Politics

[Red Leg]

Excellent update.

 

[Red Leg]

The B2 Peregrine falcon profile is still VERY impressive

Something about form following function?

 

[Ray B]

When the fanatics claim FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA they aren't talking about the Jordan to the Mediterranean, their intention is from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

When the fanatics claim FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA they aren't talking about the Jordan to the Mediterranean, their intention is from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean.

And when the Israelis pulled off the exploding pager masterpiece, somebody quickly came up with FROM THE LIVER TO THE KNEE

 

[Red Leg]

Trump just posted this cut on his Truth account. It will likely come as a surprise to Candice Owens, Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, some portion of his true believers, and perhaps JD Vance. I have never considered him an isolationist - my personal distrust with respect him, as opposed to the neo-isolationists, remains his ability to tell friend from foe.

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

Marc Thiessen: “Donald Trump is not an isolationist, but I think some of the Republican isolationists are suddenly discovering that they're out of touch with the MAGA movement and Donald Trump…I have total confidence in Donald Trump. This is the guy who killed Qasem Soleimani. You think he's...

truthsocial.com

 

[spike.t]

Trump says US intelligence ‘wrong’ about Iran not building nuclear bomb

US president doubles down on claim Iran is building nuclear weapon, again contradicting US intelligence community.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[spike.t]

More Chinese soft power ....

China Grants 53 Countries Tariff-Free BRICS Market Access

BRICS member China is granting 53 African countries duty-free market access when the US is imposing tariffs.

watcher.guru

 

[spike.t]

Seems another one evaporated....

Iran FM warns US involvement in conflict would be 'very dangerous' as Israel targets commanders

Israel's military say Iran's Hamas coordinator, Saeed Izadi, has been killed in a strike in the country's north-eastern city of Qom.

www.bbc.com

Another segment

Iran FM warns US involvement in conflict would be 'very dangerous' as Israel targets commanders

Israel's military say Iran's Hamas coordinator, Saeed Izadi, has been killed in a strike in the country's north-eastern city of Qom.

www.bbc.com

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

Trump says US intelligence ‘wrong’ about Iran not building nuclear bomb

US president doubles down on claim Iran is building nuclear weapon, again contradicting US intelligence community.

www.aljazeera.com

Tulsi Gabbard seems to be in the Tucker Carlson camp. I see a lot of Al Jazeera articles are parroting the same stuff as the leftist media outlets are here. Looks like a Qatari effort on Iran’s behalf. The fringe right (and the left of course) is upset with Trump over our involvement/potential involvement in this conflict but that’s it. Just a bunch of fringe nut jobs like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and others. I seriously think Tulsi is no different. She quite recently released a video about the US bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that shows she’s on the fringe. https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/sta...atement-to-the-board-of-governors-9-june-2025

Analysis of IAEA Iran Verification and Monitoring Report — May 2025 | ISIS Reports | Institute For Science And International Security

She posted this to try and help her case but her assertion in her post and what she said in the hearing don’t exactly add up IMO. She’s trying to retroactively align with Trump by posting this. Probably worried about her job..

https://twitter.com/x/status/1936174674595008517

 

[spike.t]

Tulsi Gabbard seems to be in the Tucker Carlson camp. I see a lot of Al Jazeera articles are parroting the same stuff as the leftist media outlets are here. The fringe right (and the left of course) is upset with Trump over our involvement/potential involvement in this conflict but that’s it. Just a bunch of fringe nut jobs like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and others. I seriously think Tulsi is no different. She quite recently released a video about the US bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that shows she’s on the fringe.

Analysis of IAEA Iran Verification and Monitoring Report — May 2025 | ISIS Reports | Institute For Science And International Security

See she just changed her mind...

Tulsi Gabbard now says Iran could produce nuclear weapon 'within weeks'

This comes after US President Donald Trump said she was "wrong" for saying Iran was not building nuclear weapons.

www.bbc.com

 

[Red Leg]

Tulsi Gabbard seems to be in the Tucker Carlson camp. I see a lot of Al Jazeera articles are parroting the same stuff as the leftist media outlets are here. The fringe right (and the left of course) is upset with Trump over our involvement/potential involvement in this conflict but that’s it. Just a bunch of fringe nut jobs like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and others. I seriously think Tulsi is no different. She quite recently released a video about the US bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that shows she’s on the fringe.

She was a regular on Tucker's show along with his pet military "expert" Douglas Macgregor. What disturbed me most about all of them is they regularly parroted the propaganda coming out of not just Al Jazeera with regard to Middle East issues, but also the talking points on the Russian propaganda broadcasts like their "Sixty Minutes" where scarcely an utterance doesn't have Kremlin approval.

I should note that there is nothing wrong with watching Al Jazeera or R1 to get a feel for what the region or certain audiences are conditioned to believe - I do so very often with respect to the Ukraine Russian war and the Middle East generally. Just balance it with information from alternative universes.

As @spike.t notes, following a chat with the president, she apparently now claims her testimony was misunderstood.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Tulsi definitely leans more towards the Hippy/Dove category than a hawk. I don’t think she is fully qualified for her position. Perhaps a rung or three below her current station.

But, we were all burned so badly by the Iraq war, Libya, and other actions by our failed Intelligence (or purposefully misled) and bad decisions. That it’s healthy to have a few people around the President with different opinions and possibly less aggressive styles.

IF !!! Those people are well informed and trusted. With Trump that’s hard to come by. I don’t think she fills the above billet.

Fortunately General Jack Keane has high praise for General “Raisen Caine” and General Keane says that Gen. Michael Kurilla head of Central Command. May be the most qualified to ever hold that position. So IF Trump is listening to them. And apparently according to General Kurilla. Trump is taking his council.

I feel more comfortable that we are not rushing to dive off another cliff.

 

[Brent in Az]

Another top Iranian military commander eliminated.
A military, where getting promoted will definitely lower your life expectancy.

 

[skydiver386]

I think it is worth debating the conclusion about who started this conflict.

From my perspective, Iran has provided every indication that their strategic goal is the destruction of the state of Israel - not its harassment, not its discomfiture, but its absolute destruction. It has mobilized every regional Arab with a grievance, armed terrorist organizations, and has been the primary force for destabilization in the region for two generations. In other words there is every indication they mean exactly what they say. Indeed, it is a messianic-like vision rather than what we would consider a logical foreign policy.

At the same time, they have embarked on a enormous missile and uranium enrichment program to the exclusion of much of their other defense spending. Israeli intelligence has now concluded the regime is within weeks of creating a nuclear device. North Korea provides ample evidence of how easy it is to create a missile warhead.

You are the prime minister of Israel. Just one or two nuclear weapons successfully launched can literally destroy your homeland as a functioning nation state while exterminating a huge portion of your race - not merely citizens. What is your responsibility to your people? What actions can you take?

You and I are in agreement on everything in your post, but it still does not answer the real question that is central to the debate.

Did Israel start this war never having made any attempt to create a method for destroying Iran's nuclear weapons production, but instead has known they will need the United States to do the job?

To directly answer the question "What is your responsibility to your people? What actions can you take?

The primary responsibility of any head of state is to protect the people of that state. Providing the equipment and training for your armed forces is the most basic component of an armed defense.

Having allies is always advisable, but have a plan to fill the gap if those allies are unwilling or unable to come to your defense.

To leave your security to others with no alternative plan is not good leadership.

If I were responsible for a plan to take out Iran's nuclear weapons development program, here is what I'd propose. You need 3 things, a weapon capable of deep penetration and explosive power, a vehicle to deliver it to the target area, and possibly a guidance system. One component will obviously decide the feasibility of the other components.

Israel has no ballistic missiles or bombers capable of lifting the type of weapon we are talking about. Israel DOES have the 103rd heavy lift Squadron that has at least 7 C130-J30 Super Hercules. If my information is correct, these have a max lift of 45,000lbs. Not ideal, but a viable platform similar to that used for the 15,000lb BLU-82 Daisy Cutter.

The bomb itself could be similar to our MOP, but I would go in a different direction. Rather than use high altitude and inertia, I think explosive velocity would be far superior. The MOP has a velocity of 1450fps. Comp B and other explosives can do over 10X that.

In the U.S. inventory we use M3E2 40lb shape charges for demolition work. These are placed on a small steel stand to provide a standoff that gives the copper lined warhead the distance to form into a carrot shaped projectile. These shape charges create a hole that is then filled with the ANFO explosive I mentioned earlier. The copper coned shape charge, usually in tandem, is exactly what we use to defeat tank armor. Depending on soil composition, a 40lb shape charge can penetrate 15-25ft.

BTW, most so called "Experts" will tell you that shape charges form a jet, and this jet penetrates the target. This is false. I have in my personal collection several of the copper carrot shaped projectiles I recovered from Coleman Demolition Range on FBNC. It is a copper projectile travelling nearly 15,000fps that provides the penetration. A high pressure jet does follow the projectile and increases the size of the hole in many cases.

Using these same principles, we simply scale thing up. I would use 6ft diameter steel pipe, load a copper cone tandem shape charge into the pipe with a standoff fuze extender.

What we will have built is a 1,828mm, 15,000lb tandem shape charge bomb with a projectile travelling 15-20,000fps!

Nothing the Iranians have built would stand up to this. Two or three of these on any given target would no only penetrate the best concrete Iran has, but destroy anything under it.

Israel has built Merkava tanks, so forging a copper cone and loading it into a steel pipe should present no great challenge.

Israel has Parachute Riggers familiar with airdrops similar to this, so the airdrop platform is not beyond their present capabilities.

Israel also has guidance systems that could be adapted to this project. Unguided versions could still be successful, but calculate 3X the number would be needed.

The obvious question is why didn't we build something like this? The answer is because we wouldn't use a slow non stealth aircraft when we have higher altitude capable B2 Spirit bombers. If israel is left with no how and no way to do it, this is the path I'd take.

 

[Red Leg]

You and I are in agreement on everything in your post, but it still does not answer the real question that is central to the debate.

Did Israel start this war never having made any attempt to create a method for destroying Iran's nuclear weapons production, but instead has known they will need the United States to do the job?

To directly answer the question "What is your responsibility to your people? What actions can you take?

The primary responsibility of any head of state is to protect the people of that state. Providing the equipment and training for your armed forces is the most basic component of an armed defense.

Having allies is always advisable, but have a plan to fill the gap if those allies are unwilling or unable to come to your defense.

To leave your security to others with no alternative plan is not good leadership.

If I were responsible for a plan to take out Iran's nuclear weapons development program, here is what I'd propose. You need 3 things, a weapon capable of deep penetration and explosive power, a vehicle to deliver it to the target area, and possibly a guidance system. One component will obviously decide the feasibility of the other components.

Israel has no ballistic missiles or bombers capable of lifting the type of weapon we are talking about. Israel DOES have the 103rd heavy lift Squadron that has at least 7 C130-J30 Super Hercules. If my information is correct, these have a max lift of 45,000lbs. Not ideal, but a viable platform similar to that used for the 15,000lb BLU-82 Daisy Cutter.
View attachment 694008
View attachment 694009
The bomb itself could be similar to our MOP, but I would go in a different direction. Rather than use high altitude and inertia, I think explosive velocity would be far superior. The MOP has a velocity of 1450fps. Comp B and other explosives can do over 10X that.

In the U.S. inventory we use M3E2 40lb shape charges for demolition work. These are placed on a small steel stand to provide a standoff that gives the copper lined warhead the distance to form into a carrot shaped projectile. These shape charges create a hole that is then filled with the ANFO explosive I mentioned earlier. The copper coned shape charge, usually in tandem, is exactly what we use to defeat tank armor. Depending on soil composition, a 40lb shape charge can penetrate 15-25ft.
View attachment 694014
BTW, most so called "Experts" will tell you that shape charges form a jet, and this jet penetrates the target. This is false. I have in my personal collection several of the copper carrot shaped projectiles I recovered from Coleman Demolition Range on FBNC. It is a copper projectile travelling nearly 15,000fps that provides the penetration. A high pressure jet does follow the projectile and increases the size of the hole in many cases.

Using these same principles, we simply scale thing up. I would use 6ft diameter steel pipe, load a copper cone tandem shape charge into the pipe with a standoff fuze extender.
View attachment 694013
What we will have built is a 1,828mm, 15,000lb tandem shape charge bomb with a projectile travelling 15-20,000fps!

Nothing the Iranians have built would stand up to this. Two or three of these on any given target would no only penetrate the best concrete Iran has, but destroy anything under it.

Israel has built Merkava tanks, so forging a copper cone and loading it into a steel pipe should present no great challenge.

Israel has Parachute Riggers familiar with airdrops similar to this, so the airdrop platform is not beyond their present capabilities.

Israel also has guidance systems that could be adapted to this project. Unguided versions could still be successful, but calculate 3X the number would be needed.

The obvious question is why didn't we build something like this? The answer is because we wouldn't use a slow non stealth aircraft when we have higher altitude capable B2 Spirit bombers. If israel is left with no how and no way to do it, this is the path I'd take.

I am intrigued by the idea of a shaped charge.

Let me put on my corporate vice president's hat and offer some practical considerations and observations that I would suggest to my bright engineers when they would come in with an idea for a development project for the US armed forces. This doesn't mean that I reject the idea, but I do have some questions.

Fordow is the key Iranian enrichment site. It is literally 300 feet deep inside a mountain and made up of thousands of feet of excavated concrete reinforced tunnels and rooms. On what flat surface do you intend to land your giant shaped charge to insure its linear driven projectile and jet reach the intended target that deep in the ground? I presume one would be forced to use a stand off sensor to trigger the device?

The actual targets are tunnel complexes. Let's say the charge is somehow so accurately placed, so accurately aimed regardless of ground slope, and so powerful that it would actually penetrate and hit that small a target - then what? I will not argue that the immediate area around the penetration hole would indeed be a mess, but the explosively formed projectile (EFP) would continue on its straight line path until it dissipated. The tunnel might not even collapse. I would suggest the difference between the effect of a jet slicing through a tunnel in such a complex and that of the 5K explosive payload of a deep penetrator exploding within the same target would be rather dramatically different.

How would a C-130 survive such a flight to dump the shaped charge out the rear of the aircraft? Air superiority achieved with an F-35 or F-15 safely at 40k feet means something entirely different for a four engine turbo prop lumbering along at 20,000 feet.

I am an old airborne guy as well and spent quite a bit of time around Sicily DZ trying to get heavy ordnance safely on the ground. I understand that the para-bomb would be falling faster than my HMMWV was, but I still question the guidance system or parachute that could place such an object that accurately in exactly the right place, at exactly the right attack angle (remember this is a mountain) to hit a target that deep.

With the MOP, the aircraft only has to provide a precise aiming point. With the shaped charge, not only does the aircraft require an aiming point of great precision, but so does the shaped charge itself.

I suspect Israel has a plan to attempt to deal with Fordow. They have clearly determined that it is higher risk alternative than allowing the US to do it with the B2 and MOPs. It will be interesting to see how long they will wait.

 

[Red Leg]

It would appear that the B2's are deploying again.

US moves B-2 stealth bombers as Israel-Iran conflict continues

The warplanes, designed for long-range missions, appear to be heading to Diego Garcia, the Indian Ocean strategic base

www.thetimes.com

B-2 stealth bombers appear to be on the move hours before Trump expected at White House

Six B-2 stealth bombers appear to be heading toward Guam as President Donald Trump contemplates getting the U.S. involved in the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.

www.foxnews.com

US B-2 stealth bombers takes off from Missouri to Guam base in Pacific | The Jerusalem Post

The US military is ready to carry out any decision that President Donald Trump may make on Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday.

www.jpost.com

 

[steve white]

You and I are in agreement on everything in your post, but it still does not answer the real question that is central to the debate.

Did Israel start this war never having made any attempt to create a method for destroying Iran's nuclear weapons production, but instead has known they will need the United States to do the job?

To directly answer the question "What is your responsibility to your people? What actions can you take?

The primary responsibility of any head of state is to protect the people of that state. Providing the equipment and training for your armed forces is the most basic component of an armed defense.

Having allies is always advisable, but have a plan to fill the gap if those allies are unwilling or unable to come to your defense.

To leave your security to others with no alternative plan is not good leadership.

If I were responsible for a plan to take out Iran's nuclear weapons development program, here is what I'd propose. You need 3 things, a weapon capable of deep penetration and explosive power, a vehicle to deliver it to the target area, and possibly a guidance system. One component will obviously decide the feasibility of the other components.

Israel has no ballistic missiles or bombers capable of lifting the type of weapon we are talking about. Israel DOES have the 103rd heavy lift Squadron that has at least 7 C130-J30 Super Hercules. If my information is correct, these have a max lift of 45,000lbs. Not ideal, but a viable platform similar to that used for the 15,000lb BLU-82 Daisy Cutter.
View attachment 694008
View attachment 694009
The bomb itself could be similar to our MOP, but I would go in a different direction. Rather than use high altitude and inertia, I think explosive velocity would be far superior. The MOP has a velocity of 1450fps. Comp B and other explosives can do over 10X that.

In the U.S. inventory we use M3E2 40lb shape charges for demolition work. These are placed on a small steel stand to provide a standoff that gives the copper lined warhead the distance to form into a carrot shaped projectile. These shape charges create a hole that is then filled with the ANFO explosive I mentioned earlier. The copper coned shape charge, usually in tandem, is exactly what we use to defeat tank armor. Depending on soil composition, a 40lb shape charge can penetrate 15-25ft.
View attachment 694014
BTW, most so called "Experts" will tell you that shape charges form a jet, and this jet penetrates the target. This is false. I have in my personal collection several of the copper carrot shaped projectiles I recovered from Coleman Demolition Range on FBNC. It is a copper projectile travelling nearly 15,000fps that provides the penetration. A high pressure jet does follow the projectile and increases the size of the hole in many cases.

Using these same principles, we simply scale thing up. I would use 6ft diameter steel pipe, load a copper cone tandem shape charge into the pipe with a standoff fuze extender.
View attachment 694013
What we will have built is a 1,828mm, 15,000lb tandem shape charge bomb with a projectile travelling 15-20,000fps!

Nothing the Iranians have built would stand up to this. Two or three of these on any given target would no only penetrate the best concrete Iran has, but destroy anything under it.

Israel has built Merkava tanks, so forging a copper cone and loading it into a steel pipe should present no great challenge.

Israel has Parachute Riggers familiar with airdrops similar to this, so the airdrop platform is not beyond their present capabilities.

Israel also has guidance systems that could be adapted to this project. Unguided versions could still be successful, but calculate 3X the number would be needed.

The obvious question is why didn't we build something like this? The answer is because we wouldn't use a slow non stealth aircraft when we have higher altitude capable B2 Spirit bombers. If israel is left with no how and no way to do it, this is the path I'd take.

You've got a wicked imagination coupled with explosives training! I always enjoy and learn from your posts. Sometimes those at the top could benefit from advice from those who have been on the ground?...

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

The 92 ARW (Air Refueling Wing) is based out of Fairchild AFB, near Spokane, Washington. I lived there as a kid and my dad was a tanker pilot, flying KC-135s. During Vietnam, bombers were stationed at Guam and tanker in the Philippines. It was an ideal set up for refueling the B-52s inbound to Vietnam. There were bombers, fighters and tankers stationed in Thailand as well.

 

[skydiver386]

Legitimate questions.

First, you have to understand how a shape charge and it's fuzing work. Let's take the Russian RPG7 as an example.

In the nose, we have a piezoelectric fuze that when crushed, generates an electric current. Tank armor is universally sloped, but presents no problem for this type of fuze, and it will function under all but the most shallow angle. This electric current detonates an electric blasting cap at the back or base of the explosive charge. In the case of our aerial bomb, it would be top dead center.

As simple fuze extender/standoff mounted to the nose as pictured above would easily provide the distance needed for the projectile to form. These standoff fuzes were used in the mountains of Vietnam with no issues.

The warhead itself also has no issues with sloped armor or angled target materials A copper lined explosive formed shape charge does not depend on flat surfaces to work. As a matter of fact, it is specifically designed to defeat angled or sloped armored targets.

Think tank warfare and the effects that the older generation BGM72 TOW missile had on armored vehicles. It was not the modern top attack version, but was aimed at the hull or turret of the tank, and used a fuzing system similar to what I've described. Not only would it penetrate the armor of all Soviet tanks of the 1970's, but destroyed everything in the interior of the vehicle. All of this with an explosive charge of no more than a few pounds. The munition I'm suggesting would have a charge weight of over 12,000 pounds.

A parachute extraction system would be used simply to do that one task, ie extract the pallet loaded ordinance from the rear ramp of the delivery aircraft and separate it from it's pallet.

Any number of steering fin configurations could be used along with GPS, laser, and other guidance systems. We have used bolt on fin and nose kits to turn dumb MK82 bombs into guided munitions for years now. In Ukraine they have even used miles of fiber optic cable to guide drones. I can think of a huge list of ways to guide this to it's target.

The delivery aircraft would be the vulnerable part of the entire project. I have been open about this from the beginning. Such a mission could only be considered in an environment where enemy air defenses had been largely neutralized. Fighter escorts would obviously be a given and extensive efforts would be needed to supress any ground based air defense forces. This seems to be the current enemy situation in Iran.

Even then, maximum altitude and airspeed would be a good idea. The specific models that Israel has are capable of 420mph at 30,000ft. The current record is 36,500ft, but this would not be sustainable for this type of mission.

 

[skydiver386]

You've got a wicked imagination coupled with explosives training! I always enjoy and learn from your posts. Sometimes those at the top could benefit from advice from those who have been on the ground?...

Well, I did eat a lot of lead based paint chips as an infant.