It is July 4th today. I used to look at this holiday with pride, understanding that many who came before me had fought and died for a liberty in my country that so many other people can only hope to achieve. Sadly, I have come to wonder if many in my country are now letting that slip away.
We now have people who follow a venal, self-serving man in the person of Donald Trump. We have a slow waning of the protections of individual rights, starting with the rights of women, in the overturning of Roe v Wade. This by a Supreme Court that is packed with politically motivated justices who have shown they were willing to lie about their stances on “settled law' in order to be approved as a Justice for the Supreme Court.
All of this has been at the machinations of politicians like Mitch McConnell who are willing to put their own political agenda before the will and well-being of the American people. They have even been called out by one of their own, Liz Cheney.
Here are a few clips of her commentary:
At the Reagan Library, on the danger that Donald Trump poses to our democracy:
At the Jan. 6th Commission hearings, on witness tampering:
At the Jan, 6th Commission hearings, on dishonor:
Even as we celebrate this July 4th the Supreme Court is contemplating taking up a case that will decide who has the power of election oversight, the state courts or the state legislature. The majority of state legislatures are controlled by Republicans.
We are watching our civil rights and liberties being slowly eroded by a party controlled by a demagogue.
Contrast this to words from our Declaration of Independence:
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. “
I fear that the type of people who wrote that Declaration are no longer living here in the United States. I wonder, do we value our liberty as much as the Ukrainians value theirs? Are we willing to stand up and be heard this November and in 2024?
79 comments:
"I fear that the type of people who wrote that Declaration are
no longer living here in the United States."
You may be mistaken about the 'type of people' who wrote the Declaration of Independence. For every Benjamin Franklin there was both a Thomas Jefferson and George Washington and others who owned other people as chattel property, and who more than willing to resort to murder and genocide to clear the land of the vermin they knew as "Indians".
It is true that the United States eventually evolved into a representative democracy--but that wasn't the original plan.
(It's not for nothing that the new crew on the Supreme Court call themselves 'Originalists'. If you keep up with their writings in the Federalist Society it becomes clear that they want to turn back the clock and restore America as an Eighteenth Century aristocracy, ruled by the few whom they deem worthy of that power.)
It is true that the United States eventually evolved into a representative democracy--but that wasn't the original plan.
Yet in some way, shape or form all of those people contributed to that outcome. For instance, George Washington may have owned slaves but he was the first one to show what the peaceful transfer of power could look like.
Not everyone is all bad or all good and the United States has always been evolving. Hopefully moving forward, but lately moving backwards. And that would be due to what you just described, the desire of the few to rule over the many.
So are there still people willing to fight for the rights of all of us?
Or are they too busy with their lives to notice what may be taken away?
The Russians seem to be grabbing more Ukrainian territory inch by inch, gaining "control". But do they have enough resources, men and equipment, to actually solidify that control?
I believe the Ukrainians have been targeting ammo depots and command and control bases behind the frontline in Russian controlled territory. What happens in those occupied territories if enough of that is destroyed?
Will the Russians get caught between the Ukrainians and the effects of the sanctions in a rather unusual pincer type of move?
What will the Russians do with piles of rubble in Ukraine and an economy that may eventually look the same?
Btw, I saw video of an attack on a Russian ammo depot near Poposna. Whatever they had stored there created enormous secondary explosions, almost like a mushroom cloud. It was that big. I think the source is credible.
"But do they have enough resources, men and equipment,
to actually solidify that control?"
That is the bottom line question.
One thing we learned from the dictators of WWII; Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, and even the military oligarchy that ruled Japan (nominally under the supervision of the token Emperor), we learned that wasted resources are not much of a problem for dictators--not as long as they still have resources to spend. If they totally run out of resources before they 'win'--then they've got a problem. That will prove them to be fallible, and a national belief in their infallibility is a burdensome requirement for the successful, post-Renaissance dictator. Public failure at war almost certainly means an uprising at home (almost certainly a successful uprising as a result of the dictator's failure at war).
They will, therefore, spend whatever it takes to make themselves look, to their domestic audience, like winners.
So, the question is, "Does Putin have the resources still remaining to grind the Donetsk oblast into the dust and install a puppet regime to Lord proudly over that rubble"?
Or, can he at least hold on long enough to restock and resupply and then return to grinding the Donetsk oblast into dust as he's already done with Luhansk?
These were not his goals when he started that war; these are rather more limited achievements; but he's fighting for his life now, not for his blown imperial ambitions. These are his minimum requirements to survive. He'll spend whatever it takes--the question is will he go broke before he wins? A public loss, visible to his nation, is death for Putin, so he'll spend it if he's got it; down to the last dime.
This is not the war he thought he was starting, but fighting for his life over a pile of rubble is the war he's now got. And he intends to win it. He got no other options.
I think you summed that up nicely.
Anecdotally it may appear that Russia is running into supply issues, for both men and equipment. And while some Russian YouTubers have been focused on things like food prices and shopping malls those were never the intended target of the sanctions. Or put another way, the importance of McDonalds leaving Russia wasn't about depriving the Russian people of burgers but the Russian government of tax revenue. Same goes for the sanctions, money and supplies were the targets.
That was one leg of the pincer, the other is the Ukrainian people. They have shown themselves to be tenacious, brave and very motivated.
Putin will push it until the very end. The Russian people have been taught to feel they cannot make a difference. They are like people who are trapped in an abusive relationship. What will it take to make them realize that there is strength in numbers?
"Putin will push it until the very end."
I've read some self-proclaimed experts predicting that Putin's 'very end' will come in the next few months. August is a popular pick for the month by which Putin's forces will have to have broken the Ukrainian resistance or face a real logistical collapse on the Russian side.
(Be real embarrassing for Putin to have his forces start surrendering en masse in the hopes of getting something to eat.)
(Be real embarrassing for Putin to have his forces start surrendering en masse in the hopes of getting something to eat.)
Yes. Even the Ukrainian separatists are starting to complain about how this war is being waged.
Perhaps a little bribery would make them have second thoughts?
Mr. James Murray, head of the United States' Secret Service has announced his imminent resignation after the Secret Service had hinted at a coming public dispute with the recent, and inflammatory testimony of one-time Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson.
It appears that any dispute of her testimony will be considerably more constrained than the Secret Service had been suggesting to the press (behind the scenes) and the Director of the Secret Service is going to be resigning instead.
"I've read some self-proclaimed experts predicting…"
Following up on the 'self-proclaimed experts' thing….
It seems to be developing conventional wisdom among those same that Putin is preparing for a relatively ferocious assault on the Donetsk oblast.
Supposedly gonna be a slight calm before that storm unfurls itself, but the self-proclaimed experts think there's a storm comin' soon.
Yes, word from the Russians is that they haven't really been trying too hard.
Well, Russian leadership anyway.
Mr. James Murray..
I think he took a job with Snapchat. Interesting career move.
"[W]ord from the Russians is that they haven't really been
trying too hard."
Putin's proven himself to be not near the brilliant tactician that some folks had been making him out to be. (The rap was that he was usually blind strategically, but was good at tactics.) But it turns out that his list of tactical moves consists of one basic move--heavy bombing; artillery, rockets, missiles, air-strikes, whatever will carry the payload--chuck bombs at the enemy and the then claim dominion over the rubble when they finally withdraw because there's nothing left to defend except piles of rubble. He's shown himself to be a one trick pony. Hardly the brilliant tactician that some folks had dreamed up.
So, my speculation is that Putin's upcoming 'ferocious assault' will consist of more of the same--over-the-horizon bombing of already emptied out towns and cities (emptied except for the recalcitrants who always stay). We can expect he'll increase the rate of fire, but that'll be 'bout the only 'ferocious' new move on display. But, he will try to make the bombing heavy enough to dismay the Ukrainians and perhaps sap their morale. (Don't think that'll work; they're pretty set on fighting this one out until the Russians are finally gone.)
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"Interesting career move.
Curious timing.
Word has it that the Russians lost 35 tanks in an effort to overrun a hill. Rumor has it that they are now residing, the usable ones anyway, with the Ukrainian military. If accurate that would be the most tanks lost in a single battle since the war began.
It would also mean that the Russian military tacticians probably are on a par with Putin.
NYT: A Washington D.C. think tank known as 'The Institute for the Study of War' has come to the same basic conclusion as I have (Lee C. @ Sat Jul 09, 05:12 am ↑↑) regarding Russia's 'pause' in hostilities in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainians have been preparing the ground for a counterattack. That seems to include going after Russian ammo depots and command centers behind enemy lines. If they destroy enough of that stuff Putin's all out assault may not be quite so all out after all.
I suspect we will see shortly.
"I suspect we will see shortly."
Putin does seem to be preparing for a 'surge' of sorts (to borrow parlance made popular elsewhere). And he seems to be fairly confident again, making public appearances again and public pronouncements, after a period of seclusion when his war was obviously going badly for Russia. (In this regard he seems to model Hitler more than Stalin.)
I reckon we now await decision by Putin as to how soon is 'shortly'.
It sounds like shortly was really short, as the Russians have renewed attacks. Meanwhile, it seems that Ukraine is pushing in the south.
According to US intelligence it appears that Iran will supply Russia with attack drones. Interesting development, if true.
Everyone is waiting to see what Belarus and Russia are going to do with the forces in Belarus as well as the situation with Kaliningrad.
"…the Russians have renewed attacks…"
I notice the Russians have taken steps to keep Ukrainian civilians from escaping the Russian bombing, but I consider those moves ancillary to the bombing itself (and the Russians' have, of course, stepped up their bombing just as was predicted). I haven't seen any reports of new, independent Russian troop 'attacks' against new targets nor any significant Russian territorial advances.
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Lukashenko gotta do what Putin wants. He's put himself in that position; subservient to Putin. But, Putin may not want to fight an insurrection in Belarus, which could easily happen.
WaPo: Russian efforts to find sales for its sanction oil and gas (sanctioned in Western markets) is cutting into the sanctions-avoidance-market currently dominated by Russian allies, Iran and Venezuela. They are not pleased.
No solution currently presents itself, but they're all lookin'.
Lukashenko gotta do what Putin wants.
Word is that his military doesn't. If they do move on Ukraine the rumor is that there will be a mass surrender.
I'm not sure the Ukrainians are in a position to receive and care for a 'mass' of POWs. (Probably preferable to receiving a mass of armed and hostile Belarussians, but my guess is they'll have those to deal with as well. Trouble both ways.)
The NewYorkTimes has now picked up on that story about Russia cutting into the limited 'sanctions-avoidance-market' for oil and gas sales by 'rogue' states.
Russia, Putin himself even, is traveling to Tehran this coming week for wide ranging meetings with the Iranians. Probably not coincidental.
It looks like Russia is also trying to ramp up domestic production, among other things.
Putin signs law introducing special economic measures to support the military
From CNN’s Uliana Pavlova and Radina Gigova
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Thursday allowing the government to introduce special economic measures to support the Russian armed forces during "counter-terrorism and other operations" outside the country.
As the special measures get adopted, companies will not be able to refuse government contracts and employees will have to work at night and on holidays.
The government also received the right to temporarily reactivate mobilization capacities and facilities and the right to unbook the material assets of the state reserve.
Although the Russian government continues to reject framing the conflict in Ukraine as a war, the new measures effectively mean the country is re-shaping its industry in support of the ongoing invasion.
On Thursday, Putin also signed additional laws that include tougher measures for individuals or entities considered foreign agents by Russia, and expanding criminal liability for defection to high treason.
One wonders when the people of Russia will start to realize that Putin is trading Russia's resources for pariah status?
The NewYorkTimes has now picked up on that story about Russia cutting into the limited 'sanctions-avoidance-market' for oil and gas sales by 'rogue' states.
I saw that. Nobody likes to be undercut.
"The government also received the right to…unbook the
material assets of the state reserve."
Kinda blatant I'd think.
I've been lookin' at the increasing list of non-military targets in western Ukraine being hit by Russian missiles, and I'm beginning to wonder….
Are they stalling for some reason?
What if the time comes for the renewed Russian assault in the Donbas, but the renewed assault doesn't come?
We're already seeing a Russian Air Force that won't go. They've given up on the idea of actually flying over Ukraine. (Ya'll might have noticed that the Ukrainians have quit howlin' 'bout the need to 'close the skies'? That's because the Russians pretty much won't fly over Ukraine (except occasional recon flights)--instead they fire stand-off armaments from high over Russian or Belarussian territory and then drop back down to their safe bases. The Ukrainians have finally figured that out.)
What happens if the Russian soldiers decide they prefer the long-range war as well? (Just lob big explosives at 'em from 'way back, and call it another day in the war.)
What happens if the Russian soldiers decide they prefer the long-range war as well?
I have been kind of wondering the same thing. Right now they appear to be shelling wheat fields as well as residential buildings. Not that the last is really any change, but it strikes me that they are doing this out of spite and not just an effort to demoralize the Ukrainians. It's also a waste of ammunition.
What will it take to make the Russians stand down? Perhaps only a like kind decimation of their own economy. Or the removal of Putin.
"One wonders when the people of Russia will start to
realize that Putin is trading Russia's resources for pariah
status?"
Good chance that'll never happen. Good chance the Euroweenies will weenie long before the Russian people 'start to realize' that Putin isn't the military genius he's portrayed as back home.
"…they appear to be shelling wheat fields…"
Middle of July heat. May be hoping to set the fields on fire.
I do agree that part of their intention is to send a message not to the Ukrainians, but to the rest of 'the West', those who're supporting Ukraine. It's a message to the Euroweenies especially. "We do this because we can. And we can do this to you. And you might be next if you don't make Ukraine surrender soon."
"Or the removal of Putin."
Ain't gonna happen. He's nipped off any possible replacements soon as they showed any hint of starting to bud. He's been better at that than damn near any of the recent dictators I've seen.
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Misc: Yuri Borisov, a deputy prime minister in charge of the Russian weapons industries, has been removed from that job and sent off to head the Russian space agency, Roscosmos; so ordered on Friday by Putin, personally.
_________________________
Post Script: I think there'll come a time when we're gonna havta revisit those restrictions on using our weapons against targets in Russia.
Looks like any 'stalling' might be over, or nearly so.
WaPo
"Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Saturday ordered his forces
to intensify attacks ‛in all operational sectors’ in Ukraine."
Post Script: I think there'll come a time when we're gonna havta revisit those restrictions on using our weapons against targets in Russia.
Agreed. As far as I am concerned, for Ukraine, they are legitimate targets.
I can certainly understand many Ukrainians feelings of hatred toward all things Russian.
*whispers softly"
Planes.
Planes, NATO standard, with the necessary training for ground support crews to keep them in the air (which takes months, not days nor weeks) may be an appropriate provision somewhere down the line, especially if this turns into another or those 'frozen conflicts' that Putin often settles on when he can't win but won't quit.
In the next few months though, the Ukrainians need something they can use on the battlefield right away, artillery and missiles they can fire tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that. That's what they need now.
Planes for which they had no ground crews almost certainly would have been a massive waste of money (our money), and a waste of their time and efforts.
Planes, NATO standard, with the necessary training for ground support crews to keep them in the air (which takes months, not days nor weeks)...
Yup.
That would be a surprise if they showed up.
Meanwhile, it appears that Europe is baking. As is Minnesota actually. Yesterday and today are set to be in the upper 90's, with little rain in sight. The temps are set to be high all week.
And I don't know if it's because of drought conditions drying up their food or what but the deer are just horrible this year! They have mowed off my beans twice now. I just noticed this morning that the garden where I raised the fence (using netting) has been invaded by the giant rats. Apparently they just jumped or stepped over the netting, which is flexible. This might be my last attempt at beans this year. I have to go in search of Coyote urine. I think that was the only thing that really worked a couple years ago.
So while everyone has been distracted by the war in Ukraine climate change has continued on unabated.
"Yesterday and today are set to be in the upper 90's"
A drop to the upper 90's would be a noticeable improvement over our current numbers.
"… climate change has continued on unabated."
Thanks in part to Joe Manchin it will continue unabated for awhile longer.
Indeed, Manchin is always the sticky wicket. As bad as inflation is, climate change is much much worse.
Lavrov has finally come right out and stated that Russia has designs on more than just the Donbass region of Ukraine. Something everyone already knew, but he can use the excuse of western weapons now to say that Russia needs a bigger buffer zone.
Ukraine has started going after the Kerch bridge in Crimea.
Oops, not that bridge, at least not yet. It's near Kherson.
Looks like the Jan. 6th commission may have actually broken some of the logjam in Congress with regard to election laws.
A bipartisan group of senators reached a deal to make it harder to overturn a certified presidential election, marking the most significant response by Congress to former President Donald Trump's relentless pressure campaign to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Russia appears to be delaying its renewed offensive in Ukraine. Supposedly they were taking a short break to reposition, restock supplies, repair their rolling stock, (rest a little), then they were gonna renew their offensive in the Donbas region and across the Ukrainian southern sea shore regions.
They seem to be delaying the renewed offensive. We're hearin' a lotta talk; not seeing much in the way of troop movements. They have not explained why. They have made several small attempts to advance; seemed to be probes more than an opening of a renewed offensive--nothing overwhelming; all turned back with seemingly little difficulty by the Ukrainians.
And the Ukrainians, who'd taken this time to prepare to meet that renewed offensive, seem to be getting a little restless. Their forces seem to be gradually drifting into offensive operations in those areas where they were expecting to meet a renewed Russian offensive that simply has not yet materialized.
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"Looks like the Jan. 6th commission may have actually
broken some of the logjam in Congress…"
Maybe, maybe not. Manchin yet lives. (Not to mention Sinema.)
We're hearin' a lotta talk; not seeing much in the way of troop movements. They have not explained why.
From the intercepted calls it appears that Russia is sorely lacking in manpower. They can shoot missiles, but they need people to take and hold ground. Also, some of those still in place are looking for ways to leave.
Manchin yet lives.
He was part of this agreement, so unless he backs out he might not be an issue. I can't say for Sinema.
They are again televising the Jan. 6th commission hearing on prime time tonight. I haven't gotten around to viewing the last one on YouTube, but I think they stand alone so I will watch this one in real time. Plus I've seen a lot of clips from the last. one.
Biden has tested positive for Covid. He is fully vaccinated and double boosted. They are also giving him the new viral treatment. Possibly Paxlovid. So far he is experiencing mild symptoms. But I suppose they would say that. I will wait to see when he resumes his traveling duties. Unfortunately, he just met with the Ukrainian First Lady this week. They are busy tracing contacts.
"…then they were gonna renew their offensive in the Donbas
region and across the Ukrainian southern sea shore…"
I have developed a theory on this. Putin's malice has overtaken him and he's decided to destroy Ukraine--long distance strikes; rockets and missiles, against civilian targets in the west of Ukraine to go along with continued relentless shelling of those areas he can already reach with his artillery.
Firebomb Ukraine's grain fields just before harvest time, year after year after year. Rocket and missile strikes against Kyiv and Kharkiv and Lviv, repeated month after month, year after year…, etc.
Grind Ukraine down over the term of years rather than months, without reliance on his unreliable soldiers.
And then he'll be king of the rubble all across what used to be Ukraine; all of it will be in ruins and Putin will be left as the undisputed master of the ruins. (And the surviving Ukrainians will have fled to 'the West'. This is known, post WWII, as 'genocide'. That label's not gonna be a problem for Putin.)
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The Secret Service has been ordered by the Department of Homeland Security (their 'parent' agency) to immediately cease all efforts to 'investigate' the loss of the text messages between agents that they deleted after they were subpoenaed by the Jan 6áµ—Ê° Committee.
Homeland Security is worried that the Secret Service might find any residual copies first and then disappear them forever this time (with more time to make sure of their efforts), and decided to shut that search down before the Secret Service was successful with a 'second wipe'.
Some members of the Secret Service are now retaining private legal counsel.
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Somebody's suggested giving the American fleet of A-10 Warhogs to Ukraine. WaPo Seems like a fine idea to me.
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Russia and Ukraine are set to sign an agreement today to allow Ukrainian grain to get shipped out to a hungry world. (This according to Turkey which is moderating negotiations.)
I'm a little leery of this news. I remember Russia's agreements to allow 'humanitarian evacuations' and 'humanitarian corridors' out of Ukrainian cities under siege, only to discover that the Russians considered that a perfect opportunity to target and terrorize the civilians fleeing along those corridors.
Hope I'm wrong about Russia's intentions this time. But I can't help remembering last time.
The Russians have proven they are liars and not to be trusted. Your wariness is quite understandable.
Huh! One of CNN's commentators interviewed the head of British foreign intelligence and one of the questions was if he felt Russia was a target rich environment for recruitment. He just said their doors are always open.
One hopes some Russians who understand the wanton destruction Russia has inflicted on Ukraine is horrible and morally wrong will walk through that door.
Warthogs, F-15's etc. I'm good with that.
I watched most of the hearing last night, except for when I had a phone call. As before I felt they were doing an excellent job of making their case. I don't know that it will make a difference to hard core Trumpers.
The last two public Committee hearings have been difficult for me to judge for effect on the public. They're going over stuff I already know, and I can't seem to feel any confidence that I've got an accurate read on how it might effect those still non-committed. I just don't know how it's likely to play to those who never thought it important to familiarize themselves with the material being rehashed in Committee now.
The polls should tell us in a few months just how much of what's playing in Committee right now managed to get traction with the 'non-committed'. Then I'll know how it worked out.
(The dedicated Trumpkins, of course, are already familiar and either just don't give a damn or have made a conscious decision to accept the studied stupidity of FoxNews or to believe the internet weirdness of QAnon and OANN and Breitbart--but the 'reachable' population is a bit of a cypher to me on this question.)
Israel bombed a factory in Syria. The factory made drones for Iran.
Yup, your wariness of that grain deal has already proven prescient. Russia has hit the port area of Odessa with cruise missiles.
What assholes.
The Russians were overeager. They didn't give the Ukrainians enough time to get a really large supply of grain into those grain silos at the port. (Bad timing has been a consistent problem for the Russians in this war.)
And, the Russians then went to the Turks and denied they were responsible for the attack. Four cruise missiles--two of them shot down, which means the Ukrainians had them tracked and mapped; they know where they came from--and yet the Russians are going to the Turks and asking the Turks to pretend to be stupid. We'll have to see how that works out.
And, they're still dawdling on their renewed ground offensive--it seemingly ain't comin' together for 'em. I gotta wonder if Putin knows yet.
Now the Russians are saying it was a military target, a Ukrainian Navy ship, they were aiming at in Odessa.
They are saying that military targets are not included in the grain deal. So, if the Ukrainian Navy plans on escorting the grain ships in Ukrainian waters, does that mean they will be subject to Russian shelling during that time? That hardly seems to be a "safe corridor" for the transport of grain. I suspect this deal will fail even before it really starts.
]
Meanwhile the Russians are making a tour of Africa pushing the lie that it is not them who is cutting off food supplies, but the West. They are nothing if not predictable.
I have to wonder if the rift between Trump and Pence will split the Republican party more so than the Jan. 6th commission?
The Trump-Pence rift is a minor matter. (On account of Pence has virtually zero shot at getting the nomination.)
<…e-mail…>
Missing comment:
Lee C. ― U.S.A.
"Now the Russians are saying it was a military target…"
Yeah, right.
Even ErdoÄŸan finds some excuses too embarrassing to be associated with. Even he couldn't pretend to believe the 'We didn't do it' defense--so…. New excuse. Doesn't matter that nobody believes the new one either. Believability is not the test--the test is can they say it with a straight face.
The grain ships will be 'escorted' by Turkish and Russian ships. I don't think there's any provision for Ukrainian ships preforming any such functions, even in Ukrainian territorial waters.
Posted by Lee C. ― U.S.A. to Still Healing at 26 Jul 2022, 09:07
The grain ships will be 'escorted' by Turkish and Russian ships. I don't think there's any provision for Ukrainian ships preforming any such functions, even in Ukrainian territorial waters.
The Ukrainians will not be happy then. But there is a provision for a third country. Perhaps someone with ships nearby. Maybe the US.
(On account of Pence has virtually zero shot at getting the nomination.)
Yes, but that doesn't mean that those who would have voted for Pence or Trump would vote for the other person. Same goes for the candidates they each endorse.
"Maybe the US."
That would cause someone else to 'not be happy'. Might displease ErdoÄŸan as well.
Let the oil/gas wars begins apparently. Russia is shutting off more supplies to Europe. Basically proving what the US has been warning about for quite some time now. Russia cannot be trusted.
That would cause someone else to 'not be happy'.
lol! Yes, I can see where that might be the case.
Another boring day in the war. Ukrainian forces attacked the Antonivsky bridge east of Kherson again. The Russians generally fired 'over-the-horizon' on civilian targets wherever they could find civilian targets worthy of another artillery round. No particular sign of a renewed ground offensive by the Russians.
The US has finally approved the treatment of wounded Ukrainian soldiers at our Landstuhl Medical facility.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has approved the treatment of wounded Ukrainian soldiers at a US military hospital in Germany, according to a memo obtained by CNN and confirmed by two US defense officials.
The plan would allow Ukrainian troops to be treated at a US military hospital for the first time since Russia invaded the country in February. It allows for the treatment of up to 18 wounded soldiers at a time a Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the massive hospital in Germany where the military has for years treated US service members who suffered injuries in combat.
Farther down in that article they mention that a number of Ukrainian soldiers have been in Chicago to be fitted for prosthetic limbs. In Minnesota we also have been doing the same at one of our facilities.
The one fellow our reporter interviewed was only 20 years old and was so happy to be able to be mobile again. He was used to being active and being confined to a wheelchair was very depressing. From what I saw he did a very good job of mastering getting around on his new legs.
The Russians generally fired 'over-the-horizon' on civilian targets wherever they could find civilian targets worthy of another artillery round.
Reports are that the Russians are using a nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia as cover to fire across the river at Ukrainian positions. They know the Ukrainians won't fire back. Some might say that was a rather cowardly act on the part of Russia.
"Reports are that the Russians are using a nuclear power
plant at Zaporizhzhia as cover…"
They're setting up howitzers at the base of Ukrainian residential buildings in the cities they hold as well.
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"Ukrainian forces using U.S.-supplied precision artillery
severely damaged a bridge vital to the Russian military's
supply lines in occupied Kherson, Ukraine authorities said
Wednesday.
"'Successful missile strikes on bridges over the Dnipro River by
#UAarmy create an impossible dilemma for russian occupiers
in #Kherson,' the Ukrainian Defense Ministry tweeted.
'Retreat or be annihilated by #UAarmy. The choice is theirs.'
"The bridge is one of two crossings over the river that Russia
uses to transport personnel and equipment to territories it
occupies. The strike didn't aim to destroy the bridge but to
make it impossible for the Russian military to use, Ukraine's
Operational Command South spokeswoman Nataliya
Gumenyuk said.
"The Ukrainians used a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System
the U.S. has been supplying in recent weeks. Russia has relied
on less precise artillery to indiscriminately shell civilian areas
since its invasion began five months ago."
USAToday
The Ukrainians didn't completely destroy that bridge to allow an avenue of retreat for Russian soldiers. They wanted to make sure it couldn't be used for heavy armor though. The Russians have been trying to build pontoon bridges, but those are flimsier and easily destroyed.
It looks like Manchin may have signed off on the energy/health bill that has been in the works for some time. I certainly didn't see that one coming. I will only count it as a win, though, if it actually gets signed, sealed and delivered to Biden's desk. So much can still go wrong.
Gas prices here have been going down. I saw a station here listing it for $4.299.
I came back here for a peek and just as anticipated it was a two man show, w Lee and Lynnette the only remaining stalwarts.
I don’t know w the topic of the day is and this whole abortion issue is un-interesting to me so I guess the only topic I’d find interesting atm is Ukraine.
I still cannot get a grip on whose winning or losing there. I get that Russia seriously misplayed it in the beginnings. Thinking it would be a cakewalk, well it wasn’t.
But now I as confused as I was at the beginning. Could the Russian military be THAT bad as to lose vs Ukraine? Or are the western weaponry THAT much surperior that those influxes alone could best Russias military might? Or does Russia still have the option to mass mobilize and run over the Ukraine, and if so is it domestically feasible?
I have rarely seen a conflict where I feel so uncertain about the outcome as this one.
And for the record, before Lee comes around and calls me a Putinist or whatever, I do hope the Ukranians will be able to repel this unlawful invasion, I am on board with sending them the weaponry to do so, I am ok with economic hardships in our own countries rather than bowing down to Putin. If we suffer some, with energy prices going through the roof and the inflation and likely shutdowns of some sectors of our economy, well that’s a price we need to pay. And long term Russia is gonna pay it ten times over. Maybe then they can get around to ousting their very bad leaders. (And I’m under no illusion it’s just about Putin, it’s the whole system)
I am certainly no military expert but I think there are a number of issues that the Russian military suffer from. First is corruption, they have syphoned off funds needed to keep their equipment up to date. That brings us to the comparison between western military equipment and Russian. It does appear that the West has an edge on accurate artillery systems. The HIMARS being a case in point. There is also a big differnce in motivation between the Ukrainians and the Russians. A lot of those Russian soldiers do not want to fight Ukraine.
If Putin went hat in hand begging Iran for drones and Turkey to build a Bayraktar factory you know Russia has problems.
They may get worse. To the point where even the civilians back in the homeland start to get tired of the whole mess. When they see the wounded soldiers coming home or not coming home at all. The Ukrainians are doing a good job leading them on in order to eliminate as many as posdible.
It has been a total waste of Russian resources for that country. And not just that, Putin has made the entire country a pariah state in the eyes of the West.
Oh, I also forgot what you yourself mentioned, Marcus, the treatment of Russian conscripts. Would you want to fight for people who don't give a damn about you? Rumor has it that they are grabbing any warm body and giving him 5 days of training and sending the poor guy to the front without even being able to handle a gun.
As for the abortion issue I felt I needed to point out the effort by so many who follow the Republican party to curtail the rights of Americans. They just started with women's rights.
I haven't had time to do a new post yet with so much to follow on the war in Ukraine.
It is hard to imagine Putin backing off without some catastrophic occurrence within Russia itself.
Marcus mentioned a mobilization within Russia. I think if that were to happen it would be the end of Putin. There are more young people against the war than older, but they are the ones who have to fight.
Protests are still happening, they are just on the sly. Someone went so far as to make their Wi-Fi network name "Slava Ukraini".
The tv producer who went in front of the camera with a protest sign has been at it again. Only this time she was standing across from the Kremlin.
What would those people do if Putin started a nuclear war?
"It is hard to imagine Putin backing off without some catastrophic
occurrence within Russia itself.
"Marcus mentioned a mobilization within Russia."
Public polling, for whatever it's worth, indicates that Putin's overall popularity has gone up significantly (15%, give or take) over his already high public approval ratings since his war on Ukraine began. The Russian population, by and large, has had no problem adapting to his shifting and contradictory justifications for the war. Like dedicated Trumpkins, whatever the Dear Leader says today is what they believe today, unperturbed by whatever they claimed to believe yesterday.
They believe he is bringing them a glorious victory over the 'Nazis' in Ukraine and over 'the West' in general.
The Russians have nurtured a strong sense of grievance since the collapse of the Soviet Union and a promise of a glorious victory on foreign fields makes them happy. So, they follow Putin in all his gyrations.
This means he cannot afford to lose this war. That's probably the only way there'll be any 'mobilization' against him in Russia. He's cracked down hard on the dissent over the war, and it wasn't much to speak of anyway. That's not a threat to him, even though it lives on in low percentages.
They're generally good with a convenient little war and an overblown assertion of glorious victory at the end. They're not gonna be good with another loss to 'the West'. They will turn on him for that.
However, I maintain that there is still a significant possibility that the Russian soldiers will, at some point, simply refuse to fight on. They'll get orders to move forward and they'll just sit there instead. They'll get orders to stand and defend and they'll move out, retreat, instead.
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"What would those people do if Putin started a nuclear war?"
They would go right on being ineffectual. No change.
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On the other hand, Putin is waging a war of annihilation. He intends to eradicate Ukraine as a nation and the Ukrainians as a people. So, they don't have much choice either. Fight or die (or flee Ukraine, leaving it to the Russians).
There was an attack on Olenivka inside Russian lines, very close to the front. Word is that Russia had moved prisoners from the Azov battalion there 2 days ago. Russia says Ukraine attacked the place to silence any prisoners from disclosing information. Ukraine says Russia attacked to eliminate the prisoners and blame Ukraine. Russia says it was a prison. Fifty three Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed, but no Russian guards.
Here is a YouTuber who is doing an analysis. His take is that the Russians set it up so that Ukraine would kill its own troops. Others are not so sure, they think Russia staged the whole thing and killed the prisoners themselves to cover up torture and murder of POW's and to eliminate the Azov prisoners. There is another video circling online of a Ukrainian prisoner being tortured and killed by Russian troops. There is also an intercepted phone call between Russian soldiers talking about this being a setup by Russia. I don't know whether or not that was genuine. But I suspect our people would be able to tell.
The developing military opinion I've been reading suggests that Olenivka was simply the last step in the special treatment given by the Russians to the captured members of the Azov Battalion who had held them up all those days in Mariupol.
The Russians have created the story that the Ukrainians killed their own Olenivka, but, as I have pointed out before, believability is not an important point for these cultivated lies. They gotta be able to tell the story with a straight face--that's the minimum standard here. Believability is not a requirement.
After this I have come to regret suggesting that the soldiers at the Azovstal steel plant lay down their arms and surrender. They were right, they should have fought to the last man. What Russia has done is disgusting and unforgivable.
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