The Düsseldorf armaments group Rheinmetall is negotiating with the government in Kiev about the construction of a tank factory in Ukraine.
Another sign that the Ukrainian Civil War will last at least to 2025.

Posted by: Exile | Mar 4 2023 16:19 utc | 203

Just a thought about tanks. Military types want particular weapons for particular situations, so having tanks around will always be useful. At the least they provide very close artillery support for the other military elements. But they are not the dreadnaught weapons anymore because they are too easily killed. Ukraine getting some tanks will be helpful but won’t change things much. The way their army operates, they won’t last long.
The same is true of fighter jets, the combat aircraft. Even though Russia has taken out Ukraine’s air force, they still can’t make free use of their aircraft in the interior. Like the tanks, they are too easily taken out.

Posted by: Jmaas | Mar 4 2023 16:23 utc | 205

fyi
CGTN Leaders Talk with Belarusian President Lukachenko 30mins
subtitled
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZYH45WggBs

Posted by: Don Firineach | Mar 4 2023 16:24 utc | 207

@ DunGroanin, #198
I appreciate you discussion about creeping western corporations wanting to control Ukie farm land and production. But if you think that U.S. agriculture is “collapsing” in overall production and that will cause famines in the West from that side of the equation, then you don’t know shit about farming here, especially in the best “Corn Belt” region of the Midwest. I see it at multiple scales every day, from 1:1 to satellite from hundreds of kms above. Even if we dumped all the GMO varieties and went back before 1997, production levels would still be high enough to feed the U.S. population and export some, especially if we learned to eat it more in its native state instead of breaking corn and soybeans down into industrial molecules to be built back up into processed food. This idea that ‘Merica is some agricultural wasteland are fantasies you high density urbanites, especially far away from here, have gotten into your heads. Now, is it as healthy as say a 100 years ago, that can certainly be debated but to say the U.S. ag is running on empty from the production side isn’t reality.

Posted by: DakotaRog | Mar 4 2023 16:30 utc | 209

Exile @ 210
That’s funny. Kharkov Tractor Works was long the main producer of Soviet tanks.

Posted by: oldhippie | Mar 4 2023 16:39 utc | 211

Question to you all, what you think preferable:
1) Escalation now, i.e. NATO Boots on the ground, while it appears ill prepared and megalomaniac/ignorant at the same time.
2) Peace talks ending in EU maintaining foothold/direct access up to at least Dnjepr River and giving them 5-10 years for armament and internal socio-economic and political formation, i.e propaganda and repression.
Here’s my take for a start:
I think western outsiders, who proved unable to hold their own governments to account to at least honour Minsk Agreements or to bar them from waging war with Money, guns, Intel, mercenaries etc. have no right to deny the Russian state and people some respite if they want so.
Alas, that kind of respite might lead just to much more misery and suffering for all of us in the end.
Moreover, I think Finance oligarchs (NYC, Chicago London, Paris, Frankfurt) their state bureaucracies (DC, Berlin, Paris, London) plus ideologue’s (DC, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Harvard, Stanford, Oxbridge, Paris, Berlin) game plan might be to turn Ukraine into an endless war that is un-winable for Russia. Then I dare to observe that big fish are preparing to carefully offload inherently worthless fictitious financial assets to the middle classes. In turn the billionaires accumulate the cash with which they can make a killing on real assets (industrial, real estate, land/resources) bought on the cheap from weaker hands once the inevitable crash (deflation) is triggered.
Throughout this time the powerful might further pursue their green agenda of destruction and ‘reconstruction’ of a broad array of productive capacities, energy-autarchy to the maximum possible degree, green non-tariff protectionism and pauperisation of the masses (e.g. ‘eat the bugs’); all in order to building up MIC capacity that in itself puts downstream pressure on actual consumption (war).
With the notified further EU Integration – that for some spectators already resembles a fourth Reich – this might lead to an eventual direct attempt to eventually dismemberment and conquest of Mother Russia and all its vast human, industrial and natural resources – shall it dare not to implode on its own beforehand.
Still the most irresponsible actors (US State Dpt, England, Poland, Balts, German Greens) set the tone today and might actually prevail inasmuch as they can ‘sleepwalk’ the whole west into scenario 1, i.e. direct and open conflict with Russia.
This most certainly will lead to their and not Russias strategic defeat and thus sending their societies (golden billion) into turmoil, which might even bring the rule of the finance oligarchy itself and most certainly US’s Staus in Europe into jeopardy (we’ve been at that point twice in Germany in the past century). That is why I seriously doubt that the people with real clout will let this easily happen. As the ruling classes are very well aware of the risk it entails they start wars of this nature, as compared to expeditionary ones, only after one cycle of industrial and societal preparation after a crisis and exactly at such a moment before the next crisis would hit (which might in effect jeopardise financial rule anyway, thus the war not adding to that risk). That’s what I read out of the German experience at least.
Anyway I think that all out US involvement is not in the cards for Europe- that would be completely against the most prominent purpose of the whole project which is to set Germany and Russia up against each other, to prevent Europe (4th Reich) from becoming a viable and more independent Western/Christian alternative (for itself and the rest of the world) to a USA that is determinedly on war footing with China. By the way, this has also been one of the objectives of each the Arab spring and all that followed as well as the Euro crisis, in which myopic German and French actor’s greedily sacrificed long term strategic options for short term gains and more direct control (over tiny Greece and Cyprus). However USA is most likely to keep Germany and the rest hooked on its Agenda until the bitter end and even if Germany/EU gains some sort of ‘independence’ after a rupture becomes attainable due to a combination of Ukraine desaster and splits over the China question, this would not mute classical German/EU expansionism towards east and south east but may bring about just a couple of years of detente between them and Russia before the ultimate clash along this too well known historical pattern.
So far my introduction to this intellectual waterhole. On the next occasion I would like to discuss the historical patterns of the contradictions within the EU as well as the social relations inside Germany giving some thoughts especially to the shape and potential of the > 25% national minorities.
Above my analysis-synthesis. I am honestly curious about yours.

Posted by: Arminius17 | Mar 4 2023 16:52 utc | 213

@ Down South | Mar 4 2023 16:53 utc | 221
thanks and for all your other posts too!

Posted by: james | Mar 4 2023 17:04 utc | 215

Posted by: anon2020 | Mar 4 2023 17:04 utc | 223
Indeed. I see you have the idea right. It is interesting to speculate how it all will evolve over time, but the point is that the game is no longer worth it, find some other way to get along with each other. To only way to win is to stay out of it. War on your turf is not going to be good for you ever, nope, and over there it is a big waste too.
Consumer ATGMs, just the thing to settle a dispute.

Posted by: Bemildred | Mar 4 2023 17:11 utc | 217

Posted by: Konrad | Mar 4 2023 15:10 utc | 200
Given the fact that it will take 1.5-2 years to build a Leopard II, depending on the spec, this news does reinforce the idea that NATO’s latest moves are to re-arm a post-conflict rump state, not support, beyond lip-service, their plans for grand offensives.
Posted by: Exile | Mar 4 2023 14:01 utc | 195
Beneficial to some Ukrainians perhaps, but certainly not to the host organisation, surely?
Posted by: Alex Vadim | Mar 4 2023 12:24 utc | 180
Possibly, but every system? The workload for lower echelon HQ’s to process could quickly lead to info-overload, defeating the purpose of the system. Worse, if the picture of the battle space is incorrect the system starts to seriously hinder, not help, OODA loop dynamics. I think NATO’s capabilities are more akin to the disembodied Sauron’s, able to focus in great detail on specific areas, not in possession of a god-like acuity. If the later we’re true the Afghanistan debacle would be but a bad dream.

Posted by: Milites | Mar 4 2023 17:15 utc | 219

@ Arminius17 220
Oh, a Crusade. Boring. Why does USUKIS keep the flow of Muslims to Europe by destroying Muslim countries, if it hates Islam? Hating Communism and Islam because of their humanity and idolising the life of the super-rich is such a fake advertising ploy.
What about eternity? If you boys succeeded in blowing up the world, at least I get some brownie points in eternity for saying my prayers. Your eternity is all consuming nuclear hot furnace. Ya boo!

Posted by: Giyane | Mar 4 2023 17:31 utc | 221

Posted by: Arminius17 | Mar 4 2023 16:52 utc | 220
The West is on the clock here. Emperor Klaus Schwab has already started the countdown to the Great Reset, and they need BRICs on board too. Else the West is going to the crapper alone, and will sink into poverty, depression and population sterilized to a wide range. WEF will control only the Sinking West and lose power along it. The rest of the world will continue on without the west and without Rockefeller’s etc.
That’s why they will do a big war with the rest if all else fails, they need to subjugate China to their system to expand the sandbox.

Posted by: unimperator | Mar 4 2023 17:45 utc | 223

Arminius17,
Good prognostications!
Here’s a response, not as well-conceived as yours.
You conflate populists and elitists. Only what elitists do matters UNLESS populists (the people) are able to protest, vote, organize and actually demand change. This won’t happen. Elitists have hunkered down and, worse yet, have physically weakened people with jabs, viruses, train contaminations, poor food … less food, whatever. They’ve also emotionally and spiritually destroyed a considerable hunk of the West. So, sad to say, what the people think and desire — you call us “outsiders” – doesn’t matter. Our desires won’t be considered or actualized.
Scenario ONE – The war ends in peace talks. Russia dominates behind closed doors and sets the terms – the US/England, in response, creates copious propaganda to save face. Remember, the sickoes in the CIA and State Department, treat the virtual war as if it were as meaningful and important as the real one. For them, propaganda is reality; reality is negotiable and malleable. So, Russia will win the real war and the real peace as the United States and the rest of the West giggle while coming up with feel-good memes and lies.
Have you noticed that Russia produces real leaders and statesmen? And, America … ? I don’t think there’s been a heavy-weight thinker in the United States Congress or White House since I’ve been born. It is simply the case that hardship produces character and Americans are soft, intellectually and, more importantly, in terms of character. For this reason alone, Russia will dominate the next century, perhaps more so than China. Just my opinion.
Scenario TWO – This has to do with finance. Ask yourself, “What do the financial oligarchs get from war? What do they lose?”
More than anything, the EU wants to capture London’s dominance, or past dominance, as the world’s trading hub, and then move it to Paris. There are more English-speaking financiers in Paris, now, than French-speaking ones, or so I have observed. They total about 200k in La Defense and center city Paris. London has about 250k. So Paris is closing in. I don’t see how war helps this transition. Maybe it does, but I don’t see it.
M&As, currencies, banking … Goldman, what do they get out of a long war? Frankly, I think they lose. Traders like to hit that sweet spot between turmoil and placidity. Too much turmoil, the markets roil – too little, trades are small.
You: “I dare to observe that big fish are preparing to carefully offload inherently worthless fictitious financial assets to the middle classes. In turn the billionaires accumulate the cash with which they can make a killing on real assets …”
Good observation! Yes, but … who has the money to buy this shit? Who can buy government bonds and bills? Who is going to buy gyrating stocks? The middle class? No way. It has been gutted. It is in no position to buy fluff. The middle class, in my opinion, will be hunkering down in reality, buying land and practical things, not rehypothecated whatever. Still, yours is an interesting idea. I do agree that the uberwealthy will buy “real” stuff, not so much because they’re trying to screw the middle class (though they’ll do this without flinching), but because they’re protecting their own $$. They’ll be buying farmland in the Dakotas, rental property, smallish companies, stocks that deal with the foundational economy like food, oil, timber and minerals.
Regarding the green agenda, it’s only believers are in the gullible middle class. Greenism has been an oppressive ideology, one that “oligarchs” and “irresponsible actors” have used mostly among the younger and more impressionable, that is, those less grounded in community, faith, family, marriage. If the green ideology protects or enhances the profits of the government class and it’s takers, you betcha they’ll be spouting it. And, greenism has been remarkably effective at gutting, say, farming in Belgium. It’s a tool of oppression. No more.
You: “ … prevail inasmuch as they can ‘sleepwalk’ the whole west into scenario (war) …” They’ve already done this. The propaganda is aimed at disguising the truth which is the West is at war with Russia, and, to a lesser degree, with China/India. I’m certain they thought they’d win easily in Russia and move on to China floating on a rhetorical clouds of victory. Sucks to be Ursala, huh? Not for me, though. I think they’ve already been defeated in the real war, but not the propaganda one.
In my wee opinion, that’s our battle. The propaganda war. We need to fight for the minds of people around us by gutsy truth-telling. Russia will NOT win our propaganda war, only the real one. We must fight this war ourselves.
I’m not sure about your idea that the “most prominent purpose of the whole project is to set Germany and Russia up against each other…” I just don’t know. Europe is anything but Christian. So, it would be more appropriate to call this a Western/Secularist alternative to an Eastern/Christian alternative. There are more Christians in China, now, than in Europe. By far. Ditto Russia. The Orthodox church has been a huge beneficiary of this war. I’m just not smart/knowledgeable enough to comment more. Sorry.
Clearly, the losers are, in order: Ukraine, EU and Europe, English-speaking countries. Within the EU, Germany seems to be the biggest loser, but I’m sure you can speak to this better than I can.
Best,
KR

Posted by: KR | Mar 4 2023 17:53 utc | 225

@ Giyane | Mar 4 2023 17:31 utc | 226
I feel slightly misunderstood. I said weakening Europe was one, i.e. not the only and by the way even not the main reason for plotting Arab Spring Color revolutions. Therefor the migrant flows were only of second concern and not only welcomed by Washington but also by exploiters of cheap labour with no rights in Europe.
The prime goal was to prevent a unified and strong Arab World from making mutually beneficial business with its neighbours and securing an orderly withdrawal from West-Asia instead. This was made possible by energy self sufficiency (fracking) and necessary by the pivot to Asia (China Containment).
I’m completely fine with both communism/communists and Islam/Muslims -more than that, I feel close to all of whom who seriously fight for humanity their terms. Above I was just analysing-synthesising without giving judgement (at least not consciously)

Posted by: Arminius17 | Mar 4 2023 18:27 utc | 227

Delta Leaks.
is it correct that NATO/US must have felt absolutely sure that they could clobber any Russian Attack?
Would the current situation ( year gone by) indicate that this was not the case by far?
i.e. RU forces have adapted to the setup and progress nonetheless.
is creating a Kessler Syndrome situation still in discussion?
As a NATO general I’d shit my pants!

Posted by: MAKK | Mar 4 2023 23:12 utc | 229

@Deplorable Commissar | Mar 4 2023 16:04 utc | 204
Iran was not “scared”, they have nothing to fear. Iran was distracting. People did not need to be killed for a successful demonstration.

Posted by: Hermit | Mar 5 2023 0:39 utc | 231

Posted by: james | Mar 4 2023 16:23 utc | 210
I bet those housing developments aren’t for native -born Canadians, and I don’t mean just your Aboriginals. It is likely for Chinese /Indian taxfugitives. Australia also tried to build an economy off Chinese and Indian foreign students , and housing for their tax – fugitive parents. Result? A housing /education crisis for all young native Australians and a hollowed- out Management class with no room for the native -born.
We got rid of all our manufacturing to China and India , and every Middle class fool here was happy ‘cause , they could buy stuff much cheaper, little thinking that their professional dual income children wouldnt be able to afford a house or even find a job. Suckers.
People are starting to wake up , but they are thick-headed , and jaded as long as they have their flats screen tvs and Netflix. Bread and circuses, right?

Posted by: Brother Ma | Mar 5 2023 1:53 utc | 233

Eliason & Helmer: War of the Worlds (podcast)
https://tntradiolive.podbean.com/e/war-of-the-worlds-4-march-2023/
On Ukraine proxy war, Russia, NATO, US, Europe and long war.

Posted by: John Gilberts | Mar 5 2023 10:14 utc | 235