I was prepared to be bored - thinking that he was just going to regurgitate points that he made about the Russian military from the episode earlier this year. While there was some of that, there was plenty of new interesting info too - and it turns out I never get tired of hearing about how incompetent Russia is!
Thanks for printing so much of this. Like others, I often don't have the time to listen to the podcasts, and it was enlightening to hear the analysis from someone who obviously knows what he's talking about (as opposed to most of the talking heads on cable). This post alone was worth the monthly subscription price, as others have been in the past.
Here's what struck me. In referring to Russia's failings: "it is so debased by their political leaders." The MAGA folks want the exact same thing for all of American governance. Clearly a winning recipe!
When I hear Mark Hertling speak, I think of the striking contrast between Hertling and the former guy. Yes, I know, using the former guy as a benchmark for comparison can make anyone look good. But in terms of leadership ability, substance, competence, character, dignity, knowledge of world history and foreign affairs, respect for knowledge and expertise...Hertling demonstrates key statesman attributes. If only Hertling had the will to serve in highest public office. But I understand Hertling does not want to become a politician. I cannot blame him for that.
What amuses me most is imagining what the meetings must be like between Putin and top military/FSB leaders.
Putin: "Why aren't we using more of those new weapons?"
Military Guy: "Don't you remember? We skimmed off those funds to buy you that yacht."
Putin: "Right, Right. I like that yacht too. But what about the salaries for the military? Can't we boost them?"
FSB Guy: "That's the money we are using to pay us all bonuses!" (Laughs all around). "But that oil guy recently (using air quotes) fell out of the hospital window." (Loud laughs all around). "So soon there may be some crumbs to give to the troops. Or at least to buy some rations from the 2020s!" (more laughter).
Funny thing is, the very same systemic rot that Hertling discusses in the episode is alive and well inside of our own military, it's just that our corruption involves classism and a faux-meritocracy instead of straight up kleptocracy. Worse for us, whereas officers in the Russian military are effectively worthless placeholders, officers in the American military have real responsibilities.
Examples of said corruption of the meritocracy via classism and poor evaluation metrics:
1) You need a degree to be an officer most of the time, so we're automatically constricting our officer candidate pool to wealthier American households who can afford to send their kids to colleges with ROTC programs or get them into service academies, so already the starting pool of officers is tainted by classism year group to year group. Believe me, there are FAR many enlisted service members who would make better junior officers than the fucking high school kids going into the service academies with no military experience whatsoever and a "meh" attitude about service.
2) Officers are automatically promoted through the rank of O-3 (Captain). There is no sorting whatsoever of good officers versus bad officers at the tactical and operational levels because they get auto-promoted every two years until Captain and only then do they really start to get evaluated for operational competency. This leaves operational units being led by a pool of poorly-evaluated and poorly-recruited junior officers, which is why units increasingly rely on platoon sergeants and their NCOs (sergeants) to actually get shit done. It's because the junior officers have no fucking idea what they're doing and get auto-promoted whether they're good or not.
3) Even when officers start getting evaluated competitively, it's based on the worst imaginable metrics possible. It usually centers around that officer's ability to get his boss's priorities done (a field grade officer is the boss, O-5 or higher). If the O-3 can get the O-5's command priorities done over the course of 2-3 years, the officer gets a good review (a "fitness report"). It doesn't matter if this officer is good or bad at his/her job, it just matters that the officer can get his boss's priorities done--because that's what determines if the boss gets another promotion at his next top-down command evaluation so that he/she can go on to being an O-6.
4) When Captains get promoted to Major (O-4), if they look like they're being idle and not being active, they don't get promoted to O-5 (Lt Colonel). So what they do is come up with a "bullet list" of shit they want to accomplish while they are at the command, such that when those things get accomplished by the end of their tour, they can go to the promotion board and waive around a bullet list of bullshit they "accomplished" while serving as a commanding officer or executive officer. Half of the time, 90% of their accomplishment list is actually a massive waste of time and money and man-hours diverting the resources of the unit into pursuing trivial bullshit that doesn't really do anything for units on an operational basis.
In a nutshell, we recruit junior officers from some very decadent households, promote them for nothing through the rank of Captain, then continue promoting them based on how much they can divert a command's mission away from lethality and toward some nebulous bullshit that'll make the commander look good on his next evaluation, and then we sit around and wonder how our leadership got so bad that it bungles countless operational and strategic level initiatives during a 20-year war that they couldn't win when we gave DOD a blank check across 4 administrations. It's because our military leadership pipeline is a fucking joke, that's why. The worst part is that when they fuck up their jobs nothing happens to them beyond promotion. Imagine if Putin was promoting his officers for losing districts in Kharkiv Oblast and that's *exactly* how our military functions. I gotta remind myself every time I get introduced to an officer as a "bronze star recipient" that these guys basically get those given to them like candy for end-of-tour awards that result in zero operational progress.
I have thought, since the sinking of the "Muskova" ( SP) that the world was being allowed to see an incompetent military force propped up by hollow politics. . It has really greatly reduced the standing of Russia in the world . Even so, the request of Finland and Sweden to join the NATO forces suggest that mutual aid is a good plan.
I don't see advantages for China in aligning themselves with Russia in any meaning ful way at this point. When I was in China, people referred to Russia as "Old Brother" in translation. They were weary of them. I don't see that really changing and now all the world can see that Russia is ineffective.
Ineffective, yes, But they still have nukes and still can bomb a power plant. I will not be surprised if Putin does just that.
What mystifies me is the stance from the right that we should not support Ukraine when it needs the help so badly. There's a weird lack of humanity in the GOP for people, women in particular.
I imagine most of the issues described with Russia’s army can be found throughout their society. The USSR collapsed after 70 years of dysfunction. How long will Putin last? And what comes next? Transition is the most difficult and dangerous part of life. It’s one thing to sit and strum a single chord. It’s another to string together a chord progression. That’s when you hit the sour notes.
Since we can't comment on Josh Baro's piece on Graham unless we are paid subscribers there and the Graham proposed fifteen week abortion, I would feel the need to point out that most women don't even know that they are pregnant at fifteen weeks.
Further, most testing for birth defect issues really only become available between fifteen and Twenty weeks.
It will not be long before we see contraception bans done right after the first candlelight dinner. Maybe before!
This is fascinating to read. Very good insights into a world I know little about. I have strong memories of visiting Gettysburg battlefield. There are numerous plaques which describe how the Confederate Army got to a certain place, and then ran out of ammunition and could not be supplied. Very vivid example of how important logistics is.
Tactics 101: If you do not have enough soldiers to man a continuous front line then you set up fortified locations at transportation junctions such as village and you patrol the intervening ground between them. This kind of defense depends on mobile reserves to come to the aide of the fortified locations and confident well trained soldiers who will sit still while surrounded and defend the fortified location. A good army, one with mobile reserves and well led confident soldiers, will defend the position halting supplies to the offensive and bringing it to a stop. The reserves will counterattack and relieve the surrounded position restoring the frontline. Russian defense had neither and was bound to fail if anyone pushed in the front door. Air support and artillery can help mitigate the deficiencies somewhat but they are not a cure-all for the basic needs of a mobile reserve and confident well led soldiers.
Charlie, I didn't read the whole conversation but the abridged part in your daily. Which I read every day.
I am a Member, an American (Boston) of Russian descent and I can tell you that the Russian State since Communism has been rancid with corrupt and unskilled leadership. I am sorry for my people, who will suffer the most from this artificial intrusion, and so I donate and do what I can. Hertling is excellent and should be the Chief of Staff. Thank you for this. I served America although I did not see
combat, I was active in other areas. Sometimes my Country makes me sick.
I was prepared to be bored - thinking that he was just going to regurgitate points that he made about the Russian military from the episode earlier this year. While there was some of that, there was plenty of new interesting info too - and it turns out I never get tired of hearing about how incompetent Russia is!
Thanks for printing so much of this. Like others, I often don't have the time to listen to the podcasts, and it was enlightening to hear the analysis from someone who obviously knows what he's talking about (as opposed to most of the talking heads on cable). This post alone was worth the monthly subscription price, as others have been in the past.
Here's what struck me. In referring to Russia's failings: "it is so debased by their political leaders." The MAGA folks want the exact same thing for all of American governance. Clearly a winning recipe!
When I hear Mark Hertling speak, I think of the striking contrast between Hertling and the former guy. Yes, I know, using the former guy as a benchmark for comparison can make anyone look good. But in terms of leadership ability, substance, competence, character, dignity, knowledge of world history and foreign affairs, respect for knowledge and expertise...Hertling demonstrates key statesman attributes. If only Hertling had the will to serve in highest public office. But I understand Hertling does not want to become a politician. I cannot blame him for that.
What amuses me most is imagining what the meetings must be like between Putin and top military/FSB leaders.
Putin: "Why aren't we using more of those new weapons?"
Military Guy: "Don't you remember? We skimmed off those funds to buy you that yacht."
Putin: "Right, Right. I like that yacht too. But what about the salaries for the military? Can't we boost them?"
FSB Guy: "That's the money we are using to pay us all bonuses!" (Laughs all around). "But that oil guy recently (using air quotes) fell out of the hospital window." (Loud laughs all around). "So soon there may be some crumbs to give to the troops. Or at least to buy some rations from the 2020s!" (more laughter).
We need to stop calling retired and out of office people by their former titles. Once they're a private citizen, they should be referred to as such
Funny thing is, the very same systemic rot that Hertling discusses in the episode is alive and well inside of our own military, it's just that our corruption involves classism and a faux-meritocracy instead of straight up kleptocracy. Worse for us, whereas officers in the Russian military are effectively worthless placeholders, officers in the American military have real responsibilities.
Examples of said corruption of the meritocracy via classism and poor evaluation metrics:
1) You need a degree to be an officer most of the time, so we're automatically constricting our officer candidate pool to wealthier American households who can afford to send their kids to colleges with ROTC programs or get them into service academies, so already the starting pool of officers is tainted by classism year group to year group. Believe me, there are FAR many enlisted service members who would make better junior officers than the fucking high school kids going into the service academies with no military experience whatsoever and a "meh" attitude about service.
2) Officers are automatically promoted through the rank of O-3 (Captain). There is no sorting whatsoever of good officers versus bad officers at the tactical and operational levels because they get auto-promoted every two years until Captain and only then do they really start to get evaluated for operational competency. This leaves operational units being led by a pool of poorly-evaluated and poorly-recruited junior officers, which is why units increasingly rely on platoon sergeants and their NCOs (sergeants) to actually get shit done. It's because the junior officers have no fucking idea what they're doing and get auto-promoted whether they're good or not.
3) Even when officers start getting evaluated competitively, it's based on the worst imaginable metrics possible. It usually centers around that officer's ability to get his boss's priorities done (a field grade officer is the boss, O-5 or higher). If the O-3 can get the O-5's command priorities done over the course of 2-3 years, the officer gets a good review (a "fitness report"). It doesn't matter if this officer is good or bad at his/her job, it just matters that the officer can get his boss's priorities done--because that's what determines if the boss gets another promotion at his next top-down command evaluation so that he/she can go on to being an O-6.
4) When Captains get promoted to Major (O-4), if they look like they're being idle and not being active, they don't get promoted to O-5 (Lt Colonel). So what they do is come up with a "bullet list" of shit they want to accomplish while they are at the command, such that when those things get accomplished by the end of their tour, they can go to the promotion board and waive around a bullet list of bullshit they "accomplished" while serving as a commanding officer or executive officer. Half of the time, 90% of their accomplishment list is actually a massive waste of time and money and man-hours diverting the resources of the unit into pursuing trivial bullshit that doesn't really do anything for units on an operational basis.
In a nutshell, we recruit junior officers from some very decadent households, promote them for nothing through the rank of Captain, then continue promoting them based on how much they can divert a command's mission away from lethality and toward some nebulous bullshit that'll make the commander look good on his next evaluation, and then we sit around and wonder how our leadership got so bad that it bungles countless operational and strategic level initiatives during a 20-year war that they couldn't win when we gave DOD a blank check across 4 administrations. It's because our military leadership pipeline is a fucking joke, that's why. The worst part is that when they fuck up their jobs nothing happens to them beyond promotion. Imagine if Putin was promoting his officers for losing districts in Kharkiv Oblast and that's *exactly* how our military functions. I gotta remind myself every time I get introduced to an officer as a "bronze star recipient" that these guys basically get those given to them like candy for end-of-tour awards that result in zero operational progress.
I have thought, since the sinking of the "Muskova" ( SP) that the world was being allowed to see an incompetent military force propped up by hollow politics. . It has really greatly reduced the standing of Russia in the world . Even so, the request of Finland and Sweden to join the NATO forces suggest that mutual aid is a good plan.
I don't see advantages for China in aligning themselves with Russia in any meaning ful way at this point. When I was in China, people referred to Russia as "Old Brother" in translation. They were weary of them. I don't see that really changing and now all the world can see that Russia is ineffective.
Ineffective, yes, But they still have nukes and still can bomb a power plant. I will not be surprised if Putin does just that.
What mystifies me is the stance from the right that we should not support Ukraine when it needs the help so badly. There's a weird lack of humanity in the GOP for people, women in particular.
I imagine most of the issues described with Russia’s army can be found throughout their society. The USSR collapsed after 70 years of dysfunction. How long will Putin last? And what comes next? Transition is the most difficult and dangerous part of life. It’s one thing to sit and strum a single chord. It’s another to string together a chord progression. That’s when you hit the sour notes.
Since we can't comment on Josh Baro's piece on Graham unless we are paid subscribers there and the Graham proposed fifteen week abortion, I would feel the need to point out that most women don't even know that they are pregnant at fifteen weeks.
Further, most testing for birth defect issues really only become available between fifteen and Twenty weeks.
It will not be long before we see contraception bans done right after the first candlelight dinner. Maybe before!
This is fascinating to read. Very good insights into a world I know little about. I have strong memories of visiting Gettysburg battlefield. There are numerous plaques which describe how the Confederate Army got to a certain place, and then ran out of ammunition and could not be supplied. Very vivid example of how important logistics is.
Tactics 101: If you do not have enough soldiers to man a continuous front line then you set up fortified locations at transportation junctions such as village and you patrol the intervening ground between them. This kind of defense depends on mobile reserves to come to the aide of the fortified locations and confident well trained soldiers who will sit still while surrounded and defend the fortified location. A good army, one with mobile reserves and well led confident soldiers, will defend the position halting supplies to the offensive and bringing it to a stop. The reserves will counterattack and relieve the surrounded position restoring the frontline. Russian defense had neither and was bound to fail if anyone pushed in the front door. Air support and artillery can help mitigate the deficiencies somewhat but they are not a cure-all for the basic needs of a mobile reserve and confident well led soldiers.
Was a great interview with General Hertling!
True. Inconceivable that someone can actually lose money running a casino. Never mind everything else that he has touched.
Charlie, I didn't read the whole conversation but the abridged part in your daily. Which I read every day.
I am a Member, an American (Boston) of Russian descent and I can tell you that the Russian State since Communism has been rancid with corrupt and unskilled leadership. I am sorry for my people, who will suffer the most from this artificial intrusion, and so I donate and do what I can. Hertling is excellent and should be the Chief of Staff. Thank you for this. I served America although I did not see
combat, I was active in other areas. Sometimes my Country makes me sick.
Every time you think Trump has been as big a shithead as it's possible for him to be, he says "Hold my Diet Coke."
Yeah, it is "unprecedented," fatso - it's unprecedented that a piece of shit like you was in a position to foment a coup.
But we're coming for you and the rest of your moron traitors.