kevinkin

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-critic-jailed-for-25-years-in-harshest-anti-war-ruling-yet/ar-AA19X8Ko His treason conviction comes as Russia has expanded the legal definition of that crime to cover disclosures of public information that the Kremlin deems harmful to its interests. “This is a warning to all anti-Putin activists - don’t come back or we’ll lock you up, de facto for life,” Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of the R.Politik political consultancy, wrote in Telegram.

Why not?

Need to find out how our allies are handling IT support and deep access to state secrets. If they let us in on it fine, if not what are they hiding? Although it's their prerogative, would to nice to know one way or the other. Now forget the kid, the focus should be on his reporting chain. Someone got lazy or laziness is now part of the culture. "This guy has to be OK, I will grant him unlimited access so I don't have to go through hoops each time." - yeesh. So this is scary: "Those workers can log onto the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System — essentially a highly classified version of Google — and in milliseconds pull up briefings on Ukraine, China or nearly any other sensitive subject that the U.S. government collects intelligence on." Data hanging around especially without interpretation is dangerous. So where did you learn how to install those new F35 sensors? Google? Really?

I have access to the Times this morning: In High School, Airman Charged With Leak Was Focused on the Military Jack Teixeira grew up in a family with strong military ties, was quiet and somewhat awkward in high school and seemed, to some, unnervingly obsessed with war and guns. Kailani Reis, 20, a high school classmate in Airman Teixeira’s graduating class, said that as a student, the airman expressed his interest in weapons often enough that she and some other students found it “unsettling” and avoided him. She said few of the former classmates she knew were surprised when he was arrested. That a 21-year-old with so little authority could have access to a such a vast trove of top secret information might surprise the general public, but people who have worked in the intelligence world say untold thousands of troops and government civilians have access to top secret materials, including many young, inexperienced workers the military relies on to process the monumental amount of intelligence it collects. Those workers can log onto the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System — essentially a highly classified version of Google — and in milliseconds pull up briefings on Ukraine, China or nearly any other sensitive subject that the U.S. government collects intelligence on. Though his motivations may be different, Mr. Teixeira is remarkably similar to two other high-profile leakers in recent years, Chelsea Manning and Reality Winner, said Javed Ali, a former senior U.S. counterterrorism official who held intelligence roles at the F.B.I., the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security “Clearly their relatively young age is a common factor, and I would hope the intelligence community is thinking about that,” said Bennett Miller, a retired Air Force intelligence analyst. “The problem is that the community needs these people. It can’t work without them.” According to some of the gamers who belonged to a small group created by Airman Teixeira on the social media site Discord, he liked to play the apocalyptic zombie game Project Zomboid, as well as Arma 3, a tactical shooter game known for its lifelike attention to detail. He also liked to lecture the Discord group about the war in Ukraine and conflicts around the globe, sometimes typing for a half-hour at a time to share what he was learning from classified intelligence at work. This is what I was thinking this week: One group member told The New York Times that the briefings were largely ignored by the group, so Airman Teixeira, in frustration, started posting photos of actual classified materials. Those materials were later shared on other online platforms, eventually attracting the attention of federal authorities, who arrested him at gunpoint at his home on Thursday. He wanted to impress those holed up on Discord. At a Pentagon briefing on Thursday, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, a spokesman, addressed concerns about Airman Teixeira’s age, noting that the military routinely gives young people tremendous responsibility. “Think about a young combat, you know, platoon sergeant, and the responsibility and trust that we put into those individuals to lead troops into combat,” he said. “You receive training and you will receive an understanding of the rules and requirements that come along with those responsibilities, and you’re expected to abide by those rules, regulations and responsibility. It’s called military discipline. And in certain cases, especially when it comes to sensitive information, it also is about the law.” To compare the two is way out of bounds. The kid never received any training that develops a backbone. Training that make the student understand their are consequences for actions. In most years, more service members are hurt in training accidents than in combat. That makes all involved in the exercise think twice and act with responsibility since someone's life is in their hands. It's good the kid had a technical job. Better than confusing old people at Best Buy. But IMHO he needed to be getting a degree to push himself out into the world and aspire toward something other than mom's cooking and a bedroom to Discord in. Idle hands are the devil's workshop. A bored unchallenged kid. Thankfully he did not work in a bioweapons lab as a grad student. But maybe we do a better job protecting against those leaks than boring old IT leaks.

Yeah, but the discussion was hypothetical combat between NATO and Ukraine, not 500 troops, but thousands The key is: "Enter politics and legal fights and there is no point to the study." Can you imagine the US wargaming China with the USN and USAF hands tied? What would be the point? How little damage we can do and still win? I wouldn't trust the results of that study correlating to real life very much. I would rather broadcast what we can do and let others figure out what we will do.

Let's hope a US led force never goes into near peer combat, either in the west or east, with this hanging over their heads (Hi Aussies, want to help with this war we are about to have with China? OK, but one question. Will the full national power of the US be used? Wait a sec, we have to check with the lawyers and get back to you) Analysis of combat between systems deployed by peers (or hypothetically with Ukraine) has to throw out legal ramifications since the systems are design to kill and destroyed stuff in pursuit of a tangible geostrategic objective without interference. Enter politics and legal fights and there is no point to the study. Why stoop to their level if you really want to win? Gloves off, Ukraine could not stand up to the full weight of NATO. If you want NATO to play without 2 rooks and a bishop, there would be battle of sorts.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-military-loved-discord-for-gen-z-recruiting-then-the-leaks-began/ar-AA19Tw4q Are you kidding me? It even runs a 17,000-member chatroom there for service members to talk about first-person shooter games, meet with career counselors and participate in what one sergeant in 2019 called the “Army of tomorrow.” “Young men who may not feel their life gives them cachet and importance, they’re trying to find that online … often by attaching themselves to the gravitas of war and combat,” said James D. Ivory, a Virginia Tech professor who researches the social dimensions of online communities and video games. Gee James, thanks the scintillating research. A lot of good it does society. Tressure that paycheck. Some people are just not cut out for the military. They are not bad people and can be hugely successful elsewhere. Let's just not go out of our way to recruit them. Should I hire a vegan to cook the line at my steak house?

Forget leaflets, whatever those biscuits are, drop them on the RA and maybe they will run away. Too good to share.

I can't imagine the kid not singing like a bird and all those inside the beltway types eating crow before Congress. They will make an example of the airmen, then go there merry way and nothing will change. Imagine what a determined enemy is planting in America's hallowed halls. This kid was bush.

So the "others" are the Federal Government. Good grief. Air Force records listed Teixeira’s occupation as a Cyber Transport Systems Journeyman, responsible for the upkeep of hardware for military communications networks, including cabling and hubs. While an anonymous defense official told the Associated Press Teixeira would have had a higher level of security clearance in that role due to his responsibility for ensuring network protection, questions are sure to be asked about how such a young service member — not even an intelligence analyst — could have access to such sensitive information. One member of the channel insisted to the New York Times the leaker wasn’t a whistleblower and that he hadn’t meant for the sensitive materials to end up anywhere other than their group chat. “This guy was a Christian, anti-war, just wanted to inform some of his friends about what’s going on,” one member told the paper. “We have some people in our group who are in Ukraine. We like fighting games, we like war games.” https://nypost.com/2023/04/13/national-guardsman-jack-teixeira-arrested-in-us-intel-leaks/ Some clear pictures of the photos taken and posted.

Here's one for ya: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russia-might-discuss-swap-for-jailed-u-s-reporter-a-diplomat-for-that-country-says/ar-AA19PP8P

This guy was an airmen direct out of high school (I guess). I know a young person that followed that path and was in air force intel working with raw data. I can't imagine her being able to, or being in position to obtain high level interpretive documents. Either they fell into his lap - others involved - or he actively found hole in the system to exploit. I would go with the former rather than the later. He can't be the sharpest arrow in the USAF quiver.

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/what-does-china-want-ukraine Not a new analysis from this POV, but it's concise. Could Putin have foresaw this shotgun wedding as a fall back position if he screwed up royally? Such deepening cooperation between Beijing and Moscow is dictated by simple logic: China understands that it cannot take on the Western coalition alone. It needs a partner of considerable heft but in a league lower than itself. Sharing Xi’s disdain for the Western-led global order, Putin comes with a bag of abundant energy and natural resources. Given Russia’s markets, diplomatic support, a sizeable military machine, raw resources and no other alternative, Chinese mandarins have no better option but to keep engaging Putin. China has reservations about Putin’s miscalculation in Ukraine. However, seeing Moscow take a beating in its neighbourhood is not in Chinese interests. A Russian defeat will encourage the Americans to go full throttle in the Indo-Pacific. On the other hand, bogging down NATO attention in Ukraine also keeps Europe occupied and Washington distracted. Therefore, it is in Beijing’s interest not to let Russia fall and, at the same time, to keep the Western coalition busy in Ukraine. Keeping the West busy gives Beijing time for its manoeuvres in Taiwan. A slow and grinding conflict suits Beijing perfectly. Furthermore, a weakening Russia enlarges the scope for increasing Chinese influence in Eurasia, mainly Central Asia, Moscow’s traditional playground.

One issue, while rare, can circumvent a lot of diligent review. Someone can get hired at a low level of clearance and befriend (romantic relationship even) a person higher up the ladder. Any mistakes the higher level friend makes can mess with all the checks and balances. Relationship breaks up, and there is hell to pay. Revenge porn Intel. I think the work place environment was more strict on these things during the Cold War. You needed to follow the rules to the letter. Now, to retain people (and not be so mean) , those with low level classifications have become an afterthought. They can be easy prey for adversaries too.

Given the Russian fondness to drinking, they are strategically building the world's longest bar. And the special is the Grave Digger, a imprecise combination of vodka, rum, gin, tequila, triple sec, whiskey, Scotch, lager beer, and stout beer. If there is a supply problem, just double up on what's available.

Been thinking about anti-UAV netting for a while now. There is an innovation somewhere. Not in the concept, but in the rapid deployment and recovery of the overhead protection for units on the move.

This seems to be a mega waste of time and resources: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11956187/Putins-45-mile-long-mega-trench-Russian-troops-dig-huge-defensive-fortification.html About as elastic as old fashion window pane.

Tanks Hunters are back: https://www.newsweek.com/russia-reveals-plan-combat-new-wave-western-weapons-tank-hunters-1793421 Call the ASPCA.

https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/ian-nepomniachtchi-russias-next-big-hope-to-join-long-line-of-world-champions-is-critic-of-ukraine-war-8544589/ What happened to Carlsen? He got bored winning all the time and makes more via outline rapid. Good thing, he would would never have played a Russian anyway. I don't think he cares much for China and Ding either.

"Where orcs have no name".

Another longer interview with the General from 1979. Interesting for those who have not seen this: https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA160703.pdf

A generalized view of operations is sometimes explained as presenting the enemy with the horns of a dilemma. You force the enemy to choose between two things, both of which are unpleasant or difficult. This is what the Rebel Army faced trying to defend Atlanta. Sherman attacked in two major columns spaced inconveniently apart for the Confederates to counter both. Delaying actions - tactical battles - were fought, but the Rebels were drawn back to Atlanta, their military base and to their families. Southern generals never knew where the non engaged column was heading, which became unnerving. They were free to cut off the Rebels close in, or go deep since the Feds lived off the land. If the UA could set up a situation that maximizes their strengths in ISR, mobility and logistics, they might be able to alternate between two relatively minor penetrations and create a RA strategic withdrawal toward their base - either Russia, Crimea or both if they split the landbridge. As Steve mentions, flank protection will be critical and perhaps regulate how far and fast the UA can go. Once you get RA formations looking to the rear - and begin shuffling their feet - the UA can set up killing fields, nailing them as they leave their holes. Wouldn’t images like the “Highway of Death '' be oh so rewarding. The terrain becomes just a playing board to maneuver on, pursue, and kill Russians. The re-occupation will fall into place after that.

There are so many, perhaps I missed one. I have a link to a SL/ASL scenario finder and will have to check. I will send a PM on the patrol topic.

Report that I never ran into before: https://indianstrategicknowledgeonline.com/web/GENRAL BLACK AND VON MELLINTHIN TACICS IMPLICATIONS FOR NATO MILITARY DOCTRINE.pdf Posted here because of quotes and the end of page 40 and the top of 41 - and overall interest. Small units + technology is preferred. Large units are to be avoided. Sounds familiar even today. Not to mention the role of strong leadership and that unit training and cohesion is also vital. Small units can win vs larger force if well led and synchronized if the larger force is disorganized. Sounds familiar. No mention of ISR, which wound have been useful. The generals come across as very arrogant; as if they should have won the war if not for the USSR rolling snake eyes all the time.

I don't think a scenario at the tactical level has ever been created for the Phoney War. Talk about breaking new ground after 40+ years of commercial wargaming. This hobby lives on and on and on ... BTW, a few months ago I was toying with an idea to have the AI go on a patrol among hedgerows. It's pretty cool and really can mess with the player's head if you provide a full set of AI plans . I don't think the idea has been used in CM. So if you think a random German patrol might be cool, I can walk you through the idea. It will work well on maps where the patrol can move in bounds between cover ahead of the MLR.