Every day that pass and I'm more convinced that this war is being tailored by Raytheon and Boeing. And all the rest of the Industrial Defense Complex, in USA and Europe.
Eisenhower was right in his advise.
What an irony that the arms dealers need to let an ally loose to rampage their own production and get Big contracts by scarying their own buyers.
You'd be surprised how small and powerless US MIC is.
The combined MIC makes less money than Procter&Gamble and it's dwarfed by earnings of IT giants like Meta or Google.
When the USSR dissolved US Defense Spending was falling every year and MIC couldn't do anything about it.
One of the reasons we've got a few big defense companies like Raytheon right now is because a good portion of them collapsed in the 1990s and was bought by bigger ones.
Raytheon might not have economic power of Meta but it does have massive political power because its main customers are governments, not individuals or private sector.
The American military industrial complex is intertwined with American politics.
Regardless of what military effects those long-range strikes could have, or not have, I believe it is hugely important to cross with impunity every red line that Putin conjures. Every time the West relents and succumbs to blackmail, Putin is emboldened, Xi is emboldened. And emboldening them in that way is actually increasing the chances of global nuclear war, not reducing it.
This is surely about more than Storm Shadow. Isn't ATACMS also an issue (but I know of course that is US issue only). Did anyone really expect an explicit announcement today about western long range weapons being authorised for use by Ukraine aganist targets inside Russia? That's not how diplomacy works. The decision will either not be made public or will be delayed as ovidiu says or a bland announcement will be made on the subject.
Of course it's about more. 'But', if it's 'already this way' about British-made Storm Shadow, and French-made SCALP-EG, then one can figure out the US position regarding ATACMS.
I suspect if Ukraine got everything g it wanted, we would be seeing F-35s in Ukrainain colours instead of ancient F-16AMs, sufficient Patriots to defend most targets, AGM-158s,AH-64Es, M1 Abrams by the hundreds instead of 31 etc.
In reality these agreements are circuses for the masses. Propaganda and nothing more.
It is the stuff said behind closed doors that is the real negotiating.
LUL, for 3 years Putin is talking they are fighting NATO. The hits on Russia will not change anything in this regard. It`s funny how western retards try to be correct only on such details, but not correct to their words and even publicly made promises to deliver aid.
Do the stupid Americans really thing, Putin will care and will not attack further west in he have opportunity ?
In accordance with Russian constitution Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson are part of Russia. So formally, from Putin point of view, Russian territory was already hit by western missiles a lot of times.
What Putin say is irrelevant to western stooges. They are drawing lines in the sand, believing that this somehow will protect them in the future, but none of their enemies really care about their imaginary order.
I'm reminded of a story of a Hungarian writer (a famous one at that) who had escaped to America before WWII. Emigrant writers like him had their newspaper where they would frequently publish in support of the Allied war effort. But not this guy. He, as the story goes, didn't write anything there. He was hoping to be spared in return when Hitler would overrun the US.
Legislators who had voted against allowing Ukrainian strikes will be allowed to keep their washing machines when they inevitably fall under Russian rule.
Summing up your information we can conclude that the "collective West" as a whole is unfit not only to "manage" this war (evidently the latter being the main aim of Sullivan) but also to react in a proper way to any serious threat from any regular army. Only small European states are ready to give weapons but alas they have too little. And Poland is too greedy and too blinded by hatred and silly ambitions to help Ukraine.
More than 80 percent of all security and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine is flowing through Poland. And of course, Poland continues to host some one million Ukrainian refugees.
Poland provided $4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine – tanks, aircraft, air defense, helicopters.
While advocating Poland don`t forget that the great majority of Ukrainian citizens work in Poland to the benefit of this country. Moreover only Poland blocked Ukrainian border for several months simultaneously gaining profit from transportation to Russia. The assistance of Poland is caused mainly by the fear of Russia. But this fear has its limits.
Dozens of Romanian farmers on January 18 blocked a northwestern border crossing with Ukraine with their tractors and called for a stop to cheap grain imports from its neighbor.
On January 17, another northwestern Romanian crossing, Urziceni, was blocked for several hours while traffic through the northeastern crossing of Siret continues to be slowed by Romanian farmers and truckers.
On April 7, Thousands of farmers protesttd across Romaniaover the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on prices, blocking traffic and border checkpoints with tractors and trucks and urging the European Commission to intervene.
If I'm to ask, the country is doing much more than it's usually credited with doing. And, often enough, despite dumb Ukrainian mistakes and quite some offence, too.
One has to bear in mind that Poland for geographical reasons was the main beneficiary of transportation of goods from Europe to Russia. Therefore the population of catholic Poland (mainly conservative part of it) is not eager to support Ukraine. Also the farmers (rolniki) are the participants of anti-Ukrainian actions, because Ukrainian agricultural products are cheaper.
Yes, I believe this is (as always between nations) a story of mutual interest. No nation is immune from this- we all act in our own interest, and find common interests with which to co-operate with others. Not saying there isn't a better way though.
I agree about many Western countries doing little and small EU countries doing much more but Poland has helped Ukraine a lot whatever their motivations. They do have their "peculiarities" but overall they've been a good ally.
The armies and stockpiles of Eastern European states are irelevant and can be donated to Ukraine. Slovakia has no more fighter planes and Slovenia has no more tanks yet nobody cares.
They have no other commitments and they expect to be defended under article 5.
Western NATO states have to worry about Mediterranea, Pacific and Africa. They also have huge debt-to-GDP ratios which preclude a serious re-armament.
But, when it comes to artillery rockets: there's so much of it. And nobody is ready to help Ukraine defend even its cities properly, not to talk about defend its troops from artillery rockets.
What left me very gloomy was the suggestion I found in your words that we just don’t have the power to help at this point. If we just lack the readiness and commitment that’s something we could put right, not so bad
Is there any info on RU aa missiles production and storages? If RU is shot down drones, himars, bm27... It can be much more as 1000 missiles per month. Are they able to produce enough? Becaue they are runnig out of tanks, artillery, shells .. so i would be suprised if not also from aa missiles
Yes, but prio was also tanks and artillery there they have already problems. And how effective are 40 years old missiles against modern drones ? But i just curios how big is consumtio, production and stocks. For west there are some numbers but for RU side much less. Russia wants to buy 1000 40n6 till 2027. So it is 250 for year. So it looks not as much. It is less than patriot
But RU is trying to shotdown also himars and there was a lot of them. Yes drone production is increasing but also recon dron was used and probably also targeted from begiňing. So maybe they have still enough, but trend is clear. Question is speed.
Maybe but public statement by a few senior American officials ala Austin and Blinken is they want Russia to bleed.
Short wars don't cause as much damage as long wars. A Russia that is still fighting in Ukraine in 2030 is much weaker than a Russia that was defeated in 2023-24.
The IMF does not act on its own - it expresses the interests of the world's financial tycoons. If it were to these tycoons' advantage to suppress Russia, Ukraine would have shot the Kremlin with Tomahawks long ago.
I don't know why all people ignored one fact. Pudding said about the consequences if Western weapons will be used on the Holy land of Russia. According the Russian laws Crimea, Donbass and Cherson and Zaporizhzhia are parts of the Holy land of Russia, but Ukraine is using Western weapons on these territories. Pudding doesn't respect the territorial integrity of the Holy land of Russia or he is lying all the time and missed himself in the sea of lies. It's a nice opportunity for propaganda and to catch Pudding as a liar.
Also Collective Security Treaty Organization said nothing. Kursk as part of the Holy land of Russia is under attack and CSTO should defend Russia as the treatment is claimed. Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as part of the organisation must send their military forces to help Russia and throw the enemy away the Russian border.
Also, the people of Crimea and Sevastopol clearly understand that they are not part of Russia. All their performance with Russian flags in 2014 was worth nothing.
Because Kursk is not Holy Russia (ie Moscow and St Petersburg and wherever oil/gasfields are located). It is peripheral and in true Stalinist style expendable.
As for CSTO like any Russian institution it is meaningless. Note it did nothing to help Aremnia either.
The only Russian institution that has any meaning in Russia is that of the tzar (even if they call it something else).
Hence any membership of any alliances,treaties as well as Russian institutions like the Duma or judiciary have no real authoritative power.
The Chinese could eat all of Siberia and the CSTO would do nothing.
And as long as cash flows aren't too adversely affected and Moscow not threatened the Russians wouldn't care if China ate Siberia, Poland ate Kaliningrad and Ukraine ate the whole all of the Black Sea coastline except where Putin's palace is.
And nothing will change once Tzar Pudding goes. The new tzar will be exactly the same.
But the "zombie idiots" want a 10-15. Blinken,Austin and Milley (When he was still Jhead of Joints Chief) all stated it openly. Zelensky has said west doesn't want Russia to lose.
The main beneficiary of forever Ukrainian war is USA:
1. The obvious profits to be made by US military industrial complex.
2. Russia preoccupied for decades and even better bleeding wealth and riches for nothing
3. European foreign policy becomes completely aligned to American policy (already happening eg resurrection of NATO as cornerstone of western defence).
If Russia was kicked out of Ukraine in 2023 then that would have been bad news for USA because above 3 goals would instantly evaporate.
So Washington will continue propping up Ukraine as much as it is needed to stop any kind of major collapse.
Fortunately Russia will be forced to give up before then - that is, unless they are given more financial support. And I don't want to think who might give it.
The effect of the emergence of a new weapon is multiplied by annoncements exaggerating its capability, look at Putn extolling his hypersonic missile.
Some think the announcement about permissions is only delayed so Biden doesn't look cajoled by Starmer.
Because god forbid you actually take the counsel of your allies…
Or to give Russia more time to move targets out of range.
Quite infuriating, isn't it?
Yes, but it has logic if you view it as a process of the US "moving boundaries with prior notice" rather than acting as a combatant.
Every day that pass and I'm more convinced that this war is being tailored by Raytheon and Boeing. And all the rest of the Industrial Defense Complex, in USA and Europe.
Eisenhower was right in his advise.
What an irony that the arms dealers need to let an ally loose to rampage their own production and get Big contracts by scarying their own buyers.
You'd be surprised how small and powerless US MIC is.
The combined MIC makes less money than Procter&Gamble and it's dwarfed by earnings of IT giants like Meta or Google.
When the USSR dissolved US Defense Spending was falling every year and MIC couldn't do anything about it.
One of the reasons we've got a few big defense companies like Raytheon right now is because a good portion of them collapsed in the 1990s and was bought by bigger ones.
Raytheon might not have economic power of Meta but it does have massive political power because its main customers are governments, not individuals or private sector.
The American military industrial complex is intertwined with American politics.
These firms have no ability to direct the course of the war
Regardless of what military effects those long-range strikes could have, or not have, I believe it is hugely important to cross with impunity every red line that Putin conjures. Every time the West relents and succumbs to blackmail, Putin is emboldened, Xi is emboldened. And emboldening them in that way is actually increasing the chances of global nuclear war, not reducing it.
In this regard, the most cunning is Scholz - we allow shooting at Russian territory, but we will not give TAURUS.
This is surely about more than Storm Shadow. Isn't ATACMS also an issue (but I know of course that is US issue only). Did anyone really expect an explicit announcement today about western long range weapons being authorised for use by Ukraine aganist targets inside Russia? That's not how diplomacy works. The decision will either not be made public or will be delayed as ovidiu says or a bland announcement will be made on the subject.
Of course it's about more. 'But', if it's 'already this way' about British-made Storm Shadow, and French-made SCALP-EG, then one can figure out the US position regarding ATACMS.
Wanted to write something meaningfull here, but my 7beer-brain tells me to write ... slava ukraini
Better guzzle number 8.
number 8 in progress :-)
Tom. From ramstein meetings, Ukraine generally gets what it wants. My understanding is that the western suppliers consider that Ukraine does not
We've been there, exactly a year ago: UKraine didn't get what it needs, a year ago, and nothing changed in this regards now.
....except there's anybody thinking receiving rusty and dysfunctional OTTO-Melara howitzers calibre 75mm from Italy is what Ukraine demanded...
I suspect if Ukraine got everything g it wanted, we would be seeing F-35s in Ukrainain colours instead of ancient F-16AMs, sufficient Patriots to defend most targets, AGM-158s,AH-64Es, M1 Abrams by the hundreds instead of 31 etc.
In reality these agreements are circuses for the masses. Propaganda and nothing more.
It is the stuff said behind closed doors that is the real negotiating.
Ukraine does not need F-35s in yellow and blue, they need to see to fly NATO F-35s over Ukrainian sky.
LUL, for 3 years Putin is talking they are fighting NATO. The hits on Russia will not change anything in this regard. It`s funny how western retards try to be correct only on such details, but not correct to their words and even publicly made promises to deliver aid.
Do the stupid Americans really thing, Putin will care and will not attack further west in he have opportunity ?
In accordance with Russian constitution Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson are part of Russia. So formally, from Putin point of view, Russian territory was already hit by western missiles a lot of times.
What Putin say is irrelevant to western stooges. They are drawing lines in the sand, believing that this somehow will protect them in the future, but none of their enemies really care about their imaginary order.
I'm reminded of a story of a Hungarian writer (a famous one at that) who had escaped to America before WWII. Emigrant writers like him had their newspaper where they would frequently publish in support of the Allied war effort. But not this guy. He, as the story goes, didn't write anything there. He was hoping to be spared in return when Hitler would overrun the US.
Legislators who had voted against allowing Ukrainian strikes will be allowed to keep their washing machines when they inevitably fall under Russian rule.
https://zn.ua/ukr/war/bajden-povivsja-na-blef-rosiji-bolton.html
Summing up your information we can conclude that the "collective West" as a whole is unfit not only to "manage" this war (evidently the latter being the main aim of Sullivan) but also to react in a proper way to any serious threat from any regular army. Only small European states are ready to give weapons but alas they have too little. And Poland is too greedy and too blinded by hatred and silly ambitions to help Ukraine.
More than 80 percent of all security and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine is flowing through Poland. And of course, Poland continues to host some one million Ukrainian refugees.
Poland provided $4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine – tanks, aircraft, air defense, helicopters.
https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-polish-foreign-minister-radoslaw-sikorski-at-a-joint-press-availability/#:~:text=More%20than%2080%20percent%20of,some%20one%20million%20Ukrainian%20refugees.
While advocating Poland don`t forget that the great majority of Ukrainian citizens work in Poland to the benefit of this country. Moreover only Poland blocked Ukrainian border for several months simultaneously gaining profit from transportation to Russia. The assistance of Poland is caused mainly by the fear of Russia. But this fear has its limits.
I’d rather say that it’s hostility, not fear.
Fear would be the most appropriate feeling.
" only Poland blocked Ukrainian border"
Dozens of Romanian farmers on January 18 blocked a northwestern border crossing with Ukraine with their tractors and called for a stop to cheap grain imports from its neighbor.
On January 17, another northwestern Romanian crossing, Urziceni, was blocked for several hours while traffic through the northeastern crossing of Siret continues to be slowed by Romanian farmers and truckers.
On April 7, Thousands of farmers protesttd across Romaniaover the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on prices, blocking traffic and border checkpoints with tractors and trucks and urging the European Commission to intervene.
Exactly.
Down to the part about Poland.
If I'm to ask, the country is doing much more than it's usually credited with doing. And, often enough, despite dumb Ukrainian mistakes and quite some offence, too.
One has to bear in mind that Poland for geographical reasons was the main beneficiary of transportation of goods from Europe to Russia. Therefore the population of catholic Poland (mainly conservative part of it) is not eager to support Ukraine. Also the farmers (rolniki) are the participants of anti-Ukrainian actions, because Ukrainian agricultural products are cheaper.
Most of Poland population support Ukraine, just because they worry Russia.
Because they do not want to fight with Russia themselves.
Yes, I believe this is (as always between nations) a story of mutual interest. No nation is immune from this- we all act in our own interest, and find common interests with which to co-operate with others. Not saying there isn't a better way though.
I agree about many Western countries doing little and small EU countries doing much more but Poland has helped Ukraine a lot whatever their motivations. They do have their "peculiarities" but overall they've been a good ally.
Allies now blackmailing Ukraine concerning the events 80 years ago. "A good ally" blocking transportation of military goods for several months.
The armies and stockpiles of Eastern European states are irelevant and can be donated to Ukraine. Slovakia has no more fighter planes and Slovenia has no more tanks yet nobody cares.
They have no other commitments and they expect to be defended under article 5.
Western NATO states have to worry about Mediterranea, Pacific and Africa. They also have huge debt-to-GDP ratios which preclude a serious re-armament.
Are we to face the fact that Russian weaponry is hopelessly outclassing ours, at least in the respects mentioned?
It's not outclassing anything. On the contrary.
But, when it comes to artillery rockets: there's so much of it. And nobody is ready to help Ukraine defend even its cities properly, not to talk about defend its troops from artillery rockets.
What left me very gloomy was the suggestion I found in your words that we just don’t have the power to help at this point. If we just lack the readiness and commitment that’s something we could put right, not so bad
We should. Russia had a low external debt and re-armed very fast. NATO has a large debt and is shy about building defense factories.
Western weapons are advanced but it doesn't help if you can not buy or build them.
Thanks for info. It is not good.
Is there any info on RU aa missiles production and storages? If RU is shot down drones, himars, bm27... It can be much more as 1000 missiles per month. Are they able to produce enough? Becaue they are runnig out of tanks, artillery, shells .. so i would be suprised if not also from aa missiles
Air Defense was always a big prority for USSR /Russia because its airforce was visibly outclassed by NATO.
So they still kept large storage and large production units.
Yes, but prio was also tanks and artillery there they have already problems. And how effective are 40 years old missiles against modern drones ? But i just curios how big is consumtio, production and stocks. For west there are some numbers but for RU side much less. Russia wants to buy 1000 40n6 till 2027. So it is 250 for year. So it looks not as much. It is less than patriot
Artillery and AA were high priority, tanks less so.
AA systems had a much lower attrition rate compared to tanks or SPGs.
Rocket consumption was also low. Ukraine had sent few rockets and is increasing the number of long range drones only now.
But RU is trying to shotdown also himars and there was a lot of them. Yes drone production is increasing but also recon dron was used and probably also targeted from begiňing. So maybe they have still enough, but trend is clear. Question is speed.
Possible explanation, UK/US/West behaviour is explained by game theory (tit for tat methodology, see below). The UK/US does seem that they are using game theory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory) and the results of simulations by Axelrod https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/courses/soco/projects/1998-99/game-theory/axelrod.html to make decisions and when to cross "red lines", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tit_for_tat in the process of supporting/not-supporting Ukraine. This video, gives a good explanation, but it is not the only reason to explain the oscillating behaviour of the free world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mScpHTIi-kM
Maybe but public statement by a few senior American officials ala Austin and Blinken is they want Russia to bleed.
Short wars don't cause as much damage as long wars. A Russia that is still fighting in Ukraine in 2030 is much weaker than a Russia that was defeated in 2023-24.
Tom is not alone in his conclusions:
https://expert.in.ua/politics/14092024-na-zahodi-vzhe-pryamo-govoryat-yak-bajden-i-jogo-kamarylya-podaruvaly-putinu-kozyri-u-vijni/
But, given the latest statements by Western leaders and the position of the IMF, the results are only negative.
What of the IMF? Not helping Russia I hope?
https://hromadske.ua/ru/mir/231207-strany-es-udivleny-i-ozabocheny-planami-mvf-vozobnovit-sotrudnichestvo-s-rf
The IMF is going to help Russia!
That is an incredibly negative and unreported turn of events. I am dismayed
*under-reported
Here in English. Its disturbing how KI said they only heard about it by chance.
https://kyivindependent.com/opinion-imfs-trip-to-moscow-is-effectively-enabling-russias-war-against-ukraine/
The IMF does not act on its own - it expresses the interests of the world's financial tycoons. If it were to these tycoons' advantage to suppress Russia, Ukraine would have shot the Kremlin with Tomahawks long ago.
The mission is now "postponed indefinitely" according to TASS. Thank God. Let it be postponed as long as Russia is in the country, or longer.
I don't know why all people ignored one fact. Pudding said about the consequences if Western weapons will be used on the Holy land of Russia. According the Russian laws Crimea, Donbass and Cherson and Zaporizhzhia are parts of the Holy land of Russia, but Ukraine is using Western weapons on these territories. Pudding doesn't respect the territorial integrity of the Holy land of Russia or he is lying all the time and missed himself in the sea of lies. It's a nice opportunity for propaganda and to catch Pudding as a liar.
Also Collective Security Treaty Organization said nothing. Kursk as part of the Holy land of Russia is under attack and CSTO should defend Russia as the treatment is claimed. Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as part of the organisation must send their military forces to help Russia and throw the enemy away the Russian border.
Also, the people of Crimea and Sevastopol clearly understand that they are not part of Russia. All their performance with Russian flags in 2014 was worth nothing.
Because Kursk is not Holy Russia (ie Moscow and St Petersburg and wherever oil/gasfields are located). It is peripheral and in true Stalinist style expendable.
As for CSTO like any Russian institution it is meaningless. Note it did nothing to help Aremnia either.
The only Russian institution that has any meaning in Russia is that of the tzar (even if they call it something else).
Hence any membership of any alliances,treaties as well as Russian institutions like the Duma or judiciary have no real authoritative power.
The Chinese could eat all of Siberia and the CSTO would do nothing.
And as long as cash flows aren't too adversely affected and Moscow not threatened the Russians wouldn't care if China ate Siberia, Poland ate Kaliningrad and Ukraine ate the whole all of the Black Sea coastline except where Putin's palace is.
And nothing will change once Tzar Pudding goes. The new tzar will be exactly the same.
But the "zombie idiots" want a 10-15. Blinken,Austin and Milley (When he was still Jhead of Joints Chief) all stated it openly. Zelensky has said west doesn't want Russia to lose.
The main beneficiary of forever Ukrainian war is USA:
1. The obvious profits to be made by US military industrial complex.
2. Russia preoccupied for decades and even better bleeding wealth and riches for nothing
3. European foreign policy becomes completely aligned to American policy (already happening eg resurrection of NATO as cornerstone of western defence).
If Russia was kicked out of Ukraine in 2023 then that would have been bad news for USA because above 3 goals would instantly evaporate.
So Washington will continue propping up Ukraine as much as it is needed to stop any kind of major collapse.
Hi DannyMetal, what do you think the USA should do? What do you personally think is in its best interests?
As I discussed previously forever war is in US interests which is why they pursue it.
The US is acting perfectly rationally in terms of its objectives...that is the scary part.
Fortunately Russia will be forced to give up before then - that is, unless they are given more financial support. And I don't want to think who might give it.
I don’t subscribe to this. I think it’s more about fear of what Putin will do.
Ermm and what will Putin do? Russia just had a chunk of its territory conquered by another country. Moscow is regularly under drone attack.
Russian response into do nothing except rant.
The Russians aren't stupid enough go nuclear. They also don't have enough support for using nuclear weapons from their new Chinese masters.
So they are stuck and every single "red line" has been crossed without Russian escalation.
Meanwhile Ukraine did the mother of all escalations by invading a nuclear superpower with western weapons.
Short of taking over Moscow it is evident the Russians will suffer every single act of escalation the Ukrainians and west will throw at them.
And remember Austin said the US wanted to bleed Russia in 2022. Which is incidentally exactly what is happening.
Russian nuclear deterrence just failed a massive trip wire.