If you have a spare hour I want to encourage you to watch the following video. It is a conversation between two former members of the Australian Army. Willy OAM, the guy with the red beard, is interviewing a former mate who is on the ground fighting for Ukraine. The unnamed Aussie is a bit schizophrenic in his assessment of the situation. Based on his analysis, I believe he was a senior NCO in the Australian Army because he is very focused on the tactical level but clearly has no clue about the broader geo-strategic picture (that is not an insult to enlisted guys).
He concedes, albeit reluctantly, that Ukraine is losing and is suffering massive casualties. He reports that one Ukrainian brigade (a unit of 5000 men) suffered 80% casualties in recent weeks. He admits that the Wagner Group is not suffering major casualties and are fighting very smart and are well-equipped. Yet, in the next breath, he insists Russia is hemorrhaging troops because that he is what he is hearing from Ukrainian sources. He repeats the Western propaganda meme that Russian is sending untrained conscripts to the front but then, based on his personal observation, bluntly states that Ukraine is sending 60 year old, untrained, ill-equipped conscripts (i.e., guys grabbed off the street) into the meat grinder.
He tries to put a gloss on Ukraine’s prospects for victory, but when you listen to him tick off the corruption, the poor leadership, the lack of supplies, incompetent commanders and stupid battle tactics a clear picture of a Ukrainian Army on the brink of destruction emerges.
Towards the end of the interview he says that he thinks the war will go on for two more years and that Ukraine has a chance at victory. At that point I realized he was not even listening to himself. Once you wade through some of the rah rah bullshit, you will obtain some important insights into the desperate situation the Ukrainians are facing.
If 1 year in, they are already sending in untrained 60 year olds and taking those kind of losses then if it does go on for 2 more years, it will be 8 year Olds sent into the trenches. Doubtlessly to the cheers of Western media.
hi mr random.
I ve absolutely loved your chosen nickname. l Mean it was an Eureka case.
Congrats.
And, excuse, may I ask your permission to change mine and start using something like
“random bird’ – random pic –
or Random Joe?
Feel free.
Great
Random Guaido and make your self President of Venezuela.
Not even Hitlerjugend, these will be Banderamalchiki.
Using people to die tells you this won’t save the “free world” because that’s not anything like the objective that’s honest.
Denial allows people to believe in mutually exclusive things. Religion is like that too.
Was that already called “double thinking” by some wellknown British author some 70 year ago?
“Magic Thinking” would be more appropriate.
What the hell?? A profile picture of me appears which most certainly isn’t me! Some freak with horns. How is this possible? I have no profile picture attached.
It’s gravatar. Maybe you put in someone else’s email address?
The thing about religion that amuses me is when people state facts and answer questions definitively that they have no way of knowing. Like, for example, that there is a trinity or explaining away Mary’s virginity or the Catholic tap dance on purgatory. (It’s reminds me of these people who can tell you where Captain James T Kirk was born in Iowa and can name his entire extended family.) I grew up Christian and still consider myself one, but when they start talking about stuff like this, I always think to myself, “How the hell do you know?”
That said, Christianity has been good for Western society. It picked people up and saved them from the societal ruin that was endemic in the hedonistic Roman culture. God has blessed the west and how we live, and, generally speaking, if you follow what the Bible says, it’s very hard to screw up your life.
I would paraphase Winston Churchill on democracy: Christianity is the worst religion in the World except for all the others.
Can’t be too bad of a religion if it saves a man from his sins, as well as the punishment of those sin, down in Hell, for all eternity. And, in case you don’t know it (most people don’t), the whole Bible is Christianity.
https://www.sermonaudio.com/saplayer/playpopup.asp?SID=91022198407493
This shows how narrow your world is. Do you know Buddhism, or Hinduism? I mean really ‘know’? There’s not really much difference between islam and christianity – both are abrahamic (as are jews); both are violently monotheistic (my way or the highway). Christianity had it’s violent heydey for about 1800 years after christ and now has been emasculated. Islam is following in the same direction – violently trying to convert the whole world to their way.
The oriental religions are teh only ones that are genuinely peaceful and spiritual.
I shall not elaborate as this is not the forum for that.
Christianity is not a single religion, but a group of religions that have been fighting each other for centuries. When I say fight, I mean war like the one we have now. The Western Christianity (or Judeo-Christianity, as some call it) have always been trying to destroy Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and you should not mix up those two.
There is difference between Christendom and its appalling doctrines and practice and Christianity as practiced by Christ’s early disciples. Nowhere in the Bible can the teaching of hellfire be found. The word ‘hell’ is an old English word which means to cover with earth and is still used in the northern parts of the UK’s farming community as regards potatoes. Helling potatoes, is to plant seed potatoes. Gehenna (often mistranslated hellfire, there is no such word in the Bible) is an actual valley outside the walls of Jerusalem (It means literally (the valley of Hinnom) You can visit it today.
In Josiah’s time (one of the few good kings of Israel) it was used by unfaithful Israelites as a place of worship to the Canaanite god Moloch to burn children alive in sacrifice. So disgusted was Jehovah, that he describes the practice of burning someone like this even for a few moments ‘detestable’ to him.
Josiah destroyed the place turning into a rubbish tip that remained until Jesus’ day. (Jeremiah7:31) If God is so horrified by such cruelty and condemned it as a dreadful crime it makes no sense to accuse him blasphemously of doing the same (for eternity!) Of course there is one who enjoys to slander God in this way and that is Satan. And so, his religions promulgate such lies accordingly, turning right-hearted people from God and the truth because of such hideous teachings about God. Not unlike our politics and mainstream media do with the truth about Ukraine manipulating hatred for Russia and China.
The Pharisees had a habit of throwing dead (NEVER living) bodies of tramps and beggars into Gehenna (it was kept smouldering with fire and sulphur for health reasons, consuming the filth) as they considered this type of person unworthy of a decent burial and resurrection. Jesus threatened them with such an end themselves for their wanton hypocrisy i.e. when they die they would not get a resurrection.
The teaching of the immortality of the soul is also not found in scripture. The only person to promise that man would be ‘like God’ and ‘would positively not die’ was Satan the devil.
There is difference between Christendom and its appalling doctrines and practice and Christianity as practiced by Christ’s early disciples. Nowhere in the Bible can the teaching of hellfire be found. The word ‘hell’ is an old English word which means to cover with earth and is still used in the northern parts of the UK’s farming community as regards potatoes. Helling potatoes, is to plant seed potatoes. Gehenna (often mistranslated hellfire, there is no such word in the Bible) is an actual valley outside the walls of Jerusalem (It means literally (the valley of Hinnom) You can visit it today.
In Josiah’s time (one of the few good kings of Israel) it was used by unfaithful Israelites as a place of worship to the Canaanite god Moloch to burn children alive in sacrifice. So disgusted was Jehovah, that he describes the practice of burning someone like this even for a few moments ‘detestable’ to him.
Josiah destroyed the place turning into a rubbish tip that remained until Jesus’ day. (Jeremiah7:31) If God is so horrified by such cruelty and condemned it as a dreadful crime it makes no sense to accuse him blasphemously of doing the same (for eternity!) Of course there is one who enjoys to slander God in this way and that is Satan. And so, his religions promulgate such lies accordingly, turning right-hearted people from God and the truth because of such hideous teachings about God. Not unlike our politics and mainstream media do with the truth about Ukraine manipulating hatred for Russia and China.
The Pharisees had a habit of throwing dead (NEVER living) bodies of tramps and beggars into Gehenna (it was kept smouldering with fire and sulphur for health reasons, consuming the filth) as they considered this type of person unworthy of a decent burial and resurrection. Jesus threatened them with such an end themselves for their wanton hypocrisy i.e. when they die they would not get a resurrection.
The teaching of the immortality of the soul is also not found in scripture. The only person to promise that man would be ‘like God’ and ‘would positively not die’ was Satan the devil.
Apologies for the theological diversion but the cognitive dissonance you see in the Aussie war tourist cited is not dissimilar to the ‘Stand with Ukraine’ crowd dominating the political and MSM discourse in the west which appears to be based on fundamental flaws compounded by additive delusions…not unlike the history of Catholicism and it’s schism; Protestantism.
Oh that’s nothing.
You got nothing compared to what we have.
Enjoy!!
https://youtu.be/wax6buTiHYE
If you need more then.
This!
https://youtu.be/BnIh1QNTfMg
Or
https://youtu.be/mVdIhlqZPwk
If you need to know more please ensure there is someone with you in case your brain starts over heating.
Once you assure me that I can send more.
See your problems are always insignificant. Someone somewhere always has bigger challenges.
These guys are a parody of Dharma, the real hinduism. If you think this is hinduism, come, I have a bridge to sell to you. Just a short reply to the point: Virgin birth. Dead body awakens. Then rises to heaven. Walk on water. Produce infinite fish and bread. We could make fantastic videos of these for your entertainment on YT.
The shocking thing is that supposedly intelligent people like you and the pope actually believe in these things as gospel. At least the intelligent hindus know who is a fake and ignore him.
Nice reply. It’s curious that some who responded to you cited…. George Carlin. Now, THAT’S certainly a case of pulling rank! Next thing you know they’ll really up the ante and cite Lady Gaga.
And yet citing Lady Gaga would make more sense than Pope.
> Not sure the purpose of the religion bashing.
Part of the Liberal Malthusian agenda. Islam is quite clear on this point (although I believe it is also part of the Christian and Judaic apocrypha): Satan was kicked out of heaven because he refused to bow down to man, the pinnacle of all creation.
These liberal scumbags believe that man is just another animal and they’re the top dog. We need to be culled to make us more manageable. That’s why they’re hell bent on convincing our children to hug trees, worry about their carbon footprint, worry about having kids, turning our daughters into whores, even convincing our sons to cut their balls off, all in an effort to reduce the population.
They will fail. Spirituality is part of man’s real being and it will not be snuffed out. Even the Chinese communists gave up on that!
Dear scumbag, who are you calling scumbag?
“Spirituality is part of man’s real being”
Right. Lacking philosophy, ethics … you need “spirituality”.
You, mostly. Like all libs you have no substantive arguments.
Heil Randolorian!
“You, mostly. Like all libs you have no substantive arguments.”
If having the skull filled with whatever you have it filled is what gives you “spirituality” ..
I much prefer to have only one life.
“science is completely impotent at describing phenomena of the soul.”
Not true. Read the work of physicist Roger Penrose on the soul. The soul is information about our entire life, recorded in cellular microtubules and released after death as a quantum of radiation.
Penrose is based, but he is definitely seen as ‘out there’ from the reductionist empiricists of ‘mainstream’ science.
It likely won’t happen in our lifetimes but I believe that science and spirituality will ultimately be reconciled.
Exactly right. Religion and spirituality provides an explanation about the human condition, morality and ethics that empirical science cannot answer. Religion requires a non rational faith that is not absolute, but which is personal to the believer. A framework of thought and traditions that provide meaning and hope.
Religion is neither bad nor good, like any body of thought and ideas it has no agency until acted upon by human beings. Religion is good for good people and bad for bad people.
Those men that you name are also “practicing denial”.
You are only giving more examples that prove it more.
Denial is very human.
Nice pic by the way.
(Are you the main character of “The Satanic Verses”?)
It’s called cognitive dissonance. Religions (and ideologies in general) are full of it.
George Carlin explained it nicely:
https://youtu.be/8r-e2NDSTuE?t=38
Carlin didn’t understand the purpose of religion same as he didn’t understand
the moral purpose of words.
He was a good non-Yid degrader of morals.
I have no idea what you are trying to say. What does “non-Yid” even mean?
Two very disperate topics, sounds a little deranged to sneak into unrelated subjects.
Maybe at the appropriate time we can debate, in the mean time you might ponder the future you have condemned yourself to if u r correct.
But since you brot it up, my own take is our Creator has proven by His actions to be kind and loving and forgiving and thru the death and resurrection of His Son, welcomes all who simply believes in Him. Him being Jesus Christ, of course.
Have a great day.
Have a great eternity.
There is the science of physics and the science of metaphysics. Just because some of us know nothing of something doesn’t mean it’s random or even worse non-existant. If things are random, then maybe our birth and existence is random, really!
See, you’re not random and neither is metaphysics. How fooled and detached from true reality can the Western Scientific mind be? Our birth is metaphysial if nothing else. What makes that blob in the womb come alive with a heartbeat and what leaves the body and stops the heart? It is also metaphysics. Leave religion for those who pay the price of understanding it through the lens of philosophy or the science of the soul. Beyond the “K” constant, science is completely impotent at describing phenomena of the soul.
“science is completely impotent at describing phenomena of the soul.”
The goal of science is not to describe/analyze/study phenomena of the “soul”.
Just as you cannot use religion to describe the phenomena of prime numbers.
.. or even worse existent
“…, science is completely impotent at describing phenomena of the soul.”
Everyone is impotent when compared to Catholic priests.
Try to read and understand Saint Augustin, perhaps this will prevent you from writing nonsense.
You have a corrupt country that can’t even organize the resources it has, and is getting its ass kicked, supported by somebody that has no strategy or plan other than throwing money ey and equipment at the problem:
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/01/29/exclusive-lt-col-daniel-davis-warns-nuclear-war-us-no-plan-ukraine-this-not-video-game/
It won’t end well for Ukraine or NATO. A lot in the article makes sense, though I disagree on his assessment of Russia’s progress in Ukraine or its ability to take on NATO. NATO is running out of conventional equipment with several years lead time to replenish. Eastern Ukraine right now is a microcosm of what Europe would be if it spreads: missiles, rocket, artillery and bombs taking out the grunts on the ground, saving the main force for cleanup work. Germany has admitted to having 2 days of munitions.
Whether in the Ukraine meat grinder, or in other European locales, you can’t fight a war without reliable munitions, quality equipment to handle them (NATO cannon barrels are melting while the Russian ones keep going at higher utilization rates), and trained soldiers with competent command structure. Ukraine has none of that, and, from the article above, neither does NATO.
To paraphrase Hemingway, who said he went bankrupt first slowly, then quickly, Ukraine will collapse first slowly, then quickly. I suspect the US dollar will face that scenario as well. We’ll also see more of these stories where they give conflicting views, as denial is necessary to justify continuing the fight, until the cognitive dissonance gets too great and everything, including the narrative collapses. That’s when the “then quickly” part kicks in.
The USSR also seemed to collapse “overnight”. It seems to be a feature of certain processes. It might happen to us, we’ll go to bed the night of the most ordinary uneventful day and the next morning things will have changed irreversibly.
Yeah, Col Davis talks about NATO as a “30 Nation alliance”, too big for Russia to handle conventionally. About 25 of those nations are totally inconsequential, 3 (France, Germany and UK) are negligible and one – Turkey – is practically on Russia’s side.
“It won’t end well for Ukraine or NATO.”
It won’t end well for anyone. One side cannot let go and the other side has no capacity for self-restraint/reflection. If something utterly radical isn’t introduced into the equation global nuclear war is virtually certain, and there will be no up side/winners to that.
Mr. Johnson- thank you for posting this. i will check it out. when you said if you have a spare hour i chuckled. i find that at this stage of my life since my career of working 3000 hrs a year is know over; the song below applies to me. It is actually not a bad thing. Perhaps this applies to some other people that also frequent this blog.
i really liked this band of my youth. the hit song mr. roboto is a classic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilroy_Was_Here_(album)
these boys are still rocking. another tour planned for this yr starting in vegas feb 1st.
Too Much Time On My Hands Styx live 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2R8emAGjCg
——————————————————————————–
i just listened to a podcast from mr. henderson who served for 28 yrs in the us military and was a qualified tank commander. he said it took him 2 yrs of training before he felt qualified to be able to face the enemy in battle. He strongly believes that nuclear war is right around the corner. I think he is wrong; guess time will tell.
Just so you know; he is very strongly anti-zionist in his views.
Click Here For Mitchell Henderson’s January 25 2023 Appearance On The Jeff Rense Program For A Show Entitled “US & NATO Provoking Russia To Nuclear War” Brought To You Courtesy Of Rense.com
https://mediaarchives.gsradio.net/rense/special/rense_012523_hr3.mp3
in case these weapons actually work as advertised on movies , TV and history books-film ; i found this on bitchute. Lots of prepardness vids to check out. Am not putting out fear porn; but believe in practical prepareness. I believe that God helps those who help themselves.
https://www.bitchute.com/search/?query=nuclear%20survival&kind=video
regards,
ralph
I have noticed this over and over with interviews with returned mercenaries. They criticise the Ukrainian govt and military for corruption and incompetence and their commanders for criminal activity and then in the same breath say they are planning to go back. Astonishing levels of cognitive dissonance.
It’s not cognitive dissonance – it is the desire for money. They are extremely well-paid.
Matthew 6:24
Let them all earn it at the receiving end of Russian artillery, then. Cheers.
An idea of how Wagner operates. Re-enacted but horrifying. Btw, they didn’t gain the objective but the tactics, use of weaponry and comms are impressive. Not for the faint-hearted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ZxWaRHhnQ&t=2461s
Exactly.
War Junkys.
So this guy is trying to ensure victory for an incredibly corrupt country, embedded with n..ze’s because of? Ohh defending the free world. That’s it.
Is that the same free world that continually invades countries that are no threat to them and treats their own people with contempt? The one that has intrusive surveillance of ordinary people, laws that curtail free speech and an economic system that rewards rent seekers and penalises productive labour? The same free world that exports it’s production to totalitarian dictatorships like China and protects large corporations with international investor rights agreements like NAFTA? The same free world that has ignored anti-trust laws such that egregious monopolies now control their governments, buying and selling their politicians? The same free world where laws allow medical insurance companies to deny medical treatment to sick children whilst the parents are desperately trying to save their sons and daughters? The same free world that has Politicians like Beerbreath who comes out and says she doesn’t care what the electorate thinks she is going to support Ukraine come hell or high water? The same free world led by senile politicians, clowns, rent seekers an kleptocrats.
I would hope that it is not THIS free world that he is trying to save, but I fear it is.
People may think I am being very harsh on him, but in my view war is a last resort and people should only engage in it when they have to defend themselves. Before anyone goes to the aid of a country they need to ensure they are on very solid ground morally and ethically. They need to err on the side of no engagement rather than engagement.
For someone to go to a foreign country thousands of miles from Australia to “save the free world” I say bullshit. The fact that the Australian government is supporting Ukraine against Russia makes me ashamed to be Australian.
If ordinary people like him thought hard and long about going to other peoples wars we would all be a lot better off.
Well said Robert. That is my considered opinion as well. Those ‘standing with Ukraine’ are allied to an illusion of a brave bulwark of democracy. The powers that be in the ‘free world’ have created this mess and been largely successful in disguising their activities and their motives.
I agree with you, Robert! But governments don’t employ people who think long and hard into the armed forces. They want pliant people with a naive viewpoint of the world, who have been watching too many Hollywood movies, as well as reading books with skewed perspectives (that would be classed as propaganda) on wars and combat in general.
And I don’t believe this guy was a ‘Senior NCO’ in the Australian Army. Too mouthy, opinionated and stupid…and he volunteered.
The Volksturm usually means end of the line.
I’d like to hear more about the Mozart group of mercs led by a “retired” USMC colonel.
Rt going underground
Guy used to run the show on al Jazeera English before they failed American launch and sold out to Washington powers
Rt has been my 2016 to present only place i can watch without parsing all the crap
Since trump broke the news 2016
RT news only regular good place and they took out alot of good people working here and all over
I still use on my iPhone etc as post cancel they didn’t delete those who already installed rt
Latest
https://www.rt.com/shows/going-underground/570563-mozart-group-ukraine-conflict/
On this episode of Going Underground, we speak to retired Marine Corps Colonel and CEO of the Mozart Group Andrew Milburn. After discussing whether Mozart is NATO’s Wagner Group, Afshin Rattansi and Milburn have a tense discussion regarding…
Jan 28, 2023 06:13
https://www.rt.com/shows/going-underground/
I thought he was back in the World. If he has a brain fart in the coming weeks and returns to Ukraine, I hope he brings the troopers some Panzerfausts, hell they worked well if one was really close to a tank, at least they did on the Seelow Heights.
They already have Panzerfaust 3, courtesy of Germany. The only things missing are Panzers and Stukas.
Stukas und Messerschmitts over the Steppe …
https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/scholz-esken-heusgen-waffenlieferungen-101.html
https://klimbim2014.wordpress.com/2017/07/27/messerschmitt-bf-109-in-stalingrad
Yes, and at least the cannons worked on the Stukas, as they did on the ME-109’s nose cannon. As to the cannon on the F-35, a tad problematic, or so I hear.
What a siht show, what a waste
I clicked on it and watched for about 5 mins.The guest at first seemed pragmatic and logical and then suddenly went rah rah Ukies will win,Russians are stupid orcs.I couldn’t stand watching anymore.It felt like amature CNN.
Are you talking about the RT interview on the so called “Mozart group”? I disagree with you, i found really amazing to see how feeble the Western narrative about Ukraine has become. Man, the guy couldn’t stand the slightest critical question or comment, and his 3-strike face every time it happened… Incredible the level of delusion this people live in. And by the way, the journo who runs that show (Going underground) it’s not exactly a Putin lover, see another GU shows and you will see that.
any thoughts or insights on the likely response to the widespread attacks on Iran over the last 2 days ?
Looks like the “attacks” were an Israeli media psy-op, nothing more. Yes, drones attacked a weapons factory but did little/no damage.
There was an earthquake, and a unrelated refinery fire that were used to help promote the psy-op.
“widespread”?
Just an example of Israelis being Israelis: doing almost no damage but puffing their chests out and big-noting when it isn’t justified.
I agree, the Aussie interviewee was talking out of both sides of his mouth. Not I think from dishonesty but more like he hasn’t had a chance to think it all out and has natural loyalties to the Ukrainian soldiers he was trying to help.
You pick a side and perhaps kill men on the other side, then see the other side blow your new comrades to pieces, you really cant go back to neutral
And doublethink is the result. Its what is happening to Americans right now who have chosen the Ukraine side. Im seeing this right now as I venture into anti Russian hate groups on Quora. You show them evidence that undermines their premises, and they may agree with you grudgingly. The next day they’re back to operating on the very same premise.
Its a delicate situation to say the least
You pick a side? Why did he pick Ukraine? Throw a dice, read the MSM or really try to understand both sides.
People who go to other peoples wars to help the wounded or the civilians are carrying out acts of humanity. People who aren’t threatened by a conflict and who pick sides, then go to fight for “their” side are people who should mind their own business lest the pick the wrong side and in doing so create a great wrong.
I think Victor is PARTLY right. I say “partly’ because greed IS a major factor. But no one is going to say “I’m killing people for the money; I really don’t fuckin’ care why”. $2000 a day goes a long way to creating rationalizations. In addition, the UAF tries to prevent mercenaries from getting captured – which means not throwing them into the grinder with those myopic 60 year olds. They are snipers, trainers. But probably don’t do a lot of man to man fighting. They, of course, look down on the UAF. That helps them somehow feel good about what they are doing. “WE’re not THEM”. Then, “We’re PROFESSIONALS”. Then “Just doing a job”. But this is a common failing– rationalizing to keep the money flowing in. But most of us don’t kill people. Most of us compromise just to survive. Most of us draw a line somewhere. I was a media whore for years. I compromised a lot.. But there was always a point at which I could no longer go with the flow, lines that I would not cross. I expect that is true of most of us.
Just a question, if you will? When you were a stringer in Vietnam, did you ever travel to the northern provinces of South Vietnam?
I couldn’t take even ten minutes of this meat head with the Robocop voice before nausea set in, I heard enough of these gobshites regurgitating lingo, jargon, acronyms and talking points that they had heard in ORs mess over the years. I guess when I was younger I was better at not rolling my eyes out loud.
Hmm, how does one serve in the ADF and the French Army? Foreign Legion and now Mercenary perchance? This sounds like a yobbo who has an addiction to trouble. And he can’t have the excuse of being ‘young, dumb and full of cum’ either, if he’s serious about giving evidence to a Royal Commission on bolt explosions when the F-88 was being introduced, then he’s even older than me.
Wagner are ruthless ‘dickbags’? Really digger; why is that? Because they’re beating your team? Oh, no, it’s because they’re calling Ukrop’s families to gloat, God give me strength in the face of projection please. Then this crap about ‘might makes right’ and how bad it’ll be for the west, China helping Wagner is a ‘worry’… these muppets might like to take a look in a foreign policy mirror.
Now they start on about how the ‘Strayan gumment should be pissing more Other People’s Money into a black hole propping up the most corrupt dictatorship in Europe to prolong the blood letting.
I wonder, how does a mercenary with an ‘ant’s eye view of the world’ have these grand insights into Russia’s key objectives? What a FIGJAM*. So Russia is going into Kiev, aye sure. Lvov is the ‘heartland of resistance’? surely the bloke with the Robocop voice meant the heartland of national socialism and sure they’ll fight to the death, because being imprisioned and held to account for the last eight years abuses isn’t worth contemplating.
Oh shit, now they’re back to harping about conscription in Russia. When he talks about ‘chocos’ that’s an ADF slur for reservists (chocolate soldiers) dating back to world war 2, when the Citizen’s Military Force (predecesor to the modern Army Reserve) were supposed to melt in the heat of battle; that was the thinking right up until the ‘chocos’ held the line in the Owen Stanley Ranges against Japan.
Robocop’s great idea to save the day is to sow all of Novorussia with cluster munitions, give the Ukronazis 200 tanks, fancy pants UCAVs and, and ? I presume stage two is borrow the money to re-equip our own armies with brand new second hand crap from Uncle Sam’s two million dollar shop…
Oh FFS, now the tired lecture about the horrendous Russian losses, the T-60s (sic) being pressed into battle and how the Russian economy is collapsing. Which isn’t what I hear from anyone in Russia. And now Wagner don’t do dust off (casevac); they do the ‘Soviet system’ of you get shot, you go the the rear and you die? I wonder about all those wounded blokes getting their pardons for compeleting their 6 months and shaking hands with Prigozin; I suppose that’s just another clumsy Russian pys-op.
Funny though, for two experienced diggers they have the nerve to be surprised that the best kit is in Lvov while blokes at the front have worn out shit; when in the history of warfare was that not the case? Ask any REMF** and they’ll explain that the place to be is ‘in the rear with the gear’.
And the final flourish is the oft repeated vomit about how Ukronazis are defending the free world… Hopefully Robocop did get one thing right about there being a rout in the post once Artemovsk is liberated.
The biggest problem is this whacker’s probably got millions of subscribers and so a horde of dedicated non-thinker sheeple will be convinced they’ve just listened to an hour of pure genious and buy in further to the ‘we’ve gotta do maw’. Christ on a Bike, there’ll be Battalions of young diggers packing their shit and heading off to 404 if this whacker gets his way.
Shit oh dear, I just realised I’ve wasted a whole hour listening to these two dickheads; just as well I never tried drugs as it seems I’m the sort of weak individual who can’t just say ‘no’ even knowing I’m feeding myself substances that are harmful to my brain.
*FIGJAM = Fcuk I’m Good, Just Ask Me
**REMF = Rear Echelon Mother Fcuker – more commonly refered to as a ‘pogue’.
Ah yes, the etymology of the word pogue (correct spelling) On January 1, 1965, the first day of service to my 1st unit, I was taught about pogey bait (candy, cookies, popcorn, etc.) consumed by Marines when they come back to the rear. Pogues, who are in the rear all of the time consume more pogey bait than do grunts. Pogey Bait, I was told came from the China Marines who consorted with the local prostitutes, and also gave them candies and sometimes received local goodies in return. The Chinese gals used a word that sounded like “pokey.” I think all of the other derivations of the meaning are more modern and in many cases entirely more stupid.
After listening to the whole thing I have to say it is amazing how someone can see but be blind at the same time. Not sure if it is willful blindness or just that he has been blinded by the world of lies that is the west, but the results are the same.
Larry, sorry that my entry is not directly related to your topic. Actually, it has a lot to do because you and I both point out that there is a parallel military and political reality created for us by the MSM.
Zoran Milanović, the president of Croatia, is one of the few sane politicians in Europe. After the statement of Annalena Bearbock, the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, about the “war against Russia”, a few days ago, Milanović ironically wished Germany “more luck than 70 years ago”.
Here are the details of his address today (it’s ongoing as I write this):
“What is the goal of this war? A war against a nuclear power that is at war in another country? Is there a conventional way to defeat such a country? Who pays the price? Europe. America pays the least.”
“The Russians? To them, this is like Mexico, or like Canada. This is real and dangerous. We watched how someone provoked Russia to break out this war. Not a single American tank will go to Ukraine in a year. We will send all German tanks there. German tanks they won’t have a better time in Russia than last time.”
“This is deeply immoral that we are doing as a collective West. German tanks will further homogenize the Russians. And China. My task is just to get away from it, not to be circus poodles. Any participation in it is deadly dangerous.”
“The Polish representative says that Russia should be dismembered, and Russia has not attacked Poland and will not. I have been in politics for a long time, but I have never seen this level of insanity.”
Ustashe are scared that they might be next in line for denazification. They have managed to get away with the same thing Ukros are trying to do now, because balance of power was different then. Now that things are shifting, skeletons will start falling out of the closet.
You are like a poorly written chat bot, one only has to mention Croatia for you to raise your ugly head. Man, you only see yourself in a mirror.
Your name suggests that you should know where Krajina is, and what happened there.
Who knows better the bloodletting, the lies and machinations at hand than those who partook of it not so long ago?
The Croats literally got away with murder in Operation Storm and clearly saw Operation Storm 2.0 clouds gathering on Donbass’ border. Milanovic saw fit to not press his luck in opening another Pandora’s box. Smart man.
“The Polish representative says that Russia should be dismembered …”
Anna Fotyga?
Another (female) warmonger to add to the list, I’m afraid…
And Andrij “Leberwurst” Melnyk dreaming of submarines in the Black Sea …
Its very difficult to see the truth if your paycheck depends on believing the lie.
A little more about parallel reality. The text is from a Russian Telegram channel:
And let’s talk about forelock artillery. About the branch of the armed forces, which plays a major role in ensuring their still combat stability.
I counted their losses in artillery from the beginning of the month until yesterday, according to reports from the Ministry of Defense Russia. 228 units total. Of these, 121 barrel towed (94 Soviet-made and 27 M777), self-propelled guns – 71 (49 domestic, 9 Crabs, 7 Paladins, 3 Caesars, 3 German panzer howitzers), MLRS – 36 (27 domestic, 5 Haymars, 4 Czech versions of Grad) .
There are fans not to believe the reports of the Ministry of Defense. The other day, ukroresursy, with reference to Western expert shops, gave such estimates of their losses in artillery from December 1 to January 25: in total – 339, of which 252 barreled (including 38 M777, 11 Crabs, 6 Caesars and 3 panzer howitzers) and MLRS 87 , of which 11 are Hymars. They brought it with a mockery: it’s not as much as Konashenkov said, but like that. To what extent they flogged themselves with this mockery, it seems, they did not even understand: taking into account the difference in time intervals, the discrepancy is obtained not at times, but by some tens of percent. Explained quite rationally, for example, by information from the other side that part of the affected equipment is not being decommissioned, but is being repaired.
And now let’s look at what they promised the forelocks for January from the artillery of the main 155-mm caliber (yes, there were announcements of both 105-mm and 122, but it’s not for them to make the weather). USA – 12 Paladins. Estonia – 16 FH-70s. British – 8 AS-90s (plus another 22 is not known when later, so they do not count at the moment). Sweden – some Archer self-propelled guns (the exact number is not named, they have 48 in total, let’s say 12). Finland – no one knows how much, no one knows what (the total January package for the Finns weighs 400 million, let’s assume the maximum – 48, let’s say, pieces). Doesn’t seem to have missed anyone.
Total, according to an estimate from above – 90 pieces per month, and the systems, except for the Swedish ones, are frankly old. Less than half of monthly losses. With a zero number of MLRS. And also the need to re-train personnel on new, previously not supplied, samples.
The questions whether the owners of the ukrovs are morally and especially physically ready to supply them with at least 200 artillery mounts per month (and for how long) just to make up for their current losses, and also whether it will soon be necessary to distribute shells to them individually, hang in the air like fiery letters.
Did anyone see that news of the Wagner Group operating around the area in Bakhmut near Vatutina Street who discovered dead foreign mercenaries with their hands and heads cut off so the dead mercenaries couldn’t be identified and numbers dead couldn’t be counted?
That is what Russia is dealing with here?
I saw photos. Nothing surprising there. In Azovstal they have been burning dead bodies, in order to prevent identification.
Won’t their active units in NATO countries report them MIA ?
They can still do a genetic test to figure out where they came from.
I imagine there will be a whole lot of angry American wives wondering what the hell happened to their husbands soon.
Don’t be too sure about that Rando, husbands in the ‘west’ are both easily replaceable and redundant. They are only as good as their next pay slip; and some not even that.
At the risk of sounding academic (I’m not) this “bit schizophrenic” is evidence of classic double-bind behaviour from the original Gregory Bateson (& Co) 1956 model. Although later diluted by various social science interpretation, this alternative theory of schizophrenia is very much hooked into the false context that the individual has to live within — without escape options. In any case I offer this quote on the topic and the reference if anyone is interested.
On the nature of the “double bind” and “falsified contexts” which leads to mental illness (Bateson et al., 1956):
“Double bind, in Bateson’s view, was never a matter of simple intellectual confusion or of being caught in a dilemma of “I am damned if I do and I am damned if I don’t.” Double bind was a situation in which simple dilemmas were compounded by falsified contexts, supported by patterns of interpersonal communication which ensured continuation of the denial that a falsified context existed.” (Harries-Jones, 1995, p. 135)
—
Harries-Jones, P. (1995). “Ecological understanding and Gregory Bateson: A recursive vision.” University of Toronto Press.
The guy who is being interviewed is speaking as though he is working for the Australian military in support of the Ukrainian war effort i.e. boots on the ground!
On a lighter note:
https://twitter.com/Trollstoy88/status/1619256824150253571
An Ukrainian blogger Anatolij Sharij says there haven’t been any Abrams delivered yet, there won’t be any shipped to Ukraine for considerable time, Nuland apparently said the Americans don’t have any spare machine, the ones being assembled now are for Poland and Taiwan, different specs, already paid for, must be delivered to the two countries.
It was a matter of time before Netanyahu started a war. And that is the issue. The Middle East. Taiwan. Syria. Africa. Ukraine. The US is involved in so many issues of its own creation, where do you concentrate? Frederick the Great. “He who defends everything, defends nothing”. Circling back to the genocidal Israeli’s. As much as my country never misses a chance to kill women and children? I am not sure there is any taste for more games in the Middle East sand. Of course, we will print more money and send to them. As we do daily. But the arms lockers are getting bare. And Iran is a tough nut. You can air strike it. But boots on the ground in Iran? Talk to Saddam about that. And eventually the Iranians will have nukes. I wonder if Russia paid for those drones with some Air Defense? Interesting times my friends. As always, the young will die. And the old money will get even richer. And their Praetorian Guards will enjoy temporary prosperity. As the dipstick mentioned in this article is. His 2K a day if he lives to enjoy it will go quickly. And he will be left with nightmares and stories. As the truly rich go to Pedo Island to enjoy our sons and daughters and plan on more genocide to kill us off. Which is the deep plan. With automation and computers, there are too many of us poor folk. Bill Gates needs someone to guard him, young flesh, and a few tech workers. Otherwise, the beach is so much nicer when its empty.
What is the difference between an Abraham’s Tank and Nulland ?
Around one Ton.
Ha ha ha…good one. That made me laugh.
And then we rail against the folks back home that believe the stories they’re told in the media. But that’s easier to understand than someone who is where the action is and disbelieves his own senses.
We tend to think journalists are lying on purpose but imagine being one and talking to someone who’s been in the frontline and in all sincerity tells you all kinds of things that are not real.
We’ve reached the point of a mass delusion that now has a life of its own and it’s of medieval proportions.
I never understood why ordinary Germans got dragged into WW2 but I’m getting an education now. And we are the modern day Germans!
Hi Larry, I have a question for you, sorry that it’s not related to Ukraine.
Why didn’t Russia attacked Estonia when they joined NATO? Possibly on their territory nato might install long range missile systems, main fear for Russians
Their small size and lack of a significant army did not make them a threat. Just a nuisance.
Russia just has to wait anyway. Look at the demographics. Lithuania alone lost a quarter of their population since 1990. Balts are not having enough kidsl and even if they do, they’re all fleeing deeper into the EU.
Maybe Russia used diplomacy and respect, called up the neighbor and they both came to a peaceful understanding, where there was no need to attack anyone. Remember when Putin said, Ukraine can join EU and NATO as long as they don’t support nukes on their turf?
We live in different worlds k. talaat.
In my world, Putin has always said that Ukraine joining NATO was a red line …
“Why didn’t Russia attacked Estonia when they joined NATO? ”
For the same reason they did not attack Poland, Romania ..
Because they were weak at that time.
Now they are not, so Ukraine cannot join the NATO.
(You don’t need a big army to give US army some soil so they install nukes there, I think).
If the Estonians had decided to begin murdering 25% of their population, I have no doubt they would have.
Finally, thanks to Col Macgregor”s article , Sean Mcmeekin author of Stalin’s War, this individual presented @ a CSPAN covered WW2 Conference- he spoke of Rapallo:) Now aside from Teaching @ a Turkish school and an affilia with Yale(MO Greenburgs Scholastic nest for Worldly Young Leaders-Navalny) maybe he knows some of Tadeusz Bryzinskis activities.
I’m sure some interesting points were made however to watch an hour of that puke inducing shot would be too much for me.
The ADF are the dregs of Australian society. Overfed losers that can’t get real jobs apply and are accepted.
Every one I have ever met fit that description. And during the illegal WEF ordered lockdowns these scum were patrolling the streets with the treasonous cops. I hope the clot shots they all took do their intended job and quickly.
As an Australian airman of Vietnam years experience I find this chap’s comments well below what I would expect of a non-commissioned officer. He sounds like a ‘grunt’, the lowest rank within the army, i.e. a rank that requires direction from higher levels (ranks) of authority. Quite frankly I would expect far more from a non-com unless of course our military has become so woke and dumbed down.
As an American E-5 who watched “Officers and Gentlemen” fuck up everything they touched for the last 80 years I am amused at that comment. Yes, the “smart” Australian Officer Corp. that is getting ready to get turned into cannon fodder for the US against China. Officers fuck things up. NCO’s win wars. If you let them.
I listened to the podcast prior to reading your article. For me, it is another tragic recounting of the horror of meaningless war for & initiated by political actors utterly motivated by own goal with zero concern for those devastated along the way. Sure, he self-contradicts as his once strong faith is decimated by the corrupt destruction against the naive by powerful political figures (Internal & external). Everyday, he sees a horrible reality breaking through the propaganda. Wish that all the oblivious enablers were forced to listen 7 times in a row.
Nearly all of my NCO veteran friends think Russia is bleeding out in Ukraine. But I think in the back of their mind they know Ukraine is doomed, and rightly so IMO. They just won’t say it. Well, they can’t even admit they have been duped for thirty years as the US invaded every piss ant country it wanted to. Spreading “democracy” my A@@!
Demon-crass-cy! Tis’ the gift that keeps on giving, well actually the gift that’s being rammed into the countries’ gagging pie-holes.
But the U.S. MSM told us that 80% of Wagner’s fighters were dangerous convicts killed within hrs. The DNYUZ even gloats that these pardoned convicts will reak havoc inside Russia as the few survivors return
https://dnyuz.com/2023/01/30/very-dangerous-people-russias-convict-fighters-are-heading-home/
This is confusing for many reasons, especially since I thought everyone in a Russain Gulag was a freedom loving, Navalny supporter.
We come up with the dumbest memes
Главное управление лагерей “GULAG” was abolished in 1960
In the great movie “The Best Years of Our Lives” a boy asks a sergeant to tell him about the war. He had just returned home after World War II. The sergeant said he knows nothing about the war, but he can talk a lot about a few hills on Okinawa.
Of course this guy “thinks Ukraine has a chance”. He put that video on YT for everyone to watch. He has to say that, so he won’t get on that kill list the criminal Zelensky regime has put up to intimidate everyone that knows and speaks the truth. My opinion.
Is that ‘kill list’ still being hosted on NATO servers? Last I heard, they were using a cutout.
PS: Isn’t MacGregor on it? He jokes about being on it.
This isn’t the first interview I’ve listened to where the deluded idiot being questioned states the obvious, that the casualties are horrific, but then launches into a cognitive dissonance song and dance routine that would shame Goebbels.
For those that have another spare hour for watching videos, here’s one with Larry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBp7LzfcDVs
I watched the video. Thanks for the link!
Who was Larry’s interlocutor? A Serb?
Let’s see if Larry’s predictions for the 23rd year will come true.
There is some more info about the interview in the earlier post:
https://sonar21.com/on-the-precipice-of-world-war-iii/
I find it intriguing that the Ukrainian and Russian forces seem to have cordial relations with each other, and periodically take a break from the fighting to sit around, drink tea and chat with each other.
I mean, this Australian volunteer knows that the Wagner troops who are spearheading the attacks are conscripts and are called fresh meat by the Wagner professionals. Therefore the Russians must be chatting with him in order for him to know that, right? He also knows what happened in Kharkov and Kherson, on a front hundreds of kilometers long, and that the Russian reserves were exhausted at Kharkov, and how many losses the Russians are taking, so I’m guessing that the Russians also told him that.
Seriously, based on the quality of the recording and what he is saying, I don’t know if the guy was being interviewed is still in Ukraine, or for that matter if he was ever even there. Frankly, he sounds like a foot-soldier in the army of armchair internet generals, an army which now numbers more than the WW2 Red Army. But what do I know, I have never served in either the French, or Australian armies, let alone somehow both.
After listening to the program on The New Atlas where in Brian interviews “Alex” regarding the Russian national program of training all eligible young men in military basics, not only does Ukraine not stand a chance in this war, I doubt that young men in NATO would either!
I think this guy…the guy giving the interview is an effeminate millennial with a lisp…without the vocal modulator device. I suspect he is involved in organizing aid for the conflict but I don’t believe he has ever been there. Anyone that has been to the front will always comment or complain about the sheer volume of Russian artillery. Especially blooded fighting echelon guys who have spent any time in combat with third world belligerents. Destroying Russia’s logistics with mines and cluster area denial munitions on their MSR’s is the dumbest thing I’ve heard today….I guess Russia has not pioneers or engineers…..I think he got conscripts and convicts mixed up when talking about Wagner “fresh meat”…..and Russian troops are ” nearly peer” was pretty funny…..plus the 2 million casualties Russia has already suffered. I suspect his schizophrenic contradiction is actually him rehashing stories and sound bites he has collected subconsciously….how a liar has difficulty remembering past lies and in particular order of lies. The interviewer …..if the Ginger in picture is 7th battalion RAR and he did know what a MSR was?
Ginger in picture is 7th battalion RAR and he didn’t know what a MSR was?
# he *did* know MSR …. But he knew his listeners probably wouldn’t.
He interrupted to get the clarification for his audience.
Feel free.
“He tries to put a gloss on Ukraine’s prospects for victory…he thinks the war will go on for two more years and that Ukraine has a chance at victory.”
As Eric Hoffer wrote in ‘The True Believer’:
“The unavoidable conclusion seems to be that when the individual faces torture or annihilation, he cannot rely on the resources of his own individuality. His only source of strength is in not being himself but part of something mighty, glorious, and indestructible.”
Weirdly fascinating. What the guy is basically saying is “Where I am we’re losing badly but we’re winning everywhere else”.
Then, when he’s asked can Ukr win he says that it could if it got a whole lot of things that it hasn’t got now and that it will never get.
Did anybody see the Wagner promo video in english? Made for an American conservative audience. It’s on the Slaviangrad Telegram channel. Good job Wagner
You mean liberals don’t like serious war flicks? They just like provoking from a safe distance?
Perhaps some good will yet come out of the war:
https://bruceohara.substack.com/p/a-silver-lining-perhaps
Ukraine’s soul is being ground away, this is what fighting a needless losing hopeless War does it consumes Nations and Peoples whole. I’m having difficulty conceiving the Evil of it, all those men consumed and destroyed for the pride and vanity of few who serve at the foot of Lucifer. What did Russia ask for that was worth this great cost?
What soul? The rank and file put up with runaway corruption for decades and then with a fascist takeover of the government, accompanied with even more runaway corruption.
The only souls the average Ukrainian has are the ones on their feet, used to abandon that hell-hole, or the ones they use to march further into it, in some acid-trip induced sense of patriotism.
Is Prigozhin and his band of musicians incorruptible? I mean is it possible that Washington might offer a grunt $1,000,000 and correspondingly more for NCO level and commanders to fight a bit less? Probably not coz then they will be killed in battle or by their uncorrupted band members.
Wagner was recruiting heavily in the prisons and had ’em lined up for a promised 20% survival rate. I am guessing that they took some very heavy losses up until the current offensives got going. They then seemed to find their stride. One may be new tactics. They had begun fielding something like eight man teams and two would be armed with heavy weapons that enabled them to breach the trenches or other defenses. There’s something else even more indistinct going on here too. People in the RF are ponying up reward money to all the militaries like donating to charity and it adds up. There’s a lot of purpose all around. The fragmented narcissistic west cannot comprehend.
Komsomolskaya Pravda has just issued an article on how the UAF is preparing to surrender Bakhmut/Artemovsk. According to this article UAF soldiers are being dressed up as Wagner Group soldiers; those fake Wagnerites will recreate a ‘Bucha’ massacre directed against the pro-Russian population.
https://www.kp.ru/daily/27458/4713699/
How Ukraine is preparing to surrender Artemovsk: fighting in the city, sabotage in the form of “Wagner” and reprisals against the pro-Russian population
Voenkor Matyushin: Armed Forces of Ukraine put on the Wagner uniform to identify and destroy Russian supporters in cities on the front line
The military commander Alexander Matyushin , call sign Varyag, told KP.RU about the situation at the front line in Donbass .
– Oleksandr, information is being received that Ukrainian troops are being transferred to the Chasov Yar area. This is the next city after Artemovsk (Bakhmut) on the way of Russian troops. Why in Chasov Yar?
– This is the only settlement through which the Ukrainian troops in Artemovsk (Bakhmut. – Ed.) are still being fed with ammunition and reinforcements. From Chasov Yar, it is convenient to strike in almost all directions from which our troops are advancing.
Up to five different Ukrainian brigades are deployed to Chasov Yar, three of them are air assault brigades. This is an opportunity to build a new fortified area there, cling to it and continue to hold back the Russian offensive.
At the same time, it is quite possible that our offensive will also go from Gorlovka. Then there is the risk that Chasov Yar may soon be cut off from the main Ukrainian forces.
– Are there alarming signals that in Chasov Yar now Ukrainian soldiers put on the uniform of “Wagnerites” and move around the city?
– Personally, I have not seen. But I heard it happens. At the same time, we remember how, during the assault on Soledar, the “Wagnerites” put on Ukrainian uniforms and went around the rear, destroying the headquarters command of the Ukrainian forces. This applies on both sides. This sabotage work was used during the Second World War.
– They say that the Ukrainian special services are looking for pro-Russian citizens and arrange a massacre against them, filming it on video?
– There was a similar provocation in Bucha. But here, it is quite possible that this technique is used in two forms at once. And in order to destroy the pro-Russian population under the guise of “Wagnerites”, creating a provocation. And in order to conduct sabotage in the rear of the advancing.
Because Russian forces have already entered directly into Artemovsk, where heavy fighting is taking place.
In addition, they talk about a large number of foreigners who arrived in Ukraine, who should soon be near Artemivsk. In the meantime, Teroboronists are thrown there, who are simply grabbed on the streets of cities.
Maybe he just doesn’t want to find himself on Myrotvorets. Ot being offered a helicopter ride through Kiev.
I cannot watch a single second of material like this.
Caveat:
As a veteran myself with 25 years of service & E8 Rank on retirement with 11 Operational Deployments I am not surprised at how ‘strategically unaware’ the majority of the people I served with are.
Within the NATO/FUKUS military context this is hardly surprising…the ‘Ethos’ that is driven into you from the most formative days early in Basic Training until you retire is that you belong to the best individual, collective & worldwide Combat & Warfighting organisation on the planet.
Nothing could be further from the truth when set into the context of a large scale peer on peer conventional conflict – the likes of which we are witnessing now.
Most so called ‘Veterans with operational experience’ fall back on the their experiences & knowledge based upon low level tactical operations during the time they spent in the ‘sand box’ … which was in effect a ‘safari murder campaign’ the likes of which at times I had difficulty in believing with my own eyes.
By the time the collective West commenced operations in earnest in Central Asia (late 2001) & later Iraq I was already a highly experienced E8.
In my personal experience, the four kinetic operations I served on in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iraq (again) & finally back to Afghanistan (again) were the most poorly planned from a strategic point of view, the most badly executed from a tactical point of view & the most chaotically resourced from a logistical point of view in my entire career.
The Armed Forces of the collective West are poorly led & are entirely configured to fight expeditionary low to medium intensity semi kinetic operations. They are not configured to fight & defend the homeland territory to a range of 1000km from the national border like the Russian Military is configured.
The scale of overmatch in key weapons systems like long range artillery that the Russian Army is able to bring to bear into what is in effect a gigantic salient or killing sack (Eastern Ukraine) with unimpeded lines of communication & resupply is simply beyond the comprehension of most people.
I for one believe Russia is on the right side of history, I am longing for the day when I see the first footage of NATO MBTs & APCs ‘cooking off’ – should Russia even allow them to get that far.
As a group, modern contemporary veterans are poorly represented by these individuals with their SF style ‘man beards’ who create this type of internet content to feed the minds of the millennial soy boy generation.
Larry…as a Firearms Instructor/Trainer – you will understand exactly what I am talking about – your world as a Firearms Trainer/Instructor is full of these pricks.
Per Terram
Russophrenia, it’s a thing:
“a condition where the sufferer believes Russia is both about to collapse, and take over the world.”
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/270739-west-media-russia-collapse-war/
Larry,
As you are ex-State/OGA/CTC (and who knows what else), I’m sure you will have recognized, at the very outset, the element of “Yes. Repeat. No.” (for the kids, we are speaking of telegrams).
“Yes/Repeat/No” messages are sent, typically up the chain of command, for a number of reasons.
I will leave it at that.
So…Ukrainian commanders are idiots or corrupt, the troops at the front are neither equipped nor trained well enough, when they get wounded they’re basically goners, casualty rates on the front run 70-80%, and troop morale is plummeting…and the guy reporting all this thinks the war is still a 50/50 toss-up? What are those Aussies snorting?
But I imagine if you’re capable of believing you’re “Fighting for the Free World” (probably a Neil Young tune by now given what he’s become), you’ll believe anything. Which the blue-and-yellow flag fanatics will, of course, but they all should know this one thing: you can trust the Anne Applebaums, Antony Blinkens, Victoria Nulands, and Bernard-Henri Levys of the world, but if you do it will be at your own peril.
Putin ultimatum to NATO coming soon
⚡️Putin’s next message could become one of the harshest speeches of the President of the Russian Federation in his entire political career.
According to insiders, the message will definitely take place on February 20 (the main options are February 21, and the anniversary of the NWO – February 24). At the same time, Putin will not announce a new wave of mobilization or set new specific goals for the NVO, his speech will become a kind of general political manifesto, which everyone, both inside the country and abroad foreigner, will draw understandable conclusions – Russia is ready for a new offensive in Ukraine and will not give up a single goal of SVO.
“Active work was carried out on the text even before the New Year, and now it has resumed. The main point of the message is expected to be a direct message to the West – Moscow does not want direct confrontation with NATO , but if the alliance continues to pump weapons to Ukraine and helps Kyiv to return Crimea, the most difficult response is not excluded. Including, we can even talk about weapons tactical nuclear weapons (tactical nuclear weapons). This is a message, an attempt to reason with the West so that it realizes the gravity of the situation”, add our sources close to the Kremlin who add structures that make up the text of the presidential message.
It’s fascinating to hear him relate his close battle level knowledge of the dire straits of the Ukrainian troops vs. the professional Wagner troops on the one hand, but then regurgitate Western tropes of the brainless, Russia is a disaster with a collapsed military, narrative without him even noticing the cognitive dissonance between these two positions.
One interesting implicit thread seemed to be – and this not exclusive to him – that the only way to fight a war is the Western way as though the Russians don’t have a multi-centuries history of destroying Western armies – and bringing down the powers behind each one of them.
That someone could say ‘How much are the Russians willing to sacrifice lifestyle and cost of living?’ without a hint of historical awareness for past Russian sacrifices goes a long way to explaining why every few generations some foreign power gets it into its head to take on Russia. Doesn’t make one hopeful that western leaders will change course any time soon if someone that close to battle remains so committed to the course.
I’m 100% neutral on this war and like to listen and see from both sides. People here shit on western propaganda, but act like Russian propaganda isn’t worse. They spew straight up garbage lies at all times.
My wife is Russian, her whole family still lives in Russia and she talks to them daily. They believe absolutely nothing their government says, and would have left the country if they weren’t poor. Her brother just got out of University and could likely get mobilized (his friend in similar situation was), Into a war him and his family do not believe in or want to be a part of. Russia are not the good guys either.
Sounds like your in-laws are Navalny fans. They should probably move to Western Europe. They can be among the cultured people they admire, and those cultured people will view them as untermenschen.
“People here shit on western propaganda, but act like Russian propaganda isn’t worse. They spew straight up garbage lies at all times.”
Not long ago my son — who has a distinct ability to recognize patterns by connecting the dots — informed me that the use of the term “spew” was itself a signature of Leftist propaganda. I see he was spot on.
How can any sane, moral person be neutral in this? The absolute evil that abounds from the West and Ukraine is beyond anything in recent history.
Bio-labs, torture and executions of civilians and POWs, shelling of civilians, shelling NPPs, rabid NAZI ideology, massive corruption, attempted genocide, and much more.
Patrick, your moral compass needs a reset. And re your in-laws, they are just plain ignorant peasants.
That hey don’t believe that their country is facing an existential crisis clearly shows that. Fucking morons and they should just leave as Russia does not need disloyal people. They are not much better than collaborators.
And your brainless bro-in-law won’t be mobilised, the mobilisation is not conscription for raw recruits.
I myself live in Russia, more specifically in Tatarstan, and I can honestly tell you about the moods of people on the spot.
At the beginning of the special operation, in February. everyone was shocked – patriots and non-patriots. It started too suddenly and stirred up the whole society.
People quickly divided into those who supported and those who did not support the special operation. The division took place according to families and relatives. According to my feelings, there were about 30% who did not support the special operation.
These 30% were loudly indignant for about the first 2 months, then gradually quieted down, their number decreased – someone changed their mind – and today the opponents have already fallen silent.
Those whom Putin “dared” to take out of the comfort zone (which he himself created for them) and those who were very scared were outraged.
They fell silent today for two reasons: 1. nothing terrible happened for their comfortable existence; 2. they felt that they were met with hostility and condemnation from the majority.
I made it most of the way through. The fundamental problem these guys both have is the western disease of assuming Russia tried to do things the way the west would and failed. The number of times my man said the Russians are just attriting the Ukrainians without ever managing my to reach the possible conclusion that attrition is the point was pretty amazing.
So much pompousness too. The shade that if Australia was directly involved those Russians would get their ass whipped. So I looked it up. With all active and active reserves Australia could put 60k troops in the field, 59 M1 tanks and 54 M777 155mm artillery pieces. I don’t doubt that the guy being interviewed is a competent soldier and probably a real bad ass. I do doubt his deeper intelligence.
Lex, that 60K number is all branches, not just infantry, and it includes sailors, pilots, etc.
Infantry are just 15% of the total.
And many are fat fucks and (fat) women.
The ADF would have a hard time winning a war with Lichtenstein.
«mr. Johnson; could be wrong; think these 2 gentlemen really believe they are involved in a righteous cause and have become very emotionally involved in the conflict; which i would think if you are supposed to be an advisor-trainer only can become a fatal mistake.Could again be totally wrong; I think the emotion that they show in their voices is genuine.
this reminds me of john paul vann who actually as an advisor was eventually given a high position of cntrl and before he died apparently believed he was going to win the vietnam war.
this is the hbo movie about his life- its a movie and is based on a pulitzer prize winning book . thought that bill paxton r.i.p. who was one of my favourite actors did a great job in the movie . this is one of those movies that really got to me.
a bright shining lie(1998)
imdb
True story of Army man John Paul Vann, whose military success provided him the fulfillment he never found in his personal life.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126220/
trailor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w_K9NwbhY4
movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fafc0ThP7R0
( i think the below has many parallels to the ukraine as alexander mercouris often points out )
John Paul Vann became an adviser to the Saigon regime in the early 1960s. He was an ardent critic of how the war was fought, both on the part of the Saigon regime, which he viewed as corrupt and incompetent, and, as time went by, increasingly, on the part of the U.S. military. In particular, he was critical of the U.S. military command, especially under William Westmoreland, and its inability to adapt to the fact that it was facing a popular guerrilla movement while backing a corrupt regime. He argued that many of the tactics employed (for example the strategic hamlet relocation) further alienated the population and thus were counterproductive to U.S. objectives. He was often unable to influence the military command but used the Saigon press corps including Sheehan, David Halberstam and Malcolm Browne to disseminate his views.
the real paul vann audio clip
Companion Video to Chapter 8 of “The Last Helicopter” – Interview with John Paul Vann Jan 28 1972
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuVmQI5JCIw
regards,
ralph
It’s not really double-think. He knows about the AFU’s side of the battles from 1st or 2nd hand experience, but what he knows about the war beyond was generated by Kiev’s Ministry of Truth. He lacks the intellectual chops to realize that the former can’t be mapped onto the latter.
His confusion lies in giving them equal weight. I imagine there’s 10,000s just like him.
His comments about Wagner mesh with comments from other AFU & Foreign Mercs I’ve come across. The most memorable was “It’s like fighting aliens”, but variations on “they never stop and they never back down”, and “they’re always popping up where you don’t expect them” are very common.
It’s a truism that military success depends 90% on people and 10% on weaponry. Wagner has the weaponry, but vastly more important is its Spartan culture of extreme discipline and uncompromising adherence to a simple warrior code of honour that extends beyond the battlefield. That culture is what wins.
In a sense, “It’s like fighting aliens.” hits the nail on the head. That merc was fighting a culture that is most certainly alien to the culture he comes from. It’s also probably the best possible recipe for turning convict recruits away from criminality and into citizens.
At any rate, their success cannot be denied. Their quiet, respectful and uncompromising approach works whether they’re fighting in Bakhmut or training Mali’s troops.
I have a neighbor who volunteered at Wagner. He was sentenced to 20 years for the murder of his girlfriend. He served more than 7 years in the colony.
He explained his action: “I have 13 more years of meaningless existence ahead of me. After that, I won’t have a normal life anyway. In the war, my life will find meaning, I will bring at least some benefit to the country and people.
Prigozhin carefully selects those who want to enroll in Wagner from prisoners. Not everyone passes the exam. Warns of strict discipline, that you will have to fight “shoulder to shoulder” and the severity of punishment for violators and traitors.
Rapists, drug addicts, alcoholics, fraudsters are not even considered as candidates for Wagner..
Thanks, I’ve seen a few similar stories re: Wagner’s convict recruits. The thread that runs through almost all of them is the notion of redemption.
I listened to the Willy OAM vid for the first 2/3 and gave up towards the end when the Aussie on the ground in Ukraine began to talk nonsense about the Ukrops winning.. eventually. You are correct.. this is an important source about the reality in the Bakmuht theater.
Judging by his rank insignia, he was at least a corporal and at most a Sgt (assuming that the third stripe is cut off by the photo).
While SNCO notionally starts at Sgt, nobody in an Arms corps thinks that… FNB (first name basis) but you might call then ‘Sarge’ or ‘Sarnt’ when there’s an officer around.
By contrast, you never say anything other than “Staff” for Staff Seargeants, and “Sir” for Warrant Officers.
The maroon lanyard indicates 3RAR.
This guy’s identity is not a mystery and his moustache is gay, which is typical of 3RAR (para excepted: he’s got no wings).
And he’s got his hat off outdoors, so I’m assuming that there are no actual Senior NCOs around. (Standards have fallen a long way since my day, but getting caught bare-headed in Service Dress should get a soldier in special levels of shit).
The bloke in the photo is the red head ‘interviewer’, not the brain dead NAZI kangaroo.