by Larry Johnson
Let us start with the fact that Russia is firing 4 to 5 times more artillery shells than Ukraine every day:
Russia is firing a staggering 20,000 artillery rounds per day, a senior U.S. defense official estimated, while Ukraine is firing from 4,000 to 7,000 rounds daily.
The Ukrainians are quickly burning through their stockpiles of artillery rounds and other ammunition, including for their air defense systems, officials said.So how is that working out? For starters, Ukraine is exhausting its stockpiles and the United States and NATO lack the industrial base to produce new supplies to fulfill Ukrainian needs and restore their own stockpiles.
Today we learn that the U.S. supplied howitzers are not very robust:
The war in Ukraine has a rate of artillery shelling not seen in a war since the Korean War. That intensity is so high that it’s putting a strain on the artillery pieces themselves, with a third out of commission at any point.
That’s according to the New York Times, which is reporting that a large portion of the approximately 350 howitzers provided by Western nations to Ukraine — including 142 American M777 howiterzers — aredamaged, destroyed or simply breaking down from overuse. Citing multiple U.S. defense officials, the report said that repeated use is wearing down the barrels. The artillery pieces have to be taken out of service and sent to a repair center outside of Ukraine.Given the far higher rate of fire by Russian artillery pieces, logic suggests that Russia should be running into the same problem. It is not. Part of the explanation may be that Russia has far more artillery pieces than Ukraine and those systems are not being stressed to the same degree that the Ukrainian pieces are experiencing. It also is possible that the Russians are producing superior artillery pieces that withstand the stress of muliple fires.
I think one cause for the poor performance of the U.S. produced artillery pieces is a consequence of the U.S. defense procurement process. During the last 40 years the United States has not had to fight a peer that could fire back with comparable rates of fire. As a result, the standard of performance specified in the request for proposal submitted to the U.S. defense contractors did not envision the rate of fire that the artillery pieces are doing on a daily basis in Ukraine. The defense contractors produced an artillery piece that met the minimum standard. It would appear that the 155 mm artillery piece was not required to perform at a maximum level.
As I noted in my previous piece, just because the United States buys expensive weapons and spends billions more than Russia does not mean that the weapons are qualitatively better. The U.S. political system provides incentives to the U.S. Department of Defense to produce costly weapons as long as the systems approved by Congress provide tangible economic benefits to the constituents of those members of Congress.
The movie, Armageddon had a relevant line:
For too long now this has been our way of conducting gov’t business.
I used to know a guy in LB whose job was to scrape rust and paint (over and over again) one section of a bridge across the Port of LB.
He felt that the poor workmanship on the bridge was a feature, not a bug.
It would employ men like him by the hundreds basically forever.
12/09/22 – Putin says one missile will trigger ‘hundreds’ of warheads in stark message on nuclear deterrence
Note to Russia: One properly placed bullet inside the Kremlin could stop this lunatic before he destroys everything.
Obama-Appointed Judge Declines to Hold Trump in Contempt Over Classified Documents
1. THREAD: The Twitter Files
THE REMOVAL OF DONALD TRUMP
Part One: October 2020-January 6th
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1601352083617505281.html
. The world knows much of the story of what happened between riots at the Capitol on January 6th, and the removal of President Donald Trump from Twitter on January 8th…
3. We’ll show you what hasn’t been revealed: the erosion of standards within the company in months before J6, decisions by high-ranking executives to violate their own policies, and more, against the backdrop of ongoing, documented interaction with federal agencies.
. This first installment covers the period before the election through January 6th. Tomorrow, @ShellenbergerMD will detail the chaos inside Twitter on January 7th. On Sunday, @bariweiss will reveal the secret internal communications from the key date of January 8th.
@mentions
5. Whatever your opinion on the decision to remove Trump that day, the internal communications at Twitter between January 6th-January 8th have clear historical import. Even Twitter’s employees understood in the moment it was a landmark moment in the annals of speech.
Donald Trump Jr. to Mark Meadows on January 5, 2020, the day before the Electoral Count.
Meh. That’s not incriminating. Not one bit.
Now what’s coming out of Twitter these days..that make Biden nothing, and the citizens in their God-Given Rights to remove him and have a legal election by the people, for the people.
Do you understand you posted something that isn’t scandalous…at all?
Here, let’s go over it again…
Well said.
If you want to know what Treason looks like, look to Peter Strzok and Gadde at Twitter.’
“Handled.”
Oh my my my…it’s being handled by Musk and faithful Americans NOW, alright.
The boondoggle that is Ukraine is nothing more than a complete waste of time and money.
greg is posting his lies for Russians to find, not we here in the West.
Donald’s Mini-Me Wannabe was talking about their election result workarounds—none of which worked.
Um, this is what an actual scandal and coup against our government looks like.
Talk about aa election result “work around.”
They couldn’t accept 1) Trump WON in 2016, legally, and with half the money as HRC, and 2) That Trump did well as a President….for the country, that is.
Not so much for Klaus Schwab or Soros.
Now we have an illegal puppet drooling on our Resolute Desk who must and will be removed as the impostor he is.
Sounds more like a dead mans swich Greggie part of MAD. Best the Nazis not fuck around and find out.
A German Gepard anti-aircraft gun knocks down a Russian cruise missile. The Gepard (Cheeta) fires 35mm cannon rounds.
Three weeks ago: The True State of Russian Army – Plastic combat helmets; fake body armor; tanks that won’t start; rusty Kalashnikovs repaired with bailing wire; conscripts directed to buy their own clothing, shoes, and socks; embezzled Russian defense funds… all hidden until the Russian military was put to the test.
Well, if what you say is true, then there’s certainly no reason to give more money to Ukraine…and we can let NATO fight this war on their own nickel.
In fact, I’d say Ukraine and those laundering our money through it should give us back about 50 Billion or so…since they have nothing to fear from those thrift-store-sock wearing posers in the Russian Army.
I’d say a quick peace treaty, like Zelenskyy and Putin have wanted for months now is in order.
We’re part of NATO, and have been for 73 years. NATO is why the Soviets never took Europe, and why Putin’s restored Russian empire won’t either.
Ukraine is not a nato member. There is no obligation to defend Ukraine.
Obligation has nothing to do with it. NATO members are defending themselves. It’s Putin whose aggression would have quickly put Russia on NATO’s doorstep. NATO had already seen what happens when you give the guy an inch. His territorial ambitions beyond Ukraine were obvious. His intention is essentially the restoration of the former Soviet empire. He sees himself as a Peter the Great, much as Hitler saw himself as another Fredrick the Great or Bonaparte. The ambitions of such historical figures leave a landscape soaked in blood. Putin is doing that in Ukraine already.
Ukraine is not a NATO member.
Nobody cares about Ukraine, fuck them.
Obviously somebody does care, and they’re the ones elected to make the decisions. That includes a majority of elected republicans.
Consider the nature of each government aligned with and supporting Putin’s war. Every one of them is opposed to the freedoms and individual rights that America and the Western democracies stand for. They’re all oppressive, authoritarian states.
Caring about bidens war against Russia does nothing to reduce inflation and help struggling Americans
You seem to be confused. Putin invaded Ukraine, which borders three NATO-member countries, which all NATO members are obliged to defend, and then started talking about going nuclear if the world didn’t give him what he wants.
Absolutely not. The US installed a puppet government in Ukraine, and continues to launder taxpayer money through it.
The myth of “evil Putin invades peaceful Ukraine” is dead, son.
Get a new grift.
You apparently preferred Putin’s puppet, now living in exile in Russia. He took the equivalent of $52 Million dollars with him when he left.
They’re all oppressive, authoritarian states.
Remember that the next time you try to demand illegally throwing jump in jail for something invented…
…like Putin does.
Gotcha.
Always good to see the Germans fighting their own wars…
And I’m sure they all agree Trump was right, because fighting Russia and burning coal/wood makes you look like an absolute ass after you pretend you’re a climate cult advocate.
Ooops.
Russian Mercenary Group’s HQ Destroyed in Another Blow to Putin—Report
Reports claim 200-300 Wagner mercenaries killed in the strike. #Melitopol Twitter videos from the scene are too disturbing to link to.
Putin should recall his troops. Wagner should pull out their mercenaries. Putin’s Special Military Operation has been an unmitigated disaster, and it’s not going to get better.
Ooohhh Biden is about to deploy a secret weapon. This will get em.
https://freebeacon.com/national-security/us-navy-splurges-on-pricey-bidet-with-effective-enema-function/
You know that Trump has a gold-plated bidet, right? And a bidet on his private jet?
Sure. Trump paid for it by adding value to the world through business.
Trump earned it.
Biden is a parasite puppet that has earned nothing except a prison sentence that will last the short few years left in his life.
Trump has a luxury bidet paid for with money he made.
Biden has a medically necessary bidet paid for by me and other taxpayers.
Stop owning your self, idiot.
“We Are Confident About Our Lawsuit in Terms of the Evidence and the Proof We Have Submitted” – TGP’s Jim and Joe Hoft Interview Kurt Olsen, Attorney for Kari Lake
TEN Key Points From Kari Lake’s DEVASTATING Lawsuit Detailing Massive Failures On Election Day In Maricopa County
A 26 man navy boat “needs” a bidet with special power wash feature to stimulate bowel movements?
What are they feeding these men?
Or, is this because they are part of the new gay navy that joe keeps encouraging?
Now, they would need a bidet.
On a side note, Mr Spanky of the DOE just got fired for all his luggage stealing.
Ukraine’s military was already destroyed, and their “troops” are mercenaries being paid by the US.
As for Putin, he already pulled his regular troops, who stand in reserve in the number of millions.
It seems using Ukraine as a way of wearing down Putin’s strength was too obvious?
The West should surrender and call for peace now. It’s the only logical step.
You can’t really keep harping on the Wagner Group when ALL of the forces in Ukraine are mercenaries…or actual NATO troops.
NATO is fighting this war with American-paid terrorists like ISIS.
The latest January 6 stupidity from the Mega-MAGA-Moron, Marjorie Taylor Greene:
You probably pull your own comments out of the same bag.
People fighting and dying to defend their own towns. cities, friends, and families from murderous foreign invaders sent by a lunatic are not “mercenaries.”
Nice link to the Southern Poverty Law Center started, and now run, by a socialist. SPLC should tell us what hate really is since they consider the LIttle Sisters of the Poor a hate group, or did.
If it weren’t for radical left wing sites you would be a mute.
That’s what the stupid cow actually said, word for word.
Elon Musk’s Anti-Fauci Tweet Generates Over 1 Million Likes, as Fauci’s Allies Rage
Over 1 million idiots doesn’t make any of them smarter.
Twitter execs were regularly meeting with FBI over what to censor. Twitter’s censorship was almost 100% aligned with the Dem Party. Twitter’s chief censors were deranged ideologues abusing their power over our discourse to silence dissent. —Glenn Greenwald
You are a minority. The Left in America, the few people that actually support woke ideology and support Democrats, is only about 10%…if that.
You’re a bothersome, traitorous minority being used by rich jerks who are going to kill you off the same as all of use.
You’re a useful idiot…but becoming more and more useless by the day.
The Twitter files have proved our 2020 election was rigged, and Joe Biden is an illegal dictator that must be removed IMMEDIATELY as we overturn these fascists (literally fascists) from our Constitutional Republic.
NO MORE.
“that must be removed IMMEDIATELY”
What, specifically, do you propose?
No “proposition” needed.
2020 wasn’t a legal election, so Biden isn’t a legal President.
That much is now very, very clear.
Former Clinton Adviser Dick Morris: ‘Twitter Files’ Vindicate Trump’s Election Claims
It’s so funny that you still think you’re fighting “MAGA”
You’re fighting 8 Billion people now, against the 2000 or so idiots trying to get rich off the backs of normal people.
People fighting and dying to defend their own towns. cities, friends, and families from murderous foreign invaders sent by a lunatic are not “mercenaries.”
There are no Ukrainians fighting. They’re all dead. Ukraine’s “military” is essentially built of thugs and NATO Troops, some Americans too.
MTG’s point is that J6th wasn’t an “insurrection.” The vast majority of Americans know that, and the vast Majority of Americans are calling for this illegal government to peacefully step down and give us our legal, democratic, Constitutional Republic back.
Better dig deeper into that bag you have, idiot. It’s getting low on talking points.
The only bag I have is the one in your filthy, lying traitor mouth.
(You have my permission to copy and paste that, followed by a “How Christian of you…” or some other dumbshit comment you’re going to make. michael too, who strangely is attached to everything you write, like you’re out of the same office.
That’s not what the people that I talk to in Ukraine are telling me. They’re the patriots that Trump’s followers only imagine themselves to be, willingly sacrificing themselves for the freedoms that too many Americans take for granted.
You don’t even know that well enough to feel properly ashamed of the things you say.
Ukrainians are being slaughtered as fodder for NATO.
They are not patriots. They are not noble.
Ukraine is a cesspool of money laundering and social credit tests (you’ll NEVER address this one, homey).
Again, who exactly are these “Trump supporters?”
You pigs have pissed off hundreds of millions of Americans now, most of which DON’T want a war in Ukraine and certainly don’t want to pay ISIS fighters for it.
They also don’t acknowledge Joe Biden as anything more than he is: a puppet dictator installed to destroy our nation.
THE Ukraine isn’t even an actual nation, more a territory with different cultures, languages, and agendas.
And NAZIS…real ones.
I’m sure that’s who you were talking to.
The first recording of the Ukrainian national anthem, recorded in 1910, written in 1862.
The fallen Soviet Empire that Putin wants to resurrect didn’t yet exist when the Ukrainian anthem was recorded. You know that Ukraine is the land of the Cossacks, don’t you? The word comes from “kazak”, which means “free man”. Resisting foreign invaders is part of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
Ukraine isn’t a “nation” as we’d know it.
I know who the “Kulaks” are (one of many peoples who live/ed in The Ukraine). They were the MAGA of their time and day, slaughtered by Stalin because they actually knew how to do real work and the useless Communists killed them for it.
Just like you and your ilk would like to do to us.
No you don’t. The kulaks weren’t a people or an ethnic group; they were a Russian economic class—any Russian peasant who owned more than 8 acres of land was a kulak.
MAGA isn’t supposed to be a people or ethnic group either.
Don’t you get it yet, pinhead?
Kulaks we’re a people. They were blamed by Stalin, and killed off.
Millions starved as a result.
Which is fine with you
Yet without idiot Biden’s stupid energy policies there would be no war in Ukraine. If you respect those dying there and those that have died, they would all still be alive but for idiot Biden. They would all be alive today but for Democrat election fraud.
Twitter Employees Cheered When President Trump Was Kicked Off Their Platform Yet Kept Kohmeini on Their Platform and Cheered on BLM’s Destruction of Major US Cities
President Trump broke no rules of Twitter before he was unjustly removed
The Alarm Bells Go Off – Kunstler