Hawaiian

When I first reported aboard ship in 1958 my intent was to be a cook. The operations officer had other ideas. He had me assigned to the radio shack. At first I wasn't happy, but he asked me to try for another month. When the ops officer spoke with me 30 days later, I told him I would stay and promised not to disappoint him. And I didn't. I took the advancement exam for 3rd class radioman petty officer along with the other 4 guys in our radio gang who were graduates of the Navy's class A radioman school. With only on the job training I passed with the rest of them. Long story, short. I retired after 23 years of service. Personally, I feel that the U.S. should have compulsory military service of at least two years or some other worthwhile public service. I never regretted my time in the military. I believe it helps to build character and opens the door to many opportunities. There are educational programs that helps those with limited financial resources. The military has some of the finest schools in the country.

Funny, but quite apropos.

Agree, Western style democracy is not for everyone. What is your explanation why are so many breaking their necks to get in the police headquarters.

According to AP News the Strinda was transporting a load of palm oil from Malaysia to Italy. If true, then more lies and propaganda from the Qatari government. Why would anyone volunteer to be a messenger of false news? Link to this article is not available at this time.

Hypocrisy describes it all.

Do I sense a bit of racial bias by the Saudis here? I don't recall them being very vocal about the persecution of the Rhohingya in Myanmar and the Chinese oppression of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. Or are crusaders only white people?

Is Xi beginning to have second thoughts about Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and his continual threats against Taiwan? It seem kissing up to Biden and his recent courting of Vietnam are signs that Chinese belligerence is not having the results he had hoped for. And now that the U.S. has openly displayed support for the Philippines against Chinese moves in the West Philippine Sea will China continue their bullying tactics? Perhaps invading Taiwan is beginning to sound like a bad idea.

Agree. The CCP not only control the military, but just about every sector of the economy. Because the party demands results and dictates how soon they want results, they often get an inferior product. The new Dalian underwater tunnel that was designed to last 100 years flooded 15 days after opening. Even BRI projects outside the country have ended in failure or disaster. One can only assume these problems will also pop up in their military hardware. State of the art military hardware is only effective if it works as designed. Yes, the U.S. military has been plagued with similar problems, but too many failures gets extra scrutiny by Congress. The U.S. also has a competitive bidding process with encourages innovation and the latest technology. While far from perfect, it usually produces a better product than the Chinese can put out. Why do you think China spends so much time and effort on industrial espionage?

Sorry. Problem with link on Chinese fighter pilots. Worked when I tested it.

I misspoke. They may lack the combat experience, but appear to be better trained. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-might-have-stealth-fighters-how-good-are-pilots-who-fly-them-59147?utm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_Air_Force_Flight_Academy?utm

Quality vs. quantity. The other day an Israeli F-35 fighter jet shot down a Houthi cruise missile. The plane's highly advanced tracking system plus the experience of the Israeli pilot made this possible. It is highly unlikely the Chinese could accomplish a similar feat. While Taiwan may be "woefully ill prepared for a CHinese attack," the U.S. is not. Former secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, said, "You go to war with the army you have, and not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time." I believe the same thing applies to the U.S. Navy and Air Force. There is nothing equivalent to combat experience.

If I am not mistaken, this is the third ship that has been hit. The other two suffered "little or no significant damage." Although it is a matter of when I am curious as to who will fire the first shot.

It just been reported that a Norwegian flagged ship carrying chemicals is afire in the Red Sea. Houthi fired missile(s) blamed. U.S. Navy ship on the scene. What now? Using your words, will the international community tolerate this?

Underestimating an enemy often results in a long, costly war that can end in a stalemate rather than a speedy decisive win. Putin seems to have made that miscalculation. Many military analysts were surprised at the resistance put up by Ukraine and all of the economic and military support by western nations. Then there are the economic sanctions that are slowly having a devastating effect. Although Xi is just as ruthless and daring as his Russian counterpart, he is a lot more cautious. Obviously, he is looking at all of the possible scenarios should China invade Taiwan. Just because the Chinese have a much more superior military force does not ensure a quick, decisive victory. There are many formidable challenges when conducting an amphibious operation. Seven hundred something years ago the Mongols set out to conquer and subdue the Japanese. Twice they failed, defeated by the weather. D-Day, in 1944, could have also been a disaster for the Allies. Fortunately for them, the weather cooperated. Discounting who would come to Taiwan's aid is debatable. If China were to make preemptive strikes on U.S. bases in Japan, the Philippines and elsewhere it is a given that the U.S. would immediately respond. The Australians have also indicated they would get involved. As to who else would join in depends how on long the hostilities last. If China does badly, then maybe others will join in the fray. Let's hope that Xi realizes no matter what, China will pay a heavy price.

Wouldn't surprise me. My worry is who will sit in the oval office if it's not Joe. America is going down hill fast and we need a brakeman real soon. Joe is already having a difficult time determining which pedal is which. Scary.

But Al Capone wasn't a president's son.

Are you implying the FBI whistleblowers are Trump supporters?

While Israel does not belong to NATO it has fostered a close bond with many members. Erdogan's economy is not well. With the election coming up soon he might interrupt the flow of oil as a distraction. But it may backfire if Israel's NATO friends institute a boycott on Turkish goods. No way, you may say. Crazier things have happened in today's crazy world.

IMO, MBS is all about business and while public sentiment may concern him, he is not going to let it get in his way. I think he considers Israel as necessary evil that serves a purpose and will not cut all ties with the country. The Iranians that I have done business with are as sneaky as can be. They lie with a straight face and have no compunction when caught in their lies. The present Iranian regime hasn't displayed much trustworthiness either. Thus my past comments. Iranians are Persians and not Arabs. They are also Shiites, whereas the Saudis are Sunni. The rivalry between the two sects may not be in the spotlight, but it's there and does cause friction. Saying Muslim is Muslim is almost like saying that Christianity is Christianity. It is only in recent times that the Catholics and Protestants get along. You may not agree with my analogy, but I think it's valid.

Although "Top Gun" and it's sequel were made for entertainment, there are some lessons to be learned. Piloting a state of the art fighter jet takes more than just realistic combat exercises to be a winner. Motivation and determination makes a big difference in whether there is mediocre performance or being a "top gun." A military can be armed to the teeth with the latest military hardware, but if they have a lousy battle plan with poor leadership, then forget about victory.

The present conflict started in 2015 and is still going on, albeit at on a limited scale. While not widely known, the Saudis do have a small contingent of special operation forces in Yemen. They have been operating with Bahraini soldiers. Although Saudi Arabia does not have official diplomatic relations with Israel, El Al planes are still allowed to transverse Saudi air space. To be safe El Al flight have been skirting the country and flying as far south as Somalia to avoid any "mishaps." The Saudis are no dummies. I would say they trust Israel more than they do Iran. As far as Muslims fighting Muslims, it's mostly Sunnis fighting Shiites and they don't need Israeli permission to do so.

The Saudi's are modernizing their Navy, having contracted both Spanish and U.S. shipbuilders. The multi-purpose littoral combat ships being built are supposedly to counter Iranian aggression in the gulf. These ships are designed for near shore operations and will have missile firing capability. They also could be used against the Houthis in Yemen.

A cheap shot? Really? You injected "just" just to prove a point. Who's being insensitive now? Typical of your antics, blowing things all out of proportion. Making mountains out of molehills comes to mind.

I have read of Hunter's excuse of turning to drugs because he could not handle the grief over his brother's, Beau, death. Using a dead relative as an excuse for drug addiction is another sorry and shameful excuse. Go ahead. Keep defending him.

Seems in this case the old saying, "There's one in every family," applies. Black sheep, that is.