Above: Flight III
Bullet Points:
** Qatar has told the United States it intends to expel Hamas leaders from its territory after the group refused to condemn Iran’s attacks on Qatar and other Gulf states. Doha had demanded that Hamas denounce not only the US-Israeli operation against Iran, but also the Iranian strikes on Gulf countries. Hamas did not do so. The move could leave Hamas leadership with few remaining safe havens. Turkey is unlikely to welcome them now, Syria is no longer an option under its new leadership, and Lebanon is no longer a stable ground for them.
** Cartoon “Unhinged” (left) h/t WSF
** Great Britain is at best neutral. I don’t think it can be considered an ‘ally’ anymore. Allied in what way? Part of NATO, sure, in that they want us to aid them in the event they’re attacked. Should they be singled out for tariffs? Perhaps we should treat them no better or worse than the other countries, which are neutral, at best.
** Dammit, I’m mad – spelled backwards is?
** Admiral Brad Cooper confirmed that Iran’s most capable submarine, a Fateh-class coastal sub, now “has a hole in its side” and is non-operational. Several Ghadir-class “midget subs” were also confirmed destroyed during the initial 100-hour blitz.
** Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) vetoed a bill that would have created a specialty license plate honoring Charlie Kirk and directed part of its proceeds to the organization he cofounded, Turning Point USA. Hobbs and Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) owe their government offices to the rigged elections that Arizona experienced.
** President Trump says the F-22 SUPER RAPTOR is in development. It’s a strategic evolution incorporating secret upgrades, new sensors and software, weapon and stealth refinements, and could reshape airpower strategies, especially in the Pacific. It’s a “5th-Gen plus” to bridge the gap between now and the 2030s, when the Raptor’s replacement, America’s first 6th-gen fighter, the F-47, enters service and enters full operations.
From the Mailbag
Erata – from what I’ve been told, one of six British destroyers, HMS Duncan, is in the Arctic on an exercise, so they do have one that works. They hope to get the HMS Dragon to sea within a week or so.
Note: For a Brit to crow that – wait, LL. We do have one that works sorta, it’s not something to be all that proud of. The Atlantic Cousins – special relationship thing has sailed.
As soon as the UK establishes a proper sultanate and begins beheading lawbreakers and homosexuals, and clothing ALL women properly according to Quranic tradition, London might clean up. It’s on the way!
Job Opportunities
Iranian Officials state that a Group of Officers and Commanders with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, the Deputy Commander of Operations for the IRGC, as well as the Acting Commander of Quds Force Operations in Syria and Lebanon, were all killed in yesterday’s Israeli Strike on Hezbollah’s Central Command Bunker in Beirut.
Aziz, where should we all meet to discuss the Big and Little Satan?
Why don’t we meet in the secure bunker? The Zionists don’t know where it is, and it’s too deep for Jewish bunker busters to reach it.
Unless somebody smuggled a bomb down into it, the bomb goes off and pulps the command authority.
That would never happen, Aziz.
Thoughts on the French Navy
Unlike the UK, which struggles with all of its might to get one lonely destroyer at sea within two weeks, the French do have a blue water navy. As CDRSAL points out, they have ALL put to sea. The normal rotation is 33% at sea, 33% under refit, and 33% in port, undergoing routine maintenance and rest. Military operational tempos stress everything – crews and equipment. Sustainment at sea is an art, and UNREP is good, but in and of itself, some weapons and heavy equipment can’t be moved in a standard underway replenishment (fuel, food, some equipment). VERTREP from Ospreys and helicopters has also been used, but they can only lift so much, and sea state can be problematic.
The French Grand Fleet isn’t sailing very far – in their backyard – Mediterranean deployment, maybe some will transit the Suez Canal.
Navies are expensive. If your focus is on feeding shiftless immigrants (UK), you may not be able to afford them. But if you engage in trade, they are not an option. If you have foreign Colonies, they are not an option, and if somebody plans to invade you, it will come from the sea.
France has 23 surface ships, and they are a blended fleet. In normal situations, you’d think that they should have 7 or 8 at sea doing whatever the French fleet does. They’ve sortied with 19, in a Hail Mary move. Since they’re not going very far, that should work. If they had to defend their Pacific possessions from an imperial power such as Red China, it would be far more problematic. As it is, they keep a frigate (sometimes two frigates) and a handful of patrol boats based at their French overseas Pacific territories (New Caledonia, French Polynesia). Those are more of a tripwire than a deterrent. Sinking one would invoke NATO treaty obligations for the US to save them.
I don’t know that France needs a larger navy to meet its obligations. The same with Italy, which has a significant navy to meet its defense requirements. Because France operates only one aircraft carrier, the navy is without a carrier strike group during the ship’s maintenance periods, such as the 18-month refit in 2017–2018. France is planning a next-generation aircraft carrier, known as the PANG (PA-NG), which is expected to be operational around 2038. If you’re going to buy one, you should buy two under the theory that two is one and one is none.
Since there are only submarines and targets, France operates a total of 9 nuclear-powered submarines as of 2026, comprising 4 Triomphant-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and 5 Suffren/Rubis-class attack submarines (SSNs). These vessels are based at Île Longue and Toulon, ensuring a continuous, independent, and strategic nuclear deterrent.
How is the Iranian Military Organized?
The Iranian military is a complex, dual-structured organization designed to prevent coups and ensure regime survival, with all branches answering directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It is divided into the regular army/navy/air force (Artesh) for territorial defense and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for ideological protection, with the IRGC controlling key missile and drone assets.
Key Components and Structure:
- Supreme Leader: As Commander-in-Chief, he holds ultimate authority and sets grand strategy.
- Armed Forces General Staff (AFGS): Coordinates the military branches and acts as the central command, similar to the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- Artesh (Regular Army): Responsible for conventional warfare, border defense, and airspace, generally considered less ideological than the IRGC.
- IRGC (Revolutionary Guard): An elite military force protecting the political system, with its own ground, air, and naval forces.
- IRGC Quds Force: Responsible for extraterritorial operations and foreign influence.
- Basij Militia: A paramilitary force under the IRGC used for domestic security and suppressing internal dissent.
- Law Enforcement Command (LEC): Handles domestic policing and law enforcement.
The Mosaic Doctrine calls for a decentralized, territorial defense strategy that allows local units to operate independently if central command is lost, thereby complicating foreign intervention. The duplication of services (e.g., both Artesh and IRGC having air forces) ensures the IRGC can monitor the regular army. The IRGC utilizes a massive arsenal of drones and missiles as the backbone of its deterrence strategy.
Food Prices
The increase in food prices from the beginning of creepy old Pedo Joe’s regime to now has been a major stumbling block to most American households. But not all retail outlets are equal.
Identify the Aircraft
1
2
Identify the Ship
3
4
Parting Shot
The Chairperson of Canada’s Joint Chiefs of Staff is a joke. Look, the USA had General Milley, the self-confessed Chinese Collaborator, under demented creepy Pedo Joe Biden, so I’m not saying that the US is always right. It’s just that Field Marshal (or whatever her rank is) Carignan is not suited to her job. And the Canadian army is half the size of the Kurdish Peshmerga. And Kurdistan is a tiny corner of northeast Iraq. So there you are.
End
I liked the suggestion that Iran, in the interest of saving time and effort, should select for the role of Fearless Leader someone who is already dead.
Backward spelling – if you include the spaces and apostrophe, the backward version would look a bit odd :)
You could always go with ABLE WAS I ERE I SAW ELBA.
I think that’s the way to go. A zombie leader for Iran. Flesh eating, sure – but with a good heart? Ok, a decaying heart, but Mike_C could fix that. Duct tape, 550 cord, and JB Weld, and it would be good as new.
You forgot Flex Seal! Use it to patch the latest/greatest Iranian zombie leader. Any leftovers could be used with screen door material to patch the Iranian sub fleet. All of them, whether they started as submarines or not. Screen door on a sub…
I nominate Achmed Jr. son of Achmed the Dead Terrorist, sponsored by Jeff Dunham, for Supreme Leader. Walter could be Senior Statesman, Sweet Daddy Dee for Public Affairs. Take it from there…
Flex Seal Spray is amazing, fix ya right up.
…but it does have that ubiquitous ‘aren’t we merciful’ California Prop 65 Cancer Warning label…might be a health risk according to ‘those people’.
Kid across the street was painting the numbers for his mailbox we were installing today.
It was flex seal, and it won’t come off my fiongers.
It will be easier to remove from robot fingers after your consciousness has been transferred to one of Musk’s robots.
3 is USS Norton Sound aircraft tender.
4 USS Carpenter
Yes!
Identify the Aircraft
1 – Italian Air Force Aermacchi T-345A
2 – Lockheed Martin F-22
Identify the Ship
3 – USS Norton Sound
4 – USS Carpenter
Excellent
Canadian Defence Force
According to internet she is a general under the British rank system similar to what Australia uses. 4 star in US system. I also note that the regular Australian Army is about 30% bigger than Canada’s and our reserve is about double Canada.
Identify the Aircraft:
1. Alenia Aermacchi T-346 Master
2. Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
Identify the Ship
3. USS Norton Sound
4. USS Carpenter
Nailed them
Qatar, from what I understand, is a very interesting place. They’ve existed by placating to all sides all of the time. So for them to tell Hamas to get the heck out is quite… interesting. Iran firing off everywhere and hitting people that normally would kind of side with them because they’re spineless was a supreme act of stupidity. Not the normal move for Persians, who have been some of the best warriors in the world for a very long time, to make such a stupid move. Well, maybe the turbans cause brain damage or something.
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Great Britain isn’t our friend and hasn’t been since at least the day Queen Elizabeth II died. They are at best dangerously vaguely neutral. They are a lodestone around the neck of anyone wanting to do anything in their area. Not saying Great Britain couldn’t be great again, but that will require the peasants and serfs (if you’re a subject you are not a citizen) rising up and taking back their country from all the muslim freeloaders and gender-queer religious leaders (looking at you, Church of England.)
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Arizona? Is there any chance that Arizona will clean up its act without the federal SAFE Act being passed?
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The Super-Raptor sounds cool. Trump also has talked about a dual-engine F-35 variant as he understands naval aircraft need twin engines. Will be interesting to see if either of these aircraft are actually made or if they’re just hopium like the battleship/battlecruiser concept Trump announced.
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As to food prices, I will gladly pay more at Publix to not have to go to Walmart. Though I do buy meat at Sam’s, but there’s a far better clientele at Sam’s than at Walmart.
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What Biden’s admin did to cattle ranchers was downright criminal. Cancelling grazing rights, water rights and transit rights (the ability to move herds on their legs and not in cattle carriers across state and federal lands) and wiping out whole herds under the suspicion, but with no proof, of disease, many ranchers had to cull their herds in order to stay in the business. That and the 4 major meat processors colluding in keeping ‘intake’ (price paid per head) prices down spelled disaster. People don’t understand it takes 4-8 years to rebuild herds once they’ve been culled. If they can be rebuilt.
Super Raptor, maybe. The F-22 is older technology and could stand a major refresh (if it is done quickly).
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You can’t add a second engine to the F-35 because that is an F-22; I worked on the F-35 program for 15 years. The F-35 is designed around the engine. Since the early years of the program Pratt & Whitney have improved the reliability of the F-135 engine and are not blowing up aircraft anymore.
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Here in South Central Texas, we only have H.E.B., Walmart or a small local, overpriced chain. H.E.B. does well. One would have to drive into San Antonio for Sam’s or Costco.
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The goal of the “Biden” Administration was to make WTP eat zee bugs by making meat and fowl too expensive a protein source for we lesser people.
Arizona has taken steps to clean things up and has removed people from the voter rolls, etc. Is that enough to clean it up? Hopefully, but we also need same-day voting and paper ballots to be sure.
PDJT just secured Maricopa County’s voting records…like Fulton County this could get interesting for Ms.Hobb’s.
F-22 can be improved, would require rewiring, new electronics/avionics, and a lot of skull-work to accomplish. The airframe is proven.
I too have dabbled in the F-35 program. Making it twin-engine would be nearly impossible for reasons you describe. Better to transplant the latest avionics to the F-22. The Navy needs to shape up and either continue improving the F-18E/F/G or get Congress to finalize their Next-Gen Fighter program. No more “One Size Fits All” like the F-111 and F-35.
Here in the great NW Nevada area, we’ve got Walmart and Safeway. Walmart sucks for shopping, Safeway is expensive and more restricted in merchandise. Neither is a win. Reno and Carson City are around an hour from home, makes Costco/Sams Club a planned trip.
IIRC, aren’t/weren’t a lot of the meat processing plants using non-US (read ILLEGAL) employees? So, low wages to go along with low ‘intake’ prices? We’re getting screwed from both ends. And that’s why the C-5 Galaxy was give the nickname (among others) of “Linda”. Linda Lovelace, quite a talented artist. Load cargo from both ends.
The UK has fallen again, just like when the Vikings, and the Romans invaded. How it all turns out will be seen, but they’re definitely not an ally and will probably become an enemy. Their proximity to the mainland, and their small geographical area guarantees their weaknesses will be exploited, and the people in harms way again. The fierce determination shown during the Blitz is now gone.
For any number of reasons I found the graph interesting. The reason for price increases under the previous administration wasn’t just the deliberate war against farmers and our food supply for reasons I cannot fathom, but the (again) deliberate war against the dollar; as the dollar loses value, the things (food, clothing, etc) we purchase with it become more expensive.
What I can’t believe is that when you try to explain this very simple logic to an “educated Liberal” who’s complaining about how much X now costs, he simply is unable to believe the relationship (I have to say that not many Conservatives understand the relationship either which gives me some concern that my thinking may be incorrect; then again, I’m not an economist).
Biden’s war against chickens (and eggs) was epic. There are aspects to liberalism that are not stupid. However, there are a number of educated idiots who are a study in stupidity, and they are almost always democrats.
Biden’s war on cattle (and meat and dairy) was just as epic. But less reported. Chicken flocks can take up to 6 months to bring back up to pre-Biden levels. Cattle will take 6 years or more.
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And all of it, chicken, cattle, was done without any real scientific basis.
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Jerks.
another point that might be considered:
food quality is not equivalent across the spectrum
No, and not even across outlet brands.
The ‘Covid’ Shut Down affected more than children development, it wrecked many segments of society. What is worse is how many people – especially parents – who were immediately compliant without a single thought as to ‘the why’, going along with the PsyOp Charade out of fear of a manipulated cold virus, only then to get an unknown shot, then booster(s). The evil part is it was promulgated by government evil dweebs in suits and scarfs who were filling the airwaves daily with all manner of BS, a reprehensible act on purpose to create a generation of compliant weak-minded citizens. It worked.
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We’re Costco and Sam’s people, mostly Costco these days due to store proximity. Walmart is for incidentals, Albertson’s for a weekly fridge infill, while Trader Joe’s is for fun stuff if we feel like it. Haven’t been into a Whole Foods for a decade…although they do carry nice foodstuffs especially if one enjoys ‘artisanal’ breads or chef-level cooking with specific ingredients…we don’t drive a Subaru with a ‘coexist’ sticker. (Ps. Didn’t know HEB was a grocer…cool.)
If you drove a Subaru with a coexist sticker, you wouldn’t visit Virtual Mirage. It’s like dying your hair blue or purple – same thing.
If I logged into VM as that type my face would melt…but would it if I put the non-gmo free range soy-based Whole Foods ‘plastic’ bag over my head for protection?
I’ve owned several Subarus, 1980’s vintage. None with bumper stickers. If memory serves, the most I ever paid for one was $200. Good kid’s first car and loaner when the ex was in town. Turn the key, they start. Put in gear and they hauled your ass down the road. What more do you need?
Today in Colorado, the drivers seem to fall into two groups. The first, and largest, slow and dumb. The second, boy racers especially in the mountains.
Sans the associated virtue signaling they are a solid 4wd vehicle, practically drive up your garage door with one. Some of their models are serious rally race ready, and fast.
The second, boy racers especially in the mountains.
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Hey, I resemble that remark!
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DIL and her clan are big on Subies and Audis. She was living with us when her Subie suffered the dread Cam Sprocket Failure. I looked at it for her, and decided I didn’t want anything to do with it. It was a mess under the hood because when the sprocket bit the dust it shredded the drive belt and it looked like an explosion is a string factory. I’ve seen belts fail before, but this was epic….
Food – when we visit KC we sometimes go to Menards. They have a good sized food section, which is rare for hardware stores. No idea where they fit in the food cost continuum.
Menard’s (Corporate motto: “We also sell lumber”.) has some good prices on many items.
I buy jars of mixed nuts there, jerky, household cleaning goods.
Then I go across the street to Meijer’s for meat, dairy, produce, etc.
Is that the store formerly know as “Meijer’s Thrifty Acres”?
And now for something different:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO2umpJBNwU&t=4s
James Carville is as relevant as the dog shit at the park that has dissolved this winter.
Picture Great Britain as Dumbo eared Charlie dressed in armor with nitwit children by his side ready to go into battle with the towelheads. That’s England today.
If I ever move back to Arizona, I’m going back to Crown King, my previous second home.
There was a big fire in Crown King. I don’t know what portion of it survived.
Market Basket is great!
There’s some stuff you can’t really get there, and their deli is only
okay, but other than those quibbles, fantastic.
*
Also, you go in there when they’re busy, and there’s a checker in every single aisle.
– Kle.
James Carville
His highwater mark was the Bil Clinton campaign, “It is the economy, stupid”. Nowadays, occasional Cajun spice for an American Mainstream Maggot (h/t BZ) sound bite.
He also managed the impossible by making Gollum look good.
There are only about 150 operational F-22s and they are getting old. The 1988 with multiple I-960s avionics architecture with makes it hard to change. I would go with 300 new super F-15s and ramp up F-35 production rates. They will have to be good enough due to the premature shutdown of the F-22. We have painted ourselves into a corner.
We frequent Winco for sundries, Costco less so for bulk and pharmacy, and are fast becoming fans of the new HEB. Tom Thumb’s digital coupons are hard to beat for quality products for the price.
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I’d like to see a listing of the Canadian admiral’s fruit salad. Not to imply we haven’t had the same issue here.
Sidebar: More ‘Congressional Dithering’: Thune not passing the SAVE Act, giving excuses on top of slow-walking on top of a weak-kneed approach to what We The People want:
“Thune previously quashed an effort to use ‘the talking filibuster’ to pass the SAVE Act, citing opposition from at least four Republicans and doubts regarding the ability to outlast Democrats. He also dismissed the growing grassroots movement demanding passage of the SAVE America Act as nothing more than a manufactured effort by a so-called “paid influencer ecosystem….telling reporters that there would be a vote, giving those advocating for the SAVE Act a chance to pass it…but then made clear he thought the whole issue was a waste of time since Democrats would probably end up defeating the measure anyway.”
Unreal. It’s like the R’s try to find ways to lose so don’t even give it a go. — “Hey John!, let the Democrats block it, that works for you to run them over come November considering 87% of us out here THAT YOU ALL WORK FOR want it!” This is not hard…but they are making it so.
I believe that the inflation of the Biden years was a scheme to allow the connected to sell short the American dollar by borrowing dollars to buy gold, land. stocks, and then when the dollar lost value, sell off a portion and repay the loans.
Of course, we get stuck with high food prices.
Exactly Ed…these types will sell their own mother for profit.
HEB (and I’m old enough to remember when the name was H.E. Butt) has an offshoot called Central Market that makes Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods look like stop-n-rob convenience stores. Not that there’s much wrong with HEB to start with.