Politics

[Altitude sickness]

Governors Whitmer, Newsome and AOC were there also. Stating how Trump won’t be in office for ever and when they are in charge we can return to Europe setting the standards.

In all things Woke, DEI, more Green scams. On and On.

And they are of course correct. The Dems will be up to bat eventually.

 

[Trophyhunter01]

The best question was when AOC was asked if Taiwan should be defended from China invading its territory. What a stutter, lack of anything answer she provided. She showed her lack of knowledge on a world stage….perfect.
It is great when she is asked a question and the first part of her response every time starts with “personally, I think”.

 

[Altitude sickness]

And AOC had better responses than Newsome.

 

[Brent in Az]

After 3.5 years, 18 year old mass shooter/murderer, Austin Thompson, was sentenced to 5 consecutive life sentences, without the possibility of parole
Another unfortunate instance of a growing wave of troubled youth, and a broken society and system.

 

[Newboomer]

After 3.5 years, 18 year old mass shooter/murderer, Austin Thompson, was sentenced to 5 consecutive life sentences, without the possibility of parole
Another unfortunate instance of a growing wave of troubled youth, and a broken society and system.

"Broken society and system." Ain't that the truth. This country needs a little old fashion frontier justice. Arrest, trial, conviction and they swing--all in two or three days. No more of this dilly dallying for months or years.

 

[CJW]

Blood boiling....note to self give up watching anything about uk....too depressing and anger inducing.....

This is what happens when the delusional would rely on a hope and prayer to fix something. It's also never those in charge whose kids are stabbed or blown up by the muslim hollering about Alan's Snackbar.

And to be fair it's not just the UK.

 

[CJW]

Holy crap. Lots of unpacking to do there.

 

[farmer_john]

This is what happens when the delusional would rely on a hope and prayer to fix something. It's also never those in charge whose kids are stabbed or blown up by the muslim hollering about Alan's Snackbar.

And to be fair it's not just the UK.

Ropes cheap.

 

[steve white]

After 3.5 years, 18 year old mass shooter/murderer, Austin Thompson, was sentenced to 5 consecutive life sentences, without the possibility of parole
Another unfortunate instance of a growing wave of troubled youth, and a broken society and system.

But now we have to feed and house the little turkey

 

[Brent in Az]

 

[spike.t]

After U.S. extends AGOA, China finally agrees zero-tariff access for 53 African nations

China will implement zero-tariff treatment for imports from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations from May 1, 2026, state media reported on Saturday, in a move that broadens Beijing’s preferential trade regime across the continent

africa.businessinsider.com

 

[Sideshow]

Kriegstüchtig is the German word for war-ready. Germany prepares for the worst.

I read posts from our European, Canadian, and some very wise US members of our forum condemning the tough-love the USA is practicing via reducing its funding to NATO. While I cannot imagine not supporting our NATO allies if they would be attacked by Russia or other aggressor, it is good that Germany and other NATO members are planning, preparing for the worst.

Any good logistician practices to plan for the worst, but hope for the best. Any good commander must understand logistics. While the article below doesn't focus on logistics, sustaining equipment is a logistic element as is the meane to train personnel, i.e. training couseware, facilities, and special training aids. It is obvious that Kriegstuchig doesn't overlook logistics.

From today's Wall Street Journal,

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/a-german-general-prepares-his-country-for-warand-the-clock-is-ticking-0fc5d7ce?st=6jX9mp&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Thanks @Mark A Ouellette That was an excellent article, it really captured what I was talking about regarding Germany’s ingrained reluctance to engage in another war since WW2.
This general genuinely seems like the right man for the job. I hadn’t realised conscription was only ended in 2011.
People often assume Germany moved away from conscription decades earlier, but 2011 is practically yesterday in historical terms. It explains a lot about the tension pointing to, a country with a deeply ingrained post‑WW2 aversion to militarism suddenly having to rethink its entire defence posture in a far more dangerous world.

 

[Sideshow]

Yes, there are some Army vets still pissed off about Tora Bora. The one I know that was one of the first up the hill. Is very confident they had Bin Laden pinned down in that cave. And he was allowed to slink out.

Intentionally or not, you have highlighted the problem with smart munitions. There is a huge difference between suspecting the location of a target within say a hundred square Km, and having an actual target located to a hundred square feet. It is why both CIA and the army leadership at CENTCOM and in Washington argued so strongly for the US blocking force on the border routes. The air force tried very hard to kill him. They likely came close. But he successfully crossed the border in a convoy of vehicles and disappeared for a decade plus.

This was the military vision that sponsored the “shock and awe” strategy that promised Iraq would lay down its arms quickly, meaning a large ground force commitment would not be required.

There is still that rumour of the SBS observation post spotted a convoy believed to be carrying Osama bin Laden or Mullah Omar near Tora Bora in December 2001
Not that its ever been confrimed that the SBS were in the area, but UK forces were part of the broader coalition operating in Afghanistan at the time.

 

[Red Leg]

There is still that rumour of the SBS observation post spotted a convoy believed to be carrying Osama bin Laden or Mullah Omar near Tora Bora in December 2001
Not that its ever been confrimed that the SBS were in the area, but UK forces were part of the broader coalition operating in Afghanistan at the time.

That story has circulated for a while outside the US military. It is usually told in the context of a turf battle where the SBS spotted a convoy that might contain Bin Laden (sometimes it is Mullah Omar) approaching the Pak border village of Parachinar, requested permission to engage, but were told to stand down until Delta arrived. Depending on the version, Delta either doesn't show or arrives too late to engage.

I do not know if it is true or another war story from the confused fight in Tora Bora. We have a number of former career US SOF personnel reading this thread, and perhaps one of them can offer a US perspective.

 

[steve white]

"The REST of the story....One of my church members is father to the pilot who flew the second B1 bomber over the Super Bowl. The wings are locked back, top speed as it comes over, BUT--at that time the avionics went out on the plane. The wings would not come forward! He was preparing to go to a distant base to land, when suddenly the problem fixed itself and the wings came back forward. BTW, a backup generator also failed when the avionics went out.
He high fived the co-pilot, and as he did so his oxygen mask shifted to the side revealing a batman emblem (that's his call sign). I understand that it went viral.

 

[Roosterlund]

Fine.

I guess I'll explicitly answer your question.

The US motherland gets invaded. Or more realistically, you guys need to fight China for Taiwan, or S Korean... again. Would NATO step up?

18 months ago, that was a resounding, 100% yes. No doubt. No hesitation. There's historical precedent; Bosnia. Kosovo. Afghanistan. Libya. Iraq. Afghanistan. Anti piracy support in Somalia. Anti drug support in S America. Australians and new zealanders died in Vietnam, and brits and aussies died in Korea.

The nato nations trusted that the US would honor its nato commitments, and in turn they'd follow theirs. It's a trust based system, and the trust was never in doubt.

Today, the situation is a little different. Most nato members don't 100% trust that the US would do the same. Unless it benefits them.

There's a very high probability that this administration would demand bribes or other forms of payment in order to fulfill their obligations. Just the same as they did for Ukraine, and are trying to do with Greenland. Many seriously worry if they'd fulfill then at all. The more nervous (and frankly, slightly silly) ones see a world in which the us might even be the enemy. The trust is gone, or at least is seriously degraded.

In that context, well. It's hardly unreasonable for other nato members to play the same game. Oh no, the us is being threatened and you want nato support? Let's chat about those tariffs, maybe a bit of reverse lend lease is in order... etc, etc.

The US wants a purely transactional foreign policy. Only fair to give them one.

For what it's worth, I don't think relations have broken down to the point that the support is really in any doubt. NATO would still step up, the alliance would survive.

But even the fact that it's a question... is a big problem.

Help me understand the tariffs thing. Maybe this was discussed on here a while back and I missed it, I also don’t know the particulars. I understand that US goods to Canada were being tariffed at pretty high levels like milk, beef, vegetables ext…… was the US already putting tariffs on good coming in from Canada and Trump dreamed up the idea to put even more tariffs on these goods? Cause it sounded to me if you would have fare trade there would be no tariffs. I could be wrong on this. But if I’m right then he’s a genius!!!

 

[Tanks]

I understand that US goods to Canada were being tariffed at pretty high levels like milk, beef, vegetables ext…… was the US already putting tariffs on good coming in from Canada and Trump dreamed up the idea to put even more tariffs on these goods? Cause it sounded to me if you would have fare trade there would be no tariffs. I could be wrong on this. But if I’m right then he’s a genius!!!

In all fairness there is a pretty hefty Government subsidy of US dairy farmers, so Canadian dairy farmers would not be competing on an even field. The government subsidies also occur on both sides on a number of goods. US complains about that while doing the same thing on a number of industries.

 

[RLD]

"Broken society and system." Ain't that the truth. This country needs a little old fashion frontier justice. Arrest, trial, conviction and they swing--all in two or three days. No more of this dilly dallying for months or years.

Unless you are black and you are 7.5 times more likely to be wrongfully convicted of murder than white counterparts.

What proportion of wrongful executions are you willing to accept? Because the faster that justice system moves the more mistakes it tends to make.

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

In all fairness there is a pretty hefty Government subsidy of US dairy farmers, so Canadian dairy farmers would not be competing on an even field. The government subsidies also occur on both sides on a number of goods. US complains about that while doing the same thing on a number of industries.

Thanks for saving me the trouble of having to explain that yet again

 

[farmer_john]

Unless you are black and you are 7.5 times more likely to be wrongfully convicted of murder than white counterparts.

What proportion of wrongful executions are you willing to accept? Because the faster that justice system moves the more mistakes it tends to make.

Considering 13% the population commits 85% the violent crime in this country.
Id be ok with occasionnaly throwing the baby out with the bath water till that demographic chilled out.

Or should we just let them do whatever to avoid making a mistake