#antiaircraft missiles

[trendynewsnow]

Russia-North Korea Military Cooperation: Antiaircraft Missiles and Troop Deployment

Military Cooperation Between Russia and North Korea Recent reports have revealed that Russia has supplied North Korea with advanced antiaircraft missiles in exchange for the deployment of North Korean troops to participate in Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This significant military cooperation was highlighted by South Korea’s national security adviser, who provided insights during a recent…

[mariacallous]

The time for incrementalism in Ukraine is over. Send in the tanks.

The United States and its NATO allies are engaged in an intense debate over security assistance to Ukraine. The issue at hand is whether they should provide Kyiv with modern, Western-made heavy tanks — weapons that would greatly boost the Ukrainians’ battlefield power, especially for maneuver warfare of the type needed to retake much or most of the roughly 17 percent of Ukrainian territory that Russia still holds. (Britain has announced that it plans to send an unspecified number of its Challenger 2 main battle tanks.) But the larger debate remains unresolved.

If this kind of debate sounds familiar, that’s because it is. We have already shipped to Ukraine weapons systems — including antiaircraft missiles, HIMARS rocket artillery and Patriot air defense batteries — that would have been unthinkable a year or even just months ago. Yet no one seems entirely happy with the result. Some worry that the Biden administration has gone too fast, risking Russian escalation as a response to U.S. and NATO support for Ukraine. Still others indict President Biden for excessive caution. Even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his speech of gratitude and solidarity to Congress just before Christmas, couldn’t resist gently chastising Washington with his “honestly, not really” line about whether Western aid to date was adequate.

In fact, there has been a method to the West’s apparent madness in sticking with the slow-but-steady approach to arming Ukraine. It’s not perfect, but it has been pretty good, and in broad terms it should continue to inform our assistance to Kyiv.

But there’s an important caveat to be made. What one might call the “the Goldilocks policy” will continue to work only if we recognize its risks — most importantly, that it is fundamentally reactive, thus hindering the development of a strategy to end the war. (And by the way, I’m in favor of sending hundreds of Western tanks as soon as possible — for reasons I will explain below.)

First, though, a defense of “slow but steady.” The need to avoid Russian retaliation or escalation is often cited as the main reason for a step-by-step approach. That is an entirely valid concern. The United States and allies have directly assisted Ukraine in the killing or wounding of more than 100,000 Russian soldiers.Western weapons have provided Kyiv with the necessary lethal capabilities, and U.S. intelligence systems have been part of the kill chain. This is a form of military support that far exceeds what the United States did to help Afghan mujahideen fight the Soviets in the 1980s — or any of its other partners in Cold War-era proxy conflicts against the U.S.S.R.

So it made sense to wait and see if Russia would shoot at NATO logistics infrastructure, supply convoys, satellites or even NATO military bases in Eastern Europe. So far, caution has paid off. Ukraine has survived as a country and taken back a respectable amount of the land it lost in the war’s early months; the war has not expanded. Moreover, when Putin issued his veiled and not-so-veiled nuclear threats in September and after, they had to be taken seriously. It was better to let him cool down before considering the next escalation of Western military support.

Second, experience has shown that the West was right to take time to assess Ukraine’s most immediate and acute needs as a matter of priority at each stage of the fight. Javelin and Stinger missiles were crucial to stymying Russia’s initial attacks on Kyiv in late February and March 2022. In the next phase of the fighting in the spring and summer, Kyiv needed an ability to punch back against Russia’s bombardments of regions in Ukraine’s east and south. Then, in the late summer and fall, more accurate and longer-range artillery — including HIMARS — gave Ukraine a chance to take back some territory by targeting Russian infrastructure, command posts, troop concentrations, depots and key supply routes. Improved defenses against drones and missiles became crucial when Russia stepped up aerial attacks from September onward.

Third, the West’s “cautiously aggressive” approach also acknowledges another reality: that modern weapons systems are complex to use. Learning how to use Patriot missiles takes months. (The same point applies to the United States’ Abrams main battle tanks, by the way — to say nothing of maintaining them or properly integrating them into a combined-arms operation.) Ukrainian soldiers have demonstrated impressive learning abilities as they adapted to Western weaponry over the past year. Even so, we’ve been right to take into account the long learning curves needed to master these systems.

Yet the debate over tanks has also revealed the biggest weakness of the incrementalist approach — namely, that it is always reacting to events on the battlefield rather than trying to shape them. Going step by step has helped Ukraine patch up vulnerabilities, to be sure, but it hasn’t furthered the goal of formulating a strategy to end the war or defining the capacity that will be ultimately needed to do so. Tactically, we have been very good, but strategically our planning is somewhat lacking.

As for the tanks, I think it’s time we provide them. That’s not because doing so will necessarily help Ukraine win the war decisively. Rather, Kyiv deserves a fair chance to win back as much territory as possible. Until it has that chance, neither Russia nor Ukraine is likely to negotiate with the kind of sober realism needed to end this war on reasonable and sustainable terms. Sending tanks will also show Moscow that American resolve remains firm even with war-skeptical Republicans in charge in the House of Representatives — another factor crucial to productive talks.

If this conflict is to have any chance of ending in 2023, as I hope, there is little time to waste in providing Ukraine with a true combined-arms-maneuver warfare capability and then seeing what it can do with it.

[awesome-casuallyfamouscollector]

“During the talks with Ukraine's defense minister, I confirmed the unwavering support of the Latvian government and the people to Ukraine in this terrible war. In the near future, we will send new military support shipments to Ukraine - Stinger anti-air defense missiles, helicopters, ammunition, machine guns, and unmanned aircraft. Also this year, Latvia will continue to train troops from various levels of the Ukrainian armed forces. The plan is to increase training and train at least twice as many Ukrainians as we did in 2022,” said Mūrniece after the meeting(..)

[a-tale-never-told]

Cia dossier 4852

Name : T-54/T-55

Type of weapon: Mbt ( Main battle tank)

Description: The main battle tank of the Marxist world and Russia's answer to the American M48 Patton and British Centurion, the T-54/T-55 is the most common and main tank of the Soviet Union and its client states and allies, like Egypt and India. Production totals are difficult to predict, but other analysts have predicted numbers ranging from 96,500 to 100,000, perhaps even more than that number.

Having been the most involved tank in 20th-century and early 21st-century conflicts, it's no surprise that it's still going strong today in the USSR, being a part of its tank range along with the t62 mbt.

It was first conceived in the late 1940s as a replacement for their t-34 tank, which was in use since the Second world war, with the Soviet Morozov design bureau up to the task. they managed to design and develop a tank that was better armed, better armored, and cheap than the t-34. By 1948, the first t-54 tank rolled off the production line.

Ever since then, more of these tanks became produced in the masses, eventually becoming the most produced tank in history.

Design: The t-54/t-55 tank was an excellent tank for its time and since its numerous upgrades, it has only gotten tougher. The tanks are mechanically simplistic and robust as well as easy to operate, which benefits the Soviet tank crews as they don't need to receive high levels of training or education unlike in Nato countries.

The t-54/t-55 is also able to have high mobility, is capable of crossing terrain and even rivers due to its lightweight (14.6), and even is able to operate in winter fighting due to a start-up system.

The t-54/t-55 is also the world's first tank to be equipped with NBC ( Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical) Protection.

Armament: The t-54/t-55 has a considerable yet obsolete armament for its age, armed with a 100mm dt-10 anti-tank gun, which has been used since WW2. it is also armed with a Dshk 38 antiaircraft machine gun. Later upgrades include a flamethrower tank, and the ability to launch anti-tank missiles out from the main gun.

Threat level: 9. The t-54/t-55 has proven to be a tough adversary to face off against. Its high mobility and cheapness and ease of production, make it the main tank threat facing Western Europe. However, they are ways to stop this tank and limit its effectiveness.

The internal ammunition supply of the tank is not shielded, carrying the risk of a secondary explosion. The gun, while still tough, is obsolete for the modern age, and it does not have the ability to accurately fire at long ranges, though this is slowly being corrected.

Additionally, the Armor is also weak against anti-tank missiles, though there is a fear that weakness may be overcome.

Nato tanks are to engage the enemy tanks with clear precision and try to limit their numbers as they are often seen in units of 5 to 20 tanks in a single battalion, thus if outnumbered, avoid fighting them head-on and try to shorten their number. Air support will also be use full on the battlefield.

This article was created by

Cia Analyst Joseph P Dowery.

[1oldbear]

There's a report that the contrail of an antiaircraft missile was seen before the explosion and crash. Source of missile not known.

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 15 of 2023

Title: NCIS History Special Agent VietNam Authors: Douglass Hubbard Jr. ISBN: 9780915266333 Tags: A-1 Skyraiders, AUS Catherine Anne Warnes (Murdered) (Vietnam War), CH-46 Sea Knight, CIA Bill Bludworth, CIA Foster Fipps, CIA Robert Gambino, CIA William Colby, H-34 Choctaw, HH-3E Jolly Green Giant, HKG Hong Kong, HKG Royal Hong Kong Police, John F. Kennedy, KHM Cambodia, KHM General Lon Nol, KHM Khmer Rouge, KHM Kompong Som, KHM US MSTS SS Columbia Eagle Incident (1970) (Vietnam War), KHM US MSTS SS Mayaguez Incident (Vietnam War), LAO Laos, LAO Nong Khai, LAO Vientiane, Law Enforcement, Military Intelligence, Military Police, Nungs, OV-1 Mohawk, OV-10 Bronco, PHL US USAF Clark Air Force Base, PHL US USN Naval Station Sangley Point, PHL US USN NCSA Philippines, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, President Lyndon B. Johnson, PRK North Korea, RUS VMF Russian Navy, RUS VMF Submarine Force, SGP Singapore, SpecOps, THA Bangkok, THA RTAFB Don Muang Royal Thai Airbase, THA Thailand, THA USMC MCAB Rose Garden/Nam Phong (Vietnam War), True Crime, UH-1 Huey, UK MI6/SIS Secret Intelligence Service, US Alvin Glatkowski (Mutineer) (Vietnam War), US Ambassador Henry Nolting, US Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, US Ambassador Maxwell Taylor, US AP Malcom Brown (News), US Bob Hope (Entertainer), US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US Clyde McKay (Mutineer) (Vietnam War), US DEA Drug Enforcement Agency, US Edwin Ross Armstrong (Defector), US Horst Faas (News), US Maw Maw (Black Power Organization), US MSTS Military Sea Transportation Service, US NBC Garric Utley (News), US Project 100000 (Vietnam War), US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, US Special Agent Basic School - Washington DC, US Students for a Democratic Society, US USA 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles), US USA 199th Light Infantry Brigade (Redcatchers), US USA 23rd ID (Americal), US USA ASA 8th Radio Research Station, US USA ASA Army Security Agency, US USA CIC Army Counterintelligence Corps, US USA General Creighton Abrams, US USA General William Westmoreland, US USA Green Berets, US USA Kitsie Westmoreland, US USA MI 525th Military Intelligence Group, US USA MI Army Military Intelligence, US USA Special Forces, US USA United States Army, US USAF General Robert Rowland, US USAF OSI Office of Special Investigations, US USCG United States Coast Guard, US USCG USCGC Chase (WHEC-718), US USMC 12th Marines, US USMC 1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Bn, US USMC 1st MarDiv, US USMC 1st MAW, US USMC 3rd MarDiv, US USMC 3rd Marine Counterintelligence Team, US USMC 4th Marines, US USMC 4th Marines - 3/4, US USMC 5th Marines, US USMC 7th Engineer Bn, US USMC 7th Marines, US USMC 9th Marines, US USMC General Herman Nickerson, US USMC General Leonard Chapman, US USMC General Lewis Walt, US USMC General Paul X. Kelley, US USMC General Robert Cushman, US USMC Major Les Barrett (Provost Marshall), US USMC Major Roger Simmons, US USMC Marine Security Battalion, US USMC Robert Garwood (Defector) (Vietnam War), US USMC Salt and Pepper (Defectors) (Vietnam War), US USN Admiral Earl F. "Rex" Rectanus, US USN Admiral Robert S. Salzer, US USN Commander Joseph Rochefort, US USN Construction Battalions (Seabees), US USN LtCdr John G. "Jack" Graf (POW) (Vietnam War), US USN MSC Military Sealift Command, US USN Naval Security Group, US USN NCSA Naval Counterintelligence Support Activity, US USN NCSU Naval Counterintelligence Support Unit, US USN NISO Naval Investigative Service Office, US USN NISOSF San Francisco, US USN NISRA Naval Investigative Service Resident Agency, US USN NISSU Hong Kong, US USN NISSU Naval Investigative Service Satellite Unit, US USN ONI Office of Naval Intelligence, US USN SEALS, US USN UDT Underwater Demolition Team, US USN USS Blue (DD-774), US USN USS Card (AKV-40), US USN USS Hampden County (LST-803), US USN USS Pyro (AE-24), US USN Washington Navy Yard, USAF Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service (ARRS), USMC 1st Force Recon Co, USN Admiral Elmo Russell "Bud" Zumwalt Jr, USN Admiral Jerome H. King, USN HA(L)-3 Seawolves, USN NIS Naval Investigative Service, USN PBR Patrol Boat River, USN PCF Patrol Craft Fast Swift Boat, USN US Navy, USN USS Pueblo (AGER 2), USN VAL-4 Black Ponies, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM 4th Coastal Zone, VNM An Hoa Basin, VNM An Long, VNM AN Thoi, VNM Annamite Mountains, VNM Arizona Territory, VNM ARVN General Hoang Xuan Lam, VNM ARVN General Nguyen Chanh Thi, VNM AUS ADF Australian Army Training Team (Vietnam War), VNM Ba Sac River, VNM Battle of Hue City (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Khe Sanh (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Saigon (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Ben Hai River, VNM Ben Tre, VNM Ben Tre Province, VNM Binh Thuy, VNM Bright Light Operations (Vietnam War), VNM Buddhist Monk Thich Tri Quang, VNM Ca Lu, VNM Cam Lo, VNM Cam Lo River, VNM Cam Ranh Bay, VNM Camp Eagle (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Evans (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Reasoner (Vietnam War), VNM Can Tho, VNM Carrier Pigeons (Vietnam War), VNM Cau Mau Peninsula, VNM Charlie Med, VNM Chau Doc, VNM Cholon - 95 Nguyen Duy Duong St, VNM Cholon - Five Oceans BOQ, VNM Cholon - Hong Kong BOQ, VNM Cholon - St. Francis Xavier Church, VNM Cholon Provost Marshalls Office (Vietnam War), VNM Chu Lai, VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM Con Thien, VNM Cua Viet, VNM Da Lat, VNM Da Nang, VNM Da Nang - 20 Duy Tan Street, VNM Da Nang - 23 Doc Lap, VNM Da Nang - 23 Doc Lap Bar (Boom Boom Room / Blue Elephant) (Vietnam War), VNM Da Nang - Bridge Ramp (Vietnam War), VNM Dai Lac, VNM DMZ Demilitarized Zone - 17th Parallel (Vietnam War), VNM Dodge City, VNM Dong Tam, VNM DRV NVA General Vo Nguyen Giap, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV VC Phung Ngoc Anh - Dragon Lady (Assassin) (Vietnam War), VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM Emperor Bao Dai, VNM Fall of Saigon (1975) (Vietnam War), VNM FSB Ryder (Vietnam War), VNM Gia Dinh, VNM Go Noi Island, VNM Green Beret Affair (Vietnam War), VNM Hai Van Pass, VNM Haiphong, VNM Han River, VNM Hill 327, VNM Hill 37, VNM Hill 55, VNM Hill 621 (Son Tra Mountain) (Monkey Mountain), VNM Hill 65, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail, VNM Hoi An, VNM Hue, VNM Hue - Hue University, VNM Hue - Le Loi Street, VNM Hue - Purple City, VNM Hue - The Citadel, VNM Hue - The Forbidden City, VNM Hue - Thua Thien Provincial Headquarters, VNM I Corps (Vietnam War), VNM II Corps (Vietnam War), VNM IV Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Kien Hoa Province, VNM LBJ Long Binh Jail - USARVIS US Army Vietnam Installation Stockade (Vietnam War), VNM Leatherneck Square (Vietnam War), VNM Liberty Bridge, VNM LZ Baldy, VNM Mekong Delta, VNM Moc Hoa, VNM Montagnards, VNM My Khe Beach (China Beach), VNM My Lai, VNM My Lai Massacre (1968), VNM My Tho, VNM Nam Can, VNM Nguyen Cao Ky, VNM Nguyen Van Thieu, VNM Nha Be, VNM Nui Mot (The Rockpile), VNM Nui Son Ga (Charlie Ridge), VNM Operation Market Time (1965-1975) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Sea Float/Solid Anchor (1969-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Starlite (1965) (Vietnam War), VNM Parrots Beak, VNM Perfume River, VNM Phouc Tuong (Dogpatch), VNM Phu Bai, VNM Phu Quoc Island, VNM Plain of Reeds, VNM Port of Saigon, VNM Quang Ngai Province, VNM Quang Tri, VNM Que Son Valley, VNM Qui Nhon, VNM Rach Gia, VNM Red Beach Base Area (Vietnam War), VNM Route 1, VNM Route 4, VNM Route 535, VNM Route 9, VNM Rung Sat Special Zone, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN MP Quan Canh Military Police, VNM RVN ARVN MSS Provincial Military Security Service, VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF Regional Forces/Popular Forces (Vietnam War), VNM RVN General Duonh Van Minh (Big Minh), VNM RVN Marines, VNM RVN MSD Military Security Directorate, VNM RVN Ngo Dinh Diem, VNM RVN Ngo Dinh Nhu, VNM RVN RVNP Can Sat National Police, VNM RVN RVNP Police Chief Colonel Nguyen Van Luan, VNM RVN RVNP Treasure Fraud Repression Unit, VNM RVN SVNAF Da Nang Airbase, VNM RVN SVNAF General Nguyen Ngoc Loan, VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force, VNM RVN VNN LDNN Lien Doi Nguoi Nhai Navy Frogmen, VNM RVN VNN LLHT Luc Luong Hai Thuyen Navy Coastal Force / Junk Force(Vietnam War), VNM RVN VNN Republic of Vietnam Navy, VNM RVNP CSDB Can Sat Dac Biet Special Branch Police, VNM Saigon, VNM Saigon - 98 Phan Dinh Phuong Villa, VNM Saigon - Brink BOQ (Vietnam War), VNM Saigon - Capital Kinh Do Theater, VNM Saigon - Caravelle Hotel, VNM Saigon - Cercle Sportif Saigonnais, VNM Saigon - Chi Hoa Prison, VNM Saigon - Continental Hotel, VNM Saigon - French Fort, VNM Saigon - Le Lai BEQ, VNM Saigon - Plantation Road, VNM Saigon - US Embassy (Vietnam War), VNM Saigon Provost Marshalls Office (Vietnam War), VNM Soi Rap River, VNM SOM SS Yellow Dragon Incident (Vietnam War), VNM Song Tu Cau, VNM Tam Ky, VNM Tan Chau, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base - Defense Attache Office (Vietnam War), VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base - Grey House (Vietnam War), VNM Thach Han River, VNM Thu Bon River, VNM Thua Thien Province, VNM Thuan An, VNM Tien Sa Peninsula, VNM Tu Cau Bridge, VNM U Minh Forest, VNM US CIB Combat Information Bureau - Da Nang (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM US USAF Air Force Advisory Group (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC AHCB An Hoa Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC CAG Combined Action Group (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC Camp Horn (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC CAP Combined Action Platoon (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC DHCB Dong Ha Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC ECB Elliot Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC FLC Force Logistic Command (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC III MAF Marine Amphibious Force (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC KSCB Khe Sanh Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC MMAF Marble Mountain Air Facility, VNM US USMC QTCB Quang Tri Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC VCB Vandergrift Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USN Camp Tien Sa (Vietnam War), VNM US USN CBMU 301 (Vietnam War), VNM US USN CBMU Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (Vietnam War), VNM US USN COMNAVFORV Commander of Naval Forces Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM US USN Da Nang Officers Club - Stone Elephant (Vietnam War), VNM US USN HSAS Headquarters Support Activity Saigon (Vietnam War), VNM US USN LSB Ben Luc (Vietnam War), VNM US USN LSB Logistic Support Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USN LSB Nha Be (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NAF Naval Air Facility Cam Ranh (Vietnam War), VNM US USN Naval Communication Station Cam Ranh (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NCSA Saigon (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NCSU Da Nang (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NCSU Saigon (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NISOV Naval Investigative Service Office - Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NISRA Da Nang (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NISSU Cam Ranh Bay (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NISSU Chu Lai (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NISSU Quang Tri Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NISSU Vung Tau (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NSA Naval Support Activity - Da Nang (White Elephant) (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NSABT Naval Support Activity Binh Thuy (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NSAD Naval Support Activity Detachment - Cua Viet (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NSAD Naval Support Activity Detachment - Thuan An (Vietnam War), VNM US USN River Patrol Boat Flotilla Five (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM VNN VNI Vietnamese Naval Intelligence, VNM VNN VNNSB Vietnamese Navy Security Bloc, VNM VNN VNNSS Vietnamese Navy Security Service, VNM Vu Gia River, VNM Yankee Station (1964-1973) (Vietnam War) Rating: ★★★★(4 stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Naval, Books.True Crime

Description: “NCIS History-Special Agent Vietnam is a comprehensive account of naval counterintelligence and criminal investigations in Vietnam. Doug Hubbard's first-hand experience provides unique insights into this little explored topic of the war, and the addition of a broad spectrum of his photos complements the narrative with a real life appeal. In an era when the term "terrorism" was not yet in vogue, NIS' investigations of insurgent attacks against US troops is a grim reminder of current threats our military faces in Afghanistan and around the globe on a daily basis.” Michael Sulick, Former Director, CIA National Clandestine Service “Although the Viet Nam War gives up its secrets grudgingly, former special agent Douglass Hubbard unveils an intriguing account of U.S. Naval Intelligence operations in the Republic of Vietnam. Drawing on his three years’ service in Vietnam and his subsequent research and interviews, Hubbard weaves a masterful story with 'NCIS History Special Agent Vietnam' that is equally inspiring and frustrating-just as the war itself proved to be.” Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC. (Ret.) author of the Battle History of the U.S. Marines “Doug Hubbard Jr. explores the seamy underside of the Vietnam War from his ‘catbird seat’ as a special agent of the Naval Investigative Service. At the most there were never more than twenty-one of these Naval Intelligence officers serving in-country, and they had to deal with an overload of such unsavory matters as counter espionage, sabotage, black marketing, currency manipulation, simple theft, drug trafficking, subversion, rape, and murder. Sometimes these investigations came to a brilliant resolution that Sherlock Holmes would have applauded. More often they foundered because of command apathy or indifference.” Brigadier General Edwin H. Simmons, USMC, Chief of Staff of the First Marine Division in 1970, former head of the Marine Corps History Branch, and author of Frozen Chosin: US Marines at the Changjin Reservoir “Doug Hubbard’s exposition with NCIS History Special Agent Vietnam defines a period of counterintelligence development in the Vietnam conflict and records its events for the first time. Compiled personal recollections of wartime special agents make this historical narrative a defining work in the legacy left by the group of Naval Intelligence professionals who devised rules for counterintelligence and force protection in the challenging and dangerous arena of Vietnam in the 1960s. Theirs was a monumental contribution to the U.S. government’s efforts to achieve stability in the Republic of Vietnam, particularly in the early days of the mission when much was accomplished by a select few.” Maynard C. Anderson, former Assistant Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Security Policy

Review - It was a decent book with a lot of historical information on the Vietnam War and NIS's members. The main problem with the book was how light it was on actual cases vs pages and pages of commentary of who was assigned when and where. Another major issue were the multiple misspellings (Viet Congo is a common one) and repeated paragraphs. It's not unreadable, but it had issues. But for the historical information, and a few insights into deserters, fraggings, and a few interesting cases, it's worth a read.

[norainahmadme-blog]

Russia Supplies Antiaircraft Missiles to North Korea, the South Says

Pyongyang has long coveted an advanced air-defense system to guard against missiles and war planes from the United States and South Korea. Source link

[isfeed]

Russia Supplies Antiaircraft Missiles to North Korea, the South Says

Pyongyang has long coveted an advanced air-defense system to guard against missiles and war planes from the United States and South Korea. Source: New York Times Russia Supplies Antiaircraft Missiles to North Korea, the South Says

[businesspr]

Russia Supplies Antiaircraft Missiles to North Korea, the South Says

Pyongyang has long coveted an advanced air-defense system to guard against missiles and war planes from the United States and South Korea. source https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/22/world/asia/russia-north-korea-missiles-troops.html

[newstfionline]

Thursday, August 15, 2024

How Food Prices Have Changed Over the Past Four Years (NYT) A central issue has plagued the Biden administration for most of its term: the steep rise in grocery prices. Polls have consistently found that inflation remains a top concern for voters, who have seen their budgets squeezed. A YouGov poll published last month found that 64 percent of Americans said inflation was a “very serious problem.” And when it comes to inflation, several surveys suggested that Americans were most concerned about grocery prices. In the year through June, grocery prices rose 1.1 percent, a significant slowdown from a recent peak of 13.5 percent in August 2022. Many consumers might not be feeling relief, though, because food prices overall have not fallen but have continued to increase, albeit at a slower rate. Compared with four years ago, grocery prices are up about 20 percent.

U.S. plans to send $20 billion in weapons to Israel over several years (Washington Post) The United States plans to send roughly $20 billion worth of weapons to Israel over the next several years, the Biden administration announced Tuesday, amid intraparty tension over rising deaths in the Gaza Strip. The deal includes F-15 fighter jets, 120mm tank ammunition, tactical vehicles, AMRAAM antiaircraft missiles and high-explosive mortars. The tactical vehicles and about 50,000 mortar cartridges are expected to be delivered to Israel starting in 2026. The following year, more than 32,000 120mm tank-ammunition cartridges are estimated to arrive in Israel. Roughly 50 F-15 fighter jets, along with supplies to modify Israel’s own fighter jets, are expected to start arriving in 2029—supplies that will cost about $18.82 billion. The Biden administration has sent weapons to Israel throughout the war. Last month, the United States resumed a shipment of 500-pound bombs that the Biden administration had suspended in May, but a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs is on hold.

Ernesto is now a hurricane after bringing "significant flooding" to Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands (CBS News) Hurricane Ernesto is headed toward Bermuda after leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands as a tropical storm. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane Wednesday morning, the National Hurricane Center said, and is churning with 75 mph winds as forecasters expect it to even strengthen more in the coming days. According to PowerOutage.us, Ernesto has left nearly 46,000 people in the Virgin Islands without power, including everyone on the island of St. Croix and nearly everyone on the islands of St. Thomas and St. John. Nearly 730,000 people in Puerto Rico are also without power as of 2:45 p.m. ET, according to island energy provider LUMA Energy. Ernesto, currently moving at about 16 mph, is expected to continue strengthening in the coming days. The hurricane center predicted earlier in the morning that it could become a major hurricane, which is when a storm reaches Category 3, with winds of 111 mph or higher.

UN expert panel sent to Venezuela blasts lack of transparency in presidential elections (AP) A panel of experts from the United Nations said Venezuela’s recent presidential elections lacked “basic transparency and integrity,” adding an important voice to those who have cast doubt on President Nicolás Maduro’s claim he won the contest. A four-member team sent by U.N. Secretary General António Guterres was in Caracas for over a month in the run up to the July 28 election, one of the few independent outside observers invited by Maduro’s government. While the U.N. group praised the logistic organization of the voting, it harshly criticized the National Electoral Council, or CNE, for flouting local rules and announcing Maduro the winner without tabulated results from each of the 30,000 polling booths nationwide, something it said “had no precedent in contemporary democratic elections.” The U.N. statement follows criticism by another invited observer, the Atlanta-based Carter Center, which said it could not verify the CNE’s results. Venezuela’s foreign minister has blasted the Carter Center, accusing it of lying and servings as a tool of U.S. “imperialism.” Since the election, security forces have arrested more than 2,000 people for demonstrating against Maduro or casting doubt on his claims that he won a third term.

Longest-held Russian dissident freed in swap says ‘colors get brighter by the day’ in his new life (AP) Andrei Pivovarov knows there are about 1,000 hours in 42 days. Doing the math in his head and quietly marking milestones left in his sentence helped the Russian opposition politician survive more than three years in prison, much of it spent in complete isolation. “You have no one to talk to, so you come up with causes” for celebration, Pivovarov said in an interview with The Associated Press. A scrap of a letter from his wife fashioned into a bookmark also became precious to him. Freed on Aug. 1 in the historic East-West prisoner swap, Pivovarov now is figuring out a new life in Germany, where he reunited with his wife, Tatyana Usmanova. Of all the dissidents Russia released, Pivovarov, 42, spent the most time behind bars. The new reality of the world around him, rapidly expanding from a small, solitary cell, overwhelmed him at first. But it’s getting easier, he said, and “colors get brighter by the day.”

Ukraine turns the tables on Russia (Washington Post) Russia’s Kursk oblast is no stranger to war. In medieval times, the district was overrun by the Mongol horde, and was claimed and ceded down the centuries by Eurasian empires. During World War II, the environs of the city of Kursk became the site of the greatest tank battle in history, as Nazi Germany suffered a grievous strategic defeat at the hands of the bloodied yet unbowed Soviet Union. This past week, Kursk has been the site of the first major invasion of Russian territory since then. Kyiv’s foray into Kursk began Aug. 6. Tanks and other armored vehicles surged into Russia; Ukrainian artillery and drone strikes struck at Russian positions. Six days later, Ukrainian officials said they were in control of some 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory. By one estimate, Ukraine has seized more Russian territory in a week than Russia has captured in Ukraine in this whole calendar year. The operation has led Russia’s forces to carry out bombing raids on its own territory—after months of pummeling Ukraine.

The Taliban are celebrating three years in power, but they’re not talking about Afghans (AP) The Taliban celebrated the third anniversary of their return to power at a former U.S. air base in Afghanistan on Wednesday, but there was no mention of the country’s hardships or promises of hope for the struggling population. Under blue skies and blazing sunshine at Bagram—once the epicentre of America’s war to unseat the Taliban and hunt down the al-Qaida perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks—members of the Taliban cabinet lauded achievements like strengthening Islamic law and establishing a military system that provides “peace and security.” The speeches were aimed at an international audience, urging the diaspora to return and for the West to interact and cooperate with the country’s rulers. None of the four speakers talked about the challenges facing Afghans in everyday life. Decades of conflict and instability have left millions of Afghans on the brink of hunger and starvation. Unemployment is high. Aid agencies warn that humanitarian efforts in the country are gravely underfunded as economic collapse and climate change are destroying livelihoods.

Doctors strike across India to protest rape and murder of trainee medic (CNN) Thousands of doctors across India have gone on strike this week, protesting for better protections for health workers in the wake of the widely-publicized rape and murder of a resident doctor last week at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. Doctors’ associations across the nation have called on members to stop providing elective services until the case is fast-tracked through the court system, and have also pushed for the government to establish a protective committee for health workers. A 2015 study found that 75% of doctors across the nation had faced some form of violence during their careers.

Thai court dismisses PM for violating constitution (BBC) A Thai court has dismissed Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin for appointing to his cabinet a former lawyer who was once jailed. The Constitutional Court ruled that Mr Srettha had violated the "rules on ethics" with "the display of defiant behaviour". The 62-year-old Srettha, who has been in power for less than a year, is the third PM in 16 years to be removed by the same court. He will be replaced by an interim leader until Thailand's parliament convenes to elect a new prime minister. Mr Srettha's dismissal means he has now gone the way of so many other parties and administrations in Thailand—felled by the disproportionate power of the country’s constitutional court. Most people in Thailand will see this as a political verdict, though exactly who was pushing for it is not yet clear.

Japan’s Leader, Fumio Kishida, Will Step Down (NYT) Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, said on Wednesday that he would step down, bowing to pressure within his party to move on from his unpopular leadership. Mr. Kishida, 67, whose approval ratings have plummeted in recent months, said at a news conference that he would not run in the governing Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership contest in September. He said he believed that the party needed to show it was willing to make big changes. “The clearest way to do this is for me to withdraw,” he said. Mr. Kishida, who took office in October 2021, has seen his ratings slide sharply over a political fund-raising scandal within the party. His reputation has also soured over rising prices that have put pressure on households and the national economy.

Israeli strikes on Gaza leave children without parents and parents without children (AP) Reem Abu Hayyah, just three months old, was the only member of her family to survive an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip late Monday. A few miles (kilometers) to the north, Mohamed Abuel-Qomasan lost his wife and their twin babies—just four days old—in another strike. More than 10 months into its war with Hamas, Israel’s relentless bombardment of the isolated territory has wiped out extended families. It has left parents without children and children without parents or siblings. And some of the sole survivors are so young they will have no memory of those they lost. The Health Ministry in Gaza said 115 newborns have been killed in the territory since the war began. Gaza’s Health Ministry says nearly 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war.

Starving In Sudan (Guardian) Yesterday, the U.S. special envoy for Sudan accused both sides in the country’s ongoing civil war of “cowardice,” telling both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan’s official military that they “lacked courage and honour” due to their weaponization of starvation throughout the conflict. The public dressing-down came the day before today’s U.S.-mediated peace talks. While the RSF has agreed to participate in the talks, Sudan’s military has declined to engage with Washington. “Whatever claims of legitimacy either side wants to make are clearly undermined in the eyes of the Sudanese people and the world when they’re taking these actions,” special envoy Tom Perriello added. Perriello said both sides are using starvation as part of their ethnic cleansing campaigns, contributing to “a clear violation of international humanitarian law.” According to the U.S., up to 800,000 civilians in El Fasher, the capital of the Darfur region, are suffering from a lack of food and water thanks to the Sudanese military’s blockade on humanitarian aid. Meanwhile, the White House has also accused the RSF of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, including blatant military attacks on civilians.

[stluciass]

What happened to St Lucia Airlines?

St. Lucia Airways Limited was a privately owned company founded in 1975. General and tourist flights were operated mainly to Martinique and Barbados, but also extended throughout the Caribbean and South America. There was also a shuttle service between the two St. Lucia airports of Vigie and Hewannora. A Boeing 707 was acquired in 1982 for cargo charter work. Head office was listed as PO Box 253, Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies.[1]

History

During the 1986 arms for hostages scandal, U.S. Marine Corps Col. Oliver North arranged for shipments of Raytheon MIM-23 HAWK antiaircraft missiles to Israel. "The CIA's air branch suggested a proprietary which did clandestine work for the agency - St. Lucia Airways." The CIA congressional relations man, Clair George, was unavailable, so Duane Clarridge, the Latin America division chief, checked with the acting Deputy Director of Operations, Ed Juchniewicz, who told North that, in addition to its proprietary work, St. Lucia operated as a commercial venture. So it was available to anyone for special charter operations.[2]

"North arranged for St. Lucia to provide two Boeing 707s. They were able to carry HAWK antiaircraft missiles to Israel, where the HAWKs were transferred to Israeli planes for transit to Iran. North was running the operation through a Swiss bank account, Lake Resources, Inc. (number 386-430-22-1 at Crédit Suisse). For coming up with an airline on short notice, North told [Vice Adm. John] Poindexter on their interoffice computer, 'Clarridge deserves a medal.'".

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Lucia_Airways

[hasbr0mniverse]

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[blogynews]

"Unveiling the Unthinkable: Shocking Russia Strike Decimates Ukraine Mail Center Leaving 6 Lives Shattered"

On Saturday night, a devastating incident occurred near the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. A Russian antiaircraft missile struck a massive mail facility, resulting in the tragic death of six postal workers and leaving 17 others injured. Local officials confirmed these casualties and expressed their grief over the loss of life. Governor Oleh Synyehubov provided updates regarding the wounded, stating…

[blogynewz]

"Unveiling the Unthinkable: Shocking Russia Strike Decimates Ukraine Mail Center Leaving 6 Lives Shattered"

On Saturday night, a devastating incident occurred near the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. A Russian antiaircraft missile struck a massive mail facility, resulting in the tragic death of six postal workers and leaving 17 others injured. Local officials confirmed these casualties and expressed their grief over the loss of life. Governor Oleh Synyehubov provided updates regarding the wounded, stating…

[blogynewsz]

"Unveiling the Unthinkable: Shocking Russia Strike Decimates Ukraine Mail Center Leaving 6 Lives Shattered"

On Saturday night, a devastating incident occurred near the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. A Russian antiaircraft missile struck a massive mail facility, resulting in the tragic death of six postal workers and leaving 17 others injured. Local officials confirmed these casualties and expressed their grief over the loss of life. Governor Oleh Synyehubov provided updates regarding the wounded, stating…

[newstodayjournal]

‘Klondike’ Review: Domestic Violence - The New York Times

“Klondike” takes place nine years ago and had its premiere one month before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but its relevance hasn’t dimmed. It is set in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine in July 2014, when an antiaircraft missile downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, killing the 298 people on board. Russian-backed separatists were widely presumed to be responsible. Last year, a Dutch…