Saturday, May 20, 2023

Wonder what the SAS were doing when they were running loose after the helicopter crash in Chile during the Falklands war...

Always heard that the SBS & SAS were running ops on the mainland of Argentina during that war. Has anyone ever written an account of what they did or were tasked to do.

I guess the Army ain't for everybody...

Probably the worst NCOER i've ever seen lol
by u/chairman-mao-ze-dong in army
Wow. This is crazy. I hope its a gag but if it ain't then someone has failed this Soldier (including himself). I wonder, if its true, what the real story is behind this.

Wagner claimed Saturday the total control of the east Ukrainian city of Bakhmut

 

Does the US Army need to be cut?

 Note 1.  Don't worry Soldiers in the audience.  The USMC is up next and the Navy/Air Force will both get their times in this hot seat.

Jon, a reader of the blog made this comment...

None of the national security challenges, except Europe, require a 32 active Brigade force structure, plus another 27 in the National Guard. That's the equivalent of 19 divisions. By using US Army equipment to delete the Russian Army, the justification for that many Brigades disappears, especially if the EU steps up.

Taiwan is not an Army scenario, we aren't going to put ground forces in there, the risk of them becoming cut off is too high.

The US is largely done with the ME, geography precludes a major ground war with Iran and you don't need 32 Brigades to help the IDF fight Hezbollah, the US has never needed to provide Israel with direct military combat support. The US population wouldn't support helping the Saudis.

South America and Africa aren't conventional military problems.

I would fully support moving at least half of the active Brigades into the Guard. You've still got them in crisis, but they cost 1/3 the price tag. National Guard served well in I raq. The saving could be used to rebuild US ship building to pump out the new Frigate and whatever the new Destroyer is, and Amphibs for crisis response and the Pacific.

Open Comment Post. 20 May 23

 

Imagine riding into battle on the back of this absolute unit of a horse!  Mega fauna indeed.

Wealthy interests are buying up farmland in Ukraine. The farm/country boys are dying and their land/homes are being sold from underneath them/their family

 off-guardian.org

“Despite being at the centre of news cycle and international policy, little attention has gone to the core of the conflict — who controls the agricultural land in the country known as the breadbasket of Europe. [The] Answer to this question is paramount to understanding the major stakes in the war.”

The report shows the total amount of land controlled by oligarchs, corrupt individuals and large agribusinesses is over nine million hectares — exceeding 28% of Ukraine’s arable land (the rest is used by over eight million Ukrainian farmers).

The largest landholders are a mix of Ukrainian oligarchs and foreign interests — mostly European and North American as well as the sovereign fund of Saudi Arabia. A number of large US pension funds, foundations and university endowments are also invested in Ukrainian land through NCH Capital – a US-based private equity fund, which is the fifth largest landholder in the country.

President Zelenskyy put the land reform into law in 2020 against the will of the vast majority of the population who feared it would exacerbate corruption and reinforce control by powerful interests in the agricultural sector.

Here 

To paraphrase something I heard a long time ago.  "Wars are for the little people to fight and the rich to get richer".

It's happening in spades here.

I have to wonder what else Zelensky has done that reeks to high heaven but is being ignored.

The worst thing?

At least Ukraine has a war to blame for this nonsense.  The Biden admin is going after farmers here in the US and I believe (have nothing to point to) they're doing the same in other countries too.

I never really believed in the great reset, but yeah I get it now. They really do want us eating bugs.  Fortunately I'll probably be dead by the time they get close to making it happen but who would have every thought we'd be on this piece of road.

Friday, May 19, 2023

Accounting error means the Pentagon can send more money to Ukraine? BULLSHIT! The argument that the Ukraine war is paying for modernization just died!

 via AP

The Pentagon has overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by at least $3 billion — an accounting error that could be a boon for the war effort because it will allow the Defense Department to send more weapons now without asking Congress for more money.


The acknowledgment Thursday comes at a time when Pentagon is under increased pressure by Congress to show accountability for the billions of dollars it has sent in weapons, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine and as some lawmakers question whether that level of support should continue.


It also could free up more money for critical weapons as Ukraine is on the verge of a much anticipated counteroffensive — which will require as much military aid as they can get. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously said the offensive was delayed because they did not yet have everything they needed.

Here 

THE LIES ARE BECOMING OUTRAGEOUS!

First we were told that the aid to Ukraine was in essence paying for our modernization.  That just evaporated.  Take the Army for example.  They give the Ukes HUMVEES or M113s they get JLTVs or AMPVs in return.  Why?  Because they were accounting for it as NEW items.  Now?  Now they've reversed that so Ukraine can get more gear.

What happens now?

The US military is giving up gear that it won't be able to efficiently replace.  Which means that the US defense budget just WENT UP.  

Additionally our Pentagon has stated that the Ukes had all the gear they needed to start their offensive.

Now apparently they don't.

Which means?

The war isn't going as well as our leadership would have us believe.

Additional data point?

Everytime the Ukes start screaming for a particular weapon they're dealing with a particular tactic that is slamming them in the nuts.

We've seen it with the demands for Turk Drones, Fighters, a NATO no fly zone, HIMARs, loitering drones, anti-tank missiles (especially the Javelin)...the list goes on.

This ain't ending and it is affecting OUR OWN SECURITY NOW!

If our general had a single ball between all of them then they would be honest with Congress and more importantly the American people.


UK Defense Committee conducting an inquiry to determine whether their military is capable of "sophisticated operations"

Just laying the groundwork for increased defense spending. The real problem is the push and pull between developing forces that will aid Europe (the British Army) or being a global partner with the US (the Royal Navy). The Royal Air Force is good either way but that's really the battle lines. The British Army and Royal Navy are having a battle over funding. The problem for UK? If they pick a side then they're incapable in the other arena. If they split the baby then they're incapable in BOTH arenas. They're in a bit of a pickle.

I know what you're thinking.

They can go the USA route, team with us and rest assured that the US will back Europe if Russia goes insane.

Not sure.

A quick and dirty scenario that I'm sure keeps the Pentagon awake is what if this war in Europe drags on till late 2023 or even 2024?  

What does the US do if China makes a run at Taiwan?  Do we pivot full force to blunting that attack?  If we do then our aid to Ukraine dries up.  If we continue on with Ukraine aid and try and make it a long war with China (even though they'll want to make it sharp and short) while funding/equipping both theaters then Taiwan is toast.

The Brits are trying to be players on the world stage but their forces are just too small.  They punched above their weight in the 70s, 80s, and 90s but now?  I just can't see it.  Not with their current force structure.

MQ-9Bs can operate off LHD/LHA?

 

China's loans are pushing the worlds poorest countries to brink of collapse

 

Interesting. Chinese don't take a shit without a plan. I'm sure this was planned for so what will be the "if you can't pay then you" on this deal? Resources? Land? Naval bases? Annexation? The weird thing is that once the UN made loans for infrastructure and such but they've faded into the background since BEFORE covid struck.

In personal life if you default on a loan then they own you.  I guess China owns alot of properties in Africa and S. America now.