The 11/12/21 dispatch.

The 11/9/21 dispatch. The 11/16/21 dispatch.

The 11/12/21 dispatch.

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Happy Friday! Hope everyone has had a great week!

The biggest bit of news of late is the increasing concern among Administration officials of a Russian invasion into Ukraine.

Mike Mason OBE @michrismasonA build up of Russian troops along Ukraine border has led US to warn EU of potential of invasion. Tensions rising as Kremlin claim fighters scrambled to intercept RAF RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft in Black Sea area. (AP)

November 11th 2021

14 Retweets25 Likes

From the AP story:

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in Washington on Wednesday that the U.S. commitment to Ukraine’s security and territorial integrity is “ironclad” and will not change. He said any Russian escalation along the border would be viewed with “grave concern.”

“We’re concerned by reports of unusual Russian military activity near Ukraine,” Blinken said at the conclusion of a U.S.-Ukraine strategic dialogue meeting. “Any escalatory or aggressive actions would be of grave concern to the United States.”

Blinken said the U.S. did not know Russia’s intentions but said Moscow’s “playbook” has been in the past to invent provocations along its border to justify military intervention.

You can read the full story here: US presses Russia over troop buildup along Ukraine border.

It does kind of make you wonder about this story, though. (Makes you wonder if the U.S. knew and made this happen; or if Russia got angry about what the U.S. did. These are the kinds of things we’ll probably truly never know.)

Military.com @MilitarydotcomUS Warships Sail to Black Sea, Drawing Russian Ire

US Warships Sail to Black Sea, Drawing Russian IreThe destroyer USS Porter entered the Black Sea for a routine patrol after participating in NATO exercises in the Aegean Sea.military.com

November 2nd 2021

4 Retweets15 Likes

Moving to the Middle East, Iran is still potentially seeking a nuclear weapon, but Foreign Affairs says that will backfire. (See below.)

Foreign Affairs @ForeignAffairs“When a bomb that the regime had promised would enhance the country’s stature instead merely further drained its treasury, the public outcry will be immense and overwhelming.” Ray Takeyh argues that going nuclear will backfire on Iran’s government.

The Bomb Will Backfire on IranTehran Will Go Nuclear—and Regret Ittrib.al

November 4th 2021

2 Retweets7 Likes

Now, to something lighter, this was just something flat-out cool that I came across. (You’re welcome.)

@TheDeadDistrict @ypg_az @santiago2ex @CiroNappi6 @DRatka1 @JonHawkes275 @LASD_off @AmmoLogistics It’s a Nasty multipurpose bad a$$ round. A game changer for Tankers & Cdrs for capacity, capabilities & reduced sustainment requirements 😎🇺🇸 ","username":"jr_liscano","name":"MAJ Michael Liscano Jr.","date":"Thu Nov 04 17:05:16 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://cdn.substack.com/image/upload... Twitter avatar for @jr_liscano

MAJ Michael Liscano Jr. @jr_liscano@TheDeadDistrict @ypg_az @santiago2ex @CiroNappi6 @DRatka1 @JonHawkes275 @LASD_off @AmmoLogistics It’s a Nasty multipurpose bad a$$ round. A game changer for Tankers & Cdrs for capacity, capabilities & reduced sustainment requirements 😎🇺🇸

November 4th 2021

4 Retweets22 Likes

Moving from Army news to Navy news, you probably didn’t see this:

@thewarzonewire @FranticGoat #USNavy #Zumwalt #HypersonicMissile #Hypersonics #Destroyer realcleardefense.com/2021/11/03/nav… ","username":"RCDefense","name":"RealClearDefense","date":"Wed Nov 03 12:58:00 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/FDRC8f... Twitter avatar for @RCDefense

RealClearDefense @RCDefenseNavy’s Stealth Destroyers Will Have Hypersonic Missiles | via @thewarzonewire @FranticGoat #USNavy #Zumwalt #HypersonicMissile #Hypersonics #Destroyer realcleardefense.com/2021/11/03/nav…

November 3rd 2021

6 Retweets3 Likes

In old war news that no one wants to see happen again, I saw this bit of concerning news.

BBC News (World) @BBCWorldBosnian leader stokes fears of Balkan breakup

Bosnian leader stokes fears of Balkan breakupBosnian Serb Milorad Dodik has threatened to secede, raising fears in Bosnia and the West.bbc.in

November 3rd 2021

35 Retweets136 Likes

And in news that will make you raise your eyebrows, there was this last week:

#NATO Just Practiced Fighting A Nuclear War (Against #Russia?)\n\n","username":"19_forty_five","name":"19FortyFive","date":"Thu Nov 04 11:43:29 +0000 2021","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":3,"like_count":2,"expanded_url":{"url":"https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/11/n... Just Practiced Fighting a Nuclear War (Against Russia?)","description":"During the last days of October, the U.S. military led NATO in the most significant annual nuclear deterrence exercise in Europe. During Steadfast Noon 21, American, Belgian, Dutch, Turkish, German, Polish, Czech, and Italian aircraft conducted simulated conventional and theater nuclear strikes with…","domain":"19fortyfive.com"},"video_url":null}"> Twitter avatar for @19_forty_five

19FortyFive @19_forty_five#NATO Just Practiced Fighting A Nuclear War (Against #Russia?)

NATO Just Practiced Fighting a Nuclear War (Against Russia?)During the last days of October, the U.S. military led NATO in the most significant annual nuclear deterrence exercise in Europe. During Steadfast Noon 21, American, Belgian, Dutch, Turkish, German, Polish, Czech, and Italian aircraft conducted simulated conventional and theater nuclear strikes with…19fortyfive.com

November 4th 2021

3 Retweets2 Likes

Not to make you too sad, but here’s a nasty reminder of what is still going on in Afghanistan.

politico.com/newsletters/na… ","username":"PaulSzoldra","name":"Paul Szoldra","date":"Fri Nov 12 00:30:16 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/FD9ACK... Twitter avatar for @PaulSzoldra

Paul Szoldra @PaulSzoldraThe war is not over for everyone politico.com/newsletters/na…

November 12th 2021

34 Retweets72 Likes

This is heartbreaking stuff, but I still say you can’t lay this one on either political party (as much as both sides want to).

The cold hard truth is “we” as a country abandoned Afghanistan because both parties (and most American voters) were done with our efforts there. (For those with selective memory, quick reminder that Trump wanted out, as badly — or maybe more so — as Biden did.)

Okay, let’s leave that sad news above and move to something lighter. I saw this about the French and thought I’d share it.

Military.com @MilitarydotcomFrance Flexes Muscle, Puts Warship in Eastern Mediterranean

France Flexes Muscle, Puts Warship in Eastern MediterraneanCaptain Paul Merveilleux de Vignaux said the Auvergne, with its 150-strong crew, would be deployed in the eastern Mediterranean until January.military.com

November 9th 2021

3 Retweets4 Likes

And in news that might turn into bigger political news at some point, the Army may be awarding up to almost 40 more Purple Hearts for those wounded in the Iranian ballistic missile attack last year back in January.

Now, before we wrap this edition up, I’m not going to lie, I’m posting this because I’m a Marine.

And because The Corps celebrated its birthday on Wednesday. 246 years.

Ooh-rah! Yut!!

U.S. Marines @USMCOn November 10, 2021, U.S. Marines around the globe celebrate a 246-year legacy of battlefield prowess defined by courage, discipline, loyalty, perseverance, adaptability, leadership, and warfighting innovation.

November 4th 2021

1,482 Retweets3,980 Likes

Finally, here’s some motivation to wrap up this edition.

#ThursdayMotivation ","username":"IMQuotes_Videos","name":"Inspired Motivation Quotes","date":"Thu Nov 11 13:00:15 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/FD6iJa... Twitter avatar for @IMQuotes_Videos

Inspired Motivation Quotes @IMQuotes_VideosTake a break when you're tired, but never give up.#ThursdayMotivation

November 11th 2021

99 Retweets249 Likes

That’s it for this post.

Let me say before we end this that I ask you to be kinder in your online interactions with strangers, whether it’s Facebook or Twitter or wherever.

Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.

We owe it to these guys below, and so many others who have sacrificed for this country, to work hard toward binding the wounds of our land.

#WW2 ","username":"WWIIpix","name":"WWII Pictures","date":"Wed Nov 03 13:28:00 +0000 2021","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/FDRbxV... Twitter avatar for @WWIIpix