Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09
I reckon he just saved his retirement !Breedlove, a four star Air Force general, was careful not to tell members of Congress anything that directly undermined the authority of the Commander-in-Chief during his March briefings.
If you want to blend in, take the bus
Stan---this is the point of positing this one---it is as if Putin does not understand the finer mechanics of the big wide world of banks and financial bailouts.Outlaw,
It's a bailout guarantee and there is no less than 18 billion promised.
Simple but complicated and designed to avert bankruptcy for a crisis-hit country. Been doing it since the 70s.
We sell you a widget that costs a gazillion dollars with accessorial charges, which funds our witch hunts and does not cost the tax payer a thin dime.
This is way too easy and nothing that Putin could ever imagine
The Russians simply pour in pure money and cannot seem to fathom the idea of leveraging.
So maybe they are not so globalization savvy.
Could be the mafia doesn't do guarantees
I wait with baited breath for a gas leak
If you want to blend in, take the bus
Stan--like actually the macho of this particular Air Force Commander who seems to both see the problem and understands how to demonstrate strength without going overboard and he is getting good marks from fellow NATO officers.
By the way commercial satellite coverage is showing no drawback inclinations on the Russians part.
Got a link dude ?
PS. You know what the Army thinks about the AF !
If you want to blend in, take the bus
Stan---if one goes back to the milking incident the main dude in charge of the Ukrainian gas company was appointed under the old president and is the one who fled leaving behind 42 kilos of gold bars and 5M in US cash in his home.Outlaw,
Certainly a good point and a sore point. It wasn't long ago that Russia accused the Ukraine of "milking" gas from the pipeline to Europe.
Not too far fetched eh ?
So, who screwed who first
Guess his travel money was to heavy in the end to carry in his pockets when he pulled out and headed East.
Our development of a counter threat finance analysis capability during the last ten years for AQ/Iran is truly coming into play with the ability to do post forensics on just where did the money go---noticed in a Philippine newspaper article they have offered the Ukraine their expertise on how to build a team to track the money---if in book form someday it would be a bestseller.
The game of the missing gas reminds me of the shell game they play here on the streets of Berlin by Romanians---under which shell is the pea in this case---the gas.
The milking of gas is relatively easy as most delivery contracts demand a varying line pressure of 61 to 63% at all times so if pushing at say 63% out of Minsk it is coming in at say Bonn at 61% the delivery level is within parameters and no one cares but where did the 2% go that started out in say Minsk and as it transitioned the Ukraine it was say 62%. So 1% lost in Belarus and another 1% between the Ukraine and Germany.
And as they say 1% of a really large sum is not chum change --then what is 2%?
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 04-11-2014 at 05:54 PM.
Stan--was cruising a number of sites---will go back and try to find it.Got a link dude ?
PS. You know what the Army thinks about the AF !
Yes I know what they think but on occasions even the AF especially this 4star gets it right---even JMA might like what he was pushing for---and for a change a 4star who understands the use of the military card in soft power.
If I remember it correctly he was not the first choice for the position---wasn't the Marine 4star (was previously in AFG) due the position before he took a public hit due to former General P and his escapades?
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 04-11-2014 at 06:03 PM.
Outlaw,
isn't soft power reserved for our State buds ?
You're correct, he was not the first choice. But I recall the Marine General citing family problems as a reason for his personal withdrawal.
Hey, whatever.
I don't get off on AF what evers, don't like them, can't count on them when the Sierra hits the fan.
If you want to blend in, take the bus
Stan---this link is for photos up to 27 March-large number some of which were also released by Breedlove/NATO--still searching for the latest link.Got a link dude ?
PS. You know what the Army thinks about the AF !
http://graphics.wsj.com/russian-forc...mod=rusgraphic
Breedlove is AF and understands the use of ISR---it is for me amazing that a US 4star takes the unprecedented move to use open source and good quality imagery photos to inform Putin exactly where his own Army is located.
A new high in international relations---having to tell the Russians where their own mobilized troops were located.
The Russian response was interesting as they tried to claim the photos were from an earlier exercise so therefore fakes so the commercial company provided before and after shots.
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 04-11-2014 at 06:20 PM.
Stan---this AF commander is far different---if you read the DB article he is not in synch with WH/Obama as he feels Putin wants the entire Ukraine and he wants to assist the Ukrainians far more than Obama wants to.
This article goes in to more detail although in German----Breedlove released the photos to give the Ukrainians an understanding of where the Russian were stationed---if the story is correct---the Ukrainians have moved a bulk of their troops to the inner core to defend in the middle giving up the edges.
http://www.huffingtonpost.de/2014/04...hp_ref=germany
Thanks for the links and pics !
I'm no imagery expert, but staging areas are also needed for training prep and 30 miles is a long shot for preparations to invade a country.The images appear to undermine official suggestions from Moscow that there is nothing unusual about the troop movements, nor any reason to be alarmed.
The pictures show rows of hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles apparently waiting for orders in fields and other temporary locations around 30 miles (50km) from the frontier. The images, taken in the past two weeks, show some of what Nato said was around 100 staging areas that were almost entirely unoccupied in February.
Did it actually work out that way ? Granted, we are in a new age with imagery and intel. Could the good General simply tell and show Putin his hand ?
I'm sure they were a bit surprised with the footage, but they have claimed all along this was a military exercise. 30 miles away from your border is a bit of a haul for a take over. In less than 8 hours all my tanks will be out of fuel ?
Doesn't sound like much of a well thought out plan.
If you want to blend in, take the bus
Stan---the reason for this article becomes apparent with the German article in the link previously provided.
http://www.huffingtonpost.de/2014/04...hp_ref=germany
Check the paragraph referencing the stationing in the last days by the Russians of SA21s in Kaliningrad. SA21s have not been physically seen outside of physical Russia.
With the SA21s range of 400kms against aircraft and missiles Putin has effectively countered the basing of NATO fighter aircraft in the Baltics and covers half of Polish airspace and into Swedish as well.
Granted, but that would be a bit risky since Obama is his boss.
You can also read it here in English
This open source is also very much yankee and tends to be a little to the left from center in views. No ?
If you want to blend in, take the bus
Stan---Huffington is yes left of center but the article being quoted was from Bild a German center to center right newspaper so I am guessing they had a good link into NATO via the German military.
The Russian new tanks are gas turbine and have a much better fuel consumption---with an Abrams all you need to find are the fuelers and one finds the tanks.
Reference Obama---there has been not a single call from either Putin or Obama in over a week---after constant calling---am assuming Obama is hardening his position and is allowing the good general to release--if one also looks at his responses threating more sanctions over the last eastern demos I think he is hardening up and going for the long haul approach.
Putin on the other hand has tried repeatedly to get any form of a meeting other than what is being proposed by both Kerry and Merkel as a form of face saving but on his terms---but nothing is being accepted and that is grating him now---you can see it in his press comments such as the US1B not being a real loan.
What is apparent is that while he is talking he is moving piece for piece his military into a position to block any military action by NATO if he goes for the entire Ukraine which will occur before the election 25 May if he goes for it while reinstating the former "legitimate" president currently sitting in Rostov and "federalizing" the country.
And for your location ---his military moves also block NATO from supporting with both ground and air the Baltics.
The key indicators are the SA21s----and not talked about are the electronic warfare units forward deployed on the Ukrainian border and in the Crimea being manned by Russian Defense Companies not military personnel. The Russians are moving the 21s much as they did the SA5/6s/8s in the Cold War days and are building belts.
What is interesting is that the Russians have developed further their mobile IEW units while we dismantled ours as peace broke out in 1989 and someone in DoD/WH felt there was no further need for US military units in Europe.
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 04-11-2014 at 07:35 PM.
One of the things the Baltic States ended up agreeing with was that we no longer had a threat of a nuke war but regional security increased.
I'm finding it hard to believe that 10 to 12 F16s scare Putin into missile deployments. We've always had two fighters on rotation since NATO, and the Russians have always balked, always moved their units around our borders, and, always celebrated their Victory Day knowing good and well, we could care less, and, the locals would go haywire.
How many SA21s would it take to counter a bunch of F16s with limited ammo, refueling, etc, etc. ?
It's not like we have a KC10 flying around refueling or any forward operating bases like in the movies with a constant supply of ammo
If you want to blend in, take the bus
Stan---not many and it is rumored to be far more effective than the Patriots and by the way the S300s were also moved into the Crimea effectively providing air defense coverage for all of southern Ukraine.One of the things the Baltic States ended up agreeing with was that we no longer had a threat of a nuke war but regional security increased.
I'm finding it hard to believe that 10 to 12 F16s scare Putin into missile deployments. We've always had two fighters on rotation since NATO, and the Russians have always balked, always moved their units around our borders, and, always celebrated their Victory Day knowing good and well, we could care less, and, the locals would go haywire.
How many SA21s would it take to counter a bunch of F16s with limited ammo, refueling, etc, etc. ?
It's not like we have a KC10 flying around refueling or any forward operating bases like in the movies with a constant supply of ammo
It is not about fear it is about controlling airspace and blocking any NATO military moves which the 21s can in fact do thus the Baltics are militarily so to speak effectively neutralized from Kaliningrad---without having to position ground troops on the borders which they have done anyway with their large scale ground exercise two weeks ago.
When it is all said and done this is what is worrying Breedlove and why he has a certain urgency in his statements---he sees it.
http://www.10youtube.com/autos/s-400...i.html#content
http://www.10youtube.com/news/s-300-...4.html#content
Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 04-11-2014 at 08:05 PM.
This is an good article in explaining the scamming schemes the oligarchs use to take over ownership of companies and then leverage them for bank loans and move property ownership to Russian entities.
Explains how a 28 year old can become a Billionaire in a couple of years.
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukra...ty-343135.html
I'm not quite up to date but I found this Moscow Times article interesting and partly revealing.
That debate and how those funds enter into the great world of accounting will be interesting to watch. Where will the budget lines be drawn between supporting overall the Russian economy and specifically the occupied territory?BERLIN — Russia may change its budget rules to reflect the addition of Crimea and its population of about 2 million people, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov was quoted as saying on Thursday during a visit to Berlin.
...
"When a country gets 2 million new people ... which need big investments, this cannot be done by just diverting funds from existing state programs," Shuvalov was quoted as telling Die Welt, adding roads and ports required "serious investments".
Russian budget rules limit government borrowing to 1 percent of output and link spending to the long-term oil price.
"I think it's right for this rule to be changed for two million new Russian citizens in Crimea," Shuvalov said. "State debt is very low in Russia, among the lowest in Europe. I think under such conditions, we can raise it a little."
So at least somebody higher up in Russian politics states the obvious which surfaced in this thread already in the first pages...With the EU importing about a third of its gas from Russia and accounting for three quarters of its gas exports, Shuvalov acknowledged that "Russia is more dependent on the European market than Europe is dependent on Russian supplies".
As far as I can see the current Russian line on foreign companies is to sing sweet songs about 'open to business' and 'investment is welcome' or so. Quite a change from the first days of the occuption. I'm pretty sure some smarter people in the economic sphere were able to convince most players to sound at least nice in that regard.
Last edited by Firn; 04-11-2014 at 08:31 PM.
... "We need officers capable of following systematically the path of logical argument to its conclusion, with disciplined intellect, strong in character and nerve to execute what the intellect dictates"
General Ludwig Beck (1880-1944);
Speech at the Kriegsakademie, 1935
Breedlove is between a rock and a hard place.
From where I'm sitting he is seen to be the Commander of NATO. It appears his US military career depends on his towing the line of the current US Administration. This I see as undermining NATO and the security and defense needs and concerns of the European countries making up the membership of that organisation.
It calls into question whether NATO is 'a system for a collective defence of member states agree to mutual defense to an attack by any external party' or a foreign policy arm of the US?
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