I think missiles are a bigger challenge than drones, which the new Israeli laser-based iron beam system is proving to be effective at hitting (without the expense of multimillion dollar interceptors).
Apparently, the US has an investment in it so we supposedly get to use it too.
I don’t believe iron beam was built to stop short, medium or long range missiles. At least not yet. China has been heavily invested in building up Iran’s ballistic missile supply, which is a huge threat to the US and its allies.
Before we ended the ayatollah — may he rot in hell — he was in final negotiations with China for new hypersonic, ship killing missiles.
Hey Rick--did you happen to see this? It just gets stupider and more crazy. This has to have come from SecDef since it seems the commanders all spouted the same gibberish:
I am feeling all the feelings, but I can barely hold it together thinking about how other people’s children are widgets in The Monster’s reality show. We are all his toys. Heaven help us.
Most incompetent regime. They had no plan! Rump thought it was going to be a bomb and go like Venezuela. They’ve fired all the actual smart military folks due to DEI and brought in white national war mongers who thinks this is a video game!!! Wake up America!!!
I made t through about 60% of this then stopped. Not because it was wrong or irrelevant or nonsense. It was RE at his finest.
But I’m so fucking weary of all the lies, any subject. I feel like I’m being Goebbels’d to death. Say it loud, say it often and voila! “Hey Claude and Mamaw, we got us a country!”
Fuck you Claude. You too mamaw. Go brew up another batch a ‘shine.
Perhaps my very favorite unit of the new millennium and an exponent of the Oakland, CA art rock scene which gave us Mr. Bungle, Estradasphere, miRthkon, Charming Hostess, Idiot Flesh etc. You know, the sort of bands who would never pierce the Veil of Audience Incomprehension at a Super Bowl halftime show which makes them zakley my kinda music. I am such an insufferable elitist ;)
The groove is _so_ infectious, Dan Rathbun's bass is _so_ titanic; you must check it out anyway ;)
The least ambiguous postwar US military action (all military actions have ambiguous outcomes to greater or lesser extents) I can think of is our intervention with NATO in the Balkans. Say what you will about the utility of air power to force regime change, but Slobbo the ethnonationalist war criminal wound up in the dock at The Hague. Mission Accomplished.
I opposed Operation Desert Storm at the time because I'm a knee-jerk antiwarrior; my dad and I wailed and gnashed our liberal teeth at the turkey shoot slaughter, but in retrospect it was apparent why GHWB's polls rocketed to the moon during the operation: he made a credible case to the American public about the sanctity of international law and he had over 60 allies with him.
Of course, Operation Iraqi Freedom makes Operation Desert Storm look like the Normandy landing in the Good War dept. But Dubya's polls were stubbornly high for well over the first year, making the Democratic presidential primary particularly challenging. The antiwar faction was hardcore but its maximalist position didn't have a majority and we nominated a guy whose service was honorable but whose high social status exacerbated age-old military class conflict.
But this war? Trump's heading for another piece of unprecedented territory, that of a president receiving no immediate poll boost after announcing a major military operation.
He's already implacably alienated at least half his base beyond the ability to gaslight them back.
it's all going so well, isn't it? his lifelong death match with reality, which fueled his madness and the grift, has turned on him. like you say, every day we see him is the best day he'll have going forward. just hope when reality KOs him it doesn't destroy the world, cause too many deaths, structural damage to economies and national security. how is the military responding to his war of choice? is it causing fissures among MAGA in the military as they realize he's sold them out and shrugs at their sacrifices and deaths?
I’m surprised that Trump’s dementia hasn’t sufficiently progressed to the point that he fails to recognize that Zelensky is in fact orders of magnitude the man Trump believes himself to be. Trump’s tells were never subtle.
I know it’s a minor thing but ….. The president that falls asleep at the drop of a hat because of increasing dementia insists on calling his predecessor “Sleepy Joe”.
“Every missile, every smart- or dumb-bomb, every 155mm shell, everything from precision-guided munitions to rounds of 5.56 requires a supply chain, materials, rare earths, propellants, explosives, electronics, trained labor, and years of planning.”
How much does the replacement cost rise due to our deportation and exclusion of anyone not white increasing labor costs and tariff insanity increasing material costs? Not that the debt has mattered in a while.
In case anyone sees Pam Bondi, the Dow is currently well below 48,000.
REFORGER. Oh, yeah. Loved REFORGER. Always ensured that a good stockpile of hashish from Germany came to the plains of Kansas via the return of the 1st Infantry Division to Fort Riley from REFORGER exercises.
Let us also not forget that the 'value' of weapons supplied to the Ukraine have always been exaggerated by Trumpanzee. As Rick has stated, much was past their used by date, or old, so it's not like quoting the current price as to their value. So Biden gave away everything to Zelensky. If that were so, the war would be over and the Ukraine victorious. Trumpanzee is back to his 2015 claims that we were out of everything when he took office. What a crock.
He rebuilt the military in his first term? Well, in the first year of his second term, he's weakened it immensely. Weapons and systems are only as good as those who use them or control them; and Trump has taken a 1940 Stalinistic view of the military, and eliminated many of those most qualified to lead and fight in any real war. But we'll soon have 'battleships' again. Yeah. Decommissioned before the keel is laid. A number of years ago there was an advocacy for floating missile platforms, much like a freighter with a ton of silos. Wasn't dramatic enough for the honchos at the Pentagon, just as firing an air to ground missile from a stealth attack aircraft is so much more 'sexy' than creating a new generation of low cost ground support aircraft, a new A-10. Which is why the Pentagon has declined to keep the A-10s flight worthy.
Trump doesn't get technology. No doubt he'd believe we've got warp drives if someone on X told him they existed. "Bring back the steam catapults" Ho-hum.
I spent a career working on various aerospace systems, including various military programs. You don't just throw money out and say 'give me a great product'. OK, they do at times, but they don't get what they wanted doing that.
I've watched many videos about Ukrainians shooting down Shaheds with MANPADS, and all types of small weapons due to desperation combined with a missile shortage.
When the people elect a very stupid politician and thought he was a “savior” this is what you get, macho boasts and little thought for the consequences. America will pay down those forever.
I think missiles are a bigger challenge than drones, which the new Israeli laser-based iron beam system is proving to be effective at hitting (without the expense of multimillion dollar interceptors).
Apparently, the US has an investment in it so we supposedly get to use it too.
I don’t believe iron beam was built to stop short, medium or long range missiles. At least not yet. China has been heavily invested in building up Iran’s ballistic missile supply, which is a huge threat to the US and its allies.
Before we ended the ayatollah — may he rot in hell — he was in final negotiations with China for new hypersonic, ship killing missiles.
Hey Rick--did you happen to see this? It just gets stupider and more crazy. This has to have come from SecDef since it seems the commanders all spouted the same gibberish:
https://jonathanlarsen.substack.com/p/us-troops-were-told-iran-war-is-for
I am feeling all the feelings, but I can barely hold it together thinking about how other people’s children are widgets in The Monster’s reality show. We are all his toys. Heaven help us.
Most incompetent regime. They had no plan! Rump thought it was going to be a bomb and go like Venezuela. They’ve fired all the actual smart military folks due to DEI and brought in white national war mongers who thinks this is a video game!!! Wake up America!!!
I made t through about 60% of this then stopped. Not because it was wrong or irrelevant or nonsense. It was RE at his finest.
But I’m so fucking weary of all the lies, any subject. I feel like I’m being Goebbels’d to death. Say it loud, say it often and voila! “Hey Claude and Mamaw, we got us a country!”
Fuck you Claude. You too mamaw. Go brew up another batch a ‘shine.
Someone get me the fuck outta here.
I feel your pain, brother Mike.
Now playing: Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Formicary
"There's one born every minute"
--
A man who would be king, a big thing
To move great masses with his mouth
To play fast and loose with limb
--
To build a castle on the sand
To lie with grace and steal with face
A horrible cunning man
A lovable and callous sham
--
Condemned to flail without end
Condemned to fail in the end
--
To give more than he takes
With high stakes
To Save the World from itself
To put his own gain on the shelf
--
To set his mind on a higher peak
And always turn another cheek
A champion of the meek
What a total fucking freak
--
Condemned to flail, tries to mend
Condemned to fail in the end
--
Insignificant, indispensable
Dependable, disposable
Miniscule, indefatigable
--
A man who would be king
Perhaps my very favorite unit of the new millennium and an exponent of the Oakland, CA art rock scene which gave us Mr. Bungle, Estradasphere, miRthkon, Charming Hostess, Idiot Flesh etc. You know, the sort of bands who would never pierce the Veil of Audience Incomprehension at a Super Bowl halftime show which makes them zakley my kinda music. I am such an insufferable elitist ;)
The groove is _so_ infectious, Dan Rathbun's bass is _so_ titanic; you must check it out anyway ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PXgiQNLQzE
The least ambiguous postwar US military action (all military actions have ambiguous outcomes to greater or lesser extents) I can think of is our intervention with NATO in the Balkans. Say what you will about the utility of air power to force regime change, but Slobbo the ethnonationalist war criminal wound up in the dock at The Hague. Mission Accomplished.
I opposed Operation Desert Storm at the time because I'm a knee-jerk antiwarrior; my dad and I wailed and gnashed our liberal teeth at the turkey shoot slaughter, but in retrospect it was apparent why GHWB's polls rocketed to the moon during the operation: he made a credible case to the American public about the sanctity of international law and he had over 60 allies with him.
Of course, Operation Iraqi Freedom makes Operation Desert Storm look like the Normandy landing in the Good War dept. But Dubya's polls were stubbornly high for well over the first year, making the Democratic presidential primary particularly challenging. The antiwar faction was hardcore but its maximalist position didn't have a majority and we nominated a guy whose service was honorable but whose high social status exacerbated age-old military class conflict.
But this war? Trump's heading for another piece of unprecedented territory, that of a president receiving no immediate poll boost after announcing a major military operation.
He's already implacably alienated at least half his base beyond the ability to gaslight them back.
it's all going so well, isn't it? his lifelong death match with reality, which fueled his madness and the grift, has turned on him. like you say, every day we see him is the best day he'll have going forward. just hope when reality KOs him it doesn't destroy the world, cause too many deaths, structural damage to economies and national security. how is the military responding to his war of choice? is it causing fissures among MAGA in the military as they realize he's sold them out and shrugs at their sacrifices and deaths?
I’m surprised that Trump’s dementia hasn’t sufficiently progressed to the point that he fails to recognize that Zelensky is in fact orders of magnitude the man Trump believes himself to be. Trump’s tells were never subtle.
Hope the magats reading this are losing their shit.
thanks Rick
I know it’s a minor thing but ….. The president that falls asleep at the drop of a hat because of increasing dementia insists on calling his predecessor “Sleepy Joe”.
“Every missile, every smart- or dumb-bomb, every 155mm shell, everything from precision-guided munitions to rounds of 5.56 requires a supply chain, materials, rare earths, propellants, explosives, electronics, trained labor, and years of planning.”
How much does the replacement cost rise due to our deportation and exclusion of anyone not white increasing labor costs and tariff insanity increasing material costs? Not that the debt has mattered in a while.
In case anyone sees Pam Bondi, the Dow is currently well below 48,000.
OT
Why does Donald J Trump refer to himself as the Anglo Ponce de Leon?
Because he's always looking for a fountain of youths. (girl youths, that is)
REFORGER. Oh, yeah. Loved REFORGER. Always ensured that a good stockpile of hashish from Germany came to the plains of Kansas via the return of the 1st Infantry Division to Fort Riley from REFORGER exercises.
Let us also not forget that the 'value' of weapons supplied to the Ukraine have always been exaggerated by Trumpanzee. As Rick has stated, much was past their used by date, or old, so it's not like quoting the current price as to their value. So Biden gave away everything to Zelensky. If that were so, the war would be over and the Ukraine victorious. Trumpanzee is back to his 2015 claims that we were out of everything when he took office. What a crock.
He rebuilt the military in his first term? Well, in the first year of his second term, he's weakened it immensely. Weapons and systems are only as good as those who use them or control them; and Trump has taken a 1940 Stalinistic view of the military, and eliminated many of those most qualified to lead and fight in any real war. But we'll soon have 'battleships' again. Yeah. Decommissioned before the keel is laid. A number of years ago there was an advocacy for floating missile platforms, much like a freighter with a ton of silos. Wasn't dramatic enough for the honchos at the Pentagon, just as firing an air to ground missile from a stealth attack aircraft is so much more 'sexy' than creating a new generation of low cost ground support aircraft, a new A-10. Which is why the Pentagon has declined to keep the A-10s flight worthy.
Trump doesn't get technology. No doubt he'd believe we've got warp drives if someone on X told him they existed. "Bring back the steam catapults" Ho-hum.
I spent a career working on various aerospace systems, including various military programs. You don't just throw money out and say 'give me a great product'. OK, they do at times, but they don't get what they wanted doing that.
And therein lies the difference between bad checkers and 4-D chess.
And a pigeon eating the pieces.
I've watched many videos about Ukrainians shooting down Shaheds with MANPADS, and all types of small weapons due to desperation combined with a missile shortage.
When the people elect a very stupid politician and thought he was a “savior” this is what you get, macho boasts and little thought for the consequences. America will pay down those forever.