They definitely report the spending levels to maintain a mixed arsenal, and tbh looking at Russian modernization decisions, they’re focusing on the ‘better’ delivery methods like sea and air launch.

Russian leadership’s apparent conviction that the US ballistic missile defense system constitutes a real future risk to the credibility of Russia’s retaliatory capability. The poor performance and loss of a significant portion of Russian conventional forces in the war against Ukraine and the depletion of its weapon stockpiles will likely deepen Russia’s reliance on nuclear weapons for its national defense.

They got drained hard in Ukraine and showed the world that Russia was a paper tiger - only good for a thunder run leadership decapitation or beating back irregular and militant forces. Nukes are their prestige weapon, and the hand wringing over escalation has only served to validate their faith.

Why did they kill Haniyeh when he was the guy they were negotiating with as Hamas’s head diplomat? All while both sides were apparently “days away from an agreement”?

We’ve finally found it - an ethical application for deepfake AI

Not likely. Alternative voting is a threat to both the RNC and DNC hegemony.

Libertarian and Green candidates are routinely decried as ‘false flag vote siphons’ despite having materially different policy stances from both main parties. It’s easier to keep your team in line with national level funding and intra-party discipline than to actually compromise and work on bi/tri-partisan legislation or a coalition government.

It was EXTREMELY cynical and transparent when the announcement of baby steps towards marijuana legalization came RIGHT as the latest polling showed a nose dive among youth support.

Because he/the DNC clearly had the power and clout to unilaterally make that move months or years ago, but didn’t feel the need to. Having the press release drop at 4:20 eastern was such a cringe ‘fellow kids’ moment designed to distract from the ongoing injustice that keeping it schedule I for decades has done to society.

Wiring/PCB header or connector/common data hub yes - but my point was that has to be thought out ahead, and cannot be modified afterwards in the same way touch screens can

BoM complexity and cross commonality is a challenge in manufacturing. It’s why we see all these ‘global platforms’ among automakers trying to build one unibody core subframe for all or most of their cars, adding different panels and roof assembly for an SUV or sedan respectively. Fewer parts to stock and build is a cost saving (for the manufacturer, don’t expect them to pass that saving along) - same with tactile controls.

Wiring/PCB header or connector/common data hub yes - but my point was that has to be thought out ahead, and cannot be modified afterwards in the same way touch screens can

BoM complexity and cross commonality is a challenge in manufacturing. It’s why we see all these ‘global platforms’ among automakers trying to build one unibody core subframe for all or most of their cars, adding different panels and roof assembly for an SUV or sedan respectively. Fewer parts to stock and build is a cost saving (for the manufacturer, don’t expect them to pass that saving along) - same with tactile controls.

It’s great for Tesla, for one reason - modularity.

If your input/control has a physical button, that immediately needs independent wiring, assembly steps, A THOUGHT OUT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PLAN, another BoM item to build the car/widget, and usually markings that limit its use for other functions (present and planned).

Tesla can bury controls and change interfaces as much as they like on the main touchscreen, or even add new features. It’s still trash for driver usability except when parked for all the obvious reasons, but hey they get to ‘push’ new features over cellular networks as they’re developed. Y’know, instead of selling a complete product in the first place.

The Doha accords were a gift to the Taliban, they knew the US wanted out, Trump said we wanted out, and he set the stage for an untenable self-governance in Afghanistan

Biden deserves plenty of blame for how the inevitable went down and not ensuring interpreters/collaborators were evacuated , but Trump absolutely set up the fall of Afghanistan. The Afghan papers made clear the ANA were not a viable force, but Biden should have had contingencies ready

Of course. CENTCOM needs a base to enforce US-hegemony from. Qatar is playing the middle ground between the US and the Muslim world, and wants to pick up the US as an ally when Saudi Arabia got iced out after Jamal Khashoggi was dismembered, and MBS refused to sabotage OPEC when ‘muh gas prices high’ during the pandemic. Turkey is seen as unreliable post-coup and crackdown, and is no longer submissive.

The only winning move, is not to play?

Who is the more accelerationist candidate? The one who openly calls himself a dictator (‘on day one only, teehehehe’) or the status-quo octogenarian who continues the moral bankruptcy and refuses to stop lethal support or even public condemnation towards Israel even slightly? And I’m supposed to be thankful that Biden-Harris check the “not Trump lol” box and ignore the rest? Remember the hemming and hawing about Ukraine getting last gen/expiring tech? And we’re just GIVING Israel hardware from active US inventory???

I’d LOVE a viable third party or AVP/STV/etc voting, but electoral reform is a threat to DNC & RNC hegemony, so that never happening without a constitutional convention. So tell me, do you really have a choice at the ballot? Federal and primary races are littered with corporate and party money, there is no organic change coming from DC anymore.

Nobody. That’s the tragedy. As long as AIPAC throws lobbying dollars around and hardline US Jews and Christians refuse any stance except 100% support, America’s UNSC veto (or threat therein-of) ensures Israel has political cover.

Just like a long line of awful US ‘strategic allies’ like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Pinochet, Saddam, etc…

Exactly this. Either Netanyahu controls the Likud-coalition and this is the aligned message of displacement/ethnic cleansing, or he dismisses these ministers and publicly refutes these statements, or he doesn’t have control and should immediately hold elections to secure a real coalition or majority. But that risks jail for Netanyahu, and his actions so far have openly spoken of cowardice in the face of the legal repercussions.

Because otherwise this kind of rhetoric is going straight into the ICJ evidence file for SA’s genocide complaint that Israel is contesting. Protestations of ‘blood libel’ don’t drown out cabinet ministers openly calling for ethnic cleansing going unpunished.

Neither should Israel, Iran, India, or Pakistan tho

Lemme get this straight. We’ve put significant restrictions on Ukraine using US provided gear, against targets inside of other countries. Because runaway escalation would be bad.

But we’re supposedly cool if the IDF, then or at some point in the future, without prior approval or permission, uses US hardware against targets inside of other countries? Make it make sense, the justification for both countries is defensive wars against invading neighbors

In some ways, I’m very excited about the sociological and economic opportunities for change this kind of scenario brings. And far, farrr more horrified. I haven’t yet seen a meaningful or impactful use of AI yet, that doesn’t mainly further capitalists or state power over their own or other civilians.

“AI development is dominated by capital, led by some of the world’s most powerful oligopolistic corporations… strengthening capital vis-à-vis labour, and elite sections of labour relative to others, and are hence likely to increase inequality along lines of class stratification that are also lines of gender and race.”

The future is cyberpunk, and Gibson started that as a sci-fi horror show future to avoid. Congress knows that Meta/Zucc influenced the 2016 election via ML/AI targeted ands and did basically nothing.

The Arab Spring was kicked off by a Libyan street vendor who was so tired of paying bribes, fees, and ‘fines’ he set himself on fire instead of choosing another day at life. And enough of his countrymen saw that and said “Agreed. There’s no future anymore, let’s burn it all down and get a new government”.

The US has been in trouble for a long while - you have to wonder how long until the body politic is picked clean by capitalism and people are done with this project we call America. When all the political oxygen is consumed by the loudest fringe voices who achieve nothing of substance, while entrenching their power and prestige. There’s only two ‘viable’ parties, and they want it that way, all while we pretend with the illusion of choice.

But please, tell me how I need not give up, that all I have to do is get involved more local politics, or ‘play the game’ and throw campaign elections at my problems. Gerrymandering, dark money, DNC/RNC funding choking out 3rd party candidates, etc etc. the fix is in, and you and I aren’t in on it.

You clearly paid zero attention to reality, or are a shill for Trump.

His disaster of a ‘peace plan’ and recognition of the annexation of Jerusalem ratcheted tensions needlessly, and ending rapprochement with Iran and the nuclear deal has arguably led to Oct7 and jeopardized deeper Israeli-Saudi relations.

“It is hard to achieve change, therefore we shouldn’t even talk about it as a possibility”

And you’re the one calling others right wing trolls? AIPAC runs a strong lobbying game, and while there are sizable segments who are unflinchingly 100% pro-Israel, a growing section of the electorate is horrified to know that US bombs are dropped from US built aircraft, against a dramatically weaker force, by an army that is repeatedly callous in its treatment of Palestinian life. And the American taxpayer funds it, rules are bent or broken to deliver those weapons, all while dissent is silenced.

Hamas doesn’t have an air force or tanks, it barely runs mortar artillery - air power is massive overkill. And the IDF has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to knowingly kill 10, 40, 100+ civilians if they can get at mid level officer or two. I’m disgusted with their actions towards civilians, and disgusted at US leadership and diplomats providing repeated political cover at the UN to neuter any resolution to help.

I understand from experience that moving out of your home area has a huge cost, not only monetary but social, familial, cultural, and communal. It’s a big decision but an important one. I left because I saw no future in the culture that drove the politics, and have unfortunately been validated in my pessimism.

But by staying you implicitly approve and further that which you find distasteful or appalling. ’Staying to do good from within the system’ often isn’t as powerful as is thought - your influence is ringfenced by the culture and system around you and in cases you may prolong someone else tolerance of an untenable reality. Don’t wait until you are forced to move, build a plan and define your red lines. Encourage others to think the same about their limits. It gets better, honestly