And I am seeing a LOT of articles full of notions coming out of Proceedings these days about what we could do, what we should do, stuff and things.
Even Lehman's article about how we made it through after 'Nam was a huge disappointment. (Though the interview on the podcast was much more encouraging)
Ships rusty, double slamming deployments to appear 'unpredictable,' hyperfocused on non-warfighting training and webinars. I don't get it Sal. I just don't. Hell, recently it was national news when the 11th elevator on Ford was accepted as working by the Navy. An elevator!
I'm with you on accountability. Optempo, Afghanistan withdrawal, building a fleet that isn't needed and NOT building a fleet that is needed. Lehman mentioned the added delay in projects due to having to clear them with the Joint folks.
I sit here in a port city, one that used to build boats. One that decommissioned boats after WWII. One that, the last I can remember, built a smallboy for Saudi Arabia in the 70's with solid gold faucets. ( I know in Seattle, Todd built a couple after and has an LCS in drydock) Bremerton used to build ships.
I look at the landscape and think of what it would take to do a post Pearl Harbor emergency build and cannot see how it would be done today. And even if we got the steel and facilities, we would NOT have all sorts of fancy electronics available for them. We would be right back down to Mk 1 eyeball through a sight, pounding out rounds, torpedoes and depth charges in primitive fighting styles very quickly. Hope we kept the plans for Liberty ships and got oral histories from the surviving builders to help us along.
Awareness and accountability seem to be missing Sal. Even as a deckplate sailor, I see the need to clean some house up in the chain. Better to do it now than to have to court martial the cleaning later.
Makes one wonder what today's budgetary choices might be had we not 'invested' in two simultaneous land wars for 2 decades... But that's beside the point.
Where do we go from here? Rob the Army's piggy bank, put the USCG on rotation, mandatory standalone multi year Defense budgets - all underpinned by 'leaders' who are willing to make the case publicly, focus on weapons that provide asymmetric advantages for US vis a vis China and Russia and never, ever, field another ship that isn't armed to the teeth.
If you haven't listened to Proceedings Podcast with John Lehman, please do so.
Secretary Lehman posits that we are at a point reminiscent of the mid to late 70s when we were adjusting to the post Vietnam world. Just coming out of a war and not quite sure what we were going to do. Or what needed to be done.
Iran solved that for us. And Afghanistan (Soviet version) The threat to the oilfields and the observation of the (understandable) imbalance of the Order of Battle in Europe with instability in the Soviet leadership raised some alarms. Even the Carter Doctrine towards the end of his administration recognized the threat of losing the oil fields to a point where he committed the US to ensuring the free flow of oil.
Lehman puts it plainly.
We have no strategy. In the 70s, we had no strategy post Vietnam. He believes that only after the failed foreign affairs of the Carter Administration did America understand that a strategy was needed, and that the election of Reagan put into place the elements to formulate the strategy and build the resources to enact that strategy. I was a part of that in 1984. And did my part in helping to execute the strategy(ies).
Is it vision? Is it 'we've always done it this way?' Is it fear of rejection of ideas? Is it a lack of understanding what is a threat to our sea lanes and our Nation? Is it a willful ignorance of the reality of the world either because of fear of action or perception of weakness that prevents action?
You pose a great question. Where do we go from here?
No one in this world wants me, of all people, to pound out a strategy, plan for equipage, implementation, fielding the forces and enacting the strategy in a kinetic sense. I have some ideas, but then I was also a needlegun and buffer expert.
We pay a lot of people a lot of money to come up with these things. If the current administration won't do it, the next may. Heaven forbid that world circumstances awaken America now as in the last couple of years in the 1970s. We know that Russia's ability to take more of Ukraine is a certainty. And that Putin knows that we don't have the guts to do anything about it. (Not saying that I think we should militarily defend Ukraine, but giving up the fight before there is a fight... that's not a good way to establish and maintain credibility) LIkewise, China could easily row across the strait and restore their 13th Province (I think) to the motherland/CCP. And, they know that the current administration is not going to do anything about it. (Ukraine sets that precedent.) (also doesn't help that we appear to be so divided that no united effort would be forthcoming.)
A strategy. Right now, as I see it, the ability to keep the sea lanes open for the normal operations of the world's commercial fleets is priority one. South China Sea being ground zero. Defending Taiwan could be a secondary mission under the same strategy for the proximity. Another mission might be to protect the fisheries in the economic zones of nations from overfishing by China.
Like I said. You don't want me formulating strategy. I do know this though, that even with Guam, Korea, Okinawa and Northern Australia, China could take us out of the fight very quickly by pushing DPRK to launch into ROK. Would pretty much keep us out of using Vietnam for fleet maintenance, supply and repair, and make returning to the Philippines and Subic nearly impossible. Japan would probably not react to that well, our bases in Okinawa being subject to permissions granted by Japan.
There is an expectation that there's a certainty of war with China before 2040 by those who are smart and stuff. I'm not smart enough to say that they aren't right. I do, however, hope that we are conducting Pacific Theater war planning along the lines of pre-WWII and have Warplan Chartruse (Or whatever color) on the shelf that could inform those who create strategy.
For without those elements, getting repair, ship building, personnel training, or a war footing when necessary is not going to happen. I guarantee you that here on the West Coast, there is no provision currently for doing any of that list. At least in the Northwest.
Sal...... please tell me that somewhere in the Pentagon, someone is actually doing something to get us on the path we need to be on. We have one LCS sitting in drydock Seattle that we could smelt down and maybe start building something worthwhile.
First, it's not the wish of leader cadre -- CIA, D-R UniParty, Big Think Tanks, Big Philanthropies, Big Schools, Big Banks, Big Industry, Big Defense (mil and civ) -- to build the things you want because it's not their intent to protect a region of the globe formerly called United States. They have other plans altogether. Extract and control, yes, protect and enhance, no, because that would be silly from their POV.
We say, think, and write "we" assuming "we" out here are the same as "we" in there (leader cadre). That assumption is just entirely unjustified by facts on the ground (or, if you wish, in the water and air) and, at this point in time, borderline insane. If you want to get mad at someone, get mad at yourself for thinking things like "What are 'we' doing?" and "What do 'we' need to do?. You're mad because you know you can't do anything to get done what you want done even if you knew everything that should be done, which you do not. You're mad because you are frustrated, a common and very human experience and condition.
Second, I think a systems guys at, say, 60k feet up, would ask what this deliberate decrepitude signals. I think he would say it signals the end of a system, and I think he would say the system ending is the post-WW II inter-nation order, not The United States of America. I think he would say the way of success ahead is in remembering matters spiritual. I think he would say something along the lines of:
"Quit your bellyaching and leave off being angry. It clouds your judgement. Design, develop, and try to deploy a fresh inter-nation communications system AND new United States self-defense structure, ones appropriate for modern conditions. And mission all of that to protect access to fair and reciprocal lines of communication -- spanning and employing space, air, fire (electricity), water, and earth -- used in trade by US citizens and their counterparts, citizens of nations with whom US citizens wish to do business."
Third, "we" ain't dead, yet, but "we" sure is deaf for decades. "We" can regain hearing, sight, and intelligence. All those assets remain inside "us," if in degrees of atrophy.
Elected leaders are more focused on diversity and inclusion. America no longer has the guts to be a fighting force. The defense acquisition process is boggled down with bureaucratic B.S. Military branch "class desks" are filled with people from academia that have no clue of how the military complex works or operates. People in this country actually believe we can live in a utopian society. It won't matter when we're all dead and gone because we couldn't fight back.
America is evil snd therefore its military needs to be weakened. The people who believe that run our countries major institutions.
We have commies who are more commie than the ChiComs.
So Patriotic ChiComs
Vs
CommiesUSA/democrat socialists Who despise their own country.
Mad, I am....
And I am seeing a LOT of articles full of notions coming out of Proceedings these days about what we could do, what we should do, stuff and things.
Even Lehman's article about how we made it through after 'Nam was a huge disappointment. (Though the interview on the podcast was much more encouraging)
Ships rusty, double slamming deployments to appear 'unpredictable,' hyperfocused on non-warfighting training and webinars. I don't get it Sal. I just don't. Hell, recently it was national news when the 11th elevator on Ford was accepted as working by the Navy. An elevator!
I'm with you on accountability. Optempo, Afghanistan withdrawal, building a fleet that isn't needed and NOT building a fleet that is needed. Lehman mentioned the added delay in projects due to having to clear them with the Joint folks.
I sit here in a port city, one that used to build boats. One that decommissioned boats after WWII. One that, the last I can remember, built a smallboy for Saudi Arabia in the 70's with solid gold faucets. ( I know in Seattle, Todd built a couple after and has an LCS in drydock) Bremerton used to build ships.
I look at the landscape and think of what it would take to do a post Pearl Harbor emergency build and cannot see how it would be done today. And even if we got the steel and facilities, we would NOT have all sorts of fancy electronics available for them. We would be right back down to Mk 1 eyeball through a sight, pounding out rounds, torpedoes and depth charges in primitive fighting styles very quickly. Hope we kept the plans for Liberty ships and got oral histories from the surviving builders to help us along.
Awareness and accountability seem to be missing Sal. Even as a deckplate sailor, I see the need to clean some house up in the chain. Better to do it now than to have to court martial the cleaning later.
Been watching this for 12 years. We are in a competition but only one side is competing.
Makes one wonder what today's budgetary choices might be had we not 'invested' in two simultaneous land wars for 2 decades... But that's beside the point.
Where do we go from here? Rob the Army's piggy bank, put the USCG on rotation, mandatory standalone multi year Defense budgets - all underpinned by 'leaders' who are willing to make the case publicly, focus on weapons that provide asymmetric advantages for US vis a vis China and Russia and never, ever, field another ship that isn't armed to the teeth.
If you haven't listened to Proceedings Podcast with John Lehman, please do so.
Secretary Lehman posits that we are at a point reminiscent of the mid to late 70s when we were adjusting to the post Vietnam world. Just coming out of a war and not quite sure what we were going to do. Or what needed to be done.
Iran solved that for us. And Afghanistan (Soviet version) The threat to the oilfields and the observation of the (understandable) imbalance of the Order of Battle in Europe with instability in the Soviet leadership raised some alarms. Even the Carter Doctrine towards the end of his administration recognized the threat of losing the oil fields to a point where he committed the US to ensuring the free flow of oil.
Lehman puts it plainly.
We have no strategy. In the 70s, we had no strategy post Vietnam. He believes that only after the failed foreign affairs of the Carter Administration did America understand that a strategy was needed, and that the election of Reagan put into place the elements to formulate the strategy and build the resources to enact that strategy. I was a part of that in 1984. And did my part in helping to execute the strategy(ies).
Is it vision? Is it 'we've always done it this way?' Is it fear of rejection of ideas? Is it a lack of understanding what is a threat to our sea lanes and our Nation? Is it a willful ignorance of the reality of the world either because of fear of action or perception of weakness that prevents action?
You pose a great question. Where do we go from here?
No one in this world wants me, of all people, to pound out a strategy, plan for equipage, implementation, fielding the forces and enacting the strategy in a kinetic sense. I have some ideas, but then I was also a needlegun and buffer expert.
We pay a lot of people a lot of money to come up with these things. If the current administration won't do it, the next may. Heaven forbid that world circumstances awaken America now as in the last couple of years in the 1970s. We know that Russia's ability to take more of Ukraine is a certainty. And that Putin knows that we don't have the guts to do anything about it. (Not saying that I think we should militarily defend Ukraine, but giving up the fight before there is a fight... that's not a good way to establish and maintain credibility) LIkewise, China could easily row across the strait and restore their 13th Province (I think) to the motherland/CCP. And, they know that the current administration is not going to do anything about it. (Ukraine sets that precedent.) (also doesn't help that we appear to be so divided that no united effort would be forthcoming.)
A strategy. Right now, as I see it, the ability to keep the sea lanes open for the normal operations of the world's commercial fleets is priority one. South China Sea being ground zero. Defending Taiwan could be a secondary mission under the same strategy for the proximity. Another mission might be to protect the fisheries in the economic zones of nations from overfishing by China.
Like I said. You don't want me formulating strategy. I do know this though, that even with Guam, Korea, Okinawa and Northern Australia, China could take us out of the fight very quickly by pushing DPRK to launch into ROK. Would pretty much keep us out of using Vietnam for fleet maintenance, supply and repair, and make returning to the Philippines and Subic nearly impossible. Japan would probably not react to that well, our bases in Okinawa being subject to permissions granted by Japan.
There is an expectation that there's a certainty of war with China before 2040 by those who are smart and stuff. I'm not smart enough to say that they aren't right. I do, however, hope that we are conducting Pacific Theater war planning along the lines of pre-WWII and have Warplan Chartruse (Or whatever color) on the shelf that could inform those who create strategy.
For without those elements, getting repair, ship building, personnel training, or a war footing when necessary is not going to happen. I guarantee you that here on the West Coast, there is no provision currently for doing any of that list. At least in the Northwest.
Sal...... please tell me that somewhere in the Pentagon, someone is actually doing something to get us on the path we need to be on. We have one LCS sitting in drydock Seattle that we could smelt down and maybe start building something worthwhile.
First, it's not the wish of leader cadre -- CIA, D-R UniParty, Big Think Tanks, Big Philanthropies, Big Schools, Big Banks, Big Industry, Big Defense (mil and civ) -- to build the things you want because it's not their intent to protect a region of the globe formerly called United States. They have other plans altogether. Extract and control, yes, protect and enhance, no, because that would be silly from their POV.
We say, think, and write "we" assuming "we" out here are the same as "we" in there (leader cadre). That assumption is just entirely unjustified by facts on the ground (or, if you wish, in the water and air) and, at this point in time, borderline insane. If you want to get mad at someone, get mad at yourself for thinking things like "What are 'we' doing?" and "What do 'we' need to do?. You're mad because you know you can't do anything to get done what you want done even if you knew everything that should be done, which you do not. You're mad because you are frustrated, a common and very human experience and condition.
Second, I think a systems guys at, say, 60k feet up, would ask what this deliberate decrepitude signals. I think he would say it signals the end of a system, and I think he would say the system ending is the post-WW II inter-nation order, not The United States of America. I think he would say the way of success ahead is in remembering matters spiritual. I think he would say something along the lines of:
"Quit your bellyaching and leave off being angry. It clouds your judgement. Design, develop, and try to deploy a fresh inter-nation communications system AND new United States self-defense structure, ones appropriate for modern conditions. And mission all of that to protect access to fair and reciprocal lines of communication -- spanning and employing space, air, fire (electricity), water, and earth -- used in trade by US citizens and their counterparts, citizens of nations with whom US citizens wish to do business."
Third, "we" ain't dead, yet, but "we" sure is deaf for decades. "We" can regain hearing, sight, and intelligence. All those assets remain inside "us," if in degrees of atrophy.
Elected leaders are more focused on diversity and inclusion. America no longer has the guts to be a fighting force. The defense acquisition process is boggled down with bureaucratic B.S. Military branch "class desks" are filled with people from academia that have no clue of how the military complex works or operates. People in this country actually believe we can live in a utopian society. It won't matter when we're all dead and gone because we couldn't fight back.