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Our attitude will change when the Chinese pull up with a big boat full of supplies, money and construction equipment.

"The US sent up U-2 spy planes to track the balloon’s progress, according to US officials. One pilot took a selfie in the cockpit that shows both the pilot and the surveillance balloon itself, these officials said – an image that has already gained legendary status in both NORAD and the Pentagon." So gonna need that picture

Because they understand that military action and economic investment are tied together. I suppose it’s easier to arrange when the same guy is in charge of both. For some reason America has tended to use economic power and military power as two separate forces ever since the 60s. The places where we have wielded both at once tend to get better. If we go in without security - or worse provide security with no reason - we leave it a boondoggle. If we’re willing to set up factories and farms with wages that make the average Haitian dream of working there, then any military action to support that makes complete sense. Unfortunately that’s usually derided as “colonialism” because money is involved. So instead, we go in with only the military and some band-aid pallets of food in an attempt to convince the locals to believe in an idea, which will never work.

I was volunteered non-voluntarily to be a T-38 FAIP at Columbus in the magnolia state back the late 80s. I don't remember the students, I don't remember the class, I don't remember the year but I do remember the week or at least 3 days of it. On Wednesday, I had an engine fire. I am with a student and we are the good wingman doing a rejoin when lead says, "2, you are trailing smoke." How I missed the big glowing fire light, I do not know but we execute the boldface and the fire light takes its time to go out. Single engine home and all is right with the world. Thursday appeared with crappy weather and I launch on a contact ride with a student. In the weather, the right generator fails and the left does not pick up the right side. So it's a no-flap ASR to weather mins to get home. I don't get paid enough for this job. TGIF! Friday finds me on another formation ride headed out to the high sectors and at FL330, there's a thump noise, the cockpit fills with fog, and I'm pressure breathing with a cockpit pressurization failure. Sumanabache. Copious quantities of alcohol was consumed at the bar Friday night as my students were trying to tell me as nicely as they could that they didn't want to fly with me anymore.

I’m western and I want to finger this one!

My concern is that we're going to do it anyways, and the price will not scale linearly with time. I'd love to see us move the massive manufacturing we put in Asia over the past 30 years into South and Central America. How on earth we thought it was a better idea to enrich economies on the other side of the planet, instead of the people who surround us, is one of the many mysteries of Washington DC. But we have to do it in a way that accepts they will eventually take over the manufacturing and associated businesses as their own, assuming we succeed in developing them. Countries can't progress as vassal states.

You realize there were no major federal income tax changes from 2021 to 2022, right? If anything things got more favorable for most people with the standard deduction going up and brackets shifting a bit due to inflation ie more of your money is taxed at a lower rate. So congrats on making more money this past year, drinks on you 🍻

The issue isn’t with posting a video of Biden, it’s that you’re just googling and posting the first thing that confirms your priors, or it seems that way. You can’t just link to some wild bullshit and expect people to filter that out and understand your point. Either stick to credible sources and make a logical argument, or just save us all the time. If you want to say the US blew up the pipeline, fine, good luck, but my argument to you is there’s no evidence for that and the sources you’re citing are not credible, which makes me pretty much dismiss whatever else you’re wanting to say.

You’ve both proven that you are mature enough to realize you’re on the same team and fighting is not the answer. The rest of us are not that mature and only ask that if you do end up fighting, please post a video.

It was a complete lie, most of his voters will stupidly believe it though. I really liked how McCarthy tried to be the adult in the room. Makes Pelosi look like a petulant child from two years ago . The SOTU is nothing more than political theater. Accomplishes absolutely nothing.

See there is a difference between “Viewing this from the Russian perspective” Vs “Being empathetic and even sympathetic to the Russian perspective (read propaganda).” If you believe there is any way Russia isn’t responsible for MH17 you either don’t have current access to a vault and the widely available materials on SIPR discussing it, or you’re just a loon buying their BS story about the Uke’s doing despite all the evidence to the contrary (both open source and not). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just curious if you think DeSantis and the GOP FL state legislature passing Constitutional/permitless carry is “fascism”? This Dem Congressman thinks it is btw… https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democratic-rep-maxwell-frost-says-florida-proposed-permitless-gun-carry-law-fascism.amp

At least Brits value being witty and gifted with oratory (that’s max performing an STS) instead of whatever MTG, Lauren Boebert and the like are going for. I’m not even talking about policy, it’s just annoying behavior. And all these MP’s at least dressed like they belong and not like they’re trying to track down 101 Dalmatians to make a new coat like that moron.

Seriously? You are hanging your hat on Seymour Hersh? Really? I am kind of without words. He may be famous for uncovering the 1968 My Lai massacre and the mid-2000s Abu Ghraib but he has more conspiracy theories than the flat earth society. Among his claims: 1. "Bin Laden was a “prisoner” of the Pakistani intelligence service in his Abbottabad compound since 2006; the United States learned of Bin Laden’s whereabouts through a former Pakistani intelligence officer; Saudi Arabia was “financing Bin Laden’s upkeep”; and Pakistan’s military helped Washington plan the raid." 2. "Top leaders of the Pentagon deliberately subverted American policy toward Syria, sabotaging US efforts to aid Syrian rebels and even sending US intelligence to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad." And my personal favorite: 3. In January 2011 he spoke at Georgetown University’s branch campus in Qatar, where he gave a bizarre and rambling address alleging that top military and special forces leaders are "all members of, or at least supporters of, Knights of Malta.… many of them are members of Opus Dei."

It’s almost like we’ve known these things for years now…weird.

Lol, the war on parents is the best thing that ever happened to the Republican party.

to me that's the smoking gun. the west from day one has tried to fan the flames to support ukraine. if russia truly did this, the west would be shouting from the rooftops. ESPECIALLY when their populations have endured higher energy costs because of it. if a european politician could point at russia and say THEY CAUSED YOUR ENERGY BILLS TO SKYROCKET don't you think they would? remember president biden's "Putin's Price Hike" line? instead the narrative is "we will suffer for however long it takes to support ukraine"

I gotta say I think I'm with gearhog on this one. And I leaned towards blaming Russia when it happened. But... More than a few western intelligence agencies have investigated this, and not a single one has come out with an accusation. That's suspicious. The Biden administration unsanctioned the pipeline as soon as they took office, only to watch Russia march into Ukraine. That's embarrassing, especially when they then tried to "get tough" on Russia only to watch Europe keep buying energy from them. That's suspicious. The pipelines were blown up when everyone was worried about Europe going into a cold winter and having to resort to begging Russia for energy. So Russia... Blows up their leverage when they could just turn it off (and back on) at will? That's suspicious. Now if the "America didn't do it" crowd was blaming China, where there is a much clearer motive to force Russia to sell cheaply to them while also putting Europe in an energy bind, well that's a lot more plausible to me than Russia doing it. But at this point, you should always ask "why?" There are plenty of pretty obvious "why's" for blaming the US, as well as European allies that are worried Germany will once again sell out the West to get cheap Russian energy. And like I said, China could make sense too. But I'm not hearing a whole lot of "why's" for Russia, just that they're evil and crazy, which I believe, but so evil and crazy they are now slitting their own throats to... empower the American energy export industry? What is the Russian motivation for this that doesn't play right into the American goals of weakening Russia?

Exactly. It's just censorship. Some here believe they're smart enough to know misinformation when they see it, but large swaths of the public are not. Lawman thinks he is protecting people from scary ideas by silencing the idea rather than educating the reader. The only correct responses to bad ideas are good ideas. If you are able to adequately articulate and support your superior position, my position wouldn't even garner an acknowledgement. However, when another position has merit, it is a threat. If your motive is to "Win" rather than find the truth, you have to attempt to censor the opposing argument. "Shut up", "Stop spreading misinformation", "You should be silenced.", "You're peddling a pro-Russian narrative.", "I'm going to find your IP address and dox you." Those are examples of attempted censorship, I'm not quoting anyone. Lawman is slowly embodying the very things he hates about Russia. You may only speak the government approved narrative, lest ye be guilty of crimes against the state. I asked earlier in this thread, "How can so many have been fooled into supporting tyrannical leadership?" It's rhetorical because it's obvious how. @Lawman when you were googling the logical fallacies I clued you into, did you run across "Ad hominen"? It's commonly used to mean attacking the person, not the issue. But it can also mean attacking the source, not the information. If you really want to be competitive in the battleground of ideas, you're going to have to do a little better by coming well equipped to explain why you're correct rather than taking the easy route and just calling any of us who disagree pro-Russian.

There isn't a right party. There are two narratives, composed by two opposing entities, that have 2 separate agendas. That's your problem. You think there is a right and a wrong here. They're both wrong. Its up to you to find whats right by inferring what you can.

Who cares whose “narrative is being spread?” What does that even mean? I care about the public having access to true information in order to make informed decisions about how we are governed. Ergo, I’m primarily interested in accuracy. I understand Putin is bad and Russia is a malign international actor who illegally invaded a neighbor and I am happy to see their troops violently losing. But I also want to be free to ask questions and engage in discussion about what is best for my country and our interests. It would be nice to have those discussions without being labeled a “kremlin stooge” by fellow service members. Even if we did blow the pipeline (which I doubt but am openminded) I’m game to support if we had good reasons. But I hate being lied to by my political leadership and disparaged by fellow vets. And Bashi’s point bears repeating— many many “conspiracies” of the past 2 years turned out to be true. Just visit the COVID thread… what those cultists put us through us is unconscionable.

So you cannot answer my question then? Have you looked around the last few years and seen all the “conspiracy theories” that have turned out to be factual? Critical thinking on this forum is lacking. So many on here lap up the propaganda our media machine feeds them.

You want a moderator to run my IP address? For what? Retaliation for disagreeing with you? Go ahead. You gonna show up in your knee high boots and arrest me for making statements against the state? This is like some sort of 1984/Gulag Archipelago type stuff, man. You're losing your mind over this. Take a break, brother.

“Hey everybody I’m not buying the Russian narrative or trying to convince you to stop providing aid to a country aligned with our interests that is actively fighting them… oh but wait let’s talk about how bad the Ukrainians are again.” Jesus between this and you paddling the conspiracies theorist canoe about Nordstream it’s a wonder we don’t have a moderator run your IP address. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Even if this was only a big bag of wonton farts, this was great coordination by all involved. Joint PME complete! Sent from my SM-F721U using Tapatalk

You're still calling it wild bullshit. I don't get it? Is the video of Biden saying he will bring an end to the pipeline fake? If you cannot see the video or do not trust any of the sources, I can get you another source. Perhaps you will find this sufficient: This is the official White House Transcript. Once again, is this bullshit? Please answer. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/07/remarks-by-president-biden-and-chancellor-scholz-of-the-federal-republic-of-germany-at-press-conference/ (Speaks German.) (As interpreted.) If I may ask you, Chancellor Scholz — you said there was some strategic ambiguity that was needed in terms of sanctions. I just wanted to know whether the sanctions you are envisaging and the EU is working on — and the U.S. as well — are already finished, finalized, or is there still work ongoing? And you’re not really saying what the details are. Is that just an excuse for Germany, maybe, to not support the SWIFT measures? PRESIDENT BIDEN: The first question first. If Germany — if Russia invades — that means tanks or troops crossing the — the border of Ukraine again — then there will be — we — there will be no longer be a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it. Q But how will you — how will you do that exactly, since the project and control of the project is within Germany’s control? PRESIDENT BIDEN: We will — I promise you, we’ll be able to do it. CHANCELLOR SCHOLZ: (As interpreted.) Thank you very much for your question. I want to be absolutely clear: We have intensively prepared everything to be ready with the necessary sanctions if there is a military aggression against Ukraine. And this is necessary. It is necessary that we do this in advance so that Russia can clearly understand that these are far-reaching, severe measures. It is part of this process that we do not spell out everything in public because Russia could understand that there might be even more to come. And, at the same time, it is very clear we are well prepared with far-reaching measures. We will take these measures together with our Allies, with our partners, with the U.S., and we will take all necessary steps. You can be sure that there won’t be any measures in which we have a differing approach. We will act together jointly. (Speaks in English.) And possibly this is a good idea to say to our American friends: We will be united, we will act together, and we will take all the necessary steps. And all the necessary steps will be done by all of us together. Q And will you commit today — will you commit today to turning off and pulling the plug on Nord Stream 2? You didn’t mention it, and you haven’t mentioned it. CHANCELLOR SCHOLZ: As I’ve already said, we are acting together, we are absolutely united, and we will not be taking different steps. We will do the same steps, and they will be very, very hard to Russia, and they should understand.

Nice wake up video of Russian equipment burning, the Terminator getting "terminated", even set to T2 music.

When you had to trade funny QuickTime videos with a 3.5 or if you were rich a CD-R… and they went in the hard drive of the presentation computer to watch between power point classes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Full audio of the shootdown if anyone cares.

I think there are just a lot of people out there that are more keenly aware that we guzzle as much propaganda on a day to day basis as your average Russian or Chinese citizen as well. Everything you read was written with agenda. I think its healthy to ask what that agenda was and what behavior did that writer feel compelled to manipulate into you through that writing. Dont believe free press protects your societal level group think that pushes contorted narratives to meet some odd ends. The only thing that changes with free press is the auditor of that media, not the objectivity.

The fact that we were so publicly critical of the Nordstream projects means blowing them up would immediately have people pointing the finger at us. Pursuing that option seems like it would’ve been rather daft. Not saying it’s impossible for us to make silly, ill timed decisions, just less probable in this case than other possibilities. I think it’s entirely possible, for instance, that one of our Baltic or Eastern European NATO partners could’ve been the culprit. They have advocated for far more deliberate & direct action against Russia and, given their stated positions in this conflict, I wouldn’t downplay the possibility that perhaps the Latvians or Poles decided to act on their own. Another possibility (and I think a more likely one) is that the Russians did indeed blow up their own pipeline as part of a series of actions to create tension and doubt amongst the Western allies. One of Russia’s primary angles of late has been “yeah, we’re pretty sneaky and nasty, but your so-called democracies are just as corrupt and amoral as us”. Thankfully, most of us can see through that narrative, but it does seem to have taken hold with a certain segment of our population and media. In any case, one article that hasn’t been corroborated by anyone (and written by an octogenarian with a sketchy history) is probably not quite the slam dunk you think it is.

“Transferred missiles to pro Russian….” F me dude. Really you think an SA-11/17 is something a group of rebel separatists not only have in working order but also have the training and wherewithal to be using effectively? Have you ever sat in one? This isn’t something a bunch of pissed off former compulsory conscripts and angry guys with AKs just YouTube directions for or play some warthunder and figure out. ADA is a job normally reserved to involving a team of at least a couple contract soldiers. Just some rando dude that with no help or anything…. Popped one missile with enough Pk to accidentally bring down a 777. Then it randomly moves from the Donbas because reasons and the Russians stop international investigators. Is this like when we pretend those dudes in kit with no patches we can easily identify are just “disgruntled separatists” and not what they clearly were to the adults in the room as they seized key terrain and nodes during the Crimea invasion? Again… you claim you aren’t sympathetic to giving the Russians the benefit of the doubt while you repeatedly dredge shit up on the Uke’s in this thread and others like some kind of foreboding warning to all of us. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That is an extremely niche reference and I know the exact incident you’re referring to. Actually happened twice to different guys. One is a complete goofball and the other is a literal rocket scientist that is also a goofball.

https://archive.is/BsHj1

I’m with you. I’ve heard the same shit a million times from people, and bullshit is easy to smell. I’d much rather someone tell me what you said, if they have no real connection to the place. It’s not like people don’t move for their employment in every other sector of society, especially our AD brethren, so I don’t view it as a negative. That’s just me though. A lot of people are going to swear you gotta be from the state or have a 3rd cousin who lives there or something. Certainly if you’re from there it’s going to be easier for you to stay, and we are looking for long term commitment in the ANG. However, we’ve had a lot of luck with out of state folks too. It’s not too difficult to tell, in an interview, who is going to stick around for the long haul.

When the SOTU turns into a clown show, circus, whatever…then we shouldn’t be surprised when those in attendance act less than professional. This has been a long time coming and the SOTU has become a joke, and has been for quite a while. All it is now is an opportunity for the President and his party to tell you how great they’ve been doing, how bad the other side is, and their pie in the sky dream list to appease their base. The joke is on all of you who tuned in or are focusing on the show.

FWIW this is pretty much exactly what I did. Wish I could say I actually had the forethought to plan it that way. It you can pull it off it works great.

But choose your target wisely.

Agreed. Don’t heckle like a little baby bitch, cowboy up and throw a chair at somebody’s face.

Actually read the article. After years of being lied to by the MSM and their "sources" I don't see a reason to give this article any credibility. I can make up how anyone would've accomplished this and cite an anonymous source to attempt to bolster the point. No one in the media knows who did this. Until someone has some real evidence or credible sources willing to go public, it will remain that way. I find the US unlikely due to Biden's past timidity. Don't forget Biden is the one who didn't want to risk going into Pakistan to get Bin Laden. It doesn't seem likely that he would risk fracturing NATO via-a-vis Germany by cutting off a potential gas supply that might be needed during winner. Russia would risk little if this was found to be them, as it is their property. It does play well into the Russian domestic narrative that they are under attack by NATO. It could also drive a wedge between NATO countries. Does that mean they did it? Nope, it just means it may have been them.

What Haiti really needs is a politically connected benevolent charitable foundation to step up and help out.

While I don't generally support military adventurism I do generally accept that there is a stronger case to intervene in geographic neighbors than there is with people on the other hemisphere. Very Monroenian.

getting the Pfizer shot is more likely to harm people of our age group than COVID, according to Pfizer data.

To be fair, he seemed to do a pretty good job of correctly assessing and clearing the potential blast radius of the nearby armored targets before dealing with the trivial fact of being on fire.

@filthy_liar Just so I've got this straight, you were an ALO in Oct 2001 who went into Afgh with the first wave. You claim to be a prior A-10 pilot, which means you're a early to mid-1990's commission - UPT - first assignment - then on to be an ALO. Following that, you had to immediately transitioned into B-1s as you were at Diego launching sorties into theater in 2005. With those combat feathers in your hat, you'd be a sure thing for O-6 in the early 2010s, and then possibly retire in the mid 2010's...which O-6's rarely do. So, as an ALO, a position attached at the hip to the DIV CG, command staff, and most definitely the DFSCOORD, who was your CG during the first push into afgh? I know that's decidedly not classified. The ALO never goes first unless the Div staff goes first, and they didn't. Most definitely not on 19/20 Oct 2001...even with that 30 minute time difference. Where were you during all that? What unit were you attached to? When you went into country, what herk unit hauled you in? I probably know them. You also claim to have been through Ranger School, when we didn't start sending ALOs through that school until...never...and didn't send hardly any AF (there were a very select few) through until post 9/11, most of whom were TACP and an enlisted troops. After that, how'd you transition over to the B-1 at a time when competent and experienced A-10 pilots were at a premium? Sounds like a rather unique path. You don't sound like the kind of guy that would be hungry to hear other peoples war stories with so many of your own to tell. The fact is: Your cavalier perspective and voice don't match any of the individuals I've personally known to tread the paths you claim to have tread. They were all solid, respectful, continuing-to-self-educate professionals. You come off as none of those. Those of us who've actually seen the elephant up close rarely come back story-thirsty. Prone to drinking...definitely. But never thirsty to relive most of those harrowing experiences in so slovenly and exaggerated fashion as you put on. Beyond that, you admitted to being banned here at baseops several times. Care to share the previous handles? If we're to have a solid thread of war stories, I think we'd all prefer to keep the BS out. You seem to fit that bill.

I just have to say, the previous pages' back-and-forth is pure comedy gold. I want to see the fight, and the follow-up hug fest afterwards!

Again, I am biased because I've known him for so long. IMHO he truly believes we are going to fight China (as do I), and when you look at the models, wargames, intel briefs, numbers...it is going to be UGLY. Under current circumstances the losses will be terrible on both sides and will cost us greatly in lives and treasure. Allowing the conversation about single pilot tanker ops was a move to set the conditions for change. I don't care if the union thinks it is a bad idea (it is), the situation is so dire we need to discuss every option, reexamine every tactic and find ways to flip the calculus back on the Chinese. Brother I hear what you are saying about admin and queep. A couple years retired and in reflection I am GLAD to be retired, I miss the squadron, the flying, and mostly I miss the people, but I always default to be overwhelmingly happy to be away from the queep and the caustic leaders we turn into GOs. That being said, as a component commander Mini is pushing the limits where he can (and a bit outside those lines). As the training and equip boss, CSAF sets the tone and makes the rules on queep and I've seen CQ do NOTHING other than continue the status quo (or make it worse...ie Advanced Degrees). I am willing to give Mini the benefit of the doubt and see where it goes. Did you read his memo? "COMMANDER’S INTENT. Go faster. Drive readiness, integration, and agility for ourselves and the Joint Force to deter, and if required, defeat China. This is the first of 8 monthly directives from me. You need to know I alone own the pen on these orders. My expectations are high, and these orders are not up for negotiation. Follow them. I will be tough, fair, and loving in my approach to secure victory. RISK. Run deliberately, not recklessly. You will be governed by the principle of calculated training risk, which you shall interpret to mean the avoidance of death, serious injury, and Class A damage to attain higher readiness, integration, and agility. If the Tactic, Technique, and Procedure you are developing increases AMC’s ability to fight and win inside the first island chain… move out. If you are comfortable in your approach to training, then you are not taking enough risk." Disagree, I would argue it is his DUTY to communicate his concerns, orders and intent to the forces he leads. As for attaching a specific date, the intel community and some think tanks have been signaling that for the past 12 months. There is a collision of specific events in 2025 (Chinese capes, Chinese population, Chinese economy, U.S. Presidential election and a few others), that have a lot of people believing there is a mark on the calendar. This "date" is driving a lot of decision making and if you step back you will see it...Sole Source Wedgetail to replace E-3, Bridge Tanker, Navy ship maintenance timelines, Navy Attack sub procurement and shipyard turn times. I pray to god I am wrong and we don't fight China, but if I am right I am thankful there are people like Mini willing to risk career and inspire change, outside the box thinking and find new ways to win what will be a terrible fight.

Part time U-2 guy or part time base ops’er