You Can Read Me Now In US Naval Institute Blog.

Russian Navy, Mission Found?

You may read my new piece on some doctrine-technology issues in today's USNI Blog post. Link is below. 

Aircraft Carriers’ Drama 

Let's Try Q & A And Whatever Else Sticky Post

Here is the post which I will try to keep sticky for people to ask questions and share their thoughts which are not on topic. This, I think is known as Open Thread. Fire away.

You May Read Me on Unz Review Too.

Here is the full list of articles by me at Unz Review. 

 

               Andrei Martyanov Archive at Unz. 

Yasenka, AKA Yaroslava Degtyaryova.

That is how this magnificent child is known in Russia. She.... Well, here is what she was up against the Children Voice in 2016. She had to sing a song from before, probably, her parents were born. One of the greatest Soviet comedies made after Mikhail Bulgakov's Ivan Vasilievich Changes Profession (aka Ivan Vasilievich: Back to the Future, ahem) Here is the video from 1973, in short--I was young. Like really-really young.

So, forty plus years later a kid has to top a cult Soviet music and film classic. So she goes to stage and...well, she kills it. 

In general, all those Voice contests are a complete BS, but they do get us closer to real talent. So Yasya (Yasenka) does Kukushka (while Son of a Bitch drummer tries to take away her thunder) and she delivers on live radio (we need more cow bell;-))

This song (Ballad of Three Sons) requires translation. But, what can I say, if Russian Prime Minister's wife is ecstatic (Medvedev is sleeping, as always, most likely), that should be considered strongly since it is a celebration of a Love, Family and Commitment in ancient Russian city of Murom.

But she opened with another Russian miracle, Valentina Biryukova, with Stork on The Roof. People in Russia call her God's gift. I am no believer but this child is touched...

Stork on the roof--peace on Earth.... It is Friday.

Ha, Somebody Actually Does Their Job.

Interesting. CBS decided to do what normal media are supposed to be doing and actually interviewed Iran's Ambassador to the United States. What do ya know. 

Obviously an important step--to give a voice to Iranian side. Surprising, but good. 

Daniel Larison who I quote a lot lately notes:

In short, there was no good reason for the panicked administration reaction this month, and it has shown how eager some administration officials are to seize on absolutely anything as an excuse to move towards conflict with Iran. The Trump administration’s response over the last two weeks has been a bit like the cartoon where the giant elephant shrieks and jumps up on a chair when it spots a mouse on the floor. That doesn’t bode well for how the administration will respond to an accidental collision or clash. This is why the U.S. and Iran should maintain regular lines of communication to avert potential misunderstandings and to make sure that our governments can calm things down before they get out of control.   

Yes, this is the only way to conduct business, especially since Trump is now on record with his not really wanting war with Iran. Of course, Trump lacks understanding that his attempts of good cop-bad cop BS or "better deals" peculiar modes of negotiations do not impress people on the international arena. People who run large and important countries with huge history, such as Iran, they do their due diligence and study issues which define international relations. In other words, what works in shady New York real estate business absolutely doesn't work in global affairs. So, Trump needs to understand that the more he and his administration behave like this, the less his word or promises, hollow as they are already now, will weight. He must understand a simple thing: countries such as Iran, not to mention Russia or China are long ago inside America's OODA Loop and forestall the United States at every step on every turn. 

Here is Putin talking to his Austrian counter-parts in Sochi and he is very clear, actually, on Russia's role in this whole situation. The question-statement by Russian reporter about Russian-Austrian dialogue being very different (in positive way) from Russian-European one is indicative of how Russia views Europe today. 

By Putin's demeanor it is clear that he, frankly, is tired of telling Europeans (not Austrians in this particular instance) about obvious things. While dropping a little teeny-weeny bomblet today:

Russian leader Vladimir Putin says that laser technology will play a crucial role in the nation’s military might as he spoke about the “first practical results” of the country’s Peresvet combat laser system.Putin highlighted the importance of developing laser technology, including the “tactical-level combat laser complexes,” at a defense-themed cabinet meeting on Friday.

Such types of weaponry will at large be defining the combat potential of the Russian Army and Navy… throughout the whole of the 21st century.

Putin said that the government will study “the first practical results” of the laser system Peresvet’s performance when used by the military. The cutting-edge weapon formally entered test service in December.

This probably explains Putin's earlier (May 13) statement about anti-hyper-sonic defenses, which apart from S-500 capable of dealing with some types of hypersonic weapons, will be based primarily around laser and whatever the hell other "death-ray" technologies. Putin never states anything without having a complete grasp of the issue related to Russia's security. So, make your guesses (or bets)--how long will it be before Russia unveils another weapon system capable to deal with perspective US hyper-sonic weapons, which, judging by Defense Budget Proposal 2020 will be primarily built around now lavishly financed good ol' Prompt Global Strike (GPS) program. I don't think the United States is near any real truly hyper-sonic anti-shipping missile--for that there are reasons of history and institutional culture, but that is a separate topic in itself. So, as you can see--a very eventful week. I need a drink, honestly.    

Oh Boy, Now--Democratic Gas!

If Freedom (Liberty) Fries weren't enough, now, it is, evidently, natural gas which must be democratic. You know, in the same vein as pluralistic liberal oil from ever free multi-party Saudi Arabia, where the US buys portions of her energy supplies. So, just judge for yourself:

In general, one has to call on Sergei Lavrov, since Sir Patrick Stewart is not enough in this case:

Well, you know... ДБ. 

As Andrei Raevsky (The Saker) astutely observed today:

And while we can dislike folks like George Bush Senior or James Baker – these were superbly educated and extremely intelligent people.  Compare them to such psychopathic ignoramuses like Pompeo, Bolton or Trump himself! 

Yes, can you imagine, even 28 years ago the United States was still able to produce true statesmen. Boy, is it me or the time flies fast?  

P.S. I liked the guy from AfD, smart and a troll of 80th level. Germany needs people like him. 

As Was Predicted.

By me (sorry, can I get a credit for some shit at least once in a while?), the whole fuss is about this: 

ВАШИНГТОН, 15 мая. /ТАСС/. Правительство США считает, что новые российские ракетные комплексы "Сармат" и "Авангард" подпадают под действие Договора о мерах по дальнейшему сокращению и ограничению стратегических наступательных вооружений (ДСНВ). Об этом сообщила в среду заместитель госсекретаря США по контролю над вооружениями и международной безопасности Андреа Томпсон.

Translation: US Government considers new Russian missile complexes Sarmat and Avangard to be covered by the START Treaty, That was stated on Wednesday by Deputy Secretary of the State for arms control and international security Andrea Thompson. 

In more detail is here:

Washington also assesses that three other Russian systems - a nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle and the Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile - constitute a "new kind of strategic offensive arms for purposes of New START," Thompson added.

Well, well, well, what do ya know. It took only a year, within which the United States finally understood ramifications of the new weapon systems. State Department could have saved a lot of time and money should they have read my books and warning I issued on March 5, 2018.

Putin’s message was clear: “You didn’t listen to us then, you will listen to us now”. After that he proceeded with what can only be described as a military-technological Pearl-Harbor meets Stalingrad. The strategic ramifications of the latest weapon systems Putin presented are immense. In fact, they are historic in nature.  

Never in modern history had a geopolitical balance shifted so dramatically in such a short time as it happened  on March 1, 2018, with Russia leading what became a REAL Revolution in Military Affairs. I cannot stop stressing two things:

1. Hyper-sonic weapons Russia presented are not Wunderwaffe but they are perilously (for the United States) close to it;

2. Now Putin (yesterday) launches new program on anti-hyper-sonic defense, plus Russia continues to roll out some mind-boggling systems such as EW complexes and now signs contract for first 76 SU-57s (Just in case). 

So, who knows what is coming after, say, such systems as S-500. But one thing is absolutely clear--the United States will do its utmost, including by means of "improving relations", or rather imitation of such improvement, in its futile attempts to slow down an ever widening technological gap which drives modern geopolitical realignment and return of Russia to the global stage as a superpower. US will try to put new existing and upcoming weapons systems under the limitations of all kinds of treaties but, if the US wants to taste own medicine, it should go back to 2002 to unilateral abrogation of 1972 ABM Treaty and the way Russia literally begged to preserve it. We know the rest of the story. Now, one in his own mind, must ask a simple question--will Russia repeat, as did Soviet Union, a suicidal and self-humiliating rejection of own national interests in a delusional pursuit of acceptance to the combined West, especially when having a decisive conventional and nuclear advantage over the United States? Well, I think we all know the answer. As I stated in conclusion then:

If warnings and the demonstration of Russian military-technological superiority will have an effect, as was the Russian intent from the beginning, some sensible conversation on the new world order may start between key geopolitical players. The world cannot afford any more a pretentious, self-aggrandizing and hollow bully which knows not what it does and threatens the world’s stability and peace. American self-proclaimed hegemony is over where it really matters for any real and perceived hegemon—the military field. It was over for some time now, it just took Putin’s speech to demonstrate the good old Al Capone truism that one can get much further with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone. After all, Russia did try a kind word alone, it didn’t work and the United States has only itself to blame.

P.S. I knew that Kinzhal was immediate game-changer.