Recently in Military Category

From gCaptain:

Malaysia Detains Chinese Ship Linked To Suspected Illegal Salvage Of British WW2 Wrecks
Malaysia’s maritime authorities on Monday said cannon shells believed to be from World War Two have been found on a China-registered bulk carrier ship detained at the weekend for anchoring in its waters without permission.

The discovery comes amid reports this month that scavengers have targeted two British World War Two wrecks off the coast of Malaysia – the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse – which were sunk by Japanese torpedoes in 1941, just three days after the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

Following reports of the illegal salvage activity, Britain’s National Museum of the Royal Navy last week said it was “distressed and concerned at the apparent vandalism for personal profit” of the two wrecks.

The defence ministry condemned “desecration” of maritime military graves, the BBC said on Saturday.

A ship registered in Fuzhou, China and carrying 32 crew failed to present anchoring permits during a routine inspection in waters off Malaysia’s southern Johor state on Sunday, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said.

Authorities found scrap metal and cannon shells on the ship upon further checks.

The shells could be linked to a separate seizure by police at a Johor jetty last week of multiple unexploded World War Two-era artillery.

Authorities believe those may have been scavenged from the HMS Prince of Wales, the MMEA said, adding it was working with Malaysia’s National Heritage Department and other agencies to identify the ammunition found.

There is a market for WWII material.  Wonder who hired the ship - could have been anyone...
I hope they find out who was behind it.  This is smash-and-grab vandalism, not archaeology.

Are they gearing up for Taiwan?

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Curious news from Yahoo/Australia:

Warning after Qantas flights reportedly interfered with by Chinese warships
An Australian defence expert is warning the federal government to watch out for repeated communication interference after Chinese warships were suspected of messing with GPS systems on board Qantas flights.

In a note issued to pilots, Qantas confirmed some flights had experienced interference on VHF channels “purporting to represent the Chinese military,” the Guardian reported. The national carrier claimed ships off the northwest shelf of Australia are to blame for GPS jamming.

Professor Sam Drake from the Centre for Defence Engineering Research and Training at Flinders University says “unfortunately it is very easy to do”, but warned the Australian government might want to step in if the issue continues.

Jamming a GPS signal is a trivial matter.  Makes me wonder if they are planning to move on Taiwan.
Makes sense with our military in such a flaccid state and zero leadership.

I hope that someone walks through the TSMC production line with a burning highway flare.
The exhaust gasses will destroy their $2B machines.
A good quick way to cripple the crown jewels of today's technology.
Every bit of decent tech will be unobtanium for the next three to five years.

Not surprised - Department of Defense

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From The Hill:

Defense Department fails another audit, but makes progress
The Defense Department has failed its fifth-ever audit, unable to account for more than half of its assets, but the effort is being viewed as a “teachable moment,” according to its chief financial officer.

After 1,600 auditors combed through DOD’s $3.5 trillion in assets and $3.7 trillion in liabilities, officials found that the department couldn’t account for about 61 percent of its assets, Pentagon Comptroller Mike McCord told reporters on Tuesday.

McCord said the department has made progress toward a “clean” audit in the past year, but later added “we failed to get an ‘A.’”

“I would not say that we flunked. The process is important for us to do, and it is making us get better. It is not making us get better as fast as we want,” he said.

This year’s outcome was not unexpected.

Is it just me or does this not send a shiver down your spine.  We are letting all kinds of people into our Nation.  Sleeper cells included.  If our own military can not keep track of those things that go BOOM, who is to say that some of the devices do not wind up in the hands of people who wish us harm.

Happy Birthday - US Navy

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From the US Navy History site:

Navy Birthday
A 13 October 1775 resolution of the Continental Congress established what is now the United States Navy with “a swift sailing vessel, to carry ten carriage guns, and a proportionable number of swivels, with eighty men, be fitted, with all possible despatch, for a cruise of three months….” After the American War of Independence, the U.S. Constitution empowered the new Congress “to provide and maintain a navy.” Acting on this authority, Congress established the Department of the Navy on 30 April 1798.

In 1972, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt authorized official recognition of 13 October as the birthday of the U.S. Navy. Since then, each CNO has encouraged a Navy-wide celebration of this occasion “to enhance a greater appreciation of our Navy heritage, and to provide a positive influence toward pride and professionalism in the naval service.”

13 October 2022 will mark the Navy's 247th birthday. The central theme of this year is "On Watch - 24/7 for 247 Years," which highlights our Navy's enduring ability to remain fully ready to respond to and effectively deter emergent threats.

I was eligible for service during the Vietnam War.  My Draft Lottery number was in the 300+ range so I was never called.  I would have enlisted in the US Navy had I been asked to serve.  A housemate of mine drew #2.  We drove from Boston to Montreal through some back roads in Vermont and New Hampshire - there were quite a few unsecured border crossings at that time.

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Betting some really good stories. If I were in my 20's, I might sign up.
Always had a bit of the cloak and dagger spirit to me.

Status in the Ukraine - London Daily Mail

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A three-fer from them.  They seem to be on top of the actual story:

First

Radioactive waste disposal site near Kyiv is hit by Russian airstrike as battle for capital enters third day and UN says at least 240 civilians have died: Ukraine's resistance to invasion has left Putin 'raging' in his mountain lair

    • Russia has struck the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine in Kyiv, which stores nuclear waste
    • The facility's radiation detector was also destroyed - although a preliminary inspection suggests there is no immediate danger to locals
    • First confirmed death toll has also emerged - UN says at least 240 Ukrainian citizens have been killed
    • Two blasts went off in the south west of the Ukrainian capital shortly after midnight local time
    • A fuel depot in the city of Vasylkiv was targeted by Russian ballistic missiles, its mayor said
    • Russia also blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, which sits close to the Russian border
    • Vladimir Putin is said to be furious at his troops' apparent lack of progress, and is reportedly fuming in his heavily-guarded Russian mountain lair
    • An eerie orange glow filled the sky, CNN reports that a fuel depot may have been hit
    • Blast took place close to one of Kyiv's two airports - Boryspil International Airport, whose capture is vital to Russian takeover ambitions

Second:

Why Putin's '£15BILLION-a-day' invasion ISN'T going to plan: MI6 chief warns war is 'unwinnable' and ex-defence chief says Russia will run out of cash and arms if Kyiv holds out for 10 days as Moscow send in superweapons after Ukraine OBLITERATED convoy

    • Vladimir Putin's invasion with Ukraine is not going to plan due to Kremlin 'overconfidence' about war aims
    • MI6 chief endorsed an article on Saturday saying Russia's war is 'unwinnable' because of Ukraine's resilience
    • Ukrainian intelligence has claimed that Russia is running out of money, weapons and resources fast
    • If Kyiv can hold off the Russian advance on Kyiv for 10 days, the Kremlin may have to enter negotiations
    • Dramatic video shows a destroyed Russian convoy with Z-markings near Kherson in southern Ukraine
    • Two Russian military transport planes 'carrying paratroopers', a fighter jet and helicopter were downed

and Third:

Elon Musk answers Ukrainian vice prime minister's plea to switch on his Starlink satellite network so locals can access internet even if Russia destroys local telecoms system

    • SpaceX billionaire Elon Musk said on Saturday that the company's Starlink satellite broadband service is available in Ukraine
    • Musk also tweeted that SpaceX is sending more terminals to the country, whose internet has been disrupted due to the Russian invasion
    • 'Starlink service is now active in Ukraine. More terminals en route,' Musk tweeted
    • He was responding to a tweet by a Ukraine government official who asked Musk to provide the embattled country with Starlink stations
    • Internet connectivity in Ukraine has been affected by the Russian invasion, particularly in the southern and eastern parts of the country
    • Officials think internet access can help defeat Russian propaganda, and expose atrocities being carried out by Putin's troops
    • While extremely costly to deploy, satellite technology can provide internet for people who live in rural or hard-to-serve places

Last one is great.  Reminds me of Elon's tweet from six months ago - this exchange:

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"Shake their fist at the sky" - I love it.

Now this will be a fun race - F-35

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I would love to be a fly on the wall at these planning sessions
From the London Daily Mail

Race to beat China to recover $100m US F-35 stealth fighter from bottom of South China Sea after it crash landed on aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson: Fears secret technology from America's most advanced jet could fall into enemy hands

    • The USS Carl Vinson on Monday suffered a 'landing mishap' with F-35C warplane
    • The Navy said the stealth fighter 'subsequently fell to the water'
    • It is packed with the latest technology and advances in radar-deflecting design
    • The ship is currently in the South China Sea, taking part in exercises
    • The pilot of the F-35 ejected safely and was rescued by helicopter
    • Seven were injured: three required evacuation to a medical facility in Manila

It's easy to joke about the F-35's performance issues but China would love to get its mitts on the technology.
We must not let them.

Major party in Valhalla tonight

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One of their own has come home - from the London Daily Mail:

Founder of Seal Team Six dies aged 81: Richard Marcinko was tasked with setting up special forces unit after 1979 Iran hostage crisis, named it 'six' to fool Russian forces and spent 15 months in jail for $100,000 kickback scandal

    • Richard 'Dick' Marcinko, the first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six, died Sunday at age 81
    • The cause of his death remains unknown at this time
    • Marcinko played a 'very unique part in SEAL history, leaving a legacy like no other' and is remembered as the 'premier counterterrorism operator' in the US
    • He was asked to form SEAL Team Six after one of his missions revealed deficiencies in the command structure and the need for a counter-terrorist team
    • He named it SEAL Team Six, despite there only being two SEAL teams, in an effort to fool the Soviet Union into thinking there were more teams
    • Despite his successes, Marcinko was jailed for 15 months after he allegedly conspired with an Arizona arms dealer to receive $100,000 for securing a government handgun contract
    • Marcinko denied the charges, claiming it was a 'witch-hunt' by high ranking Navy officers who he embarrassed by exposing vulnerabilities within their units

The first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six - the US military's vaunted counter-terrorism unit that would hunt down and kill Osama Bin Laden - died Sunday at age 81.

Richard 'Dick' Marcinko was tasked with designing the counter-terrorist team after the Iran hostage crisis in 1979.

Marcinko, along with another Navy representative, was on a task force to help free the American hostages in Iran, but were unsuccessful.

The mission, known as Operation Eagle Claw, highlighted deficiencies within the US military command structure and revealed the need for a full-time counter-terrorist team.

Marcinko launched the United States' third SEAL team in August 1980, calling it SEAL Team Six in order to fool the Soviet Union's KGB into thinking there were three other SEAL teams they didn't know about. He commanded the unit until July 1983.

Also an author - military fiction as well as an autobiography and business management.  Quite the life well lived.

Looks like WA State Senator Patty Murray did not get a visit from Santa this year.
Fairchild Air Base is in Eastern, WA State — From American Military News:

Air Force chooses Florida base for new refueling tankers over Fairchild
The Air Force has chosen MacDill Air Force Base in Florida rather than Fairchild Air Force Base to be home base for it next group of modern refueling tankers.

The Dec. 21 announcement by the Air Force said the decision to locate the next two dozen KC-46A Pegasus aircraft was made after taking into account multiple considerations such as mission, community support, infrastructure, environmental affects and cost.

The decision drew immediate blowback from Washington’s congressional delegation, who had been pushing for Fairchild to be the sixth main operating base for the KC-46A.

“As one of the largest air-refueling tanker bases in the country, Fairchild Air Force Base already possesses the needed capacity and ability to accommodate KC-46A aerial refueling tankers — which make the Air Force’s decision not to house the new KC-46A fleet at Fairchild all the more inexplicable,” said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat.

“I am incredibly disappointed with this decision,” she added. “Let’s not mince words, the Air Force has made the wrong choice.”

Who does she think she is to take a tone of voice like that with our Air Force.  She did not get what she wanted.  OK. Got that.  Time to knuckle down and deliver a better deal next time.  This is not about you.  This is about what is good for your constituency and by extension, Our Nation.

Ummmm... About that...  From The Drive:

U.S. Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon Test Fails (Updated)
Details are still limited, but the Pentagon has confirmed that a U.S. military test today of a long-range hypersonic weapon from Alaska has failed. There are reports that the system being tested was the missile design that will be used in the U.S. Army's Dark Eagle and the U.S. Navy's Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike weapon systems. But it is uncertain that is the case considering where this test took place, and an entirely separate booster stack or even different hypersonic payload may have been used. This all follows an earlier official statement about three successful tests yesterday related to the development of that common Army-Navy weapon.

A bunch more at the site.  So, essentially, the Chinese were able to orbit the earth several times and come close to hitting their target and ours blew up just after launch.  Not a good optic there - especially these days when everyone suspects that our military is dysfunctional.  This would be a great time for China to launch an EMP attack against the Eastern Seabord.  Now if they could just wait until the combined Congress is in session.

Epic rant from Kurt Schlichter writing at Town Hall:

Resign
Rip those stars off your pathetic nostalgia costumes and resign. Quit. Tell that crusty Pinocchio in the White House and the faculty lounge Geppettos tugging his strings that you will have no more to do with his human centipede of failure in Kabul.

It’s not hard – your stars are right there, generals, right on the shoulders of those new uniforms you decided to adopt with the express purpose of evoking World War II and the memory of victory over a modern, peer-competitor military. Maybe, you thought, wearing winner’s gear would ease the pain of getting creamed by a bunch of Seventh Century throwbacks.

Yeah, we know your boss is a senile old fool with delusions of competence. His failure will be addressed at the ballot box. But your failure, generals and admirals, is something only you can address, at least until President DeSantis comes and separates the wheat from the chaff in the Pentagon.

And he is just starting to warm up. Epic read and 100% correct on all counts.

They are not stupid and they have studied our culture very well. London Daily Mail:

Taliban soldiers wearing U.S.-made gear mock iconic World War II image of Marines raising flag on Iwo Jima in 1945 and release propaganda footage showing them armed with American weapons while on patrol in Afghanistan

    • The Taliban's Badri 313 Battalion released a collection of propaganda footage this past week
    • Among the collection was the recreation of the famed 1945 World War II picture of soldiers raising the American flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima
    • In the Taliban version, a group of soldiers is seen hoisting the Taliban flag in a similar fashion while sporting U.S. weapons and gear
    • The Badri 313 is a special unit of Taliban fighters that dress like U.S. soldiers by wearing camouflage, combat boots and body armor
    • Analysts expect the unit to continue to grow in the next few months

A group of Taliban fighters released a collection of propaganda footage, including a photo where they mocked the famed World War II picture of soldiers raising the American flag on Iwo Jima.

In the original 1945 photograph, a group of six Marines are depicted hosting the flag on Mount Suribachi.

The Taliban's Badri 313 Battalion recreated the image this week.

In their version, a group of soldiers is seen hoisting the Taliban flag in a similar fashion while sporting U.S. weapons and gear that was likely stolen from allied militaries during patrols of Kabul.

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That is a big fucking finger in the eye of everyone who has served in the military. That these goblins think that they defeated us.  We were betrayed by the current administration's incompetence and stupidity.

Their desire to be the opposite of President Trump prevented them from even considering that his plan for withdrawal was a well-ordered and logical plan. Their random pull-out caused this catastrophe. They own this disaster.

Nothing about this on CNN for some strange reason - leave it to the Brits to do the journalism that Americans will not do.  From the London Daily Mail:

Taliban invade the palatial home of top Afghan warlord and US ally General Dostum - amid claims fighters have reached the outskirts of Kabul which will fall in HOURS while Brits and Americans evacuate

    • Insurgents tightened grip on Afghanistan by capturing Mazar-e-Sharif - a heavily defended city in the north
    • Fighters were then filmed raiding the luxurious home of infamous warlord Army Marshal Rashid Dostum
    • In a statement last night, US President Joe Biden blamed Donald Trump and the Afghan army for the carnage
    • He said he 'will not pass this war onto a fifth president' and criticsed the Afghan Army for failing to fight

Taliban fighters have invaded the palatial home of top Afghan warlord and US ally and videoed themselves lounging on his gold furniture and inspecting his golden tea set - as their advance closes on capital Kabul amid a scramble to get Westerners out.

General Rashid Dostum's home is in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif which fell to the Taliban yesterday and now there are claims that the advancing fighters have reached the outskirts of Kabul.

Dostum was a key US ally during the 20 year campaign against the Taliban and famously fought with the Special Forces 'horse soldiers' shortly after 9/11.

Before 9/11 he was an infamous warlord who was known for crushing prisoners alive beneath the wheels of a tank and in recent years he was a senior figure in the Afghan National Army. He is believed to have escaped.

After the fall of Mazar-e-Sharif there are unverified claims of fighting on the outskirts of Kabul, and the Taliban is certainly nearing artillery range of the capital - with some predicting it could fall within hours.

Much much more at the site - quite a long article. Photos and videos of their spoils as well as some videos of Taliban pilots flying our Blackhawk Helicopters. Refugees flooding the borders. The whole place is going to hell and this is all Biden's fault. President Trump had a good schedule ready to roll and then Biden's handlers decided to impliment their own plan. Maybe President Trump's plan would have failed but we will never know.  Biden and his handlers? They own this.

From Military.com:

Celebrate the U.S. Coast Guard
Each August 4 the U.S. Coast Guard celebrates its birthday.

The Coast Guard is one of America's five armed forces and traces its founding to Aug. 4, 1790, when the first Congress authorized the construction of 10 vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws, prevent smuggling, and protect the collection of federal revenue. Responsibilities added over the years included humanitarian duties such as aiding mariners in distress.

And many many more.

Totally unnecessary but the feckless idiots from the deep-state are pushing us that way.
From American Military News:

Japan warns US a ‘Pearl Harbor’ style attack from China and Russia could happen
On Wednesday, Japan’s number two defense official said China and Russia are showing increased signs of military cooperation and their activities in the Pacific could show signs they plan to launch a Pearl Harbor-style attack on the U.S., similitar to how Japan did on Dec. 7, 1941, propelling the U.S. into World War II.

Speaking at a Hudson Institute event, Japanese State Defense Minister Yasuhide Nakayama said, “Seventy years ago, we attacked Pearl Harbor, but now the U.S. and Japan [are] very good allies, one of the best allies all over the world.” Nakayama went on to say now Russian naval forces “are really exercising just right in front of the western part of Honolulu, and so I don’t want to remind the 70 years ago, but we have to be careful of the exercising of the Russians.”

The link goes to a transcript of his talk - sobering.

True words from a great President

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Crap - Indonesian submarine

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It had been overdue for a few days and has now been discovered.  From gCaptain:

Submarine Hull Cracked, 53 Crew Found Dead
A missing Indonesian submarine has been found, broken into at least three parts, deep in the Bali Sea, army and navy officials said on Sunday, as the president sent condolences to relatives of the 53 crew.

Rescuers found new objects, including a life vest, that they believe belong to those aboard the 44-year old KRI Nanggala-402, which lost contact on Wednesday as it prepared to conduct a torpedo drill.

“Based on the evidence, it can be stated that the KRI Nanggala has sunk and all of its crew have died,” military chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto told reporters.

Navy chief of staff Yudo Margono said the crew were not to blame for the accident.

“The KRI Nanggala is divided into three parts, the hull of the ship, the stern of the ship, and the main parts are all separated, with the main part found cracked,” he said.

President Joko Widodo earlier confirmed the discovery in the Bali Sea and sent the families of the victims his condolences.

“All of us Indonesians express our deep sorrow over this tragedy, especially to the families of the submarine crew.”

At least their deaths would have been very quick. A moment for a What The to cross their minds and then silence.

Now that didn't take long - Syria

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Got to feed the war machine - can't have peace break out.  Not good for the ordnance bidness...
From Syria's English-language Syrian Arab News Agency:

45 US occupation trucks loaded with military equipment enter Hasaka coming from Iraq
A new convoy of US occupation trucks loaded with logistic materials have entered Hasaka countryside via the illegal border crossings with northern Iraq to support the occupation’s bases in Hasaka countryside.

Local sources in al-Khazna village told SANA reporter that a convoy, that includes 45 trucks loaded with boxes, military vehicles and fuel tankers, entered via al-Walid illegal border crossing with northern Iraq.

The convoy crossed the M4 highway, heading for Deir Ezzor and Hasaka, where number of the occupation’s bases spread.

In a flagrant violation of the international law, the US occupation troops work to enhance their illegal presence in al-Jazeera region, as they have established several bases to protect and train armed groups and terrorist organizations operating under their command to achieve their hostile schemes.

And yes, they have photos.  No provenance on when and where they were taken but we will know soon enough.
And it is not like this has not happened before (01/21/2021) - and (gasp) they lied about it to President Trump.

An interesting look at China

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From Strategy Page:

China: Submit Or Suffer
Two things are impeding Chinese efforts to achieve superpower status; economic stability and a network of powerful and reliable allies. The problems with economic stability are linked to the more serious problems with establishing stable relationships with other countries.

Chinese tradition prevents both of these because China traditionally recognizes only enemies and subordinate foreigners. China does not do allies in the traditional way. Current Chinese “allies” include Russia, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Turkey, Pakistan and Iran. These are not what most countries would consider reliable and useful allies. Turkey and Iran are not reliable or particularly dependable and useful. The other allies, including Russia, are more dependents than traditional allies.

Russia was, until 1991, a superpower and clearly superior militarily and economically to China. Since the 1990s Russia has become economically dependent on China, especially during the last decade because of low oil prices and post-2014 Ukraine related economic sanctions. Russia and China often cooperate when dealing with their mutual enemies, which currently includes just about every other country on the planet. Yet Russia and China are unnatural allies because Russia has taken much from China in the past and China never abandoned it claims on those lost territories. This is not just about territorial disputes in the Russian Far East, but also past Russian wrongs done to China. One of the most prominent of these was how the 1950-53 Korean War included China because Russia (Josef Stalin) insisted. In 1950 Russia was an essential military, economic and political ally of China. Despite many misgivings, China complied, sending over two million troops to North Korea over the next three years. About a third of these soldiers were casualties. Some ten percent of the Chinese troops were killed and other 20 percent were wounded or disabled by disease, accidents or exposure. Exposure (to extreme cold) and disease was a problem, especially during the first year. Russia provided over 70,000 military specialists and technical advisors as well large quantities of material support. But only about one percent of the Russians involved were casualties.

Much more at the site - a very very good "long view" of China and why we need to distance ourselves from them.
This is stuff that Gen. Mattis probably knows full well and he is still working for them.
Never forget - China is asshoe

President Trump at work

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He is doing so much good for this nation all the while the media are spinning fake news.  Here is one such example from his twitter account:

President Biden (ugghhhh) would have had some buffoon like John Kerry try to negotiate for their release. It would have cost taxpayers millions of dollars in monies which would then be spent on terrorist activities. President Trump went in and got the guy out.

If I were 18 years old again

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Sign me up - the first recruitment video for the United States Space Force:

Good news - prescient

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Looks like President Trump is building ice breakers - ships rated for sailing through pack ice in the arctic.
From Defense News:

The US Navy returns to an increasingly militarized Arctic
The U.S. Navy’s Barents Sea patrol is the latest sojourn into an increasingly militarized Arctic, where questions of international law are proliferating.

For the first time since the end of the Cold War, the U.S. Navy is making regular trips to the Arctic Circle, with the four-ship patrol sailing in the Barents Sea. Three of the four ships, which sailed alongside the British Royal Navy frigate Kent, were destroyers based in Rota, Spain, as part of an operation spearheaded by the U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet.

The trip into Russia’s backyard was the latest in what the U.S. Navy has made clear will become a habit in the frigid waters of the Arctic. And that it was carried out by Europe-based destroyers could herald even more operations in the High North as the service plans to grow to six destroyers forward-deployed there from today’s four.

The patrol in the Barents Sea, much of which is part of Russia exclusive economic zone, follows high-profile patrols by the American aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman in 2018 and a surface action group patrol in 2019. And while a Naval Forces Europe news release made clear Russia was given advance notice of the patrol to avoid confusion, the message is still pointed: The U.S. Navy is back in the Arctic Circle after being gone for 30 years.

A lot of mineral and oil wealth up there and no clear "owners".

Also, maritime activities will be impacted by the climate either way - I am seeing a coming cold period of 50-300 years duration. These have happened before. Our sun is at a very low output - lowest since 1913. 1913 was when the Modern Warm Period started. The 1960's through the 1980's were a time of major solar activity and are the times when our climate warmed the most. Now, things are cooling off again. Either way and for whatever reason, we need to maintain an enhanced presense up there and it looks like our President is laying the groundwork for just that.

Memorial Day

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Remembering all that have given their ultimate. I am of the age of the Vietnam war (draft lottery number was 348) and know several people who did not make it back.

President Trump at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier today:

Oopsie - Iran Navy

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Looks like they are not as elite as they thought. From gCaptain:

At Least 19 Killed in Iranian Missile Training Accident in Gulf of Oman
One Iranian warship accidentally struck another with a missile during an exercise, killing 19 sailors and wounding 15 others, Iran’s navy said on Monday.

The incident took place during training in the Gulf of Oman, a sensitive waterway that connects to the Strait of Hormuz through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Iran regularly conducts exercises in the area.

The frigate Jamaran fired at a training target released by a support ship, the Konarak. However, the support ship stayed too close to the target and was hit, state broadcaster IRIB said.

“The incident took place in the perimeter of Iran’s southern Bandar-e Jask port on the Gulf of Oman during Iranian Navy drills on Sunday afternoon, in which 19 sailors were killed and 15 others were injured,” state TV said, quoting the navy.

Heh - all President Trump has to do is the following:

Trump says he's instructed Navy to 'destroy' any Iranian gunboats harassing US ships

And of course, Iran had to rattle their sabers in response:

Guards chief: U.S. warships will be destroyed if they threaten Iran in Gulf

And now? They take care of the problem themselves.

An interesting story - Venezuela

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No second source of corroboration but still, it sounds quite plausible. From Connecting Vets:

Ex-Green Berets tried to recruit this vet for a failed coup. Now he's speaking out.
"Did you watch the Jack Ryan show last night? Like what are we doing here?" asked a veteran of the war in Afghanistan when several ex-Green Berets attempted to recruit him to help launch a coup in Venezuela.

It was the summer of 2019, and three Army buddies working for a Florida based security company were making preparations in Jamaica. The story of the coup attempt was first reported by the Associated Press.

The Afghanistan veteran, who spoke to Connecting Vets on the condition of anonymity, received phone calls from a friend. Down in Jamaica, Special Forces veteran Jordan Goudreau, CEO of Silvercorp USA, had already brought on board two other ex-Green Berets and former teammates, Airan Berry and Luke Denman. Together, the three had all served together in 10th Special Forces Group's Crisis Response Force (CRF) known as C-1-10.

Much more at the site - looks like they were trying to take Maduro down but the whole operation sounds like a gigantic fustercluck of epic proportions to me. I am sure that more will trickle out over the next six months or so. This is not the way to run a revolution.

Sometimes, things are just a coincidence

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And sometimes, they are not.

Wuhan, China is where the coronavirus originated starting in December of 2019. From InfoGalactic:

Timeline of the 2019–20 Wuhan coronavirus outbreak
This article documents the chronology and epidemiology of the Novel coronavirus responsible for the 2019–20 outbreak in Wuhan, China, and may not include all contemporary major responses and measures. Furthermore some developments may become known or fully understood only in retrospect.

On 8 December 2019, the first patient was recorded by Chinese authorities to start showing symptoms. A later Chinese report finds an earlier case on 1 December, pointing to an even earlier origin. Apart from this early case, between December 8 and December 18 seven cases are documented, two of them are linked with the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market of Wuhan, five are not.

Also from InfoGalactic:

Military World Games
The Military World Games is a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM). The Games have been held since 1995, although championships for separate sports had been held for some years.

And from the website for this organization (CISM):

The 7th CISM World Games 2019 are launched
The 7th CISM World Games – the 7th PEACE GAMES – will be held in Wuhan City from 15 to 30 October 2019 with 23 CISM Disciplines and one Demonstration sport, Tennis! CISM is also very pleased to confirm jointly with the Organizing Committee that at least Track and Field and Archery will be organized for para athletes. For the first time in the CISM World Games history, Boxing competitions will be opened to female military boxers!

And the attendance:

All participants were blessed to be the guests of honor of a ceremony marking the commencement of the construction of the athletes’ village in Wuhan. That village will be ready to accommodate 12.000 athletes and officials as well as organizing staff in 2019. It is designed in a spirit of eco-sustainability and conviviality for all participants.

Emphasis mine - talk about dodging the bullet. We could have had key military people from all over the world exposed to this debilitating virus and then they would return to their homes. Of course, there would be celebrations and banquets for the returning participants - chance to spread the airborne virus even further especially since it can be contagious for 14 days before the symptoms manifest (and there are reports of 21 days).

If China were looking at wiping out the worlds military strength, I could not think of a better way to do it.

Reported by writer and futurist Bruce Sterling writing at Wired:

Web Semantics: Chinese Futurist Military Jargon
Pretty standard futurist military stuff for 2020, just in ideograms. Also it’s probably meant for offshored unsinkable terraformed aircraft carriers in the South China Sea, which is something not everybody has or does.

“biological dominance” (制生权)
biological interdisciplinary (生物交叉)
brain control (脑控)
“brain-machine fusion” (脑机融合)
Cognitive Science Basic Research Team (认知科学基础研究团队)
“combat brain” (作战大脑)
domain of consciousness (意识域)
frontier/cutting-edge interdisciplinary (前沿交叉)
“hybrid intelligence” (混合智能)
human-machine coordination (人机协同)

Many more at the site - you can tell what direction the state is going by the jargon they start using. These terms do not guarantee their sucess (after all, we are dealing with a large, centralized socialist government regieme), but it shows what they are thinking.

From September 2019 - CNBC:

Russia conducts massive military drills with China, sending a message to the West
Russia is carrying out a series of large-scale military exercises with China, India and Pakistan in what experts believe is Moscow trying to send a powerful message to the West.

The military drills take place annually but Russia has upped the ante this year by inviting forces from China, India and Pakistan (as well as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) to take part in the drills.

The exercises will involve 128,000 military personnel, more than 20,000 weapons and military equipment, about 600 aircraft and up to 15 ships and support vessels, according to the Russian defense ministry. The drills are designed to test the combat-readiness of the military command and troops within the central military district in Russia (hence being called “Tsentr-2019”) and will also see the country test its military capabilities in the Arctic.

The season of Tsentr exercises actually started in June but this week is seen as the culmination of those in the most important “strategic command post exercise,” known as the “hot phase” by experts.

This drill is done every year but the one in 2019 was a lot larger and involved more nations than usual. Hmmmm???

Excellent news from Zero Hedge:

Round Two: US Drone Airstrikes Kill Six Pro-Iran Militia Commanders
Whether he is eating ice cream or not, Trump appears to be on a rampage to recreate the end of The Godfather.

Less than 24 hours after a US drone shockingly killed the top Iranian military leader, Qasem Soleimani, resulting in equity markets groaning around the globe in fear over Iranian reprisals (and potentially, World War III), the US has gone for round two with Reuters and various other social media sources reporting that US air strikes targeting Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units umbrella grouping of Iran-backed Shi’ite militias near camp Taji north of Baghdad, have killed six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi army source said late on Friday.

Something to keep in mind. He is not starting World War Three, he is ending it before it ever gets off the ground.

Leadership - a perfect example

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From our President - from American Military News:

Report: Trump held private, enlisted-only Afghanistan war meetings – ‘No generals or officers, only enlisted guys that have been there’
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has been meeting with enlisted troops to get a better understanding of how they feel the war in Afghanistan has been progressing.

Trump did not want to meet with higher ranking officers, instead choosing to meet with enlisted troops to get a more candid assessment of the America’s longest-running war, Business Insider reported.

“I want to sit down with some enlisted guys that have been there,” Trump reportedly told advisers, according to Peter Bergen, author of “Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos.”

“I don’t want any generals in here. I don’t want any officers,” he added.

I love it - he is talking to the people who have actually been there doing the hard work of keeping peace. Not talking with the REMF's

Seems that China does not like our new branch of the military - from the London Daily Mail:

China attacks the newly formed U.S. Space Force as a 'direct threat to outer space peace and security'
Rising space power China today attacked the newly created U.S. Space Force, labeling it a 'direct threat to outer space peace and security'.

Foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that China is 'deeply concerned about it and resolutely opposed to it'.

'The relevant U.S. actions are a serious violation of the international consensus on the peaceful use of outer space, undermine global strategic balance and stability, and pose a direct threat to outer space peace and security,' Geng said at a regular briefing.

What do they have to complain about? Are they plotting something?

Key thing here is that our day-to-day lives depend on the satellites in orbit. They are incredibly delicate and would be very easy for someone to destroy.

Saving the Parade

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Great post from Don Surber:

Trump will lead the NYC parade he saved
In August 1995, organizers for the annual Veterans Day Parade in New York City looked at how much money they had three months before the big day.

$1.21.

The New York Times reported, "A request to airlines to donate blankets for aging veterans was turned down because logos might not be visible on television."

Wow.

The Times reported, "Then Donald Trump, a non-veteran, agreed to throw in $200,000 as well as raise money from his friends, in exchange for being named grand marshal."

In short order, they had $2.4 million, saving the parade and the city's honor.

On Veterans Day 1995, United Press International reported, "More than 500,000 people jammed the sidewalks of Manhattan's Fifth Avenue Saturday to watch three generations of veterans march in the Nation's Parade. The crowd cheered as 25,000 veterans marched in one of the last national events marking the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. The mood of the parade was festive despite the blustery weather, with marching veterans smiling and onlookers shouting 'Thank you.'"

Segue to today:

24 years later, hounded by politicians and high taxes, President Trump has moved to Mar-a-Lago.

But he'll be back on Monday in the city he saved to lead the parade he saved.

The Military Times reported, "President Donald Trump will mark Veterans Day this year with a speech at the start of the New York City Veterans Day Parade, which would be the first time a sitting president has attended the event.

The words: "Thank You" come to mind. Never uttered by anyone from New York City for the last couple of years...

From President Trump's Twitter account:

President Trump's statement:

And major kudos to the people who went in against unknown forces and took this heinous shitstain out of the gene pool. Details to follow in the next week or so. Looks like we had help from several nations.

That was then, this is now

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Two Presidents and their dealings with Libya. First CNN from June 20th, 2018

Seven years after Obama's 'worst mistake,' Libya killing is rampant
Years after then President Barack Obama made what he has described as his worst mistake by not adequately planning for the fall of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, Libya remains in chaos. In the past seven years, four nations have conducted air strikes in Libya and hundreds of civilians have died in those strikes.

As the protests of the Arab Spring swept through Libya, Gadhafi mounted a war of attrition against his own people describing those who were protesting his rule as "rats."

The Obama administration helped steer a UN resolution to take military action to protect Libyan civilians, which resulted in a US-led NATO intervention in Libya. Gadhafi was eventually killed by rebels.

So President Obama basically took out Gadhafi and did not think far enough ahead to understand the consequences of his actions. Typical feckless moron. Gadhafi may not have been a real friend of America and he was a dictator but he was good to his people and ran a capitalist economy. He was not an idiot. Arabs respect power and when a strong leader is deposed without someone to take over, Katie bar the door.

President Trump? From CBS News:

Trump sends $50 million in emergency financial assistance to Syria
Donald Trump announced Saturday night that the U.S. will send $50 million in stabilization assistance to Syria. The money, according to the Office of the Press Secretary, is to "protect persecuted ethnic and religious minorities and advance human rights."

"This funding will provide emergency financial assistance to Syrian human rights defenders, civil society organizations and reconciliation efforts directly supporting ethnic and religious minority victims of the conflict," the statement reads.

"We hope regional and international partners will continue their contributions as well," the statement continues. "Ensuring the freedom and safety of ethnic and religious minorities remains a top priority for this Administration."

Classic Art of the Deal negotiation. Here is a nice juicy carrot. We still have our stick and will use it if we do not like what we see but in the meantime, here is another nice juicy carrot. And $50 million is chump change compared to the cost of our military involvement. From Forbes, March 28th, 2011:

The Real Cost Of U.S. In Libya? Two Billion Dollars Per Day.
The one thing most experts seem to agree on about the current coalition air campaign in Libya is that it won't cost much. A leading think tank estimated the price-tag for patrolling Libyan air space at $30-100 million per week, while the Navy's top budget official described Libyan air operations as falling within the "normal operating cycle" of his department. Rear Admiral Joseph Mulloy told trade publication Inside the Navy on March 21, "The incremental cost of use of the Navy and Marine Corps is low, because we're already funded and we are trained and worked up." He went on, "We don't have to pay extra to be there." As a result of such fiscal reassurances, Congress has focused mainly on the goals of the operation and what precedents military action might create, rather than the cost.

The Two Billion Dollars Per Day in the title refers to the sunk cost of the infrastructure used over there.

No pleasing people - from Townhall:

Critics Aghast As Trump Keeps Word About No More Wars
Donald Trump came into office promising to not start any new wars and to get us out of the old ones our feckless elite had dragged us into, and now that he’s doing it in Syria the usual suspects are outraged. How dare he actually deliver on his promise not to have anymore of our precious warriors shipped home in boxes after getting killed on battlefields we can’t even pronounce, while refereeing conflicts that began long before America was a thing, in campaigns without any kind of coherent objective?

Conservatives like me still think of ourselves as hawks, but after hard experience we have learned to be hawkish only where America’s interests are directly at stake. We’re not doves. We’re just not going to spill our troops’ blood when we do not absolutely have to. The elite may not like our attitude, but then it’s generally not the elite that ends up having to bury its sons, daughters, husbands and wives. We do.

I generally like the Kurds. I generally dislike the Turks. But they’ve been killing each other for a long time and no one has yet offered a sufficient reason why America should stick its troops in the crossfire between them. We hear words like “betrayal” tossed around, often by people whose track record re: honor is (charitably) lacking, but that assumes America had a say in this latest round ramping up. If the Turks are intent on invading, a firm “No” from the Oval office is not going to stop a battalion of Leopard tanks. If you want to stop them, you have to be prepared to stop them. That means war, and the president – along with millions of us – say “No thanks.”

Yeah - I am siding with President Trump on this one. Afghanistan has chewed up every single nation that tried to intervene. Some groups of people have been perpetually at war with one another and no outside show of force will change this fact.

This harkens back to our entry into the Vietnam war which we took over after the French retreated.

Now this is interesting - rattling sabers

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Iran rattled theirs. Now we rattle ours. From gCaptain:

U.S. Orders Large-Scale Turbo Activation Exercise of Ready Reserve Force Ships
The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered a large-scale turbo activation of ships in the U.S. Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Ready Reserve Force fleet.

The turbo activation is part of a large-scale activation exercise ordered by the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) on September 16. The activation calls for a total of 28 RRF fleet vessels to transition from reduced operating status to fully crewed and full operating status within 5-days. Activations are commonly followed by immediate sea trials.

Interesting times...

Oil tanker explosion - Iran update

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From Reuters:

Unexploded device spotted on one of attacked oil tankers -U.S. source
An unexploded device, believed to be a limpet mine, was spotted on the side of one of two oil tankers attacked on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman, a U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

If confirmed, then the method of attack would be the same as the one that the United States believes was used last month when four other tankers were struck off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The United States believes Iran was likely responsible for those attacks, a charge Tehran denies.

It will be interesting to see who made the mine. Great that it did not explode - this will yield a wealth of information.

A reminder - D Day

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Saw this on the web - really makes the point:

20190606-normandy.jpg

From ship builder Huntington Ingalls Industries (I love their motto: Hard Stuff Done Right):

Video Release--Huntington Ingalls Industries’ First Cut of Steel Kicks Off Advance Construction For Columbia-Class Submarine Program
Huntington Ingalls Industries hosted a ceremonial first-cut-of-steel event today at its Newport News Shipbuilding division to mark the start of advance construction for the Columbia-class submarine program.

With the press of a button, a plasma-burning machine cut the first steel plate that will be used to build Columbia (SSBN 826), the lead ballistic missile submarine. As Newport News continues its digital transformation, the event also marked the first class of submarines that will be built using fully digital blueprints.

“Today is a historic day,” said Jason Ward, Newport News’ vice president for Columbia-class construction. “It has been a half century since Newport News Shipbuilding has constructed a ballistic submarine. Today, we celebrate the decade-plus effort spent working with Electric Boat on the design of this new class of submarine as we formally transition from design to material procurement and now to construction execution.”

Newport News is a major contractor and shipbuilding partner in the Columbia-class program and is performing advance construction activities under a contract the shipyard received from General Dynamics Electric Boat. The Columbia-class boats will replace the fleet of Ohio-class nuclear ballistic submarines. Newport News is starting its work three weeks ahead of schedule to support its advance construction efforts.

Good news. Our Military was neglected during the last couple of administrations - time to build back our strength.

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