NAGORNO KARABAKH: Footage has emerged of Azerbaijani soldiers forcibly holding down what appears to be a civilian before beheading them whilst they are still alive. pic.twitter.com/Qy52eCznd4
— Conflict News (@Conflicts) December 8, 2020
How do you properly punish people like this? An eye for an eye? Seems about right but then we'd be at their level.
#GutenMorgen: Hochmotivert startet das #Heer in den Tag & bringt für euch über 60 Tonnen #Panzer|stahl auf die #Heide. Hoher Schutz, Beweglichkeit & enorme Feuerkraft - das ist der #Leopard2. Mehr Infos zum Waffensystem der #Bundeswehr: 👉 https://t.co/ciOhVAVz9M pic.twitter.com/6TC0rAXLDp
— Heer (@Deutsches_Heer) December 8, 2020
This nomination is historic, but I had hoped the idea of recently retired 4 stars serving as SECDEF was a Trump administration anomaly, not the new normal. Not healthy for civil-military relations, no matter who the person is. https://t.co/vNiCTGoUcq
— ProfTalmadge (@ProfTalmadge) December 8, 2020
I read that this guy had moved into the favored position but I also knew that many insiders were hoping for Michele Flournoy to get the job.
Don't get me wrong. Austin is a "conservative" pick. He (speaking frankly) won't rock the boat and falls in line with the standard thinking in the Pentagon. Forward deployments forever. Partnerships. Small wars forever. Think along the lines of the Bush-Obama foreign policy (I personally see no distinction in our foreign relations during that time with the exception of an attempt at warming relations with Iran during Obama's term, but the beltway was gonna kill that regardless).
The funny thing?
In my opinion what really killed Flournoy's chances was the vast number of women appointed to positions before he got around to defense.
The Biden admin is "woman heavy" and that made it easy to go a different way with defense. Sadly politics is sprinkled heavily in these appointments (as is usual) and the best are once again being left on the sidelines.
90-year-old Margaret Keenan is the first person in the UK to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine outside of a clinical trial.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 8, 2020
Read more about this huge moment in the fight against #COVID19: https://t.co/YVcEqzmsPj pic.twitter.com/oCDV8Sv90X
Controversial opinion. Don't hate just read and comment.
Does it make sense to give a 90 year old person the vaccine? Does it make sense to prioritize the elderly and those with serious physical illness first?
Before you fly off and to the right hear me out.
I have both in my family and love them dearly. But shouldn't those that care for them get it first? From the 32 year old nurse that cares from them, to the 65 year old doctor that prescribes medicine and evaluates their health?
What about those that are considered essential outside the medical field? Our population is on the verge of wigging out because of the lockdowns. Shouldn't we make sure that they're up and running? Not talking law enforcement either. I'm talking about fast food workers, convenience store clerks etc...the so called little people that we've discovered give a large part of the population a bit of comfort in their tiny indulgences (health wrecking though they may be)?
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this thing. I've talked to my brother and we both have serious doubts about this thing. But if its gonna be issued shouldn't we at least be a bit practical in how we're doing it?
Первый "официальный" засвет коаксиально-радиальной решётки (сиречь радар-блокера) в воздухозаборнике Су-57#sukhoi #su57 #су57 #RuAF #ВКСРФ
— Слава Третий (@SlavaTheThird) December 6, 2020
The first leaked image of a radar blocker inside Su-57's air intake! pic.twitter.com/9x6uA6JSZP
via Military.com
Marines whose jobs are going away as part of a force-wide reorganization that includes getting rid of tanks will get the option to leave the Corps earlier than planned.
Enlisted Marines and officers in tank-related military occupational specialties will be eligible for early-out programs, the service announced this week. The programs will allow those in four specialties to leave the Marine Corps early if they desire: armor Marines; senior-armor staff noncommissioned officers; main battle tank repairer/technicians; and tank officers.
The move is part of a 10-year force-wide redesign announced by Commandant Gen. David Berger earlier this year. The Marine Corps is folding its tank battalions and getting rid of the heavy-armor vehicles as it prepares for lighter, naval-based missions.
Don't be fooled.
Boatspaces are being sacrificed to pay for missiles.
The problem?
We were promised that this move would make the USMC distinct, would move us back to our "naval roots" and would make us an essential part of America's defense.
The reality?
Without amphibious assault the USMC provides NOTHING that other services can. Long range missile strikes from land toward naval targets? The US Army is doing that and if they decide to dedicate the 25th and 2nd ID to the Pacific will provide vastly more fires. Forward basing? The USAF announced that they're getting into that game. Acting as the forward deployed "eyes" of the joint force? SOCOM is about to elbow out the USMC from that mission.
Without amphibious assault the USMC duplicates the capabilities of others.
via Taiwan Times
In an essay published by the U.S. Naval Institute, former Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Michael Morell and former Admiral James Winnefeld warn that Chinese leader Xi Jinping (習近平) will "bring Taiwan back into China" in mid-January 2021.
With the West distracted by the U.S. election and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the authors believe the "operation" will be completed in just three days.
Morell and Winnefeld paint a worst-case scenario in the article, published by the private, non-profit U.S. Naval Institute. They predict the operation will unfold quickly, "beginning on the evening of 18 January," prior to the U.S. presidential inauguration.
At the same time, China will carry out cyberattacks to cripple the country by disabling the national power grid and other important utilities. This will be followed by a swift sea and air blockade, with several People's Liberation Army (PLA) submarines joining in the action.
The authors imagine the blockade will pave the way for the landing of PLA amphibious forces. Meanwhile, China would send stern warnings not to intervene to the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Australia, and other Taiwanese allies.
On the second day, global stock markets will crash due to the turmoil. World leaders will make statements condemning the attack, but nothing more. Bogged down by multiple issues, Washington will be unable to react.
On the third day after the attack, Morell and Winnefeld believe it will be too late for Washington to reverse the damage. Xi would then whitewash the invasion by telling the world that the "Chinese Dream" has been fulfilled and "welcome the people of Taiwan home."
A storm from the sea.
The United States Marine Corps once did this. Now the Chinese have successfully replicated the Air-Ground Task Force that the USMC has thrown away and this scenario doesn't only seem plausible but EXTREMELY doable.
Question.
Let's assume the Chinese are able to pull this off. Do you think that the US would be able to maintain any semblance of deterrence in the region or would unaligned nations (most of them) seek some type of agreement with China...favorable to them or not.
