That Saab Barracuda thermal management camo is getting real popular. I didn't think the Piranha 5 was that big. Still like the Terrex 3 for a Stryker replacement but this could do nicely too.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Danish Forsvaret Piranha 5 being readied for climate tests in US via Toyota Wars Twitter Page.
That Saab Barracuda thermal management camo is getting real popular. I didn't think the Piranha 5 was that big. Still like the Terrex 3 for a Stryker replacement but this could do nicely too.
Politics Talk. We'll miss Bannon's pragmatism.
via The National Interest.
Steve Bannon is out and he’s taking his mass of paradoxes with him. He’s a genial guy and a bureaucratic infighter. He’s a conservative and a self-styled “Leninist.” He’s a brilliant thinker who was prone to cartoonish oversimplification. He’s a populist who worked in the most powerful office building on the planet. He’s Rasputin, he’s Jean-Paul Marat, he’s whoever Washington’s boring Game of Thrones fetish dictates that he be. He was called a white nationalist (unfair), an American nationalist (sure), an economic nationalist (true), and an anti-globalist.Story here.
In particular it’s that last one, his allergy to global elites and their Davos-brewed social-engineering projects, that made him an occasional ally of foreign-policy restraint advocates—even if his ideas differed substantially from our ideas. His thinking seems to proceed as follows: America must always put its own interests first, America’s primary interest right now is thwarting the incipient economic hegemon that is China, dotty protectionist policies must be implemented to that end, and a Middle East that’s resisted our designs can’t continue to distract us.
Bannon was probably the best manifestation of the Jacksonian foreign-policy strain in the administration. He had no tolerance for the gauzy nation-building idealism of the George W. Bush era, but he was also hardly an Obama-style missionary for peace: hence his bitter opposition to nuclear deal with Iran. Still, when Trump bombed a Syrian regime air base earlier this year, Bannon reportedly argued against it and his opposition was leaked to New York magazine. “Steve doesn’t think we belong there,” one Bannon confidante said. That Trump went ahead with the bombing anyway was interpreted by New York as a sign of Bannon’s waning influence, though it’s worth noting that the president didn’t follow up with further strikes as many worried he would.
While we don’t yet know why Bannon up and left, White House sources have been whispering for months that he’d lost some heft thanks to his choleric infighting with other administration officials. And no one crossed his ideological wires more than H. R. McMaster, the national security advisor and three-star general who ousted Bannon from his unlikely seat on the National Security Council earlier this year. The tension between the two men reportedly came to a head at a policy meeting about Afghanistan back in July, with McMaster demanding more American intervention and Bannon arguing for a withdrawal. The debate became so fiery that Gen. James Mattis, the secretary of defense, had to step in and play peacemaker. Bannon’s ideological zeal versus McMaster’s martial temper—that must have been quite a fight.
It's amazing how brightly Bannon's star is shining now. If he and McMaster crossed swords and the flashpoint actually was Afghanistan then he played his cards wrong.
Bannon should have pushed the perpetual war issue.
Still. I think Bannon will win in the end. This decision will kill Trump's popularity more than it already has. To make it known that he was going to push up troop levels at this time AND STILL IGNORE the economic pain that many of his supporters are feeling (with the next major issue tax cuts and keeping the govt open) will be the nails in his political coffin.
I said it yesterday and I say it again. Trump has been de-fanged. He might as well be called Jeb Bush. He has morphed right before our eyes, courtesy of one press conference where he said stupid shit, along with a continuation of neo-con policies into a typical Republican. And a typical Republican won't win the next election.
But what isn't discussed and will become a major focus of discussion going into the future will be the "Generals" that helped shape this policy. Don't get me wrong. The failure in Iraq and Afghanistan has many fathers. But with the exception of the mini "Revolt of the Generals" we have seen no pushback by military leadership with regard to policy in those countries.
For better or worse McMaster, Mattis, Dunford and as much as it hurts to say it...Kelley will be smeared with this failure. In a way they deserve it. They could have counseled that we walk away. They could have said we've wasted enough lives and treasure but they didn't.
One day McMaster will get his own "Dereliction of Duty" book....I wonder how he'll feel about that.
Trump's condition based standard sets the stage for another 16+ years of war in Afghanistan.
You want to know the most important and misunderstood part of Trump's speech was last night? Check it out below.
They were wrong.
In essence what the current President of the United States has done is to sign the country up for another 16 years of trying to build Afghanistan and defeat the Taliban.
Conditions based?
That's simply code for fighting till you win...which we won't.
Ya know what kills me about the military leadership we've seen during our fight in the Middle East? These are the same bubbas that talked shit about Commanders in the Vietnam War. McMaster even penned a book about it called "Dereliction of Duty".
I am miffed, confused and more than a bit amazed that no defense reporter has asked him how he could be so critical of leadership during that era when he seems bound and determined to repeat every mistake they did and invent a few new ones they never would have dreamed about.
Make no mistake about it. The arrogance of our military leadership in pushing for this continued war IS WEAKENING our nation. Why did leaders during Vietnam decide to call it quits? You better bet your ass they didn't want to be known as the generation that lost a war, but the threat of the Soviet Union was looming overhead and they knew that they could not waste combat power on that forsaken country.
Current leaders are either too blind or too ignorant to see the same threat with regard to wasting combat power and China.
One last thing. Have you noticed the number of troops requested? About 4k. That's right around the size of a Brigade Combat Team. Marines will play but this will be an Army show. By sizing it in that manner and with the push last year (gotta find the article) to establish a Counter Insurgency Battalion it really looks like someone was planning for generational warfare last year. It's almost like Trump is just following the script...and that's NOT why he was elected.
Rant over.
“It’s counterproductive to set deadlines that aren’t condition-based, which gives the adversary a timetable that allowed them to wait it out.”I'm sure both Trump and his speech writer thought that they would appeal to the base...and to the military with this statement.
They were wrong.
In essence what the current President of the United States has done is to sign the country up for another 16 years of trying to build Afghanistan and defeat the Taliban.
Conditions based?
That's simply code for fighting till you win...which we won't.
Ya know what kills me about the military leadership we've seen during our fight in the Middle East? These are the same bubbas that talked shit about Commanders in the Vietnam War. McMaster even penned a book about it called "Dereliction of Duty".
I am miffed, confused and more than a bit amazed that no defense reporter has asked him how he could be so critical of leadership during that era when he seems bound and determined to repeat every mistake they did and invent a few new ones they never would have dreamed about.
Make no mistake about it. The arrogance of our military leadership in pushing for this continued war IS WEAKENING our nation. Why did leaders during Vietnam decide to call it quits? You better bet your ass they didn't want to be known as the generation that lost a war, but the threat of the Soviet Union was looming overhead and they knew that they could not waste combat power on that forsaken country.
Current leaders are either too blind or too ignorant to see the same threat with regard to wasting combat power and China.
One last thing. Have you noticed the number of troops requested? About 4k. That's right around the size of a Brigade Combat Team. Marines will play but this will be an Army show. By sizing it in that manner and with the push last year (gotta find the article) to establish a Counter Insurgency Battalion it really looks like someone was planning for generational warfare last year. It's almost like Trump is just following the script...and that's NOT why he was elected.
Rant over.
So Sorry India & China Latest Video
Thanks to Rituraj for turning me on to these vids!
Wow! I guess things are a bit more intense than I thought between China and India. When you have populations getting involved in the mocking then you know they're paying attention and that they're ready to get to hookin' and jabbin'.
Well from a quick view of this series of videos it seems that the Indian people are indeed locked onto to the situation with China and feel no fear.
That's kind of ironic. We have many quaking in their boots (with some justification...a miscalculation could be horrendous) about the possibility of war with N. Korea even though the final outcome is certain (IF WE'RE WILLING to escalate fast enough to render them impotent)...on the other hand you have India that shows no fear when it comes to possible conflict with China.
Is the missing ingredient for the US simply confidence?
Have we gotten to a point where we no longer believe we can do hard things?
This web post is getting away from me but look at our potential competitors...China, Russia, India...even Brazil and to a lesser extent Turkey and Iran could be lumped into that category (notice I make no distinction...these countries all aspire to be top dog in my opinion)...what do they have that we don't?
I think it's that they believe they can do the hard thing and are busting ass to get it done...by cheating if necessary, taking advantage of every trade rule if they can and by pushing ahead at home as hard as they are abroad.
Could it be that we've lost our mojo? Could it be as simple as rebuilding American confidence to get it back?
Wow! I guess things are a bit more intense than I thought between China and India. When you have populations getting involved in the mocking then you know they're paying attention and that they're ready to get to hookin' and jabbin'.
Well from a quick view of this series of videos it seems that the Indian people are indeed locked onto to the situation with China and feel no fear.
That's kind of ironic. We have many quaking in their boots (with some justification...a miscalculation could be horrendous) about the possibility of war with N. Korea even though the final outcome is certain (IF WE'RE WILLING to escalate fast enough to render them impotent)...on the other hand you have India that shows no fear when it comes to possible conflict with China.
Is the missing ingredient for the US simply confidence?
Have we gotten to a point where we no longer believe we can do hard things?
This web post is getting away from me but look at our potential competitors...China, Russia, India...even Brazil and to a lesser extent Turkey and Iran could be lumped into that category (notice I make no distinction...these countries all aspire to be top dog in my opinion)...what do they have that we don't?
I think it's that they believe they can do the hard thing and are busting ass to get it done...by cheating if necessary, taking advantage of every trade rule if they can and by pushing ahead at home as hard as they are abroad.
Could it be that we've lost our mojo? Could it be as simple as rebuilding American confidence to get it back?
Monday, August 21, 2017
Trump on Afghanistan. The Neo-Cons/Establishment/Military Industrial Complex have won...he is de-fanged and irrelevant.
Listening to the Trump speech on Afghanistan. Long story short? The Neo-Cons/Establishment/Military Industrial Complex have won. Trump has been de-fanged and is now irrelevant.
The idea that another four years will result in victory after they haven't succeeded after 16 is comical.
I mean seriously how stupid can our military leadership be? This is literally INSANE!
Trump has given in. He has rolled over like a good little puppy, will get belly rubs from McCain, Graham, McMaster, Dunford and Mattis.
This was the moment to make a stand and to change the course of history. Trump failed the test and will continue to squander lives, and treasure in a God forsaken land.
I now expect the standard Republican playbook. NAFTA? Will probably remain unchanged. TPP? It might be reintroduced. Iran nuke deal? It's written in stone. Tax reform? More like tax cuts for the rich.
Trump is broken. Nothing he ran on will be done. Bannon was right. The Trump presidency is over.
The idea that another four years will result in victory after they haven't succeeded after 16 is comical.
I mean seriously how stupid can our military leadership be? This is literally INSANE!
Trump has given in. He has rolled over like a good little puppy, will get belly rubs from McCain, Graham, McMaster, Dunford and Mattis.
This was the moment to make a stand and to change the course of history. Trump failed the test and will continue to squander lives, and treasure in a God forsaken land.
I now expect the standard Republican playbook. NAFTA? Will probably remain unchanged. TPP? It might be reintroduced. Iran nuke deal? It's written in stone. Tax reform? More like tax cuts for the rich.
Trump is broken. Nothing he ran on will be done. Bannon was right. The Trump presidency is over.
China blames India for border scuffle.
via Reuters.
China laid the blame at India's door on Monday for an altercation along their border in the western Himalayas involving soldiers from both of the Asian giants.Story here.
Both countries' troops have been embroiled in an eight-week-long standoff on the Doklam plateau in another part of the remote Himalayan region near their disputed frontier.
Last week, a source in New Delhi, who had been briefed on the military situation on the border, said soldiers foiled a bid by a group of Chinese troops to enter Indian territory in Ladakh, near Pangong lake.
Some of the Chinese soldiers carried iron rods and stones, and troops on both sides suffered minor injuries in the melee, the source said.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that last Tuesday, Chinese border forces were carrying out "normal" patrols on the Chinese side of the actual line of control in the Pangong lake are.
"During this time they were obstructed by Indian border forces and the Indian side took fierce actions, colliding with the Chinese personnel and having contact with their bodies, injuring the Chinese border personnel," Hua told a daily news briefing.
Sounds like the Chinese are whining. All bullies whine when they finally get what they deserve. We see that here in the US and now we're seeing it play out on the international stage.
India has been outstanding in their stance and behavior in this situation. You don't back down. You stand your ground and fight. You make them pay.
Well done India....we need more like you.
200 ISIS terrorists killed in Russian airstrike...
Thanks to S300V4 for the link!
via Almanar
Russia’s Defense Ministry says its aircraft have eliminated more than 200 ISIL terrorists on their way to the eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor.Story here.
The operation also destroyed around 20 SUVs laden with large-caliber weapons and mortars, as well as armored vehicles, including tanks, the Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The city contains relatively large concentrations of the Takfiri group’s terrorists and is subject to offensives by both the Syrian Army and its allies, and Russian warplanes.
The Ministry said the city was now witnessing “international terrorists…trying to regroup and equip their last base in Syria.”
“The defeat of ISIL in the Deir Ezzor region will be a strategic defeat for the international terrorist group in the Syrian Arab Republic,” the statement said.
Apparently the Russians can do two things very well. The first is to drink Vodka and the second is to kill terrorists.
I wonder. We have all these expensive and capable ISR units in the region yet the Russians are able to put steel on target? It's almost like we don't actually want to defeat the terrorists...but that's just crazy talk right?
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