Those Russians Sure Are Funny!
Check out this CNN article about the announcement made by the Russians that they plan to build six new nuclear-powered submarines:
Russia will build at least six nuclear-powered submarines with long-range cruise missiles for its navy, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry told the Itar-Tass news agency.Those wacky Russians owe me a new keyboard! Those of us familiar with Russian claims of when their new submarines would be ready for sea compared with actual ship-delivery performance can see how humorous that last line is; the odds of the Russians completing an entire submarine from the ground up in anything less than about seven years are just about zero. I wonder if there's any part of the Russian press that's still free enough that they can call the Navy on their ridiculous claims? My guess is, the answer is "no".
The missiles can potentially carry low-capacity tactical warheads, the news agency reported Friday...
...The Severodvinsk-class submarines are being built at the Sevmash shipyard, the center of Russian nuclear submarine production, according to Global Security's Web site.
The new subs will be put into service for the Russian navy in 2011, the source told Itar-Tass.
Update 0533 29 March: Turning off comments. For the record, non-troll commenters of all politicaly persuasions are welcome to comment here, as long as they're not tinfoil hatters.
posted by Bubblehead at 9:39 AM
85 Comments:
At least they have a plan!
Wait to the libs rip apart our defense budget in the next few years...people in the Pentagon are getting scared. This is going to be ugly for the Navy.
3/28/2009 9:56 AM
What fun would GI Joe be without their arch-nemesis, Cobra?
3/28/2009 10:03 AM
The Russian Press is ranked #141 of 173 countries by 'Press Freedom Index'. It is interesting to see the US is only #36
3/28/2009 10:08 AM
Do you really think of the MSM in the U.S. as being "free" in terms of adherence to the absolute truth, i.e., without a great deal of bias and spin and political favoritism?
3/28/2009 10:11 AM
True....The mainstream media has admitted some guilt in their inappropriate 'cheerleadering' in the lead up to the Iraq war. If we had a decent press corps...instead of info-tainment....with a questioning approach to independent journalism we would not be the mess we're in....4,000 US military deaths, trillions of dollars wasted, and overall our damaged international image makes us less safe.
3/28/2009 10:31 AM
". . . and overall our damaged international image makes us less safe . . ."
A crock o' BS, me thinks. Better they are kept busy half way around the world than flying large frame aircraft into buildings in U.S. cities.
3/28/2009 11:02 AM
Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11. Bush admitted this after the invasion. Alqaeda only came to Iraq AFTER the US invasion....a Coincidence? ...me thinks not!
3/28/2009 11:06 AM
"....4,000 U.S. Military deaths...." --That pales in comparison to the estimated 100,000 Iraqi civilian deaths! ---All in the name of 'freedom', I guess.
3/28/2009 11:18 AM
Iraq's both more complicated and more simple than that.
With obvious opportunities for Monday-morning quarterbacking and hindsight, the U.S. chose to leave troops in Saudi Arabia after the Gulf War. This was likely at the behind-the-curtain invite of the Saudi rulers, but nonetheless this set up huge potential energy for anti-U.S. sentiment as this was easily spun as "infidels in the Holy Land" by enemies of the U.S.
Now, look at the make-up of the nationality of those on the planes in 9/11. No small coincidence: Saudi Arabian. The wheel had turned.
Invading Saudi Arabia was out of the question. This would have inflamed the entire Islamic world, if not the entire planet, and all at the very intentional behest of Al Qaeda.
The 9/11 event was obviously baiting us into such a war, as it was clearly designed to inflame the U.S. as well, not defeat it. You don't make a move like that -- one which would have a low probablity of complete success, and without a true coup d’État effect in any case -- without an underlying agenda.
So, what to do? The choice too complicated and too sensitive to reveal to the American people: invade Iraq, Saudi Arabia's neighbor, take out a U.S.-made despot in the process, and make the emphatic point to the Arabic, Iranian and Islamic-militant worlds that we as a nation are not to be fucked with.
One last time: read "America's Secret War" by Stratfor's Dr. George Friedman to broaden your understanding on what's going on. He is also nobody's bitch when it comes to politics. He's a no politics, no bullshit kind of guy.
3/28/2009 11:23 AM
How do we know Saddam had WMDs? ...Because the US gave them to him!
The US foreign policy makers (Rumsfeld gang of 1980) were more than willing to turn a blind eye to Saddam's brutality against the Kurbs and Shiites.....with the enemy de jour being Iran.
With this in mind, go back and listen to Bush's State of The Union address in 2003. His speech is written as if Americans don't know the US foreign policy of the past 25 years.
--- Also ask yourself "where was our free press? --- In this case, only slightly better than Russia's press.
3/28/2009 11:39 AM
Since when does the US invade a country just to make a state....'we're not to be fucked with'...?
And by what historical precedent does one believe this to be a successful foreign policy?
3/28/2009 11:48 AM
Yes, but the same can be said of the U.S. media's most recent over-participation in rushing a completely unqualified individual into the highest office in the land.
Politics is a loser's game. Stick with politics, and you'll ensure either becoming or remaining an idiot in the truest definition of the word.
3/28/2009 11:50 AM
@Anon 11:48:
You're being too short-sighted. Of course there's a longer term play and gain besides setting the 9/11 purveyor's on their collective asses. Go pick up a map of the Middle East, and then YOU tell ME why we're in Iraq.
Be more thoughtful...you're just reacting.
3/28/2009 11:53 AM
Let's just hope this "unqualified" President doesn't rush us into a disastrous war.
3/28/2009 11:57 AM
"...And by what historical precedent does one believe this to be a successful foreign policy?..."
Answer: The US has successfully deployed CIA-sponsored 'events' in several Latin American countries in the 1980s. Now all the Latin American countries love the US and their 'open markets' are benefiting everyone....in every country...equally.
3/28/2009 12:05 PM
Saw The Spy Who Shagged Me last night on the tube. Interestingly, Dr. Evil and Mini-Me used lots of "quotation marks" when making their sarcastically "profound points" as well. Any relation?
3/28/2009 12:10 PM
Speaking of which...
3/28/2009 12:12 PM
Back to the topic--sort of....
MSM, print journalism is just about down and out. Newspapers sold out to corporate profiteers. Now that they can't sell print advertising and make a profit, they're just shutting down the presses. Seattle PI--gone SF Chronicle is next. I think the Detroit Free Press is gone as well. The corporate media CEO's put their stamp on what will be published on air and not. They give "rudder orders" to their editors re: serious journalism. It's all about selling advertising and for some power politics and very little to do with factual reporting.
I'm of an age that reading the daily paper is important. I'm gonna hate to loose that in two months when the Chron goes away.
I do pick up a lot of news online however, I can't get the regional and local stuff.
I believe we loose as a nation with the contraction of print journalism and the move to corporate media values.
My two cents, and keep a zero bubble........
DBFTMC(SS)USNRET
3/28/2009 12:15 PM
The cat's sure gonna miss the local newspaper. Not sure there's anything quite so satisfying in the world to poop and piss on as a good ol' liberal newspaper.
3/28/2009 12:18 PM
Anti-American sentiment in Latin America has much to do with Neoliberalism. I believe Clinton was a bigger advocate of this pro-corporation, free market agenda --foreign policy.
...So there! if not Bush and not Clinton where does that leave a citizen of a State operating its political scene like a duopoly.
3/28/2009 12:20 PM
Which "good ol' liberal newspaper" was it that led us into believing the Iraq war was about FREEDOM?
3/28/2009 12:25 PM
The US political system doesn't operate like a duopoly. There is....ahhh.... the Green party....and that other one that is free from corporate donations.
3/28/2009 12:31 PM
Of course they have a plan. They're gonna start by overhauling KURSK.
3/28/2009 12:32 PM
Who cares if the American political system has been reduced to the oft-aligned two-party system?
As as long as we have democratically-elected corporations influencing our Congress through their right-mined lobbyists... we'll headed for full-up-round FREEDOM!
What is the name of the new World Trade Center???? ....that's right, baby.....FREEDOM!
3/28/2009 12:46 PM
Stand by for PATRIOT ACT III...it will bring a new definition to FREEDOM!
3/28/2009 12:51 PM
Don't worry, FREEDOM-boy, having Obama is historic. Historic. Historic. Or haven't you gotten your Minimum Daily Allowance of sheople vitamins...vitamins...vitamins?
3/28/2009 12:57 PM
The last time I checked, corporations were NOT democratic and their over-reaching, unregulated influence was having ill affects on our entire political and financial landscape....maybe you're wittiness is over my head.
3/28/2009 12:58 PM
The US is still the most free country around.....well...besides those Scandinavian bastards....a few Western European countries. But that's not fair....they eat cheese...or something....and live too long.
3/28/2009 1:03 PM
I wouldn't equate bitterness (the literal meaning of 'sarcasm') with wittiness. But that's just me. Typically, the lefties are bereft of a sense of humor, as it undermines their inner/outer control-freakedness. Can't have humor and be taken all-too-serious at the same time. Plus, if you laughed, you might notice the liberal king's lack of clothing.
3/28/2009 1:05 PM
True liberals with their hyper-empathetic world views are looking elsewhere --something outside today's narrow political spectrum of discussion and away from US hegemonic world views. They want Howard Zinn or Noam Chomsky for their next prez.....anything else is more of the same....Bush-Clinton-Bush-Obama....all of the same ilk in their views.
3/28/2009 1:23 PM
I like your comment about Full-Up-Round FREEDOM....but you probably stole that from FOX News!
3/28/2009 1:28 PM
You are WRONG! The liberals want Adrianna Huffington or Rachel Maddow for president....the only problem is they are not sure either one can match wits with the likes of Sarah Palin. Too much brains...too well traveled....too much education.
3/28/2009 1:32 PM
Watch out...the republicans will bring the heat in 2012. They'll dig up a real country-bumpkin who will be even less well-traveled than Bush was in 2000. And the fella will slaughter the English language like you've never seen. The final touch will be the hard core born-again thingy. ...Rove is preppin' as we speak.
Stand by, you commie-libs...your anti-freedom ways are done fir.
3/28/2009 1:42 PM
George Bush is a REAL war hero. Did you see'm on the deck of the Abe Lincoln in 2003? His John Wayne-like swagger scared the livin' ba'jesus out of them terrorists.
3/28/2009 1:52 PM
Good thing the MSM did not pander to the ABE LINCOLN - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED photo op....
3/28/2009 1:59 PM
Politicians, and wannabe politicians, are idiots (from idios "one's own").
3/28/2009 2:02 PM
The liberals are jealous that the Bush administration had the MSM eating out of their hands.
3/28/2009 2:05 PM
"Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." [Mark Twain, c.1882]
3/28/2009 2:10 PM
The liberals like to think they are empathic in their policy making?
But as far as I can see today's liberals (if that includes Obama-types) are just as self-serving as the conservatives.
3/28/2009 2:20 PM
The only thing worst than a modern democrat is a modern republican
3/28/2009 2:22 PM
democrats?....empathic?
They'd like to think so! Selfish bastards!! One notch below the Republicans on the 'what's in if for me?' scale!
3/28/2009 2:28 PM
All news media is slanted. The worst being Air America for the left Wingers... and Fox News for the Right Wingdingers
3/28/2009 2:39 PM
But back to Russian shipbuilding. They simply haven't been able to make a timeline regardless of their funding.
I am not interested in going AP, but here is a FACT: Only one weapon system enterprise in the WORLD is turning out products on budget, under time and reducing cost--US Submarines. I strongly suspect the rest of the US military will either draft submariners to manage their programs -or- we will get $ while everyone else sucks hind titty.
I am not a fan of RDML Hilardes, but damn he is kickin' it!
3/28/2009 4:10 PM
This thread is the greatest evidence that Twitter is bad for America. The "smartest guys in the Navy" are turning into a bunch of one-line spouting retards without the ability to form complete sentences or make the simplest of arguments. Read more books guys.
Russia is just posturing - there's no getting around the fact that their economy is in crisis, and that they will be unable to fund major weapons systems in the next 20 years (unless they want to become a larger version of North Korea).
Russia has no real industry except oil extraction, and it's clear that the largest consumer of that oil (the united states) is going to be cutting back dramatically. Low demand means low price, which means that the Russia will have to find other industries to support the tax base for defense systems. Unfortunately the working-age population is plummeting at the same time, and the smartest, most capable people are fleeing to places where they might actually have a chance to have a decent life; so the only people left to grow the economy are ex-KGB apparatchiks and political hangers-on. Not good.
So I don't think we have to worry about Russia as a military threat any time soon.
3/28/2009 4:40 PM
LOL...I do agree with the above fellow anon on every point. Russia's need to puff out its chest is proof-positive that it's full of 'it.'
3/28/2009 4:45 PM
Adding to that while softening the blast: the dumbshit factor on this blog is no doubt not helped by Joel's past decisions (nothing personal, bud) to respond to one or two tin-foil hat blogs. I suspect that more than one or two of the complete-political-idiot comments are from those quarters...though we certainly own some ourselves.
3/28/2009 4:51 PM
That's right! There's no room in this man's Navy for dissenting dumb shit views.
Fall in lock-step or I'll show you the hatch, shipmate!
3/28/2009 6:03 PM
anon 6:03 -
You are hereby disqualified from the "brain/mouth interface operator" watchstation and reduced in rate to "Mulligan Buddy" (suspended bust). Secure from all speaking operations.
Commence upgrade:
1) 12 month subscription to "Foreign Affairs" and "The Economist" (cartoon-reading is not authorized)
2) Daily U/I watches for the "Coherent Argumentation" sub-qualification. Over-instruction to be provided by this blog, as well as editorial sections of major tier-one newspapers (Wall Street Journal, New York Times, etc.)
3) TV- and movie-watching privileges are revoked for the duration of your upgrade program.
You may be granted provisional requalification in one month given sufficient effort and progress. Happy studying!
3/28/2009 6:36 PM
Joel,
We all agree here. We need to kick the pinko commies out! If you could lay down the criteria that the all non-Bill O'Reilly followers stay out this blog will much more smoother.....zero bubble.
Standing by.....
3/28/2009 7:04 PM
Anon @6:36
Well played sir!
3/28/2009 7:11 PM
Back to the Ruskies....maybe we could sent a few of those Pearl Harbor Shipyard workers to'em....that'll redefine inefficiently...and we'll be back to shoutin' U....S...A..!! 'in your face! Ruskie!
3/28/2009 7:11 PM
Let's kick out that wanna be Navy Chaplin too. I hear he believes in evolution.....that heathen!
3/28/2009 7:16 PM
I'm so tired of Obama talkin' about reigning in excess. Perhaps we need to show him the movie Wall Street. ... 'greed is good, baby!'
3/28/2009 7:22 PM
Greed is one of the 7 deadly sins
3/28/2009 7:23 PM
Anyone who wears a tin-foil hat...that is relative to MY views should go! Keep it pure.....my mind is simple.
Now excuse me while I admonish and disown my homosexual daughter.
U...S....A.....!
3/28/2009 7:45 PM
The USA stands for freedom. In God we trust....love it or leave it.
3/28/2009 7:49 PM
I think everyone is a tin-foil hat wearer!........ except ME! .. ....and Jesus!
.....and my first wife. God bless her...and her new husband....and the step children.....and that new local preacher. He's way cool! Man! (great hair) ...yeah, I wish I was him.......instead of standing 'below decks'....worrying about.....who's on War Craft right now.....
3/28/2009 8:02 PM
Where can I get of them tin foil hats? Being all conditioned, regimented, and all.....maybe I can get one. As long as no one knows about my experimental phase back in college.
3/28/2009 8:05 PM
anon 6:36,
Who gave you the right the disqualify a crew member?
3/28/2009 8:23 PM
anon 11:39,
I did go back and listen to the Bush speech. And it was just as low-brow as I remember. Maybe I'm one of them John Kerry elitists...?
3/28/2009 8:28 PM
Good point.....John Kerry voters should be disqualed too!
Joel, are you taking notes?
3/28/2009 8:30 PM
I have no doubt that the Russians will build 6 of something by 2011. Whether they remember that submarines should eventually surface is another matter.
The scary thing is that they are shoving nuclear reactors in them. This should be a very sobering to the rest of the world. I wonder how many of these Comrade Chavez will invite to exercise with his Bolivarian Navy.
All this aside, they are simply creating a bargaining position for themselves. They know they can't meet this type of ambitious goal at face value, but in their mind, if the Russian people believe it, all the better. Their real goal is for us to give up something we wouldn't otherwise give up.
Also, as a note to Served SSN CO... how much credit should RDML Hilarides get versus the shipyards building those boats?
-phw
3/28/2009 8:32 PM
John Kerry?
Now there's a guy who was haunted by his past. Even his own boat crew spoke out against him when he was running.
3/28/2009 8:37 PM
John Kerry's problem was he failed to stay behind and join the Texas National Guard....instead he went to Vietnam to prove his cowardliness!
3/28/2009 8:49 PM
Speaking of John Kerry.....Its a good thing the American public gave him such a low % of the popular vote! Otherwise that coward may have led into a disastrous, unpopular war in the Middle East!
3/28/2009 8:50 PM
"Wannabe Navy Chaplain"? Ohhhh it's so much more pathetic than that. I'm an air-breathing, blog-stalking wannabe bubblehead.
3/28/2009 8:51 PM
What are you talking about 'disastrous Middle East War' ???
Iraq is a success! The Iraqi people love us....we've been greeted as liberators.....Let freedom reign!
We are on a Christian crusade!!
Note: Not all Christians.....just the Southern baptist .....born-again types. You know who you are. Can I get an 'AMEN'?!
3/28/2009 8:57 PM
That's STUBBORN Baptist. Amen.
3/28/2009 9:00 PM
All Southern baptists are fags.
They don't drink, fuck dance and they hate women. They think women are the lowest life form on the planet, so that's why they're all fags.
3/28/2009 9:01 PM
But it still doesn't change the fact that the Russians aren't going to build anything that floats in two years.
3/28/2009 9:01 PM
Can I get an 'AMEN'?
Not if you're a terrorist lovin' democrat?
....how did this become a partisan blog?...I love all people....republican...Christian....straight....
3/28/2009 9:06 PM
Hi Don,
I see you have met our resident troll. Ignore him and eventually he will go away.
v/r
-phw
3/28/2009 9:13 PM
Straight? Okay I'll admit that you don't have to be too straight for me to not love you. after a few drinks and a sniff of Amyl Nitrate and I'll love everyone in the room.
Mike Mulligan
3/28/2009 9:14 PM
When I think of Republicans....I think of David Duke and Strom Thurman.....great role models for open-mindedness in the 21st century!
What would your company think of those fellas?
3/28/2009 9:14 PM
I'll also admit that Lou Reed's song about takin'-a-walk-on-the-wild-side struck a chord in my personal past.....but that was the past...
now I'm born again....it's all good (ah-la MC Hammer)
3/28/2009 9:20 PM
Joel,
I think it is time to set condition Z to this blog...
3/28/2009 9:30 PM
Thanks phw. I'll try to limit my comments to topic.
3/28/2009 9:31 PM
Oh Joy!
Yet another topic being derailed by a bunch of useless crap.
For a future topic, how about our new Navy SEC? Hopefully, Ray Mabus likes boats more than than the last fat ass did. At least Mabus has actually served a couple of years on active duty.
Just look at the bitch of a time the skimmers are having with these new LCS ships. (Little Crappy Ships)They want to replace our Frigates which have been tested in combat in more than one area of the world with these new jet propulsion yachts. I hope the new guy knows what he's in for.
3/28/2009 9:35 PM
Thanks phw. Let's get back to zero bubble.....
What's your favorite color?
3/28/2009 9:35 PM
Is now the time to make my pitch for
zoraastrianism?
I'd like to avoid the whole 'nature vs. nature' stuff...
http://www.religionfacts.com/zoroastrianism/index.htm
3/28/2009 9:41 PM
My first divo told me to keep the follow topics OUT of the work space -- sex, politics, religion!
Good advise!
3/28/2009 9:43 PM
That 'nature vs. nurture' stuff is crap. You are either chosen by God or you are not. It's simple.
3/28/2009 9:46 PM
That 'zoroastrianism' stuff is BS.
Review your history....or that one guy will assign you specific readings!
3/28/2009 9:48 PM
Looking back, this thread jumped the tracks into partisan land with comment #4.
Which reminds me:
"...if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...it must be a duck."
3/28/2009 10:22 PM
Oh yeah!!!
Yea!
No Way!
Way!
My daddy can beat up your daddy!
Nuh huh!!!
Uh huh!!!
3/28/2009 11:35 PM
<< Home