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Friday, April 8, 2022
Ukraine: A conversation with Scott Ritter — Hosted by Margaret Flowers and Joe Lombardo (video, no transcript 110 min)
I finished watching the whole thing in segments. It is long but worthwhile if you are into details, both historical and military. He pulls no punches and spells it out.
Ritter lays it all out from the beginning historically right down to the present and what to expect in the endgame. Almost two hours but well worth the time, even though some it is repetitive if you have been watching his other stuff. But there is also stuff I have not heard him say before. He has thought this through based on the unclassified information which is available publicly, interpreted in terms of his knowledge and experience.
Plus a lot of military experience, including combat and interaction with Russian officers from his arms control experience. He also studied military science on his own. According to Andrei Martyanov, the military science degree in Russia and US differ. The Russian degree is a dual degree in military science and engineering (math and physics). The US degree in military science doesn't include engineering.
Art degree or not, only a question of time before his urges overwhelm again and he starts hunting again online in chatrooms after teenage girls. Cops posing as teenagers will be waiting for the scum.
Yeah, i have some crazy urges, too, you know, but not criminal. Like this morning I had the crazy urge for dried figs dipped in peanut butter and sprinkled with lots of milled flaxseeds, and, of course, with freshly brewed coffee. Now that's awesome!
As with everything, one must ask what the assumptions are. Europe coming to its sense assumes rationality and national interest will prevail. That is a huge assumption.
if irrationality is assumed then, then the outcomes are radically uncertain.
The other alternative is some combination of the two, but there is an infinite range of proportion between the two. In addition, there are many players to take into account and changing conditions as well.
That extrapolates to a vast range of possible outcomes.
BTW, most of what is put out in the Western media is based on the assumption that Putin/Russia are acting irrationally.
Irrationality is never a safe assumption, since there are so many other possibilities from perfectly rational to perfectly irrational. It is lazy and unprofessional, especially since there are other accounts based on appeal to facts and logic in alternative media. Irrationality also allows for explaining all outcomes on the basis of any motivation that seems convenient, regardless of whether it is logical. It also absolves the one doing the explaining to look at the evidence.
Very little talk of peace here.
ReplyDeleteI finished watching the whole thing in segments. It is long but worthwhile if you are into details, both historical and military. He pulls no punches and spells it out.
ReplyDeleteRitter lays it all out from the beginning historically right down to the present and what to expect in the endgame. Almost two hours but well worth the time, even though some it is repetitive if you have been watching his other stuff. But there is also stuff I have not heard him say before. He has thought this through based on the unclassified information which is available publicly, interpreted in terms of his knowledge and experience.
iirc he has Art Degree in Russian History from Franklin & Marshall….
ReplyDeleteiirc he has Art Degree in Russian History
ReplyDeletePlus a lot of military experience, including combat and interaction with Russian officers from his arms control experience. He also studied military science on his own. According to Andrei Martyanov, the military science degree in Russia and US differ. The Russian degree is a dual degree in military science and engineering (math and physics). The US degree in military science doesn't include engineering.
Art degree or not, only a question of time before his urges overwhelm again and he starts hunting again online in chatrooms after teenage girls. Cops posing as teenagers will be waiting for the scum.
ReplyDeleteYeah, i have some crazy urges, too, you know, but not criminal. Like this morning I had the crazy urge for dried figs dipped in peanut butter and sprinkled with lots of milled flaxseeds, and, of course, with freshly brewed coffee. Now that's awesome!
He enjoys talking shop vis a vis military matters.
ReplyDeleteHe believes Europe will come to its senses and vote for a security agreement that respects Russian concerns. I'll believe it when I see it.
As with everything, one must ask what the assumptions are. Europe coming to its sense assumes rationality and national interest will prevail. That is a huge assumption.
ReplyDeleteif irrationality is assumed then, then the outcomes are radically uncertain.
The other alternative is some combination of the two, but there is an infinite range of proportion between the two. In addition, there are many players to take into account and changing conditions as well.
That extrapolates to a vast range of possible outcomes.
How could anyone put numbers on it?
BTW, most of what is put out in the Western media is based on the assumption that Putin/Russia are acting irrationally.
ReplyDeleteIrrationality is never a safe assumption, since there are so many other possibilities from perfectly rational to perfectly irrational. It is lazy and unprofessional, especially since there are other accounts based on appeal to facts and logic in alternative media. Irrationality also allows for explaining all outcomes on the basis of any motivation that seems convenient, regardless of whether it is logical. It also absolves the one doing the explaining to look at the evidence.
Such narratives are built on sand.
All Degrees awarded at USMA West Point are Science Degrees… doesn’t matter what Discipline you major in it will be a Science Degree…
ReplyDeleteIn fact the first Science Degree awarded in Western Hemisphere was at West Point…
Ritter was perhaps ROTC at F&M…
Milley has Art Degree from Princeton….
ReplyDeleteMilley not West Point.,,
Calling something a science degree doesn’t make it science.
ReplyDeleteA good example is "computer science" and "software engineers."
Oh, and there is also "accounting science" and "accounting engineers."
ReplyDelete@Tom
ReplyDeleteScott Ritter did put a number on it - ten years if I recall correctly.
Computing architecture.
ReplyDeleteSteve Jobs was an architect, figuratively speaking.
ReplyDeleteArt vs science vs trade vs profession
ReplyDeleteArt vs science vs trade vs profession
ReplyDeleteRight.
The US military officer corp is a profession.
An old joke: accounting is a profession, embezzlement is an art.
ReplyDelete