Ukraine's European Revolution?

[Hansmeister]

As for the military help we could give Ukraine. They don't know how to use Javelins. I don't know how much training goes into operating that kind of equipment, but surely giving the Ukrainians Soviet style equipment which they are familiar with using would be much better. Surely missiles like the AT-5 or the Kornet, which they already use would be preferrible.

Rather than give them fancy new toys wouldn't giving them spare parts, ammunition and other consumables for their already existing equipment be better? Jet fuel, trucks, loan guarantees, diesel would all be of use.

Russian equipment is crap, and teaching an Ukrainian to use a javelin is easier than teaching an Afghan how to use a Stinger.  We should probably give them those as well.  A relatively inexpensive way to give the Ukraine the capability to easily destroy expensive Russian equipment. We don't want to give the Ukraine a modest boost, we want to change the calculus on the ground.

[Hansmeister]

Hit my 20 years last weekend.  Don't know how much longer I'm going to play army, particularly with all the cuts.  I'm so glad the world has gotten so safe in the last 5 years that we can afford to shrink our military to pre-WW II levels.

1920's fiscal policy will inevitably lead to a 1930's type army.

So the federal budget is back down to 3 percent of GDP?  Who knew and I thought it was still at a post WW II high at well over 20 percent.

[Phillip V]

Hillary Clinton compares Russia to Nazi Germany

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/hillary-clinton-russia-nazi-germany-vladimir-putin-ukraine-crimea-104268.html

[Hansmeister]

What I wonder, is that when Ukraine gets it's army into shape (they called all able bodied men to sign up for the army), will they try to push the Reds out of Crimea?

Ukraine has no idea what they will do since they don't know what Putin will do next.  I think right now they are more worried about Russia trying to seize eastern Ukraine.  The focus will be first on shoring up their defense before even entertaining action to expel Russia. I presume Russia controls the isthmus by now making it very difficulty for the Ukraine to dislodge them. 

Ukraine has been playing their weak hand pretty smart, by not falling for the Russian bait on starting firefights it has been made quite clear that the Russian claim of acting in the defense of the Russian minority in the Ukraine is a sham, that the only threat is emanating from Russia. When fighting ultimately breaks out only the fringe will be willing to defend Russia and it would be even unlikely that any country other than the usual suspects would try to blame both sides.

[Razgovory]

Hit my 20 years last weekend.  Don't know how much longer I'm going to play army, particularly with all the cuts.  I'm so glad the world has gotten so safe in the last 5 years that we can afford to shrink our military to pre-WW II levels.

1920's fiscal policy will inevitably lead to a 1930's type army.

So the federal budget is back down to 3 percent of GDP?  Who knew and I thought it was still at a post WW II high at well over 20 percent.

Low taxes will eventually result in low spending.  Isn't that conservative philosophy?  Let's take it out of your pension first.

[Viking]

As for the military help we could give Ukraine. They don't know how to use Javelins. I don't know how much training goes into operating that kind of equipment, but surely giving the Ukrainians Soviet style equipment which they are familiar with using would be much better. Surely missiles like the AT-5 or the Kornet, which they already use would be preferrible.

Rather than give them fancy new toys wouldn't giving them spare parts, ammunition and other consumables for their already existing equipment be better? Jet fuel, trucks, loan guarantees, diesel would all be of use.

Russian equipment is crap, and teaching an Ukrainian to use a javelin is easier than teaching an Afghan how to use a Stinger.  We should probably give them those as well.  A relatively inexpensive way to give the Ukraine the capability to easily destroy expensive Russian equipment. We don't want to give the Ukraine a modest boost, we want to change the calculus on the ground.

But the Ukrainians are already manufacturing their own AT and AA missiles. NATO countries have large stores of the missiles the are already using. Given what has been reported about the state of the ukrainian army, giving them functioning logistics and supplies would be a game changer.

[Hansmeister]

As for the military help we could give Ukraine. They don't know how to use Javelins. I don't know how much training goes into operating that kind of equipment, but surely giving the Ukrainians Soviet style equipment which they are familiar with using would be much better. Surely missiles like the AT-5 or the Kornet, which they already use would be preferrible.

Rather than give them fancy new toys wouldn't giving them spare parts, ammunition and other consumables for their already existing equipment be better? Jet fuel, trucks, loan guarantees, diesel would all be of use.

Russian equipment is crap, and teaching an Ukrainian to use a javelin is easier than teaching an Afghan how to use a Stinger.  We should probably give them those as well.  A relatively inexpensive way to give the Ukraine the capability to easily destroy expensive Russian equipment. We don't want to give the Ukraine a modest boost, we want to change the calculus on the ground.

But the Ukrainians are already manufacturing their own AT and AA missiles. NATO countries have large stores of the missiles the are already using. Given what has been reported about the state of the ukrainian army, giving them functioning logistics and supplies would be a game changer.

That takes years to develop.  Right now you want to focus on giving them simple tools that have an immediate impact.  Russian designed AA and AT is crap compared to what we have.  Russian designed AT and AA make it slightly more risky for Russian helicopters and tanks to operate.  Ours make it suicidal for them to operate.  That's a huge difference in capability.

[Hansmeister]

Hit my 20 years last weekend.  Don't know how much longer I'm going to play army, particularly with all the cuts.  I'm so glad the world has gotten so safe in the last 5 years that we can afford to shrink our military to pre-WW II levels.

1920's fiscal policy will inevitably lead to a 1930's type army.

So the federal budget is back down to 3 percent of GDP?  Who knew and I thought it was still at a post WW II high at well over 20 percent.

Low taxes will eventually result in low spending.  Isn't that conservative philosophy?  Let's take it out of your pension first.

Typical leftist. Currently we have high taxes and even higher spending. Instead of continuously cutting something the govt is actually supposed to do, why don't we cut something utterly worthless like the over $1 trillion in welfare spending per year?  It isn't a task of the federal govt, it has utterly failed in its mission to reduce poverty (compared to the war on poverty even the war on drugs has been a smashing success), and reduces economic growth and prosperity.

[Syt]

 

[Razgovory]

Hit my 20 years last weekend.  Don't know how much longer I'm going to play army, particularly with all the cuts.  I'm so glad the world has gotten so safe in the last 5 years that we can afford to shrink our military to pre-WW II levels.

1920's fiscal policy will inevitably lead to a 1930's type army.

So the federal budget is back down to 3 percent of GDP?  Who knew and I thought it was still at a post WW II high at well over 20 percent.

Low taxes will eventually result in low spending.  Isn't that conservative philosophy?  Let's take it out of your pension first.

Typical leftist. Currently we have high taxes and even higher spending. Instead of continuously cutting something the govt is actually supposed to do, why don't we cut something utterly worthless like the over $1 trillion in welfare spending per year?  It isn't a task of the federal govt, it has utterly failed in its mission to reduce poverty (compared to the war on poverty even the war on drugs has been a smashing success), and reduces economic growth and prosperity.

Cutting your pension would seem to be cutting something utterly worthless.  I mean it's a legacy cost right?  After you leave the military you aren't doing anything for them, so why should they pay you?  Let remove all veteran benefits.  You want to cut government, fine, gore your own ox first.

[alfred russel]

Russian equipment is crap, and teaching an Ukrainian to use a javelin is easier than teaching an Afghan how to use a Stinger.

A Ukrainian may be easier to educate about technology than an Afghan, but the Afghans are born fighters. Don't forget the eastern slav nature of the Ukrainian. If you give the typical Ukrainian training on a sophisticated satellite system, he will master the training, but as soon as you leave will repurpose the technology to pirate cable.

[DGuller]

Cutting your pension would seem to be cutting something utterly worthless.  I mean it's a legacy cost right?  After you leave the military you aren't doing anything for them, so why should they pay you?  Let remove all veteran benefits.  You want to cut government, fine, gore your own ox first.

If Hans is just as on point on his job as he is here, then pension payments to Hans could be the wisest investment the government will have made since the Marshall Plan.

[DGuller]

Russian equipment is crap, and teaching an Ukrainian to use a javelin is easier than teaching an Afghan how to use a Stinger.

A Ukrainian may be easier to educate about technology than an Afghan, but the Afghans are born fighters. Don't forget the eastern slav nature of the Ukrainian. If you give the typical Ukrainian training on a sophisticated satellite system, he will master the training, but as soon as you leave will repurpose the technology to pirate cable.

[Syt]

Guardian:

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has repeated President Putin's claim that it is not Russian troops occupying military bases in Crimea. Speaking in Madrid in remarks shown on Russian television, he said "self-defence" forces who do not answer to Moscow were occupying the bases and so Russia could not order them to leave.

Shaun Walker: Continual denials mindblowing. Isn't Lavrov worried how these independent. self-defence brigades have stolen/acquired Russian mil vehicles?

AbdujalilA: Correction:License plates of military vehicles in Belbek show they r from zone 21 i.e North Caucasus #Crimea #Ukraine

[Tamas]

This denial is utterly ridiculous.