The US Hamster Wheel

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Slasher

Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5901 Post by Slasher » Tue Jan 07, 2020 6:25 am

Hai!...and Japanese for the Antipodean folk.

Domo arigato. Ashite mas.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5902 Post by John Hill » Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:50 am

Slasher wrote:
Tue Jan 07, 2020 6:25 am
Hai!...and Japanese for the Antipodean folk.

Domo arigato. Ashite mas.
I believe the Germans got closer to NZ than the Japanese did but America was not in the war at that time so whatever stopped them invading NZ I do not think it was the Americans.
Been in data comm since we formed the bits individually with a Morse key.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5903 Post by Slasher » Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:59 am

What would the japs have wanted with NZ anyway John? It was of no real strategic value during WW2 from what I see. Seems to me it was physically a safe haven from the war back in them days.

The Aussies and Kiwis were bloody brave soldiers and airmen though. I’m sure we both unreservedly agree on that. I hope to make it to this year’s Dawn Service at Kranji on April 25th as I’ll be then working in SIN.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5904 Post by John Hill » Tue Jan 07, 2020 8:12 am

There does seem to be very little evidence that Japan had any plans extending to the invasion of NZ. True there was no oil or rubber etc but there is plenty of timber and coal also a couple of very good harbours to interest any imperial powers interest in projecting power in the mid-southern latitudes.
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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5905 Post by Slasher » Tue Jan 07, 2020 8:19 am

If the japs had won John I’d agree - maybe a target in the mid to late 1940s. Perhaps a blockade by the IJN might’ve been enough without a shot needing to be fired. Mere speculation on my part and moot.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5906 Post by John Hill » Tue Jan 07, 2020 8:40 am

"If the Japs had won!"

Incidentally there are the traces of an airfield just a few kms from here which was built to take Flying Fortresses etc and would have been one of a handful of airfields in NZ where aircraft that could have escaped a Japanese occupied Australia and been able to fly the Tasman Sea. Nowhere for further retreat and the last battle of the Pacific War might have been fought right here.
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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5907 Post by barkingmad » Tue Jan 07, 2020 8:51 am

boing wrote:
Tue Jan 07, 2020 6:05 am
They didn't do it alone but if it wasn't for American supplies and soldiers you would be speaking German.
https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula- ... -brussels/

If BRINO occurs we might very well end up learning German at the behest of a EUSSR directive......... [-X

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5908 Post by Boac » Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:06 am

From Aljazeera:
"The United States's defence secretary has contradicted President Donald Trump by saying the country's military had no plans to bomb Iranian cultural sites amid threats of retaliation from Tehran over the US assassination of its top military commander, Qassem Soleimani.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mark Esper said the US military will "follow the laws of armed conflict".

When pressed if that ruled out hitting cultural sites, Esper said pointedly: "That's the laws of armed conflict"."


Na na na na-na, Chump. Still, it saves you being further impeached for war crimes. Think yourself lucky there are intelligent people around.

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Draft letter on US Forces in Iraq leaked

#5909 Post by Boac » Tue Jan 07, 2020 10:34 am

From the BBC - is it any wonder everyone is confused?:

"Sir, in due deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament, and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR (Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve) will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement."

The letter says certain measures, including increased air traffic, will be conducted "during hours of darkness" to "ensure the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner".

It would also "alleviate any perception that we may be bringing more Coalition Forces into the IZ (Green Zone in Baghdad)".

How has it been explained?

Mr Esper told reporters in Washington: "There's been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq. I don't know what that letter is... We're trying to find out where that's coming from, what that is.

"But there's been no decision made to leave Iraq. Period."

The highest-ranking US soldier, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, then appeared at a briefing, saying the letter was "a mistake".

He said it was a draft which was poorly worded, had not been signed and should not have been released. It was being circulated for input, including from Iraqis.

"[The letter] was sent over to some key Iraqi military guys in order to get things co-ordinated for air movements, etc. Then it went from that guy's hands to another guy's hands and then it went to your hands. Now it's a kerfuffle."

Gen Milley reiterated that US troops were not leaving.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5910 Post by barkingmad » Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:11 pm

USS Vincennes v Iranian Airbus 03 July 1988. Revenge on PA103 overhead Lockerbie 21 Dec 1988. Five and a half months gestation for that one. I wonder if aviation security will/has got tighter in recent days, will it be maintained and what time delay are the Western intelligence communities wargaming?

And I refer the honourable gentlemen to post # 5816 on this thread.

Poke the hornets’ nest and wait. Soleimani was a class 1 villain and there may have been urgent intelligence that he had something planned in line with his previous track record. But underlings would have been the executors of any of his schemes so his absence will not necessarily affect the conduct of any of his planned operation(s).

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5911 Post by om15 » Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:32 pm

What ever our opinions of Mr Trump may be, he has made it quite clear that any military response from Iran will be met with massive and disproportionate action from the USA. What ever the Iranians do, whether it is assignation, terror plot, open attacks on allied forces, anything at all, they will be pasted, so it is their choice. Not a very difficult one for most people.
If whatever Soleimani was planning is carried out there will be quite a lot of smoking holes in Iran, one thing we must admire about Mr Trump is his spirit of largesse, he won't be ambiguous in his response.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5912 Post by Boac » Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:32 pm

om15 wrote:What ever our opinions of Mr Trump may be
- probably best to point out, om, that whatever the opinions of the massed bands of ON, they are not really of relevance in the big picture stuff. More important would be the opinion of the judges in The Hague in any trial of the Chump for War Crimes, and looking at the "massive and disproportionate action" you quote.

Unfortunately he has proved over and over again to be totally 'ambiguous' as well.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5913 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Tue Jan 07, 2020 1:42 pm

The opinions of the American swing voters are the relevant ones this year.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5914 Post by om15 » Tue Jan 07, 2020 4:29 pm

I can't think that the Iranians would have too much to beef about, if they carry out any sort of retaliatory attack on the US or any of it's citizens then Mr Trump is quite entitled to respond. Based on his actions some months ago when he didn't respond to the Saudi drone attack because of possible loss of life of Iranian servicemen I don't think that he will carry out mass indiscriminate attacks, I think that his 52 targets will be selective and won't result in civilian loss of life.
There is no evidence to date that Mr Trump is a murderer, certainly not in the league of Hassan Rouhani, who has yet to appear in the Hague for the acts that he has committed or helped others to commit.
Mr Trump has put the Iranians in a tight spot, if they save face and respond they will be punished, if they go overboard with chemical terror attacks then Mr Trump will be quite entitled to flatten Iran.

Mr Trump may not exercise conventional diplomacy, but it seems to be effective none the less.

Fox, I think Mr Trump may well secure the Jewish votes in the States, Iran has been the serious threat to the state of Israel for some years now, imposing limits on their activities will please many in the US.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5915 Post by boing » Tue Jan 07, 2020 4:45 pm

probably best to point out, om, that whatever the opinions of the massed bands of ON, they are not really of relevance in the big picture stuff. More important would be the opinion of the judges in The Hague in any trial of the Chump for War Crimes, and looking at the "massive and disproportionate action" you quote.
I really don't think that Trump cares one little bit about what The Hague or any other organisation thinks - what are they going to do, send two Plods to arrest him? Invade the US? I really do not know whether Trump is very clever in a crazy way or whether his scattergun statements are intentional but he sure has his political opponents off balance and the rest of the World running round in circles. I think that it is typical and very funny that he included historical monuments in the target list to get people excited and focused in the wrong direction because I am sure that no one seriously considers these targets as likely.

Despite what he says I would not mind betting that the real options have been carefully worked out and are waiting.


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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5916 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Tue Jan 07, 2020 5:21 pm

I agree with all of that.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5917 Post by Boac » Tue Jan 07, 2020 5:24 pm

So, in a nutshell, we can all ignore what he says.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5918 Post by Fox3WheresMyBanana » Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:45 pm

As with all politicians these days, it only matters what they do, not what they say.

I recall the Fourth Plinth statue called "The Honest Politician"
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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5919 Post by BenThere » Wed Jan 08, 2020 6:53 am

I really don't think that Trump cares one little bit about what The Hague or any other organisation thinks

I tend to agree, also with UN, NATO, WTO et al. I think he sees abuse of the US in all of them and would be happy with all bilateral agreements, mano a mano.

Cut to the core, the best nations take all considerations and elect the best course of action for its own people. The people's responsibility is to be informed and select the wisest leaders. That part worries me.

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Re: The US Hamster Wheel

#5920 Post by Boac » Thu Jan 09, 2020 8:35 am

I'm pleased to see that the 'team' tightened the kiddy reins on the Chump over Iran, but I'm not too sure about the team..............

From the Independent:

"The chief of staff to the US defence secretary is standing down – the sixth senior civilian Pentagon official to leave their post in recent weeks.

Eric Chewning, the right hand man to Mark Esper, will end his job at the end of the month.

Reports suggest he will be replaced by Jen Stewart, the top Republican member of staff on the House Armed Services Committee, and a former adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs."


Also from the same paper:

"The intelligence briefings given by top Trump administration officials to detail the rationale for an airstrike that has led the US to the brink of war with Iran has been derided by members of both parties in the US Capitol, marking a rare breach of unity in the Republican ranks.

The classified briefings were intended to bring Congress out of the dark on the justification for the airstrike Donald Trump ordered last week that killed Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s second most powerful figure.

But the briefings from top officials including State secretary Mike Pompeo and Defence secretary Mark Esper were quickly slammed by Democrats and at least two prominent Republicans, one of whom who called it “probably the worst briefing” of his career.

“Now I find this insulting and demeaning, not personally, but to the office that each of the 100 senators in this building happen to hold. I find it insulting, and I find it demeaning to the Constitution to which we’ve all sworn an oath. It is after all the prerogative of the legislative branch to declare war,” senator Mike Lee, a Republican, told reporters during a press briefing alongside senator Rand Paul.

Mr Lee added: “What we were told over and over again was, ‘look, this action is necessary, this was a bad guy, we had to do it and we can’t have division. We can’t have division within our ranks, within our government, otherwise it sends a wrong signal to the Iranians’. And I just, I think that’s completely wrong.”
Mike Lee blasts the Trump administrations post-Iran briefing: 'I find this insulting and demeaning'

Mr Lee joined in with many Democrats in decrying the classified briefings, with senator Chuck Schumer saying the Trump administration officials couldn’t handle the heat in the briefing room.

“As the questions began to get tough, they walked out,” the New York Democrat said. “There were so many important questions that they did not answer.”

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