US Troops in Ukraine
Unnamed Source?
According to the ubiquitous unnamed source, this one a Pentagon type, Joe’s Handlers have taken bold steps to ensure accountability of all the lethal aid being afforded to Ukraine. Simply being good stewards of precious tax dollars, citizen.
A bit late, as some 40B USD has disappeared into that abyss and our own warfighting inventory is dangerously depleted. The administration is under fire for the lack of any oversight; never forget Barry’s assessment of Joe’s uncanny ability to, ah, follow the wrong course of action. If there is an escalatory, provocative, ill-advised and unnecessary way to over-react, Joe will find it.
The mysterious senior defense official who spoke on background during an official Pentagon presser said, “U.S. personnel have recently resumed on-site inspections to assess weapon stocks in country whenever and wherever the security conditions allow.” The official said, “the return of our defense attaché and Office of Defense Cooperation personnel in country has allowed us to resume this critical function.”
“Resumed” I’ll let that stand right there.
US troops checking Ukraine weapons delivery sites against theft threat
By Caitlin Doornbos
WASHINGTON – The US is sending forces to inspect American military aid delivery sites in Ukraine and keep lethal weapons off the black market, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
It is the first time US forces have set foot outside the confines of the Kyiv embassy, which has been guarded by Marines since American diplomats returned in May after fleeing the city ahead of Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion.
The checks are used by the Defense and State Departments to track US-provided weaponry and ensure the more than $18 billion worth of military aid Washington has pledged Ukraine does not end up in the wrong hands, Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said.
Anyone buying this escalation is suddenly about ensuring delivery of US aid? Didn’t think so.
Category: Big Pentagon, Dick Stepping, Russia, Ukraine
Remember the Maine!
I remember the Maine but forgot the Alamo-REMEMBER THE ALAMO. Caps lock wasn’t stuck . Had to add the caps to highlight their battle cry…
They made a whole Broadway show about the Maine.
You know;
“You coax the blues right out of the horn, Maine
You charm the husk right off of the corn, Maine
You’ve got the banjos strumming
And plunking out a tune to beat the band…”
You know THAT show….
“ill-advised”
There, shortened it for ya.
Is this a way to ensure that thoughtful people vote (R)?
I’m not an Obama fan by any stretch of any drug-addled imagination, but he was on point with his assessment of Biden’s level of incompetence.
Well, war, I mean responding to attacks on US personnel, is the ultimate distraction, right? And isn’t there a collective narrative about war improving the economy? And didn’t Bush/Republicans pickup midterm seats, one of the only times in my memory when the incumbent party didn’t lose seats?
As long as the war effort doesn’t need diesel or our strategic reserves. Or, is this the emergency situation excuse to reopen domestic drilling while placating the moonbats powered by pixie dust?
Those dastardly Russkies better hurry up, for Democrats’ money– that Pearl Harbor (9/11) effect has to be going by Monday before Election Day if it’s going help ’em!
If he wants to mobilize for war, or even make a lot of shit for Ukraine, he needs to find a way to put down this railroad strike talk. We will grind to a halt without rail.
And diesel. We will grind to a halt without it too.
How much of that money has been directed to protect the corporate records of Burisma? Would love to see the employee evaluations for their board members.
Go tell the Spartans, Ukrainian version.
What Branch of the US Military is being used for the inspection?
I’m sure it is a joint effort. Each service deserves its chance at awards and decorations, special pay & allowances, etc. Just like Afghanistan, where I am sure many of those personnel learned to audit our client’s use of our largesse.
This article as well does not identified which Branch of the US Military are being deployed to Ukraine for inspection:
“Pentagon Confirms Deployment Of Active-Duty Military Personnel In Ukraine”
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/11/02/ukra-n02.html
“During Tuesday’s on-camera briefing, Travis Tritten of military.com asked, “The military has personnel inside of Ukraine, who are doing weapons inspections now. I’m wondering what the rules of engagement for those personnel are if they are fired on by the Russians or they are targeted by the Russians.”
“Ryder replied, “We do have small teams that are comprised of embassy personnel that are conducting some inspections of security assistance delivery at a variety of locations.”
*Continue*
*Continue*
“My understanding is that they would be well far away from any type of frontline actions, we are relying on the Ukrainians to do that, we are relying on other partners to do that…. They’re not going to be operating on the front lines.”
“He continued, “We’ve been very clear there are no combat forces in Ukraine, no US forces conducting combat operations in Ukraine, these are personnel that are assigned to conduct security cooperation and assistance as part of the defense attaché office.”
“To this, Tritten replied, “But this would be different because they would be working outside the embassy. I would just ask if people should read this as an escalation.”
“Ryder claimed that the US action was not escalatory, and simply refused to answer Tritten’s question about what the US would do if any active-duty US troops were killed.”
“The checks are used by the Defense and State Departments to track US-provided weaponry and ensure the more than $18 billion worth of military aid Washington has pledged Ukraine does not end up in the wrong hands, Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said.”
And the plan to enforce this is…?
Same plan they used in Afgh… nevermind
$40B bah… The US blew more than that on AC in tents in Iraq. The Ukrainians will never be able to steal as much as the 250 or so indicted field grade logistics officers that colluded with contractors to rip off the military in Iraq and Afghanistan.
They have needed very little to bring the Russian Military to it’s knees. A dozen M148 HIMARS and a few dozen truck loads of Javelins and Stingers. Spirited and highly motivated soldiers. That was it all it took to drop the Russian Army. We have been watching the WWII Defense of Finland play out in real time but this time with help.
Now they want THAAD because the Russians have changed the fight to a war of attrition fought remotely with Iranian TBMs. You can figure out a Javelin or a Stinger in less than a day, HIMARS in less than a week, but THAAD… nope. That’s going to take some experts working the computers and keeping it all running. High tech parts and logistics. Where are you going to find that?
But Russia says if we give them THAAD this is an act of war for us. The Russian military seems more an empty threat every day. Sure, world ending nukes. But that kills everybody and everything. Not sure if Putin would go full NORK to keep from being quietly disposed of at his dacha.
Even if we give them THAAD, they still would need Aegis to seal the country up. Don’t see any way for that to be on the table. So the Ukraine citizenry gets what amounts to harassing fire because the Russian Military can’t do anything else.
Back when we had smart people in charge they would be fomenting revolts in the recently conquered Republics of Georgia, Chechnya, and Belarus with the CIA and other assets. Give Russia something to really think about at low risk to us. But these guys suck at any kind of comprehensive strategy. Kind of wish Mathis or somebody that smart was back in there.
You mean pretty soy boi Milley ain’t cuttin’ it for ya?
When I was working, our Air courier Rudy was a Marine Advisor in Viet-Nam before we got involved, Was on the Amtrack in 2007 just before I retired and met a guy who was in the USS Navy and were supplying the French Military in Viet-Nam with equipment back in the 1950’s
Yep. Was thinking the same, this is how our involvement in VietNam started, as advisors and trainers.
Next thing ya know, the US military is neck deep in the rice paddies, with the DildoCrat politicians back stabbing and breaking promises at every step.
ANd who-da-fuck downvoted jeff for his factual statement? It BETTER have been a mouse click error (which I will correct ASAP – there.)
It is not “US troops on Ukraine”…or at least not the way it is being implicitly framed.
These are not ground troops or even direct combat multipliers as military advisors.
It is a few bean counters and weapons advisors working out the embassy military attaché office.
It is too make sure what we are giving them is accounted for and used properly and not black marketed.
A month ago some of you were whining about about the aid we were giving them and the lack of accountability for it.
“DOD is conducting hands-on training with the Ukrainian Armed Forces on U.S. best practices so they can provide better data”
Yeah they aren’t advisors they are “hands on trainers” because logistics isn’t important enough to have advisors.
Screech, screech, screech, you gonna blame Donald Trump yet?
All that rudy-poo “education” you say you got from UC Berzerkely, I don’t even have a bachelor’s degree and I bet I make more money than you as a Blue Collar Man, I bet there are plenty of Plumbers, Electricians, Linemen and many others who out-earn you!
“It’s a Dirty War and a Little War, but Hey…It’s the only war we got! Put me in, Coach, I’m ready to play.”
Wonder how many Gold Star Moms this one will make? I will grieve for every one of them.
If these numbers are to be believed we are talking about 73K Mother Heroines. Lowest estimates, based upon death announcements is around 55K.
Unofficially Russia has lost 80% of it’s entire fleet of MBT’s in the Ukraine, either flat out destroyed or captured and currently being utilized by the Ukraine. Not sure if that is high or not but nobody can argue with the nearly 1000 tanks captured by the Ukrainians.
Other numbers are bad too. Don’t let the small number of ships lost confuse you either. From a tonnage perspective it is a complete disaster.
https://www.minusrus.com/en
If you think we are paying high bonuses to unsuccessfully recruit well, check out what the Russia Army is offering to go die in the Ukraine:
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/10/07/frozen-fish-and-limitless-cabbage-how-russia-is-motivating-draftees-a79019
“The most generous offer to date comes from the Siberian republic of Tuva, which began a blitz of payoffs to every new soldier’s family last week. The rewards being handed out to the relatives of those enlisting include one live sheep, 50 kilograms of flour, two bags of potatoes and cabbage “in the required amount.”
I mean sure if you can take the sheep with you to keep you warm in that cold Ukraine Winter….
I don’t really care what they send….as long as they leave my precious bodily fluids alone.
These US ‘officials,’ did they previously work on Fast and Furious?
The 101’St was mustered out from Ft Campbell last week and are somewhere in Europe from my last commo from someone that lives next near there and works on the facility.
They have a brigade in Romania.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-news-russia-us-army-101st-airborne-nato-war-games-romania/
I love it. Last week it was heinous pro-Putin propaganda to even hint that the Ukrainians were not patriotic, stand-up, incorruptible freedom fighters. This week it seems we have to send US troops into a war zone to make sure those same Ukrainian patriots don’t steal and sell the weapons and equipment we gave them on the black market when it is desperately needed for the survival of their country.
Just like with the ARVN and Afghans?
Funny that. Seems that Wagner group has been busy in the Stan recruiting US trained LN SOF soldiers. Wonder if they will steal everything in sight and conduct insider attacks to keep the Russians on their toes?