This might be a little tougher than Putin thought...
- Thread starter Nole Lou
- Start date
I appreciate Ukraine's dogged self-advocacy and general gratitude they express, but I hate it when they throw in comments like "why so late?". We don't operate in a vacuum and they have received more military aid from us than most countries have in their entire defense or could ever provide.
I hope this whole line of thought isn't true. But every now and then I wonder if part of the reason we haven't gone whole hog in giving them access to our best, non-classified, weapons is because we're actually benefiting by having the war drag out. First, we're depleting stocks of our old weapons. Second, we're having to buy new weapons to replace the depleted ones which helps the MIC companies. Third by dragging this out Russia keeps thinking that they still have a shot to win this so they keep throwing resources at the war and they keep on being depleted. The longer the war drags out, as long as Russia doesn't win in the end, the more Russia stops being a legitimate global security threat and stops being a legitimate weapons manufacturer as other countries see how bad their stuff is when put to use. All of those things combine to lead to a happy weapons manufacturer in this country.
I think it is a witch's brew of competing concepts of different decision makers. I think the overriding thought was the slow boil of a frog, with the hopes of not provoking escalation from Russia against NATO forces. The temperature gets cranked up a little at a time, where eventually, the water is boiling and the frog is dead without knowing it was going to die.
How many Rubles were exchanged? Or Lakeside Villas in Italy from Putin’s personal collection?
How much does it cost to bribe a former US National Security official?
How much did General Flynn cost?
While I appreciate the history of the building, I'll shed no tears over it's demise. Hope it burns down.
Interesting concept. Probably not wrong on at least parts of this.
It could be some of that but I think the US and NATO have done a masterful job of trying not to push the insane jumper on the roof from doing something bad (using Nukes). And all the while the Russian military had slowly ground themselves down (at Ukraine's expense sadly) and Russian economy is nearing collapse (holy crap look at the Ruble) . I do think when over, Ukraine will be rebuilt by west and become a member of both EU and NATO very quickly. And it will be one helluva party.
It feels to me like we're trying to help Ukraine do just enough to win, but not so much that they make Putin look so bad that he has to pull out the big guns (nukes) to save face.
I have a feeling next two months are going to see some big gains.
If they can just punch through and seize Melitopol, it is the beginning of the end for Crimea, especially with ATACMS apparently on the cusp of being approved and sent. And while I feel bad for the army companies with non-western equipment (for the most part) being tasked with probing and finding the weaknesses, once they get that breakthrough I think those companies with full western gear will pour through and really make some quick gains.
She was quite good, but that doesn’t mean she’s qualified to run a PMC and butcher people. That’s Russia for you. You don’t have to be qualified to do a job, just be part of the mob that runs the country.
I get that, but, why so late with the ATACMS? Absent F-16s we should have given ATACMS and Patriots much earlier.
I don’t know. I imagine HORT is not all knowing and there could have been valid reasons. Then again, it could have been a mistake.
Hope the people who did this are in trouble-the Logan Act.
The Logan Act (1 Stat. 613, 18 U.S.C. § 953, enacted January 30, 1799) is a United States federal law that criminalizes negotiation by unauthorized American citizens with foreign governments having a dispute with the United States. The intent behind the Act is to prevent unauthorized negotiations from undermining the government's position.[2
The Logan Act (1 Stat. 613, 18 U.S.C. § 953, enacted January 30, 1799) is a United States federal law that criminalizes negotiation by unauthorized American citizens with foreign governments having a dispute with the United States. The intent behind the Act is to prevent unauthorized negotiations from undermining the government's position.[2
Sure seems like a lot of things are catching fire in Russia. Must be a coincidence
This thing would have been over last year if the generals of HORT were in charge.
I think there is also a train of thought that until Ukraine gets the upper hand we are leery of some of our good stuff getting confiscated by the Russkies and reverse engineered in the future
I think that is true and has already happened to some of the JV equipment provided.
Mentioned hundreds of pages ago, Russia is not capable industrially of reverse engineering anything right now. They could sell stuff to the Chinese, however.
So, part of the upside for providing cluster munitions is that we have piles of them, and giving them would ease the strain on the supply of stuff like 155 mm shells?
I guess at this point if we can get them to the front quickly and they can positively impact the clearing of defensive positions I’m for it.
I guess at this point if we can get them to the front quickly and they can positively impact the clearing of defensive positions I’m for it.
You remember the people calling for nukes within the first 20 or 30 pages? It would be over but so would the world.
That's my students answer to this whole thing, just nuke Russia since they suck at everything and we can't kick them out of the p5.
I agree and I think Ukraine is going to be the "it" country for a decade after it is rebuilt. I remember spending the summer of 2000 in the Czech Republic. It was only a decade removed from Soviet rule, and Prague was the "trendy" city in Europe to travel. It was awesome. The people loved the west, it was a combination of all new construction, mixed in with old buildings that had survived Soviet occupation. It was such a great vibe. What is interesting in looking back now is Poland had a very similar vibe, while Hungary still felt like it was in the Eastern bloc in 2000 (and now is operating in a similar manner).
Nothing gets negotiated/approved without clearance from Zelenskyy.
This back channel stuff means little if Kyev doesn't give the orders
Why are so many MAGA’s rooting for Putin? Sad.
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The Combat Vehicle 90 (CV90), Swedish: Stridsfordon 90 (Strf 90), is a family of Swedish tracked armored combat vehicles designed by Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets Materielverk, FMV), Hägglunds and Bofors during the mid-1980s to early 1990s, entering service in Sweden in the mid-1990s. The CV90 platform design has continuously evolved from the Mk 0 to current Mk IV with technological advances and changing battlefield requirements. The Swedish version of the main infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) is fitted with a turret from Bofors equipped with a 40 mm Bofors autocannon. Export versions are fitted with Hägglunds E-series turrets, armed with either a 30 mm Mk44 or a 35 mm Bushmaster autocannon.[3]
Developed specifically for the Nordic subarctic climate, the vehicle has very good mobility in snow and wetlands while carrying and supporting eight, and in later versions six, fully equipped soldiers. Other variants include forward artillery observation, command and control, anti-aircraft, armoured recovery vehicle, electronic warfare versions and so forth. Currently, 1,400 vehicles in 17 variants are (or will be) in service with ten user states, seven of which are part of the NATO alliance.[4-WIKI
I get these numbers are somewhat dubious (numbers in war always are), but these certainly don’t seem indicative of “fierce fighting near Bakhmut“ or an all out offensive when looking at them vs. The run-rate.
I suspect these are inaccurate, and probably intentionally so, for operational security reasons.
That answer is easy..it is a positive for this WH and a negative for the previous administration.
Also would be interesting to get "Russian surrender" numbers, especially now that they seem to be retreating in some areas.
