Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Dr. Strangelove]

Acting head of ICE reassigned amid frustrations over deportation efforts - CBS News

Here's a story about Trump firing the guy they picked to run ICE just a month ago. Got me curious. We have not had a Senate-confirmed Director of ICE since Obama's second term. Trump went through EIGHT different people during his first term,

[Jeff Buchanan]

For your weekend reads: This is a unique way to look at the war in Ukraine which, while the fundamental character of war has not changed, it is being rapidly reshaped by technology. This normally happens during extended and even short term hot conflict but, the speed it is happening on both sides of the war in Ukraine is striking. The central premise of the article is that the war will reach stasis during 2025 with neither side gaining the ultimate prize as that has been defined by both Zelenski and Putin.

AI, robots and drones are reshaping battlefield tactics and the author in this article argues that Ukraine continues to be able to fight because it is moving faster to integrate this technology than Russia. Still the Russians are improving and the they have the advantage in available manpower. Ukraine can continue to fight because it is killing Russian soldiers at a higher rate than it suffering it's own manpower losses. As long as that ratio continues or increases, Russia's offense is more than likely to culminate. Going forward in 2025, and becasue of the staggering losses it is suffering on the battlefield, Russia will be unable to advance on Ukrainian territory in a manner that forces the capitulation of the Zelenski government. This will ensue over time as Russian manpower reserves dwindle and industrial capacity to replace battlefield equipment is reduced by Ukrainian drone and cruise missile strikes deep inside Russia. It is believed that Ukraine has reached parity with Russia in it's ability to strike and destroy the other sides key infrastructure. At the same time, Ukraine will be unable to eject the RA from the Ukrainian territory it currently occupies. Military stasis will occur.

Trump appears to be complicating the war's dynamics and the author hopes that western resolve will continue to be on Ukraine's side. His foray into demands for US access to Ukraine's vast critical mineral deposits seems to me to be a side show and I hope it is just that rather than a loss of focus on not letting Putin win. I've posted here that it seems as if Trump wants to shift responsibility for supporting Ukraine from the US to the Europeans, which I support. He also apparently wants the European militaries, not the US's to provide its own defense against Russia's expansionism. OTH, and In light of the arguments put forth in this article, it seems that a precisely structured level of support from the US to Ukraine to do that is necessary to bring this war to a conclusion favorable to Ukraine and democratic values. I'm less sure that Trump is onboard with this but, its hard for me to imagine he'll bail on NATO and throw Ukraine under the bus.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/why-no-one-winning-ukraine-ryan

[Da Geezer]

Not if the US doesn't pay anything for them, which is what Trump has implied. US gave Ukraine $ 300 billion and now Trump is trying to secure repayment.

Wait for the Progs saying this is an immoral shakedown.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Perhaps he should be shaking down the BFCS where a lot of Ukrainian (and other) monies ended up...