On The Eastern Front
SOME THINK…
Russia ‘Has Lost’ War in Ukraine: Sen. Risch
From the article:
Russia can no longer achieve victory in its attempted conquest of Ukraine, according to a senior U.S. legislator.
The Russian military’s early fumbles, continued mass casualties, and the nation’s larger economic woes will ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin will fail to permanently occupy Ukraine and oust its government, says Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho).
“He’s lost this war. Ukraine has not won this war, but Russia has lost it,” Risch said during a March 29 discussion with the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank.
“He will never, ever [permanently] occupy Ukraine.”
Risch, who serves as ranking member for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that Putin had initially believed his attack on Ukraine would fracture the 30-member NATO and ultimately lead to its demise.
To the contrary, however, the invasion strengthened the alliance’s mutual support and brought in two new potential members: Finland and Sweden.
“He certainly thought that this [invasion] would divide NATO,” Risch said.
“He couldn’t have been more wrong about that… We’re going to come out of this 32-strong.”
US ‘Commitment’ to Ukraine
Though Russia could no longer realize its vision for victory in Ukraine, Risch said, the fighting was far from over.
To that end, Risch said the United States held a moral and legal obligation to defend Ukraine, based on the assurances the United States provided in 1994 when it helped Ukraine relinquish its nuclear arsenal.
“We made a commitment at that time,” Risch said.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) had a similar message, saying that the United States needed to keep its promise to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian aggression.
“We gave a promise and the world watches to see if America keeps its promises,” Wicker said.
Still, Risch said the path to the end of war was likely to be a long one, and the national enmity between Ukraine and Russia was likely to become a contentious issue for “generations” to come.
“There’s going to be fallout from this for a long, long time to come,” Risch said….
****
But have they?
And on all fronts…
Something right out of Sci-Fi:
VIDEO: US military has ‘death ray’ tactical laser weapon – here it is
From the article:
The death ray has jumped off the pages of vintage sci-fi and has become a reality.
The U.S. Navy recently received a high-energy tactical laser weapon from defense contractor Lockheed Martin, New Atlas reported.
Called HELIOS – short for “high energy laser with integrated optical-dazzler and surveillance” – the new weapon has been compared to the “death ray” concept straight out of the world of science fiction.
The HELIOS can take out its target using only highly forced energy, without a solid projectile….
…A HELIOS beam fired at the speed of light costs about a dollar per shot, and ammunition is limited only by the amount of power available, according to New Atlas….
…The U.S. Army is getting in on lasers, too.
That branch is set to field vehicle-mounted 50-kilowatt lasers designed to shoot down enemy drones, as well as engage and neutralize rockets, mortars and artillery. It also has plans to mount a 20-kilowatt laser on an infantry squad vehicle to protect smaller infantry units from emerging threats.
****
WOW!
Does it have a stun setting?
Are they as cheap to build as to shoot?
Makes no difference…
Zelensky will want some of them…
And get them too!
Meanwhile…
The smell of escalation?
Finland clears last obstacle to NATO entry with Turkish nod
From the article:
Turkey’s parliament voted to approve Finland’s membership in NATO, removing the final obstacle to the accession of Russia’s Nordic neighbor into the defense alliance as its 31st member.
Lawmakers in Ankara unanimously voted on Thursday to ratify Finland’s entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the last of current members to approve the expansion after the Hungarian parliament on Monday also backed the move.
The vote seals a major change in the European security architecture after militarily non-aligned Finland and Sweden sought NATO membership in a U-turn following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago. It also highlights divisions inside the bloc as Turkey and Hungary remain opposed to Sweden’s entry, with the timeline for the accession of the largest Nordic nation thrown in doubt.
Following the vote, NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter that he welcomed the result and that the ratification would make the “NATO family stronger and safer.”
Both Turkey and Hungary signaled earlier this month they’d approve Finland’s solo entry following months of stonewalling, decoupling the two Nordic nations’ bids even after both were invited last June to start accession proceedings.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuses Sweden of not doing enough to crack down on groups that Turkey labels as terrorist, while the party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has linked that country’s veto to a clash inside the European Union over the rule of law….
****
EU having “Rule of Law” issues too!?!?
Wasn’t more”NATO border encroachment” an issue with the Ukraine invasion?
In the Middle East
As Passover week begins…
Gaza militants blast rockets into Israel as Passover holiday begins
Lebanon fires massive barrage of rockets into Israel’s North on Passover
Is Holy War about to begin in the Holy Land?
On The Western Front
Marxism Makes Chinese Military Believe War With US Is ‘Inevitable’: Top US General
From the article:
Communist China’s military leadership increasingly believes that war with the United States is inevitable, according to the United States’ most senior military officer.
The Chinese military is fostering destabilizing rhetoric and ideas that could encourage a catastrophic conflict with the United States, said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley during an interview with the Government Executive Media Group on March 31.
“There’s a lot of rhetoric in China… that could create the perception that war is right around the corner,” Milley said.
“In my analysis of China, at least their military and perhaps others have come to some sort of conclusion that war with the United States is inevitable. I think that’s a very dangerous thing.”
Milley said that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Marxist ideology was largely responsible for this belief, and that it encouraged deterministic thinking among Chinese leadership, including military officers.
“They come out of a Marxist ideology… they believe in historical determinism, they believe in a linear approach to history,” Milley said.
“That is not how we in the West think.”
To that end, Milley said that war with the CCP regime was not inevitable and could still be deterred, but that the United States would need to “stay strong relative to China” and ensure it was ready to win any war that emerged.
“I don’t believe war is inevitable,” Milley said. “I don’t think it’s imminent. But I do think that we need to be very, very pragmatic and cautious going forward.”…
****
Pragmatic?
prag·mat·ic – [praɡˈmadik]
ADJECTIVE
- dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations:
Milley sensible and realistic?
Theoretical war games between USA and China
The CCP celebrated its 100 year anniversary July 1, 2021
{Seee “Missing Links – Appendix IV” in main menu.}
CCP’s 100 year plan
China’s 100 Year Plan To Become The World’s Superpower
From end of Feb. 12, 2019 article:
….Conclusion
General Douglas MacArthur said, “I am concerned for the security of our great Nation; not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within.” He was right…the dangers within our government are real.
Stalin viewed Chairman Mao as a junior partner. He even pressured Mao to help Communist North Korea in the Korean War. The battle of the Chosin Reservoir pitted 15,000 allied ground troops against 120,000 Chinese infantrymen. American soldiers died by the thousands.
The ten Chinese divisions, along with North Korean forces, were on a mission: wipe out the Marines, the Army, and all of the allies. MacArthur then asked for permission to bomb Communist China bases north of the Yalu and use Nationalist Chinese forces from Taiwan against the People’s Republic of China. Fearing a widening of the war and possible entry of the Soviet Union, Truman flatly refused these requests.
China is definitely molding the world to exist under the China umbrella, and they will do anything and everything to ensure it occurs. They are seeking world dominance, while many naive U.S. officials and China scholars are blind to China’s “real intentions.”
MacArthur was right, and now the Dragon has become a much more formidable enemy, an enemy that is taking global control and will succeed by 2049 unless Americans become aware of China’s international plans.
****
And Patton was right about Russia (USSR) too!
Both were fired!
Xi Jinping Vows To Have World-Class Military By 2027 As Chinese President Looks For An Unprecedented Third Term
From the 10/16/2022 article:
China will continue its military reform so that by 2027, which will mark the centennial of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Beijing will achieve its intended goal of having a world-class armed force, Chinese President Xi Jinping said.
“Achieving the goal of a hundred-year struggle to build an army within the scheduled time frame and accelerate the transformation of the People’s Liberation Army of China is a strategic requirement for the comprehensive construction of a modern socialist state,” Xi said on Sunday, at the opening of the 20th Congress of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
He stressed that it is necessary to boost China’s strategic capabilities to protect state sovereignty, security, and development interests.
China opposes any form of hegemony and power politics, Beijing will never apply such a policy and engage in expansion, the president said.
“China firmly pursues an independent, peaceful foreign policy, has always determined its position and policy relying on the reliability of facts… China will never exercise hegemony and expansion,” Xi said.
The 20th Congress of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) opened on Sunday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. A total of 2,296 delegates have arrived in Beijing from across China to participate in the key week-long event that will wrap up on October 22.
The delegates will determine the future course of the country’s development, approving the national policy for the next five years, and will appoint the CCP’s top leadership.
Xi Jinping is expected to be nominated for a third five-year term as CCP’s General Secretary and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC)….
****
There’s that 2027 date!
Xi facing calls in China to rethink ‘no first use’ nuclear arms policy
From the article:
The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping is facing calls in China to rethink its “no first use” policy for nuclear weapons, a pledge not to use nuclear weapons unless attacked with such arms. Discussions on nuclear weapons are becoming more multifaceted within the Xi administration, which is crafting a nuclear strategy to counter the United States. With Russia ramping up nuclear threats amid its invasion of Ukraine, there are growing calls for China to review its no first use policy, as part of efforts to deter other nations from getting involved in an emergency situation involving Taiwan. According to Chinese government sources, a report issued in the latter half of 2022 by China’s National Defense University warned that it “would be necessary to amend” the no first use policy for nuclear weapons if doing so “would have the effect of preventing” the United States and other nations “from intervening in the event of a Taiwan emergency.”
The United States has opted not to get into a direct conflict with Russia even as the Ukraine invasion continues, for reasons including Moscow’s possession of nuclear strike capabilities and the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not used nuclear weapons so far. The Chinese report indicated that the threat of using nuclear arms “can play a role in preventing the escalation of a war being fought with conventional weapons.” China announced its no first use policy in 1964 after successfully conducting its first nuclear weapon test. Beijing has, since then, stood by this doctrine that is intended to deter other nations from using nuclear weapons against China. India also has adopted a no first use policy. Calls to alter the Chinese policy have emerged in various corners. In September 2021, a former senior Chinese government official declared that the no first use policy “should not apply to the United States.”…
…Defense budget boost The increase in China’s 2023 defense budget announced on March 5 was considerably higher than the nation’s economic growth rate target. Beijing is moving quickly to ensure it has the capability to invade Taiwan. If the threat of a nuclear strike made the United States hesitant to get involved in an emergency situation, it would favor the Chinese military. However, some Chinese military officials say China will not change its no first use policy anytime soon. Although researchers at the Renmin University of China also urged a reversal of the policy in internal discussions, any such change would inevitably invite fierce pushback from the international community.
“Changing that policy won’t be easy,” a Chinese military official told The Yomiuri Shimbun. “The National Defense University’s report should also be considered as reference material.” The same official was also less than supportive of Russia’s recent decision to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. “Although it is difficult to criticize Russia, China opposes any and all proliferation of nuclear weapons,” the official said. In a press conference on Monday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “Under the current circumstances, all sides need to focus on making diplomatic efforts toward a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis and work together for de-escalation.” It is assumed that the Xi administration will be closely watching the reaction of the international community and will carefully move ahead with a review of its nuclear weapons policy.
****
Nothing like the first time!
But…
The U.S. was first to use an atomic bomb to end a war.
Then US liberates China!
China menaces Taiwan with ships as president visits US
From the article:
China launched a formation of ships toward Taiwan on Wednesday ahead of the Taiwanese president’s scheduled visit with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after repeatedly warning against the leaders meeting.
The ships were set to patrol the central and northern areas of the Taiwan Strait separating mainland China from Taiwan, the democratic island China claims as its own, according to state news outlet China Daily.
A Chinese news release called the operation a joint patrol and inspection, and stated that it was a special task, China Daily reported.
The operation coincides with McCarthy’s scheduled meeting with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in California on Wednesday, which China had said multiple times would be taken as a provocation. China also regularly sends warplanes and warships near the island as an intimidation tactic….
****
They did same after Nancy’s visit!
{Also. see “Having One’s Cake and Eating It Too” & “A Double Dog dare” in the “Red Horse Archives” in the main menu.}
China declares it will board ships in Taiwan Strait; Taiwan says it will resist
From the artcle:
China will be boarding and inspecting cargo ships in the Taiwan Strait as part of its new operation launched in the wake of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s Wednesday visit with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.
Taiwan has blasted the move, saying it lodged a complaint with China and declaring that it will not cooperate with any Chinese searches. Instead, Taiwan’s coast guard will be called to the scene of any attempted inspection, the Maritime and Ports Bureau of the island nation’s Transport Ministry stated, according to Reuters.
“If the mainland side insists on taking one-sided actions, it will create obstacles to normal exchanges between the two sides. We will be forced to take corresponding measures,” the bureau added….
****
Sooner or later…
A barking dog will bite!
On the Homefront
Of course it did!!!
After it crossed the entire country.
3 million reasons to hesitate???
And as Passover begins at sunset today…
From the article:
Exclusive: Chuck Norris believes the soul of the nation is rotting, ‘and most don’t even see it’
America is on life support. I don’t want to believe it, but a brand new poll out proves it. The country as our founders started it has been shredded like an old frayed and tattered flag. You can see the Stars and Stripes, but there are more holes in them than our borders.
As we walk into what is traditionally Holy Week, in reality, if this poll is right, it’s an unholy week in America, at least for most.
In his column “America Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It,” the Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) Aaron Zitner wrote: “Patriotism, religious faith, having children and other priorities that helped define the national character for generations are receding in importance to Americans.”
Advertisement – story continues below
It’s absolutely startling how America’s core values have changed over the last few decades.
In the WSJ/NORC poll, all age groups, including seniors, attached far less importance to these priorities and values than when pollsters asked about them in 1998:
- Patriotism is very important: Decreased from 70% to 38%.
- Religion is very important: Decreased from 62% to 39%.
- Community involvement is very important: Decreased from 47% to 27%.
- Having children is very important: Decreased from 59% to 30%. Only 23% of adults under age 30 said that having children was very important.
- “The only priority the Journal tested that has grown in importance in the past quarter-century is money, which was cited as very important by 43% in the new survey, up from 31% in 1998.”
Did you expect that big of a drop in each category, in just 25 years?
Advertisement – story continues below
NORC an objective, nonpartisan research organization at the University of Chicago, further described America’s descent into darkness with these stats:
- Only 1% described the economy as “excellent.”
- 33% said they have very little or no confidence in public schools.
- 56% said a four-year college degree is “not worth the cost because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt.”
Is it any surprise that respect for people’s variant views has radically dropped? WSJ’s Zitner added, “Tolerance for others, deemed very important by 80% of Americans as recently as four years ago, has fallen to 58%.”
As a result, do Americans believe that life for their childen’s generation will be better than it has for them? Only 21% “feel confident” verse 78% who “do not feel confident” their kids will be better off.
The fact is, America has reached or gone over its tipping point. It’s soul is rotting, and most don’t even see it….
****
Will the angel of death pass over the USA?
****
Zechariah 13:7-9
(KJV) Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
Revelation 18:4
(ASV) And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:
Revelation 1:8
(ASV) I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
Come out of Babylon for her judgement is near!
eze33, LOLGB+
The Ezekiel 33 Watchman Report 
1 Comment