LaxPower Back-Up Stick

cradleandshoot wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 7:18 am In the middle of this discussion something is being overlooked. The US intell people have know for years that the Iranians manufactured and delivered untold numbers of IEDs to the bad guys in Iraq and elsewhere that killed and maimed countless thousands of American service members. We punished Iran by flying them billions of dollars in cash on C130 aircraft in the middle of the night. So when you FLP folks are willing to hold BHO accountable for being a traitor to all those Americans that fell victims to Irans IEDs, I am fine and dandy with having the same discussion about trump.

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:44 am

calourie wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:31 am

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 2:54 am Per a recently retired CIA counter-terrorism boss for SW Asia, on PBS Newshour --
-- US IC has been tracking Russian military support & financial transfers to the Taliban as far back as 2018.
-- gathering humint from detainees & intercepting wire transfer data.
-- PDB was Feb 27. Agreement with the Taliban was signed Feb 29.
-- He said he didn't condone leaks, but then he rationalized them.

Based on the nature & timing of the leaks, it's obvious that leakers within the IC are pulling out all stops to scuttle our withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Rebranding Russian financial support as bounties sensationalizes what's been going on for years, in Afghanistan & elsewhere, where the US & Russia fight via proxies. Cold War stuff.

Anything to keep us from pulling out of Afghanistan, no matter what it takes. ...Syria & Germany too.

Which means what? We're supposed to be fine with Russia no matter what they do and how they behave? Getting out of Afghanistan is one thing, approving of Russia's behavior towards us and our interests both domestically and abroad is another. I can see into the soul of Putin form what I see of him on TV and he seems like a pretty straight up guy, and for the matter so does Ki Jong Un, and Recep Ergodan, especially compared to the limp rag leaders of the countries we used to think of as our allies. Can't we all just get along?

Nobody's "approving" or saying "it's fine". We don't go off half cocked based on half baked intel.
We've been supporting proxies who've been killing Russians, they've supported proxies who kill us.

That's different than claiming there are bounties to incentivize specific attacks on US forces.
The intel does not confirm that & attacks have stopped since the peace deal.

I don't recall a lot of remorse when we killed over 200 Russians in Syria, in support of our Syrian proxies.
That attack was early 2018, about the same time as first reports of Russian support of the Taliban.
If you want a Cold War with Russia, expect casualties.
While Russia ties down an entire US Army Corps & the USAF in Europe, re-dedicated to defending NATO's E flank.
Is it worth it ? Not to our NATO allies who aren't joining us in the effort.

Kismet wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:26 am

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:44 am

calourie wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:31 am

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 2:54 am Per a recently retired CIA counter-terrorism boss for SW Asia, on PBS Newshour --
-- US IC has been tracking Russian military support & financial transfers to the Taliban as far back as 2018.
-- gathering humint from detainees & intercepting wire transfer data.
-- PDB was Feb 27. Agreement with the Taliban was signed Feb 29.
-- He said he didn't condone leaks, but then he rationalized them.

Based on the nature & timing of the leaks, it's obvious that leakers within the IC are pulling out all stops to scuttle our withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Rebranding Russian financial support as bounties sensationalizes what's been going on for years, in Afghanistan & elsewhere, where the US & Russia fight via proxies. Cold War stuff.

Anything to keep us from pulling out of Afghanistan, no matter what it takes. ...Syria & Germany too.

Which means what? We're supposed to be fine with Russia no matter what they do and how they behave? Getting out of Afghanistan is one thing, approving of Russia's behavior towards us and our interests both domestically and abroad is another. I can see into the soul of Putin form what I see of him on TV and he seems like a pretty straight up guy, and for the matter so does Ki Jong Un, and Recep Ergodan, especially compared to the limp rag leaders of the countries we used to think of as our allies. Can't we all just get along?

Nobody's "approving" or saying "it's fine". We don't go off half cocked based on half baked intel.
We've been supporting proxies who've been killing Russians, they've supported proxies who kill us.

That's different than claiming there are bounties to incentivize specific attacks on US forces.
The intel does not confirm that & attacks have stopped since the peace deal.

I don't recall a lot of remorse when we killed over 200 Russians in Syria, in support of our Syrian proxies.
That attack was early 2018, about the same time as first reports of Russian support of the Taliban.
If you want a Cold War with Russia, expect casualties.
While Russia ties down an entire US Army Corps & the USAF in Europe, re-dedicated to defending NATO's E flank.
Is it worth it ? Not to our NATO allies who aren't joining us in the effort.

Congress isn't with you and DOPUS on Germany withdrawal - looks like bipartisan support in both House and Senate to block this move

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/20 ... wal-plans/

Salty should also consider signing up with Ulta Beauty to buy lipstick in bulk for the immense pig he is sprucing up around here. Maybe even try a bulk order from Crayola if all else fails.

Kismet wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:26 amCongress isn't with you and DOPUS on Germany withdrawal - looks like bipartisan support in both House and Senate to block this move

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/20 ... wal-plans/

Salty should also consider signing up with Ulta Beauty to buy lipstick in bulk for the immense pig he is sprucing up around here. Maybe even try a bulk order from Crayola if all else fails.

CU88 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 12:25 pm I assume that he still has Top Secret clearance

2020 ELECTIONS

Biden says he may request classified briefing on alleged Russian bounties
The Trump administration has not offered Biden’s campaign the opportunity for such a briefing, the former vice president said.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/06/3 ... um=twitter

cradleandshoot wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 7:18 am In the middle of this discussion something is being overlooked. The US intell people have know for years that the Iranians manufactured and delivered untold numbers of IEDs to the bad guys in Iraq and elsewhere that killed and maimed countless thousands of American service members. We punished Iran by flying them billions of dollars in cash on C130 aircraft in the middle of the night. So when you FLP folks are willing to hold BHO accountable for being a traitor to all those Americans that fell victims to Irans IEDs, I am fine and dandy with having the same discussion about trump.

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 11:47 am

Kismet wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:26 amCongress isn't with you and DOPUS on Germany withdrawal - looks like bipartisan support in both House and Senate to block this move

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/20 ... wal-plans/

Salty should also consider signing up with Ulta Beauty to buy lipstick in bulk for the immense pig he is sprucing up around here. Maybe even try a bulk order from Crayola if all else fails.

Congressional Russia hawk reflexive opposition without even knowing what's being withdrawn, how it fits within our global force disposition & the overall impact on NATO's combat capability.

Much of our residual presence in Germany is Cold War legacy. We could justify basing large units, their families & support units & facilities there when we were deploying them to Afghanistan & Iraq from there. Without those large scale deployments, basing those units in Germany no longer makes sense. Too little tooth to tail ratio. We retain sufficient combat capability elsewhere in Europe & this allows for more rotational deployments & staging for surge reinforcement by CONUS based units. We can retain existing logistical, air hub, medical & HQ bases in Germany, along with garrisons of US military equipment for surge troops to fall in on during a crisis, while rotationally deploying CONUS based combat forces farther E, where NATO's E flank now exists.

Salty's been to all the German bases involved (& not on CODEL dog & pony show/shopping visits) & has seen the massive infrastructure & expense required to create & maintain all those small town USA bases for the troops & their families. It was great while it lasted. It could be justified during the Cold War when an rapid invasion of Soviet forces into Germany was a realistic possibility. The threat to NATO has changed. Our NATO posture needs to adjust accordingly. The fact that our Canadian & Brit allies long ago withdrew their forces from Germany should tell us something, as does Germany's failure to maintain their own forces & combat capability. Germany's no longer the front line, or even the rear staging area. Why are we sill there ? Inertia, sentimental attachment by flag officers, & to placate the EUroburghers (local & national).

SPECIAL REPORT: What if Joe Biden Wins? Defense One interviewed dozens of the former vice president's aides, surrogates, and Obama administration officials to find out what the world should expect if he beats President Donald Trump in November. Read the results in a four-part series going up this week, to find out what would change for national security.

Teaser: "What they said is that Biden may not radically change the nation's military, deviate from the era's so-called great power competition, or even slash the bottom line of the Pentagon's $700 billion budget. But how that money is spent, how the United States competes, and how the military is deployed to advance American interests certainly would."

Part 1: "The world does not organize itself," Biden wrote in January. Focus on that line, and Biden's promise to have the United States reconvene democracies in a big way and introduce a new foreign policy for the middle class (read: don't call it globalization), writes Executive Editor Kevin Baron. But will anyone follow?
https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2020/0 ... ns/166559/

Part 2: Biden promises to be tougher on China than Trump -- but is that a good thing? Katie Bo Williams writes how Democrats are hoping to balance rhetoric with policy that seeks to compete with China by worrying less about them and more about us: building a better America.
https://www.defenseone.com/politics/202 ... ca/166555/

Part 3: Biden's version of great power competition will look different than Trump's go-it-alone approach. But his intent to rejoin, reaffirm, or create new multilateral agreements is no sure thing. Essentially, defense strategy — and the Pentagon's investments in technology to execute it — may not change all that much, writes tech editor Patrick Tucker.
https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2 ... d_brief_nl

Part 4: How a Biden administration would change defense spending… stay tuned: coming Thursday.

Typical Lax Dad wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:58 am

Kismet wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:26 am

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:44 am

calourie wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 3:31 am

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 2:54 am Per a recently retired CIA counter-terrorism boss for SW Asia, on PBS Newshour --
-- US IC has been tracking Russian military support & financial transfers to the Taliban as far back as 2018.
-- gathering humint from detainees & intercepting wire transfer data.
-- PDB was Feb 27. Agreement with the Taliban was signed Feb 29.
-- He said he didn't condone leaks, but then he rationalized them.

Based on the nature & timing of the leaks, it's obvious that leakers within the IC are pulling out all stops to scuttle our withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Rebranding Russian financial support as bounties sensationalizes what's been going on for years, in Afghanistan & elsewhere, where the US & Russia fight via proxies. Cold War stuff.

Anything to keep us from pulling out of Afghanistan, no matter what it takes. ...Syria & Germany too.

Which means what? We're supposed to be fine with Russia no matter what they do and how they behave? Getting out of Afghanistan is one thing, approving of Russia's behavior towards us and our interests both domestically and abroad is another. I can see into the soul of Putin form what I see of him on TV and he seems like a pretty straight up guy, and for the matter so does Ki Jong Un, and Recep Ergodan, especially compared to the limp rag leaders of the countries we used to think of as our allies. Can't we all just get along?

Nobody's "approving" or saying "it's fine". We don't go off half cocked based on half baked intel.
We've been supporting proxies who've been killing Russians, they've supported proxies who kill us.

That's different than claiming there are bounties to incentivize specific attacks on US forces.
The intel does not confirm that & attacks have stopped since the peace deal.

I don't recall a lot of remorse when we killed over 200 Russians in Syria, in support of our Syrian proxies.
That attack was early 2018, about the same time as first reports of Russian support of the Taliban.
If you want a Cold War with Russia, expect casualties.
While Russia ties down an entire US Army Corps & the USAF in Europe, re-dedicated to defending NATO's E flank.
Is it worth it ? Not to our NATO allies who aren't joining us in the effort.

Congress isn't with you and DOPUS on Germany withdrawal - looks like bipartisan support in both House and Senate to block this move

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/20 ... wal-plans/

Salty should also consider signing up with Ulta Beauty to buy lipstick in bulk for the immense pig he is sprucing up around here. Maybe even try a bulk order from Crayola if all else fails.

Putin's stooge was duly elected. He can do whatever he wants.

Typical Lax Dad wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:41 pm https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020 ... 49492.html

This clears it up:

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020 ... 51474.html

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 9:57 pm

Typical Lax Dad wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 6:41 pm https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020 ... 49492.html

This clears it up:

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020 ... 51474.html

Yeah. This confirms it :

old salt wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 11:47 am

Kismet wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 8:26 amCongress isn't with you and DOPUS on Germany withdrawal - looks like bipartisan support in both House and Senate to block this move

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/20 ... wal-plans/

Salty should also consider signing up with Ulta Beauty to buy lipstick in bulk for the immense pig he is sprucing up around here. Maybe even try a bulk order from Crayola if all else fails.

Congressional Russia hawk reflexive opposition without even knowing what's being withdrawn, how it fits within our global force disposition & the overall impact on NATO's combat capability.

Much of our residual presence in Germany is Cold War legacy. We could justify basing large units, their families & support units & facilities there when we were deploying them to Afghanistan & Iraq from there. Without those large scale deployments, basing those units in Germany no longer makes sense. Too little tooth to tail ratio. We retain sufficient combat capability elsewhere in Europe & this allows for more rotational deployments & staging for surge reinforcement by CONUS based units. We can retain existing logistical, air hub, medical & HQ bases in Germany, along with garrisons of US military equipment for surge troops to fall in on during a crisis, while rotationally deploying CONUS based combat forces farther E, where NATO's E flank now exists.

Salty's been to all the German bases involved (& not on CODEL dog & pony show/shopping visits) & has seen the massive infrastructure & expense required to create & maintain all those small town USA bases for the troops & their families. It was great while it lasted. It could be justified during the Cold War when an rapid invasion of Soviet forces into Germany was a realistic possibility. The threat to NATO has changed. Our NATO posture needs to adjust accordingly. The fact that our Canadian & Brit allies long ago withdrew their forces from Germany should tell us something, as does Germany's failure to maintain their own forces & combat capability. Germany's no longer the front line, or even the rear staging area. Why are we sill there ? Inertia, sentimental attachment by flag officers, & to placate the EUroburghers (local & national).

Typical Lax Dad wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 10:35 pm