Friday, October 11, 2019

Russia conducting high speed tests on production Boomerang 8x8 IFV...

Thanks China! You proved what a lie Corporate Activism really is...for that I'm grateful...

Corporate Activism

Corporate activism is a public stance taken by a major company to positively impact social change or legislation. In some situations the activism might be driven by a desire for a company to reach a specific audience or demographic who purchase their products. In other situations the owners and leadership within a company may use their personal social influence to support a particular cause



It's kinda weird.

China has done us all a favor.  They've either killed, severely limited and/or humiliated the concept of Corporate Activism worldwide.

The funny thing is that from my chair only one entity has successfully stuck up the middle finger to the Chinese (South Park) but I have no idea on how or even if that will affect their bottom line.



Blizzard taken down.



NBA throat stomped.



Apple in the corner whimpering like a battered dog.

Others like Google, GM, Ford, Boeing, AirBus, Sikorsky, Dell, Nike (the list goes on) are hoping and praying to the Almighty God that no one notices them and that no one demands them to take a stand.

Speaking of which.

We have the reality of Corporate Activism.

It isn't about pushing social issues.  It's about making money and virtue signaling.

Money is the real mover.  If Hong Kong was richer than China or even a bigger potential market then I would expect them same corporations to be lobbying Congress to alert the 25th ID, 1MARDIV and probably a few more to secure the place.  If it was lucrative enough we'd probably add that to the list of places we'd spend 100 years occupying.

General Butler was right.
"War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of the people. Only a small 'inside' group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few, at the expense of the very many. Out of war a few people make huge fortunes."
The problem for Hong Kong protesters?

They're not worth more than the Chinese market.  So they will be left out on a limb.

Repeating myself but the Chinese did us a favor.  They exposed Corporate Activism for the lie that it truly is...for that I'm grateful.

Open Comment Post. 11 Oct 2019


Thursday, October 10, 2019

HMS Gotland continued sea trials

US Army University Press - Operation Iraqi Freedom Documentary: The Drive to Baghdad

Stryker A1 Medium Caliber Weapon System


Iveco launches the Daily 4x4





via FormaCar.
Iveco has started sales of the Daily 4x4, a heavy-duty truck designed for use far away from smooth roads.

The car boasts impressive approach angles, robust suspension, extremely short overhangs, a transfer case, and an all-wheel drive system (duh).

According to the media, the model comes powered by a three-liter turbocharged diesel engine capable of 182 hp (136 kW) and 430 Nm (317 lb-ft) of torque. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, the engine can carry truck bed loads reaching 5,500 lbs (2.5 metric tons).

Iveco ships its Daily 4x4 in two cab versions, the cheapest one coming priced at a reasonable U.S. $74,350. The standard configuration includes 37-inch tires, plenty of off-road options, climate control, a multimedia system, heated seats, and more.
Story here AND a nice vid. 

Weird thing?  At the listed price I'm thinking it's delivering more than what I could get from Ford or Chevy.

It's not as luxurious as current American trucks but its spartan and tough.  I personally like it.

Don't know why but Europeans and ESPECIALLY Aussies have taken a different approach to civilian off road vehicles.  I think the Aussies have cracked the code but the Europeans are catching up.

As soon as we can get doctors and lawyers and car people with small penises that happen to drive 4x4's out of the truck market we'll get our groove back.

Assault amphibious vehicle departs the well deck...Video by Petty Officer 1st Class Toni Burton

Defenture Armored SUV








via Motor 1
Developed completely from the ground up as a military vehicle, the Defenture isn't based on some production car platform nor does it share much technology with any known brands. It's a multi-fuel powered modular platform that comes with robust suspension, extreme angles of departure, and even four-wheel steering for the best agility and optimum handling out in dangerous areas. While the video does show a mostly skeletal frame, the GRF 5.12 Platform can be converted from a combat role, to a medical vehicle, to a pickup truck, and even a supply vehicle easily. It also comes equipped with hardpoints for weapons and various tethering points for when the vehicle is transported by land, air, or sea.

While it makes a bit over 200 horsepower and around 500 foot-pound of torque (we're not sure if the type of fuel changes engine output), the GFR 5.12 Platform weighs in at 5,500 pounds, and has a payload capacity of 4,700 pounds. It also has a maximum range of 600 miles, being able to operate easily behind enemy lines.

Open Comment Post. 10 Oct 2019









Portuguese paratroopers quick reaction force company,during a raid in central africa republic,against an armed group camp

Wednesday, October 09, 2019

Special Forces Officer on Kurdish issue..."I am ashamed for the first time in my career." My question is why?


A dramatic statement.

Almost heart rending.  Stunning in its simplicity.  Audacious.  Bold.

But does it make sense?

Does it fit in with this SOCOM Officer's leadership role of assessing a tactical/strategic situation coldly and logically?

Does it answer a simple question.

Why are you ashamed?

If he's ashamed on a moral level well he's probably in the wrong profession.  If he's thinking that he owes something to the Kurds then he needs to get up to speed on what led up to this situation.

via Vice
The Kurdish-controlled areas of northern Syria are expected to declare a federal system imminently, Kurdish officials said on Wednesday. Syria's Kurdish minority already control a large swath of land in the north of the country, and Idris Nassan, a Syrian Kurdish official and former leader in the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), said the upcoming declaration would mean "widening" that "framework of self-administration."

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Syrian Kurds effectively control an uninterrupted stretch of 250 miles along the Syrian-Turkish border from the Euphrates river to the frontier with Iraq, where Iraqi Kurds have enjoyed autonomy since the early 1990s.

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In the end, a formal declaration of a federal system could antagonize both the Turks and the Syrian government. Turkey, whose conflict with the Kurdish PKK has escalated in recent months, has already said such moves were unacceptable. "Syria's national unity and territorial integrity is fundamental for us. Outside of this, unilateral decisions cannot have validity," a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told Reuters. On Saturday, Syria's government in Damascus ruled out the idea of a federal system for the country.


"The Syrian Kurds are an important component of the Syrian people," Syria's Ambassador to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, said. "We are proud of them; they are proud of us. We have established our state together for centuries. So, betting on creating any kind of divisions among the Syrians will be a total failure."


The US State Department released an official statement reacting to the announcement.


"We have not and will not recognize any "self-rule" semi-autonomous zone," it said. "We remain committed to the unity and territorial integrity of Syria."



The Russians — who have helped to prop up the beleaguered Assad regime — have signaled they are open to more Kurdish autonomy.
Story here. 

Yeah.  We've been heading to this very situation FOR A LONG time.  That story is from 2016 but the enacting of this "state" occurred just this year.

The reaction from Turkey was beyond predictable.

But back on task.

What is this SOCOM Officer's solution to this issue?  If he's ashamed then give us a solution beyond endless occupation!  The same applies to all the politicians that are showing concern.

It also applies in spades to the Joint Chiefs, others in the Pentagon and especially Think Tanks and Globalists.

Don't be ashamed Sir.  Give me your damn solution or stop spouting off to the news media.