The 11/23/21 dispatch.

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Happy Tuesday! Hope everyone’s week is off to a great start and that you have some good Thanksgiving plans coming up!

We’ll start with plenty of bullet points on the massing of Russian troops on the Ukranian border.

First, this.

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From the story:

Clint Watts @selectedwisdom

November 22nd 2021

50 Retweets95 Likes

And this is a look at what it could be like if Putin gave the “go” signal.

Dara Massicot @MassDaraIf this assessment is true— and as someone who lived this at the pentagon in 2014- Javelins, drones, pictures of pallets of bullets delivered, saying the words “ironclad”, will not stop a force like this, if it moves. The choices are now go all in, or find the off-ramp.

November 21st 2021

252 Retweets773 Likes

Finally, here’s some additional details about the situations and options the United States has.

#Ukraine's eastern border, the #Biden administration may providing #Kyiv with battlefield intelligence. #NATO #Russia #Military\n","username":"Robert4787","name":"Robert Morton","date":"Sat Nov 20 22:13:08 +0000 2021","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":15,"like_count":19,"expanded_url":{"url":"https://thehill.com/opinion/internati... Russia about to make a ‘serious mistake’ in Ukraine?","description":"Now is probably not the best time to be breathless about the risk of increased Russian threats in Ukraine.","domain":"thehill.com"},"video_url":null}">Robert Morton @Robert4787With some 100,000 Russian troops now massed on #Ukraine's eastern border, the #Biden administration may providing #Kyiv with battlefield intelligence. #NATO #Russia #MilitaryIs Russia about to make a ‘serious mistake’ in Ukraine?Now is probably not the best time to be breathless about the risk of increased Russian threats in Ukraine.thehill.com

November 20th 2021

15 Retweets19 Likes

I know that was a lot to take in about the threats from Russia, so here’s some lighter news on the China tensions:

RAND Corporation @RANDCorporation"Is it possible Xi is plotting a sneak attack [on Taiwan]? Sure, but thus far, there is no evidence that he is, and what we do know speaks to the contrary." Taiwan Is Safe Until at Least 2027, but with One Big CaveatAlthough Chinese President Xi Jinping clearly seeks to bring Taiwan to heel, and by force if necessary, he also continues to promote “peaceful reunification” as Beijing’s preferred means. Xi likely would have toughened up his language by now if he thought war was a real possibility.bit.ly

November 20th 2021

16 Retweets25 Likes

However, this was a little concerning.

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November 19th 2021

2 Likes

Moving along, in military news, there was this push back from the federal government regarding the Oklahoma National Guard not having to get vaccinated.

WATE 6 On Your Side @6NewsUS Army Secretary: National Guard members who refuse vaccine will not ‘continue service’ US Army Secretary: National Guard members who refuse vaccine will not ‘continue service’U.S. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth this week warned members of the National Guard that they may be barred from “continued service” if they refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19.trib.al

November 20th 2021

1 Retweet8 Likes

Moving to an area of operations that we just departed, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command elaborated some on the situation in Afghanistan, saying in part:

"I don't see them as a partner — I'll just be frank," Army Gen. Richard D. Clarke, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, said Friday at the annual Halifax International Security Forum event in Nova Scotia, Canada. "I think we have an interest from the U.S. perspective that the ISIS threat that is in Afghanistan is disrupted, that it can't roost [so that it could actually affect one of our nations. But I wouldn't, as we look at the Taliban, I don't think they're an entity, today, that should be ... a counterterrorism partner."

He also discussed the situation in the country and what options and strategies the United States have for the recently-departed country. Full story below, and well worth the read:

Department of Defense 🇺🇸 @DeptofDefenseNEWS: Socom Commander Says Taliban Aren't Counterterrorism Partners in AfghanistanSocom Commander Says Taliban ArenFollowing the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan at the end of August, the only semblance of government remaining there is the Taliban. But the Taliban are not partners in defeating terrorism there, thego.usa.gov

November 22nd 2021

33 Retweets123 Likes

Now jumping to tech news, there was this:

Task & Purpose @TaskandPurposeThe U.S. Navy and Boeing conducted ground testing of the MQ-25 Stingray at Chambers Field onboard Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. The MQ-25 Stingray is an unmanned aerial refueling aircraft. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sam Jenkins)

November 22nd 2021

1 Retweet16 Likes

Finally, let’s end with some motivation.

First, this:

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Plus, this:

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And finally this:

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That’s it for this post.

Let me say before we depart that I’d like to provide a gentle reminder that we all need to be more kind in our online interactions with strangers, whether it’s Facebook or Twitter or wherever.

Please work daily to unite our country again and constantly remind yourself that 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.

As always, please share this post if you enjoyed it, as well as comment below.

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Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I write fast-paced military and mystery thrillers. You can find all ten books here: amazon.com.