LukeFF

What's with the ad homs?

Artillery has almost always caused most of the damage and done most of the killing for over a century now. This is nothing new.
This whole "tanks are obsolete because there are weapons that can kill them" drum that keeps on being banged on this forum is frankly silly - there has never been a time where tanks were not killable by anti-tank weapons and didn't get knocked out or destroyed in obscene numbers, yet tanks are still incredibly useful at doing the whole mobile protected firepower thing.
You're  basically saying that the recent fighting in Ukraine has proven that tanks are obsolete, yet almost every single attack and counterattack we see *still* has tanks playing an important part in the combined arms warfare thing.

Imagine the conversation.
"That's not low flying! You're above the tree line."
"Yes, I had to gain altitude or my wing would've hit the trucks as I banked for the turn."
 
I don't _think_ it's video game footage, that looks scarily real.

Brilliant idea! This thread the last couple of pages has been a bunch of boring back and forth about Afghanistan, etc., and then of course you had to get one more dig into Trump (sounding like a child at that), because hey, we're already off-topic, right?
And now I know why I spend less and less time in this topic.

Brilliant idea! This thread the last couple of pages has been a bunch of boring back and forth about Afghanistan, etc., and then of course you had to get one more dig into Trump (sounding like a child at that), because hey, we're already off-topic, right?
And now I know why I spend less and less time in this topic.

Brilliant idea! This thread the last couple of pages has been a bunch of boring back and forth about Afghanistan, etc., and then of course you had to get one more dig into Trump (sounding like a child at that), because hey, we're already off-topic, right?
And now I know why I spend less and less time in this topic.

None of the above assessments of US decisionmaking are contradictory IMHO.
It is pretty obvious to me that Mr. Biden (like Reagan as of 1984 or so) suffers senile dementia, and it is progressing, with good days and bad days, as we see pretty much every second time Joe speaks off the cuff. Nor was he an especially brilliant man when he was in his prime; let's not fool ourselves about this. Although there are many different kinds of 'smart' in this world....
But like most folks in such cases, Biden falls back on the effective habits of a lifetime (40 years in public service), plus the advice of trusted persons like his wife and longtime staff.  I won't claim he's a rubber stamp, but he knows how to 'listen' for the consensus and declare the decision, without necessarily grasping details, or contributing much in the way of synthesis or critique. Hence the comfortable armchairs around the fireplace for him and Kamala, not a conference table or the War Room..... 
Anywah, JRB makes a perfectly adequate figurehead for the permanent policy establishment (the MIC, the Swamp, whatever you are inclined to call it). This is the (very much bipartisan) group whose performance is being praised here. And in time of war, that's how it ought to be.
....Would I personally wish to be governed permanently by such an unelected permanent establishment? No! A mandarinate has its own flaws, not least that it governs for its own convenience, not that of the people, even when not overtly venal.  However, in time of war, such a  structure makes eminent sense, and we're all seeing it at work.
One expat Canuck's opinion....

The occupant of the Oval Office can't walk out of a room with assistance. Please stop pretending he even knows what's happening in Ukraine. He can't read a teleprompter properly, can't answer unscripted questions and keeps getting sent home to keep him out of the way.
If you want to thank the current US Government for their stance and actions on Ukraine, find the people making the decisions and telling Biden what to say, and thank them.
Sorry but the Afghan withdrawal was not controlled, was not properly planned, was not properly communicated to US allies and was as a result an unmitigated disaster. Yes, that failure absolutely did encourage Putin in thinking the US was weak and lacking in leadership, and yes, that has cost Ukraine dearly. A year later and the only winners are the US arms manufacturers, who got replace $80bn of equipment abandoned to terrorists, and as a result get massive sales to countries supporting Ukraine.
Biden? Does anybody anywhere on the planet seriously think he's currently compos mentis?

Hmm... two destroyed armor ahead.... Nevermind! We are Russians! God with us! Move forward!
Zolotorivka outskirts, Luhansk oblast (Lysychansk area). Filming of 3rd BTG of 80th air-assault brigade.
 

Some others UKR SOF and HIMARS strikes:
1. Aug 15. Belgorod oblast, Russia. Kamikadze drone struck TV-transmitter tower near the border. The camera and maybe SIGINT equipment were set on the top, so Russians could track for UKR positions. The tower fell.
2. Governor of Russian Kursk oblast made a statement that railway section was damaged and two power transmission towers were knocked down as a result of diversions
3. Likely HIMARS hit today the former building of SBU in occupied Lysychansk. The building is destroyed completely. Number of losses unknown
 
 

If this really is mortar crew running around behind the lines I'm going drink myself unconscious.

The new weapon...

Totemic animal of Russian military should not be a bear or an eagle, but lemming. Here another proof:
 

Wagner PMC HQ was HIMARSed in Popasna. Russian military corerspondent showed on his photos the area around this building as far as on 8h Aug. Number of losses unknown

Also UKR HIMARSed yesterday the school building in the village Krynychne 6 km from Stakhanov (Kadiivka), which used for troops deployment. Locals write at least 11 dead (this is only the number, which was recovered from ruines by emergency service and some number was recovered by military)

Today HIMARS has struck some object in Makiivka city, where DPR troops were deployed, locals write about 12 KIA and 13 WIA

Speaking of funny picture (just this one and I'll stop, sorry).
 

What does the Geneva convention say about meme-ing as hard as Ukraine does? Certainly, their media accounts aren't taking any prisoners.
 
Probably the best social media since Wendy's went rogue and reshaped what was expected of corporate accounts. In the face of something so calamitous as a war of aggression by barbarians, it takes some big balls for official MoD accounts to start joking around.

Given all the speculation and different tip offs, I have a feeling the Ukrainians are reveling in trolling the Russians about the Novofedorivka strike and the Russians' response to it.
The official Ukrainian Ministry of Defence statement (https://www.facebook.com/MinistryofDefence.UA/posts/pfbid0ntt9NdkRyKTJcdCecrnwNBC8gidK8ABj2w712bM5U77giiCah66GmVccJFs3cJhpl)
Google translate:
"Regarding the fire on the territory of the airfield "Saki" in the area of the settlement of Novofedorivka in the Crimea temporarily occupied by Russia.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine cannot determine the cause of the fire, however, it once again reminds of the rules of fire safety and the prohibition of smoking in unspecified places.
The fact of a fire can be used by a terrorist country in an information war. We do not rule out that the occupiers will "accidentally" find some characteristic "chevron", "business card" or even "DNA".
Please note that cotton clothing is very hygienic.
Keep calm and believe in the Armed Forces of Ukraine!"

As if this is first video from airfield. Destroyed Su-24
 

And submarine support facilities.

This will hit them hard from propaganda standpoint.
Good...
PS. Maybe it this mythical Ukrainian sabouteur team with a mortar. Now doing circles around Crimea.

In an amazing piece of RUMINT I just came across, RU is negotiating deployment of DPRK expeditionary corps in Ukraine. No way to treat this seriously, but the concept itself and it’s potential ramifications are just too hillarious not to mention it.