When I was a kid in the 50's, blacks were all but invisible. They never appeared in advertising (nor did latinos) and were scarcely present in sports. For entertainment, we had cringeworthy characters like "Rochester" on the Jack Benny Show and, in the 60's, Bill Dana doing his Jose Jimenez routines to wild applause.
The effort for diversity has been a long and hard one. Affirmative action and busing were flashpoints but it is hard to see how another way could have been taken. Appearances mean quite a bit. The denial of racial equality made it extremely difficult for blacks to get into any but the lowest positions of the labor force. I recently took AMTRAK from Chicago to DC and noticed that the "red caps", the porters who help out at the RR terminals, are now fully diverse, not exclusively black as they once were. In like manner, the conductors are diverse and not exclusively white as they once were. That's a sign of progress.
Speaking of “war and weapons as investment,” Gee… . Can an “Ice Breaker Gap” with Russia ~ like the “Missile Gap” with the USSR back in the late 50s [see #Note below] ~ be far behind? My neighbors up here in Alaska are already talking about it. And some are even thinking about it… :
PUTIN TOUTS RUSSIA’S ‘ARCTIC POWER’ WITH NEW NUCLEAR ICEBREAKER {Extracts] by Al Jazeera 22 Nov 22
*** ARCTIC EXPERTS HAVE SAID IT WOULD TAKE THE WEST AT LEAST 10 YEARS TO CATCH UP WITH RUSSIA’S MILITARY IN THE REGION, IF IT CHOSE TO DO SO. ***
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday touted Russia’s Arctic power at a flag-raising ceremony and dock launch for two nuclear-powered icebreakers that will ensure year-round navigation in the Western Arctic.
Presiding via video link from the Kremlin at the launch ceremony in St Petersburg in northern Russia, Putin said such icebreakers were of strategic importance for the country.
“Both icebreakers were laid down as part of a large serial project and are part of our large-scale, systematic work to re-equip and replenish the domestic icebreaker fleet, TO STRENGTHEN RUSSIA’S STATUS AS A GREAT ARCTIC POWER,” Putin said.
THE ARCTIC IS TAKING ON GREATER STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AS A SHRINKING ICE CAP OPENS UP NEW SEA LANES.
VAST OIL AND GAS RESOURCES LIE IN RUSSIA’S ARCTIC REGIONS, INCLUDING A LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS PLANT ON THE YAMAL PENINSULA.
“We will increase the capabilities of our nuclear icebreaker fleet,” Putin said.
The 173.3-metre (569 feet) Yakutia, with a displacement of up to 33,540 tonnes, can smash through ice of up to three metres. It will enter service in 2024.
Two other icebreakers in the same series, the Arktika and the Sibir, are already in service, and another, the Chukotka, is scheduled for 2026.
Putin said a super-powerful nuclear 209-metre icebreaker known as “Rossiya”, with a displacement of up to 71,380 tonnes, would be completed by 2027. It will be able to break through ice four metres thick.
“They are needed for the study and development of the Arctic, to ensure safe, sustainable navigation in this region, to increase traffic along the Northern Sea Route,” Putin said.
“THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS MOST IMPORTANT TRANSPORT CORRIDOR WILL ALLOW RUSSIA TO MORE FULLY UNLOCK ITS EXPORT POTENTIAL AND ESTABLISH EFFICIENT LOGISTICS ROUTES, INCLUDING TO SOUTHEAST ASIA.”
Putin, who came to power in 1999 promising to end the chaos triggered by the collapse of the Soviet Union, has quietly strengthened RUSSIA’S PRESENCE IN THE ARCTIC, WHERE RUSSIA HAS MORE THAN 24,000KM (15,000 MILES) OF COASTLINE, STRETCHING FROM THE BARENTS SEA TO THE SEA OF OKHOTSK.
SINCE 2005, RUSSIA HAS REOPENED TENS OF ARCTIC SOVIET-ERA MILITARY BASES, MODERNISED ITS NAVY, AND DEVELOPED NEW HYPERSONIC MISSILES DESIGNED TO EVADE US SENSORS AND DEFENCES.
“In the United States, during the Cold War, the missile gap was the perceived superiority of the number and power of the USSR's missiles in comparison with those of the U.S. (a lack of military parity). The gap in the ballistic missile arsenals did not exist except in exaggerated estimates, made by the Gaither Committee in 1957 and in United States Air Force (USAF) figures. Even the contradictory CIA figures for the USSR's weaponry, which showed a clear advantage for the US, were far above the actual count. LIKE THE BOMBER GAP OF ONLY A FEW YEARS EARLIER, IT WAS SOON DEMONSTRATED THAT THE GAP WAS ENTIRELY FICTIONAL.
“JOHN F. KENNEDY IS CREDITED WITH INVENTING THE TERM IN 1958 AS PART OF THE ONGOING ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN WHICH A PRIMARY PLANK OF HIS RHETORIC WAS THAT THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION WAS WEAK ON DEFENSE. It was later learned that Kennedy was apprised of the actual situation during the campaign, which has led scholars to question what Kennedy knew and when he knew it. THERE HAS BEEN SOME SPECULATION THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE ILLUSORY NATURE OF THE MISSILE GAP FROM THE START AND THAT HE WAS USING IT SOLELY AS A POLITICAL TOOL, AN EXAMPLE OF POLICY BY PRESS RELEASE.”
Heh. And it looks like the USCG wing of the MICC is on the “Icebreaker Gap” already with all sorts of solutions… :
US COAST GUARD CALLS FOR LARGER ICEBREAKER FLEET TO COMPETE IN THE ARCTIC by Zamone Perez 14 July 2022
WASHINGTON ― The U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaker capability must grow to counter Russian and Chinese activities in the Arctic, the service’s commandant told lawmakers Thursday.
Polar ice has steadily decreased over the last few decades, opening potential new trade routes that could link Asia, North America and Europe.
During a hearing with the House Homeland Security Committee’s transportation and maritime security panel, ADM. LINDA FAGAN EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO BUILD AN ICEBREAKER FLEET CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE ARCTIC REGION, SPECIFICALLY POINTING TO POLAR SECURITY CUTTERS.
“WE ARE AN ARCTIC NATION,” FAGAN SAID. “GETTING THE CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY TO CREATE AN ENDURING PRESENCE IN THE ARCTIC, IN THE WATERS OFF ALASKA ARE ABSOLUTELY A PRIORITY.”
PRODUCTION FOR THE FIRST POLAR SECURITY CUTTERS BEGAN THIS YEAR. SHIPBUILDER VT HALTER MARITIME IS MANUFACTURING THE FIRST PSC UNDER A FIXED-PRICE CONTRACT, EXPECTED TO CONCLUDE IN 2025.
THE COAST GUARD WILL EVENTUALLY RECEIVE THREE HEAVY ICEBREAKERS, FOLLOWED BY THREE MEDIUM ICEBREAKERS. THE COAST GUARD REQUESTED $167.2 MILLION IN THE FISCAL 2023 BUDGET TO CONTINUE PRODUCTION OF THE PSCS, WHILE ALSO SEEKING $30.1 MILLION TO OPERATE A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ICEBREAKER AS IT WAITS.
The U.S. has in recent years run a stark PSC deficit against other Arctic powers, such as Russia. RUSSIA NOW HAS MORE THAN 40 ACTIVE ICEBREAKERS, INCLUDING ROUGHLY 10 NUCLEAR-POWERED VARIANTS, according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy.
The u.s. operates two icebreakers ― the heavy Polar Star and the medium Healy. THAT CAPABILITY DIFFERENCE, FAGAN ARGUED, MAKES CLEAR “WHY IT IS SO CRITICAL” TO CLOSE THE GAP IN ICEBREAKER CAPABILITIES.
For its part, CHINA IN 2018 DECLARED ITSELF A “NEAR-ARCTIC POWER” in its Arctic policy document, with a focus on shoring up energy security as Beijing works to move its economy off of coal.
“As [China] operates around the world, presence and access, I believe, is their interest, which is WHY IT BECOMES SO CRITICAL FOR US AS AN ARCTIC NATION TO HAVE A PRESENCE ON THE WATER IN THE ARCTIC TO ENSURE OUR OWN NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY,” Fagan said.
As the planet warms, a more equipped Coast Guard will have to tackle rising problems, said Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., who chairs the House subcommittee.
“AN EVER-CHANGING GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND NEW CHALLENGES FROM CLIMATE CHANGE MEAN THAT THE COAST GUARD HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ESSENTIAL TO AMERICA’S NATIONAL SECURITY,” she added.
Heh. Thank You, Bill, for reminding me of that flick; gonna watch it tonite for the first time in entirely too long.
i'd say it is much more pressingly relevant today than it was back then in 1964 when it came out, right after the Tonkin Gulf Incident, and less than two years after the Missiles of October 1962.
I've been wanting to write about the topic for some time, primarily to further develop my perspective and organize my thoughts.
One thing I resonated with immediately (aside from the personal history/traits that I share) was the term, "optical diversity". I, too have been troubled for a long time about how the projection of 'diversity' has been used as a mere tool in the hands of cynical people- elected and appointed government officials, NGOs, and especially of course, the marketing types hired by commercial interests.
I don't have an Rx for the problem that is fear of diversity (AKA xenophobia) and the stunted human development that it reflects; though in that vein perhaps a coming-of-age encounter with psylocibyin mushrooms might help. (One of the commonly reported effects of which is the psychic grasping of the notion that we are all connected).
I do, however, make the linkage between the violent acting out of these hatreds and fears and the cultural violence that is embodied within our imperialism and militarism and all the cultural reflections of it, from film to video games. We certainly have become inured to killing and all other forms of violence via our 'entertainment' industry- itself a mere reflection of how our nation acts against any other with whose political choices we disagree.
Perhaps it's time for a society-wide reflection on this nexus?
(There's a lot more to be said about the problems and possible solutions but that's for another space & time. )
Did You ever wonder what the American People think about the amount of money their government spends on national security and defense?
Gallup has asked the following question since 1969: “There is much discussion as to the amount of money the government in Washington should spend for national defense and military purposes. How do you feel about this? Do you think we are spending too little, about the right amount or too much?”
The Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex [MICC] needs to keep total power so that its leaders and principal players do not end up going to jail. “If the Defense Department can’t get its books straight, how can it be trusted with a budget of more than $800 billion per year?” … :
THE PENTAGON FAILS ITS FIFTH AUDIT IN A ROW by Connor Echols
Last week, the Department of Defense revealed that it had failed its fifth consecutive audit.
“I would not say that we flunked,” said DoD Comptroller Mike McCord, although his office did note that THE PENTAGON ONLY MANAGED TO ACCOUNT FOR 39 PERCENT OF ITS $3.5 TRILLION IN ASSETS. “The process is important for us to do, and it is making us get better. It is not making us get better as fast as we want.”
The news came as no surprise to Pentagon watchers. After all, THE U.S. MILITARY HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE ONLY U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY TO HAVE NEVER PASSED A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT.
But what did raise some eyebrows was the fact that DoD MADE ALMOST NO PROGRESS IN THIS YEAR’S BOOKKEEPING: OF THE 27 AREAS INVESTIGATED, ONLY SEVEN EARNED A CLEAN BILL OF FINANCIAL HEALTH, which McCord described as “basically the same picture as last year.”
Given this accounting disaster, it should come as no surprise that the Pentagon has a habit of bad financial math. This is especially true when it comes to estimating the cost of weapons programs.
The Pentagon’s most famous recent boondoggle is the F-35 program, which has gone over its original budget by $165 billion to date.
What was that Bullshit Biden was mouthing at COP27 recently? So much for “commitments,” eh?
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION APPROVES GULF OIL TERMINAL OPPOSED BY TEXAS CITY by Zack Budryk - 11/23/22
The Transportation Department’s Maritime Administration formally granted the license Nov. 21, ending a process that began under the Trump administration three years ago. The Sea Port Oil Terminal would be located offshore of Freeport, Texas, with a capacity of 2 million barrels a day. The project would involve two pipelines running through the city of Surfside Beach, where the City Council unanimously voted in opposition to the project in March 2020.
Greenpeace blasted the Biden administration’s approval of the terminal, pointing to an environmental impact statement published in July projecting the terminal would generate 83,000 tons of carbon emissions per year through the construction process alone, with a projected total of 219 million tons a year in downstream refining and combustion emissions.
The environmentalist group also pointed to President Biden’s recent attendance at the COP27 United Nations climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and the Biden administration’s stated commitment to cutting carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030.
“When we say oil and gas companies are sacrificing communities to make a buck this is exactly what we’re talking about. We have less than a decade to cut emissions by half. Approving new oil and gas projects is not a bridge, it is an on-ramp to planetary collapse,” Destiny Watford, climate campaigner at Greenpeace US, said in a statement. “It is peak hypocrisy for President Biden and [Transportation] Secretary Pete Buttigieg to shorten the fuse on the world’s largest carbon bomb by greenlighting additional oil export terminals right after lecturing the world about increasing climate ambitions at COP27.”
The Hill has reached out to the Transportation Department for comment.
Now here's a question you're not likely to see on MSNBC etc.: was the recent WalMart killer in Chesapeake a diversity hire? If WalMart records show he evaded normal company disciplinary actions in the name of diversity, would that be grounds for a lawsuit from the families of the victims?
And "The Beat Goes On," as Sonny and Cher once put it… :
U.S. SENDING UKRAINE 200 GENERATORS, ANTI-DRONE MACHINE GUNS With Ukraine’s electrical grid hobbled by Russian drone strikes, the United States is rushing 200 generators to the beleaguered country—along with thermal-sighted machine guns to shoot down the next wave of drones, Pentagon officials announced Wednesday:
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: $400 Million in Additional Assistance for Ukraine Nov. 23, 2022 |
Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) announces the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $400 million to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs. This authorization is the Biden Administration's twenty-sixth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.
Capabilities in this package include:
• Additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS);
• 150 heavy machine guns with thermal imagery sights to counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS);
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
• 200 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;
• 10,000 120mm mortar rounds;
• High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
• 150 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);
• Over 100 light tactical vehicles;
• Over 20,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition;
• Over 200 generators;
• Spare parts for 105mm Howitzers and other equipment.
With Russia's unrelenting and brutal missile and UAS attacks on Ukrainian critical energy infrastructure, additional air defense capabilities remain an urgent priority. The additional munitions for NASAMS and heavy machine guns will help Ukraine counter these urgent threats.
In total, the United States has committed more than $19.7 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $21.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and more than $19 billion since the beginning of Russia's unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24.
To meet Ukraine's evolving battlefield requirements, the United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with key capabilities.
WHY DEFENSE BUDGETS WILL STAY HIGH AFTER THE UKRAINE WAR by Patrick Tucker
*** The war is exposing how European nations were underinvesting in defense, and the critical role that renewable energy will play in transatlantic security. ***
Even after Russian forces retreat from Ukraine, WESTERN GOVERNMENTS SHOULD EXPECT HIGHER DEFENSE BUDGETS, AND TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO UKRAINE’S DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES TO WARD OFF ANOTHER RUSSIAN INVASION, military and government officials said at the recent Halifax International Security Forum. They should also invest more in renewable energy to blunt the economic impact of using less Russian oil and gas.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told Defense One that THE UNITED STATES WILL STILL NEED TO DETER A DEFEATED RUSSIA
“A critical part of ending the war and beginning reconstruction is ensuring that we are providing for Ukraine’s security going forward,” Coons said. “If you look back at the example of the American Revolution, we signed a peace treaty in 1783. But we were back at war with Great Britain in less than 20 years. EVERY UKRAINIAN YOU TALK TO EXPRESSES HIS CONCERN that even if the fighting stops, even if they reach a ceasefire, even if they reach a peace treaty, they will be concerned ABOUT THE PROSPECTS THAT PUTIN WILL RESTART THE WAR … I think they deserve investments in their future defense capabilities.”
ONE OF THE BIGGEST LESSONS OF THE WAR, PARTICULARLY FOR EUROPEAN NATO MEMBERS, IS THAT THE MILITARY AND SECURITY THREAT POSED BY AUTOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS LIKE RUSSIA—AND CHINA—IS LARGER THAN WHAT MANY WERE PREPARED FOR.
Based on that, i would say that YES: War and Weapons are definitely “investments.”
The question, of course, is: WHO are these “investors,” and what political and economic profit and advantage are they seeking and continually succeeding at getting?
And the answers are very obvious to anybody who knows the slightest bit of history and is paying the slightest bit of attention to recent and current events.
Speaking of diversity [in this case, of opinion]: This WaPo headline is an indicator that it may be a very interesting winter in the UK, indeed. Especially given that Scots voted overwhelmingly in 2016 Against BREXIT and leaving the European Union [by a margin of 62-to-38%].
U.K. SUPREME COURT RULES THAT SCOTLAND CANNOT HOLD INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM
For all our real and apparent “Diversity,” we are all confronting the same very real and hard “Reality”… :
NO WAY OUT FOR THE USA [Extracts]: by Jeff Thomas
*** “Gold is the money of kings… debt is the money of slaves.” - Norm Franz ***
….US power had been a house of cards for decades. It was no longer a manufacturing titan; in fact, it now produced little besides debt. It had once used its manufacturing capacity to bully its trading partners, but now this power had become a mere remnant.
In recent decades, the US has been operating on its past laurels and the assumption that it was the big boy on the block and must be obeyed, no matter how unreasonable its demands were.
WHEN US FEDERAL AND CORPORATE LEADERS REALISED THEIR DILEMMA, THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY HAD ONLY ONE LAST-DITCH OPTION: WAR.
HISTORICALLY, THIS IS ALWAYS THE LAST PLAY OF A DYING EMPIRE: WHEN YOU’RE ABOUT TO LOSE EVERYTHING, A MAJOR WAR MUST BE CREATED AS A DISTRACTION TO BUY TIME.
A SMALL WAR IS ONLY A TEMPORARY RESPITE. A MAJOR WAR SERVES TO UPSET THE WORLD AS A WHOLE. IF THE WORLD CAN BE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, PERHAPS THERE’S A CHANCE THAT THE DYING EMPIRE CAN ACTUALLY SURVIVE WITH SOME OF ITS POWER INTACT.
IF NOT, THE EMPIRE GOES THE WAY OF THE DODO. IT SLIPS AWAY INTO INSIGNIFICANCE OR EVEN EXTINCTION.
And this is where the US now finds itself. The shift to the Asian century is well underway. Quietly, one nation after another is shifting its trade and its deference to the Asian leaders. Those countries like Saudi Arabia, that can make dramatic shifts and do so safely, will be bolder in their shift. Less powerful countries will be a bit more subtle, tiptoeing away from their former master. And that, too, is now underway.
… There will be collective nail-biting in the First World countries as the average man wonders and worries whether the US will do the sane thing and back away from warfare. What the average man does not understand is that, WHILST THIS MAY BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR THE AVERAGE MAN AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL, IT WOULD BE THE END FOR THOSE WHO RULE THE US. The US would slide inexorably into a lesser state, or even fragment, leaving the US elite with no empire to rule.
This, above all, cannot be tolerated. And, so, IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT, TO THE RULERS OF THE US EMPIRE, THIS IS AN ALL-OR-NOTHING GAME.
AND TO BE CLEAR, IT’S A GAME THAT CANNOT BE WON. THE US NO LONGER PRODUCES MUCH; IT NO LONGER HAS A MEANINGFUL BALANCE OF TRADE; IT’S THE MOST INDEBTED NATION IN WORLD HISTORY; IT’S BROKE, AND IT CAN NO LONGER WIN A PROTRACTED WAR.
And, to reiterate, the US has no other option at this point. It has destroyed all its other options and has no way out of its dilemma – its modern-day Thucydides Trap. As such, it will not go quietly. Much like a cornered rat, it will make a last attempt to take down as many others as it can on its way out.
Politically I guess I would consider myself a Madisonian libertarian (whatever that means) who generally votes Republican. I would never vote for Bernie Sanders, not even for dogcatcher. I appreciate the oil industry and I think fracking is an excellent technology that helps us obtain a much needed resource. I also really like Star Trek.
Thanks for sharing! One of my goals is to attract a diverse readership. The last thing I want is to write for people exactly like me (assuming that's a thing).
We need to discuss our differences with respect, and build on our similarities. And sometimes we just need to agree to disagree.
I was reading a commentary about the difference between Greco Roman religions and Judeo Christianity. To the Greeks/Romans, the gods were like humans, just more powerful. As I recall there were several gods who were even the product of one god one human. Judeo Christian belief separated the two, with Christianity coming to believe that God was pure good and the devil was pure evil. I guess we could read the story leading up to Sodom and Gomorrah as introducing the idea that gods and humans shouldn't mix. So we're firmly entrenched as believing in the good guys vs bad guys. For instance, the US is the good guys, Russia is the bad guys. Propaganda and the news media drills into us who the bad guys are. Once we internalize that, the rest is easy.
That the rapid spiraling descent of the plane that hit the Pentagon could not have been performed by an experienced commercial aircraft pilot ~ let alone somebody trained only on a Cessna ~ has been raised before; and declared not merely "ludicrous," but "impossible."
Just like the cell phone calls, the near-free fall collapses of the three WTC Towers, the failure of NORAD to intercept anybody, and a whole bunch of other "explanations" offered by the government, its "Commission," and its media about what actually, really happened that day.
When I was a kid in the 50's, blacks were all but invisible. They never appeared in advertising (nor did latinos) and were scarcely present in sports. For entertainment, we had cringeworthy characters like "Rochester" on the Jack Benny Show and, in the 60's, Bill Dana doing his Jose Jimenez routines to wild applause.
The effort for diversity has been a long and hard one. Affirmative action and busing were flashpoints but it is hard to see how another way could have been taken. Appearances mean quite a bit. The denial of racial equality made it extremely difficult for blacks to get into any but the lowest positions of the labor force. I recently took AMTRAK from Chicago to DC and noticed that the "red caps", the porters who help out at the RR terminals, are now fully diverse, not exclusively black as they once were. In like manner, the conductors are diverse and not exclusively white as they once were. That's a sign of progress.
Speaking of “war and weapons as investment,” Gee… . Can an “Ice Breaker Gap” with Russia ~ like the “Missile Gap” with the USSR back in the late 50s [see #Note below] ~ be far behind? My neighbors up here in Alaska are already talking about it. And some are even thinking about it… :
PUTIN TOUTS RUSSIA’S ‘ARCTIC POWER’ WITH NEW NUCLEAR ICEBREAKER {Extracts] by Al Jazeera 22 Nov 22
*** ARCTIC EXPERTS HAVE SAID IT WOULD TAKE THE WEST AT LEAST 10 YEARS TO CATCH UP WITH RUSSIA’S MILITARY IN THE REGION, IF IT CHOSE TO DO SO. ***
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday touted Russia’s Arctic power at a flag-raising ceremony and dock launch for two nuclear-powered icebreakers that will ensure year-round navigation in the Western Arctic.
Presiding via video link from the Kremlin at the launch ceremony in St Petersburg in northern Russia, Putin said such icebreakers were of strategic importance for the country.
“Both icebreakers were laid down as part of a large serial project and are part of our large-scale, systematic work to re-equip and replenish the domestic icebreaker fleet, TO STRENGTHEN RUSSIA’S STATUS AS A GREAT ARCTIC POWER,” Putin said.
THE ARCTIC IS TAKING ON GREATER STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, AS A SHRINKING ICE CAP OPENS UP NEW SEA LANES.
VAST OIL AND GAS RESOURCES LIE IN RUSSIA’S ARCTIC REGIONS, INCLUDING A LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS PLANT ON THE YAMAL PENINSULA.
“We will increase the capabilities of our nuclear icebreaker fleet,” Putin said.
The 173.3-metre (569 feet) Yakutia, with a displacement of up to 33,540 tonnes, can smash through ice of up to three metres. It will enter service in 2024.
Two other icebreakers in the same series, the Arktika and the Sibir, are already in service, and another, the Chukotka, is scheduled for 2026.
Putin said a super-powerful nuclear 209-metre icebreaker known as “Rossiya”, with a displacement of up to 71,380 tonnes, would be completed by 2027. It will be able to break through ice four metres thick.
“They are needed for the study and development of the Arctic, to ensure safe, sustainable navigation in this region, to increase traffic along the Northern Sea Route,” Putin said.
“THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS MOST IMPORTANT TRANSPORT CORRIDOR WILL ALLOW RUSSIA TO MORE FULLY UNLOCK ITS EXPORT POTENTIAL AND ESTABLISH EFFICIENT LOGISTICS ROUTES, INCLUDING TO SOUTHEAST ASIA.”
Putin, who came to power in 1999 promising to end the chaos triggered by the collapse of the Soviet Union, has quietly strengthened RUSSIA’S PRESENCE IN THE ARCTIC, WHERE RUSSIA HAS MORE THAN 24,000KM (15,000 MILES) OF COASTLINE, STRETCHING FROM THE BARENTS SEA TO THE SEA OF OKHOTSK.
SINCE 2005, RUSSIA HAS REOPENED TENS OF ARCTIC SOVIET-ERA MILITARY BASES, MODERNISED ITS NAVY, AND DEVELOPED NEW HYPERSONIC MISSILES DESIGNED TO EVADE US SENSORS AND DEFENCES.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/22/putin-touts-russias-arctic-power-with-new-nuclear-icebreaker [EMPHASES added.]
#Note re that “Missile Gap”:
“In the United States, during the Cold War, the missile gap was the perceived superiority of the number and power of the USSR's missiles in comparison with those of the U.S. (a lack of military parity). The gap in the ballistic missile arsenals did not exist except in exaggerated estimates, made by the Gaither Committee in 1957 and in United States Air Force (USAF) figures. Even the contradictory CIA figures for the USSR's weaponry, which showed a clear advantage for the US, were far above the actual count. LIKE THE BOMBER GAP OF ONLY A FEW YEARS EARLIER, IT WAS SOON DEMONSTRATED THAT THE GAP WAS ENTIRELY FICTIONAL.
“JOHN F. KENNEDY IS CREDITED WITH INVENTING THE TERM IN 1958 AS PART OF THE ONGOING ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN WHICH A PRIMARY PLANK OF HIS RHETORIC WAS THAT THE EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION WAS WEAK ON DEFENSE. It was later learned that Kennedy was apprised of the actual situation during the campaign, which has led scholars to question what Kennedy knew and when he knew it. THERE HAS BEEN SOME SPECULATION THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE ILLUSORY NATURE OF THE MISSILE GAP FROM THE START AND THAT HE WAS USING IT SOLELY AS A POLITICAL TOOL, AN EXAMPLE OF POLICY BY PRESS RELEASE.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missile_gap [EMPHASIS added.]
Heh. And it looks like the USCG wing of the MICC is on the “Icebreaker Gap” already with all sorts of solutions… :
US COAST GUARD CALLS FOR LARGER ICEBREAKER FLEET TO COMPETE IN THE ARCTIC by Zamone Perez 14 July 2022
WASHINGTON ― The U.S. Coast Guard’s icebreaker capability must grow to counter Russian and Chinese activities in the Arctic, the service’s commandant told lawmakers Thursday.
Polar ice has steadily decreased over the last few decades, opening potential new trade routes that could link Asia, North America and Europe.
During a hearing with the House Homeland Security Committee’s transportation and maritime security panel, ADM. LINDA FAGAN EMPHASIZED THE NEED TO BUILD AN ICEBREAKER FLEET CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE ARCTIC REGION, SPECIFICALLY POINTING TO POLAR SECURITY CUTTERS.
“WE ARE AN ARCTIC NATION,” FAGAN SAID. “GETTING THE CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY TO CREATE AN ENDURING PRESENCE IN THE ARCTIC, IN THE WATERS OFF ALASKA ARE ABSOLUTELY A PRIORITY.”
PRODUCTION FOR THE FIRST POLAR SECURITY CUTTERS BEGAN THIS YEAR. SHIPBUILDER VT HALTER MARITIME IS MANUFACTURING THE FIRST PSC UNDER A FIXED-PRICE CONTRACT, EXPECTED TO CONCLUDE IN 2025.
THE COAST GUARD WILL EVENTUALLY RECEIVE THREE HEAVY ICEBREAKERS, FOLLOWED BY THREE MEDIUM ICEBREAKERS. THE COAST GUARD REQUESTED $167.2 MILLION IN THE FISCAL 2023 BUDGET TO CONTINUE PRODUCTION OF THE PSCS, WHILE ALSO SEEKING $30.1 MILLION TO OPERATE A COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE ICEBREAKER AS IT WAITS.
The U.S. has in recent years run a stark PSC deficit against other Arctic powers, such as Russia. RUSSIA NOW HAS MORE THAN 40 ACTIVE ICEBREAKERS, INCLUDING ROUGHLY 10 NUCLEAR-POWERED VARIANTS, according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy.
The u.s. operates two icebreakers ― the heavy Polar Star and the medium Healy. THAT CAPABILITY DIFFERENCE, FAGAN ARGUED, MAKES CLEAR “WHY IT IS SO CRITICAL” TO CLOSE THE GAP IN ICEBREAKER CAPABILITIES.
For its part, CHINA IN 2018 DECLARED ITSELF A “NEAR-ARCTIC POWER” in its Arctic policy document, with a focus on shoring up energy security as Beijing works to move its economy off of coal.
“As [China] operates around the world, presence and access, I believe, is their interest, which is WHY IT BECOMES SO CRITICAL FOR US AS AN ARCTIC NATION TO HAVE A PRESENCE ON THE WATER IN THE ARCTIC TO ENSURE OUR OWN NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY,” Fagan said.
As the planet warms, a more equipped Coast Guard will have to tackle rising problems, said Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J., who chairs the House subcommittee.
“AN EVER-CHANGING GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND NEW CHALLENGES FROM CLIMATE CHANGE MEAN THAT THE COAST GUARD HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ESSENTIAL TO AMERICA’S NATIONAL SECURITY,” she added.
Source: https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2022/07/14/us-coast-guard-calls-for-larger-icebreaker-fleet-to-compete-in-the-arctic/ [EMPHASES added.]
Mr. President, we must not allow an ice-breaker gap!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybSzoLCCX-Y&t=255s
We may need to breed prodigiously on our new fleet of ice-breakers.
Heh. Thank You, Bill, for reminding me of that flick; gonna watch it tonite for the first time in entirely too long.
i'd say it is much more pressingly relevant today than it was back then in 1964 when it came out, right after the Tonkin Gulf Incident, and less than two years after the Missiles of October 1962.
Happy Holiday. ~ jeff
It's so freakin' funny because it's so true!
Excellent.
I've been wanting to write about the topic for some time, primarily to further develop my perspective and organize my thoughts.
One thing I resonated with immediately (aside from the personal history/traits that I share) was the term, "optical diversity". I, too have been troubled for a long time about how the projection of 'diversity' has been used as a mere tool in the hands of cynical people- elected and appointed government officials, NGOs, and especially of course, the marketing types hired by commercial interests.
I don't have an Rx for the problem that is fear of diversity (AKA xenophobia) and the stunted human development that it reflects; though in that vein perhaps a coming-of-age encounter with psylocibyin mushrooms might help. (One of the commonly reported effects of which is the psychic grasping of the notion that we are all connected).
I do, however, make the linkage between the violent acting out of these hatreds and fears and the cultural violence that is embodied within our imperialism and militarism and all the cultural reflections of it, from film to video games. We certainly have become inured to killing and all other forms of violence via our 'entertainment' industry- itself a mere reflection of how our nation acts against any other with whose political choices we disagree.
Perhaps it's time for a society-wide reflection on this nexus?
(There's a lot more to be said about the problems and possible solutions but that's for another space & time. )
Did You ever wonder what the American People think about the amount of money their government spends on national security and defense?
Gallup has asked the following question since 1969: “There is much discussion as to the amount of money the government in Washington should spend for national defense and military purposes. How do you feel about this? Do you think we are spending too little, about the right amount or too much?”
And got the following answers:
Dates Too little About right Too much No opinion
2022 Feb 1-17 32 34 31 2
2021 Feb 3-18 26 42 30 2
2020 Feb 3-16 17 50 31 2
2019 Feb 1-10 25 43 29 3
2018 Feb 1-10 33 31 34 2
Continued ↓
The data continues thru 1969, and also explores a number of other very interesting security/defense/money questions posed at https://news.gallup.com/poll/1666/military-national-defense.aspx .
It would also be very interesting to see what Gallup would find on this matter today, eh?
Sorry; i can't figure out how put Tables in posts. Does anybody have any suggestions?
The Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex [MICC] needs to keep total power so that its leaders and principal players do not end up going to jail. “If the Defense Department can’t get its books straight, how can it be trusted with a budget of more than $800 billion per year?” … :
THE PENTAGON FAILS ITS FIFTH AUDIT IN A ROW by Connor Echols
Last week, the Department of Defense revealed that it had failed its fifth consecutive audit.
“I would not say that we flunked,” said DoD Comptroller Mike McCord, although his office did note that THE PENTAGON ONLY MANAGED TO ACCOUNT FOR 39 PERCENT OF ITS $3.5 TRILLION IN ASSETS. “The process is important for us to do, and it is making us get better. It is not making us get better as fast as we want.”
The news came as no surprise to Pentagon watchers. After all, THE U.S. MILITARY HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE ONLY U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY TO HAVE NEVER PASSED A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT.
But what did raise some eyebrows was the fact that DoD MADE ALMOST NO PROGRESS IN THIS YEAR’S BOOKKEEPING: OF THE 27 AREAS INVESTIGATED, ONLY SEVEN EARNED A CLEAN BILL OF FINANCIAL HEALTH, which McCord described as “basically the same picture as last year.”
Given this accounting disaster, it should come as no surprise that the Pentagon has a habit of bad financial math. This is especially true when it comes to estimating the cost of weapons programs.
The Pentagon’s most famous recent boondoggle is the F-35 program, which has gone over its original budget by $165 billion to date.
Continued at https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/11/22/why-cant-the-dod-get-its-financial-house-in-order/ {EMPHASES added.]
Only at the Pentagon is 39% considered to be not failing. Every school I've ever attended, a 39% score would truly be a flunk!
Heh. What percentage of the wars the Pentagon has fought in the last 77 years has it "won"? Whatever "won" means or ever meant?
If "won" means expanding DoD power, the Pentagon deserves an "A."
Additional information: The Pentagon Failed Its Audit Again, But Says Bots Could Change That
https://www.defenseone.com/defense-systems/2022/11/pentagon-failed-its-audit-again-says-bots-could-change/379827/
Speaking of "diversity"... : https://www.gocomics.com/bloomcounty/2022/11/25
What was that Bullshit Biden was mouthing at COP27 recently? So much for “commitments,” eh?
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION APPROVES GULF OIL TERMINAL OPPOSED BY TEXAS CITY by Zack Budryk - 11/23/22
The Transportation Department’s Maritime Administration formally granted the license Nov. 21, ending a process that began under the Trump administration three years ago. The Sea Port Oil Terminal would be located offshore of Freeport, Texas, with a capacity of 2 million barrels a day. The project would involve two pipelines running through the city of Surfside Beach, where the City Council unanimously voted in opposition to the project in March 2020.
Greenpeace blasted the Biden administration’s approval of the terminal, pointing to an environmental impact statement published in July projecting the terminal would generate 83,000 tons of carbon emissions per year through the construction process alone, with a projected total of 219 million tons a year in downstream refining and combustion emissions.
The environmentalist group also pointed to President Biden’s recent attendance at the COP27 United Nations climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and the Biden administration’s stated commitment to cutting carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2030.
“When we say oil and gas companies are sacrificing communities to make a buck this is exactly what we’re talking about. We have less than a decade to cut emissions by half. Approving new oil and gas projects is not a bridge, it is an on-ramp to planetary collapse,” Destiny Watford, climate campaigner at Greenpeace US, said in a statement. “It is peak hypocrisy for President Biden and [Transportation] Secretary Pete Buttigieg to shorten the fuse on the world’s largest carbon bomb by greenlighting additional oil export terminals right after lecturing the world about increasing climate ambitions at COP27.”
The Hill has reached out to the Transportation Department for comment.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3748603-biden-administration-approves-gulf-oil-terminal-opposed-by-texas-city/
Now here's a question you're not likely to see on MSNBC etc.: was the recent WalMart killer in Chesapeake a diversity hire? If WalMart records show he evaded normal company disciplinary actions in the name of diversity, would that be grounds for a lawsuit from the families of the victims?
And "The Beat Goes On," as Sonny and Cher once put it… :
U.S. SENDING UKRAINE 200 GENERATORS, ANTI-DRONE MACHINE GUNS With Ukraine’s electrical grid hobbled by Russian drone strikes, the United States is rushing 200 generators to the beleaguered country—along with thermal-sighted machine guns to shoot down the next wave of drones, Pentagon officials announced Wednesday:
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: $400 Million in Additional Assistance for Ukraine Nov. 23, 2022 |
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3227217/400-million-in-additional-assistance-for-ukraine/
Today, the Department of Defense (DoD) announces the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance valued at up to $400 million to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs. This authorization is the Biden Administration's twenty-sixth drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.
Capabilities in this package include:
• Additional munitions for National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS);
• 150 heavy machine guns with thermal imagery sights to counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS);
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
• 200 precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds;
• 10,000 120mm mortar rounds;
• High-speed Anti-radiation missiles (HARMs);
• 150 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs);
• Over 100 light tactical vehicles;
• Over 20,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition;
• Over 200 generators;
• Spare parts for 105mm Howitzers and other equipment.
With Russia's unrelenting and brutal missile and UAS attacks on Ukrainian critical energy infrastructure, additional air defense capabilities remain an urgent priority. The additional munitions for NASAMS and heavy machine guns will help Ukraine counter these urgent threats.
In total, the United States has committed more than $19.7 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $21.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine and more than $19 billion since the beginning of Russia's unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24.
To meet Ukraine's evolving battlefield requirements, the United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with key capabilities.
###
Presumably the generators operate off of wind or solar power so as not to contribute to global warming. (sarc)
Heh. No sarc.
Oh…. And just in case You were wondering… :
WHY DEFENSE BUDGETS WILL STAY HIGH AFTER THE UKRAINE WAR by Patrick Tucker
*** The war is exposing how European nations were underinvesting in defense, and the critical role that renewable energy will play in transatlantic security. ***
Even after Russian forces retreat from Ukraine, WESTERN GOVERNMENTS SHOULD EXPECT HIGHER DEFENSE BUDGETS, AND TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO UKRAINE’S DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES TO WARD OFF ANOTHER RUSSIAN INVASION, military and government officials said at the recent Halifax International Security Forum. They should also invest more in renewable energy to blunt the economic impact of using less Russian oil and gas.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told Defense One that THE UNITED STATES WILL STILL NEED TO DETER A DEFEATED RUSSIA
“A critical part of ending the war and beginning reconstruction is ensuring that we are providing for Ukraine’s security going forward,” Coons said. “If you look back at the example of the American Revolution, we signed a peace treaty in 1783. But we were back at war with Great Britain in less than 20 years. EVERY UKRAINIAN YOU TALK TO EXPRESSES HIS CONCERN that even if the fighting stops, even if they reach a ceasefire, even if they reach a peace treaty, they will be concerned ABOUT THE PROSPECTS THAT PUTIN WILL RESTART THE WAR … I think they deserve investments in their future defense capabilities.”
ONE OF THE BIGGEST LESSONS OF THE WAR, PARTICULARLY FOR EUROPEAN NATO MEMBERS, IS THAT THE MILITARY AND SECURITY THREAT POSED BY AUTOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS LIKE RUSSIA—AND CHINA—IS LARGER THAN WHAT MANY WERE PREPARED FOR.
Continued at https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2022/11/why-defense-budgets-will-stay-high-after-ukraine-war/380110/ [EMPHASES added.]
Note that word, Jeff: "underinvesting"
As if war and weapons are an investment
The online Cambridge Dictionary, Bill, defines INVESTMENT as follows:
Verb: the act of putting money, effort, time, etc. into something to make a profit or get an advantage.
Noun: the money, effort, time, etc. used to make a profit or get an advantage. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/investment
Based on that, i would say that YES: War and Weapons are definitely “investments.”
The question, of course, is: WHO are these “investors,” and what political and economic profit and advantage are they seeking and continually succeeding at getting?
And the answers are very obvious to anybody who knows the slightest bit of history and is paying the slightest bit of attention to recent and current events.
Speaking of diversity [in this case, of opinion]: This WaPo headline is an indicator that it may be a very interesting winter in the UK, indeed. Especially given that Scots voted overwhelmingly in 2016 Against BREXIT and leaving the European Union [by a margin of 62-to-38%].
U.K. SUPREME COURT RULES THAT SCOTLAND CANNOT HOLD INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/23/uk-supreme-court-scotland-independence-referendum/
Since you mentioned the Colorado Springs shooting, here's an update on the "non-binary" killer:
https://thefederalist.com/2022/11/23/suspect-in-colorado-springs-shooting-claims-to-be-non-binary-uses-they-them-pronouns
For all our real and apparent “Diversity,” we are all confronting the same very real and hard “Reality”… :
NO WAY OUT FOR THE USA [Extracts]: by Jeff Thomas
*** “Gold is the money of kings… debt is the money of slaves.” - Norm Franz ***
….US power had been a house of cards for decades. It was no longer a manufacturing titan; in fact, it now produced little besides debt. It had once used its manufacturing capacity to bully its trading partners, but now this power had become a mere remnant.
In recent decades, the US has been operating on its past laurels and the assumption that it was the big boy on the block and must be obeyed, no matter how unreasonable its demands were.
WHEN US FEDERAL AND CORPORATE LEADERS REALISED THEIR DILEMMA, THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY HAD ONLY ONE LAST-DITCH OPTION: WAR.
HISTORICALLY, THIS IS ALWAYS THE LAST PLAY OF A DYING EMPIRE: WHEN YOU’RE ABOUT TO LOSE EVERYTHING, A MAJOR WAR MUST BE CREATED AS A DISTRACTION TO BUY TIME.
A SMALL WAR IS ONLY A TEMPORARY RESPITE. A MAJOR WAR SERVES TO UPSET THE WORLD AS A WHOLE. IF THE WORLD CAN BE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, PERHAPS THERE’S A CHANCE THAT THE DYING EMPIRE CAN ACTUALLY SURVIVE WITH SOME OF ITS POWER INTACT.
IF NOT, THE EMPIRE GOES THE WAY OF THE DODO. IT SLIPS AWAY INTO INSIGNIFICANCE OR EVEN EXTINCTION.
And this is where the US now finds itself. The shift to the Asian century is well underway. Quietly, one nation after another is shifting its trade and its deference to the Asian leaders. Those countries like Saudi Arabia, that can make dramatic shifts and do so safely, will be bolder in their shift. Less powerful countries will be a bit more subtle, tiptoeing away from their former master. And that, too, is now underway.
… There will be collective nail-biting in the First World countries as the average man wonders and worries whether the US will do the sane thing and back away from warfare. What the average man does not understand is that, WHILST THIS MAY BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR THE AVERAGE MAN AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL, IT WOULD BE THE END FOR THOSE WHO RULE THE US. The US would slide inexorably into a lesser state, or even fragment, leaving the US elite with no empire to rule.
This, above all, cannot be tolerated. And, so, IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT, TO THE RULERS OF THE US EMPIRE, THIS IS AN ALL-OR-NOTHING GAME.
AND TO BE CLEAR, IT’S A GAME THAT CANNOT BE WON. THE US NO LONGER PRODUCES MUCH; IT NO LONGER HAS A MEANINGFUL BALANCE OF TRADE; IT’S THE MOST INDEBTED NATION IN WORLD HISTORY; IT’S BROKE, AND IT CAN NO LONGER WIN A PROTRACTED WAR.
And, to reiterate, the US has no other option at this point. It has destroyed all its other options and has no way out of its dilemma – its modern-day Thucydides Trap. As such, it will not go quietly. Much like a cornered rat, it will make a last attempt to take down as many others as it can on its way out.
Full article at http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/57356.htm [EMPHASES added.]
There are two kinds of people in this world. People who think there are two kinds of people in this world and the people who think otherwise. (sarc)
Politically I guess I would consider myself a Madisonian libertarian (whatever that means) who generally votes Republican. I would never vote for Bernie Sanders, not even for dogcatcher. I appreciate the oil industry and I think fracking is an excellent technology that helps us obtain a much needed resource. I also really like Star Trek.
Thanks for sharing! One of my goals is to attract a diverse readership. The last thing I want is to write for people exactly like me (assuming that's a thing).
We need to discuss our differences with respect, and build on our similarities. And sometimes we just need to agree to disagree.
I was reading a commentary about the difference between Greco Roman religions and Judeo Christianity. To the Greeks/Romans, the gods were like humans, just more powerful. As I recall there were several gods who were even the product of one god one human. Judeo Christian belief separated the two, with Christianity coming to believe that God was pure good and the devil was pure evil. I guess we could read the story leading up to Sodom and Gomorrah as introducing the idea that gods and humans shouldn't mix. So we're firmly entrenched as believing in the good guys vs bad guys. For instance, the US is the good guys, Russia is the bad guys. Propaganda and the news media drills into us who the bad guys are. Once we internalize that, the rest is easy.
I was there, I heard it, and I wrote it down.
Geez, I thought that was obvious. O ye of little faith!
Or maybe I just don't consider my beliefs to be readily reducible to a couple of words. Which I think is Bill's point.
That the rapid spiraling descent of the plane that hit the Pentagon could not have been performed by an experienced commercial aircraft pilot ~ let alone somebody trained only on a Cessna ~ has been raised before; and declared not merely "ludicrous," but "impossible."
Just like the cell phone calls, the near-free fall collapses of the three WTC Towers, the failure of NORAD to intercept anybody, and a whole bunch of other "explanations" offered by the government, its "Commission," and its media about what actually, really happened that day.