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IMO, we're moving towards a larger conflict. The Russian provocations in Muldova that sets up an opportunity for Putin to Invade that country to "Liberate" Transnistria will do that.
Senior Russian diplomat says Moscow is ‘concerned’ over string of explosions in Transnistria
Meanwhile, the CTR I'm following seems to indicate the Russian Army is coordinating offensive operations from the Izium axis making slow but methodical progress in the SE directions toward the Donbas. There is also evidence that Russian troops are occupying locations along the boarders of the Donbas region speculated to be indicators that a plan is in place to control road axis to Donetsk and Luhansk with Putin declaring the Donbas and Luhansk oblasts under Russian control.
The Ukrainian Army has, reportedly, been planning and training for this invasion since 2014. They have well established defensive positions that will be hard for the Russians to bypass. This brings in to question whether Russian forces are of sufficient number and combat capability to encircle Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainian General staff is certainly confident they don't. I keep reading Ukraine is in the most important phase of their defense and that in 2-3 weeks from now, the outcome will be known.
Whatever the outcome, you can be sure any Russian occupation of Ukraine will be fiercely resisted. It's going to be a real pain for Putin to maintain control and survive a global condemnation of his invasion.
As well, there's reports of Russian political activity in various towns in the Donbas region organizing referendums which will be faked to indicate citizens there want Russian control. Same for the Kerson Oblast that contains the port of Odessa.
Mission to CFB's National Championship accomplished. But the shine on the NC Trophy is embarrassingly wearing off. It's M B-Ball ..... or hockey or volley ball or name your college sport favorite time ...... until next year.
Dr Fauci says that the US is no longer in the pandemic stage, but "the world is". He says that we should get used to having a COVID shot every year for a while to come.
Thanks to the wise federal judge, our bus company finally lifted our mask mandate last week. I haven't had a single passenger who wants the mask mandate to be reinstated.
One of my special needs passengers told me yesterday, "You look different in a moustache". I've had my moustache since the early 90's. The poor lady has only seen me in a mask until yesterday.
In other news:
The Grand Rapids Area NAACP demanded the Grand Rapids police officer involved in the Lyoya incident be fired, and be decertified from ever being a police officer again. They also demanded that the Kent County Prosecutor recuse himself from the case because he cannot be objective in handling the case. Finally, they want Dana Nessel to step in and take over the investigation. Hopefully while she's sober. The prosecutor declined the NAACP's demands, and says he will act when he receives the investigation report from the Michigan State Police, who is handling the investigation at this point.
NAACP's position on the police officer: He's a cop. He's white. He's guilty. Please schedule the execution immediately.
We can always count on them to be fair and objective.
Fauci's announcement that Liney mentions required him to issue a "correction." His correction stated that the "World is still in a pandemic, make no mistake about that ..... the US is in a transition to an endemic phase."
Why did he clarify his remarks? The first question anyone with a brain asks is, "if we're not in a "pandemic" in the US, why are we still under a federal PH emergency?
Such an emergency grants all kinds of useful things - like providing funding for testing, genotyping and reducing bureaucratic red tape for Medicare and Medicaid programs. It is also the basis upon which an administrative state is expanded, e.g., HHS/CDC's overreach on mandates - the mask mandate just recently challenged in court, the no-sail-order for cruise ships debacle, ruled unconstitutional by the USSC.
The US IS NOT in a PANDEMIC
While there's some gray area in assigning a disease outbreak as a "pandemic," by 90% of available measures the US is clearly in an "endemic" phase of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The CDC doesn't say that but the threat of infection is low in all regions except the northeast and it's not burning like an out of control wildfire there as SARS2 variant infections have done up until the appearance of BA.2 - which is not producing COVID at anywhere near the rate that Omicron did, not even close.
I've posted this link before but it's worth reposting for those interested. The CDC finally provided us with the capability to assess our own degree of risk and act accordingly. The problem is that governments - federal, state and local - are still over-reaching. Not all, but enough for such over-reach to be concerning.
It's messaging like Fauci's from the federal level that keeps confusing everyone so that this ridiculous patch work of mandates across the US exists. It's better now than a year ago but, IMO, still concerning and the concern needs to be addressed by clearing up what HHS/CDC can direct given legal authority granted by congress.
Mission to CFB's National Championship accomplished. But the shine on the NC Trophy is embarrassingly wearing off. It's M B-Ball ..... or hockey or volley ball or name your college sport favorite time ...... until next year.
Great article in this evening's Economist. Combining multiple sources it concludes that an isolated Putin, hubris and a Russian Army steeped in WWII tactics conspired to produce the Russian failure to seize Kiev in a lightening strike as Norman Schwarzkopf sized Iraq's Bagdad.
It also goes on to state that "it ain't over until it's over." IOW, the Russian Army leadership isn't all that stupid and can learn from it's mistakes. OTH, there's ample evidence that inbred tactical approaches that produced easy wins in Syria, Chechnya and Georgia aren't applicable against a determined and resourceful Ukrainian résistance armed with advance technology western weapons and good intelligence.
Despite that, a grinding, long drawn out Russian campaign, could produce an outcome favorable to Putin. That's what is frustrating to me in the context that a NATO military response could produce an unfavorable outcome for Putin. Like claims of this Russian Army's superiority and competence, assumed by NATO planners, and proven to be inaccurate, is simply not at all justified, Russia's nuclear saber rattling is equally strong on perceptions but weak on realism.
Mission to CFB's National Championship accomplished. But the shine on the NC Trophy is embarrassingly wearing off. It's M B-Ball ..... or hockey or volley ball or name your college sport favorite time ...... until next year.
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