(Photo via https://www.army.mil/article/247350/fort_leonard_wood_examines_wwii_ghost_army_deception_tactics)
August 27, 2023
10 War Strategies for Peace
(Photo via https://www.army.mil/article/247350/fort_leonard_wood_examines_wwii_ghost_army_deception_tactics)
March 26, 2023
The Doctrine of Deterrence Has Failed
Moreover, it’s not enough to just put up a show of some limited and hollow resistance; rather, when we do fight, it must be with our full determination to win. Unfortunately, too often we have gone in militarily with “shock and awe,” but turned abruptly tail in a politically wishy-washy “shame and retreat.” It’s high time to make U.S. deterrence mean something inescapably formidable once again.
(Source Photo via https://www.pexels.com/photo/soldiers-in-line-to-get-in-a-plane-54098/)
The Doctrine of Deterrence Has Failed
March 17, 2023
Not Our World
- Russia
- China
- Iran
- North Korea
Ever wonder what things will look like tomorrow? ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Not Our World
February 5, 2023
Stopping China's Spy Balloon
(https://static.timesofisrael.com/blogs/uploads/2023/02/Balloon.jpeg)
Stopping China's Spy Balloon
November 12, 2022
Hypersonic to a Global Showdown
While Russia is losing steam and ground in Ukraine, make no mistake that Russia, along with China, Iran, and North Korea, are determined to not only stop but also throw back what they perceive as western imperialism. Instead, they only see more dictatorship and the strengthening of their own authoritarian systems.While the hype in the news has been all about the proliferation of nuclear weapons, missiles, and drones, perhaps the real story is that we are moving at hypersonic speeds to a most dangerous global showdown between East and West. Blessed be the Holy One who is bringing us to a hopefully merciful final redemption.
(Source Photo: Bicanski; https://pixnio.com/objects/missiles-bombs/rocket-device-military-missile-weapon-airplane-vehicle-air-force#)
Hypersonic to a Global Showdown
June 18, 2022
It’s The Economy Stupid
It is incredible that our leaders, economic advisors, and near endless pundits didn’t see what was surely coming down the road in terms of an overheating economy, inflation, and a spiraling national debt now over $30 trillion and growing. Despite economic signals even visible to the layman, the Fed continued to promise to hold the interest rates near zero “for years” to come. The cheap money and free-wheeling government spending became an avalanche with almost no adult in the room willing to stand up and say, “Stop the money madness! Government handouts are not free!”Aside from the recklessness with which our economy has been handled, let’s not forget that there is a proxy war going on between the superpowers in Ukraine for the last four months, including a frightening blockade on grain shipments (i.e. food terrorism) to tens of millions of people. Further toward the east, China is upping the ante vowing to “fight until the end” for sovereignty over Taiwan. And in the middle, Iran is dismantling the IAEA nuclear monitoring cameras, adding high-speed centrifuges, increasing uranium enrichment, and threatening Israel and the West. Let’s just say all is not copacetic in the world, while a congressional select committee continue to focus on what happened on January 6, 2021 with the U.S. Capitol riots.
People are not blind, deaf, and dumb to what’s going on with the childish gamesmanship, politics of hate, and plenty of recklessness that is driving much of the national debate and (in)action in the country.
It’s The Economy Stupid
April 6, 2022
Putin Is A Mega Thief
Great explanation in the Wall Street Journal today for why Putin is focused in grabbing the east and south of Ukraine.
That's where Ukraine's energy reserves are!
To the tune of:
- $1 trillion of natural gas
- $400 billion of oil and condensate
- The worlds 6th-largest reserve of coal
And don't forget the strategic ports of both the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
Russia will control the energy supply chain for decades to come!
The West's nonsense sanctions against Putin don't even make a dent compared to what Putin is getting out of this deal!
Lesson from Putin is you can get away with massive theft and murder, and no one in this lawless world will stop you.
What do you think China is going to do with Taiwan next?
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Putin Is A Mega Thief
February 25, 2022
World Is Worse Today
With China up next to invade Taiwan.
With Iran and North Korea just waiting for their chances at evil.
With provocations, escalations, and threats of nuclear weapons.
The world is much worse today.
Peace is shattered.
There is no telling when or how this will all end.
(Credit Photo; Andy Blumenthal)
World Is Worse Today
February 24, 2022
Our Deterrence Is Lost
The U.S. is sitting on its hands.
NATO is in total disarray.
The United Nations is a joke!
As Russia looks mighty, we look ever so weak!
Total body blow to world democracy and human rights.
Russia is free to murder, take what it desires, do whatever it wants.
And China is gearing up for Taiwan next. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Our Deterrence Is Lost
January 30, 2022
People of Ukraine
It hit me today — with all the news about Russia preparing to invade Ukraine and devastate its people, unprovoked, there is nobody talking about the people of Ukraine.
Our leaders and news media are so misguided and focused on the geopolitics of the thing, all they talk about is what the U.S. and EU will do in terms of some measly sanctions.
But they have completely forgotten the innocent people there — 44 million of them — who face death and occupation.
Where is our leadership????
Where are the speeches about the innocent people? About freedom? About democracy? About human rights?
Where is the United Nations????
They are supposed to safeguard and maintain peace and security around the globe.
Where are the outspoken liberals who call out occupation, apartheid, and human rights abuses????
Not a word from anyone.
It’s incredible how prejudiced, biased, discriminatory and corrupt all these people can be. They can be brainwashed, bribed, and bought to speak out for those when it will somehow fit their agenda or benefit them!
But when the Russian or Chinese powerful aggressors are at the doorstep of Ukraine or Hong Kong/Taiwan — where is anybody to speak out?
Last night, I imagined the people of Ukraine sitting in fear, in worry about what will happen to them, their families, their homes.
Do the world leaders care anything about the lives of real people — men, women, and children — or only about how any conflict makes them look, and how they are polling, and the next election?
Morality and conscience — is it on life support or dead in this narcissist world of the powerful and elite. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
People of Ukraine
January 2, 2022
U.S. Misses The Boat on Hypersonic Missiles
But the U.S. spends more than the next top 11 countries combined on defense.
Yet, we have failed miserably at the next BIG thing in defense: hypersonic weapons!
Both China and Russia have hypersonic weapons ready to use on us.
China even claims they can use they can use their hypersonic missiles with heat seeking technology to destroy our most advanced fighter aircraft the F-35 and F-22.
Yet as recently as November, the 3rd of the U.S. Air Force's hypersonic missile tests failed!
Now at best, the U.S. Navy is hoping to be able to perhaps deploy hypersonic weapons by 2025-2028.
In the meantime, the U.S. is vulnerable to its adversaries at a time when Russia and China are rearing their militaries for confrontations in Ukraine and Taiwan, respectively.
And that could be only the beginning, if we don't get our military R&D together and fast.
How could this happen with all the money we spend on defense?
Eyes wide shut like Pearl Harbor and 9/11 all over again! ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
U.S. Misses The Boat on Hypersonic Missiles
January 1, 2022
A 2022 New Year of Eggs
Congratulations!
But I wouldn't call it "eggcellent," because there is a lot of world instability and fear looming on the horizon.
Are we looking at competition, conflict, and even possible areas of collapse or a much rosier outcome in the order of things?
- From Russia to China and Iran to North Korea.
- From Al-Qaeda to ISIS and Hamas to Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad
- From WMD to Cyber 9/11 and EMPs to Hypersonic ICBMs
- From Covid to the Economy and Inflation to National Insolvency
Like a bunch of eggs.
Will it be a year of Broken, Scrambled and Mashed or Sunny Side Up and Eggs Over Easy?
Either way, we had better hope and pray that we don't get fried and burned. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
A 2022 New Year of Eggs
December 11, 2021
Dancing on the Head of a Pin
We’re all different, and we all have something to say and contribute to solve life’s challenges. While some of us may think that they are better than others, the reality is that we are all human, fallible, and subject to life’s circumstance and G-d’s mighty hand. However, too often, we let ego get in the way, and instead of taking on the huge, almost insurmountable challenges that we face, we end up fighting about who’s in charge and who gets the credit.As we face the daunting challenges confronting America, Israel, and the world, we need effective “servant-leaders,” who are guided by a genuine moral compass and faith in G-d to take well-reasoned actions and not to punt the problems down the political road. Real leadership means leaving your ego at the door; it means self-sacrifice, compassion, creative thinking, and bold problem-solving. Big challenges can be dealt with, but we’ve got to have the right measure of ourselves, strength of character, and unity of purpose to finally overcome them.
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Dancing on the Head of a Pin
July 25, 2021
Let Freedom Ring
Guy from the truck asks me:
Do you know what CCP is?
Not having heard that acronym, I started to mumble something about communism, and before I could finish, he goes:
It stands for Chinese Communist Party.
He continued:
That's dictatorship. Do you know what that is?
I responded:
Of course, and the people want to be free.
He goes:
Yes, freedom! We want freedom.
It's hard to believe that a generation ago the Cold War ended, but here we are still with people battling Communism and repression of basic rights.
How lucky we are in America, Israel, and other western countries to live in freedom and have basic human rights.
People around the world fight and die trying to earn their freedom, and we wake up with it every day, and it's just there for us.
It's an incredible blessing to be free to think, speak, worship, and live how we choose.
We have to safeguard freedom and even fight for it: to have it, to keep it; and we should use it wisely to do and grow good in the world. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Let Freedom Ring
March 28, 2021
Walk Fort Lauderdale Beach
Walk Fort Lauderdale Beach
February 12, 2021
October 28, 2020
Overwhelming Public Fatigue
China Fatigue
Covid Fatigue
Election Fatigue
Exaggerations Fatigue
Extremism Fatigue
Fear Fatigue
Facebook Waste of Time Fatigue
Lies and Corruption Fatigue
Media Manipulation Fatigue
Power Politics Fatigue
Racism and Hate Fatigue
Riots and Looting Fatigue
Fatigue Fatigue ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Overwhelming Public Fatigue
July 5, 2020
Targeting Israel: A Distraction From Real Threats
While the world unfortunately focuses again on Israel (a state the size of New Jersey), they continue to unfortunately be asleep at the wheel when Russia invaded Crimea and annexed it from a sovereign country of Ukraine in 2014, and again now in 2020 as China is taking critical steps that restrict freedom and human rights in Hong Kong.
The question is why we are constantly being diverted to blame and attack Israel and to not look at the real threats to world peace? Yet again, it’s another modern-day blood libel! While the superpowers play Risk with the world order, we should not be fooled by others trying to tell Israel what to do. Nothing should stop Israel from annexing the 30% of the West Bank under the Middle East Peace Plan that is vital to their lasting peace and security. Today is July 4th and the U.S. and Israel stand united in their commitment to that future.
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
Targeting Israel: A Distraction From Real Threats
May 7, 2020
The Coronavirus Stock Market
As they say:
Don't count your chicken before they hatch.
This market has gotten way ahead of itself and the pending economic realities of the Coronavirus and the consequences of the trillions of response fund debt.
Remember:
- The virus does not yet have a vaccine, and it is mutating and may become even more virulent!
- The deaths continue to soar in the U.S. with now over 75,000 dead in just two months.
- The deaths involve much pain and suffering both for the victim and his/her grieving loved ones.
- The unemployment is at all time highs since the Great Depression.
- Companies are starting to move from temporary layoffs to permanent firings and contraction, and many eventually to bankruptcy.
- Profitability and gross domestic product are way down and may be even worse in the next quarter.
- Price Earning ratios are around their 10-year highs even looking out toward a possible 2021 recovery.
- Restarting the economy does not mean a return to what was as the extreme trauma from the pandemic, shutdown, and social distancing rebalance us to a "new normal."
- A second and third wave of Coronavirus may be as bad or even worse than the first.
- The two biggest global economies of the U.S. and China are facing a deteriorating and toxic relationship.
- The lingering $3,000,000,000,000 that we just added to our National Debt is going to increasingly strangle our future economic outlook.
- The election is in November and brings increasing instability and likely volatility.
In summary, the term used by former Fed Chairman, Alan Greenspan of "irrational exuberance" seems like a gross understatement when it comes to our current stock market.
Get ready to see the froth come painfully off this drunken market--these eggs are about ready to crack. ;-)
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
The Coronavirus Stock Market
April 17, 2020
Shabbat Shalom From Elmo!
When we didn't have to worry about viruses spread by eating live or wild animals or that "escape" from weapons laboratories.
It's good to be a little nostalgic.
Shabbat Shalom! ;-)
(Credit Graphic: Andy Blumenthal)
Shabbat Shalom From Elmo!