Recent content by nickm

I'm thinking these long range weapons will massively lengthen Russian supply lines, so Russia may have more artillery but they won't be able to get it quickly or easily to the front.

Firstly, I think the US / West was afraid of what might happen if NATO gave Ukraine the tools to strike logistics hubs & various military targets inside Russia - it might embolden Russia to do the same inside, say, Poland. However, Ukraine is doing it anyway but with drones and there's not much...

Why is it $250bn? The reports I have read put the US contribution, until Feb at more like $75bn, with $46bn being military aid, half of which has been donated spare US equipment, so not really spending. You argue it is of limited strategic importance, yet the consequences for the US if Russia...

Yeah but humans have been doing some other stuff instead: James Webb telescope - a modern wonder of the world SpaceX - reusable rockets Photographing black holes LIGO - observing gravity waves Ingenuity Mars Copter (a helicopter on Mars!) New Horizons (hi res photos of Pluto!) And two random...

I think it was more that US wants to maintain strategic stability. They don't want a collapsed Russia to deal with, they didn't want the risk of NATO getting pulled in hence the caution. Unfortunately that approach has prolonged the war, which played to Russian strengths and has given a chance...

Just read Israel's response was to take out one of the air defence radars for Iran's Natanz nuclear facilities. So a very specific message about what a possible escalation could have looked like.

NATO, money, sanctions, AKUS, intelligence. Not a game changer, Europe mostly doesn''t have the assets in the region, but I don't see how the US takes on China (god forbid) with all the diplomatic and economic wreckage that would cause, without all its allies on side.

It was Iran's first ever direct attack on Israel. That seems pretty meaningful to me.

At least it looks as though Ukraine is going to get the weapons it needs again, which is a relief, although hopefully it's not too late. Finally people in the US seem to be waking up.

I think the point seems to be (at least decoding what Macron is saying) is that we can't box ourselves in with red lines, when Putin does not. By creating uncertainty about what the West might/might not do, we make it harder for Putin. And the other thing is, if we do genuinely believe that...

If the US doesn't help Europe with Ukraine, then there won't be any European Patriot systems - or anything else - being sent to help the US protect Taiwan. You can be certain of that.

Exactly, if anything he convinced the West that Ukraine was worth backing. And in doing so, he made us realise where our interests lay.

Or possibly Israel is fundamentally undecided at the moment on their best response, and for now has decided to call.

Looks like Israel has decided to bank its winnings to me.

Not trying to assign blame, I did say both Israel's attack and Iran's response were at fault. My point is for those people who think that because face was saved, theatrical points were made etc., we have returned to the status quo... I am not sure that's fundamentally true. 1. The red line Iran...