Saturday, April 30, 2022

Open Comment Post. 30 Apr 22

 


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The PLA Army Amphibious Force (Must Read)


 

The Chinese are building what Berger is tearing apart.  We'll see how a missile heavy force does against a TRUE combined arms team.

Here






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Friday, April 29, 2022

Europe is facing the nightmare scenario. STAGFLATION.

 via CNN

Germany, and indeed much of Europe, is now facing stagflation — the nightmare combination of high inflation and weak economic growth.

France is already there.

Europe's second biggest economy stalled in the first quarter, with GDP flatlining and inflation hitting a new record high. Consumers responded by closing their wallets: household spending fell 1.3% in the three-month period.

Italy fared even worse. Its economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter.

It may take a while before the outlook improves, particularly given Europe's exposure to trade with China.

"Worsening Chinese lockdowns and cautious consumer spending in reaction to high energy and food prices could easily cause a temporary contraction in eurozone GDP in Q2," the Berenberg economists added.

Here 

I warned about this but few would listen.  The cure is gonna be worse than the disease.

The sanctions regime was poorly thought out.  It is a rusted hammer that was applied to a situation that needed precision, not blunt force.

Now?

Now Europe is facing STAGFLATION.  There is little that anyone's equivalent of the Fed can do to change those conditions.

Quite honestly if the US Fed was smart they would raise interest rates at such a clip that they pushed us into a recession rather than risk STAGFLATION.

Doesn't really matter.

The American, European...hell the world wide consumer is about to get gutted like a pig.

Told ya so.

Oh and don't laugh at the Europeans.  Our time is coming soon enough.  You went for the bouncing ball of the War in Ukraine and the "Defense of Democracy" line instead of being aware of other issues that will affect our global defense.

Wars.  Famine.  Crime.  Immigration.  It's all gonna increase now.  You can thank the unintended consequences of an ill conceived plan.

Sidenote.  All the Russians have to do to win is to simply hold on. The longer this goes the more fractured the alliance will become. They'll focus more on their internal problems than the fighting in Ukraine.  It's almost to a point where all they have to do is hold the line, squeeze energy just a bit (get OPEC, Iran, Venezuela and others to hold the line) and watch food supplies dry up and WE will be begging them for relief.

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This 70 year old will smoke most visitors to this blog (me included)

 

Keep moving folks! Keep GRINDING! I'm personally inspired. I got years ahead of me to smoke his time!
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USMC cut the number of M-777s. Now the Ukrainians get them...

 

Berger DOES NOT fuck around when it comes to cutting Marine Corps power. The dude is single handed doing more to destroy the Ground Combat Element than any enemy has on any battlefield in the history of the Corps.


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Former US Marine dies in Ukraine. Rest in peace. But now the uncomfortable question...

 Reports are out (no doubt you've heard them) that a former US Marine was killed in Ukraine.

May he rest in peace and may his memory be a blessing.

But now the uncomfortable question.

He supposedly was working for a PMC.  I haven't been on the edge of those circles in years.  

Who's over there?  The usual suspects or someone new. I ask because in some of the forums I frequent you get word of certain "organizations" that are looking for trigger pullers and I hadn't heard a thing.

Anyone know?

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We Should Have Been There’: Marine General Laments the State of the Amphib Navy....The US Amphibious Navy is in shit shape, can't meet mission requirements.

How are you a crisis response force if you can't respond? No wonder the 82nd keeps getting called. This part from Defense One has me spinning!
On Feb. 15, the Joint Staff sent prepare-to-deploy orders to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and to its associated Naval amphibious ready group. Their purpose: “provide bridging solutions” to Gen. Tod Wolters, the commander of U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, according to Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, the commanding general of Marine Corps Combat Development Command and deputy commandant for Combat Development and Integration.

The 22nd MEU was already prepared to go. However, the maintenance status of the three warships of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group was “so bad” they were not prepared to leave then or after the invasion, Heckl told Defense One on Thursday. They were even late to meet their original deployment date.

“When you get within X number of days of your deployment date, you’re placed basically on a [prepare-to-deploy order] and the Kearsarge ARG failed that as well. Which is basically a violation of orders from my perspective as a Marine, right? If the joint order tells you to be ready on X day, then you’re to be ready on X day, and they were not.”

Marine Corps officials did offer to deploy the MEU by other means, Heckl said, something that should not have to happen to a naval expeditionary force. 

They offered to deploy the MEU by other means. 

He leaves it at that.

They didn't leave till a month and a day later.  What does that mean?  The Combatant Commander obviously said "FUCK IT!  I'll do it another way" and left the Marines on the sideline (I note that they did throw the Corps a bone by sending aviation assets later).

This is terrible.  The new Corps New Navy/Marine Corps team with all its glowing naval integration just ain't ready for prime time. 

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U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and British Royal Marine Commandos with 40 Commando Royal Marines, train together during an experimental platoon training exercise

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Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 1 and Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 24 transport a Light Armored Vehicle 25 with a CH-53K King Stallion helicopter at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

 

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China says Nato has ‘messed up Europe’ and warns over role in Asia-Pacific

 via The Guardian

China’s ministry of foreign affairs has accused Nato of messing up Europe and stirring up conflicts in the Asia-Pacific region, after the UK’s foreign secretary told China it should “play by the rules”.


In a speech at Mansion House in London on Wednesday, Liz Truss renewed calls to boost Nato in the wake of the Ukraine war, and said the coordinated moves to isolate Russia from the world economy proved that market access to democratic countries was no longer a given. Truss also delivered a direct warning to China.


“Countries must play by the rules. And that includes China,” she said.


On Thursday Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China’s ministry of foreign affairs, dismissed Truss’s comments and accused Nato of demanding other countries abide by basic norms while it has “wantonly waged wars and dropped bombs in sovereign states, killing and displacing innocent civilians”.


“Nato, a military organisation in the North Atlantic, has in recent years come to the Asia-Pacific region to throw its weight around and stir up conflicts,” Wang said.

Here

China needn't worry.  NATO won't be coming to assist the US in the Pacific.

We'll be lucky to have the Brits and even they might get cold feet. 


“Nato has messed up Europe. Is it now trying to mess up the Asia-Pacific and even the world?”

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Eurozone inflation hits 7.5%...this coalition will fracture & the world is headed towards a DEEP recession

Forget the tough talk.

The Europeans are probably suffering as much or more than we are in the US.

Public announcements indicate that the Biden admin is planning on this fight lasting another 5 months.

That will lead to untold knock-on effects that aren't being factored in.




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The first T-7A Red Hawk has been rolled out in St Louis

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Type 003 Carrier Battle Group

 

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Thursday, April 28, 2022

Thur Funny. Elon is just having fun now...82nd ain't happy but it is funny...

 

yeah I know its a gag but still funny...

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Russia fired missiles into Kyiv while the head of the UN visited the city...This was a warning...

 via Business Insider

Ukrainian officials said Russia fired missiles into Kyiv on Thursday — as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited the capital city to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Two missiles hit Kyiv's Shevchenkivsky District, the Kyiv Independent reported, adding that there were no air raid sirens at the time of the strike. 

"Russia [struck] Kyiv with cruise missiles right when [Guterres] and Bulgarian PM [Kiril Petkov] visit our capital," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote in a tweet. 

Mykhailo Podolyak, Zelenskyy's top advisor, said the strikes hit downtown Kyiv during Guterres' official visit. 

Here 

This is pure guesswork on my part.  I have nothing to base it on, its just my feelings.

I think this was a warning to other leaders of the EU/US/NATO. I believe the message was that visits will no longer be tolerated.

Think about it.

Many here thought that I was full of shit for raging when the Ukrainians let it leak that our SecDef &SecState were headed there to meet with Zelensky.

The thinking?

Boris Johnson went and it was no big deal so why couldn't they.

This is why.

The Russians showed restraint.  They could have easily bombarded that city and by the rules of war they would have been justified.  Ukraine is a war zone.  Heads of state are on the menu and so are their staff.

I mean that's why they're supposedly keeping Zelensky's location secret right?

I say again.  We need better than the ineffective UN.  We definitely need better than our so called SecState.  That dude is in over his head and the only place he looks comfortable is at a cocktail party.

There has to be a nation that can send diplomats to take the edge off this thing.

All eyes are focused on Ukraine but the world is burning.  The world's economy is headed toward ruin and that alone will lead to even more war.

Our window of opportunity is starting to close, and close quick.


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Does anyone have eyes on the brewing fight between the Taliban and Iran?

 

I didn't post about it but Iran moved tanks and troops to their border. The Taliban are doing the same.

I haven't paid enough attention to this, just noted it and kept it moving but something is brewing.  

Eyes on this one gents.  This could get real interesting real fast.
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USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE-3), US Navy Lewis and Clark Class Dry Cargo Ship looks like a hot pile of dogshit

The US Navy needs a SERIOUS back to basics movement. When did this become the default look of our ships? Ya know when I first saw this becoming the standard? It started with the LCS and spread thru out the fleet.
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Turkey is building a combat UAV to operate off their LHD? (Jet Powered)

 

IMPRESSIVE!

I always thought that the US Navy should dedicate a big carrier to being a UAV carrier...ONLY a UAV carrier.

Can you imagine the number of aircraft they could put on deck?  Can you imagine the surge capability?  The ability to put close air support over a MAGTF?  24-7 coverage without having to worry about recovering a downed pilot!  Absolutely AMAZING sea control, recon, and if you can get buddy tanking with unmanned vehicles developed you're talking about maintaining those patrols for a very long time.

Gotta give the Turks credit.  THEY ARE TRULY INNOVATING!  You can bet your last dollar that if they make this work, then every nation with an LHD will be climbing onboard HARD!
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Another Ukraine Foreign Legion Member was killed in action. This time a Brit.

 

Rest in peace.

I wonder how many foreign legion personnel have been killed and injured.  I'm betting the full numbers aren't being released to the public.
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It's beyond obvious. America's president is suffering a dramatic mental decline.

Love him or hate him, I just don't care.

What I do care about is that this dude is obviously suffering.  That's messed up.  Even worse?  He was elected to do the job of being Commander in Chief of the United States...the President. He's being propped up and sent out by his handlers.  Sounds like elder abuse to me.

If he is incapable of doing the job then who is running this country? The bureaucrats?

That should chill your bones.

What should cause you to punch walls?

If this thing runs its course (I unfortunately have witnessed this disease personally) then within a year it will speed up and he'll have to be replaced...his condition will be obvious to even his most fevered supporter.

So what does that leave us with?

If I'm remembering my high school civics class right - Kamala becomes PRESIDENT and Nancy becomes VP!

Pure nightmare fuel!
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