Posted by: Andreas | Jan 26 2023 8:35 utc | 1
Hello Andreas,
I saw you post the same thing in the last thread. You got a lost of comments regarding the definition of genocide. You obviously didn’t read them. Please go back, and do.
You obviously think Russia should have waited until Ukraine had finished its ethnic cleansing. I think it’s good they intervened before it reached the stage of the Armenian genocide – the stage where its enablers will claim that they didn’t know hat was going on.
Ukraine planned to get rid of people not sufficiently Ukrainian. One glaring example was a Ukrainian politician who said in 2015 that there were 1.5 million surplus people in Donbass they needed to get rid off. Either by forcing them to migrate to Russia, or by killing them.
That comment stuck with me – but it was not discussed in our mainstream media. It was just shrugged off and memory holed. THAT is how genocides are born. And no, that is not Russian propaganda.
(By the way, Russia is sweeping at home. They have a far right – but it is not tolerated, or encouraged. Not like in Ukraine.)

Posted by: Martina | Jan 26 2023 9:15 utc | 3

“Never again” isn’t just about preventing the mass murder of Jews. It’s about preventing the mass murder of Russians, whom the German ww2 elite (created and backed by the UK/US elite) murdered in even bigger numbers. Russia is defending itself. It’s what you would do if you were them.

Posted by: klik2 | Jan 26 2023 10:03 utc | 5

Ukraine has formally requested all Ukrainian male citizens of fighting age in Europe be extradited

Posted by: rk | Jan 26 2023 10:07 utc | 7

Blinken Concedes War is Lost…
http://johnhelmer.org/
“…For the first time since the special military operation began last year, the war party in Washington is offering terms of concession to Russia’s security objectives explicitly and directly, without the Ukrainians in the way.
The terms Blinken has told Ignatius to print appeared in the January 25 edition of the Warshington Post. The paywall can be avoided by reading down…”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Jan 26 2023 10:24 utc | 9

From the millions available, 50k-100k can be found this year among the poorest of them. Those with a bit of money to spend can be sent back next year. Those in Ferrari will stay.
It’ll be interesting to see how msm will present it. They can’t collect them like Zely does, by force from the streets. So maybe some nice stories about men going back to defend Slava Cocaini, something like that, but without interviews and using actors for refugees.

Posted by: rk | Jan 26 2023 10:30 utc | 11

Martina @4
“One glaring example was a Ukrainian politician who said in 2015 that there were 1.5 million surplus people in Donbass they needed to get rid off. Either by forcing them to migrate to Russia, or by killing them.
That comment stuck with me – but it was not discussed in our mainstream media. It was just shrugged off and memory holed. THAT is how genocides are born. And no, that is not Russian propaganda.”
It stuck with me also Martina, and video clips are available of similar intent.

Posted by: Steve from Oz | Jan 26 2023 10:55 utc | 13

Posted by: rk | Jan 26 2023 10:07 utc | 11
Yes. Good luck rounding up the ones in Russia. Makes you wonder how many Ukies from the western parts are fighting along side the people of the Donbass/Russian forces.

Posted by: heavymetal101 | Jan 26 2023 11:18 utc | 15

King of Jordan is in Canada today and tomorrow.
Two opinions from Montréal’s La Presse on the topic of tanks for Ukraine that are worth reading, IMHO:
Ode à la hésitation allemande
https://www.lapresse.ca/international/chroniques/2023-01-26/ode-a-l-hesitation-allemande.php
Des chars contre Putine, mais pas les nôtres
https://www.lapresse.ca/debats/editoriaux/2023-01-26/des-chars-contre-poutine-mais-pas-les-notres.php

Posted by: Bruised Northerner | Jan 26 2023 11:21 utc | 17

Regardless of whether Helmer is correct or Blinken or his subject has conceded somewhere privately that the war is lost. The truth is, it is lost for the US. Russia will absorb and grind anything Nato sends their way, and Zelensky wanting to import back all Ukrainian males who left elsewhere (only those in EU, not Russia) is a strong sign that they will be out of manpower shortly. There must be a lot more resistance in Poland which prevents sending meaningful amount of “advisors” or troops into Ukraine, to operate tanks severely handicapped without aircover or proper air defense.
Lets consider the possibility that US doesn’t take any action in this kind of situation. Russia will just gradually roll over territory. They will gradually blow up any fixed structures Nato attempts to set up on Ukrainian territory. The “taking back Crimea with 31 Abrams and 100 Leopards” is utter fantasy. They will too be destroyed shortly, basic Russian Kornet ATGM even is very well up for the job.
While I don’t know to be true that US is negotiating of some compromise, I have no problem believing that they well could be to contain more damage. Nato simply doesn’t exist as a coherent entity to start a war against Russia, besides a marginal sect of crazies in Poland and Baltics.

Posted by: unimperator | Jan 26 2023 11:39 utc | 19

John Helmer’s article is pure fantasy. There is nothing in the WaPo (ie CIA) article saying anything suggesting America conceding the war is lost.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Jan 26 2023 11:29 utc | 18
(and others)
Blinken’s concessions as reported in the Helmer article did seem too good to be true. Some of Helmer’s stuff is interesting and well informed, but it is difficult overall to treat him as a reliable analyst.

Posted by: B. Wildered | Jan 26 2023 12:00 utc | 21

Kh-47M2 Kinzhal was allegedly used. If true, Valery Gerasimov might want to verify the effectiveness of hypersonic weapons against NASAMS.

Posted by: Lyra | Jan 26 2023 12:03 utc | 23

@ unimperator | Jan 26 2023 12:03 utc | 22
Helmer is consistently unreliable, hit & miss.
Given chatter over the last week of walking away from Ukraine Jun/Jul,
Announcement of huge quantities of essentially junk after the failure of the Ramstein meeting,
40 of 50 NATO members uninterested in supporting Ukraine,
Crisis issues with NATO re Turkiye/Hungary, Sweden/Finland,
Creation of the ‘Rabid Nine’ extra-NATO Coalition of the Willing,
Poland’s announcing supplying it’s ex-soviet arms directly to AFU whilst now claiming western Ukraine within its sovereign borders,
The all stations blaring of Leopards & Abrams, ~130+ in toto to Ukraine in months to a year,
Clear concern/panic re an AFU collapse &/or RF major offensive/s,
Likely US via NABU coup to isolate yet retain Z whilst US seizing direct control …
To me, indicates an urgent need to try to freeze the conflict somehow, have their ‘rabid nine’ occupy western Ukraine with Poles & Balts providing the troops & crews with the assembled ‘allocated’ arms flagged as ‘aid’ to Ukraine. Then spend the next 3-5+ years implementing already announced Military & MIC industry US/NATO build up so they can kick start it all again to salvage their 100 year old investment in the Galicians/OUN-B Nazi’s, before they lose it all forever. Delusional hubris & out of touch with reality.
Don’t think RF will play that game. It has reached ‘sign here’ on the surrender document time, unconditionally, for their proxy IMV.
US/NATO are long past ever being trusted or agreement capable with current puppets in place. Essentially belligerents.
Russian TV segment on Germanys FM stating in the Bundestag, We are at War with Russia

Posted by: Outraged | Jan 26 2023 12:35 utc | 25

Arestovich publicly called Zelensky a “weak man”
“Zelensky is a weak man. He has two keys: petty vanity and fear, ”Arestovich noted.
https://t.me/NewResistance/15473
This is some very odd, very unexpected stuff, attacking the leader so personally in a time of war, by a friend and insider even. Moreover, it’s a consistent assault, every few days for a couple weeks now some “revealing” put down. These are dis-empowering insults, hurts the state’s legitimacy as much as Zelensky’s, it benefits no side, but someone sees worth in it.
Too strange Arestovich is emboldened and can get away with this, much milder attacks in Ukraine since Maidan have led to many deaths, more courageous people than Arestovich have fled. Off hand I’d say someone has Arestovich’s balls in jar, someone owns him and when his use is over he’ll be eliminated. Almost feel bad for the guy. No idea what but there’s more here than meets the eye.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 26 2023 12:53 utc | 27

Possibly, but arestovych strikes me as vainglorious and prideful, so his sacking could easily have just lead him on a vendetta against zelensky on his own account.

Posted by: Lachlan | Jan 26 2023 13:09 utc | 29

So you can get Abrams – but where to get iron men?
Alexander Khodakovsky, commander of the Vostok brigade, Vuhledar direction:
There are no critical changes in Ugledar so far. It’s premature to say that we are already on the first streets of the city and are fighting in urban conditions, but we are gradually getting closer. The enemy is trying to withdraw tanks from the city and process our advanced groups, but despite our losses of drones from electronic warfare, we see and react to enemy actions.
Now a few words about tanks, which have been talked about so much lately. I know those who withstood the hit of the eighty-second mine in the tank, but I don’t know anyone who could boast that after the arrival of the one hundred and fifty-second shell on the tank, the crew would continue to fight. Yes, a hinged hit on the tank’s hull may not penetrate, but the impact will be such that heavy contusions are provided to the crew. I didn’t see a single Ukrainian tank that didn’t try to run away from our fire, when we felt for it, albeit not with armor-piercing, but with heavy ammunition.
So you can get Abrams – but where to get iron men? “>https://t.me/aleksandr_skif/2563
https://t.me/vicktop55/11957

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 26 2023 13:28 utc | 31

Putin and lavrov backstabbed Donbass warriors by pressurising donbass fighters to ceasefire when those partisons were winning against kiev in debaktsevo enclave in feb 2015 .Putin knew that donbass was winning but putin wanted to ingragiate himself before west hence his treachery to russians of donbass.
Putin let british necenaries escape uucathed from Debaltsov exclave!!

Posted by: Sam | Jan 26 2023 13:36 utc | 33

There’s a lot of interesting stuff on Sladkov’s TG last few days, worth checking out, I won’t post all but here’s a few examples, last is Sladkov himself, other two I think are quotes he finds pertinent.
TG Channel – https://t.me/Sladkov_plus
————-
We managed to pull Kyiv to activity in Zaporozhye. A counterattack, especially a forced one, is the most unprofitable battle format. And the Armed Forces of Ukraine are just being driven out into this counterattack.
An even more unpleasant circumstance for Kyiv is the great tension of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in our coveted Donbass. We began to press there, in addition to the traditional directions, also in Vugledar.
Throwing serious forces into the furnace of Zaporizhia without hope of success, and even having big problems in the Donbass direction – this is not a forshmak for Ukraine, as they say.
Interestingly, preparations for a counteroffensive in Zaporozhye, is it a Kyiv initiative, or a NATO one? The Anglo-Saxon cohabitants of Ukraine are asking Zaluzhny (or Zelensky, or vice versa) to withdraw from Artemovsk in order to focus on a strike on the Crimea, but Kyiv, apparently, wants to prolong its shame in the Donbass.
So, we activate actions according to our will, the Armed Forces of Ukraine – forcedly. It seems that we will find the tanks supplied by the West not in the “offensive iron fists” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but dug into the ground up to the tower on the defensive lines near Cherkassy, Dnepropetrovsk and Poltava. As an option. “>https://t.me/vestiru24/56979
———-
NATO TANKS LONG ALREADY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN TO THE FRONT LINE.
They are transported, using complex schemes, on foreign trailers, from city to city, hiding in the warehouses of enterprises that we do not yet shoot at. The first armored tranche of NATO – 200 vehicles, plus 400 available to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Total, approximately, 4 tank divisions.
Tanks, yes, are power. We need more daring and experienced infantry. Did she stay in Ukraine? Well, they will gather 2-4 assault groups for these tanks. And they will break through. And this is Ukraine’s last chance. I described everything as in a popular picture.
Now let’s add a fly in the ointment to this NATO barrel of honey. Let’s ask questions:
1. Does the Armed Forces of Ukraine have air cover for such large-scale actions? No, planes from NATO are planned for the next tranche.
2. Have we taken into account our ability to gouge the forces concentrating for a breakthrough at the preparation stage? No, not taken into account. We will beat, the survivors will go to the breakthroughs.
3. Did I take into account at the very beginning the most active anti-tank preparation of our lines (it is stunning) – no, I did not take it into account.
4. Do we know the readiness rate of armored vehicles designed to break through our defenses? No, we don’t know, but I don’t think the tanks will be 100% ready. This means that there will be fewer of them, NATO is not being driven there, and Ukraine has all used tanks.
5. And do we take this readiness into account? No, we do not take into account, such colossus is not as maneuverable as the Ukrainians would like.
In short, read Leonkov’s latest article on the topic of the day, as they say. “>https://t.me/apleonkov/12299
———-
NWO. WILL A GENERAL BATTLE WILL BE GIVEN IN WHICH IT WILL BE REVEALED WHO IS WHO IN UKRAINE?
Perhaps. I allow myself only to dream, is it not forbidden? No need to refer to this post later: “Sladkov announced the Kremlin’s plan”! So, it is possible, and most likely it will be a battle for Odessa. The stakes will be high: in case of success, we will completely cut off Ukraine from the Black Sea, depriving it of the status of a maritime country, and we, voila, will reach Transnistria.
Personally, I am against the destruction of Moldova, and for its preservation within the framework of confederal integrity. By the way, I am grateful to Chisinau for the absolutely light regime that has been maintained for Pridnestrovie since 1992: you can fly to the capital of Moldova and then calmly go to the rebellious Tiraspol, no cruel blockade. If the Moldovans do not fall for the European fairy tale about a “successful war with Russia”, everything will be quiet and positive for our countries.
So, perhaps, the assault on Odessa somewhere by May 2nd will decide everything in our NWO. Here we have a wide range of maneuvers, and our fleet can ask for satisfaction for the Moskva cruiser, and the Marines will be able to show a variant of their classic use. Of course, writing is easier than storming cities, I agree. But pretending that everything will go according to the thumb is also not entirely useful.
There are prerequisites for such an option. We are gaining potential – this is objective, the enemy’s potential is decreasing, Leopards are not a panacea, yes, a serious factor, but not a panacea.
Looking into Russian military history, we can see Stalingrad and Borodino … First, big decisive battles, and then Berezino, no less glorious for us and shameful for the French, and Berlin for the Germans.
P.S. Indirectly.
“Soon the Kyiv regime will have no sea at all.” – Dmitry Medvedev.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 26 2023 13:52 utc | 35

Nudelman, McCain, Blinken…..

Posted by: FredF | Jan 26 2023 14:08 utc | 37

Meiner Meinung nach nach steht die EU in einem Punkt auf der falschen Seite der Geschichte, nämlich bei dem Selbstbestimmungsrecht der Völker. Die Bevölkerung der Gebiete der Ost- und Südukraine sowie der Krim wollte unabhängig sein bzw. zu Russland gehören. Schon 2021 erließ Selenskij ein Dekret, dass die prorussischen Gebiete auch mit militärischen Mitteln zurückgeholt werden sollten. Die USA hat dabei Unterstützung zugesichtert.
Man muß sich nur einmal vorstellen was mit der Bevölkerung dort geschieht, sollte die Ukraine ihr Vorhaben tatsächlich umsetzen. Allein auf die Teilnahme an den Wahlen stehen hohe Gefängnisstrafen. Praktisch jeder Bewohner dort steht im Verdacht, ein russischer Kollaborateur zu sein. Vor allem in der ersten Zeit nach dem Einmarsch werden unkontrollierte Säuberungen die Folge sein.
Eine Umsetzung der Minsker Abkommen hätte eine geeinte Ukraine unter Berücksichtigung der Interessen der Bevölkerung zur Folge gehabt. Nun haben wir stattdessen Krieg, Leid und Zerstörung.
Was den genialen Schachzug von Scholz angeht, ist er ein Flop. Die USA hat bekundet, dass die zugesagten Panzer erst gebaut werden müssten, was ein oder mehrere Jahre dauern wird.
Die EU hingegen schickt ein paar Handvoll Panzer an die Front, wo sie von der überlegenen russischen Artillerie nach und nach zusammengeschossen werden. Die deutschen Leos werden dann nicht mehr so gut erachtet werden, während die Abrams als die beste Panzerwaffe des Westens gelten werden.

Posted by: Johannes S. Herbst | Jan 26 2023 14:26 utc | 39

While Baerbock’s statement is factual, it does not anount to a formal declaration of war. Russia plays the book. This much said, Russia ought to at least demand a clarification.
Posted by: malenkov | Jan 26 2023 13:54 utc | 38
At least call the ambassador for talks. Very shitty leadership, no wonder everyone in natostan is pi…s on their heads. Maybe they’re scared of the great warrior AnalEna Barecock and her panzers!

Posted by: rk | Jan 26 2023 14:38 utc | 41

While Baerbock’s statement is factual, it does not anount to a formal declaration of war. Russia plays the book.
This much said, Russia ought to at least demand a clarification.
Posted by: malenkov | Jan 26 2023 13:54 utc | 38
Nota single mention of that demented sociopaths comment in the MSM.
Airbrush time.

Posted by: jpc | Jan 26 2023 14:42 utc | 43

Posted by: malenkov | Jan 26 2023 13:54 utc | 38
Agree. Clarification also in the sense that Scholz should be either urged to publicly reprimand Baerbock or side with her.
And live with the repercussions.
The SPD Majority in this coalition is fragile and he tries to toe the line and instill trust into the electorate, of course.
His recent babbling about friendship with sleepy Joe is simply embarassing und, actually, hardly bearable.
Those Germans not completely hypnotized by the MSM remember well the public humiliation in 2021, when Biden announced the planned elimination of north stream 2 while Scholz stood next to him.
Scholz appeared to me like a bullied, beaten up pupil, feeling the invisible gun at his head.

Posted by: Bagradian | Jan 26 2023 14:52 utc | 45

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 26 2023 12:53 utc | 28
Or Arestovich is giving his real thoughts, and he’s free to give them because he has somebody’s protection. If it meant a gunfight between Ukrainian factions then it would be difficult to “silence” him.

Posted by: catdog | Jan 26 2023 14:55 utc | 47

Posted by: catdog | Jan 26 2023 14:55 utc | 49
maybe the U.S. is protecting him, because it has decided to “Diem” Zelensky. just speculating.

Posted by: pretzelattack | Jan 26 2023 15:09 utc | 49

putin backstabbed donbass.result was 17000 civilians killed in donbass .
Posted by: Sam | Jan 26 2023 13:33 utc | 34
Thats an oversimplification. Up to 2022 Putin was not the president of Donbass. He was the president of Russia. And as president of Russia, he was and is firstly responsible for the wellbeing of Russians and the existence Russian state.

Posted by: Vikichka | Jan 26 2023 15:25 utc | 51

We’re seeing this more and more. Ukrainians snatched off the street presumably to go fight. This suggests they don’t have a good handle on this at all. It could be that a big tit for tat from Russia is not really necessary. I don’t know.
https://t.me/s/intelslava/43775

Posted by: chunga | Jan 26 2023 15:33 utc | 53

May I come out of my silence?
If Middle Easterners were Budhists instead of Muslim, it would not also matter, as they are sitting on the rich resources.Which basically poor ,west, wants to plunder to prolong its pathetic existence some more.
The same for Russia, sitting on the treasure of their own, and the west is in the troves, writhing in their own agony of unsustainable future as the big plunder does not happen in our future, baby the East is not complying any more to your shameless crimes.
The propaganda and the lies are not working anymore, the robbers of the world are going to be stopped.
Gleefully as you have destroyed my own country and the future of all of us…. I am awaiting the cards dealt to you, may you rot in hell.

Posted by: stranger | Jan 26 2023 15:35 utc | 55

I first visited UK on a field trip when I was 16, many moons ago. My mum and I were busy going to museums such as British museum et all, paints of Van Gogh, and others… I remember my shock when I saw the Baalbeck door they have stolen, also the Greek chariatedes, that is when I first realized that they are just the thieves.
This is it, the stealers will be stopped. Once for all.

Posted by: stranger | Jan 26 2023 15:49 utc | 57

“A massive arms factory must be built in Poland to help Ukraine win the war.”
Pure fantasy Bojo. Russia will bomb it before it’s built.

Posted by: migueljose | Jan 26 2023 16:17 utc | 59

Jackson Hinkle put up a 10 minute video yesterday describing how there are a lot of Ukrainians who prefer to be under Russian rule. It seems that many prefer not be “rescued” by their own government.
This might be a good video to share with those accustomed to a nutrition-poor information diet, as Hinkle uses mainstream sources such as The Economist and Gallup polls to back up his points.

Posted by: farm ecologist | Jan 26 2023 16:29 utc | 61

John Gilberts (9).
Blinken and US governments in general cannot be trusted a proposed DMZ would allow what’s left of Ukraine more than enough time to build a huge military force which would be first unleashed on Crimea the Donbas etc, and reignite the war again.
Whatever is left of Ukraine after this conflict is over will be used as a staging post to first attack the seceding regions then if all goes well Western Russia, in other words unless Russia takes all of Ukraine, this conflict will never truly be over, of course that’s just my opinion.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 26 2023 16:29 utc | 63

“All *scientific” reasoning starts with the presumption of a shared external reality. The starting assumptions of a scientific argument are observations which are shared and agreed by all observers (often called “facts” ).
Posted by: Tim | Jan 26 2023 16:29 utc | 64
Thank you for your comment.
Scientific work is a special case, but not (IMHO) fundamentally different.
Science starts with the assumption that there is some sort of stable underlying “reality” which we can study. This seems safe enough, although “stable” needs and asterisk, as this world seems to evolve. But there is enough stablity for things like us to evolve, and that seems like plenty.
I think the reality we think we know and walk around in and sense in many ways is a hallucination we generate to deal with the underlying reality.
My own impression here is that everything here is ephemeral, precisely so that it may evolve, and change. And I think that is a good deal, the best you can get, however much we screw it up for ourselves with out monkey politics.

Posted by: Bemildred | Jan 26 2023 16:41 utc | 65

Sam | Jan 26 2023 13:36 utc | 35

Putin let british necenaries escape uucathed from Debaltsov exclave!!

Refers to 2014/15, I think the name is Debaltsevo.
What do you think will happen in Bakhmut? A massacre? Or taking several tens of thousands of POWs?
While the west is escalating as it can, Putin might still be trying to deescalate and let them escape, or keep them bottled up for many weeks to come. Most of us would hate it, but maybe this is his way to avoid or postpone a nuclear war.

Posted by: grunzt | Jan 26 2023 16:44 utc | 67

Today is the Eve of International Holocaust Remembrance Day and saw Putin meeting with the top two representatives of Russia’s Jewish community, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar and Head of the Federation of Jewish Communities Alexander Boroda. Putin said the following to them:

Vladimir Putin: Dear friends, good afternoon!
We are meeting on the eve of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Heroes of the Resistance, and our country’s position is well known. Of all the Jews destroyed by the Nazis, most were citizens of the Soviet Union, and this is our common pain.
You know our position today. It lies in the fact that we are categorically opposed to consigning to oblivion crimes of this kind, which do not have a statute of limitations. And we are doing this, implementing such a policy so that nothing like this will ever happen again in the history of mankind.
I know the position of the Jewish community of Russia, I know the position of the State of Israel on the role and significance of the Red Army in the victory over Nazism, over fascism, and we highly appreciate it, but I want to repeat once again that this is of particular importance for our people.
You also know that the investigative authorities of the Russian Federation and the Prosecutor’s Office are still working hard to identify crimes of this kind, and against all citizens of the former Soviet Union, regardless of their nationality. Of course, this work will and is a significant contribution to solving the crimes of Nazism against the Jews themselves.
It is also known that Jewish organizations around the world support such work on our part. We are doing everything possible to ensure that this is supported at the international level. Unfortunately, under various pretexts, many countries avoid working in solidarity in this crucial area. But we will continue to do this regardless of the current political situation.
I know that you have an event tomorrow, a whole set of events related to this date, and, of course, I will ask you to convey my best wishes to everyone who will take part in the implementation of the program that you have planned for tomorrow.

The reply by Lazar was brief and cordial. However, I suggest looking at this photo to see that social distancing is still practiced which creates an odd atmosphere for such a meeting.
We’ll see if Putin makes a public speech tomorrow that connects the Nazis in Ukraine and their masters with the Nazis of the Holocaust. IMO, one is needed, not for Russia but for the world.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 26 2023 16:45 utc | 69

Biswapriya Purkayast | Jan 26 2023 11:29 utc | 18 posted:

“John Helmer’s article is pure fantasy. There is nothing in the WaPo (ie CIA) article saying anything suggesting America conceding the war is lost.”

There IS something there, e.g. implicated in phrases “long term goal”, “isn’t … now”, “but”, “future” etc.
(The link and 7th paragraph):
WaPo: Blinken ponders post Ukraine WAR order

… The Pentagon’s current stress on providing Kyiv with weapons
and training for maneuver warfare reflects this long-term goal of
deterrence. “The importance of maneuver weapons ISN’T just to give
Ukraine strength NOW to regain territory BUT as a deterrent
against FUTURE Russian attacks,” explained a State Department
official familiar with Blinken’s thinking” …

Posted by: LongCovid | Jan 26 2023 17:00 utc | 71

@ Lyra | Jan 26 2023 12:03 utc | 23
Why would you bother linking to such obvious crapola?

Posted by: Figleaf23 | Jan 26 2023 17:02 utc | 73

From last thread… My original post is here:
Posted by: Bill Smith | Jan 26 2023 11:55 utc | 370
“My opinion is that they can be transported by, at least rail into the interior of Ukraine. This is based on the weight of the locomotives being used on Ukrainian rail. They greatly exceed the 44,000kg some have posted as a limit here.”
And you completely ignore what I demonstrated about the difference between rail bridges and road bridges. Which is expected of a concern troll who will always reiterate his claim the next day no matter how it’s been debunked.
The point is that Ukraine’s roads and road bridges probably can not handle the weight of these tanks, even if the rail bridges do. Even if the tanks can actually move on these roads, they will seriously damage the roads in the process.
From 2015:
Ukraine Bans Transportation Of Goods Weighing Over 40 Tons By Road
https://en.cfts.org.ua/news/ukraine_bans_transportation_of_goods_weighing_over_40_tons_by_road
Of course, military necessity would override these rules, just as in the EU, as I noted, the military has to be treated as a “special dispensation” to move heavy vehicles on the EU’s roads, which has necessitated the EU’s budgeting for upgrades of their roads and bridges.
Long rail trains of tanks are likely to be detected and hit by Russian air power or drones or artillery closer to the front assuming any rail heads continue to operate at the front. Hauls by tank transporters instead of rail will be limited by the road bridges and trains of these will also be detected and hit.
Meanwhile…
Game-Changing Abrams Tanks Present One Glaring Problem for Ukrain
https://www.newsweek.com/us-abrams-tanks-fueling-problems-ukraine-1776639
Then there’s this:
The Army’s M1 Tank: Has It Lived Up To Expectations?
https://www.pogo.org/report/1990/01/armys-m1-tank-has-it-lived-up-to-expectations

The M1 has in fact consistently failed five of its six Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Durability (RAM-D) requirements, according to the last operational test, and actual use data collected in 1988 (See Chart B and C)….
On the contrary, Army actual use figures show that the turbine-powered M1 requires unscheduled maintenance over five times as often as the diesel M60 tank.2 Furthermore, the M1 and M1A1 tanks cost three to four times as much to maintain as does the diesel-engined M60.3 (See Chart C)
One should take note of the low maintenance figures in Chart B. Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Durability (RAM-D) requirements. These seem to meet or nearly meet the RAM-D requirements. However, if one goes to Chart C, “Actual Use Data,” one can see that this low level of maintenance has a serious effect on the number of tanks available for use. In other words, the less time (maintenance hours) you spend maintaining your tanks, the less tanks there are to use on any given day.
Reference the last two columns in Chart C. As long as the numbers in the MH/H (maintenance hours per operating hours) figures are high, so are the availiability (Avlb) figures. When the MH/H figures go down to 1.0 for the M1 and .7 for the M1A1 in the 3/88 period, only 81% of the M1’s and 79% of the M1A1’s are available. A high rate of availability (95% is the Army’s frequent claim) is implicit in the maintenance ratio (MH/H) figure. Therefore, these low maintenance ratio figures should not be used when evaluating the M1’s reliability and maintainability.
The turbine engine also manifests its delicate nature by requiring extra care when operating in less than ideal conditions. The M1’s operator’s manual specifically warns that falling leaves and/or snow can be sucked into the air intake during normal operations. Both can require organizational maintenance. And if the tank crew attempts to clear snow and ice from the intake system, they may damage it.4…
The amount of fuel consumption in an armored division is of paramount importance. The Army’s field manual FM 100-5 observes:
“Today, it is estimated that one armored division equipped with M1 tanks will consume over 600,000 gallons of fuel per day, more than twice the consumption of Patton’s entire army.” (and they ran out of gas!) (p. 60, chapter 4) (an M1 armored division has 348 tanks)
The Army has often contended that the bottom line in fuel consumption is the tank’s capability of operating for a whole day without refueling. While this is important, it is also vital that sufficient fuel be available to accomodate daily refueling. As stated earlier, an M1 division is expected to consume roughly 600,000 gallons of fuel per day. To get this to the front requires a large supply train. And a tank battalion can only move as fast as its supply moves.
As a result of the M1’s lack of fuel efficiency, the Army has had to increase the number of trucks that follow it. As of 1981, the army had to add the following equipment to each M1 tank battalion:
6 five-ton trucks
6 tank pump units
1 semi-tractor with 5,000 fallon fuel trailer
6 tank pump units
6 1.5 ton cargo trailers
With the introduction of the M1A1, the fuel situation has worsened. The Army has had to add another four 10-ton, 2,500 gallon fuel carriers, according to Maj. Mazzia of the Army’s Ft. Knox Armor School. This totals 128 support vehicles assigned to each battalion of 58 M1A1 tanks. While the M1 may be able to move quickly across terrain, it must always wait for these vehicles to catch up….
The M1’s power to weight ratio and agility are matched by the M1’s more fuel efficient diesel contemporaries (23.9 horsepower/ton for the M1A1 vs. 24.7 horsepower/ton for the Leopard II. See Chart A) And while the M1 has a very powerful engine, and an advanced suspension, it is handicapped by its track (tread) system. The M1 is the only series of tanks in the world that has permanently bonded (non-removable) rubber track pads. While this saves over a ton in weight, it makes the M1 very difficult to maneuver in mud, snow or ice, according to Army test results.6 On most other tanks, including the German Leopard II, the rubber pads are removable. This allows snow grousers to be substituted for greater traction. In addition, it means that the rubber pads can be replaced when they wear out. When the M1’s pads wear out, the entire track shoe (section of track) must be replaced. In every M1 Quarterly Operation and Support Cost Study Report reviewed by the Project, more money was spent on track shoe assemblies than on any other part. (See appendices B and C)
In addition, the M1’s suspension and track system suffers from a propensity for throwing the track off the tank. In particular, the armor that covers the top of the track system has a habit of trapping mud, snow and sand around the drive sprocket (the wheel which actually moves the track), which causes it to throw the track off the tank. Despite the Army’s insistence that this problem has been solved, it was recently cited in a British Army review of the M1 tank.7 That article cites:
Poor suspension when compared to the excellent system on the Challenger (British main battle tank)
Short track life
Rear skirting plate allows mud to build up around sprocket, thus encouraging a thrown track
Again, while the M1 has very advanced armor protection, and a low profile, so do other modern tanks. The M1 is unique, however, in suffering from an enormous heat signature. The heat signature (ability of the tank to be seen with infrared devices) of the M1 comes from the hot exhaust of its turbine engine. While the Soviets have reduced their tanks’ thermal signature by roughly 24% in recent models8, we have increased our heat signatures dramatically by adopting the turbine engine for the M1. The M1’s exhaust is so hot that it can burn the paint off a car should it follow the tank too closely. The operator’s manual repeatedly warns that the exhaust if “very hot and can burn personnel.”9 This means that the M1 is not only easily spotted, but is also positively identifiable at extremely long ranges with infared equipment – being the only tank in the world with such a heat signature.

There’s more, read the whole report. While some upgrades over the years may have improved some of these problems, it’s of course not clear whether Ukraine will receive them on their M1 tanks.
From 2017:
80-Ton Abrams Too Heavy For Support Vehicles, Requiring Costly Upgrades
https://www.defensedaily.com/80-ton-abrams-heavy-support-vehicles-requiring-costly-upgrades/army/

Murray told the House Armed Services (HASC) Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces that the tanks now exceeds the safe towing capacity of the Heavy Equipment Transporter – a member of the family of heavy tactical vehicles that consists of a large truck and trailer designed to haul the M1 Abrams. Currently the HETS cannot legally haul tanks in Europe, where they have been stationed as part of the European Reassurance initiative….
The currently fielded and combat laden M1A2 SEPv2 exceeds the payload rating of the currently fielded HETS, and axle-weight standards in Europe are unable to be met by the current system, the Army’s budget documents say. Therefore, the M1A2 is unable to be transported legally in the USAREUR AOR.
The tank’s weight also is beyond the ability of the M88A Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System, commonly called the HERCULES, to tow it. The HERCULES recovers tanks mired to different depths, removes M1 Abrams turrets and power packs, and uprights overturned heavy combat vehicles and is specifically designed to perform single vehicle recovery (SVR) of a 70-ton Abrams tank.
To counter that, the Army has launched the the Improved M88A2 (M88A2E1) to enable SVR of the heaviest tracked combat vehicle currently in the Army inventory. The Army’s fiscal 2018 budget request includes $5 million to study what work is needed to bring the HERCULES up to snuff, but initial analysis suggests track, suspension, transmission, hydraulics and powertrain upgrades all are necessary, according to Army budget documents….
The most up-to-date versions of Abrams also are too heavy to quickly cross the Army’s current deployable bridging systems like the M60 vehicle-launched bridge, Murray said. In terrain carved by multiple rivers that tanks will likely encounter in Eastern Europe, that presents another issue for the tank’s mobility, Murray said.
“We can cross it right now, but only at caution crossing, which is basically walking speed,” he said. “We’re basically working on the strength of the pins to try to save the bridges we’ve got.”

Finally, there’s this Russian viewpoint:
American Abrams tanks vulnerable even to Soviet-era weapons, says expert
https://tass.com/defense/1567245

Abrams tanks repeatedly demonstrated their vulnerability during the hostilities in Iraq, the expert pointed out. “As the Iraq combat experience shows, they went up in flames. The tank turret was pierced by a 100mm armor-piercing blunt nose projectile fired by a T-55 tank. There were instances when Abrams vehicles were struck by automatic guns of both Bradley and our BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles,” he said.
Instances are also known when the American tank was destroyed by the first Soviet modifications of T-72 tanks firing old shells “that were withdrawn from operational use even before the Abrams concept was devised,” Suvorov said.
The expert also pointed to the instances when Abrams tanks were wiped out by RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers.
An extra powerplant installed in the rear part of the turret to power modern electronic systems is another weak point of later American tank modifications, the expert said. “It was covered with the armor that can withstand assault rifle bullets but is vulnerable to a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun. It was hit by a DShK and its motor was smashed, oil and fuel went ablaze and spilled down to the main engine located below. The main engine went ablaze and then the tank itself went up in flames and burnt out,” he said.
The American tank almost has no chances, if it engages in a duel with Russian tanks, the expert said.
“If an Abrams emerges at a long distance, a T-72 or a T-90 crew will fire an anti-tank missile and we can say that the Abrams will even have no chance to fire a shot as its range of fire won’t allow it to do that,” he explained.
However, the US tank’s final efficiency depends on the commander’s skills to operate it and trained crews, the expert said.
Structural and operational flaws
Apart from the need to fill Abrams tanks with clean jet fuel, they also have more serious operational flaws. In particular, they cannot be repaired in field conditions, the expert said.
“Repairs are a major problem. If something breaks down in the powerplant, it has to be pulled out of the tank, taken to a special repair workshop with skilled personnel, disconnected from the gear box and only then repaired,” Suvorov said.
The air intake system of US-made Abrams tanks is yet another vulnerability, the expert pointed out. “They feature an air filter that operates similar to the equipment installed in motor vehicles: if it becomes clogged, it has to be taken out and cleaned. Meanwhile, all of our tanks are equipped with cyclone dust collectors that are quite smart devices,” the expert said, adding that an Abrams filter sufficed for just 15 minutes of the tank’s movement along dusty terrain during the Iraq campaign.
This may be a major hurdle in employing Abrams tanks in the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine, the expert warned. “It is still possible to operate in winter but summer in Ukraine is quite dusty,” he said.
The Abrams rate of fire falls after the first three or four shots due to its separate loading system. Secondly, its principle in the American vehicle is inferior to that in other Western tanks and will further cut the crew’s efficiency, the expert pointed out.
“In a Leopard tank, a loader stands straight whereas the Abrams designers sought to reduce the tank’s height and a loader inside the vehicle operates bent low, which is not quite comfortable,” he explained.

– RSH

Posted by: CharlesLutherThanos | Jan 26 2023 17:09 utc | 75

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 26 2023 16:45 utc | 71
Thanks so much, karlof1! It is important to remember this day, which demonstrates a connection not easily digested by some in the west, but one that supercedes state issues. It is about families, families rounded up and sent in cattlecars on trains to be eliminated. This did happen and those victims, mothers, fathers, children,
and many who gave their lives trying to protect their friends, deserve to be honored in memory.
And this does relate to ukraine as many ukranian soldiers were part of the awful structure that committed this crime, as members of Bandera’s army, the OUN, which today’s national Ukrainians have been obliged to honor. The Jewish diaspora, spread through many nations, were most targeted at that time, but many others were also caught up in what has now switched to becoming a campaign against those of Russian heritage and their beautiful culture which is composed of so many threads.
I have children and friends who are of that heritage, as I myself am an Orthodox Christian. It is an international heritage, subject at present to the worst kind of antihuman discrimination. And western national ‘leaders’ are complicit. They will not be able to wash this stain out of their hands, not ever.

Posted by: juliania | Jan 26 2023 17:13 utc | 77

jmw@68
Were it not for the system you pinioned and if the political process was not two peas in a pod, the most interesting possible contest would be Bernie Sanders for the Democrats and Rand Paul as the Republican. Superficially stark chasm between the two; but an opportunity for deeper issues to get their fair airing.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 26 2023 17:18 utc | 79

Eighthman @ 24

A majority of Democrats want Biden to run in 2024 and a majority of Republicans want Trump in 2024, Two elderly men with obvious ethical and mental problems is the best the political system can do. That’s scary.

JMW @ 68

In a CNBC article published in December, they report 60% of Rebublicans don’t want Trump to run again, and 70% of Democrats don’t want Biden to run again. The problem is the system is unlikely to produce better candidates.

Two elderly men with obvious ethical and mental problems is the best the political system can do.
Then there’s Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, young, sharp, competent, old, stupid, senile, full spectrum dominance, the voters don’t stand a chance.
George Carlin – Why I Don’t Vote

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Jan 26 2023 17:20 utc | 81

Destruction of AFU Air Defence Positioning Area in #Kharkov Region⚡️
Russian missile forces today hit a Ukrainian army’s S-300 air defence positioning area with a precision strike of the Iskander operational-tactical missile system.
The Ukrainian troops deployed at least four launchers in pairs a few metres apart, as well as an air target detection radar, in a forest belt northwest of the village of Lesnaya Stenka on the bank of the Oskol River.
❗️В The hit caused a secondary detonation of the ammunition on two of the complexes. At least two S-300s were completely destroyed, the other two and the radar are also likely to have been disabled by shrapnel from the Iskander shell and flying parts of the SAMs.
🔻 The RF Armed Forces have resumed work on systematically suppressing enemy air defences. The ongoing supply of weapons from NATO countries, including SAMs, poses a serious problem for the Russian army in the long run, which needs to be dealt with immediately.
At the same time, the Ukrainian formations themselves began to completely neglect elementary precautions. The S-300 position area in the amount of at least five launchers was located 21 km from the line of contact.
For such carelessness they paid the price. The Russian UAV operators easily detected the anti-aircraft systems on duty and promptly targeted the missile forces, hitting several SAMs at once with a single shot.
This example once again proves the effectiveness of linking reconnaissance assets with high-precision strike weapons. The “detect – aim – strike” system should become a standard set of actions on the front line.
At the same time it is by no means necessary to forget the elementary safety requirements: the example of the AFU proves that placing several units of equipment in one location is the best gift for the enemy.
https://t.me/sitreports/3816

Posted by: unimperator | Jan 26 2023 17:26 utc | 83

This is very funny:
Washington is ready to ease sanctions against Moscow for the sake of serious negotiations on Ukraine and the withdrawal of Russian troops from there – Victoria Nuland

Posted by: rk | Jan 26 2023 17:37 utc | 85

@ rk | Jan 26 2023 17:37 utc | 87
what an idiot she is… she has to stay out of the kitchen… and her cookies suck!

Posted by: james | Jan 26 2023 17:39 utc | 87

CL Thanos@77
An excellent indictment of current “defense” appropriation policies. The bottom line is the bottom line: Profits first and Performance be damned. This entire corrupt and debilitating system is the product of a totally for-profit system, which engages something over 2,000 WarDefense Industry lobbyists for a total of 535 Congre$$critters. Those “representatives of the people” are not only wined and dined by those lobbyists, but they are drawn in by various promises and performances such as heavy campaign contributions, stock options, all paid vacations, time shares, junket flights to international destinations…and as the cherry on top of the sundae, money under the table for those “solons” who are readily tempted.
We must not lose sight of those who ultimately pay for all such corruption…the American taxpayer in the first instance and massive increases in the current $32 Trillion national debt, ultimately payable by the grand and great grandchildren of today’s working and voting public.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 26 2023 17:41 utc | 89

I was a different person after Brian Terrell came back back Iraq in 1995 , including the time in Basra with the Iraqi pediatric oncologist and gave out probable outcomes of depleted uranium (DU) usage. Duracovich, Rokke, the data out of Newfoundland lab on urine samples from Canadian tanker vets. etc
And now via slavyangrad and others
Moscow will regard Ukraine’s use of uranium-tipped projectiles for Leopard 2 tanks as the use of “dirty” nuclear bombs – Konstantin Gavrilov, head of the Russian delegation at the OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation in Vienna.
“We know that the Leopard 2 tank, as well as the Bradley and Marder infantry fighting vehicles, are armed with uranium-core armor-piercing projectiles, the use of which leads to contamination of the area, as happened in Yugoslavia and Iraq.
If such shells are supplied to Kyiv for NATO heavy military equipment, we will consider this as the use of dirty nuclear bombs against Russia, with all the ensuing consequences,” Gavrilov said.
They have seen the Duracovich studies from Serbia on DU. RF is not going to eff around with it.
Brian T. always fun to get arrested with, he might be doing a little jail time in Belgium for antinuclear activites there.

Posted by: paxmark1 | Jan 26 2023 17:45 utc | 91

Alistair Crooke has one up at Al Mayadeen:

The US proxy war on Russia is stupid. Professor of Law at the LSE, Peter Ramsay, in a review of Benjamin Abelow’s book, How the West Brought War to Ukraine, outlines how the latter eschews the simplistic ‘Putin invaded Ukraine’ narrative — attributing primary responsibility for the war to less proximate causes: ‘American governmental stupidity and blindness’ and ‘the deference and cowardice’ of Europe’s leaders toward this American governmental ‘stupidity’.
“Although Abelow describes the self-deluding arrogance and hypocrisy of Western policy very clearly, he does not attempt to explain how; or why US policy has become so stupid or European leaders so cowardly. He appears dumbfounded by it, describing the level of irrationality involved as ‘almost inconceivable’”.

Is this Western war on Russia simply stupidity?

Posted by: Bemildred | Jan 26 2023 17:47 utc | 93

@stranger | Jan 26 2023 15:35 utc | 57

If Middle Easterners were Budhists instead of Muslim, it would not also matter, as they are sitting on the rich resources.Which basically poor ,west, wants to plunder to prolong its pathetic existence some more.

Syria is not rich with resources so your assumption does not hold.
You may try to find some other reason.

Posted by: Vajezatha | Jan 26 2023 17:59 utc | 95

The only appropriate response is to sack Bärbock. If this is not done it means the Scholz regime officially endorses her statement.
Posted by: Biswapriya Purkayast | Jan 26 2023 15:20 utc | 52
###
I have heard it said that Baerbock is the most popular politician in Germany. She’s safe. Her entire career is built on lies and deceptions, and the German people at large don’t seem to care.
I notice in many of your comments you’re very concerned with perception. Russia has an answer to that. It’s called a meat grinder. People can say and think whatever they want but the Russians will continue to grind and grind and grind. The Russian people expect it. Russian allies respect it. The West struggles to comprehend it.
Signal over noise. Always.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 26 2023 18:07 utc | 97

If you think Trump is the “systems’ choice you obviously have not been paying too much attention to recent US politics, Trump was the antithesis of a uni-party candidate, derailing their globalist agenda so badly they are now forced into a rushed implementation, hence the disaster of Afghanistan and now Ukraine.
Has anyone calculated how many tubes the Ukrainians have lost, since the latest NATO announcement of more artillery systems? Are they going to have an excess, remain the same or suffer a shortfall? I mean 14-15 systems KO’s or U/S in ONE day, that’s half the number of AS90’s that have been pledged.
Andrei’s spasmodic insecurity, that leads him to make humorous comments diminishing the Allied contribution to WW2, is not only a little wearing, it also prevented him on this occasion from making a very apposite point about the deployment of NATO armour. Arracourt showed the most important factor in the successful deployment of AFV’s is the quality of the crew, not the vehicles themselves and the force multiplier air-support offers. The two Panther Brigades that were flanked and shot to pieces were crewed by green crews and their executioners, experienced regulars who took advantage of every tactical opportunity that presented itself. As for only 20 tanks, selective cherry picking, as the Germans, in 12 days, lost nearly 120 Panthers alone in the series of armoured clashes around Arracourt.

Posted by: Milites | Jan 26 2023 18:08 utc | 99