Speaking at the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Secretary of Defense James Mattis was in a foul mood, again lashing the committee and Congress in general for not offering a more stable assurance of the Pentagon’s record budgets.
The comments were mostly focused on the Nuclear Posture Report, and in particular the establishment of a whole series of different types of nuclear arms that might be more useful to the administration, and certainly much more expensive.
Mattis in particular was keen on the establishment of new sea-launched nuclear cruise missiles in his comments, insisting those in particular would give the US great leverage over the Russians, and that the US could force the Russians to make all sorts of concessions in return for not developing such weapons.
Mattis accused the Russians of plotting to “escalate to victory,” and said the creation of a whole bunch of new nuclear weapons would prove to them that the US is capable of escalating the situation as well.
Mattis: Give US more dollars or the Russian Boogey Man’Z gonna get YOU…
More brains needed. This is what hapens when eliites degenerate and turn juvenile. No adults left to rely on.
The brains were directed to war toy development. Degenerate juvenile minds aren’t stupid.
Well, this kinda sucks. We paid billions and billions (a sagan) for sea based nukes and they weren’t enough.
Seems like the illness never ends. This won’t end well. For anybody.
I guess while Russia has upgraded it’s submarine fleet and has modified it’s nuclear arsenal and is stationing Nukes in the Kallingrad, America should just watch in amazement and not respond at all.Hahaha…Yeah right people on this forum seem to not understand Putin wanted a new cold war so that’s exactly what he’s getting. Watch what you wish for you just might get it.
While NATO(USA) places armies on his borders. Long before any of that happened. Afforable health care? Nah……More Bombs!
I’ll bet your greedy friends are happy.
In America we have emergency rooms and no one even if you’re not a citizen is denied health care. In Cuba the health Care is free but, if you criticize the government you could be sentenced to death for expressing your mind. Health care or freedom? Cubans have free health care but, there broke as Hell and have to rely on nations like Russia for there nations security. Health care or Freedom?
Health care, Freedom or Bankruptcy. What a fine country we have evolved into.
Kaliningrad is a long way from America. Russia and America don’t have any real conflicts of interests. The whole fuss is about seeking power for its own sake.
I agree with you on that, it’s all about projecting power and looking out for your best interests on both sides.
Projecting power is not the same as looking out for best interests of the country. The interests of the military industrial complex are not the same as the general interests of the people.
You mean the democratically elected officials voted into office by the people of America that were elected to make these decisions on behalf of the people of America are not looking out for our countries best interests. I see so than why are they voted in I wonder. I could’ve sworn Trump ran on Obama made us less safe, he weakened our military and we were the laughing stock of the world. I remember him campaigning on making our military so strong no one would dare even try to mess with America. I think the American people knew exactly what they were getting the Russians that helped him not so much. I remember him running on a “America 1st “slogan but, hey maybe you’ve got”Selective” hearing when a dog barks I hear a dog, and when you hear it you may say it sounds like a cat… Hahahaha
You’re forgetting that America’s an oligarchy, not a democracy. Just because Clinton was worse, doesn’t mean Trump is good.
I wanted Rubio just for the record.
Putin wanted to extend the START treaty and open talks on others. Its the U.S. that has been refusing to deal. Both Russia and China are upset the U.S. won’t sign the Space Arms Race Prevention Treaty.
Already 17 of 48 new Virginia Class submarines are in service, commissioning started in 2004, perhaps the most modern nuclear subs in the world.
Nukes were stationed in Kallingrad to deal with U.S. deployments of troops and missile defense systems in Eastern Europe and Korea.
The U.S. initiated the new Cold War and is getting what it wished for, a new Cold War it may be too ill-financed to follow through upon.
Yes we won’t be able to afford to modernize our capabilities because our country is sanctioned because we create frozen conflicts along our neighboring countries borders using the Wagner Group and hybrid warfare to sow discourse to keep them from joining the European Union and NATO. O wait that’s Russia. I guess those mini Nukes that have been in development for sometime and are in the launch phase process are about to get scrapped because the American dollar is worthless o wait that’s that Ruble wrong country. I guess Russia hasn’t been testing ICBM RS-26 long range missiles and Russia is also in violation of the” 1994 Budapest Memorandum ” by stationing nuclear capable Tu-22 bombers inside occupied Crimea but, hey in your eyes it’s America that’s asking for this new Cold War. I gotta say it never ceases to amaze me how some people “selectively “see things.
“…I gotta say it never ceases to amaze me how some people “selectively “see things.”
Indeed.
The Budapest Memorandum was tossed when respecting Ukraine’s independence was tossed by Neocon Nuland’s little coup.
Russia has acted to prevent violent regime changes sponsored by the U.S.. Those frozen conflicts are more accurately called stalemated proxy wars.
Russia has had to adjust its rearmament plans but is not bumping into a debt ceiling like, every two weeks.
U.S. SM3 missile interceptors can also launch cruise missiles not unlike the nuclear capable ones launched from U.S. warships. That makes the SM3s also in violation of the INF Treaty, and about as serious, given that the RS-26 isn’t part of a potentially dual-use system.
“Russia’s Putin drafts new rearmament program” Matthew Bodner, May 26, 2017, DefenseNews. com
Notice that in the DefenseNews article Russia cut nonessentials like aircraft carriers and destroyers (Russia is a land power), or for that matter, that they cut the defense budget at all. Of course, both Russia (and China) fudge official defense spending, but no hardware means no hardware.
Russia is having no trouble fighting defensive wars while maintaining its armed forces, despite sanctions and a weak ruble.
The U.S. is having economic and political problems, won’t negotiate arms treaties and is actively fighting unnecessary global proxy wars to shore up hegemony being lost… well mostly because its fighting unnecessary wars.
Anyone can see this is not going to end well and spamming jingoistic clouds of hollow facts won’t change qualitative reality.
Tell that to 95% of the American population who have no chance of surviving Russian and Chinese retaliation.
I guess you don’t understand the concept of mutual destruction. Believe it or not Americans know what nuclear bombs are capable of being as we’re the only country to have ever used one in the theater of war. Next time you try to instill the thought of fear of any adversary America might have remember we’ve used the Nuke before, you might not remember but, I guarantee you those nations your cheerleading for do.
God, you are a f**king idiot.
I would tell you how much your momma loves it but, I promised Mr.Knapp I’d be nice to people like you.
You made my point. Thanks.
Your arguments are mixed. It seems that the USA has “forgotten” its monstrous acts of dropping nukes on civilians; they are now trying to get “usable, small nukes” as if that was ok.
Check your history-the USA tried very hard to stop the news of how terrible the results were, and even FIFTY years later, the Smithsonian Institute had to cancel an exhibition because it showed how the bombs had affected humans while the “million US soldiers’ lives saved” was a huge exaggeration.
It’s called war for a reason!!! How about you show the same remorse for the innocent personnel that died on Pearl Harbor but, you won’t because it’s Americans you consider evil. Hypocrite.
Right. We expanded NATO to Russia’s boarders but they’re the ones that wanted a new cold war. And never mind our $700 billion defense budget compared to their $84 billion. Or how about our never ending expansion of our worldwide bases? It’s Russia’s fault of course, they should just sit by and watch.
Look it’s a waste of my time responding to you. I know you wish Russia didn’t use the Wagner Group to invade Ukraine and I know you wish Russia wasn’t trolling the world’s underwater sea cables threatening the 10 trillion dollars of currency the world uses, and I know you give the Russians a pass on supplying the Taliban with weapons that are being used on American troops, and I know everytime this site reports on the mass casualties the Russians are causing on the civilians in Syria you remain silent but, always seem to be outraged when this site reports on casualties America is causing in Syria. You are biased and are not worth anymore responses. When you can criticize your daddy Putin for what he’s ordering his military to do maybe I’ll consider you worthy of a response until then you can go chug a giant glass of Putin juice for being such a hypocrite.
So far the evidence you’ve presented that Russia used the Wagner Group to invade Ukraine is: No evidence, just an article talking about Russia/Wagner group in places other than Ukraine.
That seems to be all the evidence anyone else has presented, either.
I don’t know Mr.Knapp the Russian widow that wanted her fiance’s body returned, the parents of the Russian soldiers who want there son’s bodies returned but, when you’re a part of The Wagner Group which is Russia’s Black Water there’s no guarantee it will be returned.In that article even Putin was quoted talking about how he never said Russia didn’t have certain actors in Ukraine which he now calls “Novorossyia” which means New Russia but, hey information is in the brain of the beholder or the biased perspective they hold.
I never condone anything Russia does. Russia reacts to what we do, not the other way around. We are the wannabe empire, Russia is regional. Ukraine wouldn’t be an issue if not for our meddling. Victoria Nuland ring a bell? The Taliban getting weapons from Russia, which is bullsh*t, should have ceased to be even a possible issue 16 years ago. Syria wouldn’t be an issue if we didn’t supply the “rebels” with weapons to fight against the elected government of a sovereign country. ISIS would not have been an issue in Syria if not for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 because they would never had existed. Take the US out of each of these situations and there is no need for Russia to react.
Again your stories. 1. Kaliningrad is part of Russia.
2. Russia has made NO threats- the USA never stops its threats.
3. Why on earth would Putin want a Cold War? The USA is the one invading countries ,staying, killing, destroying as in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and helping change governments in Honduras, Ecuador, Argentina.
4. The USA’s belligerence is making both Russia and China into enemies just because they are not poodles of the USA.
No one ever said the Kallingrad wasn’t Russia and as for why Putin wants a new cold war it’s simple he hated how the first cold war left Russia looking defeated, in turmoil, break away nations joined NATO and the USSR dissolved. Understand? When Putin was asked what was the worst thing that happened to Russia what was his answer? It’s plain as day.
I guess while Russia has upgraded it’s submarine fleet and has modified it’s nuclear arsenal and is stationing Nukes in the Kallingrad, America should just watch in amazement and not respond at all.Hahaha…Yeah right people on this forum seem to not understand Putin wanted a new cold war so that’s exactly what he’s getting. Watch what you wish for you just might get it.
Mattis isn’t too far from the truth except where he implies Russia is developing new weapons of its own accord, not that its the U.S. that started the arms race in a number of exotic as well as traditional weapon categories but now finds itself financially constrained.
Its sort of like how in 1906 the British Empire introduced the HMS Dreadnought. Britain spawned a whole new warship class and a naval arms race it eventually couldn’t afford against Germany and Japan, even after winning WWI. Especially after WWI; that broke the bank.
The U.S. bailed out Great Britain, but there’s seems to be no-one bailing the U.S. out of this race. They might have to lead with an arms limitation treaty and fewer wars and maybe skip the preceding weapons development part.
China bailed out the US in the 2000s by buying up all those Treasury bonds no one else wanted. That lead to asset inflation and the world financial crisis. All bailouts come at a price, no such thing as a free dinner.
Oh yeah, that’s right.
Of course in 2018 Red China refers to a wholly different kind of red.
America uses debt as a tool to keep other nations from reacting in certain matters. Are you going to attack a country that owes you money and in doing so will tank your artificial government propped up economy. Debt is another form of deterrence.
Perhaps. It represents a major shift from pre-1980 when the the world owed the USA lots of money, to today when the USA owes the world lots of money. Though technically it’s both now, the USA still owns large chunks of capital in countries around the world. At least the countries they are not sanctioning.
I guess the reasoning isn’t 100% spurious, given the history that Reagan’s cruise missile threat could have played a role in leading towards nuclear deals with the Russians. Yet I also wouldn’t fall flat on my face on the street in front of the hospital in the hopes that the incident might lead to meeting the love of my life. One must have an extreme belief in a benevolent god to assume that stupid actions will shake loose excellent results.
He is so happy, finally he has a good plan to “kill everyone in the room” this is the so called “adult”.
I suspect developing weapons that make it look like you are fixing to win a first strike war is a bad idea. Making you heavily armed and vulnerable opponent nervous doesn’t look like it has a lot of upside to me.
Well, many speak of the mental illness of Our Great Leader. This to me sounds as if the “Defense Secretary” is well past the level of being considered normal, even for an American politician.
Mattis needs leverage over his own brain.
What a warmongering moron.
It seems to me that the U.S. is going the same path as the old Soviet Union when it went bankrupt over militarization costs. Our national debt is approaching $21 Trillion. What is Russia’s national debt? Maybe $200 Billion? What is Russia’s defense budget compared to our offense budget? It’s peanuts compared to our bloated military budget.
If Congress had any integrity at all, it would ask why the Pentagon can’t keep up with Russia, despite spending 8-10 times as much every year. But Congress is as corrupt as the rest of DC. The Russia Hoax is all about keeping the Gravy Train rolling so the defense contractors get a larger cut every year.
The neocon/Pentagon dream (as expressed by global military empire and perpetual war) of “full spectrum dominance” is the greatest threat to the US today.