Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
some people say that British movie "Threads" was best ever movie about nuclear war. Some people even suggested that it should be obligatory for current politicians to watch it. Film was completely produced in Sheffield, UK, back in 1984.
View: https://youtu.be/b2_c2zaSDgU
View: https://youtu.be/b2_c2zaSDgU
nivek
As Above So Below
A nuclear wasteland that was once Ukraine dividing NATO countries from Russian territory?...Would or could Russians live with that?...As you stated, no expansion eastward but NATO did it anyway...Maybe Russia is setting the stage for the West to deplete their stockpiles of ammunition and weapons, wasting them on Ukraine for a bigger objective or goal?...
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nivek
As Above So Below
Wagner rebel Prigozhin will never be seen again after his botched coup and is either dead or in one of Putin's gulags, says ex US General
Retired General Robert Abrams (left), who served as the commander of US Forces-Korea, said that Prigozhin is most likely dead and will likely never be seen again publicly. He told ABC News : 'I think he'll either be put in hiding or sent to prison or dealt with some other way, but I doubt we'll ever see him again.' Prigozhin used to be one of Putin's trusted confidants but had evolved into a potent threat, reaching its peak with the attempted mutiny (right). The alleged meeting between Putin and Prigozhin afterwards was 'highly staged', Abrams suggested and added: 'I'd be surprised if we actually see proof of life that Putin met Prigozhin.' Prigozhin reportedly left Russia to live in exile in Belarus after the failed coup last month but hasn't been seen since.
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Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
Problem with Russia is really structural.
60% of Russian business are large Soviet conglomerates that are now owned by the same people who were once communists and once run Soviet system, who make around 1.6% of Russia's population. What happened was that Jeltzin made a law that factory managers got 60% shares and workers got 40% of Soviet business during the transition. Then managers, who now owned 60% of shares, coerced workers to surrendering 40% of shares by simply threatening them that they'll be fired if not giving shares for cheap. Workers who lived day by day in a uncertain economic times really had no incentive to hold on to the shares.
Essentially it was a change without a change. Putin is simply chosen to protect and extend the old Soviet system. That is why Russian politics is so similar to old Soviet politics.
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AD1184
Celestial
There are many good reasons not to start using nuclear weapons, even if we dismiss the idea of any concern Putin may have over using them for their direct effects (large and indiscriminate loss of life). For one, Russia will likely lose what international support it has, and will push many of the fence-sitters to the side of Ukraine in their sympathies. China, Russia's most important ally, is firm that it has a doctrine of not using nuclear weapons unless under nuclear attack. If Russia used nuclear weapons pre-emptively, the Chinese are not likely to look favourably upon it.
Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
That's a good answer.
I think as well nukes are really ineffective for fighting over very spread frontlines. One video on YT was showing that one needs 100 nukes to block advance of just one modern brigade. Like a "normal' tactical nuke will only make mechanical damage in a radius of about 100-200m. That's nothing on a frontline stretching hundreds of kilometres, with depth of 20-30 km. So, using just 2-3 nukes will produce no effect, while using hundreds of nukes would rise a hell on earth and probably start WWIII.
nivek
As Above So Below
Biden sends additional 3,000 reserve troops to Europe after vowing to defend 'every inch' of NATO territory
President Joe Biden authorized the Pentagon to dispatch an additional 3,000 reserve troops to bolster European security, amid his return from a trip to NATO's eastern flank where he vowed to protect 'every inch' of NATO territory.The White House released the order Thursday, on a day Biden rapped up a meeting with Nordic allies in Helsinki including Finland, the newest member of the 31-country NATO alliance while Russia's war on Ukraine rages.
'I hereby determine that it is necessary to augment the active Armed Forces of the United States for the effective conduct of Operation Atlantic Resolve in and around the United States European Command’s area of responsibility,' Biden said in a statement released by the White House.
The units being deployed can't exceed 3,000, and not more than 450 can be members of the Individual Ready Reserve, according to the order.
(More on the link)
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nivek
As Above So Below
Putin says he does not reject starting peace talks with Ukraine - as Moscow is hit by drone strike that damages buildings close to the Kremlin and closes Russian airspace
Vladimir Putin has said he does not reject the idea of peace talks with Ukraine as the Russian capital has been hit by a three-drone attack.The Russian President said yesterday that an African initiative could be a basis for peace in Ukraine, but argued it was hard to implement a ceasefire when Kyiv was on the offensive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly rejected the idea of a ceasefire now as it would leave Russia in control of nearly a fifth of his country and give its forces time to regroup after 17 grinding months of war.
It comes a Russia's Defence Ministry said three Ukrainian drones attacked Moscow early this morning, injuring one person and prompting a temporary closure of one of four airports around the capital. Officials referred to the incident as an 'attempted terrorist attack by the Kyiv regime'.
The attack was the fourth such attempt at a strike on the capital region this month and the third this week, fuelling concerns about Moscow's vulnerability to attacks as the war in Ukraine drags on into its 18th month.
(More on the link)
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nivek
As Above So Below
Fears for Americans trapped in Niger as State Department issues emergency evacuation of embassy for some staff after French embassy was torn apart by rioters: Africa country in meltdown as politicians stoned and cars torched amid brutal military coup
The US has ordered the evacuation of some staff and families from its embassy in Niger as chaotic scenes emerge from the region in the wake of last week's coup.Politicians being stoned and beaten in the streets, luxury vehicles set ablaze and the flash of Russian flags among the scrum of demonstrators in the capital Niamey emphasize the fall of its former colonial power, France.
Niger is a key Western ally in a fight against Islamist insurgents with foreign powers condemning the coup - in fear it could allow the militants to gain ground.
'Today, we ordered the temporary departure of non-emergency personnel and eligible family members from Niger,' tweeted Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
'The U.S. is committed to our relationship with the people of Niger. The embassy remains open, and our leaders are diplomatically engaged at the highest levels.
Speaking to the Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, Blinken tweeted just hours later to reiterate the United States' commitment to the restoration of 'Niger's democratically-elected government.'
The decision was made 'out of an abundance of caution,' State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in the announcement.
Scenes of the coup ripping apart the capital have flood social media in the wake of the vicious takeover.
(More on the link)
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pigfarmer
tall, thin, irritable
Russian, Chinese Warships Operated Near Alaska, Say Senators - USNI News
August 6, 2023 2:06 PM • Updated: August 6, 2023 9:33 PM
JSDF Image
A joint Russian and Chinese flotilla sailed near Alaska and the Aleutian Islands earlier this week, two Alaska lawmakers said on Sunday.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said in a joint statement on Saturday that they were given a detailed briefing on the joint flotilla and said it included eleven ships.
The pair confirmed that four U.S. Navy destroyers, along with a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, had been dispatched to the location of the flotilla. The Russian-Chinese flotilla did not enter U.S. territory, a defense official told USNI News.
USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), USS Benfold (DDG-65), USS USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) and USS John Finn (DDG-113) were assigned to monitor the formation, according to a Saturday report in The Wall Street Journal.
Benfold and John Finn are both assigned to the forward-deployed and Japan-based Destroyer Squadron 15 (DESRON 15) and have been shadowing the Russian-Chinese flotilla, with U.S. Defense Department images showing the two destroyers operating in the North Pacific Ocean since July 31. Before that Benfold was in the Philippine Sea on July 29.
Operations Specialist Seaman Apprentice Haroldvon Liddell, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Operations Specialist 2nd Class Austin Kurschinski, from Temecula, California, conduct surface warfare supervisor training in the combat information center aboard the Arleigh-Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) on July 28, 2023. US Navy Photo
Benfold conducted a replenishment at sea exercise the day before in the Philippine Sea with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) fleet oiler JS Tokiwa (AOE-423), while John Finn made a port call to Sasebo, Japan on July 28 to refuel and supply.
The joint Russian-Chinese flotilla left Vladivostok on July 27 and patrolled near Japan and subsequently sailed through La Perouse Strait from the Sea of Japan to the Sea of Okhotsk over July 28 to 29. Ten of the ships are Russian Navy destroyers RFS Admiral Panteleyev (548) and RFS Admiral Tributs (564); corvettes RFS Gremyashchiy (337) and RFS Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov (339; and fleet tanker Pechenga, while the PLAN ships are Chinese destroyers CNS Guiyang (119) and CNS Qiqihar (121); frigates CNS Zaozhuang (542) and CNS Rizhao (598); and fleet oiler CNS Taihu (889), USNI News previously reported.
The statement from the Alaska lawmakers said the flotilla included 11 ships.
“This is a stark reminder of Alaska’s proximity to both China and Russia, as well as the essential role our state plays in our national defense and territorial sovereignty. Incursions like this are why we are working so hard to secure funding and resources to expand our military’s capacity and capabilities in Alaska, and why our colleagues must join us in supporting those investments,” reads the release.
There has been no information released on the identities of the 11 ships. The 11th ship is possibly a Russian Navy ship operating in those waters, though it could also be a PLAN ship on an independent deployment or a Russian or Chinese survey ship operating in the Bering Sea.
“The incursion by 11 Chinese and Russian warships operating together – off the coast of Alaska – is yet another reminder that we have entered a new era of authoritarian aggression led by the dictators in Beijing and Moscow,” Sullivan said in the statement.
“In recognition of this reality and our state’s unrivaled strategic location, for years, I’ve been pressing the Navy and each successive administration to commit to a greater Naval, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps presence in Alaska, more Arctic-capable vessels, and more infrastructure to host these assets, like the deep-water port of Nome.
Sullivan praised the Navy’s response to the current situation.
“Last summer the Chinese and Russian navies conducted a similar operation off the coast of Alaska. Given that our response was tepid, I strongly encouraged senior military leaders to be ready with a much more robust response should such another joint Chinese/Russian naval operation occur off our coast. For that reason, I was heartened to see that this latest incursion was met with four U.S. Navy destroyers, which sends a strong message to Xi Jinping and Putin that the United States will not hesitate to protect and defend our vital national interests in Alaska,” he said.
A Friday news release by Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the flotilla was currently in the Bering Sea. “The ships’ crews have already passed the Sea of Japan, La Pérouse Strait, the Sea of Okhotsk and Kamchatka Strait. Seamen of the two countries have practiced joint tactical maneuvering, conducted communications training and carried out helicopter landings and take-offs from the decks of each other’s ships.In total, the squadron has passed more than 2,300 nautical miles since the start of the patrol,” reads the release.
The statement also said that a joint anti-submarine exercise took place in the south-western part of the Bering Sea, with a mock submarine target successfully detected and subsequently destroyed by anti-submarine rockets. China’s Ministry of National Defense has been largely silent on the joint patrol, only issuing a statement on July 26 saying that Chinese and Russian naval vessels were set to hold a third joint maritime patrol in the western and northern waters of the Pacific Ocean. “This operation does not target any third party, and has nothing to do with the current international and regional situation,” reads the statement.
https://news.usni.org/2023/07/31/jo...tions-begin-for-crashed-australian-helicopter
Russian, Chinese Warships Operated Near Alaska, Say Senators
By: Dzirhan MahadzirAugust 6, 2023 2:06 PM • Updated: August 6, 2023 9:33 PM
JSDF Image
A joint Russian and Chinese flotilla sailed near Alaska and the Aleutian Islands earlier this week, two Alaska lawmakers said on Sunday.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said in a joint statement on Saturday that they were given a detailed briefing on the joint flotilla and said it included eleven ships.
The pair confirmed that four U.S. Navy destroyers, along with a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, had been dispatched to the location of the flotilla. The Russian-Chinese flotilla did not enter U.S. territory, a defense official told USNI News.
USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), USS Benfold (DDG-65), USS USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) and USS John Finn (DDG-113) were assigned to monitor the formation, according to a Saturday report in The Wall Street Journal.
Benfold and John Finn are both assigned to the forward-deployed and Japan-based Destroyer Squadron 15 (DESRON 15) and have been shadowing the Russian-Chinese flotilla, with U.S. Defense Department images showing the two destroyers operating in the North Pacific Ocean since July 31. Before that Benfold was in the Philippine Sea on July 29.
Operations Specialist Seaman Apprentice Haroldvon Liddell, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Operations Specialist 2nd Class Austin Kurschinski, from Temecula, California, conduct surface warfare supervisor training in the combat information center aboard the Arleigh-Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) on July 28, 2023. US Navy Photo
Benfold conducted a replenishment at sea exercise the day before in the Philippine Sea with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) fleet oiler JS Tokiwa (AOE-423), while John Finn made a port call to Sasebo, Japan on July 28 to refuel and supply.
The joint Russian-Chinese flotilla left Vladivostok on July 27 and patrolled near Japan and subsequently sailed through La Perouse Strait from the Sea of Japan to the Sea of Okhotsk over July 28 to 29. Ten of the ships are Russian Navy destroyers RFS Admiral Panteleyev (548) and RFS Admiral Tributs (564); corvettes RFS Gremyashchiy (337) and RFS Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov (339; and fleet tanker Pechenga, while the PLAN ships are Chinese destroyers CNS Guiyang (119) and CNS Qiqihar (121); frigates CNS Zaozhuang (542) and CNS Rizhao (598); and fleet oiler CNS Taihu (889), USNI News previously reported.
The statement from the Alaska lawmakers said the flotilla included 11 ships.
“This is a stark reminder of Alaska’s proximity to both China and Russia, as well as the essential role our state plays in our national defense and territorial sovereignty. Incursions like this are why we are working so hard to secure funding and resources to expand our military’s capacity and capabilities in Alaska, and why our colleagues must join us in supporting those investments,” reads the release.
There has been no information released on the identities of the 11 ships. The 11th ship is possibly a Russian Navy ship operating in those waters, though it could also be a PLAN ship on an independent deployment or a Russian or Chinese survey ship operating in the Bering Sea.
“The incursion by 11 Chinese and Russian warships operating together – off the coast of Alaska – is yet another reminder that we have entered a new era of authoritarian aggression led by the dictators in Beijing and Moscow,” Sullivan said in the statement.
“In recognition of this reality and our state’s unrivaled strategic location, for years, I’ve been pressing the Navy and each successive administration to commit to a greater Naval, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps presence in Alaska, more Arctic-capable vessels, and more infrastructure to host these assets, like the deep-water port of Nome.
Sullivan praised the Navy’s response to the current situation.
“Last summer the Chinese and Russian navies conducted a similar operation off the coast of Alaska. Given that our response was tepid, I strongly encouraged senior military leaders to be ready with a much more robust response should such another joint Chinese/Russian naval operation occur off our coast. For that reason, I was heartened to see that this latest incursion was met with four U.S. Navy destroyers, which sends a strong message to Xi Jinping and Putin that the United States will not hesitate to protect and defend our vital national interests in Alaska,” he said.
A Friday news release by Russia’s Ministry of Defense said the flotilla was currently in the Bering Sea. “The ships’ crews have already passed the Sea of Japan, La Pérouse Strait, the Sea of Okhotsk and Kamchatka Strait. Seamen of the two countries have practiced joint tactical maneuvering, conducted communications training and carried out helicopter landings and take-offs from the decks of each other’s ships.In total, the squadron has passed more than 2,300 nautical miles since the start of the patrol,” reads the release.
The statement also said that a joint anti-submarine exercise took place in the south-western part of the Bering Sea, with a mock submarine target successfully detected and subsequently destroyed by anti-submarine rockets. China’s Ministry of National Defense has been largely silent on the joint patrol, only issuing a statement on July 26 saying that Chinese and Russian naval vessels were set to hold a third joint maritime patrol in the western and northern waters of the Pacific Ocean. “This operation does not target any third party, and has nothing to do with the current international and regional situation,” reads the statement.
https://news.usni.org/2023/07/31/jo...tions-begin-for-crashed-australian-helicopter
Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
Leopard tanks withdrawn from front-line in Ukraine, due to large losses and maintenance issues:
View: https://youtu.be/fdE1pvMEHUI
View: https://youtu.be/fdE1pvMEHUI
Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
And then we woke up:
Ukrainians are admitting to large losses, Western equipment isn't enough, Russian economy is shaken, but it hasn't collapsed. Hopefully all that will lead realists to peace talk table by winter time.
Ukrainians are admitting to large losses, Western equipment isn't enough, Russian economy is shaken, but it hasn't collapsed. Hopefully all that will lead realists to peace talk table by winter time.
nivek
As Above So Below
Biden administration has given $2.35 BILLION to the Taliban since the withdrawal: Damning report reveals huge wastes in taxpayers funds after 20 years in Afghanistan
Since the fall of Afghanistan, the U.S. has forked over funds to groups under the brutal Taliban regime to the tune of $2.35 billion.That's according to a new report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), released to the public on Tuesday. Another $1.7 billion 'remained available for possible disbursement' at the time of the report, dated July 30.
The report was made public as the U.S. approaches the two-year anniversary of the frenzied withdrawal.
The total amount of money appropriated for 'reconstruction and related activities' since 2002 dwarfs the figure from fiscal year 2022 and 2023. Over the past two decades, $147.06 billion in US funding has been appropriated to the war-torn Middle Eastern nation.
The funds that have been appropriated since the Taliban takeover in 2021 flow through non-governmental organizations and other groups working on reconstruction projects. But with the Taliban wielding control over nearly every sector of the economy, it's more than likely a portion of those coffers have ended up in their hands.
In April SIGAR head John Sopko told the House Foreign Affairs Committee he 'cannot assure this committee or the American taxpayer we are not currently funding the Taliban.'
Sopko also said the Biden administration had stonewalled his probe and refused to hand over documents to track the flow of cash under the Taliban.
The report cited another analysis from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) that found the Taliban views aid, particularly that from the United Nations (UN), as a 'revenue stream.'
The Taliban are 'pushing for ever-increasing degrees of credit and control over the delivery of aid from the UN,' the report found.
'According to multiple UN officials across different agencies, the Taliban have effectively infiltrated and influenced most UN-managed assistance programming,' it said.
(More on the link)
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nivek
As Above So Below
Putin's junkyard war machines: Russia 'deploys 1,500 rusting mothballed tanks from Siberian dump' after suffering huge losses in Ukraine
Some 1,570 rusting war machines have been moved from their Siberian dump and restored to service for the Russian president's war against Ukraine, say reports. More than 40 per cent of the 3,840 tanks and military vehicles shown on satellite pictures from Google Earth at Vagzhanovo military equipment depot before the war have now been taken out of storage, it is claimed. The site in the Buryatia republic is the largest in Russia covering five square miles. Footage shows repurposed antiquated tanks from storages like Vagzhanovo - of which there are several across Russia - being moved to the war zone by military train.
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Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
Russians destroy Ukrainian Leopards and Bradleys on mass with loitering munition called Lancet drones:
View: https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1059622988353901
View: https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1059622988353901
Dejan Corovic
As above, so bellow
Somewhat tragicomic, but widely criticized episode from Vietnam war, where US minister of defense Robert McNamara sent 100,000 low IQ people to war. This video goes into details of how project failed and its certainly a lesson for future:
View: https://youtu.be/_J2VwFDV4-g
View: https://youtu.be/_J2VwFDV4-g
nivek
As Above So Below
65 Afghan terrorists were let into US after Biden's withdrawal: Prisoner freed by the Taliban and men who planted IEDs got through dire vetting processes
Militants who left fingerprints on IEDs meant to kill Americans in Afghanistan and a prisoner freed by the Taliban were among more than 65 terrorists allowed into the United States after the catastrophic withdrawal. Most of them could still be roaming the country, and the government cannot track them down. The damning revelations made in a new book add to the laundry list of blunders from the Biden administration during and after the disastrous evacuation of Kabul in August 2021. It has been two years since the two weeks of carnage at Hamid Karzai International Airport that led to the deaths of 13 American service members, hundreds of Afghans, and thousands left behind. Yet the evidence of the U.S. government's disastrous handling of the departure of troops after 20 years and the evacuation of allies is still coming to light. Sixty-five individuals identified as 'national security risks' were granted entry into the U.S. in the 12 months after the withdrawal, Jerry Dunleavy and James Hasson write in Kabul: The Untold Story of Biden's Fiasco and the American Warriors Who Fought to the End .
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nivek
As Above So Below
Philadelphia teen accused of planning national terrorist attack
A Philadelphia teenager was plotting a national attack with members of the global terrorism group Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad, which is affiliated with Al Qaeda, and had access to a "significant" number of guns and was working on building a bomb, authorities said.The 17-year-old, who wasn't named during Monday's press conference, was arrested and faces a litany of charges, including possession of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.
He was in the process of building improvised explosive devices with several undisclosed targeted locations "that were not just in Philadelphia," FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire said during Monday's press conference.
"Most concerning was the evidence to his access to firearms and was purchasing items and materials commonly for constructing improvised explosive devices," Maguire said. "Among the items he purchased were tactical equipment, wiring, chemicals and devices often used as the detonators."
The purchases were made in the last couple of weeks, which quickly escalated this case, Maguire said.
Armored police vehicles and tactical teams swarmed the teenager's West Philadelphia home Friday.
The sprawling operation with FBI agents and heavily armed law enforcement closed off areas of the Wynnefield section of the city for parts of the weekend.
For almost 72 hours, it was officially described as a "court-authorized law enforcement activity" without providing any other details or context, which gave area residents a sense of unease.
Neighbors told ABC 6 that law enforcement officers were seen patrolling the area for weeks, even months, before swarming the home on Woodbine Avenue.
"The degree of the response, again I was out when it happened, but seeing the pictures, they had armored vehicles and so forth. Seems like the FBI was preparing to experience some violent response or something," David Hauck told the local news outlet.
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