Russian Ukraine shenanigans

[Danger41]

Tanks are similar to BUFFs, IMO. If you use them stupidly and without proper support, you’re not gonna have a good time. If you use them and support them appropriately, they are incredibly effective and devastating. 

[filthy_liar]

22 hours ago, FLEA said:

The effect of locking Russia out of SWIFT is that they can no longer exchange fiat currencies with European partners. However, they 100% could exchange crypto if they could find an exchange willing to purchase Ruble.

Ok that makes sense.  I do disagree with your claim though that crypto cannot be regulated.  All of it is regulated.  Most of the coins have a finite number that can be mined/produced.  Crypto markets and governments decide which coins are traded on exchanges.  Governments and businesses decide whether or not to use crypto, whether or not to allow bitcoin atms, etc.

More than once exchanges have frozen crypto trading, usually due to a large scale security issue.  Its definitely regulated.  The blockchain, on the other hand might be a better example of a less regulated landscape.

[filthy_liar]

10 hours ago, BashiChuni said:

we are making a huge strategic mistake escalating this conflict

the biden administration needs to be providing off ramps for both sides and not stoking the flames of war with russia.

my hope is cooler heads are prevailing behind the scenes that we aren't privy to.

Concur.

[filthy_liar]

8 hours ago, pawnman said:

If you distrust everything reported so much, I don't know why you even think there is a conflict in Ukraine right now. 

Pretty much all of NATO and a lot of countries not in NATO have had sanctions against Russia for almost a year.

Go back and read nsplayer's post that I responded to.  Additionally, what is reported vs what I experienced in Asia and Europe most definitely did not match.  Any desk officer, FAO, intel officer, etc will tell you the same.  It's kinda in Germany's best interest to make sure it is being "reported" doing one thing and do another.  As it is in every other country's interest on earth.  Mis/disinformation is kind of a thing.

[FLEA]

9 minutes ago, filthy_liar said:

Ok that makes sense.  I do disagree with your claim though that crypto cannot be regulated.  All of it is regulated.  Most of the coins have a finite number that can be mined/produced.  Crypto markets and governments decide which coins are traded on exchanges.  Governments and businesses decide whether or not to use crypto, whether or not to allow bitcoin atms, etc.

More than once exchanges have frozen crypto trading, usually due to a large scale security issue.  Its definitely regulated.  The blockchain, on the other hand might be a better example of a less regulated landscape.

As I said, exchanges can be regulated, but the actual trade of crypto is by nature peer to peer and distributed therefore by design, and because of how blockchain works, it cannot be regulated. This is how North Korea continues to purchase and exchange crypto. 

The production of new Bitcoin is built into the algorithm and capped at 21M coins. Every 4 years the total coins possible to be mined is divided by 1/2. This is what's called the "halvening." And generally drives prices up as market adjust for reduced supply. But no intelligent regulator is determining number of coins.

[FLEA]

1 minute ago, FLEA said:

As I said, exchanges can be regulated, but the actual trade of crypto is by nature peer to peer and distributed therefore by design, and because of how blockchain works, it cannot be regulated. This is how North Korea continues to purchase and exchange crypto. 

The production of new Bitcoin is built into the algorithm and capped at 21M coins. Every 4 years the total coins possible to be mined is divided by 1/2. This is what's called the "halvening." And generally drives prices up as market adjust for reduced supply. But no intelligent regulator is determining number of coins.

Also worth noting, nothing requires you to use an exchange to buy/sell/trade Bitcoin. You can download the Bitcoin software yourself and do it entirely peer to peer. 

[Pooter]

6 hours ago, Danger41 said:

Tanks are similar to BUFFs, IMO. If you use them stupidly and without proper support, you’re not gonna have a good time. If you use them and support them appropriately, they are incredibly effective and devastating. 

Makes sense, I'm just wondering what Ukraine's capacity is to field and appropriately support these tanks. Russia certainly doesn't seem to be able to do it, so is the smaller and outnumbered force going to be able to?

From the very non-expert armchair I'm sitting in, it seems like Ukraine's biggest successes have been through asymmetric warfare.  Small commercial drones dropping grenades on entrenched Russian soldiers and the like. And some pinpoint standoff strikes on key Russian nodes with the himars we gave them.  

Just struggling to see where the abrams fits into this model

[filthy_liar]

32 minutes ago, FLEA said:

As I said, exchanges can be regulated, but the actual trade of crypto is by nature peer to peer and distributed therefore by design, and because of how blockchain works, it cannot be regulated. This is how North Korea continues to purchase and exchange crypto.

I think we're saying the same thing.  Crypto has to be traded on an exchange unless you've found a coin that doesn't require that.  I mean I guess I could give a buddy my crypto wallet...that wouldn't be regulated.  Are you saying that nation states are doing exactly that on a large scale basis?

[filthy_liar]

34 minutes ago, FLEA said:

Also worth noting, nothing requires you to use an exchange to buy/sell/trade Bitcoin. You can download the Bitcoin software yourself and do it entirely peer to peer.

Ok you answered my question.  Thank you, didn't really think of that at the nation state level, but hey, if its an option, you're exactly right - it's not really regulated.

[Lord Ratner]

1 hour ago, Pooter said:

Makes sense, I'm just wondering what Ukraine's capacity is to field and appropriately support these tanks. Russia certainly doesn't seem to be able to do it, so is the smaller and outnumbered force going to be able to?

From the very non-expert armchair I'm sitting in, it seems like Ukraine's biggest successes have been through asymmetric warfare.  Small commercial drones dropping grenades on entrenched Russian soldiers and the like. And some pinpoint standoff strikes on key Russian nodes with the himars we gave them.  

Just struggling to see where the abrams fits into this model

I think HIMARS coupled with American intelligence providing the targeting coordinates has been far more decisive than the grenade-laden drones. 

[Lord Ratner]

1 hour ago, filthy_liar said:

I think we're saying the same thing.  Crypto has to be traded on an exchange unless you've found a coin that doesn't require that.  I mean I guess I could give a buddy my crypto wallet...that wouldn't be regulated.  Are you saying that nation states are doing exactly that on a large scale basis?

That's incorrect. Nearly all cryptocurrencies are traded peer-to-peer as their native behavior. The exchanges are simply the easiest way to connect buyers and sellers. 

[Pooter]

3 minutes ago, Lord Ratner said:

I think HIMARS coupled with American intelligence providing the targeting coordinates has been far more decisive than the grenade-laden drones. 

You sure? The internet is absolutely overflowing with videos of Russian dudes in trenches getting their dicks blown off by grenade laden drones.  Go to r/combatfootage right now and see what 90% of the videos on there are. 
 

I don't dispute himars has obviously played a huge role and has taken out many important targets. That's why I mentioned it. But as far as influencing public perception of how the war is going for Russia, the daily HD imagery from these things is putting the front lines into the public eye more than any other conflict in human history. That importance and sway on public opinion can't be overstated

[FLEA]

1 hour ago, filthy_liar said:

Ok you answered my question.  Thank you, didn't really think of that at the nation state level, but hey, if its an option, you're exactly right - it's not really regulated.

Filthy_liar, if you have $15 I highly recommend this course on block chain and crypto. 

https://www.udemy.com/course/blockchain-and-bitcoin-fundamentals/

It's literally taught a 4th grader level so anyone can understand it and will crawl walk run you to being able to discuss why Bitcoin works the way it does at a very detailed level. Certainly more than most. 

With 90% of the worlds illicit trade going through Bitcoin it's worth at least having a base line understanding of how it functions, why it's valuable, and why states are relatively powerless to do much about it. 

[Lord Ratner]

24 minutes ago, Pooter said:

You sure? The internet is absolutely overflowing with videos of Russian dudes in trenches getting their dicks blown off by grenade laden drones.  Go to r/combatfootage right now and see what 90% of the videos on there are. 
 

I don't dispute himars has obviously played a huge role and has taken out many important targets. That's why I mentioned it. But as far as influencing public perception of how the war is going for Russia, the daily HD imagery from these things is putting the front lines into the public eye more than any other conflict in human history. That importance and sway on public opinion can't be overstated

It's pretty hard to film a HIMARS hit that happens dozens of miles behind the enemy line. Your post doesn't specify biggest public relations successes, just success. The ability to quickly blow up any Russian colonel, general, or ammo depot that the US Intel apparatus uncovers stopped the Russian advancement nearly overnight. I agree the PR is definitely more influenced by YouTube videos.

 

That's not too say the Ukrainians aren't doing an amazing job in other ways, but HIMARS have Ukraine the ability to decimate Russian logistics. That's what wins wars.

[Pooter]

2 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

It's pretty hard to film a HIMARS hit that happens dozens of miles behind the enemy line. Your post doesn't specify biggest public relations successes, just success. The ability to quickly blow up any Russian colonel, general, or ammo depot that the US Intel apparatus uncovers stopped the Russian advancement nearly overnight. I agree the PR is definitely more influenced by YouTube videos.

 

That's not too say the Ukrainians aren't doing an amazing job in other ways, but HIMARS have Ukraine the ability to decimate Russian logistics. That's what wins wars.

Totally checks. I only brought them up because I don't see how tanks fit into the equation. They're not asymmetric, nor are they long range standoff strikers for targets behind enemy lines like himars are. 

[dream big]

17 hours ago, BashiChuni said:

we are making a huge strategic mistake escalating this conflict

the biden administration needs to be providing off ramps for both sides and not stoking the flames of war with russia.

my hope is cooler heads are prevailing behind the scenes that we aren't privy to.

Remember approx 15-20 years ago when Democrats hated Bush and were firmly anti-war and it was the Republicans who were pro intervention and considered war hawks? Man how times have changed. 

[Lord Ratner]

5 hours ago, Pooter said:

Totally checks. I only brought them up because I don't see how tanks fit into the equation. They're not asymmetric, nor are they long range standoff strikers for targets behind enemy lines like himars are. 

Maybe it really is just all for the spring. If Russia is planning a big offensive to push back west, they're going to do it with tanks. Maybe knowing there could be a pair of Abrams waiting to ambush the convoy will change the calculus?

 

As you said, they've clearly got a knack for asymmetric warfare. But they've managed to incorporate all sorts of very advanced systems into that advantage. Maybe with a fleet of drones distracting/locating the Russian column they can use a small number of advanced tanks to lay waste? I guess we're gonna find out...

[Lawman]

Totally checks. I only brought them up because I don't see how tanks fit into the equation. They're not asymmetric, nor are they long range standoff strikers for targets behind enemy lines like himars are. 

Mobile protected firepower for the maneuver forces attempting to retake hardened objectives.

Eventually all the fires in the world need to be capitalized with infantry to take and hold territory. Tanks make things that stop infantry go away quickly or draw the attentions of the defender in such a way that the combined arms maneuver has a free hand.

With Abrams you also get a weapon system that can direct fire at stand-off preserving Survivability while still remaining useful.


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[uhhello]

1 hour ago, Lawman said:

Mobile protected firepower for the maneuver forces attempting to retake hardened objectives.

Eventually all the fires in the world need to be capitalized with infantry to take and hold territory. Tanks make things that stop infantry go away quickly or draw the attentions of the defender in such a way that the combined arms maneuver has a free hand.

With Abrams you also get a weapon system that can direct fire at stand-off preserving Survivability while still remaining useful.


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At night most importantly 

[Pooter]

3 hours ago, Lawman said:

Lots of good army words

Makes sense

[Lawman]

Makes sense

To put it visually… stuff like this becomes a hell of a lot easier when your supporting bases of fire includes a tank.

Then the maneuvering element comes up and steps on your neck while the S-head element dug into the objective tries to deal with that armored gun reducing their position one 120mm round at a time. Not to mention 11k roads of machine gun that it adds to the supporting fire positions.


The defense would use indirect fires to disrupt the attack. Usually that’s gonna be mortars. Maybe they’ve got artillery but even then the Tank largely doesn’t care. So they have to have dedicated anti tank systems in close with them and there are only so many of those in a formation to go around.

So the enemy is forced to make a decision of withdrawal out the free axis and try to consolidate a counter attack later giving up the ground, or they can stay there and be overwhelmed and try to trade out casualties to make the offensive force stall.

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[gearhog]

It's like the Army version of the Defensive Egg.

[filthy_liar]

22 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

That's incorrect. Nearly all cryptocurrencies are traded peer-to-peer as their native behavior. The exchanges are simply the easiest way to connect buyers and sellers.

That doesn't pass the common sense test to me.  I'm not saying you are wrong, but millions of transactions per hour are taking place in the crypto exchanges.  I find it very hard to believe that volume is being generated peer to peer absent an exchange.  What would that even look like?

[filthy_liar]

8 hours ago, Lawman said:

while the S-head element dug into the objective tries to deal with that armored gun reducing their position one 120mm round at a time.

what is an S-head?  In all my time at SAMS I don't recall that one.

[FLEA]

1 hour ago, filthy_liar said:

That doesn't pass the common sense test to me.  I'm not saying you are wrong, but millions of transactions per hour are taking place in the crypto exchanges.  I find it very hard to believe that volume is being generated peer to peer absent an exchange.  What would that even look like?

You need to take the course I offered you brother. Youre arguing outside of your depth. If you don't understand on a technical level how the crypto industry holds or records value, how it's distributed, what mining actually means on a technical level....you are going to struggle to understand why and how crypto currency works peer to peer. Crypto was deliberately created to circumvent financial services institutions following the 2008 bank collapse. The creator wanted people to be able to trade peer to peer without governments or banks involved he did a very good job of ensuring that the currency was protected from that.