This Is Really Strange ...

 ... or not. 

Washington — A fire broke out Tuesday on the USS Higgins, a guided-missile destroyer and a mainstay of the Navy's forward presence in Asia, according to U.S. officials. The fire knocked out electricity and propulsion on the destroyer, one of the officials told CBS News, speaking under condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly. It was contained to one piece of equipment, and the flames didn't spread. No injuries to U.S. service members had been reported as of Wednesday. Details of how the fire started and the exact location of the Higgins in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) were not readily available. Details regarding what sections of the ship were damaged and how long it will take to repair were also not available. 

I call this BS outright. Because of this: It was contained to one piece of equipment. What does it even mean? USS Higgins is by no means a young ship, she is 26 years old, but ANY ship in any navy is built with redundancies (2+ diesel-generators, four gas-turbines et al) which preclude a loss of power and propulsion, UNLESS it is a sabotage or external something, whatever that might be. Arleigh Burkes are fine boats and as on any ship they have a main propulsion control room, which also contains main distribution console, but it is also reserved (I am sure in other places around the ship) and it will take a fucking huge effort to do to such a significant ship what is described in the news. 

I am not going to speculate on reasons, but those "small fires" in laundry room which took 30 hours to extinguish, 3 F-15 shot down "by rogue Kuwaiti pilot", now this. Yes, USS Princeton lost her power for 15-20 minutes when struck a mine in 1991 and there was other damage and another fire just a few days ago while in the dock. And the only question one has to ask is this: WTF? Iran? Sure, but there is something more sinister behind all that and one CANNOT exclude the possibility of technology simply malfunctioning due to abuse at the service of disintegrating empire.  

Enter Souyz 5.

New heavy class rocket with the most powerful liquid engine--RD171. 

Ramifications are enormous. The test was flawless. 

Open Thread.

 Go at it. 

Garland Nixon And Me ...

 ... live in 50 minutes. 

At Least Merz Admitted ...

 ... what has been known for a long time. 

Stephen King's Plot.

And the nets do not help. Some 404 transport of 300s encounters Russian drone in the night. 

Now they are all 200s. 

Another Day ...

 ... another M-109 Paladin burning. 

And the crew which is happy to be alive and be withdrawn to the rear--there is no ammo. Just a detail. And it is not going to be reported by Western media. They will continue to tout some 404 "victories" and drone strikes trying to spin whatever they can. Like this: 

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine used interceptor systems to shoot down more than 33,000 Russian drones of various types in March, a record monthly figure since Moscow launched its all-out invasion more than four years ago, Ukraine’s defense minister claimed.

Why the number is not 100500 (Russians will get this) or 3 billion remains a complete mystery to me, but there are still CIA and Pentagon people who would still buy this, because they cannot admit to themselves of how pathetic they are. While Foreign Affairs rag is one massive lament and coping. 

Let Iran Defeat Itself. America Should End the War but Keep Up the Pressure. 

Somebody has to tell this Nephew guy that neither Russia nor China (China--conditionally) care about "pressure" (a euphemism for sanctions) on Iran anymore and that changes the whole game. But the average member of Council on Foreign Relations (the publisher of Foreign Affairs) is a credentialed academic fraud, usually with "degree" in political "science" and a former government apparatchik good only at bureaucratic games within the imploding system to keep himself in the "expert" cesspool to pay for exclusive golf clubs and soirees'. That's the extent of their "expertise".