Categories
Strategy

Wildberries takes

it in the shorts, as does the Russian people.

In addition to the material losses to Wildberries customers and third-party sellers, the company also serves as a “key channel for dual-use material and non-lethal supplies for soldiers at the front – drones, spare parts, night vision equipment, boots, uniforms, generators, and so on.”

I’ll admit, I figured Russia would squash Ukraine like a bug. But I was wrong. Ukraine has become the world’s expert in drone technology and they have been very clever in how they fight. And Russia has been less than ingenious, depending on “standard” tactics–to their cost.

I mean, why do you think Russia was threatening to use nukes? Because they are getting pants’d on the battlefield due to their hidebound adherence to “the way we’ve always done it.”

Remember David and Goliath: In a traditional “test of strength” kind of battle, Goliath wins every time. But a kid dodging and flinging rocks from beyond a closing distance was something he simply had no answer for. So Goliath died.

Categories
Strategy

Indeed, with Iran,

time is on Trump’s side. Every day, Iran gets a little weaker. Every day, Trump gets a little stronger. And the Iran war is out of the headlines. Why would Trump rush things?

A great Roman general, Pompey The Great, had his foe (Caesar) cornered and beaten. All he had to do now was to wait Caesar and his army out and avoid battle. So he settled in to starve Caesar out. Caesar desperately wanted battle, since that was his only chance. And Pompey knew it and refused battle–time was on his side.

But after a few weeks, Pompey started to take flak from HIS officer staff: “Why is Pompey avoiding battle? Is he a coward? Why not just move in and crush them? What is wrong with Pompey?”

So Pompey finally gave in and reluctantly gave battle to Caesar. It was against his best strategic judgment. But it was pretty clear he would prevail, and so he set up a grand dining tent and had his cooks prepare a celebration meal for after the battle.

Except Caesar prevailed. And Caesar ate a wonderful celebratory feast in Pompey’s dining tent that night. Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was betrayed and stabbed to death on the beach, while his beloved wife watched in horror from the ship.

So we are in a similar situation right now, and I really don’t think Trump will suffer from Pompey Syndrome, here. Time is on his side…

Categories
Strategy

Just wait and

see what the outcome is. And be careful, because you KNOW that Iran is “leaking” self-serving reports to sympathetic journalists!

Disinformation has LONG been a staple of war and bargaining strategy! And Iran very openly lies. It’s like assuming that Baghdad Bob is telling you the truth! Don’t be stupid–be a little skeptical…

Categories
Strategy

Yeah, Iran seems to be

on the brink of collapsing. But will they?

The situation does look pretty dire for them. But then again, seeing them collapse seems to be a bit of wishful thinking. I’m not sure that they will collapse so easily. Maybe, and I do hope so. But I’m a little skeptical.

What makes a difference is to have boots on the ground. And yet I do not think that will happen. The American people simply will not tolerate it. So this is a situation where good military strategy is constrained by public opinion.

I just don’t think we can get full collapse with only air power.

Categories
Current Events Strategy

Read the VDH

transcript. It’s really good (as is typical for VDH). It’s VERY good for helping you understand what is happening in Iran. And it gives some insight into why Trump is doing what he is doing.

Categories
Strategy

Yes, being an

Iranian general is a dangerous business!

But you know, this a GREAT way to beat an enemy: Kill the unpopular and despotic leaders and yet pretty much leave the civilians alone.

Categories
Strategy

Yes, that would

be really sporting of us.

Categories
Strategy

Lefties just

don’t get it; Trump is in his element, here. I mean, this classic Trump–belittle his opposition by mockery–making them look ridiculous and then act ridiculously.

They really don’t get it. The memes will stop once they reopen the government, but also when they stop all their bitching. Democrats and the media are incensed, foaming at the mouth with rage over the Trump social team making sombrero and mariachi videos mocking Democrats for being a trash party, with laughable public policy positions, and even worse leadership.

First rule of getting mocked; NEVER react, never let them see you sweat. That is something Democrats have yet to learn…

Categories
Strategy

I understand that

many conservatives are a bit cranky that we are not seeing more gov’t spending cuts. I get it. But there are things we need to understand! (expand it and read it all)

Categories
Strategy Wisdom

Trump simply knows

better than the RINO economists, and even some truly legendary figures might learn a little something, here.

Let me say it again: Trump is using tariffs in a rather unorthodox way. Or it is at least in a twist on the usual way tariffs are used. The goal here is not merely to protect some domestic industry or other, though that is a happy outcome and a secondary goal.

But Trump is using tariffs as a bargaining chip and as a weapon against China. And he is using a carrot and stick approach to get other countries onboard. I think we need to understand that he is working, to a large extent, to neutralize the very real China threat. What we are seeing is not the usual way that tariffs are used. But it is a very effective strategy, because America holds the high ground, both economically and morally. And this is true especially given that China is in a very dicey economic position right now.

The bottom line is that we can trust Trump. I learned very well as a youth that when you have a good horse, you don’t “steer” and direct every step in tricky situations–like coming down a mountain in piles of downed timber. You give a general direction but then let the reins go slack and “give him his head.”

And Trump is correct most of the time, economically, and he simply knows what he is doing (so don’t screw it up by “steering” too hard–give him his head).

The same cannot be said of the Keystone Kops Democrats, who in general don’t know their butts from a hole in the ground, especially when it comes to international trade–though they are always arrogantly cocksure of their theoretical position! Alas…