Vet 0369

This is “pie in the sky wishing!” I sometimes attempt to fly rage Warthog in Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) which is acknowledged by many to be one of the best (real life) simulators. It is very difficult and demanding to learn how to simply start it up. After that you have to learn how to program the navigation, waypoints, targeting, etc. I have heard that even U.S. pilots who fly it every day don’t really begin to become competent in it for about a year of training in it. About the only way a new, even experienced pilot, would be effective in it would be as a Kamakazi.

Yes, you’ve gotten a like for this one! You are much more likable when it’s not vicious.

OK, I’ve read just about enough of this that I can stand without commenting. While I completely understand why you feel this way, and not being one of the “boots on the ground” in Ukraine or Russia, have no place to exalt or vilify your comments. This attitude is is a prime example of the vindictiveness that led the “Victors” of WWI to level such severe reparations and conditions on Germany that it caused WWII. Please try to tone it down a bit, or unfortunately, I’ll have to put you on ignore, because I don’t believe in “Stirring the S*#t.” It really is nothing except extreme prejudice of the Russian people, and no peoples anywhere deserve that attitude.

The Incompetence starts with the Generals. s#*t rolls down hill. If the lowly soldier isn’t properly trained, whose fault is that? The NCO. If the NCO isn’t doing it’s job, who’s fault is that? The Officer, And ad nauseam right up to the highest official. The blame starts at the top, but the top is rarely, if ever blamed. “I was just following orders.”

This +1. In my 72 years, I’ve seen so many things that seem like a sure thing fail, and sunrise when things look darkest. I’ve seen the Korean War start and the armistice signed. I survived polio and was within minutes of being put in an iron lung before my paralyzed diaphragm started working again. I saw Nike anti-ballistic missile sites built around Boston, and deactivated (after which we learned they were carrying nukes to detonate outside Boston Harbor, which we were never told about) I saw U.S. advisors sent into Viet Nam by Eisenhower, and removed by Nixon. I have not known a U.S. Presidential Administration that wasn’t involved in a conflict somewhere in the world. What have I learned in all those years? Take nothing for granted, live every day like it’s your last, because it might be, and celebrate every birthday as a victory. I’ll believe it when I see it! Please forgive an old man for his rant. Hope is a wonderful thing, but always be prepared for that hope to fail.

Chuckdyke, for the sake of the thread, I’ll be happy to continue this discussion and swap stories about our sometimes good, sometimes stupid politicians in our PM. This isn’t really the place for it, and I share the guilt for continuing it here.

I have also seen this behavior before, about 40 or so years ago in a news paper story about an attempted bank robbery in Italy. The “Red Brigade” attempted to rob a bank by shooting out the lock of the doors with sub machine guns. They pulled and pulled on the doors, but the doors didn’t budge, so they left in disgust. The picture in the news paper article was a closeup of the door with a sign that said “push” in Italian!. True story.

Personally, I don’t agree that he continues to have considerable support. What you are hearing in Oz mainly comes from a media here the demonizes him and his supporters while exulting the other side. He is indeed an egomaniac, and totally out of touch with reality. The problem is that he is in touch with the heart strings of a population of people who feel disenfranchised by the ultra liberal left-leaning politicians giving everything to Noncitizens and minorities, while they see their own being eroded. In the main, these are not bad people, but he is able to mobilize their support with speeches that are taken right out of Mien Kampf. Even his Vice President refused to go along with his ridiculous claims and performed according to his Oath of Office. Everyone has their village idiot. Unfortunately, ours was elected leader. At the same time, both of our major political parties are being controlled by their extremist elements, ad actually, I blame them for plowing the ground that allowed the flowering idiot to get elected. This should serve as a warning, and an object lesson to all Democracies that have the honor of selecting their own leaders. We might blow it and elect one, but that doesn’t mean it has to happen twice. If it does, they deserve what they get

Probably. Another benefit might be reduction of carbon from producing electricity. You wouldn’t need lights at night because everything would be glowing!

I don’t know about this. My opponent’s Tunguskas didn’t seem to have any trouble taking out my drones in CMBS.

Nothing ever made has been idiot proof! Idiots are too ingenious!

Steve, I hear you, understand your reasoning and opinion, and on one level agree with you. Unfortunately, there is an old bulldog named “Chesty” that “smells the cordite,” and is trying to claw his way to the top of my psychology. I fear I must work hard to keep him in!

This is very upsetting to me I enjoy flying the Ka-50 in DCS sometimes, and thought it was a lot meaner than has been shown.

Unfortunately, I must agree fully with you. Gone are the days when our Senate and House consisted of mostly moderates who were committed to their constituencies and not pandering to the left and right extremes that exist in both parties. No party leaders have the guts to stand up to the Marco Rubio’s and Elizabeth Warren’s anymore. They are too busy trying to maintain their own positions instead of standing up for what the silent majorities of both parties want them to do.

Thank God you’re safe. I’m really happy to see you back!

Yes, with BOTH Russia and the USA signing an agreement to protect Ukraine from the aggression of a foreign invader. I assume that Russia feels since “Ukraine is historically and culturally part of Russia,” that they don’t qualify them as a “foreign invader.” Why the U.S. doesn’t “put boots on the ground” to satisfy it’s pledge is beyond me. I served the U.S. for more than thirty years in different capacities, and I must say that I’m disgusted that the U.S. Government has again shown that it cannot be trusted to keep it’s promises and commitments that it makes to defend others.

@HUSKER2142, haven’t heard from you in a while. How are you doing? Are you OK?

The USA doesn’t think so either. In 1976, US president Ford signed an Executive Order (EO) prohibiting assassinating any Head of State. That EO, or a later enhanced EO has been signed by every U.S. President since then. That philosophy is one of the major differences between the USA and Russia. If you want to see the actual EOs, just search the web, and you’ll find the number of the EO, and a brief description.

I don’t necessarily agree with this in total. CMBS takes place what, seven years ago? At that time the UKR military still consisted of older Soviet equipment and training, both of which were said to be inferior to the new, more superior equipment and training of the Russian military. Since that time, the Ukraine military has received what we would consider superior training and maintenance of equipment BECAUSE of the Russian invasion of Crimea. That drove the Ukraine to allow training from the West, and ensured better maintenance practices regardless of the bureaucratic corruption that seems to be endemic in the post-Soviet satellite countries. Russia, on the other hand, continued and expanded on the endemic corruption that would have earned a bullet to the back of the head under the Soviets (since the corrupted wern’t part of the Politburo).

The Ukraines seem to be doing a pretty good job of accuracy with Russian munitions, or are you saying the Ukraines are using munitions made by America in weapons that were made by Russians? Also, the Russian weapons and equipment being used by the Ukraines seem to be much better quality than the stuff the Russians are using, or are they just maintained better than the Russians?

Please reference Steve’s “Vehicle Identification Chart,” Media column about 10 or 15 pages ago in this thread.

And that makes us among the luckiest individuals in the world; we keep getting older! I celebrate every birthday as a victory.

True this, but it might take me a little longer as I’d probably be slipping in my own poop!

Substantial blast waves can and are produced by any large explosions. About 12-years ago, there was an industrial accident, and subsequent explosion in my town, in an Ink factory of all things. I live about five miles from the explosion, and was woken up by the pressure wave hitting the soles of my feet. I immediately knew what it was. After the sound wave woke my wife, she asked if it was an explosion.

Hmmm, I seem to remember a novel I read around 1986 titled, “Red Storm Rising” by Tom Clancy, and Larry Bond The premise was that the Soviet oil reserves were almost depleted, and that had to pump water into the wells to force out as much oil as possible. is it possible that Russia is experiencing a potential major disruption in it’s economy, outside of the obvious impact from the recent world sanctions? I will say this, it scared the crap out of me because it was sooo believable!