Today people see the Russian revolution as the bolshevik power grab that put one of the most repressive regimes in history in power but in 1917 the original Russian revolution was a peace movement.
Posted by: HB_Norica | Dec 24 2024 19:27 utc | 434
Yes. But there were two revolutions. The first was, as you say, by the people, and quite peaceful. It resulted in an interim, somewhat democratic and liberal government. The second was also peaceful, in that the general population was mostly unaware that it was occurring. But the Bolsheviks within the government took control. A few shots were fired, but the country remained relatively peaceful until civil war broke out.

Posted by: Samu | Dec 24 2024 21:55 utc | 404

Saw this posted – think @417
AFU soldiers’ giving interviews do not sound particularly forgiven. One of the quotes was “We lose as much men on retreat as on attack”.
Immediately thought how brilliantly that described why you never close the eyes pocket.

Posted by: Elbow Room | Dec 24 2024 23:19 utc | 406

OK, it’s late on Christmas Eve here (and I’ve enjoyed some seasonal refreshment…), sneakily posting while the domestic authorities are elsewhere, but the thought occurred: if European NATO members triple their defence budgets, what exactly are they going to buy?
More F-35s? Challengers? Leopards?
3x the defence spending ends up with 3x the amount of the same junk.
“Trebles all round please, landlord” shout the MIC shareholders…

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Dec 24 2024 23:36 utc | 408

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Dec 24 2024 23:36 utc | 453
…if European NATO members triple their defence budgets, what exactly are they going to buy?
It’s not important what they’re going to buy — but it is important that this money is taken from everything needed to keep up a tolerant, modern, educated and healthy society.

Posted by: js | Dec 24 2024 23:53 utc | 410

3x the defence spending ends up with 3x the amount of the same junk.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Dec 24 2024 23:36 utc | 453
________
Not necessarily, once one accounts for inflation and cost overruns. 3x the spending might yield only 2x the product, especially when one considers that some of the product won’t be delivered for months and even years.
Oh, and what js @ 23:53 utc | 458 said.

Posted by: malenkov | Dec 25 2024 0:22 utc | 412

“I note that the fellow who shot the United Health Care President pleaded not guilty? My bet is the judge in that case is going to have a really difficult time, assembling a jury of peers of the accused willing to find the accused guilty of Terrorism. The case seems more like a case of justice administered American style? ”
justice can never be administered bya individual. This was vigilantism. It is a function of anarchy.
Anarchy is always the same. People settle old debts. It goes round and round and round. The only solution is a criminal justice court. It is understood it is not perfect. USA justice very very very faar from perfect. But it is far gar gar better than anarchy.
I lived once in a country where the police were for sale all the time everywhere for tiny amounts of $. I met a young man whose family had been fighting another family for four generations. They would periodically beat each other with sticks. Firearms were not really available. Nor would they use edged weapons and actually murder each other. He showed me some really incredible scars on his body. Both families paid the police to stay out. the police were quite content with this situation. The police could be payed to lose interest in just about any matter up to and including lethal force.
Anarchy is overrated. A functioning society has fair justice system where people accept outcomes. A functioning global society has fair justice system where nations accept outcomes. If the justice system is trying to be objective outcomes will be accepted even if it is imperfect because Anarchy means force is used based on individual ideas about “payback”. This is what allows people to live normal healthy peaceful lives. Surprisingly it is often criminals that understand that a justice system has value. They know what happens without it. They dont want to be let loose to express their tendencies. They understand these tendecies exist in just about everyone. They often value family and community even if they have deplorable habits. People who have no experience with the criminal justice system often have some very incorrect ideas about the worth of vigilantism.
In a world where all nations are increasingly armed with weapons of mass destruction the establishment of a fair global justice system is the alternative to extermination of our species. Its the only thing preventing weapon deployment. The first weapon must never be deployed. Once the first one is deployed its over regardless of its particular vector or nature, What left after the smoke clears? Nothing. Nobody. It will be like using a minigun on a fish bowl.
Functioning justice systems allow a life where we experience relative security where we can explore the side of human nature of love community and family.
Over and over again we witness military professionals such as Wilkerson and Macgreggor communicating the risk of catastrophe. They are in the force business. They understand force must only be a function of justice not empire. They also have family and community and they understand what justice creates. They understand the weapon systems and what will occur if they are deployed. The taboo of the military to speak of anything not on the basis of team is very very strong and these men are not breaking it casually. They understand that we are very very close to extermination from using force as a function of empire not justice. The whole world is on the brink of being tuned into a wasteland every aspect of humanity that has value destroyed. The force professionals try to communicate to the people.
What they dedicated their lives to was security as a function of force only wielded by justice. They realize that it is empire not justice wielding force. As professionals they understand exactly what that means and exactly what the consequences will be once the very first WMD of any vector or type is used. I concur with their conclusions. What they leave somewhat unspoken is the hedgmon is not sane. They know this and its why they speak out. Nany dont speak out because the situation can easily be judged as hopeless. To remain silent is to desecrate community and family. Alot of men cant do that. So they speak regardless of consequences.
Force professionals are force professionals. They know what force can do and what it can not. Its not a beauty pageant. Force can only destroy. Putin is also a force professional. surprise surprise. THese men are driven to try and create a a international justice system that respects all nations cultures and traditions. There are two antithesis. One is force deployed by empire and catastrophe. The other is eliminating all human culture and tradition as a expression of freedom to eliminate conflict. These two anti thesis are tied at the hip.
Hopefully we can get some help from god. I do believe we will get help but I also believe it is up to us. People must understand. The hedgmon is not sane. Its deception is exceptionalism. This is how I see it. Our choice is humbleness and paradise or exceptionalism and catastrophe.

Posted by: Fred | Dec 25 2024 0:46 utc | 414

Posted by: grunzt | Dec 22 2024 20:31 utc | 62
As a rule: As soon as you stray from your area of competence, you start making embarrasing mistakes…
*************
And what is your area of expertise? Certainly not spelling (embarrassing?)
I am continually bemused by the ‘experts’ claiming knowledge and understanding of physics. Over the last few months we have had in depth discussion of nuclear physics (beware the posters who pontificate on ‘nukular’ physics), or hypersonics where more than half the posters confuse momentum and kinetic energy, ‘EMP’ weapons – too bizarre to even comment, or thinking that ‘coulomb bombs’ have tremendous energy – far greater than nuclear weapons – without stopping to consider how one would assemble a few kilos of protons… Maybe a large zip-lok bag would do the trick?
Putin never ‘famously claimed that two Oreshniks are comparable to 1 nuclear bomb’. The nuance is important: on a very local scale, the destructive power of the RF’s new weapon is similar to a conventional nuclear weapon, it’s just that this destruction does not extend over many square kilometres. Think of shooting the enemy through the heart, rather than obliterating the vehicle and half the forest to kill him.
Consider two simple examples. The energy embodied or used in making a piece of toast is similar to that released by an exploding pager. Would you expect a piece of toast to blow off you hand? A second example. How can a GW laser function producing GW of power when plugged into an ordinary wall socket drawing only around one KW? How can you produce a million times the power? It is actually trivial, simple, elementary physics.

Posted by: General Factotum | Dec 25 2024 1:33 utc | 416

Merry Christmas all.
There are preconceived notions affecting the opinions of some here.
1.NATO is a viable fighting force. Marat had an earlier article (frostbitten penises) that highlighted NATO failure to accomplish any of the stated objectives of the large scale exercises held this year.
2.In his latest article, he points out the number of destroyed tanks and aircrafts and compared those with the paper total NATO could muster.
3. British soldiers are leaving the Services in record numbers.
4.1 million Ukrainians, NATO personnel and assorted mercenaries have been “denazified”. The real number is very likely higher.
5. Gas supply next year to Moldova is finished next year. Slovakia and Hungary have already buck the sanctions regime. Wo else is next?
6. Russian are walking into fortified areas that have been abandoned. Those not fleeing fast enough are now caught in a cauldron and given 4 hour to surrender or die in new Russia.
Make of these what you will. I’m having a celebratory drink. Slainte!

Posted by: Suresh | Dec 25 2024 2:20 utc | 418

ZH continues the delusion with this posting title
North Korean Soldiers Suffer 1,100 Casualties In Ukraine War, Seoul Alleges
That is the Seoul Military, same that just partook in failed semi-coup, telling us this information about NK troops in Ukraine.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 25 2024 4:19 utc | 420

re: General Factotum | Dec 25 2024 1:33 utc | 471
you wrote: “the destructive power of the RF’s new weapon is similar to a conventional nuclear weapon”
Very poor choice of words; conventional weapons are strictly defined as being non-nuclear weapons. Maybe it might be wise to refrain from harshly belittling other posters for their lack of scientific or technical expertise?

Posted by: Perimetr | Dec 25 2024 4:38 utc | 422

are you a women by chance?
Posted by: james | Dec 24 2024 5:42 utc | 377
#########
james, are you assuming my gender? LOL
I think Fred understood me. We’re both native English speakers.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 25 2024 5:59 utc | 424

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Dec 24 2024 23:36 utc | 453
All the things they rely on the US to supply, given their current delusion of grandeur level is approaching DEFCON 2. So, next years euro Christmas list should include lots of airborne tankers, AWACS, EW platforms, oh, and I suggest they build up stocks of Smart munitions so they last more than a week and inventories, so they don’t have to cannibalise platforms to fulfil their deployment obligations.

Posted by: Milites | Dec 25 2024 6:40 utc | 426

Southfront reports AFU has concentrated 4 brigades opposite to the Bryansk region, and has 5 brigades in the Belgorod-Kursk region (presumably latter means also committed in current combat). The plan may be confirmation of the earlier reported Zelensky plan to attack the Bryansk region.
RUAF has opted to play strategic defense in these northern regions, while something is brewing in Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Should the assumed attack in Bryansk fail and depending on degree of failure, the AFU will most likely collapse.

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 25 2024 8:14 utc | 428

Ukraine is now getting encircled every week it seems, with no indication for a change tactics, and there will be no changed tactics, its why zaluzhny was replaced.
Ukraine has at least a million casualties by now, but let’s just say if Ukraine stadegy was similar to the Russians, if they retreated the same way the Russians did in kharkiv, it would have simply gives the Russians the chance to win without taking huge casualties, if Ukraine values it’s troops as much as Russia does, then if Russia captures its four oblast then the war is simply over.
In this scenario Russia has 300k casualties, Ukraine has 200k, but now that Russia has reached its objective, there will be no one that will pay the show to continue, Russians will dig in, bomb the Ukrainins infrastructure until Ukraine acknowledge defeat, western money will be gone as Ukraine valued its citizens more than western goals.
But what is Ukraine is doing now, is simply a petty suicide. It cannot retreat, it cannot advance, it cannot change it’s tactics, it is slowly draining itself out of future generations.
Posted by: Sultanambam | Dec 25 2024 2:07 utc | 476

Ukrainians from US perspective is gambling on House money.
It is hard to tell what would have happened were AFU to make tactical withdrawals like RUAF did early on. The RUAF would gain Donbass quicker, but much of the Nato/AFU army would remain intact and the war would be far from over. Instead, Nato has now being sucked into very unfavorable circumstances and environment.
The end game is now the same, RUAF dig in amidst the contested oblasts (legally belonging to Russia now), while bombing the country into submission. The west will pay because they are stubborn to throw good money after bad, but now it is the west sucked into the economic quagmire. If they do not fund Ukraine, the point where RUAF can install a new government in Kiev, or Dnepropetrovsk, or Zaporozhye, or Krivoy Rog to control the land will come quicker. Come it shall anyway, sooner or later, and this is the desirable outcome.

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 25 2024 9:06 utc | 430

But what is Ukraine is doing now, is simply a petty suicide. It cannot retreat, it cannot advance, it cannot change it’s tactics, it is slowly draining itself out of future generations.
Posted by: Sultanambam | Dec 25 2024 2:07 utc | 476
Suicide means killing yourself. What is happening in Ukraine is not suicide, but genocide of slavs by jews, americans and europeans. People from outside are killing the country to empty it, enslave it, and own it. Of course they have paid a few ukrainians to manage things from inside, but allegedly out of those who make any decisions (and are not just stooges marked for later removal), most are jewish.

Posted by: Jack M | Dec 25 2024 11:17 utc | 432

It looks like Russia now is very active striking Ukr targets. It’s Western Christmas. Some Ukrainians have converted to Western Christmas. I believe a majority haven’t but they have to deviate in secret because it’s Western by decree now.
I’m guessing, then, that Ukraina plans for striking Russia proper around the 7th of January when Russians celebrate their Orthodox Christmas.
Most likely Russia is prepared.

Posted by: Avtonom | Dec 25 2024 11:36 utc | 434

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 25 2024 7:14 utc | 499
The Soviet plan for encirclement usually entailed the attacking Div/Army’s organic helicopter contingent (or a dedicated VDV air assault force) to seal the gap, preferably using restrictive terrain or features. Given this tactic is perilous at best, with ISR drones, and ICM’s then the only chance is if two penetrations meet and the Ukrainian main force is retreating, again, difficult to replicate battles two years earlier with the true game-changing systems now deployed.
Soviet operational encirclements also relied on main force diversions so as to confuse as to where the pincers would strike, again very hard if the forces are being tracked, real-time, or struck miles from their forming up points.
Allowing a golden bridge achieves three purposes, less resistance and last-man-stands from the perimeter forces, with a greater inclination to look to the rear, especially with wavering troops. This then increases the chance of an unplanned rush for the exit, especially if rumours abound that is closing (again lessons learned by de-briefing captured German high command, caught in such conflicts.
Secondly, it forces the Ukrainians into a dilemma with heavy equipment, leave it to support the perimeter, or get it out of the impending pseudo-pocket or operational encirclement, before it gets attrited. These two measures reduce friendly casualties, as the frontline is asset stripped and units retreat, whilst increasing enemy ones (increased unit densities as frontage shrinks),
Thirdly, the retreating forces can be more easily tracked, by dedicated platforms, back to their new lying up positions as they will be retreating through an ever closing known vector. This, in turn, will provide valuable information about the composition and layout of the next line of defence and possibly inform long-range strike options.
All of the responses were the assimilation of wartime experiences, where trying to replicate the successful German pocket battles of the early war period was found to be far more difficult later on. Even the Allies with total air dominance, and a more flexible doctrine, found these type of engagements hard to achieve. The Soviets were good students of history and only envisaged these operations where they had over-whelming strength, and the opportunity for rapid advances, neither opportunity are available on this theatre of operations.

Posted by: Milites | Dec 25 2024 11:53 utc | 436

🔥🇷🇺🇺🇦 Without Lenin’s Lightbulb: The Russian Army Leaves Ukraine in Darkness
What’s known:
▪️ Due to the massive missile strikes, electricity outage schedules have been introduced across Ukraine, according to “Ukrenergo.”
▪️ The strikes targeted not only energy facilities but also water, heating, and gas supply systems.
➖ Energy facilities in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kremenchuk, Kryvyi Rih, and Burshtyn were hit.
➖ In Dnipro, infrastructure was reportedly damaged, according to local sources.
➖ In Kharkiv, there are disruptions in heating and water supply.
➖ Parts of the Ivano-Frankivsk region lost power due to morning strikes.
➖ Damage to energy infrastructure was also reported in the Vinnytsia region.
Source: RVvoenkor

https://x.com/Zlatti_71/status/1871875737428373815

Posted by: unimperator | Dec 25 2024 12:05 utc | 438

Being here on this forum for any length of time can feel like an African American standing trial in an Alabama court house where dumb ignorance and bigotry still reign supreme. Surrounded by close-minded individuals lacking both empathy and any sense of justice, where one can only marvel at the absence of human decency and intelligent life. 🙂
Posted by: Philly | Dec 25 2024 8:34 utc | 501
Maybe you’re on the wrong forum. This one is to follow and report on the Ukraine war. I don’t really know your problem because I don’t bother to read your posts however if the responses you get here makes you feel persecuted I suggest either growing thicker skin or accept the criticism and move on.
I can tell you one thing for sure … crying about it in public only shows your adversaries the chinks in your armour. Merry Christmas.

Posted by: HB_Norica | Dec 25 2024 12:20 utc | 440

I’m guessing, then, that Ukraina plans for striking Russia proper around the 7th of January when Russians celebrate their Orthodox Christmas.
Most likely Russia is prepared.
Posted by: Avtonom | Dec 25 2024 11:36 utc | 509
Yea. I get a feeling the Russian threats to kherson and Kharkiv are meant to spoil Ukraines offensive plans. Russia has momentum in the Donbas and I think they’ll just continue to focus on that direction barring any sort of rescue operation for Transnistria.
People smarter than me have been talking about when Russia will commit their sizeable reserve to some sort of “big arrow” offensive. Instead the Russians are using that reserve as a weapon without putting a single soldier in harms way.
It’s one thing to ignore a recon operation in Kherson when there are 10,000 troops manning the front lines but it’s something entirely different when there are 200,000 well rested troops sitting just over the horizon backing them up. They have to think twice before committing to another battle for a Russian woodlot.

Posted by: HB_Norica | Dec 25 2024 12:45 utc | 442

Posted by: Milites | Dec 25 2024 14:28 utc | 518
It is indeed very interesting to watch this was and see the developments in warfare evolve. I enjoy your very informative posts … keep it up!!

Posted by: HB_Norica | Dec 25 2024 15:15 utc | 444

Geopolitical relationships aren’t friendships filled with undying loyalty.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 25 2024 15:21 utc | 520
Exactly … countries don’t have friends, they have interests.

Posted by: HB_Norica | Dec 25 2024 15:33 utc | 446

As a Christian, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. To those who are not Christian, I hope you can accept my sincere best wishes.
A quote, which I hope most will recognize, since this is a bar.
Major Jock Sinclair, D.S.O., M.M.: Whisky for the gentlemen that like it. And for the gentlemen that don’t like it: whisky.

Posted by: Hunsdon | Dec 25 2024 16:27 utc | 448

These aren’t coincidences… In the past 2weeks alone.
1. Ursa Major sinks, Russias largest dry-cargo ship
2. Azerbaijani plane crash
3. 2 Russian oil tankers sunk
4. Igor Kirillov assassinated
5. Svetlana Savitskaya Russian model run over and killed in Paris.
The unveiling of Orsenik delayed the inevitable perhaps by a few months, but the coarse for self destruction continues…

Posted by: TheTurk | Dec 25 2024 16:48 utc | 450

@ TheTurk | Dec 25 2024 16:48 utc | 525
1. One F/A-18 was shot down by friendly fire, with two more planes accidentally targeted shortly later.
2. A terrorist attack on a Christmas market occurred in Germany.
3. A woman is burned alive in a New York metro due to police inactivity.
4. A major solar flare occurs.
5. I stubbed my tow a few days ago.
Only the uninitiated deny these signs as proof the West is on its last legs.

Posted by: boneless | Dec 25 2024 17:12 utc | 452

As I said the other day, you can’t be the good guy if you act like a bad guy.
America has been acting like the bad guy since FDR.
Again, brilliant politician but, a lousy human being.
People don’t love FDR or Israel. They worship the power they represent.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 25 2024 17:24 utc | 454

Posted by: boneless | Dec 25 2024 17:12 utc | 527
None of those you listed could be attributed to acts that of terrorism and espionage. More likely events to occur to a failing society on its own demise.
The F/18 shoot down is still under suspicion whether the houthis shot it down and the dumb Americans playing cover up by releasing a lame fox update that many will sure to believe.

Posted by: TheTurk | Dec 25 2024 18:01 utc | 456

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 25 2024 18:26 utc | 532
Yup, it’s the System! The power that controls the System is NOT going to volunteer giving up its control. It is self-reinforcing. Some (most?) care only about having power. Some (most?) might be ideologically driven and think that they’re fighting to actually make things work when the very core of the System doesn’t want the System to actually work because that would be “socialist.” (sense of the “social” is completely trashed in the collective West)

Posted by: Seer | Dec 25 2024 18:43 utc | 458

Posted by: boneless | Dec 25 2024 17:12 utc | 527
“5. I stubbed my tow a few days ago.
Only the uninitiated deny these signs as proof the West is on its last legs.”
Oh dear! Did you have to call a toe truck?

Posted by: Paranaense | Dec 26 2024 5:34 utc | 460

Maybe voting for Jill Stein won’t change things, even if she wins, but it is a way of avoiding feelings of guilt for the genocide.
It was certainly deeply disappointing that she got so many fewer votes than eight years ago, when the reason for voting for her was so much less strong than now, with the genocide. I find it very hard to believe that her vote was honestly counted.?

Posted by: Lysias | Dec 26 2024 17:02 utc | 462

Posted by: Cynic | Dec 26 2024 16:06 utc | 513
###############
Are you from the West?
I assure you that Israel has done nothing to create a positive image abroad. There are videos of Zionist soldiers on vacation being harassed by the locals wherever they visit.
There is an excellent Twitter account that publishes the social media of the Zionist troops, identifies them by name, and details their admissions of their war crimes.
This is a long way from being over.
Much of the ROW doesn’t believe Israel is a Jewish state and instinctively knows that Zionism is an Anglo-American ideology of colonialism.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Dec 26 2024 20:32 utc | 464