Politics

[Corey0372]

Moreover, militaries, East or West do not "scout" with armor regiments. Assuming those additional troops represent actual combat formations, I have no doubt they would be rolling if they could

Your analysis isn't completely far off, but to this point I have to disagree. The Marine Corps still has 3 Light Armored Reconnaissance Regiments.

 

[Corey0372]

Your analysis isn't completely far off, but to this point I have to disagree. The Marine Corps still has 3 Light Armored Reconnaissance Regiments.

Sorry....., Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions

 

[Pheroze]

Unfortunately, that photo is from a couple of years ago and it’s her with an Airsoft gun.

I don't think Uncle Sam was real either tbh.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Do you suppose those same sycophants faced any kind of repercussion for not telling him what he wanted to hear and telling the whole truth?

During Stalin's time they would have been taken out back and executed with a small pistol.

 

[lwaters]

I wish I could contract fertilizers at your numbers.
Nitrogen based products were up 3X and most phosphorus and potash prices were at or near double before the Ukraine invasion ever started. The prices are ridiculous and are targets of opportunity for gouging. There is plenty of all of it.

Nitrogen products are petroleum byproducts so as soon as our fearful leader trashed US production, the fear mongers raised the red flag and prices started going up. Everything else goes with it. Much like soybean prices drop a buck every time a mouse farts in Brazil and some idiot translates it into a devastating wind storm.

Transportation is one of the reasons as well. There is enough supply, getting it to me has been and will be an issue.

You do, and will continue to see prices rise as commodities are correcting. As is what happens every time there is a significant uptick in commodities, every person with a seed or a part for a machine in his hand wants a bigger piece of the “big money” the farmers is getting. Tractors, irrigation, new construction, etc, are all up 15% or more. Funny how those prices never settle back when the market drops.

There isn’t a farmer I know, and I know many across the country, that is willing to cut back on amounts used. Technology (we won’t even get into its cost increase) has brought us to the razor edge of minimum rate to yield ratios as it is with precision ag and variable rate tech. Cutting anything would drop our price per unit much more than our cost per unit at this point.

Sorry if that seemed like a rant but my point is that our government will have you believe this is all because of this war along with a ton of other problems that existed prior to the build up at the Ukrainian border.
They need to blame someone for their incompetence.

We will still keep everyone fed.

To the contrary it is very easy to cut fertilizer use here in Kansas. Instead of corn plant milo. Soybeans use less fertilizer they could be planted two years in a row although yields drop. Or just plant sedan grass and put it up for feed. Of course people in my area are stock farmers were not complete sod busters. I'm not debating why the costs are going up its the fact they are. America has had a cheap food policy for years. My Dad farmed all his life for basically 2.00 wheat. He always maintained if they needed more wheat lower the price and we'll plant the road ditches. I agree some corn bean farmers have no other option but to plant but I do.

 

[Wheels]

I don't pretend to be an expert on Russian politics, but at some point he is also risking someone else stepping in to resolve the issue.

This^^^^^^^seems the logical conclusion if the invasion draws out a couple more weeks. Especially if Putin starts talking about nuclear options. Surly there are people in the Kremlin who will step in.

Regardless of who is in charge in the Kremlin, it would not be surprising to see a purge of top generals in the next three months. Unless of course the top generals are the ones in charge.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Hmmm, if only old Vlad would have read my AH posts a couple weeks ago.
Then, I posted that one should "Plan for the worst, hope for the best".

Yeah, you would have thought that. Extreme arrogance on Putin's part and he is paying for it dearly.

 

[lwaters]

What is the AZOV Battalion? Read some rant about them actually being Nazi. Don't know if it just some more disinformation but could explain Isreal position.

 

[CoElkHunter]

THANK YOU. I personally would like to see about 10,000 more pictures like this.

Oh, those photos are coming. Comrade Putin has bit off way more than he can chew this time around. This isn't going to be Crimea. It's shaping up to be Putin's worst nightmare.

 

[Ray B]

Putin's statement causes me to ponder- the one about a world without Russia is not a world worth existing.

 

[Randy F]

To the contrary it is very easy to cut fertilizer use here in Kansas. Instead of corn plant milo. Soybeans use less fertilizer they could be planted two years in a row although yields drop. Or just plant sedan grass and put it up for feed. Of course people in my area are stock farmers were not complete sod busters. I'm not debating why the costs are going up its the fact they are. America has had a cheap food policy for years. My Dad farmed all his life for basically 2.00 wheat. He always maintained if they needed more wheat lower the price and we'll plant the road ditches. I agree some corn bean farmers have no other option but to plant but I do.

You are correct but it’s not as easy as all that. And you’re correct in that milo takes less, I’ve raised 17,000 acres of the stuff. The price shadows corn but still lower and it’s more finicky to store. But you’re at the mercy of the Chinese for a volume market. If corn prices are high they are one of the few who will contract for a few ships…then cancel when they find some cheap corn. There is a reason for its limited acreage in the US.
Soybeans is a no-brainer as well but a great way to trash that market is to overplant them.
I’ve also grown over 120,000 acres of wheat. Maybe road ditches would work for a smaller operation but to maximize returns you need high protein. Few buyers will take low protein wheat and if they do, they don’t pay much.

But I agree, raising stock is a different thing altogether. Cattle feed is a little more forgiving than people…or should I say buyers.

My statement was more toward potato and vegetable production. Rotations are much more limited. Most processors require at least a five year plan which means land leases and long term contracts for a tone of things need to be in place. It isn’t so easy jot make rotation changes. Margins stay tight but so is everything else for everyone. I’ve produced over 90,000 acres of potatoes to this point and it still amazes me that I get +/- $9/cwt for premium and they sell a couple ounces of fries for a buck+. Same with sweet corn, peas, and green beans, it’s all about premium grade. Cutting back fertilizer when your at the edge already is jeopardizing much more than yield.
Geez maybe I should just grow corn and beans and quit worrying about all this other crap.

Anyway, the point is that sanctions will possibly have some effect but the issues were here long before…including inflation.
And I appreciate your thoughts on it.

 

[Red Leg]

What is the AZOV Battalion? Read some rant about them actually being Nazi. Don't know if it just some more disinformation but could explain Isreal position.

What is the point you are trying to make about Israel? They have no dog in this fight whatsoever. They are not part of NATO and have plenty on their plate in their own neighborhood.

 

[WAB]

No way Crimea is a part of Russia. That is an illegal occupation at best.

 

[Wheels]

Neil Ferguson's Calculator™ @ProfessorFerg8·12hBREAKING!!

Police search units join hunt for Covid-19 following mysterious disappearance from all news media.

 

[Wheels]

No way Crimea is a part of Russia. That is an illegal occupation at best.

In the negotiations, Zelinskyy should start with: We will let your troops leave Ukraine without killing all of them, if you move all troops out of and relinquish all control of Crimea.

 

[Brent in Az]

@ Brent in Az: as I am not from the States, please tell me who was President on 9/11?
According to your sophisticated logic, the Republicans must have caused this incident....

George Bush was president. He is part of the D.C establisment swamp, just like Obama, and Biden. I didn't like him either.

Bad things happen under weak leaders.

 

[Red Leg]

Your analysis isn't completely far off, but to this point I have to disagree. The Marine Corps still has 3 Light Armored Reconnaissance Regiments.

That is awfully generous of you.

However, last I looked the USMC isn't operating main battle tanks in those units are they (or any tracked vehicles at all)? In fact "light" is the operative word isn't it? The Corps regiments use the wheeled LAV - essentially the predecessor to the Army Stryker. The Russians are operating and losing their latest T-80 / T-90 main battle tanks, and BMP armored fighting vehicles in Ukraine. Not exactly a recon formation's order of battle. Those systems equip armored and mechanized infantry formations. Russian motorized recon units are equipped primarily with the BTR series of wheeled armored vehicles. They don't look much like tanks either.

 

[lwaters]

What is the point you are trying to make about Israel? They have no dog in this fight whatsoever. They are not part of NATO and have plenty on their plate in their own neighborhood.

I'm just wondering why Isreal would be that worried about sanctions against Russia. Seeing how well the Russian Army is doing in Ukraine I don't think they would want any part of the Israeli Army.

 

[Wheels]

 

[flatwater bill]

A demented fool with a huge stock pile of nuclear weapons and his back to the wall. That is worrisome to me.
On the other hand, Putin is even worse.............................FWB