Russia - Ukraine

I am not going to point out individual posts or posters. So I will make a few points and bow out.

1) The region was a part of my education, is a part of my marriage and is a part of my DS's military career. So maybe it's a little close and I've paid closer attention than most for the past 45 years. I still don't understand much.

2) For the past 5 years there have been attempts to portray Russia as more benign than the "Deep State" suggests--either in absolute terms or in comparison to China. IMHO, neither is benign and they are aiming for the soft underbelly of our regional and political alliances which have weakened over the past 5 years.

3)This entire conversation revolves around troops, tanks, planes and ships. Three pages and hardly any mention of cyber and unconventional warfare. Ft. Meade and Ft. Gordon are probably more actively engaged today than Ft. Hood or Ft. Benning or Twenty-nine Palms.

4)As far as dying for _________, one of the younger, yet brightest posters with a very successful military career in a very competitive branch told me in a PM, "I didn't know what I signed up for." Neither did my DS and he doesn't think about dying.
1. Not sure which region you are referring to, if it is the Taiwan-China region, I can relate. I studied abroad in Taiwan and have also taught English there briefly. From my experience the people of Taiwan are under constant threat and fear from China. Sucks how much they are being ignored considering the fact they have handled the pandemic greatly.

2. Russian espionage and military maneuvers are highlighted more in the mainstream media than from China.

3. I see what your saying, but this is a conversation. I do agree Cyber and unconventional warfare are not mentioned as much when it comes to potential future conflicts. They should.

4. Some of us sign up to fight for our country, some for the benefits, some for tradition. Part of that may mean fighting in a land far away from home so we can avoid bringing the fight to our homeland, or fighting for our government's interests. Personally, I am grateful for our strong military and strong country, because of this we do not need to be in constant fear of a nation invading us like some people I know in Taiwan where military service is mandatory for males because of the threat they face from China. For those in Taiwan, South Korea, and Israel, Military service is not a choice. It is here in the United States and that is a freedom that many here do not seem to cherish.
 
3)This entire conversation revolves around troops, tanks, planes and ships. Three pages and hardly any mention of cyber and unconventional warfare. Ft. Meade and Ft. Gordon are probably more actively engaged today than Ft. Hood or Ft. Benning or Twenty-nine Palms.

The threat to the Ukraine is with tanks, troop, planes and ships. The threat to the US was clearly stated in the article I linked to:

"All-out cyberwarfare, nation-wide forced blackouts, and the targeted disruption of internet services—for one of the Kremlin’s top propagandists, all of those tactics are fair game in what she describes as a fated war-to-come against the U.S."
 
Looks like a Stryker.
I find it telling that the Russian APCs seem to be appointed mostly in woodland camouflage.
They may have learned something from that decade in Afghanistan.
 
In grammar school we used to practice this. Duck and Cover (and kiss your a$s goodbye was never mentioned). Every generation has its moments.
 

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What exactly is that legitimate security interest? Russia is being threatened by Ukraine how exactly?

I guess no one is going to answer this, so I'll give it a go. Why I said it's a legitimate security interest to the Russians? I'll give you a couple. You can start by asking why Stalin sacrificed 1.2 million Russians, including 40,000 civilians to defend Stalingrad (Now Volgograd) against the German Army in WW2. Because there's a geographical gap there, and the strategic entrance into Asia. Don't let the enemy flank you.

How is Russia being threatened by the Ukraine? One way is the water for Crimea. When the Russians Annexed Crimea, the Ukrainians cut off all infrastructure to the the Crimea including the "North Crimean Canal" which supplied most of the water to Crimea. Seems illegal on a humanitarian basis, but so was the annexation of Crimea by Russia. Maybe Russia will back off if the Ukraine opens the canal again....Hey just throwing it out there, who knows where Putin is going with this.
 
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