United States Defense Thread

[KipPotapych]

Nothing to do with defense or geostrategic issues, so my apologies. I just felt like posting this on this day and this is the most logical place for it.





There is an old article in the New Yorker about the man that everyone should read (use archive or whatever if behind a paywall):

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/02/11/september-11th-attacks-world-trade-center-rick-rescorla-the-real-heroes-are-dead

My dad was driving me to McMaster University (the first university I attended). Not sure why, I think I missed the bus and was late and he happened to be home. We were standing at the intersection (Longwood and Main, turning left, towards the university), waiting for the light to turn green. That was the moment they announced on the radio that a plane hit the first tower. I was already at the student centre when the second plane hit the south tower. I remember sitting in the vehicle at that intersection pretty vividly. It is something that will probably stay with me as long as my brain can function properly.

 

[John Fedup]

I wonder if this big meeting is BYOB.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/25/politics/hegseth-generals-surprise-meeting?cid=ios_app

 

[swerve]

Nothing to do with defense or geostrategic issues, so my apologies. I just felt like posting this on this day and this is the most logical place for it.


View attachment 53489

There is an old article in the New Yorker about the man that everyone should read (use archive or whatever if behind a paywall):

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/02/11/september-11th-attacks-world-trade-center-rick-rescorla-the-real-heroes-are-dead

My dad was driving me to McMaster University (the first university I attended). Not sure why, I think I missed the bus and was late and he happened to be home. We were standing at the intersection (Longwood and Main, turning left, towards the university), waiting for the light to turn green. That was the moment they announced on the radio that a plane hit the first tower. I was already at the student centre when the second plane hit the south tower. I remember sitting in the vehicle at that intersection pretty vividly. It is something that will probably stay with me as long as my brain can function properly.

I was a few hours ahead, in England. I'd been on a First Aid course & finished that morning. Went home & switched on the radio, & the wrong programme was on: there appeared to be news about something in New York, although it wasn't time for news on that channel. So I switched on the TV, & watched in horrified fascination while the second airliner flew into the second tower, broadcast live.

 

[John Fedup]

The drunk running the DoW has a new idea, controlling all discussions by service members with Congress. Should work wonders for speeding up congressional approval of defence budgets. What a moron.

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon clamps down on military interactions with Congress - Breaking Defense

 

[FormerDirtDart]

The drunk running the DoW has a new idea, controlling all discussions by service members with Congress. Should work wonders for speeding up congressional approval of defence budgets. What a moron.

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon clamps down on military interactions with Congress - Breaking Defense

Requiring prior approval for communication with Congress is absurd. Requiring prior approval for interaction with state elected officials is embarrassing laughable. Every military installation in the country communicates with state and local officials practically daily. Can you imagine an installation Provost Marshal having to get approval from the Pentagon for every daily interaction with the local elected Sheriff?

 

[John Fedup]

Requiring prior approval for communication with Congress is absurd. Requiring prior approval for interaction with state elected officials is embarrassing laughable. Every military installation in the country communicates with state and local officials practically daily. Can you imagine an installation Provost Marshal having to get approval from the Pentagon for every daily interaction with the local elected Sheriff?

Agree totally. Hegseth must be overwhelmed by now by the serious concerns expressed in and out of the Pentagon. I guess he can continue sipping bourbon as his master likely feels this is a great concept to maintain power over the military when he eventually orders them to make him President for life.

 

[Stampede]

What’s the update on invading Canada and Iceland.
Is that before or after invading Venezuela and Panama?
Or do they have to conquer those evil lawless cities within the USA first.

Is this administration still just a comedy act or should we be concerned at this point of time?

Cheers S

 

[John Fedup]

What’s the update on invading Canada and Iceland.
Is that before or after invading Venezuela and Panama?
Or do they have to conquer those evil lawless cities within the USA first.

Is this administration still just a comedy act or should we be concerned at this point of time?

Cheers S

Canada and Greenland, not Iceland. The "Ice" part in Iceland makes this country unsuitable for golf courses (along with all the volcanoes). The Trump administration is no comedy act, it is a $hitshow which may result in a civil war.

 

[SolarisKenzo]

The fact that Trump seems to be perfectly fine with Putin doing what he wants but is constantly yelling at Europe (the trade war, tariffs, Greenland, the threats on Canada after the Canada-EU trade deal, and so on) is actually quite undestandable.

One can certainly question, when talking about the current US administration, the "how" but not really the "why".
Everything kind of makes sense if you look at the big picture.
And defense is stricly connected to this "view" of the world that they have.

We could add that the current POTUS and his friends, but I'm not sure we are allowed to analize it here. To put it simple, they are really working to "modify" american democracy. But I won't go further.

Anyway, what is the main reason for their concerns?

1) Dedollarisation

The USD is gradually loosing its role as the world's reserve currency. Why? Because the other powers dont want to be dependent on US policies when talking about their own money and they dont want to share their priceless datas to US companies.
This is basically what led to the EU creating the Euro 20 years ago.
Anyway, this is no "breaking news"...



If you look at exchange reserves figures, you will see it even more clearly...


So, if you look at it from a US perspective, the Euro is a major threat to the dollar's role.
Which means you have to hit Europe.
This unfortunately is not working, but is eventually leading to an even more independent EU monetary policy (digital euro, data act,...) and also led to the 2023 european payment system being disconnected from SWIFT.

So, you now have an answer to why the US is more hostile towards allies than enemies.

Dedollarisation also means weaker US abilty to repay the debt, and so on...

 

[John Fedup]

The fact that Trump seems to be perfectly fine with Putin doing what he wants but is constantly yelling at Europe (the trade war, tariffs, Greenland, the threats on Canada after the Canada-EU trade deal, and so on) is actually quite undestandable.

One can certainly question, when talking about the current US administration, the "how" but not really the "why".
Everything kind of makes sense if you look at the big picture.
And defense is stricly connected to this "view" of the world that they have.

We could add that the current POTUS and his friends, but I'm not sure we are allowed to analize it here. To put it simple, they are really working to "modify" american democracy. But I won't go further.

Anyway, what is the main reason for their concerns?

1) Dedollarisation

The USD is gradually loosing its role as the world's reserve currency. Why? Because the other powers dont want to be dependent on US policies when talking about their own money and they dont want to share their priceless datas to US companies.
This is basically what led to the EU creating the Euro 20 years ago.
Anyway, this is no "breaking news"...

View attachment 53692

If you look at exchange reserves figures, you will see it even more clearly...
View attachment 53693

So, if you look at it from a US perspective, the Euro is a major threat to the dollar's role.
Which means you have to hit Europe.
This unfortunately is not working, but is eventually leading to an even more independent EU monetary policy (digital euro, data act,...) and also led to the 2023 european payment system being disconnected from SWIFT.

So, you now have an answer to why the US is more hostile towards allies than enemies.

Dedollarisation also means weaker US abilty to repay the debt, and so on...

The US debt is now at $38 trillion and rising. It will be paid in the usual way, future governments will inflate it away with a printing press.

 

[Stampede]

Canada and Greenland, not Iceland. The "Ice" part in Iceland makes this country unsuitable for golf courses (along with all the volcanoes). The Trump administration is no comedy act, it is a $hitshow which may result in a civil war.

Sadly true

Iceland not Greenland.
I’m the idiot

Our PM survived his recent meeting with Trump this week.
I should be pleased, but still not sure if the outcome is a good or bad thing.

Good luck with you’re southern neighbour.

Cheers S

 

[Ananda]

Turning openness into strength: the moment of the euro

The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central bank of the European Union countries which have adopted the euro. Our main task is to maintain price stability in the euro area and so preserve the purchasing power of the single currency.

www.ecb.europa.eu

The combined AAA and AA-rated sovereign bond market in the euro area amounts to just €6.6 trillion – just one-fifth the size of the US Treasury bond market. Our equity markets are less than half the size of those in the United States, and they allocate capital less efficiently: since 2009, they have generated returns that are five times lower.

Consider the United States. When the dollar receives safe-haven inflows, the unrivalled depth of US financial markets both limits the extent of appreciation and channels those inflows in ways which offset their contractionary effects.

This two quote from ECB President on comparison between Euro and USD. Even Euro now consider as second global currency, however it is still far to can make proper challange to USD, let alone other consider safe heaven currencies like Swiss Francs and Japanese Yen.

What is safe heaven currencies ? There are several explanations on that, however simplicities definition is currency from a country that you hold even you are not using it to trade with that particullar country. For that Chinese Yuan/Rennimbi still not yet consider as save heaven currency. As FI and Central Banks hold Yuan more as reserve to finance direct trade with China.

Dedollarisation also means weaker US abilty to repay the debt, and so on...

Yes, but it is still far from that. The main culprits is no other currencies that can rival the financial market depth of USD. At most they can hit some dent on that depth. People mostly still hold Euro, Francs, Yen or Yuan to handle direct trade to the currency users as primary reason and wealth reserve as secondary. While USD being hold because abundance instruments available for Investment, Trade and Reserve that can be use to anyone and everywhere, even have no direct relationship with US market.

So Yes, Trump talk tough against anyone that move to try dedolarisation or put dents on USD usage. However he is being tough with EU also more relate to easiers on 'bullying' someone that close to you and less likely to go all out against you (ie you have strong leverage against them), then to someone that has much less leverage that you can play on.

 

[swerve]

Requiring prior approval for communication with Congress is absurd. Requiring prior approval for interaction with state elected officials is embarrassing laughable. Every military installation in the country communicates with state and local officials practically daily. Can you imagine an installation Provost Marshal having to get approval from the Pentagon for every daily interaction with the local elected Sheriff?

I once had a boss who told me that I had to get his approval to talk to our Australian subsidiary (where I'd worked for some time, sent there by his boss, who'd left me to it after I arrived, & after a couple of months been asked by my Aussie manager if I'd like to transfer, because there was a job there for me if I wanted it) - & then went on holiday. So, when the Australians phoned me (because they knew I was the best qualified person) with an urgent problem, I was forbidden to talk to them about fixing it. Ooops!

So I called my boss's boss. He said "He said what? Don't worry about it. I'll deal with him. Do whatever you need to about the Australian problem. Just let me know when you've fixed it."

Never heard another word about it. I presume he got a bollocking. It was so obviously stupid that it collapsed as soon as it hit real life.

I think this is the same class of order.

 

[KipPotapych]

Pentagon is to spend $1B on FPVs. It appears the goal is an average price per unit of about $3,000.

As we have frequently reported, despite the lessons learned from Ukraine and many other battlegrounds, the U.S. military has continued to move extremely slowly to field lower-end drones on a widespread basis. This is the latest Pentagon move to change that, albeit with still relatively conservative goals compared to the millions of drones used by Ukraine and Russia.

I am not sure this is a rational spending. While the technology and capability is important to have at the disposal and developing, I do not think the United States has the need for this type of weapon at scale that we are observing in Ukraine today. Furthermore, this is a fast-pace developing technology and whatever they buy by 2028 will be obsolete for the most part. Granted, potential average adversary the US is realistically facing (read the next war) is likely quite subpar in most/all measurable indicators, be it economic, weaponry, etc. What we have seen so far demonstrated by the US Ministry of Defense is rather overpriced shit, pardon my language, compared to the capabilities implemented in the Ukrainian conflict.

Pentagon Launches $1B Program To Rapidly Buy Hundreds Of Thousands Of Kamikaze Drones

The plan calls for these drones to be delivered in four phases ending in early 2028.

www.twz.com

On a different (yet related) note:



The good article cited in the attached tweet:

The Perils of Lethality • Stimson Center

A focus on lethality in war distracts from the strategic objectives that war is supposed to serve.

www.stimson.org

The family of an (allegedly) fisherman killed in Sep 15 strike on another boat filed a human rights with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights:

Family of fisherman killed in US boat strike files human rights complaint

abcnews.go.com

 

[koxinga]

Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine - Spheres of Influence

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf

But this economic decline is eclipsed by the real and more stark prospect of civilizational erasure. The larger issues facing Europe include activities of the European Union and other transnational bodies that undermine political liberty and sovereignty, migration policies that are transforming the continent and creating strife, censorship of free speech and suppression of political opposition, cratering birthrates, and loss of national identities and self-confidence.

We want Europe to remain European

American diplomacy should continue to stand up for genuine democracy, freedom of expression, and unapologetic celebrations of European nations’ individual character and history. America encourages its political allies in Europe to promote this revival of spirit, and the growing influence of patriotic European parties indeed gives cause for great optimism.

European friends, you better stay white and Christian and the US will help teach you to become proper democracies! It's pretty much Make Europe White and Christian again.

As an Asian guy that sometimes at the receiving end of the Europeans lecturing us about democracy, wild to read US lecturing Europeans on how to be Europeans.

Our broad policy for Europe should prioritize:

1. Reestablishing conditions of stability within Europe and strategic stability with Russia

Really?

Conflict remains the Middle East’s most troublesome dynamic, but there is today less to this problem than headlines might lead one to believe

not because the Middle East no longer matters, but because it is no longer the constant irritant, and potential source of imminent catastrophe, that it once was. It is rather emerging as a place of partnership, friendship, and investment—a trend that should be welcomed and encouraged. In fact, President Trump’s ability to unite the Arab world at Sharm el-Sheikh in pursuit of peace and normalization will allow the United States to finally prioritize American interests

Yup, Oil and Real Estate deals is the priorities

capable of harnessing Africa’s abundant natural resources and latent economic potential

The United States should transition from an aid-focused relationship with Africa to a trade- and investment-focused relationship, favoring partnerships with capable, reliable states committed to opening their markets to U.S. goods and services. An immediate area for U.S. investment in Africa, with prospects for a good return on investment, include the energy sector and critical mineral development

Extracting resources from Africa and selling goods. Nothing about uplifting those societies, their standards of living, all about making sure US gets something out of these countries.