plays with fire over the South China Sea.
New American and British facilities to build 155mm barrels will go online this year.
Ukraine's recon and artillery fire control drone.
DOGE success is crucial for national defense: "Ike's West Point gut told him America faced a long and dreary strategic siege, and to pay for the win, we needed wealth — meaning a long-term productive and growing economy."
Pre-strike recon and targeting data compilation?
Normalizing jihadi terrorism as if its just a fall hazard on slippery ice. Why do we hate us?
Can Germany rise to the challenge of defending Europe (also here)? That's the 21st century German Question.
"Europe" (that is, the European Union and their fanboys) is in a panicked frenzy over Trump. Blaming America--and him in particular--is much more comforting than confronting how Europe has sabotaged itself for decades. If we have problems with Europe, it's not us--it's you. Have we made that clear?
Sweden may send Ukraine JAS 39 Gripen multirole jets. This plane has long been called better than the F-16 for operating on rougher runways.
Could NATO aircraft patrolling Ukrainian air space be the means of deterring Russia after a ceasefire? Only if they can bomb Russian targets. Russia is unlikely to violate the ceasefire with air power.
CRS report to Congress on American special forces.
The Minuteman III nuclear missile still works.
New York State mobilized National Guard troops to help secure prisons during a sudden prison guard strike. That can't be happy or fulfilling duty.
A PLAN frigate, cruiser, and supply tanker are unwanted guests off of Australia's east coast.
The United States designated eight Latin American criminal organizations as "terrorists." Are they? Shouldn't being large-scale criminal groups bad enough? I just don't like diluting the "terrorist" designation needlessly.
NATO states are practicing large-scale combat operations. Good.
Elections won't save Haiti. Rule-of-law democracy is the ideal. Right now Haiti needs rule of law more than voting.
"Europe" is sidelined. But "Trump might yet realise, as this column has consistently argued in the past, that it is in America’s interest to contain Russia and maintain a strong defensive posture in Europe." NATO has a modernized mission, along those lines. As for being sidelined? Location, location, location.
I noted the contract almost a year ago, but Tinian will get its airfields rebuilt for the U.S. to resist China. It's taking a long time to act. Yet we island hopped across the Pacific against Japanese resistance in three and a half years.
The Navy fixed the Constellation design? I think we effed up by altering the proven basic FREMM frigate design way too much, making Constellation a new ship, with new-design problems. Costs skyrocketed.
To be fair, the West staged a production of Resolve Theater against the Houthi.
Could a Nordic-Baltic coalition based on the non-NATO Joint Expeditionary Force step up to aid Ukraine more? Really? But it would strengthen the coalition for defense of NATO's Baltic central front. And bolster Estonia against the Narva Gambit, as I advocated in Army magazine. I cited JEF in that piece.
European media has gone simply nuts claiming Trump is abandoning Ukraine and Europe. Trump strengthened NATO. I think Biden accidentally supported Ukraine. And just who was in thrall to Putin? I want to defeat Russia. I'm not sure what the point of Trump's rhetoric is. But I'm not worried right now.
Mission accomplished for Trump's radical Gaza plan? "Arab leaders are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on Friday for the first time to formulate a response to US President Donald Trump’s plan for the US to take ownership of Gaza, expel its Palestinian population and turn it into a Middle Eastern 'Riviera.'"
Mission accomplished for Trump's harsh language on NATO? "Denmark says it plans on injecting an additional 50 billion DKK ($7 billion) to its defense budget over 2025-2026."
SOUTHCOM is getting a destroyer for a while. Time for The SOUTHCOM Queen?
Mission accomplished for Trump's harsh language about Zelensky? "Trump’s attempts to denigrate Zelenskyy have led to a surge in Ukrainian unity[.]" Zelensky might like that in an election.
Mission accomplished for Trump's attacks on European defenses? "The prospect of the U.S. removing its vast military and financial
support for Ukraine, particularly as it begins negotiations for a peace
without the involvement of Europe or Kyiv, has forced a reassessment of
the European security architecture. "
China works on getting troops across the Taiwan Strait: "All this would be a rather ramshackle effort by American standards, but the Chinese believe it would be adequate against the Taiwanese. The key to such an invasion is keeping the U.S. Navy out of the war." I explored a "grains of sand" approach recently.
Fake Hamas atrocity news too good for the media to fact check.
Does the CIA have too many agents with a license to type? And I'm not sure they're very good at that.
That was expected: "The commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman has been fired following a collision with a cargo ship near the Suez Canal, the Navy announced Thursday."
"'Germany is ready and willing to take on responsibility for the Baltic Sea, and is establishing itself as a strong partner,' Rear-Adml Haisch told The Telegraph." Thank you.
Mission accomplished? "Zelensky surrenders to Trump and 'will sign mineral deal within hours'[.]" But America will abandon Ukraine? Really?
Maybe, just maybe, Allah isn't on the side of Iran's mullahs. One day there will be a revolt and perhaps separatist movements that reject the rump empire's corrupt mullah regime. But I don't try to predict any more.
China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) builds and controls military-compliant ships and ports around the world. Which could come in handy for the PLA.
Congratulations to Canada's NHL player team for defeating the U.S. team in the four-country tournament. I like hockey. And wanted to win. But Canada probably needs a sports win more than America. We'll get revenge in curling. Still, please don't stink on ice.
Hey, check out what we can see using a maneuverable space vessel?
Potemkin military with Chinese characters? I wouldn't assume the PLA can't fight. But perhaps its main purpose is to be shiny and look like a great achievement of Xi Jinping.
Rebel factions in Sudan unite in the face of defeats.
Colombian city of Cúcuta experiences worst insurgent violence in decades. Unexpectedly!
German elections credit "opposition leader Friedrich Merz's centre-right CDU/CSU bloc with a clear lead of 28.7% to 29%, followed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) at 19.6% to 19.8%." Given the rampant "Hitler" and "Nazi accusations we see, I doubt AfD is far right. Greens are far worse, IMO.
My "mission accomplished" entries this week are intended to contemplate whether freaking out over Trump's outrageous language because you think it states official policy or objectives should be kept in check until the results start coming in. And later, I see this very timely video.
