Ukraine - Russia Conflict
- Thread starter pardus
- Start date
January 6th- "Terrifying hellscape, almost didn't make it out; I have PTSD because of it."
Flying two idiots with a combined age of 152 years to an unsecure warzone without US infrastructure to lean on in a near-peer adversary (at LEAST) contested environment- "Necessary for... freedom? Or support? IDK."
I think the 75 billion (ish, if this 40 flies through, which it will) in support is plenty for this little proxy war. We can stop with the Jill Biden/Nancy Pelosi USO tours.
(I only have one more post today @AWP if there's something you want me to cynically highlight, lmk)
Flying two idiots with a combined age of 152 years to an unsecure warzone without US infrastructure to lean on in a near-peer adversary (at LEAST) contested environment- "Necessary for... freedom? Or support? IDK."
I think the 75 billion (ish, if this 40 flies through, which it will) in support is plenty for this little proxy war. We can stop with the Jill Biden/Nancy Pelosi USO tours.
(I only have one more post today @AWP if there's something you want me to cynically highlight, lmk)
If we sent Nickleback we’d be helping the Russians.
Blizzard
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Fixed it for you.
There are greater evils than Maroon 5.
Ouch.
The Anglosphere is saving Ukraine while the EU is saving itself
The Anglosphere is saving Ukraine while the EU is saving itself
The Anglosphere is saving Ukraine while the EU is saving itself
...
The former Yugoslavia has entered the chat... aka, no shit, Politico.
Europe needs to do a better job of being...better. Christ, the French, the fucking FRENCH at least pulled their weight in Mali some years ago albeit with US help; I can get onboard with that level of participation. See also: Libya. The likes of Germany however, that's disgraceful. The failed painter was 3 generations ago, they need to move on. Look at Japan.
Maybe I'm an Anglo/ Commonwealthfile, but they are getting it done. They are improving, they understand the gaps that need filling and are working towards those goals (Canada though, please). Other nations, their economies can only support so much, but membership in NATO isn't free and some act like we're willing to cancel their student debt.
Idealistic A-dub thinks Europe should improve so that with US assistance it can at least keep the Soviets in check. That allows us to focus on other threats such as those in Asia and others which may suddenly appear. The US, and I say this without any sense of nationalism, has proven to be the Arsenal of Democracy and an economic catalyst when needed. What my dumbass expects of our partners is to hold the line while we triage the threats and react accordingly.
Your mileage may vary and I'm okay with the beating I take.
Devildoc
Verified Military
More sadness for Russian armor:
The Russians Lost Nearly An Entire Battalion Trying To Cross A River In Eastern Ukraine
The Russians Lost Nearly An Entire Battalion Trying To Cross A River In Eastern Ukraine
Couple that with numbers I looked at earlier in the thread plus whatever's happened in the meantime, plus their casualties, and the Soviets have lost an entire division, maybe more.
Tac air losses are somewhere around 1-2 squadrons if you count total aircraft, not airframe type.
Think of a war where in two months the US loses the entire 3rd ID and most of the fighters at say Seymour Johnson or Shaw AFB.
That's insane.
Devildoc
Verified Military
Doc, based on what we've seen in this thread alone, the Russian military is a shitshow. They got away with a lot in Syria because...Syria. Now they are going up against a modern, well-trained and equipped army on its home soil, using lessons learned from a rather permissive environment. The results speak for themselves.
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I think there's a laundry list of mistakes the Soviets have made starting with their so-called air campaign. Their air force is basically impotent. That alone will cause massive problems on the ground no matter how good your army. See also: France summer of 1944.
It's almost like the #BroVets that told us "Russia was going to eat our lunch" because of some shitty comparison of recruiting videos ("BuT tHeY cArE AbOuT sHaVeD hEadS aNd MoRnInG PuShUpS aNd We ArE aLl WoKe!!!") were completely wrong, and it looks like the IC has been a bit too Chicken Little in regards to our pacing threats.
I'll tell you this- some 21 year old in a targeting cell with pronouns in their bio would have had a fucking field day on more than a division in anything resembling a flag engagement from the U.S. They'd be playing Lil Durk in the background, slaughtering a stalled 25 mile convoy on one screen and making a Tik Tok to "Oh no, Oh no, oh no no no no no" on the other while sending turrets into low orbit.
Makes you wonder two things- 1, who else is a paper tiger? And 2, maybe some dickhead from IG with 2 combat deployments in 2005 and 2007 really isn't the best voice to listen to when considering future planning and threat analysis, you know?
I'll tell you this- some 21 year old in a targeting cell with pronouns in their bio would have had a fucking field day on more than a division in anything resembling a flag engagement from the U.S. They'd be playing Lil Durk in the background, slaughtering a stalled 25 mile convoy on one screen and making a Tik Tok to "Oh no, Oh no, oh no no no no no" on the other while sending turrets into low orbit.
Makes you wonder two things- 1, who else is a paper tiger? And 2, maybe some dickhead from IG with 2 combat deployments in 2005 and 2007 really isn't the best voice to listen to when considering future planning and threat analysis, you know?
Devildoc
Verified Military
I remember after the fall of the Iron Curtain our people being very unimpressed with the state of the former Soviet war machine; turns out, most of what we knew was flat wrong. We have not learned our lesson with this, 'cause we're doing it all over again. This is very disheartening. We learned jack shit.
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It's still puzzling because the Soviets have some capabilites that are not being utilized, grossly under-utilized, or maybe even misused. As pointed out by several here, Airpower being the most notable and bizarre absence.
The Soviets seemingly have much more capability but seem to be holding it back for some reason. These are sr. leader level strategic decisions. Makes me wonder if some of their leadership is deliberately undermining the offensive? Aside from battlefield loss of generals, numerous others were removed from positions in Moscow.
As for other capabilities...Thermobaric weapons? Mostly unused. Why? They launched a single hypersonic missile early on in a rather odd tactical manner but that's it? One would think the Soviet Air Force could still make a strong display and gain air superiority, if not supremacy, which could really change the balance but there are no indications they will...is it because they can't (training, maintenance, etc)?
If this is all simply a complete misread of the Soviets, once again, what does it say about the quality of our intelligence assessments?
I still can't help but wonder what China is doing as they lurk and observe behind the scenes.
The Soviets seemingly have much more capability but seem to be holding it back for some reason. These are sr. leader level strategic decisions. Makes me wonder if some of their leadership is deliberately undermining the offensive? Aside from battlefield loss of generals, numerous others were removed from positions in Moscow.
As for other capabilities...Thermobaric weapons? Mostly unused. Why? They launched a single hypersonic missile early on in a rather odd tactical manner but that's it? One would think the Soviet Air Force could still make a strong display and gain air superiority, if not supremacy, which could really change the balance but there are no indications they will...is it because they can't (training, maintenance, etc)?
If this is all simply a complete misread of the Soviets, once again, what does it say about the quality of our intelligence assessments?
I still can't help but wonder what China is doing as they lurk and observe behind the scenes.
Nothing about the Russians has ever suggested finesse. A lumbering bureaucracy steeped in Soviet-era ineptitude, the military just a big dumb blunt instrument. They have the weapons and the manpower but not the organizational sharpness or precision to wield them effectively.
Blizzard
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True. They are a sledgehammer.
Their whole state-controlled system is clumsy and toxic, rife with corruption and nepotism. War is hard. Even when you’re smart, well organized and technologically sophisticated—like us—you can end up with your dick in your hand and your pants around your ankles. It’s harder when you’re stupid.
JedisonsDad
Verified SOF
Maybe they’re keeping the big tech in reserve, so they feel they stand a chance in the event of a NATO push?
