| Submit your comments on this article |
| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Rand Report Prescribed US Provocations Against Russia & Predicted Kremlin Retaliation In Ukraine |
| 2022-03-29 |
| Authored by Rick Sterling via AntiWar.com, [ZeroHedge] According to a 2019 Rand report titled "Overextending and Unbalancing Russia", the US goal is to undermine Russia just as it did the Soviet Union in the cold war. Rather than "trying to stay ahead" or trying to improve the US domestically or in international relations, the emphasis is on efforts and actions to undermine the designated adversary Russia. Rand is a quasi-US governmental think tank that receives three-quarters of its funding from the US military. The report lists anti-Russia measures divided into the following areas: economic, geopolitical, ideological/informational, and military. They are assessed according to the perceived risks, benefits and "likelihood of success". |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #10 That's the only promising tactic out of 48 total. And Biden ignored it -- in fact did the exact opposite! "Count on Joe to fuck things up" - B. Hussain Obama Count on the military industrial complex to keep the gravy train running Count on the Swamp Creatures to take us to the brink of world war and make us poorer in the process |
| Posted by: Uneater the Low-priced2947 2022-03-29 16:15 |
| #9 I believe it, Skid, because it fits so well into the context of what we already know. What I don't understand is: Why? Why give away the farm to China while waging war against Russia? And what did the Russians do to deserve it? |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2022-03-29 13:24 |
| #8 Who are these Defense Intelligence Agency analysts and "Pentagon contractor" analysts who are calling BS on the widely-believed Western notion that Putin and the Russian Army are deliberately targeting civilians? Putin's bombers could devastate Ukraine but he's holding back. Here's why There's also an illuminating comparison with the US air and artillery campaign in Iraq. Odd that this rational analysis has been quashed. Sort of like the quashing of RAND's advice to recommendation to increase oil and gas production and focus on drones, bombers, longer-range strike aircraft and missiles instead of NATO and regime change BS. Or shooting ourselves in the foot with sanctions. instead of |
| Posted by: Skunky Lumumba7155 2022-03-29 12:37 |
| #7 Had you read the online report you might have recognized the current administration's roadmap to world affairs. Thank you for that link -- very helpful to read the report. BLUF: the only tactic that offers a very favorable cost-benefit profile for the US with low risk is increased US domestic energy production. That's the only promising tactic out of 48 total. And Biden ignored it -- in fact did the exact opposite! The only other set of tactics that even offer moderately favorable cost-benefits are a variety of USAF initiatives like like "reposturing US bombers" and "investing" in RPAs and long-range strike aircraft and missiles. Which of course are initiatives which RAND would be delighted to study for the next five years. At a reasonable cost -- perhaps $5 million per study with a few follow-ones? And which options offered the WORST outcomes? Exactly those which Biden has been doubling down on. note: if you want to quickly scan the RAND report and get the key takeaways, look at each tactic's color-coded row of boxes in the table to the right. Look for crimson vs beige. A crimson box means the policy will greatly sting us and not hurt the Russians much; beige is good for US interests. There's a LOT of crimson -- that is damage to the US and/or little harm to Russia -- and not much beige in the 48 rows of tactics. Nearly all of the "geopolitical" and NATO-related tactics are either counterproductive or useless. Most importantly sanctions will hurt the US as at least as much as they hurt Russia. Political interference offers no chance of success. So what does Biden do? Impose self-destructive sanctions and call for "regime change" in Russia! Thank you again, Skidmark. This report shows once again that US policymakers do not listen to reason and are determined to do the exact opposite wherever possible. |
| Posted by: Skunky Lumumba7155 2022-03-29 12:28 |
| #6 And finally, the initial stage of orbital defense. A lot of data suggesting a rush to what should be multi-generational initiatives. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2022-03-29 11:49 |
| #4 Ex. Maryland's Hogan takes aim at Biden over potentially lifting sanctions on Venezuelan oil Pentagon Seeks to Scrap Problematic Littoral Combat Ships in 2023 |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2022-03-29 11:35 |
| #3 Thanks for trolling. Had you read the online report you might have recognized the current administration's roadmap to world affairs. This is interesting as the report from 2019 spans two radically different presidencies. You might have also noticed, besides energy and military expansion there is a ideological section directed at Russia but appears to be very much in affect within our own borders, on our own population. I'm very concerned about the 'not yet manifested' measures. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2022-03-29 11:31 |
| #2 *Shrug* Bet every major country has wastebaskets full of similar studies |
| Posted by: magpie 2022-03-29 11:16 |
| #1 A think tank issued an analysis. In other news, the sun came up today. |
| Posted by: Alistaire Clunk8424 2022-03-29 09:51 |