All Things Russia & Ukraine

[jhu72]

What did the CIA, NSA & FBI dig up on Clinton ?

The FBI? Tons. All of it legal, apparently. Clinton's business partners? Indictments for fraud, bribery, and tax evasion. Remember how super cool everyone thought it was when Slick Willie pardoned some of them?

And the NSA and CIA would've been all over it if Whitewater was in Russia. Maybe Trump should stick to Arkansas for his hotels, eh?

You have to laugh at the current "victims" railing against the congress for issuing 80 odd subpoenas. Whitewater, it was over 1000.

[jhu72]

With allies like Germany, who needs enemies :

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthomp ... 860488bba3

Germany's policy decisions are hastening the decline of NATO.

Germany is the linchpin of NATO, a country that because of its history, location and economic strength is central to the integrity of the Atlantic alliance. But the president has good reason to wonder whether Berlin cares as much about collective security as Washington does. Here are five examples of why the White House is right to wonder.

Not bearing the burden. At $4 trillion, Germany’s economy is a fifth the size of America’s. But Germany’s military budget isn’t a fifth of America’s military spending. It isn’t even a tenth. In recent years Berlin has spent 1.1% of its GDP on defense compared with over 3% for the U.S. Under prodding from Trump, the Germans have agreed to raise their defense budget by several billion dollars this year, to 1.3% of GDP. But NATO members have supposedly committed to reaching 2% by 2024, and the German government says it isn’t likely to get above 1.5% in that year—even though chancellor Angela Merkel agrees this raises doubts about “Germany’s credibility.”

Not ready for a war. Berlin says it can’t sensibly spend much more than it already plans for military forces. But German media have repeatedly documented the depressed state of readiness in those forces. For instance, Der Spiegel reported last year that only four of Germany’s 128 Eurofighter Typhoons were ready for combat. The country is supposed to maintain 82 fighters in a high state of readiness to meet alliance commitments. Other reports have noted that only one of the country’s submarines can deploy on short notice; that most of Germany’s tanks are in a low state of readiness; and that barely a quarter of its nuclear-capable Tornado tactical aircraft are operational. Obviously, Berlin isn’t expecting a war anytime soon.

Turning to Russia for energy. Germany obtains about 40% of the natural gas it consumes from Russia. A Baltic pipeline called Nord Stream 2 will double the potential for Russian imports. NATO and European Union countries alike have objected to building the new pipeline, but Berlin has been adamant about proceeding even though there are other sources for Germany’s energy needs. Washington’s complaints that greater dependence on Russian gas will strengthen Moscow’s hand in a future east-west confrontation have gone unheeded. As the respected British publication The Economist observed in a February 16 editorial, “The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline is a Russian trap and Germany has fallen into it.”

Turning to China for technology. Germany missed the boat on high-speed internet, so now it is trying to catch up. But despite warnings from Washington and other allied capitals, Berlin is signaling it will allow China’s state-influenced Huawei to play a major part in building out the country’s 5G mobile network. Chinese telecom companies are required by law to assist the state in pursuit of security objectives, and U.S. intelligence has long feared that Huawei equipment might be used to compromise Western security—for example by collecting sensitive information. By embracing Huawei, Berlin is legitimizing use of the suspect company’s technology in other European countries, potentially a big blow to alliance security.

Putting politics above capability. Given Germany’s low level of military spending, you might think the defense ministry works hard to spend every euro wisely. Well, guess again. Two months ago, Berlin inexplicably decided to exclude America’s F-35 fighter from the competition to replace aging Tornado fighter bombers—even though it is the most capable aircraft for continuing Tornado’s “dual-key” nuclear mission, and even though many of Germany’s allies have elected to replace their own Cold War fighters with F-35. The hinted reason is that picking an American plane might undermine Franco-German plans to field a new fighter in the 2040s. But kicking F-35 out of the competition will undermine NATO’s deterrent posture and interoperability so much that war is more likely to occur before the envisioned future plane ever flies.

So President Trump has good reason to question whether Washington should continue counting on NATO to secure America’s overseas interests. The alliance’s most important European member often seems to be missing in action. It is not hard to understand why Germans are uncomfortable with military spending, but how many of them grasp that Washington is postured to put America’s survival at risk in support of their freedom in a future war? Much of America’s military planning and expenditure revolves around being able to defend German borders in an east-west conflict. If Berlin doesn’t start showing more concern for the risks its policies present to U.S. combatants and noncombatants in a future conflict, it is inevitable that President Trump’s criticisms will win a growing audience on this side of the ocean.

... and none of this is a reaction to recent "Trumpnista" behavior. Nope not a bit.

[runrussellrun]

What did the CIA, NSA & FBI dig up on Clinton ?

The FBI? Tons. All of it legal, apparently. Clinton's business partners? Indictments for fraud, bribery, and tax evasion. Remember how super cool everyone thought it was when Slick Willie pardoned some of them?

And the NSA and CIA would've been all over it if Whitewater was in Russia. Maybe Trump should stick to Arkansas for his hotels, eh?

You have to laugh at the current "victims" railing against the congress for issuing 80 odd subpoenas. Whitewater, it was over 1000.

So what

[old salt]

... and none of this is a reaction to recent "Trumpnista" behavior. Nope not a bit.

How would any of that be a reaction to Trump ? It's the result of decisions Germany made while Obama was POTUS. Trump's just calling them out of it.

Germany did not decide to become more dependent on Russian natural gas or cancel their nuc power plants, or fail to meet the NATO goal of 2 % of GDP on defense, because Trump became President, or because of his rhetoric.

The fact that they go ahead with Nordstream 2, give China a portal into NATO via Huawei 5G, & pass up the F-35 when there's no Franco-German alternative in the air yet, all demonstrates their unreliability as an ally & their willingness to undermine NATO unity for their own economic considerations. The F-35 is operational. Our other NATO allies are taking delivery. The Germans are retiring their Tornados without a replacement.

They are doing far more to bolster Russia & undermine NATO than Trump's critics attribute to him.
The EUroburghers are all for NATO solidarity, so long as they get a free ride.

The decision for Germany & France to develop their own joint 5th gen strike aircraft is a blow to NATO solidarity. F-35C's could immediately start flying from Frances aircraft carrier & immediately replace Germany's aging Typhoons & worn out Tornados. They'd seamlessly integrate with the F-35s being procured by the rest of their NATO allies.
https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/com ... operation/

[runrussellrun]

... and none of this is a reaction to recent "Trumpnista" behavior. Nope not a bit.

How would any of that be a reaction to Trump ? It's the result of decisions Germany made while Obama was POTUS. Trump's just calling them out of it.

Germany did not decide to become more dependent on Russian natural gas or cancel their nuc power plants, or fail to meet the NATO goal of 2 % of GDP on defense, because Trump became President, or because of his rhetoric.

The fact that they go ahead with Nordstream 2, give China a portal into NATO via Huawei 5G, & pass up the F-35 when there's no Franco-German alternative in the air yet, all demonstrates their unreliability as an ally & their willingness to undermine NATO unity for their own economic considerations. The F-35 is operational. Our other NATO allies are taking delivery. The Germans are retiring their Tornados without a replacement.

They are doing far more to bolster Russia & undermine NATO than Trump's critics attribute to him.
The EUroburghers are all for NATO solidarity, so long as they get a free ride.

F 35 is operational

Like saying no one got, gets, rich from making these useless jets. Not a dime.....

[dislaxxic]

What did the CIA, NSA & FBI dig up on Clinton ?

The FBI? Tons. All of it legal, apparently. Clinton's business partners? Indictments for fraud, bribery, and tax evasion. Remember how super cool everyone thought it was when Slick Willie pardoned some of them?

And the NSA and CIA would've been all over it if Whitewater was in Russia. Maybe Trump should stick to Arkansas for his hotels, eh?

You have to laugh at the current "victims" railing against the congress for issuing 80 odd subpoenas. Whitewater, it was over 1000.

So what

So What? How bout it proves, once again, that taNOTats...

[old salt]

... and none of this is a reaction to recent "Trumpnista" behavior. Nope not a bit.

How would any of that be a reaction to Trump ? It's the result of decisions Germany made while Obama was POTUS. Trump's just calling them out of it.

Germany did not decide to become more dependent on Russian natural gas or cancel their nuc power plants, or fail to meet the NATO goal of 2 % of GDP on defense, because Trump became President, or because of his rhetoric.

The fact that they go ahead with Nordstream 2, give China a portal into NATO via Huawei 5G, & pass up the F-35 when there's no Franco-German alternative in the air yet, all demonstrates their unreliability as an ally & their willingness to undermine NATO unity for their own economic considerations. The F-35 is operational. Our other NATO allies are taking delivery. The Germans are retiring their Tornados without a replacement.

They are doing far more to bolster Russia & undermine NATO than Trump's critics attribute to him.
The EUroburghers are all for NATO solidarity, so long as they get a free ride.

F 35 is operational

Like saying no one got, gets, rich from making these useless jets. Not a dime.....

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/27/politics ... index.html

The US military's F-35B joint strike fighter conducted its first-ever airstrike on Thursday (27 Sep 2018), according to the US Marine Corps and three US defense officials.

The strike took place in Afghanistan against a fixed Taliban target. The aircraft involved were the US Marine Corps' variant of the aircraft flying from the USS Essex amphibious assault ship.
The Marines confirmed the strike in a statement: "During this mission the F-35B conducted an air strike in support of ground clearance operations, and the strike was deemed successful by the ground force commander."
The F-35 stealth jet has been called the most expensive weapons system in history, and its development was beset by multiple delays before it was deemed combat ready.
It is touted as the future of military aviation: a lethal and versatile aircraft that combines stealth capabilities, supersonic speed, extreme agility and state-of-the-art sensor fusion technology, according to Lockheed Martin, the plane's primary contractor.
The F-35B is one of three variants of the F-35 aircraft and the only one with the ability to land vertically like a helicopter. It can also take off in a much shorter space than other fighter jets. The Marine Corps variant was the first to be designated combat ready.

url=https://www.defensenews.com/digital-sho ... eployment/

02-05-18 : First USAF F-35A operational deployment
It’s been about three months since more than 300 airmen relocated from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to Japan for the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing model’s first-ever stint in the Asia-Pacific. The first of 12 jets arrived at Kadena in late October for a six-month deployment — the longest period the 34th Fighter Squadron has spent away from home.

Although the Lockheed Martin-manufactured jets haven’t made a lot of news since their arrival in Japan, the pace of operations has been relentless.

[runrussellrun]

What did the CIA, NSA & FBI dig up on Clinton ?

The FBI? Tons. All of it legal, apparently. Clinton's business partners? Indictments for fraud, bribery, and tax evasion. Remember how super cool everyone thought it was when Slick Willie pardoned some of them?

And the NSA and CIA would've been all over it if Whitewater was in Russia. Maybe Trump should stick to Arkansas for his hotels, eh?

You have to laugh at the current "victims" railing against the congress for issuing 80 odd subpoenas. Whitewater, it was over 1000.

So what

So What? How bout it proves, once again, that taNOTats...

you're talking about facts, right? (prove that 1000 people were subpoenaded )

Whitewater was pretty clear cut. Just like OJ.....people got off. btw, weren't YOU the one that said Congress can't prosecute, that is why Lizzie Warren never went after the wells fargo bad guys, like she said we should.
Not ONE person went to jail for the 2008/TARP shitstorm.......THAT is the taats I am talking about. When will we have the HOuse of Reps subpeona wells fargo? HSCB

exactly

[runrussellrun]

... and none of this is a reaction to recent "Trumpnista" behavior. Nope not a bit.

How would any of that be a reaction to Trump ? It's the result of decisions Germany made while Obama was POTUS. Trump's just calling them out of it.

Germany did not decide to become more dependent on Russian natural gas or cancel their nuc power plants, or fail to meet the NATO goal of 2 % of GDP on defense, because Trump became President, or because of his rhetoric.

The fact that they go ahead with Nordstream 2, give China a portal into NATO via Huawei 5G, & pass up the F-35 when there's no Franco-German alternative in the air yet, all demonstrates their unreliability as an ally & their willingness to undermine NATO unity for their own economic considerations. The F-35 is operational. Our other NATO allies are taking delivery. The Germans are retiring their Tornados without a replacement.

They are doing far more to bolster Russia & undermine NATO than Trump's critics attribute to him.
The EUroburghers are all for NATO solidarity, so long as they get a free ride.

F 35 is operational

Like saying no one got, gets, rich from making these useless jets. Not a dime.....

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/27/politics ... index.html

The US military's F-35B joint strike fighter conducted its first-ever airstrike on Thursday (27 Sep 2018), according to the US Marine Corps and three US defense officials.

The strike took place in Afghanistan against a fixed Taliban target. The aircraft involved were the US Marine Corps' variant of the aircraft flying from the USS Essex amphibious assault ship.
The Marines confirmed the strike in a statement: "During this mission the F-35B conducted an air strike in support of ground clearance operations, and the strike was deemed successful by the ground force commander."
The F-35 stealth jet has been called the most expensive weapons system in history, and its development was beset by multiple delays before it was deemed combat ready.
It is touted as the future of military aviation: a lethal and versatile aircraft that combines stealth capabilities, supersonic speed, extreme agility and state-of-the-art sensor fusion technology, according to Lockheed Martin, the plane's primary contractor.
The F-35B is one of three variants of the F-35 aircraft and the only one with the ability to land vertically like a helicopter. It can also take off in a much shorter space than other fighter jets. The Marine Corps variant was the first to be designated combat ready.

How is it's carbon footprint? Is THIS the part of the US Govt. that is going down b/c of that climate change lawsuit (Juliana vs USA ) Any TAATS vote YES to allow this joke of a plane to be built? In other words, did any Democrats, you know, Strong ON duhfense types........vote to build the thing. How about selling it to other countries. Any Democrats vote YES to sell f-35's to house of saud.

where is my reality mirror.....it's making me crazy

[old salt]

Cold War -- for fun & profit.

Washington Examiner -- Jamie McIntyre's Daily Defense Newsletter :

TOP NATO COMMANDER WANTS MORE TROOPS, SHIPS:

In his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe and U.S. European Command head Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said he needs more troops and warships to counter the growing threat from Russia.

“Russia has continued its reemergence as a strategic competitor and remains the primary threat to a stable Euro-Atlantic security environment,” said Scaparrotti. “While the United States maintains a global military superiority over Russia, evolving Russian capabilities threaten to erode our competitive military advantage, challenge our ability to operate uncontested in all domains, and diminish our ability to deter Russian aggression.”

In response to a question from Chairman James Inhofe, Scaparrotti said he was “not comfortable” with the current “deterrent posture” in Europe, citing “shortfalls” in land and maritime components and noting a particular need for more ISR, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capacity. “In light of Russia's modernizing, increasingly aggressive force posture, EUCOM recommends augmenting our assigned and rotational forces to enhance our deterrence posture.”

“I've asked for two more destroyers within EUCOM,” Scaparotti said at one point. “If we want to remain dominant in the maritime domain and particularly undersea, which we are today, we've got to continue to modernize.”

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/20 ... er-russia/

Scaparotti said he has requested two more destroyers for Naval Station Rota, Spain, where the U.S. Navy has four Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyers, which carry the Aegis weapon system. He said he needed better numbers and capabilities, “to stay head of, frankly, the modernization we see in Russia’s maritime forces.”

The guided-missile destroyer Donald Cook this week departed the Black Sea — one of two such deployments there since the Russian seizure of three Ukrainian vessels and arrest of 24 sailors in late November at the Kerch Strait.

Scaparrotti’s needs in 2018 included an armored division with a full combat aviation brigade, long-range artillery, engineers and sustainment brigades, as well as guided missile destroyers, a carrier strike group, and attack submarines.

On land, Scaparrotti said Tuesday he needed “greater capability … with my enablers,” and in the air, he was looking forward to the use of fifth-generation aircraft, as well as bombers, both to deter Russia and to be ready. “I’m looking forward to those being stationed permanently, in some numbers, in Europe as well,” he said.

Scaparrotti acknowledged strides over the last three years. There were three carrier-strike deployments — once to the High North for the first time in 20 years — and the U.S. has overcome logistical hurdles to move its forces around the continent.

“Three years ago, we were moving one brigade at a time, and challenged. A month ago, I moved four brigades — two armored, two [combat aviation brigades] — simultaneously. That’s progress,” he said.

The request comes as U.S. European Command has been scrambling to get naval capability since the U.S. Navy cut way back on its deployments there to focus on the Middle East and Pacific, according to Mark Cancian, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“Destroyers can also provide missile defense. Four are now stationed at Rota, Spain, for that purpose, but the Navy wants to pull those out and use them elsewhere. So Scaparrotti is, in effect, arguing against the chief of naval operations,” Cancian said.

The U.S. Army has been rotating more troops through Germany and Eastern Europe, and Scaparrotti could have been expected to ask for the permanent stationing of an armored brigade in Europe.

Last year’s request for a full armored division, “would be a big ask,” as the Pentagon is trying to limit deployments, Cancian said, adding: “The administration does not want such a big force structure ask because it is constraining force expansion in order to fund modernization."

[old salt]

Whoa ! Trump to allies -- pay up, or our troops, ships & planes are comin' home.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... u-s-troops

https://www.stripes.com/news/trump-want ... s-1.571839

[old salt]

Whoa ! Trump to allies -- pay up, or our troops, ships & planes are comin' home.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... u-s-troops

https://www.stripes.com/news/trump-want ... s-1.571839

The case for US military bases overseas

This smells like more Trump transactional bargaining. To get Germany & other EU/NATO members to provide peace keepers for Syria & to prompt S Korea to go along with him in the lead in denuc negotiations with Kim.

He just leveraged trade concessions with S Korea. He might be looking for the same from Japan & the EU.

IMHO, it would be a mistake to give up our overseas bases (right now), but it will be a good thing if we can get our allies to share more of the costs & contribute more to the common defense effort.

[old salt]

Whoa ! Trump to allies -- pay up, or our troops, ships & planes are comin' home.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... u-s-troops

https://www.stripes.com/news/trump-want ... s-1.571839

The case for US military bases overseas

This smells like more Trump transactional bargaining. To get Germany & other EU/NATO members to provide peace keepers for Syria & to prompt S Korea to follow his lead in the denuc negotiations with Kim.

He just leveraged trade concessions with S Korea. He might be looking for the same from Japan & the EU.

IMHO, it would be a mistake to give up our overseas bases (right now), but it will be a good thing if we can get our allies to share more of the costs & contribute more to the common defense effort.

[dislaxxic]

A lot of people believe that, absent proof that Trump benefited from entering a conspiracy to help get elected, it absolves him of guilt. That's not how criminal conspiracy law works.

"If you sign up for a deal and take steps to make good on it — as Don Jr did on June 9, 2016 and Paul Manafort appears to have done on August 2, 2016 and Mike Flynn appears to have done, on Trump’s behalf, on December 29, 2016 — then it doesn’t matter if the partner to that deal [forks] you over later in the process. And, after all, the Russians did continue to supply Trump with a steady supply of dirt on Hillary Clinton all through the election. They got Trump elected, or at least did what they could to help, even if that payoff wasn’t the one Trump was most interested in.

Do you think Oleg Deripaska, a key player in both the deal-making and likely in the cover-up of it, gives a [shirt] if Paul Manafort — who had screwed Deripaska over years earlier — had his life ruined as part of the process of compromising a President and getting sanctions relief? My suspicion is we’ll learn that Deripaska actually magnified Manafort’s hurt, once he had gotten him to compromise himself and the campaign.

Do you think Putin really cares whether Trump — to say nothing of the United States — benefits from the stupid choices Trump made during the election? Putin — a far better “deal” maker than Trump — got a win-win either way: Either Trump succeeded in compromising America’s rule of law in an effort to squelch any investigation into what happened, robbing the United States of the claim to idealism that so irks the master kleptocrat, Putin, or Trump would spend his Administration desperately trying to find a way out, all the while Putin connives Trump into dismantling the alliances that keep Russia in check.

And, too, Putin’s election year operation exacerbated the polarization between Democrats and Republicans such that most Republicans and a goodly number of Democrats have been unable to step back and say, holy [shirt], this country got attacked and we need to come together to do something about it. Trump’s win got Republicans to fear Trump’s base so much that they care more about those fevered hordes than doing what is right for this country. And Democrats rightly want to punish Trump for cheating, but haven’t thought about what a least-damaging off-ramp for that cheater might look like."

..

[old salt]

A lot of people believe that, absent proof that Trump benefited from entering a conspiracy to help get elected, it absolves him of guilt. That's not how criminal conspiracy law works.

"If you sign up for a deal and take steps to make good on it — as Don Jr did on June 9, 2016 and Paul Manafort appears to have done on August 2, 2016 and Mike Flynn appears to have done, on Trump’s behalf, on December 29, 2016 — then it doesn’t matter if the partner to that deal [forks] you over later in the process. And, after all, the Russians did continue to supply Trump with a steady supply of dirt on Hillary Clinton all through the election. They got Trump elected, or at least did what they could to help, even if that payoff wasn’t the one Trump was most interested in.

Do you think Oleg Deripaska, a key player in both the deal-making and likely in the cover-up of it, gives a [shirt] if Paul Manafort — who had screwed Deripaska over years earlier — had his life ruined as part of the process of compromising a President and getting sanctions relief? My suspicion is we’ll learn that Deripaska actually magnified Manafort’s hurt, once he had gotten him to compromise himself and the campaign.

Do you think Putin really cares whether Trump — to say nothing of the United States — benefits from the stupid choices Trump made during the election? Putin — a far better “deal” maker than Trump — got a win-win either way: Either Trump succeeded in compromising America’s rule of law in an effort to squelch any investigation into what happened, robbing the United States of the claim to idealism that so irks the master kleptocrat, Putin, or Trump would spend his Administration desperately trying to find a way out, all the while Putin connives Trump into dismantling the alliances that keep Russia in check.

And, too, Putin’s election year operation exacerbated the polarization between Democrats and Republicans such that most Republicans and a goodly number of Democrats have been unable to step back and say, holy [shirt], this country got attacked and we need to come together to do something about it. Trump’s win got Republicans to fear Trump’s base so much that they care more about those fevered hordes than doing what is right for this country. And Democrats rightly want to punish Trump for cheating, but haven’t thought about what a least-damaging off-ramp for that cheater might look like."

Memo to PottyMouthMarcie :

Manafort was an agent of Ukraine, not Russia

He is a scoundrel but was never a Kremlin operative.

Who needs direct evidence when you have innuendo & plausible guilt ?

[dislaxxic]

Marcie has the swears-like-a-sailor salty's number...you can tell by his responses.

..

[old salt]

Marcie has the swears-like-a-sailor salty's number...you can tell by his responses.

Sailors know how to swear in context, for effect.
PottyMouthMarcie's f-bombs are gratuitous & trying too hard.

[dislaxxic]

Sailor's are generally too chicken to put swear words in print, under their own names. I'd give her credit for that, not constantly denigrate her investigative and analytical skills. Anyone thinks she does it to give her doubters a wedge?

..

[Trinity]

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/nato-me ... sian-navy/

NATO member Turkey and Russians hold joint Naval exercise.

[old salt]

Cold War for fun & profit : (MSM's all in)

Report: Russia will meddle in European elections, keep prepping for war with NATO
In a conflict, Russia would likely hit the Baltic States first, but war between Russia and NATO would involve attacks on Western Europe, says a new report.

RUSSIA PREPARES FOR WAR WITH NATO AND STRIKES AGAINST WESTERN EUROPE, REPORT REVEALS