Putin starts “military operation” on Ukraine

[Volvobrick]

On 10/5/2024 at 3:20 AM, Ender said:

I am geopolitic noob and will ever be., what is this?

 

Excuse to go into Ukraine. Can claim they see some Polish military equipment in Ukraine and assume it's a Polish invasion! 

[Sturtles]

On 10/5/2024 at 1:20 AM, Ender said:

I am geopolitic noob and will ever be., what is this?

 

If you read Lukashenko’s biography, you will understand he is no ordinary person given the hardships and manoeuvres required to get to his position

 

The remarks may seem bizarre, but if one’s mind is open, it may simply be preparation for a Russo/Slavic friendly government post war 

[Ender]

The western countries have to ask themselves how a country like N Korea can be a much efficient supplier of arty shells than all the western partner countries combined. 

 

 

[Jamesc]

 

[Ghgan]

 

[Ghgan]

On 10/5/2024 at 3:45 PM, Ender said:

The western countries have to ask themselves how a country like N Korea can be a much efficient supplier of arty shells than all the western partner countries combined. 

 

 

The Pentagon gets gouged by American defense firms. The American military-industrial complex has become so concentrated nothing is made cheaply or cost-effective.

As an example, Boeing charged the Pentagon 1,678.61$ for a spare part for Apache and Chinook helicopters that the Pentagon already had in its warehouse which cost 7.71$. An oil switch NASA paid 328$ for the Pentagon pays 10,000$. There are hundreds of examples like this.

There is also an obvious moral hazard in which the defense firms will not design cheap cost-effective weapons simply because it makes less profit. There is little profit in making hundreds of thousands of 152 mm shells.

The 5 American defense firms spent 1.1 billion dollars on lobbying over the past 20 years. They are major drivers of American weapons procurement and defense policy. Congress and the Pentagon are filled with people who work for defense firms or the policy outlets they fund or who will get those jobs the second they leave office. 

Everyone understands the core problems, but as long as the revolving door and lobbying exist to the extent it does they will never be addressed outside crises IMO. These are all conscious choices, not things that just happened. 

Throwing more money at it is not going to fix it IMO. Even small things- like closing some of the loopholes that allow the Pentagon to be gouged have zero political will to be fixed. This thing needs big structural change, and I don't see it being fixed. It's just going to keep chugging along until a real crises forces changes.

The price and production rate is one reason why that's possible. Everything is cheaper in North Korea - including wages and material used.

Capitalism at it's finest. That's why you can't compare the GPD and military budget of different countries. $1B is totally different value in the USA, Western EU, Eastern EU, Russia, China South America, etc. The $800B defense budget of the US is impressive and basically larger than the rest of the world combined, but if the cost of production and wages are 5-10 times of let's say China, we are misleading ourselves.

The defense contracts of western nations have been flawed, and this war shows it. Not enough stockpiles. Not large enough contracts that specify a readiness to scale up production in the future. Not enough focus on weapons that can support our allies with cheaper and readily usable weapons. No cost-effective counters against drones (which are rapidly becoming the second most cost-effective weapon in use, with only mines being cheaper)

[Ender]

On 10/5/2024 at 10:44 PM, Ghgan said:

The Pentagon gets gouged by American defense firms. The American military-industrial complex has become so concentrated nothing is made cheaply or cost-effective.

As an example, Boeing charged the Pentagon 1,678.61$ for a spare part for Apache and Chinook helicopters that the Pentagon already had in its warehouse which cost 7.71$. An oil switch NASA paid 328$ for the Pentagon pays 10,000$. There are hundreds of examples like this.

There is also an obvious moral hazard in which the defense firms will not design cheap cost-effective weapons simply because it makes less profit. There is little profit in making hundreds of thousands of 152 mm shells.

The 5 American defense firms spent 1.1 billion dollars on lobbying over the past 20 years. They are major drivers of American weapons procurement and defense policy. Congress and the Pentagon are filled with people who work for defense firms or the policy outlets they fund or who will get those jobs the second they leave office. 

Everyone understands the core problems, but as long as the revolving door and lobbying exist to the extent it does they will never be addressed outside crises IMO. These are all conscious choices, not things that just happened. 

Throwing more money at it is not going to fix it IMO. Even small things- like closing some of the loopholes that allow the Pentagon to be gouged have zero political will to be fixed. This thing needs big structural change, and I don't see it being fixed. It's just going to keep chugging along until a real crises forces changes.

The price and production rate is one reason why that's possible. Everything is cheaper in North Korea - including wages and material used.

Capitalism at it's finest. That's why you can't compare the GPD and military budget of different countries. $1B is totally different value in the USA, Western EU, Eastern EU, Russia, China South America, etc. The $800B defense budget of the US is impressive and basically larger than the rest of the world combined, but if the cost of production and wages are 5-10 times of let's say China, we are misleading ourselves.

The defense contracts of western nations have been flawed, and this war shows it. Not enough stockpiles. Not large enough contracts that specify a readiness to scale up production in the future. Not enough focus on weapons that can support our allies with cheaper and readily usable weapons. No cost-effective counters against drones (which are rapidly becoming the second most cost-effective weapon in use, with only mines being cheaper)

Thanks for your view. Do agree with the cost of production are way cheaper in N Korea.

Not an economist, in fact quite a noob. But from my recent reading for the last two years, countries like N Korea or Iran are perpetually in war economy mode. Spending on military far outweigh for other sectors like improving people lifestyle. In order the match, or outmatch Russia and allies, I think the while EU has to biase toward war economy, but I think it's too late for that for Ukraine by now. EU and partners got complacent before the UKraine invasion.

Edited October 6 by Ender

[Ender]

On 10/6/2024 at 12:31 PM, yishunite said:

His assumption is that NK has huge production capacity rather than simply Russia taking from their existing stockpile

Both countries are under sanctions and doubtful they can acquire raw materials for explosives needed easily or Russia would have done it themselves. But NK never had "just in time" policy due to decades of sanctions so they would have sizeable stockpile. Question is how long can it last

Quite frustrating to read that Russia are still producing cruise and ballistic missile using western components. How these sanction electronics  got into Russia missile production? This is from one of Zelensky's post. 

[Atonchia]

 

[Ender]

 

More war crimes by vatniks. The frequency is increasing recently.

 

[Ender]

Maybe Medvedev wasn't updated that Luka is now friendly to Ukraine. He will protect Ukraine from Poland if they invade.

 

Edited October 6 by Ender

[Playtime]

On 9/29/2024 at 11:27 PM, Ender said:

This hit is as huge.

 

Damn....an accurate strike at  600KM

I reckon that surely makes Putin think a bit before he decides to launch a Iranian style mass rocket attack on the Ukrainian Capitol. 

[Playtime]

On 10/6/2024 at 10:07 PM, Atonchia said:

 

Listening to The 2 Italian girls at 18.00 🤯🤦‍♂️

They grew up in the euphoria of post cold war western european paradise. They are representative of the 白左, useful idiots, sjw etc who will call for open borders, wave Hamas flags at protest in the name of diversity etc. 

Sexual crimes alone have rocketed in Europe, everybody know who the perpetrators are.  But these girls pretend not to know. Really a case of you deserve what you ask for.🤦‍♂️

 

One of the worse sagas is in Britain,  the grooming gangs specifically targeted young white British girls. Incredibly it's still ongoing. Covered up in the name of political correctness. 

There are people who tried to call for action who had even been jailed as racist. 🤦‍♂️

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-67967919

 

[Playtime]

On 10/7/2024 at 12:39 AM, Ender said:

 

More war crimes by vatniks. The frequency is increasing recently.

 

As a Ukrainian commander,  if your men see such things and collectively make a decision to take no Russian prisoners anymore,  what can you do?

Honestly... I dont know.

[Jamesc]

Ukraine struck Russia's largest oil terminal in Crimea

 

[Jamesc]

 

[Ender]

Politics, something I will never grasp. Fico is a harsh critic of Ukraine and Pro Russia, vow to stop Ukraine from joining NATO. Something like Oban of Hungary.

Yet pro Ukrainian deals can get made with Ukraine. Slovakia also supply military equipments such as howitzer and arty shells currently

 

 

 

[Sturtles]

On 10/7/2024 at 11:23 PM, Ender said:

Politics, something I will never grasp. Fico is a harsh critic of Ukraine and Pro Russia, vow to stop Ukraine from joining NATO. Something like Oban of Hungary.

Yet pro Ukrainian deals can get made with Ukraine. Slovakia also supply military equipments such as howitzer and arty shells currently

 

 

 

 

You just need to understand the justification to make money.

For poorer Eastern European countries to provide charity to Ukraine is a no no...

But to justify in the name of freedom and democracy to make money, they will nod their head till kingdom come.