Somewhat disturbing that this was in a Russian parade today.
As Russia celebrates 'Defender Of The Fatherland' Day, they had an interesting message on the side of the parade's missiles: It reads "To be personally delivered to Obama."
What's wrong with that? Its just a giant green golf pencil. Obama loves to golf, kind of a nice gesture if you ask me, aside from the misspelling of his name.
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"The stakes are really high," Prystaiko says, pointing out that Ukraine has now closed its border crossing with Russia. "We don't want to scare everybody, but we are preparing for full-scale war."
What to do in the face of such a threat? For starters, get over your fears, he says.
"What we expect from the world is that the world will stiffen up in the spine a little," he says. "Everybody is afraid of fighting with a nuclear state. We are not anymore, in Ukraine — we've lost so many people of ours, we've lost so much of our territory.
"However dangerous it sounds, we have to stop [Putin] somehow. For the sake of the Russian nation as well, not just for the Ukrainians and Europe."
Prystaiko says Ukrainians are blunt when it comes to what they need.
"We would like Canada to send lethal weapons to Ukraine," he said. "Weapons to allow us to defend ourselves."
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
Yup we're seeing a return to the bad old days of the cold war with a Russia that's got Imperial ambitions this time.
We've got a rise in crazy in the Middle East.
Get out my Zabba Pants, wrap around sunglasses, mesh shirt and fanny pack, the 80's have returned.
You know what #### 'em.
Having worked with former eastern block military, I don't fear them. While they do have high end kit, much of their stuff is rudimentary and used by men that don't want to be in uniform.
This may have changed, but judging by the actions of The USSR recently, I bet not.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
Somewhat disturbing that this was in a Russian parade today.
As Russia celebrates 'Defender Of The Fatherland' Day, they had an interesting message on the side of the parade's missiles: It reads "To be personally delivered to Obama."
I always thought it was Mother Russia.
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^^^ Yeah, Germany was the fatherland, and the USSR the motherland I thought. (not that one had to do with the other, like they were a pair or something, just that that's what they were called.)
^^^ Yeah, Germany was the fatherland, and the USSR the motherland I thought. (not that one had to do with the other, like they were a pair or something, just that that's what they were called.)
First celebrated in 1919 the holiday marks the date in 1918 during the Russian Civil War when the first mass draft into the Red Army occurred in Petrograd and Moscow (on 17 February).
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Corporal Jean-Marc H. BECHARD, 6 Aug 1993
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Not liking how close this is happening to where my family lives. At least Poland is a Nato state. Nato would be obliged to step in should something happen correct?
Not liking how close this is happening to where my family lives. At least Poland is a Nato state. Nato would be obliged to step in should something happen correct?
Yeah, my understanding is that NATO would respond if requested in the hypothetical situation that Poland was attacked.
Poland is also a reasonably powerful and influential country in the European context. Aside from just NATO obligations, an attack on Poland would have pretty drastic effects on the West in general.
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"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
Having worked with former eastern block military, I don't fear them. While they do have high end kit, much of their stuff is rudimentary and used by men that don't want to be in uniform.
This may have changed, but judging by the actions of The USSR recently, I bet not.
I remember when I was in in the late 80's and we were trained that the Soviet Soldier or as they called themselves "The new Soviet Man" were 10 feet tall and brutal, they lived off of their reputation in World War 2 for a long time when they were considered to be an hard army shaped by the invasion by Germany and learned lessons that allowed them to become a ruthless horde.
Afghanistan had the same effect on the Russians' that Vietnam had on the American Military. It knocked a lot of the shine off of them, and whereas it forced the American's to professionalize their military and realize that a conscripted force was doomed to failure, The Russians went straight into their collapse and continue to use conscription to fill their ranks. However they did reduce the term of service to 12 months, which to me is funky because it takes more then 12 months to teach soldiering.
One of the other issues with the Russians were their reliance on the old ranks system in the NCO ranks. It just doesn't work because it doesn't treat Sergeants as what they should be experienced career soldiers. Instead a Sergeant is basically a conscript picked for his loyalty and intelligence and shipped off to a special school for more advanced training. The sergeant is the backbone on the NCO ranks and usually has significant experience and expertise that can be handed down to lower ranks.
However to give credit to Putin. He did spend a lot of money on upgrading the military equipment wise and that's good for morale, they also are spending a lot more money on training, and things like basic comforts. The brutalization of lower ranks was also ended. The Russians are trying to professionalize their army but that's an ongoing struggle.
In terms of a recent poll done in Russia, the support for the Military has general increased which is also good for morale of the average soldier. On top of that, right now they are fighting on a winning side for a change. The Russian Military has basically through their actions in Crimea made NATO and the American's back down, so they are having that "Russia frack ya" moment in their military.
Right now in terms of the Ukraine and Russian Federation Ground Forces, they are fighting on a winning side, they have a short supply line, they have fresh equipment so I would say their morale is high. In terms of the Navy, I think they are actually thinking that in terms of unit on unit against the American's that they have closed the gap.
I don't doubt that there are conscripts that don't want to be there, but I think they feel better about their chances of surviving their conscription period and that's helpful to morale as well.
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Not liking how close this is happening to where my family lives. At least Poland is a Nato state. Nato would be obliged to step in should something happen correct?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction
Yeah, my understanding is that NATO would respond if requested in the hypothetical situation that Poland was attacked.
Poland is also a reasonably powerful and influential country in the European context. Aside from just NATO obligations, an attack on Poland would have pretty drastic effects on the West in general.
An attack on one is an attack on all.
Interesting side note. Polish soldiers are the best drunk drivers I have ever dealt with.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
Not liking how close this is happening to where my family lives. At least Poland is a Nato state. Nato would be obliged to step in should something happen correct?
An attack on NATO ground anywhere is an attack on NATO itself and the NATO accord is pretty specific in terms of the response that has to happen. In other words, unlike the movies where NATO countries don't help. they don't have a choice but to contribute and its pretty well laid out in terms of what the response has to be.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
I remember when I was in in the late 80's and we were trained that the Soviet Soldier or as they called themselves "The new Soviet Man" were 10 feet tall and brutal, they lived off of their reputation in World War 2 for a long time when they were considered to be an hard army shaped by the invasion by Germany and learned lessons that allowed them to become a ruthless horde.
Afghanistan had the same effect on the Russians' that Vietnam had on the American Military. It knocked a lot of the shine off of them, and whereas it forced the American's to professionalize their military and realize that a conscripted force was doomed to failure, The Russians went straight into their collapse and continue to use conscription to fill their ranks. However they did reduce the term of service to 12 months, which to me is funky because it takes more then 12 months to teach soldiering.
One of the other issues with the Russians were their reliance on the old ranks system in the NCO ranks. It just doesn't work because it doesn't treat Sergeants as what they should be experienced career soldiers. Instead a Sergeant is basically a conscript picked for his loyalty and intelligence and shipped off to a special school for more advanced training. The sergeant is the backbone on the NCO ranks and usually has significant experience and expertise that can be handed down to lower ranks.
However to give credit to Putin. He did spend a lot of money on upgrading the military equipment wise and that's good for morale, they also are spending a lot more money on training, and things like basic comforts. The brutalization of lower ranks was also ended. The Russians are trying to professionalize their army but that's an ongoing struggle.
In terms of a recent poll done in Russia, the support for the Military has general increased which is also good for morale of the average soldier. On top of that, right now they are fighting on a winning side for a change. The Russian Military has basically through their actions in Crimea made NATO and the American's back down, so they are having that "Russia frack ya" moment in their military.
Right now in terms of the Ukraine and Russian Federation Ground Forces, they are fighting on a winning side, they have a short supply line, they have fresh equipment so I would say their morale is high. In terms of the Navy, I think they are actually thinking that in terms of unit on unit against the American's that they have closed the gap.
I don't doubt that there are conscripts that don't want to be there, but I think they feel better about their chances of surviving their conscription period and that's helpful to morale as well.
I don't buy what they are selling.
Russia has always taken a meat grinder approach.
I say again #### 'em.
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
Well I guess it's reassuring to know that if I wake up one day and find out Poland has been attacked I can expect full out nuclear war shortly.
Something cool about being the last generation on the planet
Quote:
Originally Posted by undercoverbrother
Interesting side note. Polish soldiers are the best drunk drivers I have ever dealt with.
Another interesting fact, today Poland has a zero bac tolerance for drivers and anytime you are pulled over, they make you do a breathalyzer test, regardless of why you were pulled over. People in Poland won't drink at all if they have to drive the NEXT day. Super lame when I'm on holidays there and no one wants to do anything.
While I would love the West to get in there and train Ukrainian soldiers, provide weapons, maybe even give some covert support, I really don't think this ends till we cripple Russia's economy. That's how the USSR broke.
Make it so babas have to wait 4 hours in the cold for a loaf of moldy bread. We'll see how much support Putin has then.
Dunno if that's entirely possible given the relationship they have with China, but you gotta think that right now, we are only preventing a further march west through the Ukraine at best if we start arming them. And even then, it's going to be very costly in both lives and money.
Isolate Russia in the world. Putin is a proud man. Yeah he'll dig in for a while, but it's been shown he wants to be on the world stage. Take away the G8, the World Cup, whatever you can. Then, make their citizens poor.
Not liking how close this is happening to where my family lives. At least Poland is a Nato state. Nato would be obliged to step in should something happen correct?
Thats what they thought last time.
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