Lone Candle
Champion of Truth
Lethality is important, but the goal at the strategic level should be to end the opponent’s will and capability to fight. Destruction and death aren’t always the best way to do this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkD-cbAVDa4
Putin’s foreign fighters – How Russia is recruiting foreign nationals for the war | DW Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lsc4MFVz6I4
Russia’s Pantsir air-defense vehicle sucked! It couldn’t track and hit drones well, and was easy to take out with sensors and weapons all in one vehicle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkminzfspwE
The Houthis aren’t simply an ethnic nationalist group, they are Islamist who want to conquer all Yemen and indoctrinate people into their theocracy. They are brutal and oppressive to the people they conquer.
If the world wants to defeat the Houthis, they need to diligently train a Yemeni force, support it with air power, and see the war through to the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYI8ucoFJLg
Despite accusations that Netanyahu is a blind warmonger…according to research on the people in Israel’s war room, after October 7th, Netanyahu shot down full invasions of Gaza and ideas for attacks on Hezbollah out of concerns of IDF losses and mass civilian death in Gaza. He later was convinced to do these things, and became one of the biggest hawks.
Netanyahu thought Iran was the real threat, so dropped the ball on the possibility of an October 7th. The political leaders blamed the military for not being prepared, and the military leaders blamed the political leaders for not properly emphasizing the Gaza threat. Netanyahu still thinks Iran is the bigger threat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhq7lNqsI_k&t=3057s
US advisors and special forces have been involved in Yemen since Obama-times, fighting Al Qaeda terrorists, then also the Houthis. These missions killed some terrorists, but Yemen remains a major problem with no long-term solution in sight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LykKutgORVs
Ethiopia is returning to civil war with an alliance of many groups with different interests working against the central government.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abf8ty-cKI8
The guy Hegseth/Trump have in charge of the new tests for military officer promotion doesn’t have the basic experience to know how to judge competence at high officer levels. When speaking about the current process, he says things that are just wrong.
The historical example Hegseth cites as what inspired him was an exercise to test maneuver and communications capability, not as a test for promotions. It was only used to evaluate commanders as a secondary element.
A lot of the things Hegseth says is needed to evaluate high level officers, are already done…he talks as if he is not aware of this. Is he ignorant, or/and is the point to these tests something else?
In justifying the new policy, multiple things Hegseth said about US military history was inaccurate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIl1AF8yZ0I
Saudi Arabia’s internal military protecting against internal threats is larger than its military whose primary focus is protecting against external threats. Although, the internal army would likely also fight against foreign threats in a war. This is inefficient for fighting a foreign enemy, but helps prevent coups and internal rebellion.
Saudi Arabia has a military set up to refight Desert Storm with tanks and air power, not one prepared to fight masses of drones and missiles.
Saudi Arabia’s internal military protecting against internal threats is larger than its military whose primary focus is protecting against external threats. Although, the internal army would likely also fight against foreign threats in a war. This is inefficient for fighting a foreign enemy, but helps prevent coups and internal rebellion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quU1RD3L3OU
Satellite images make it look like Iran is rebuilding its nuclear program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN-2p0Y8l4M