Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[lineygoblue]

Wiz - how dare you post an un-american meme.

Shame on you.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Los Shaddup

[THE_WIZARD_]

...

[lineygoblue]

They both hate wearing a tie?

[THE_WIZARD_]

Correct.

Well that...and neither can utter a simple sentence.

[klondike]

The Hills Have Eyes'

[THE_WIZARD_]

STFU

[Cody_Russell]

Speaking of Pennsylvania… why did “they” just send me a text about Pennsylvania mail voting? Never lived there. Way off. Not suggesting anything… it’s simply annoying.

698E8188-099E-4CE4-BBB7-ED325ED85440.jpg

[THE_WIZARD_]

...the dirty tactics have begun in PA...

::::shocking::::

[Dr. Strangelove]

I've been texted multiple times by some group in Michigan to "get out and vote". I live near Columbus.

Also visiting family in the Cleveland area this weekend and I've actually seen PA Senate commercials here. I think part of the Cleveland tv market bleeds into NW PA. Only explanation.

[lineygoblue]

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[klondike]

The Big elephant in the room happens to be one of those pink ones that are light on their feet in Dumbo'.

[klondike]

...also 401's are to joke status. Invest in Canadian weed

[Jeff Buchanan]

Ukraine: Over the last 48h, Russia has launched 100s of missile and drone attacks targeting Ukrainian electricity, water and energy infrastructure. Ukrainian troop concentrations, logistics and C&C targets have rarely been attacked. Zelenski says 30% of Ukraine's power generating infrastructure has been taken off line and that was before the last 2d barrage. Zelenski has also claimed that 70% of the Russian missiles and drones have been intercepted and destroyed before they reached their targets. I've not read anything confirming either claim.

I just read an article authored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) titled, Can the US Do More for Ukrainian Air Defense? First context:It is my view supported by those of multiple other analysts that the conflict in Ukraine is going to be long with no end in site as the adversaries have hardened their stands on objectives to be obtained. Putin, as a result of failures on the battlefield and his recent actions to try to correct recognized deficiencies behind those failures and Zelenski's refusal to embark on a path of political settlement until Russian occupying forces and their proxy LNR and DNR forces are pushed back to the legally recognized Russian borders.

A central caveat in the article (link below) is that western allies lack the stocks of air defense systems to provide them short term. There are a few exceptions but these would be provided in limited numbers mostly from European nations. Future deliveries of air defense systems to Ukraine from the west will be from future production - years away and ultimately desigend to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression in the future. What this tells us is that the allied western governments are seeing the conflict on a long term basis - years, not months. It's pretty clear that Putin sees his objective of bringing Ukraine into his vision of Russian empire also sees this as a years long conflict. Is this Russia's new Afghanistan then?

Another article I read in the Economist (2nd link below) talks more about the operational competence of the Ukrainian forces compared to that of the Russians. The implication is that the Ukrainians will continue to obtain successes in the battle space while the Russians flail and turn to asymmetric conventional means - missile strikes against civilians and critical infrastructure - to try to extinguish the will of the Ukrainians to fight. The conclusion of the author of this article is that the Ukrainians will prevail at some not yet identifiable level. The reason for that is:

"The Ukrainian military strategy might best be described as a strategy of corrosion. The Ukrainians, through indirect attacks, information operations, destruction of Russian logistics and commanders, and tough close combat, have corroded Russian soldiers’ physical, moral, and intellectual capacity to fight. In the war’s initial phase, the Ukrainians did this against the northern Russian expedition, forcing a Russian withdrawal. They are now doing the same in their north-eastern and southern offensives."

He goes on:

"First, the offensives are the result of a series of cleverly orchestrated activities in a unified operational design. The two campaigns are designed to mutually reinforce each other. Operational design is an important aspect in the planning and conduct of large-scale military activities. Competent operational design allows military commanders to sequence the tactical actions of forces in the field to meet strategic and political outcomes. This is a very complicated process, demanding the prioritisation of limited assets such as himars rocket launchers, air support and electronic warfare. Surprise and deception are crucial.

Second, eight months into this war, it is apparent that Ukraine has senior commanders who are seasoned strategists and operational planners. These leaders have the measure of their adversary. They understand how to balance strategic risk and opportunity and are clearly skilled at guiding their subordinates through the planning and execution of campaign-level military endeavours. This is an uncommon proficiency that few military institutions possess. In the Ukrainians, this is founded on their knowledge of Soviet operational theory which has been refined in pre-war nato training and with battlefield experience.

Finally, the recent Ukrainian campaigns have highlighted the asymmetry in innovation and command philosophies between the Ukrainian and Russian militaries. Ukraine has moved away from Soviet-era approaches and permits its soldiers to innovate and its military leaders the freedom to exploit opportunities. The Russians do not. And they will probably have to further centralise their control once more inexperienced conscripts arrive on the battlefield. This hierarchical rigidity has been a weakness of the Russians that the Ukrainians have consistently exploited."

The important lessons? This is going to be a long conflict where the Russians will likely be defeated, certainly at a military level, like their adventurism in Afghanistan. At the political level the outcome will have significant impact on Putin's hold on power inside Russia. It will also curtail the shared objectives of the axis comprised of Russia, China, Iran and any number of subject nations that have aligned themselves with these three, to replace the influence of western democracies with that of autocratic nationalists. Obviously, to me, and many here don't agree with me, when the importance of continuing support of Ukraine for the long term to achieve an outcome that insures a continuation of the global, political status quo, denying the axis nations from obtaining the changes they seek, is put in context of a struggle for the survival of western liberal, democratic principles, it makes a lot of sense for the west, particularly the US, to be heavily involved in Ukraine. YMMV.

https://www.csis.org/analysis/can-un...an-air-defense

https://www.economist.com/by-invitat...

[iam416]

Next time please don’t truncate the report. TIA