All Things Russia & Ukraine

[ToastDunk]

Is there a point we should expect a statement from our President? Maybe strong words at the very least directed at the Russians? Something from the White House?

From our veteran friends here on the forum, does this have an impact on moral for those currently serving?

https://taskandpurpose.com/analysis/pen ... sion-syria

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-for ... e376a5831d

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/russian ... -maneuvers

[old salt]

Now we're flying B-52's over the Black Sea. This is unnecessarily provocative.
https://www.militarytimes.com/video/202 ... black-sea/
https://www.airforcemag.com/f-22s-inter ... rd%20Brief

[MDlaxfan76]

Now we're flying B-52's over the Black Sea. This is unnecessarily provocative.
https://www.militarytimes.com/video/202 ... black-sea/
https://www.airforcemag.com/f-22s-inter ... rd%20Brief

When have we not done so?
Serious question.

Is this a new thing? Or a longstanding practice?

[Peter Brown]

Now we're flying B-52's over the Black Sea. This is unnecessarily provocative.
https://www.militarytimes.com/video/202 ... black-sea/
https://www.airforcemag.com/f-22s-inter ... rd%20Brief

Dana Bash (CNN) asked Schiff if ‘Russia was behind American inner city violence’. Schiff, no friend of humility, could barely stop from laughing at the producer’s softball question.

Between Dana Bash and Claire McCaskill, as well as Malcolm Nance, are so beyond mentally damaged, that if you watch them and believe their idiocy, may god have mercy on your soul.

[old salt]

Now we're flying B-52's over the Black Sea. This is unnecessarily provocative.
https://www.militarytimes.com/video/202 ... black-sea/
https://www.airforcemag.com/f-22s-inter ... rd%20Brief

When have we not done so?
Serious question.

Is this a new thing? Or a longstanding practice?

I won't say it's never been done before, but I don't recall if/when we did it before.

[old salt]

Now we're flying B-52's over the Black Sea. This is unnecessarily provocative.
https://www.militarytimes.com/video/202 ... black-sea/
https://www.airforcemag.com/f-22s-inter ... rd%20Brief

When have we not done so?
Serious question.

Is this a new thing? Or a longstanding practice?

I won't say it's never been done before, but I don't recall if/when we did it before.

Update : found this
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2 ... 054a703608

apparently we did 2 similar probing missions in 2019 which included Black Sea legs

B-52 bombers train in Black Sea region in a message to Russiawww.businessinsider.com › defense-contributor › defense
Oct 24, 2019 - Two B-52H bombers flew from England to the Black Sea region on Monday to train with partners from Romania, Ukraine, and Georgia.

https://www.businessinsider.com/russian ... eas-2019-6
Russian fighter jets intercept B-52 bombers over Black, Balticwww.businessinsider.com › ... › Military & Defense
Jun 18, 2019 - US B-52 bombers flying from North Dakota cruised over the Baltic and Black Seas on Monday. It's rare to see B-52s over that part of the world, ...

.

[MDlaxfan76]

Now we're flying B-52's over the Black Sea. This is unnecessarily provocative.
https://www.militarytimes.com/video/202 ... black-sea/
https://www.airforcemag.com/f-22s-inter ... rd%20Brief

When have we not done so?
Serious question.

Is this a new thing? Or a longstanding practice?

I won't say it's never been done before, but I don't recall if/when we did it before.

Update : found this
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2 ... 054a703608

apparently we did 2 similar probing missions in 2019 which included Black Sea legs

B-52 bombers train in Black Sea region in a message to Russiawww.businessinsider.com › defense-contributor › defense
Oct 24, 2019 - Two B-52H bombers flew from England to the Black Sea region on Monday to train with partners from Romania, Ukraine, and Georgia.

https://www.businessinsider.com/russian ... eas-2019-6
Russian fighter jets intercept B-52 bombers over Black, Balticwww.businessinsider.com › ... › Military & Defense
Jun 18, 2019 - US B-52 bombers flying from North Dakota cruised over the Baltic and Black Seas on Monday. It's rare to see B-52s over that part of the world, ...

.

Thanks.
I would have assumed, absent some other information, that our flying there would be pretty regularly done in various such joint exercises as part of NATO or just on our own. Perhaps not numerous times in any given period, but not avoided either.

The Russians may wish to think otherwise, but that's international airspace, and we regularly insist upon maintaining such areas as open.

But this is more your area of expertise, not mine, thanks for the info.

[old salt]

Now we're flying B-52's over the Black Sea. This is unnecessarily provocative.
https://www.militarytimes.com/video/202 ... black-sea/
https://www.airforcemag.com/f-22s-inter ... rd%20Brief

When have we not done so?
Serious question.

Is this a new thing? Or a longstanding practice?

I won't say it's never been done before, but I don't recall if/when we did it before.

Update : found this
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2 ... 054a703608

apparently we did 2 similar probing missions in 2019 which included Black Sea legs

B-52 bombers train in Black Sea region in a message to Russiawww.businessinsider.com › defense-contributor › defense
Oct 24, 2019 - Two B-52H bombers flew from England to the Black Sea region on Monday to train with partners from Romania, Ukraine, and Georgia.

https://www.businessinsider.com/russian ... eas-2019-6
Russian fighter jets intercept B-52 bombers over Black, Balticwww.businessinsider.com › ... › Military & Defense
Jun 18, 2019 - US B-52 bombers flying from North Dakota cruised over the Baltic and Black Seas on Monday. It's rare to see B-52s over that part of the world, ...

.

Thanks.
I would have assumed, absent some other information, that our flying there would be pretty regularly done in various such joint exercises as part of NATO or just on our own. Perhaps not numerous times in any given period, but not avoided either.

The Russians may wish to think otherwise, but that's international airspace, and we regularly insist upon maintaining such areas as open.

But this is more your area of expertise, not mine, thanks for the info.

These B-52 flights were not routine freedom of navigation patrols -- they flew from the the US (some via UK) directly toward Kaliningrad in the Baltic & Crimea in the Black Sea, not turning back until well with air launched cruise missile range.

This is part of our more assertive response toward Russia since 2017. I recall no such flights since the Cold War. These flights did not happen under Obama, even though Kaliningrad was prepared for the deployment of Iskander missiles & Crimea was annexed on his watch. Obama cancelled our E Euro missile defense plan. That Trump would permit these flights undercuts the narrative that he is Putin's puppet.

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-reported ... 90998.html

[MDlaxfan76]

Now we're flying B-52's over the Black Sea. This is unnecessarily provocative.
https://www.militarytimes.com/video/202 ... black-sea/
https://www.airforcemag.com/f-22s-inter ... rd%20Brief

When have we not done so?
Serious question.

Is this a new thing? Or a longstanding practice?

I won't say it's never been done before, but I don't recall if/when we did it before.

Update : found this
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2 ... 054a703608

apparently we did 2 similar probing missions in 2019 which included Black Sea legs

B-52 bombers train in Black Sea region in a message to Russiawww.businessinsider.com › defense-contributor › defense
Oct 24, 2019 - Two B-52H bombers flew from England to the Black Sea region on Monday to train with partners from Romania, Ukraine, and Georgia.

https://www.businessinsider.com/russian ... eas-2019-6
Russian fighter jets intercept B-52 bombers over Black, Balticwww.businessinsider.com › ... › Military & Defense
Jun 18, 2019 - US B-52 bombers flying from North Dakota cruised over the Baltic and Black Seas on Monday. It's rare to see B-52s over that part of the world, ...

.

Thanks.
I would have assumed, absent some other information, that our flying there would be pretty regularly done in various such joint exercises as part of NATO or just on our own. Perhaps not numerous times in any given period, but not avoided either.

The Russians may wish to think otherwise, but that's international airspace, and we regularly insist upon maintaining such areas as open.

But this is more your area of expertise, not mine, thanks for the info.

These B-52 flights were not routine patrols -- they flew from the the US (some via UK) directly toward Kaliningrad in the Baltic & Crimea in the Black Sea, not turning back until well with air launched cruise missile range.

This is part of our more assertive response to Russia. I recall no such flight since the Cold War. These flights didn't happen under Obama, even though Kaliningrad got Iskander missiles & Crimea was annexed on his watch. That Trump would permit these flights undercuts the narrative that he is Putin's puppet.

not necessarily, Putin may well have given him the green light and said, "no worries my friend, we'll send some jets up to scare your bomber pilots and that'll play well for my domestic audience too"...

no more credible a theory than this means a darn thing about not being a puppet.

BTW, I've long felt that Putin sees Trump as a "useful idiot", and has not needed to pull the kompromat card explicitly because Trump is so willingly malleable.

Why so malleable? My own sense is that Trump would love to be seen as a powerful man and wants to be associated with the oligarchs of the world. He's long wished to get Putin's attention and "friendship". Putin plays to that ego need, knowing that he can bring the hammer if actually needed, but why do so until actually needed.

[Matnum PI]

Russians Again Targeting Americans With Disinformation, Facebook Says https://nyti.ms/3lDVsOT

[DocBarrister]

Russians Again Targeting Americans With Disinformation, Facebook Says https://nyti.ms/3lDVsOT

Do we really need the NY Times to keep us updated about Russian disinformation when we could simply read old salt’s posts?

DocBarrister

[old salt]

Russians Again Targeting Americans With Disinformation, Facebook Says https://nyti.ms/3lDVsOT

Do we really need the NY Times to keep us updated about Russian disinformation when we could simply read old salt’s posts?

DocBarrister

For disinformation, we don't need Russia or the NY Times. We have MCLF76's conspiracy theories.
It'll take two warships coming together or a mid-air collision to convince him that Trump & Putin don't have a secret compact.
You think Trump wouldn't like to stop our combat unit deployments to defend the EU & bring/keep those troops home ?

[MDlaxfan76]

Russians Again Targeting Americans With Disinformation, Facebook Says https://nyti.ms/3lDVsOT

Do we really need the NY Times to keep us updated about Russian disinformation when we could simply read old salt’s posts?

DocBarrister

For disinformation, we don't need Russia or the NY Times. We have MCLF76's conspiracy theories.
It'll take two warships coming together or a mid-air collision to convince him that Trump & Putin don't have a secret compact.
You think Trump wouldn't like to stop our combat unit deployments to defend the EU & bring/keep those troops home ?

Nah, for that he needs a second term...or third term???

Gotta get past this November first, he's doing his darnedest to withdraw from NATO as it is, but next few years, much clearer sailing.

And no, I don't think either would like to see an actual collision, though in Putin's case, pretty sure he cares nothing for the lives lost, just how it helps or hurts him...sound like anyone else?

[CU88]

US ELECTION SECURITY AND INTERFERENCE

A Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency has been targeting Americans with disinformation by using a network of fake accounts and a fake website set up to imitate a left-wing site in a bid to influence the presidential election and push voters away from Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden – what makes this particularly worrying is that American citizens were hired to write for the site, social media giants Facebook and Twitter reported yesterday. Evidence suggests that the group, known as the Internet Research Agency, is repeating its efforts prior to the 2016 election to assist President Trump’s success. The campaigns have been said to have achieved very little success, with the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force working with the social media companies to investigate the interference efforts, including the fake website use, known as PeaceData.


https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/ ... s-n1239000

[CU88]

IMPOTUS is Putins puppet

In early July the Department of Homeland Security withheld publication of an intelligence bulletin warning law enforcement agencies of a Russian scheme to promote “allegations about the poor mental health” of former Vice President Joe Biden, according to internal emails and a draft of the document obtained by ABC News.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dhs-wit ... d=72747130

[MDlaxfan76]

IMPOTUS is Putins puppet

In early July the Department of Homeland Security withheld publication of an intelligence bulletin warning law enforcement agencies of a Russian scheme to promote “allegations about the poor mental health” of former Vice President Joe Biden, according to internal emails and a draft of the document obtained by ABC News.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dhs-wit ... d=72747130

"collusion"???

[CU88]

In a memo on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence branch warned federal and state law enforcement that Russia has sought to amplify concerns over the integrity of U.S. elections by promoting allegations that mail-in voting is linked to significant fraud. The memo found with high confidence that Russian actors have sought to undermine confidence in absentee voting since March through disinformation about unaccounted for ballots, outdated voter rolls, and the risk that the U.S. Postal Service would be overwhelmed by widespread mail-in voting. The warning came one day after it was reported that DHS withheld a July bulletin warning of Russian misinformation regarding the mental health of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. President Donald Trump and administration officials have frequently repeated claims about the vulnerability of mail-in voting and Biden’s mental health.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia- ... d=72799959

Seems like IMPOTUS o d and a lot of posters here are falling for this BS, hook line and sinker...

[DocBarrister]

Trump's model of a man in power, according to Cohen, is Vladimir Putin, and Trump is described as enamored of Putin's wealth and unilateral influence, and awestruck by what he sees as the Russian president's ability to control everything from the country's press to its financial institutions.

... After Trump sold a Palm Beach mansion he purchased for $41 million to a Russian oligarch named Dmitry Rybolovlev for $95 million in 2008, Cohen says, Trump told Cohen he believed the real buyer was Putin.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/05/politics ... index.html

Not surprising. After all, real estate transactions are a “classic” form of money laundering.

It’s just unseemly and a national security threat to have a money launderer in the Oval Office.

DocBarrister

[old salt]

In a memo on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence branch warned federal and state law enforcement that Russia has sought to amplify concerns over the integrity of U.S. elections by promoting allegations that mail-in voting is linked to significant fraud. The memo found with high confidence that Russian actors have sought to undermine confidence in absentee voting since March through disinformation about unaccounted for ballots, outdated voter rolls, and the risk that the U.S. Postal Service would be overwhelmed by widespread mail-in voting. The warning came one day after it was reported that DHS withheld a July bulletin warning of Russian misinformation regarding the mental health of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. President Donald Trump and administration officials have frequently repeated claims about the vulnerability of mail-in voting and Biden’s mental health.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/russia- ... d=72799959

Seems like IMPOTUS o d and a lot of posters here are falling for this BS, hook line and sinker...

So the Russians got to Jimmy Carter & James Baker.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/heed-jimmy ... 1586557667

‘Absentee ballots remain the largest source of potential voter fraud.” That quote isn’t from President Trump, who criticized mail-in voting this week after Wisconsin Democrats tried and failed to change an election at the last minute into an exclusively mail-in affair. It’s the conclusion of the bipartisan 2005 report of the Commission on Federal Election Reform, chaired by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker III.

Intimidation and vote buying were key concerns of the commission: “Citizens who vote at home, at nursing homes, at the workplace, or in church are more susceptible to pressure, overt and subtle, or to intimidation. Vote buying schemes are far more difficult to detect when citizens vote by mail.” The report provides examples, such as the 1997 Miami mayoral election that resulted in 36 arrests for absentee-ballot fraud. The election had to be rerun, and the result was reversed.

There are more recent cases, too. In 2017 an investigation of a Dallas City Council election found some 700 fraudulent mail-in ballots signed by the same witness using a fake name. The discovery left two council races in limbo, and the fraud was much larger than the vote differential in one of those races. The case resulted in a criminal conviction.

In a 2018 North Carolina congressional race, Republican Mark Harris edged out Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes. Fortunately, the state had relatively complete absentee-ballot records. Election officials became suspicious when they discovered that the Republican received 61% of mail-in votes, even though registered Republicans accounted for only 19% of those who had requested mail-in ballots.

A Republican operative, L. McCrae Dowless Jr., had allegedly requested more than 1,200 absentee ballots on voters’ behalf and then collected the ballots from voters’ homes when they were mailed out. Mr. Dowless’s assistants testified that they were directed to forge voters’ signatures and fill in votes. A new election was required, but Mr. Harris didn’t run. Mr. Dowless faces criminal charges for absentee-ballot fraud in both the 2016 and 2018 elections and has pled not guilty.

It is often claimed that impossibly large numbers of people live at the same address. In 2016, 83 registered voters in San Pedro, Calif., received absentee ballots at the same small two-bedroom apartment. Prosecutors rarely pursue this type of case.

Mail-in voting is a throwback to the dark old days of vote-buying and fraud. Because of this, many countries don’t allow absentee ballots for citizens living in their country, including Norway and Mexico. Americans deserve a more trustworthy system.

[CU88]

FBI Director Christopher Wray yesterday warned of “very active efforts” by Russia to interfere in the presidential election and undermine Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign, testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee as part of its worldwide threats hearing. The bureau chief said Russia have been using social media, “proxies, state media, online journals” and other avenues to affect Biden’s campaign. Wray also expressed a particular concern of a “steady drumbeat of misinformation” by Russia that would undermine confidence in the result of the election.

https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurit ... -undermine