Thank you for your candid observations and interpretations. Ever since 2017, I've become more and more suspect of info from "anonymous sources" being touted as indisputable "truths" by the government and the legacy media. You pointing out that liquid fuel is almost never stored in missiles prior to an actual launch is more proof that my skepticism of "anonymous sources" is warranted.
FYI A Chinese perspective: Or Lost in Translation …
“Anti-Corruption” efforts in China are not limited to the western definition of “Corruption” (theft, bribery, etc.) it encompasses incompetence, mismanagement, laziness, etc. A general failure to achieve goals or act in comportment as expected of one’s responsibility.
In Chinese, a common phrase, is to say “His head was filled with water” (it sounds better in Chinese…) it means he was being stupid, silly or simply made the wrong decisions. This is similar to a common Western management phrase of “Showed lack of Judgement, lost faith in his judgement, questioned his judgement…” etc. as a catch all to explain a senior executive firing.
To a Chinese person, this sounds awfully like someone overheard the Chinese phrase “was filled with water” in regards to the recent Rocket Forces demotions, and is confused / conflating the translation.
There is a lot of amusement in Chinese social media regarding this latest western hysteria over Chinese rockets “Filled with Water” because of “Corruption” BTW… While we are not sure what led to the Management Shakeup (aka anti-corruption efforts), we’re glad that even the highest officials for the most critical projects “have their feet held to the fire”. (Yes the Chinese translation of this English term is quite horrific sounding.)
Is Xi playing a game of "whack-a-mole"? These purges extend to his inner circle and some of the highest echelons of the PLA and they seem endless.
Is this happening because Xi is an aggressive reformer, rooting out corruption, stepping on toes? Or is there a broad consensus in Chinese society that he's just an overbearing tyrant who isn't producing results?
There are certainly lasting resentments over his harsh and mostly pointless Covid lockdowns that really inflicted lasting damage on the economy. XI has responded to joblessness among recent college grads by telling him to shovel manure in the hinterlands, which doesn't endear him to that demographic cohort. Monopolistic rackets in healthcare and insurance and housing and education don't take a backseat to the worst abuses found in the West.
Impression from afar seems as though President XI has lost the confidence of China. But how to get rid of him?
Xi's future will be determined by the Chinese people, not by anyone outside. He has certainly made a huge mess in the country. although the military was allegedly not one of his failures. So it is hard to explain his ruthless approach to the PLA, unless of course he fears a coup. But coup d'états are rarely launched by rocket forces, so who can say?
I could not find a more appropriate place to comment on this. Military Summary on YouTube is claiming Austin was wounded in Keiv. They are pro Russian but mostly accurate war reporting . Propaganda?
I listened to the Military Summary channel report. A prostate operation is serious surgery. I can't believe that Austin would have traveled to Kiev on January 2 (less than 7 days after major surgery and for no apparent reason) secretly, and then returned to the US and ended up in the ICU because of a severe urinary tract infection (not caused by bombs or Kinzhals).
Never heard of such a thing. Austin has prostate cancer and got complications from it that put him in the Walter Reed ICU. I think it is misinformation from Military Summary channel, which usually is very careful about accusations. If I learn anything to back up the Kiev claim, I will report it. The last report of him in Kiev was November 20, 2023. He went for surgery on December 25th for prostate cancer.
Military Summary is essentially one young fellow in Belarus cobbling together videos from Telegram and putting together his views on the Ukraine war from that .
I've heard ridiculous claims on it many times, for example one that depleted uranium rounds were stored in a special location to prevent their radiation from being detected. Depleted uranium, of course, is less radioactive than natural uranium, hence the depleted.
Go back one month on Military Summary and see how many Dima's predictions on breakthroughs and battles came through. It's enough to make a stockbroker blush.
"The battle for Military Summary is about to begin" as Dima might say.
When I worked in the Pentagon I had a DU core from a 155mm on my desk. I remember that it was very heavy for its size, but otherwise I did not get cancer or any other disease from that. (More worrisome was the asbestos leaching out of the ceiling in the Pentagon.)
I don't disagree but it still pays to watch. McGeagor has been wrong about a number of things but he's still a good source. I never thought he was independant of Russian influence, if not being an outright operation of Russia. Anyone's predictions are suspect here. I did not feel like I had the resources to check schedules. But! Excuse me for my skepticism of anything the FEDGOV allows to " leak".
Dima at the military summary channel does an incredible job with detailed reports twice daily, 365/7 that are meticulously scrutinized. He does pass on scuttle butt and reports that are usually found on telegram saving me the trouble of have to having to sift through this stuff myself. That's why I subscribe and pay a monthly fee for his valiant services.
The principal service provided by Dima at the military summary channel is to provide a detailed look, twice a day, on developments at the front lines in Ukraine. He does superb job reporting the military status on the battlefront. That's the value of the service he provides. You haven't suggested that anyway he is inadequate to the task. He's extremely scrupulous and conscientious at his job.
Dima also passes on pertinent political or legislative developments in Ukraine in Russia. Sometimes he'll also Report on chatter and speculation that winds up on the telegram channel and elsewhere. Personally I find it interesting, even if it's occasionally off the wall.
He also provides periodic commentary on his sense of the special military operation and what moves might appear in the coming weeks in months on both side. Dima makes it very clear these are his opinions. If you don't want to hear these speculations and random thoughts, you don't have to. That's not why the channel exists. It's the military summary channel not the military commentary channel or the military strategic analysis Channel.
I listen to him as well and usually he is right on target. But he is largely ignorant about the United States, and sometimes says things which are not well informed (to be kind). There are other blogs that are usually good too (Free Asia channel for one).
In 1987 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Crowe made an agreement with Soviet Marshal Sergei Akhromeyev to set up a secret, private communications channel with the understanding that each would contact the other if he saw any hostile dangerous action that might lead to war. The is on pg. 6 of Woodward's book The Commanders. So Milley wasn't the first and probably won't be the last.
Woodward is hardly a definitive source, and I never head about any such agreement on private communications unless approved by the NSC. Reagan ran a tight ship in those days and I was in the Pentagon then. That proves nothing, but I am not ready to endorse Woodward's statement.
Thank you for your candid observations and interpretations. Ever since 2017, I've become more and more suspect of info from "anonymous sources" being touted as indisputable "truths" by the government and the legacy media. You pointing out that liquid fuel is almost never stored in missiles prior to an actual launch is more proof that my skepticism of "anonymous sources" is warranted.
FYI A Chinese perspective: Or Lost in Translation …
“Anti-Corruption” efforts in China are not limited to the western definition of “Corruption” (theft, bribery, etc.) it encompasses incompetence, mismanagement, laziness, etc. A general failure to achieve goals or act in comportment as expected of one’s responsibility.
In Chinese, a common phrase, is to say “His head was filled with water” (it sounds better in Chinese…) it means he was being stupid, silly or simply made the wrong decisions. This is similar to a common Western management phrase of “Showed lack of Judgement, lost faith in his judgement, questioned his judgement…” etc. as a catch all to explain a senior executive firing.
To a Chinese person, this sounds awfully like someone overheard the Chinese phrase “was filled with water” in regards to the recent Rocket Forces demotions, and is confused / conflating the translation.
There is a lot of amusement in Chinese social media regarding this latest western hysteria over Chinese rockets “Filled with Water” because of “Corruption” BTW… While we are not sure what led to the Management Shakeup (aka anti-corruption efforts), we’re glad that even the highest officials for the most critical projects “have their feet held to the fire”. (Yes the Chinese translation of this English term is quite horrific sounding.)
Best…
Great work as usual Stephen.
Question:
Is Xi playing a game of "whack-a-mole"? These purges extend to his inner circle and some of the highest echelons of the PLA and they seem endless.
Is this happening because Xi is an aggressive reformer, rooting out corruption, stepping on toes? Or is there a broad consensus in Chinese society that he's just an overbearing tyrant who isn't producing results?
There are certainly lasting resentments over his harsh and mostly pointless Covid lockdowns that really inflicted lasting damage on the economy. XI has responded to joblessness among recent college grads by telling him to shovel manure in the hinterlands, which doesn't endear him to that demographic cohort. Monopolistic rackets in healthcare and insurance and housing and education don't take a backseat to the worst abuses found in the West.
Impression from afar seems as though President XI has lost the confidence of China. But how to get rid of him?
Xi's future will be determined by the Chinese people, not by anyone outside. He has certainly made a huge mess in the country. although the military was allegedly not one of his failures. So it is hard to explain his ruthless approach to the PLA, unless of course he fears a coup. But coup d'états are rarely launched by rocket forces, so who can say?
I could not find a more appropriate place to comment on this. Military Summary on YouTube is claiming Austin was wounded in Keiv. They are pro Russian but mostly accurate war reporting . Propaganda?
I listened to the Military Summary channel report. A prostate operation is serious surgery. I can't believe that Austin would have traveled to Kiev on January 2 (less than 7 days after major surgery and for no apparent reason) secretly, and then returned to the US and ended up in the ICU because of a severe urinary tract infection (not caused by bombs or Kinzhals).
There was a similar report about Gen. Zaluzhnyi last year.
And it wasn't true
Never heard of such a thing. Austin has prostate cancer and got complications from it that put him in the Walter Reed ICU. I think it is misinformation from Military Summary channel, which usually is very careful about accusations. If I learn anything to back up the Kiev claim, I will report it. The last report of him in Kiev was November 20, 2023. He went for surgery on December 25th for prostate cancer.
Yeah I think Dima was just reporting some stories that are showing up on Telegram without judging their accuracy.
Military Summary is essentially one young fellow in Belarus cobbling together videos from Telegram and putting together his views on the Ukraine war from that .
I've heard ridiculous claims on it many times, for example one that depleted uranium rounds were stored in a special location to prevent their radiation from being detected. Depleted uranium, of course, is less radioactive than natural uranium, hence the depleted.
Go back one month on Military Summary and see how many Dima's predictions on breakthroughs and battles came through. It's enough to make a stockbroker blush.
"The battle for Military Summary is about to begin" as Dima might say.
When I worked in the Pentagon I had a DU core from a 155mm on my desk. I remember that it was very heavy for its size, but otherwise I did not get cancer or any other disease from that. (More worrisome was the asbestos leaching out of the ceiling in the Pentagon.)
I don't disagree but it still pays to watch. McGeagor has been wrong about a number of things but he's still a good source. I never thought he was independant of Russian influence, if not being an outright operation of Russia. Anyone's predictions are suspect here. I did not feel like I had the resources to check schedules. But! Excuse me for my skepticism of anything the FEDGOV allows to " leak".
Dima at the military summary channel does an incredible job with detailed reports twice daily, 365/7 that are meticulously scrutinized. He does pass on scuttle butt and reports that are usually found on telegram saving me the trouble of have to having to sift through this stuff myself. That's why I subscribe and pay a monthly fee for his valiant services.
Open up a random Military Summary video from a month or two ago and compare his predictions and analysis to what's actually happened since.
The principal service provided by Dima at the military summary channel is to provide a detailed look, twice a day, on developments at the front lines in Ukraine. He does superb job reporting the military status on the battlefront. That's the value of the service he provides. You haven't suggested that anyway he is inadequate to the task. He's extremely scrupulous and conscientious at his job.
Dima also passes on pertinent political or legislative developments in Ukraine in Russia. Sometimes he'll also Report on chatter and speculation that winds up on the telegram channel and elsewhere. Personally I find it interesting, even if it's occasionally off the wall.
He also provides periodic commentary on his sense of the special military operation and what moves might appear in the coming weeks in months on both side. Dima makes it very clear these are his opinions. If you don't want to hear these speculations and random thoughts, you don't have to. That's not why the channel exists. It's the military summary channel not the military commentary channel or the military strategic analysis Channel.
I listen to him as well and usually he is right on target. But he is largely ignorant about the United States, and sometimes says things which are not well informed (to be kind). There are other blogs that are usually good too (Free Asia channel for one).
Rather... leaky... leak.
And 'intelligence leaks' are nearly always a political, not a military matter.
In 1987 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Crowe made an agreement with Soviet Marshal Sergei Akhromeyev to set up a secret, private communications channel with the understanding that each would contact the other if he saw any hostile dangerous action that might lead to war. The is on pg. 6 of Woodward's book The Commanders. So Milley wasn't the first and probably won't be the last.
Woodward is hardly a definitive source, and I never head about any such agreement on private communications unless approved by the NSC. Reagan ran a tight ship in those days and I was in the Pentagon then. That proves nothing, but I am not ready to endorse Woodward's statement.