NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QUESTION

The Commanding Officer at the Russian Military Academy [the equivalent of a 4-star general in the U.S.] gave a lecture on Potential Problems and Military Strategy.

At the end of the lecture, he asked if there were any questions. An officer stood up and asked, “Will there be a third world war? And will Russia take part in it?”

The general answered both questions in the affirmative.

Another officer asked, “Who will be the enemy?”

The general replied, “All indications point to China.”

Everyone in the audience was shocked. A third officer remarked, “General, we are a nation of only 150 million, compared to the 1.5 billion Chinese Can we win at all, or even survive?”

The general answered, “Just think about this for a moment: In modern warfare, it is not the quantity of soldiers that matters, but the quality of an army’s capabilities. For example, in the Middle East we have had a few wars recently where 5 million Jews fought against 150 million Arabs, and Israel was always victorious.”

After a small pause, an officer from the back of the auditorium called out, “How many Jews do we have?”


The moral of this story?

VISIT ISRAEL BEFORE ISRAEL VISITS YOU

Tuesday Tart HERE



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IRAN- RUSSIA ARMS DEAL CALLED OFF

What Ahmadinejad WON'T be getting for Christmas:

The S-300 Family of anti-aircraft missiles include the SA-10 GRUMBLE, SA-12 GIANT/GLADIATOR, and SA-20 GARGOYLE.

Russia has decided not to provide Iran with key military arms, complying with U.N. Security Council sanctions, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

President Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree banning the delivery of S-300 air defense systems to Iran, RIA Novosti reported. Moscow had signed a deal to provide Iran with $800 million worth of S-300 equipment.

The S-300 system, which can track targets and fire at aircraft 120 km (75 miles) away, features high jamming immunity and is able to simultaneously engage up to 100 targets.


S-300PMU-2 64N6E2 BIG BIRD acquisition radar

According to western experts, the system would shield Iranian nuclear sites against military threats, amid ongoing Israeli warnings to launch military attacks against Iran.

Iran criticized Russia for canceling the arms deal and warned Moscow "not to enter US games" against the Islamic state.

The Kremlin announced last week that President Dmitry Medvedev canceled the sale of S-300 air-defence missiles to Iran because of United Nations Security Council sanctions against the country.

The presidential decree forbade the transfer of tanks, artillery, war ships, helicopters and missile defence systems to Iran.

Tehran had ordered the missile defence system two years ago.


- multiple sources


STORMBRINGER SENDS



.

THEIR GUY . . . OUR GUY . . .

This just about sums it up . . . S.L.


Their guy . . .




Our guy . . .




Sent in by my good friend and schoolmate The Ferret.

FINAL ON HYDROPOWER ATTACK

The terrorist attack on the hydropower station in the Caucasus Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria on 21 July which killed two police guards has stirred fears that Islamist militants might start pursuing other economic targets.

The attack, which saw three to five gunmen break into the 25-megawatt station and plant five bombs on the premises, marks a milestone for Islamist militants, who have threatened to attack economic targets across Russia since at least 2009 but never before succeeded. The assailants fled the scene following the attack. Authorities claim to know the identities of the assailants, and some reports indicate that the same individuals might have attacked a nearby police station with grenade launchers prior to the power plant incident.

Full Article HERE

Additional Reading: “Jihadist Group Claims Russian Train Bombing”

RUSSIA: COORDINATED ATTACKS IN THE CAUCASUS

SUMMARY

Suspected militants launched an attack early July 21 in Russia's Northern Caucasus Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. The attackers targeted a police station in the town of Baksan, then the Baksanskaya hydroelectric plant in nearby Islamei. The attack - which damaged the power plant but created no disruptions in service - comes as Kabardino-Balkaria prepares for a critical presidential election. It also occurred months after the death of a prominent militant leader and not long before the anniversary of the militant attack in Nalchik. The attack follows the trend of Northern Caucasus militants' targets of economic significance.




ANALYSIS

Suspected militants in Russia's Northern Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria launched coordinated attacks on a local police station in the town of Baksan and the Baksanskaya hydroelectric power plant in the nearby village of Islamei early July 21. The attack on the police station resulted in minor damage to the building. However, the assault on the power plant left two private security guards dead and two technicians injured, and the turbine control room caught fire after three of four strategically placed improvised explosive devices (IEDs) detonated.


Russia's National Antiterrorism Committee claims it reviewed security camera footage from Baksanskaya and identified four attackers, though their names have yet to be released. STRATFOR sources in Moscow said the four individuals are likely linked to local militant leader Asker Dzhappuev, also known as Amir Abdullah, who heads the Yarmuk Jamaat in Kabardino-Balkaria. The targets in the July 21 attacks follow a trend STRATFOR has observed over the past two years after a Northern Caucasus militant leader ordered the militant groups to shift their target sets from those of social significance to ones with more economic value.


The suspected militants reportedly attacked the police station in Baksan at approximately 3:15 a.m. local time with grenades or small explosive devices. That attack appears to have been a diversion meant to preoccupy local authorities and first responders while the primary target, the Baksanskaya hydroelectric power plant, was attacked. Armed attackers reportedly penetrated the plant's security perimeter shortly after 5 a.m., shooting and killing two private security guards before taking their firearms. The attackers then entered the turbine control room, where they reportedly tied up two technicians and tortured them for information on the location of the turbines. The militants then placed up to four IEDs on three turbines and the oil switchboard (which keeps the turbines properly lubricated). The first blast came at approximately 5:25 a.m., and the next came 20 minutes later. The IED planted on the oil switchboard caused oil to leak and catch fire after the third explosion. The resulting fire reportedly consumed two stories of the facility housing the turbines and control room and was not extinguished until 8:30 a.m. Authorities located and removed the fourth IED, which Federal Security Service personnel safely destroyed.


RusHydro authorities have said three of the turbines will be offline for approximately six weeks for repairs, but there will not be interruption in electricity service in the surrounding regions. The Baksanskaya plant produced a relatively small amount of electricity (about 25 megawatts). Additionally, the plant had notoriously poor security: At any given time, two security guards have been on duty. Also, the plant has received threats as early as 2005.





The timing of the attack is critical. Kabardino-Balkaria is two months away from an important presidential election, and the attack is likely to help determine who Moscow chooses as the republic's leader. Also, Anzor Astemirov, Dzhappuev's predecessor, was killed in March, which means the attack could have been a retaliatory strike. Furthermore, the fifth anniversary of the Yarmuk Jamaat attack at Nalchik - the largest militant assault in Kabardino-Balkaria and one of the most notorious attacks in the Caucasus - is approaching, so anniversary attacks could be starting.


As STRATFOR has noted before, it is incredibly difficult, even for a conventional military force, to significantly damage large infrastructure such as a dam. While Northern Caucasus militants have claimed to have attacked the Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam in Siberia (far from their normal target sets in the Northern Caucasus and Moscow), it was nothing more than a malfunctioning electric transformer that blew up, leading to a breach in the dam. The July 21 attack on the Baksanskaya plant appears to show that Northern Caucasus militants might have reined in their ambitions and chosen a more realistic target - the infrastructure that controls the productivity of the dam. Though electrical service appears to have been uninterrupted, it has caused a significant headache for regional Russian authorities, which is in line with the orders to target Russia economically.





Copyright 2010 Stratfor

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MILITARY SCIENCE

The Commanding Officer at the Russian Military Academy (the equivalent of a 4-star general in the U.S.) gave a lecture on Potential Problems and Military Strategy. At the end of the lecture, he asked if there were any questions.


An officer stood up and asked, "Will there be a third world war? And will Russia take part in it?"


The general answered both questions in the affirmative.


Another officer asked, "Who will be the enemy?"


The general replied, "All indications point to China."


Everyone in the audience was shocked. A third officer remarked, "General, we a nation of only 150 million, compared to the 1.5 billion Chinese. Can we win at all, or even survive?"






The general answered, "Just think about this for a moment: In modern warfare, it is not the quantity of soldiers that matters but the quality of an army's capabilities. For example, in the Middle East there have been several wars over the past forty years where 5 million Jews fought against 150 million Arabs, and Israel was always victorious."


After a small pause, yet another officer from the back of the auditorium asked:

"Do we have enough Jews??"





VISIT ISRAEL BEFORE ISRAEL VISITS YOU ! ! !


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WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE?

One day in the pavilion at Karakorum the great Genghis Khan asked an officer of the Mongol guard what, in all the world, could bring the greatest happiness.




"The open steppe, a clear day, and a swift horse under you," responded the officer after a little thought, "and a falcon on your wrist to start up hares."

"Nay," responded the Kahn, "The greatest things in life are to crush your enemies, to see them fall at your feet - to take their horses and goods and hear the lamentation of their women. That is best."





There is a recent movie on Genghis Khan, "MONGOL" (2007) or монгол, a Russian movie filmed in Kazakstan, Russia, and Germany.




Genghis Khan is played by the Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano. The rest of the cast actors are Chinese, Mongolians, one Kazak and Atlay. Extras were all played by Kazaks.






Mongol was directed by Sergei Bodrov. It is the epic tale of how a young boy ascended to become Genghis Khan. Mongol reaches Shakespearean heights in its narrative account of a family that is torn apart, cast aside, and eventually restored to power. A young boy tests his courage against forces determined to destroy him and, through sheer force of will, wins out.

Nine-year-old Temudgin sets off with his father, a khan, to search for a bride. Travelling across the region’s stark and beautiful tundra, Temudgin sees a girl whom he proclaims to be his wife, though his choice runs counter to his father’s wishes. But Temudgin’s life instantly changes when a group of Tartars poison his father. Even though he is next in line to rule, the rest of the tribe refuses to accept leadership from a young boy. They cast out his entire family, forcing them to eke out a meagre existence.




An epic of courage and resourcefulness follows, as the boy becomes a man, finds the girl whom he had chosen as his bride all those years ago, and gradually reasserts his claim to the leadership of his kingdom. Temudgin’s picaresque journey sees him descend to the depths of slavery before exacting his revenge and reascending to the heights of power he knew as a young boy. This saga plays out against the stunning landscapes of Central Asia, where tribal loyalties rule and violent warfare trumps other means of resolving differences.

The grand canvas of the storyline clearly stimulates Bodrov, and he relishes the visual opportunities afforded in the scenes of realistic warfare. But he also finds ample time for the quiet moments between Temudgin, his wife and his beloved mother. Family forms the bedrock of behaviour, and Bodrov constantly returns to this idea in re-imagining a vital period of Mongol history.


Scenes from the movie:













"Malım – janımnıñ sadağası, Janım – arımnıñ sadağası"

"Sacrifice your riches for your life, Sacrifice your life for your honor"


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RUSSIA HOLDS US HUMVEEs AS WAR TROPHIES

Russia Holds US Humvees as Trophies - Associated Press - 05 August 2009

MOSCOW -- A top Russian general says Russia has no intention of returning U.S. HumVees that Russian soldiers seized during the brief war with Georgia a year ago.
Deputy chief of the General Staff Anatoly Nogovitsyn says Russia considers the four Humvees to be war trophies and thus has no obligation to give them back.
Nogovitsyn told reporters Wednesday that Russia considered the subject closed.
The U.S. vehicles were seized in western Georgia. They had been used in joint military exercises in which U.S. trainers were preparing Georgian troops for deployment in Iraq.

This is par for the course; during the Cold War Russia stole military technology - and everything else - from us like it was going out of style, then they'd make such low-end Socialist copies it was pathetic. The Lada is Fiat rip-off and the Ural motorcycle is a WWII-era BMW.

Nowadays the Russian mafia steals whatever they want in the US and other countries - cars, trucks and even motorcycles - then they load it all in shipping containers and ship them to Russia via St. Petersburg and Finland where the Politburo gives them new titles: viola, legal property. I've seen cars from the US that still have American dealership stickers tooling down the road in Eastern Europe.

As so often happens with Russian technology, we will soon see this latest advancement of their military weaponry - a Russian Tactical Vehicle identical to the HumVee - appear in the next big May Day parade and other any photo ops they can conjure up.

THEY ARE MASTERS AT CHESS

What is REALLY happening here?



By now we've all seen it - those of us who monitor the modern alternate to the mainstream media - the Russian handshake snub to President Obama. The question is, did they refuse the handshakes BEFORE or AFTER Obama gave up the missile shield?

My take on it: the Russians are masters at chess. What you saw there was not spontaneous, and nobody at that level in Russia does anything that outrageous without a plan. That was a deliberate move.

What I'm saying happened is a team of Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) psychologists analyzed Obama's narcissist make up, and coached the Russian negotiating team. They put Obama so far off his game that, when it was time to sit down to do the talking, he was so desperate to be liked he gave up the major tenet of US foreign policy - the missile shield - without asking a thing in return.

Me? If I was President and a team of Russians did a thing like that to me, I'd say, "Fine. Have a nice party. F*ck you very much." Then flip them all the digitus impudicus and turn and leave the room.

You're the President of the United States, Mr. Obama, the Leader of the Free World and the single most powerful man in the world, and you let a bunch of horse traders play you like a cheap fiddle. Smooth move, Mr. President. NOT.

- Analysis by STORMBRINGER Team psychologist VA Shepard.

THE DIVERSION YOU’RE IGNORING . . .

. . . is the enemy’s main attack (Murphy’s Law of Combat; Rule #14). Murphy's Laws apply equally across the tactical to the strategic level; they work all the way from the lowly grunt in the foxhole right up to generals and Field Marshals leading armies across the plains of Europe and Asia.

While the Nancy Pelosi waterboarding soap opera develops and Obama’s socialization of the economy continues to dominate headlines, our strategic opponents are moving to outflank us on two significant fronts: Russian moves in the Arctic, and Chinese advances in cyberwarfare.

In August of 2007 a Russian a deep sea submersible descended 14,000 feet and dropped a titanium Russian tricolor onto the seabed, formally laying claim to the North Pole:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1559165/Russia-claims-North-Pole-with-Arctic-flag-stunt.html

The prize sought is the Arctic’s vast energy resources; according to some estimates up to a quarter of the world’s untapped energy reserves. Because of the Global Warming phenomena, these resources may now be more accessible than ever before.

The last time a modern nation pulled an eighteenth century-style land grab, the result was the 1982 Falklands War. Moving with creeping incrementalism, in May of 2008 Russia sent a fleet of nuclear-powered ice breakers into the Arctic.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/1976314/Russia-accused-of-annexing-the-Arctic-for-oil-reserves-by-Canada.html

Canada has accused Russia of annexing the Arctic for oil reserves. This past September President Medvedev called on his security chiefs to establish a formal border in the region, claiming a vast section of the Arctic has “strategic importance” for Russia.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4773567.ece

Tensions in the Arctic are heightening; hardly a week passes without Russian aircraft flying over the North Pole, simulating strikes on "enemy" bases and shipping. Russia’s demonstrated ability to enforce a physical presence in the hostile Arctic environment has unnerved its international rivals. Canada's Defense Ministry intends to build a special fleet of patrol boats - eight armed ships capable of cutting through the ice - to guard the North West Passage. Canada also plans to open an army training center for cold-weather fighting at Resolute Bay and a deep-water port on the northern tip of Baffin Island, both of which are close to the disputed region.

IN THE MEANTIME . . .

. . . most Americans are not aware that we are ALREADY engaged in a war with the world’s most populated nation:

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/12/china-bolsters-for-cyber-arms-race-with-us/

As was vividly demonstrated to the world on September 11th, 2001, modern wars do not require the seizing of territory or taking of cities. The early stages of a “cyberwar” are developing between China and the United States. In March, the security firm Solutionary detected 128 cyber intrusions per minute. More recently, China began installing a more secure operating software, known as Kylin, on its tens of millions government and military computer systems.

Kevin G. Coleman, a private security specialist who advises the government on cybersecurity, states that the deployment of Kylin is significant because the system has "hardened" key Chinese servers, making its networks impenetrable to U.S. military and intelligence agencies, thus limiting U.S. offensive cyberwarfare capabilities

Of course, Murphy's Law of Combat Rule # 14 is followed by Rule # 15:
15. The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions: A) when they are ready, and B) when you are not.

The ball’s in your court, Mr. Obama; you’re the President of the United States – what are you gonna do now, Mister President?