Get used to him. Putin won re-election. We're gonna have to deal with him...

 

BREAKING: Vladimir Putin has won the presidential election in Russia with a whopping 87.8% of the vote, according to an exit poll by the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre

Latest: https://t.co/E8mH3hyM8X

📺 Sky 501 pic.twitter.com/Wi1YBKjNqF

— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 17, 2024

He won re-election. Any hopes of regime collapse thru color revolution are over. We have to deal with him. Either turn off this war or be honest with the people of Europe and the US and decide to jump start a major regional war in Europe but stop "pussy footing" around.

IDF's intel analysis chief to resign in June over October 7 failures

 via JP.com

IDF intelligence analysis chief Brig.-Gen. Amit Saar will resign his post once the IDF publishes its probe of the October 7 intelligence failures, set for June, he announced on Wednesday at a closed military intelligence conference.

Saar is the most senior Israeli official to date to give an exact time frame for when he will resign, in a show of responsibility, although military sources said he was due to finish his role anyway over the summer.

Previously, a mid-level IDF intelligence major resigned.

At higher levels, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Aharon Haliva, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) head Ronen Bar all previously hinted several months ago that they would resign, but never gave a time frame and, since then, some have speculated that one or more of them may try to stay on given that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing to stay on.

Here 

The Senate Majority Leader was over the top in his call for Bibi to step aside and call for elections.

The optics are bad but not necessarily the message.

I truly believe that the Israeli Govt knew or was warned that the attack was coming but for some reason ignored them.

Additionally we all know that recovering the hostages is just a fig leaf to continue operations.  I get that only four to six Hamas battalions remain and that they can totally destroy the warfighting part of the govt with a final push, but they're playing on heart strings and I despise that.

In the grand scheme of things a Brig Gen is low hanging fruit for a catastrophe of this size.

Higher ups have to face accountability.

French Foreign Legion Jungle Training just plain hits different...

 

It's been said many times on this blog by dudes that have been there and done that (not just checked out the pics like me) that the French and Brits run some kick ass jungle courses in S. America and in the Pacific. Wonder why we aren't rotating our guys thru there.

📷Retour en images sur la phase d’aguerrissement du stage Jaguar 2024 au CEFE.
Pendant 2 semaines les stagiaires ont été mis à rude épreuve pour leur premier contact avec la Selva !
Maintenant aguerris ils ont débuté une phase de combat en forêt équatoriale.
Selva ! pic.twitter.com/5CtGmvrGWn

— Chefdecorps3REI (@Chefdecorps3REI) March 15, 2024

Open Content Post. 17 Mar 24

 

Hamas activists slams the aid deliveries of food being dropped in Gaza. Ungrateful, unworthy, and wasted aid to unappreciative people once again...

 

Palestinian activist Ahmed Kouta exposes the contents of US airdrops to the starving population of Gaza. pic.twitter.com/IFLTeOJuon

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 16, 2024

Amazing.

This son of a bitch actually said that this is hurting the Palestinians more than just letting them starve.

So be it.

No more airdrops.  For damn sure no port for Hamas.  What will be will be.

No matter what you do it will never be enough.  We should have learned that lesson long ago.

On Oct 7 Hamas sowed the wind.  Now they get the pleasure of reaping the whirlwind.

Haitian Gang Hype Video?

New Haitian gang hype video just dropped 🤡🌎#haiti #landcruiser #haitian #FailedState #urban #portauprince pic.twitter.com/8Kaw0E7C9l

— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) March 16, 2024

This HAS TO BE BULLSHIT!

If this is a Haitian gang and if this is the type of force that the Haitian Police are fighting (let's face it they have no military), then they're screwed.

Someone is funding these dudes and I'm talking about cartel type money.  Additionally while those aren't modern weapons those are all 308's.  They're punching thru most body armor that patrol is wearing on the streets of America (even if your strike plate holds you're probably gonna feel that shit for a month or two and will suffer in other medical ways I can't describe) so you know the Haitian police are meat on a plate.

IF and its a huge IF this is real then we need to rethink the shit happening in Haiti.

This is more than a happenstance jailbreak and general uprising by criminal elements.

I dare say this thing was planned, funded and is controlled.  Can't begin to say what the rational is behind this happening right now but we know it can't be good and is probably against the national interests of the US as the average man and woman sees it on the street.

China is practicing precision drone flying...a job soon to be done by AI

China is learning from the war in Ukraine and is now placing increased focus on teaching its soldiers to fly FPV drones even in the most challenging terrains.

Drone warfare is here to stay

🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/CQjMYKrRj6

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 16, 2024

Interesting isn't it. Cutting edge tech seems to be making the "old" version obsolete faster than lingering "legacy" tech. Drones are the hotness but the days of drone operators seem to be numbered. Meanwhile some of the old mundane stuff like the drudgery of airplane maintenance seems to hang on despite the latest advancements. I know they have predictive programs to tell when something will wear out but you get my meaning. We still need people to turn wrenches.

Open Comment Post. (LATE) 16 Mar 24

The time when vets went to war against the local sheriff...

FLASHBACK: ⚠️ In August of 1946, corrupt Politicians that RIGGED ELECTIONS in the town of Athens, Tennessee were overthrown by citizens led by returning WW 2 vets.. pic.twitter.com/TG7Vp9ir6n

— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) March 16, 2024

Gambit Unmanned Air Vehicle Series

Turkey's Extreme M60 MBT Upgrade

Open Comment Post. 15 Mar 24

Boxer Bridge Layer

ACV basic land-driving skills

And YOU thought the Army would send its best and brightest to command West Point, yet they come up with this steaming pile of BULLSHIT!

 

West Point just announced that it will be replacing its famous motto "Duty. Honor. Country" with:
“To build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and…

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) March 13, 2024

Its one of two things or both. Either the US Army fucked up by putting this guy in charge of West Point and/or future Army leaders are fucked up. Either or both. You decide. My rationale? With all the things that the Commanding Officer of the nation's premier academy has to deal with, for him to decide that THIS is the thing that needs to be changed tells me that he's more concerned with optics than he is with developing the next gen of officers. This alone should see him sent packing.

Force Design 2030 can't make up for China's shipbuilding power...The US Navy and our Pacific strategy is behind the eight ball...

First, let’s look at hull count. By my estimate, the PLAN launched 157 warships over the years 2014-2023. As always, these numbers are from open source data for ship launches which China doesn't always publicize, so don't @ me if you have a niggle with them. 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/rwbB4IlTTL

— Tom Shugart (@tshugart3) March 9, 2024

Read this entire thread.

We are currently outpaced by China's shipbuilding power and FD2030 won't do a thing to change the equation.

Even worse is the fact that adding in allied Navies in the region we're still lagging far behind.

Air power is the key.

A naval battle in the Pacific if it is to be won by the US will have to leverage the full capability of its air arm.  We don't have the pilots but the Navy needs to get back to the days of plugging 100 planes on each of its carriers.

Instead of tearing apart the Ground Combat Element the USMC should buy as many F-18's as it takes to plus up the carrier air wing to the max.

Medium range bombers (good on you USAF for the B-21) will have to carry a huge load in the "war" by launching long range missiles from distance to destroy as many ships as possible.

The Navy would do well to build a modern A-6 to get back into the long distance strike realm.

We can't build enough ships to keep up.

Long range medium bombers carrying a shit ton of anti-ship missiles with range is the only way.  Loyal wingmen that are sized like the manned medium bombers would be a nice plus.

At least on paper I just don't see how we match up to win a fight in the Pacific in the near term.  Longer term unless something radical happens it just gets worse.

Someone tell me I'm wrong.

USMC budget request is out and my confusion intensifies...

Marine Corps budget would add range, lethality to Force Design tools https://t.co/I2RxxBukpn

— Solomon (@SnafuBlogspot) March 13, 2024

Ok. Don't get this. Yeah I'm still harping on the ACV buy. THAT DOES NOT FIT WITH FD2030! Now they're buying a whole batch of upgunned versions? I really don't understand. Additionally (I didn't post it...you can read it here) they want to add a cannon to the recon vehicle they're buying!

That thing is gonna need a trailer!  Its gonna have a gun, launch loitering missiles, have communications that rival a command vehicle AND they're primes are both sporting masts on them!

With a rig that was supposed to be about the size of the legacy LAV, its gotta be approaching ACV or bigger with everything planned.

But that's besides the point.

A stand in force that relies on stealth and uses the ocean as its maneuver space (to such an extent that its asking the Navy for a new ship to get them around even in this time of tight budgets) has tossed away tanks but is switching to what amounts to IFVs?

For what purpose?

We've seen the SIF being touted as being viable from the Pacific to Northern Europe and I would assume if that's the case then they're probably convinced that the recon/counter recon mission is gonna be good for the Middle East & Africa too.

SO WHY ARE THEY PUSHING AHEAD WITH THE ACV AND ARV...ESPECIALLY UPGUNNED VERSIONS!

PS.  It was supposed to be out by now but I'm still waiting to see what this new, better, more capable MEU looks like.

The US Army skipper headed to build the port for Hamas has no chill...they set sail to the Imperial March from Star Wars...

 

The U.S. Navy vessels that will build the Gaza temporary port set sails today to the tunes of the Imperial March from Star Wars. pic.twitter.com/aSg93OBEj4

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 12, 2024

Chief Warrant Officers truly have NO FUCKS to give. The Army gave them command of ships? THAT WILL BE A CRUISE TO BE REMEMBERED!

US Army ships set sail to build a port for Hamas. Force Protection better be tip top or we're looking at some dead/injured soldiers...

Four Army Ships Set Sail for Gaza in Mission to Build Pier for Delivery of Aid to Starving Residents https://t.co/WDJz5eWD0N

— Solomon (@SnafuBlogspot) March 12, 2024

Besides the "Holy Shit" the US Army has ships, the other big thing is that they better have Force Protection nailed down for this one. Even worse? I can really see some kind of goofy incident where this thing gets the friendly fire treatment. History might not repeat but it does rhyme. Make no mistake about it. This is for one reason. To keep Hamas in power. Why the current admin would want to do that is beyond me but that's my view. 30 days to get there (kinda fast but ok). How they're gonna fly in the personnel to the actual location to do the work is beyond me...will the Bibi admin allow a corridor? If yes and they're sleeping on Israeli soil then that's a huge red flag to all kinds of terrorists. One of those barracks ships? That would be a target too. I just don't see how you do this in an active war zone.

Of course there is the political angle too.

All kinds of crisis hustlers are spoiling to get into Gaza to rebuild it so money will flood in and the Palestinian people won't get their fair share (remember that when all the appeals for money come in), so that means that pockets will be lined in a FORCED ceasefire.

Could this be the fig leaf used to get one and save Hamas?

Yeah.  That sounds right.

Build a "relief" port, use the humanitarian thing to save Hamas and line pockets all in one sitting.

Diabolical but sounds spot on.

But Bibi is in this for his legacy.  He might be dirty as fresh cow shit but if his story includes the man that destroyed Hamas then that might make up for all the bad stuff (emphasize might).

So we have the clock.  Either the IDF makes a push into the last stronghold with a quickness or this thing is done.

Just plain wow! I thought the NMESIS was somehow a revolutionary vehicle...an X'er revealed why its anything but...

This photo is everything mad about NMESIS. Soldier walks alongside huge uncrewed armoured vehicle, controlling it with a gamepad. He isnt protected, it doesnt need the protection weight and size, its not doing anything clever and autonomous, everything is huge and expensive. Why? pic.twitter.com/7VqQMeLfb6

— Jon Hawkes (@JonHawkes275) March 12, 2024

I thought this thing would simply roll around the battle space, put itself into position and sit there waiting to fire off its missiles. Nope. A Marine walks beside it with a game controller to direct it? Its everything except being autonomous? This is what we tore up the MAGTF to gain? Its as big as a freaking house but its supposed to be "hidden"? You can see this fucker from orbit! The more you ACTUALLY see on Force Design 2030 the more bullshit becomes obvious.