It's not just the Admirals and SESs (especially the SESs) (1) - it's 'government' as exists in DC today.
And now ... common sense. Brought to you by Trump - and Elon.
Thank God! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiMXK9eDrMY
1.https://nexttobagend.blogspot.com/2020/08/death-by-bloat.html
I lived and worked around DC in the 80s. Shot with and knew some cops. It was a zoo, and it got worse with Obama.
Incompetence and flagrant waste awarded with even more R+D money?
I won't waste time elaborating on the fact that a high resolution, high frequency mine hunting sonar would not function at long range to detect subs ... and vice versa, a mid to low(er) frequency long range sub hunting sonar won't work in discriminating small objects on the sea floor.
And I won't belabor you with I told you so .... repeatedly ... on the irresponsible abandonment of progress - or even the sustainment of our Naval Mine Warfare capabilities ...
like:
https://nexttobagend.blogspot.com/2022/01/a-remineder.html
https://nexttobagend.blogspot.com/2020/12/paper-tiger.htm
https://nexttobagend.blogspot.com/2023/07/dont-ignore-obvious.html
Our 'acquisitions professional' are losers. Our Admiral and SES ranks are grossly, debilitatingly swollen (who needs SESs anyway? (1)).
God bless Trump and Hegseth for beginning to undo the DEI, neutering of our military (2). But, between the Deep State - getting Comey and Brennan in orange jumpsuits especially, and the War Department, there is much, much work to do.
1.https://nexttobagend.blogspot.com/2020/08/death-by-bloat.html
2.https://nexttobagend.blogspot.com/2026/04/the-heart-of-warrior-beats-again.html
UPDATE: 4/22/26 - That musta' been some brief ...
While in San Diego I stopped at an old watering hole (accompanied by the Mrs.) . I'm glad I did. The "I Bar" is the old officers pub on base at NAS North Island. It's the site of many stories within Naval Aviation. It was also directly in line between the S-3 Viking training building and my BOQ room. So, seeing it again after 41 years brought back some memories - and a welcome enlightenment.
You see, Naval Aviation is a tough business and functions as a meritocracy when it functions best. The best pilot, the best guy at bombing, or in the arcane arts of airborne EW and ASW, are identified by delivering results. Those folks may not reflect a desired race quota, or even be media suitable PC spokespersons. Decades of senior Naval 'leadership', more attuned to pleasing leftist Congress members with budget authority than cultivating warriors, killed Naval Aviation - starting with the Patsy Schroeder "Tail Hook" persecution trials. These Marxist show trials were followed with decades of DEI selection board decisions and awards for career conscious PC promoters within. "O Clubs", particularly those on Naval Air Stations, were shuttered, 'consolidated' with enlisted, anything to eliminate the showcase of toxic masculinity and belligerent alpha male comraderie that they provided.
In the intervening decades I've had numerous visits to Naval Air Station 'O Clubs', or what functioned as such. I found them dead zones with young men acting like they were aware of the Soviet era Zampolit PC police among them, ready to spring on any non PC comment, or behavior inconsistent with a neutered, well behaved, and environmentally friendly Navy.
And, on the larger scale, how'd that work out? Major ships burning down pier side, an Academy grad surrendering boats, crews, the works, to Iranians sans court martial, collisions at sea, especially the USS Connecticut (SSN-22) debacle, the disgraceful retreat from Afghanistan - which should have cost careers as well as the lives of our Marines and a good Navy Corpsman.
Given the above, imagine my surprise to find Naval Aviators in the I Bar! Here were young folks clearly lovin' the job and as ready to kill, as help, some miscreants, depending on ROE and the plan of the day.
Don't know who to credit, Trump? Hegseth? But clearly these folks are ready to take on what may come.
Perhaps, just in time.
May God bless our Naval Aviators, pilots and crews.
I've repeatedly advised that everyone should be able to be self sufficient for 30 days in most kinds of disaster. Having some measure of security in basic essentials regularly contributes to a sense that almost nothing is an immediate crisis, and allows for a more measured, thoughtful, response to the routine fear porn and attempt at manipulation of us little people by those controlling our public and social media.
So ... some thoughts along that line:
Water - as crisis approaches make your tub a 60 gallon resource for drinking water:
Have a rain barrel attached to one of your downspouts.
Have a good filter that can process groundwater into potable water.
Food - beyond dried fruit, noodles, canned tuna ... survival food like this at COSTCO
Power - you'll have gas in your car, have a small quiet generator to charge equipment, periodically run a microwave oven, etc.
Also: batteries, flash lights, AM radio, 30+ days of meds.
If you are competent, have at least one firearm and be practiced with it. Even a simple .22LR semi-automatic rifle with a zero'd in red dot sight can be both useful and comforting day and night. Ugly truth is, in a time of complete social breakdown you may have to defend your home and family.
Scale your preps for your family size.
So prepared you will, at the least, not be an immediate burden on the city/county/state emergency support system.
With a little additional you can collaborate with sharable resources to provide for your neighbors and church, again easing the burden on government assets.
If you live in the built up area of a city you'll have to leave, before peak crisis. Have a plan for where to go - family, vacation home, camper. Know when to go. Once the power fails, the stop lights go out, the water, refrigerators, and sewage lift stations stop, the police assets focus on fewer areas, the monster ('mob') will wake.
Just my $.02. I've seen this scenario play out time and again, from being in New Orleans Sept '05, the WuF1u ("it came from China"), and now as folks realize the vulnerability of our infrastructure and the evil done by Obama and Biden in leaving the borders open to terrorists.
God reigns and His will will be done - but we are responsible to Him for the defense of our precious families, and the lives He's given us.
While dissatisfied with the apparent timing of today's crisis about Iran, I do agree with the critical national security objective being pursued. It was only a matter of time - perhaps measured in flight hours from North Korea - before the Mullahs got nuclear weapons. (If there isn't one or more already embarked on an Iranian arranged vessel from Nampo).
Make no mistake about the real nature of the Islamist fundamentalist. He is the same today as he was at the gates of Vienna in 1683. Just today he wants weapons that will kill millions in pursuit of converting, or enslaving the world.
Nut balls. Violent and, in some instances, very, very clever.
So. We have the right President, perhaps just in time, to stop what is inevitable.
Don't have to be happy with the timing, the personalities, or the bloviating, that is the truth.
For the limp wristed among us, know that there is no virtue in submitting to these folks. As a Lutheran, defending against them is tradition (1). Defending our lives, our children's lives and freedoms, is doing God's work.
Hopefully you've listened to my frequent call to have a 30 day store of essentials. It can easily come to that thanks to Obama, Biden, Brennan and the rest of the coterie that let the terrorists walk across our border.
God help our country, our President, and the innocents in Iran who, alone, can remove the theocratic head cases currently running their country. Any Iranian Generals - or even Majors - up to free a country? Your ball.
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_War_Against_the_Turk
UPDATE: Same day - in case you've not been keeping score ...
Snip
(from a comment by "Thomas Jeffersn69")
... this centuries Iranian attacks on American citizens and allies.
OK, OK ...
So picture an old stereotypical mobster movie. All the Dons are having a 'sit down' and talkin' to the trouble maker. They're explainin' it's 'bad for business'. That's the Pakis, Saudis, etc. talking to Iran.
With nukes one flight from North Korea away from the Mullahs it's past time to deal with them. Folks like that are incompatible with a world in which the DNA manipulated super virus and fission/fusion are a thing.
Consider ... with the world as it is who do you want dealing with the murderous mullahs? Xi? Vlad? Kamala or Trump?
Consider also ... the Mullahs lining up kids and women around the power plants ... while Sulamani's niece is getting the GTFO treatment Beverly Hills ... is likely to light a fire.
Also, to the good, Alex Jones, Joe Rogan, and Tucker outed themselves.
Pray for the Iranians to recover their country to what it was before MI6 and the CIA derailed it.
Pray for our aircrews, ships companies, and operators.
And pray for ur Commander in Chief.
Courage.
