The US is preparing another major escalation of military aid to Ukraine as Reuters reports the next arms package will include rockets that have a range of 94 miles, almost double the range of the munitions Ukraine was provided for the HIMARS rocket systems.
Citing two unnamed US officials, Reuters said that the US will provide Ukraine with the longer-range Boeing-made Ground Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) for the first time as part of an over $2 billion arms package that could be announced as soon as this week.
The officials said that the GLSDB will be provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which allows the Pentagon to purchase arms for Ukraine. Weapons provided under the USAI could take months or years to deliver as they involve contracts and might need to be manufactured.
But Boeing has been preparing for months to make the GLSDBs for Ukraine. Reuters first reported in November that the US was considering sending the munitions to Kyiv and said they could be available by the spring. The system has been in development since 2019 and combines small-diameter bombs with the M26 rocket motor, which is widely available in US military inventories.
Sending the longer-range weapons risks provoking Moscow and comes after a series of new aid pledges for Ukraine that included the Bradley Fighting Vehicles and M1 Abrams tanks for the first time. Each escalation of aid brings the US and Russia closer to a direct conflict, which could quickly spiral into nuclear war.
The new weapons package is expected to include $1.725 billion in USAI funds that will go toward the GLSDB as well as HAWK air defense systems, counter-drone systems, counter artillery radars, communications equipment, PUMA surveillance drones, and spare parts for Patriot air defense systems and Bradleys.
The package might also include $400 million for the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which allows President Biden to send Ukraine weapons directly from US military stockpiles. The drawdown package will likely include mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs), guided multiple launch rocket systems (GMLRS), and other ammunition.
I keep asking myself if Biden is making me miss Trump?……………..
I don’t think the Republicans are functional enough to put together a scheme that monetizes the apocalypse like this is doing. This war makes the Democrats the greater evil in my book.
Luckily, I’ve always been a third party voter.
I believe that it has gotten to the point where voting doesn’t really matter. Trump was an anomaly. They made sure that would never happen again as they now control who counts the votes.
Sam Clemens said something like; if voting mattered it wouldn’t be allowed.
Who is “they”?
Well now you do you think? It’s not Joe Sixpack.
I have no idea, that is why I asked you. People who believe in conspiracy theories always have a magical “they” that drives the conspiracy. “They” don’t usually exist.
Anybody with a few electrons rolling around in their cranium realize that there is a small group of elites or whatever you want to call them that make the decisions for societies and they’re not the presidents, prime ministers or other leaders. Do you really think that Joe Biden, Boris Johnson or the other puppets make the decisions? You could start by looking at the attendee’s at the Davos get together although I doubt that the real power at the top of the food chain showed up there as well.
And does this small group of elites have names? Your proposing a classical conspiracy theory that a few people run the world. It is just not that way. But you will never believe otherwise. There are a lot nutting ideas that float around this world like covid shots contain micro chips, aliens build the pyramids, the world will end in the year 2000 ( that was fun one) and that there exist a secret society of elites that control the world.
Ok, Mike Pillow. We got it.
Mike Pillow doesn’t count the votes but we would get a much better outcome if he did.
“Trump was an anomaly.”
Not when it came to US belligerence throughout the world. And he was an even bigger ass kisser of Israel.
OOOOOOOOOOooooooooo. YEAH…………………!!!!!!!!!!!!
His sexism was extra crispy but at least he didn’t want to turn humanity extra crispy.
I wouldn’t think that would require much thought.
Joe is turning out to be a reliable lying sack of sh*t.
Putin as well so that’s two in this world.
It’s like asking yourself if you miss lung cancer because you have ass cancer.
Z the black hole keeps sucking it up….
The escalation will carry on until Russia takes under control all Ukrainian borders. It is achievable.
I believe the Russian aim is to secure the four annexed oblasts, whether by force or negotiation. But who among us really knows? My great desire is simply to see the war end as soon as possible. Too many lives have already been lost or badly damaged.
The former. The original intention was never to take over all of Ukraine. A good dose of American “Shock and Awe” would have completed that scenario.
No, Putin wanted to take the entire country. The plans changed when he realized it was not achievable.
Putin and the Kremlin has said it multiple times, Ukraine is not a country and belongs to Russia because we all know Kyiv’s birthplace was Moscow and not the other way around.
Russian aim was to secure western border. In December 2021 Putin reminded about NATO-Russia security agreement 1997 which Americans repeatedly violated. Americans ignored this Putin’s concern. It became clear, if nothing done, American missiles will appear in Ukraine in near future. American military biolabs were already there.
Negotiations make sense if the agreements are respected by both sides. Otherwise the war looks unavoidable.
In December 2021 Putin reminded about NATO-Russia security agreement of 1997 but he forgot to remind himself about the Budapest Agreement of 1993.
And stop spreading Kremlin lies about Biolabs. That is open source. An initiative under Obama. Nothing sinister about it. Why go through all that when you can just develop your own nuclear bomb.
The objective changed from taking the entire country to just keep what they think they can defend.
There was no change in the objective. The Russians never wanted the entire country. The bulk of Ukraine is a basket case and the Russians are smart enough not to want to carry it .
The tough talk will escalate …
You are such a fluffer.
A year later, with the best Russia had and they couldn’t even secure Donbas. But I get it, it’s all been a well thought out plan by the Kremlin. They could’ve taken Ukraine last Feb but they decided not to because it was best to regroup and get ready for the big take over on a yet to be announced secret special military date.
All big bangs have small beginnings.
As a cosmology/ theoretical physics fan that just inflated a tear beneath my eye.
It does make wonder how this madness will end ?
I can see one of two ways. Russia overruns Ukraine or Russians overthrow Putin.
Russia overrunning Ukraine would only prolong the Russian defeat. Russia would then be an occupying power fighting a resistance that would grow stronger the harder Russia fights. This war was all about Ukrainian hearts and minds and Russia lost. There was no neo-Nazi regime to overthrow and the Russians are universally hated invaders. A strong indication of how Russia lost is the near unanimous support for the resistance by Ukrainian expatriates versus the widespread opposition to the war by Russian expatriates.
Unfortunately, in asymmetric wars of national resistance it can take a long time for the defeated invader to recognize the futility of its efforts.
Your check from the deep state is in the mail.
Jeff, I have been fighting the Deep State for almost 60 years. Ironically, Puitin is doing exactly what the Deep State wants him to do and damaging Russia while he does it. Putin is fighting a war that Russia can’t win giving the weapons makers profits, revitalizing and expanding NATO and isolating Russia diplomatically.
As your response is both civil and respectful, let me answer in kind.
The propaganda in this matter takes two predictable forms: (1) Ukraine will win and Russia will lose, and (2) Russia will win and Ukraine will lose.
Judging from your comment:
“Putin is fighting a war that Russia can’t win … revitalizing and expanding NATO…”
… you appear to be taking position number one. You come to this position no doubt by the good faith acceptance of an information stream that supports that position.
I respectfully suggest that that information stream, and the perception it creates, is at odds with reality; that it is propaganda deliberately intended to mislead you.
As you are a civil and respectful person whose heart is in the right place I will refrain from any criticism. Any blame rests with the propagandists.
Go in peace. Perhaps you are right and I am wrong. Time will reveal the truth.
Only Ukraine isn’t monolithic. There wasn’t an armed resistance in Crimea after 2014. If Russia can force a peace, and then leave the western part of Ukraine like the did in Georgia…
I mean, I don’t think that’s super likely, but it’s possible; and all other roads lead to nuclear Armageddon.
Crimea is the only part of Ukraine where the majority of the people wanted to be annexed by Russia in 2014. The secessionists appeared to be a minority in Donbas. All evidence points to near unanimous opposition to the Russian invasion everywhere else in Ukraine.
I’d like to see better info on the disposition of the Donbas rather than take DC’s word on it.
Agreed. There should be a UN organized referendum supervised by neutral countries like China, the African Union or India after the Russian troops leave and the refugees have a reasonable opportunity to return.
Yeah yeah. You’re just repeating propaganda. Russia isn’t going to just leave, and you all will probably instigate a nuclear conflict trying to pretend this war is just so simple.
You may be right. Unfortunately the Russians and the Ukrainians are both too racist to agree to non-Caucasian peacekeepers supervising a referendum in Donbas. So war will continue until Russia gets a leadership with the wisdom to withdraw.
Or until nuclear war.
The Russian overrun would stop the major flow of weapons to Ukraine. But you are right the war will continue and US would still be supplying weapons to Ukraine freedom fighters. I have to wonder, just how many more Russians have to die or get injured before Russia gives up? It tock 50,000 plus dead spread over 10 plus years to the US to say enough is enough in Vietnam. Russia has exceeded that in 1 year.
Skywalker, I agree with your point. Most folks here ignore that because it doesn’t play into their narratives but you are actually right so keep on bringing that up. Insurgencies with national identity are almost impossible to defeat. In fact, I once asked an Afghan interpreter working with us the following: what would be your solution to fix this beautiful country of Afghanistan?
His answer was honest but medieval: kill EVERYBODY and start all over again.
And since in this modern world that’s not an solution, we need to learn to live and co-exist with others (Israel needs this as well).
Unfortunately, Putin will not ever learn that so we are counting on the young people of Russia to change it.
Don, I couldn’t agree more. I learned from the antiwar movement in the Vietnam era. And this Ukrainian fiasco is a replay of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan where I had interminable arguments with my leftist friends who didn’t understand that a superpower could not prevail against a bona fide indigenous nationalist movement fighting on its home turf. The notion is counter intuitive to power mongers like Hitler, Nixon or Putin. Any victory the Russians win in Ukraine is illusory and only strengthens the resistance. Unfortunately, Putin’s Russia does not have the checks and balances that restrained Nixon from continuing to escalate in Vietnam. So it may take a very long time for Russia to get a leadership that recognizes the futility of the Ukrainian invasion.
“Kill everybody and start over again.”
Yeah, well, that sorta describes the path we’re on…
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f784d0c0337d622b6d83307c9d85945aa2cdcf800a0ea82bf4390f8102cfeada.jpg
You are here.
I wonder if the sudden call for tanks, vehicles, and long range artillery suggests that Ukraine intends to use a hit and run strategy to replace trench warfare.
I have heard mention of shifting the Ukraine army toward maneuver tactics.
That’s all this conflict needs, more US “wonder weapons.” Of course they won’t arrive for months if not years, and no one in Ukraine knows what to do with them, but who cares? All of his is posturing by NATO and the USA as they are slowly being brought down by the Straussian neocons and neoliberals who actually run US foreign policy. That was indeed their plan all along.
ukraine forces will just use them to bomb crimea in their effort to convince crimea to return willingly
Oh thank you. I’ll look out for the bill in the mail morons.
Maybe US Prepares to suicide the entire population of the country?
Except for elites of corse?
No, they will have to keep some serfs around to do the actual physical dirty work, and of course they will have their underage sex slaves.
Simple solution give the Donbass about 1000 hypersonic missiles to hit America, supply the target data and the launchers…..and say its not us its them.
Two problems with your ‘solution’:
1) Hypersonic missiles do not currently have the range to reach the US from Russia Alaska from Siberia but no part of the US from the Donbas.
2) Saying it it’s not us it’s them, will not work as counter strike missiles will be flying before the first hypersonic missile would hit the US. Once incoming missiles are registered the US will be firing its own missiles – that is part of why hypersonic missiles are more a problem than a solution as they leave no time to explain or avoid a counter strike.
i’m pretty sure that was a rhetorical simple solution from DS
I’m not so sure. Given some of claims Doom has made in the past.
Alaska is 55 miles from Russia, at its closest point.
Interesting fun fact, but so what?
A bit hard to claim that it was from the Donbas then moreover a 1000 nukes for Alaska with the only city within range of any size being Anchorage – seems like ‘overkill’.
Submarines?
Yes, submarines. We can be confident that everyone’s subs are quietly waiting in waters well within range of key targets.
A few months ago, a US ballistic missile sub surfaced and made a very public port call at Gibraltar, probably on its way to the eastern Mediterranean. It carries 20 Trident II D5s, with a range of somewhere between 7,500 and 12,000 miles.
Yes, and the Russians have their boomers. And now they have the Belgorod, a massive beast with massive nuclear torpedoes – unlimited range and supposedly megaton—yield warheads.
Subs are why preemptive strikes can’t prevent retaliation.
Within range for a Trident means on Planet Earth.
Well . . . that’s sort of true for all sea-launched ballistic missiles.
Trident range is classified. But certainly it’s at least a third of the planet’s diameter.
So two Tridents should be enough deterrence to achieve MADness. When will the taxpayers learn?
The taxpayers never seem to learn. I think it has to do with keeping them permanently in the dark and feeding them bullshit. They always have to be frightened of/furious with the demonic Hitler-of-the-moment and his evil nation. It works like a charm.
$30M a pop for Tridents. 24 on each of 18 Ohio class subs, which are $2-3 billion each, depending on when they were built.
True, but the US Navy didn’t just randomly decide to accidentally divulge the location of one of its boomers. Surfacing it at the mouth of the Mediterranean was intended as a message to someone, probably someone by the name of Vladimir.
Obviously. Proximity does reduce detection time and reaction opportunity. But the point is nukes are inherently MAD. Do you think China is on the level with its no first strike policy? I am impressed by China’s patience and what appears to be very intelligent long term thinking. China has avoided military conflict since the incursion into Vietnam in 1979 except for the occasional snowball fights with the Indian Rangers in the Himalayas . I believe that China hasn’t invaded Taiwan or Hong Kong because they are wise enough to avoid the mess Putin has gotten himself into. Kinda like Brer Rabbit and the tar baby. I am hoping China’s ascendancy brings some rationality to international competition. On the other hand, they are doing a little bullying of their neighbors in the South China Sea.
LOL. So now the Donbass is getting missiles and nuclear submarines!!! LOL. Thanks for the laugh, you do have a good sense of humor.
Sometimes you have to infer things from previous posts, something you apparently don’t have the mental capacity to accomplish.
OMG. You are quick to go to insults. Does it make you feel better? What I have found out that people who question others people mental capacity are the ones most often deficient in that area. It is dumb people who are first to call others dumb. Did you even go to college? I bet not.
Does the Donetsk republic have submarines? Even if they had leaving the black sea would require Turkey’s permision.
No, but I’m sure Russia has the ability to find the East Coast via the Atlantic Ocean.
Sure Russia has the ability to attack the US that was never in doubt – this is about the ability of the Donetsk to hit the US if given hypersonic missiles.
Bill is not wrap too tight. Apparently he was serious about Donbass getting subs.
On 30th September 2022 Russia annexed Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts consequently any missile launch from their territories will be regarded as a launch from Russian soil.
Yes, that would be the third problem!
Supplying a dozen of Satans to North Korea might be a more practical idea.
That would likely tighten up some sphincters.
(Or to Iran.)
Sadly, the only realistic solution to the issue of tightened sphincters is to turn them into ashes.
Well apart from the 1000 part
It’s easy to get carried away.
At what point will Russia shoot back at NATO?
The US seems determined to push that limit until it gets that attack it seems to desire.
At the point when they feel that not being able to beat the ill trained Ukrainians with some NATO weapons is not hard enough and they need to not be able to beat well trained NATO forces fighting with almost all NATO weapons. Or when they feel that losing in Ukraine means that they must destroy the northern hemisphere in a nuclear war.
There isn’t a kilometers high lead wall on the equator.
“US Prepares to Send Ukraine Longer-Range Rockets in Next Arms Package Sources told Reuters the package will include Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs, which have a range of 94 miles”
Another escalation that could lead to an attack on Crimea or Russian cities adjacent to the Ukraine Russia boarder.
This will require Russia to take more of Ukraine to move any launch point for the new rockets back 96 miles from Eastern Ukraine and Russia.
Keep poking the bear and the bear might just drop tactical nukes or bigger.
In the last seven days Russia has destroyed a total of 40 truck pulled howitzers, 32 self propelled howitzers, 8 Multiple Rocked Launcher Systems (MRLS), 15 counter artillery radars and 23 local artillery ammunition depots.
Also 55 MLRS rockets and HARM anti-radar missiles were intercepted by Russian air defenses. Russia also engaged Ukrainian artillery positions with normal counter fire on 651 occasions.
NATO is in the process of disarming its own ground forces and is no longer combat capable.
Well sounds like things are going great for Russia, seems like war will be over with in a few days.
According to Lavrov US attempted to start negotiations recently. The terms wont be acceptable to Russia but its a start.
The only reason for the World’s only https://williamblum.org/books/rogue-state attempting “negotiations” with Russia is to buy time for the ukro-nazzis and distract Russia’s attention from more arms deliveries to the bandera scum AND to continue the job of frau Merkel et al of finding the way of lying with a straight face to Russia for the benefit of the neo-fascist regime in kyiv.
Negotiations with the regime can only begin with the Western initiative to halt ALL further deliveries of arms to the sadistic killer snakes in kyiv followed by a truce initiated by the its.
US Prepares to Send Ukraine More Rope to Hang Itself
Russia will not lose to NATO on any war front. NATO is a mess and a paper tiger who does not have the smarts or will to defeat a power like Russia. The US is another “keystone cop” who was thrown out of Afghanistan..and does not win wars. Russia will destroy all entry points into Ukraine, and if the NATO persists it will be destroyed also. If the US and NATO thought they had any chance they would have been all in from the get go. They are both pathetic and unjust in every regard.
Well, the American Empire in the end fled Afghanistan with something of a pulse left. And they might survive their own stupid for now. The Russians in the end didn’t.
Fortunately, NATO is now getting big enough to implode if not die of intra-NATO wars. Things are souring up pretty fast now.