“The image posted by Yermak, a retro-style drawing of Donald Trump grabbing a defeated Vladimir Putin by the feet, about to throw him to the mat WWE-style, reflects the current state of the Western world, as it waits for Donald Trump to destroy Russia. The childishness of the drawing may also be representative of that way of thinking.”
Diplomacy of force (Original: Diplomacia de fuerza)
Read More »To understand how America is preparing for its nuclear future, follow Melissa Durkee’s fifth-grade students as they shuffle into Room 38 at Preston Veterans’ Memorial School in Preston, Conn. One by one, the children settle in for a six-week course taught by an atypical educator, the defense contractor General Dynamics.
“Does anyone know why we’re here?” a company representative asks. Adalie, 10, shoots her hand into the air. “Um, because you’re building submarines and you, like, need people, and you’re teaching us about it in case we’re interested in working there when we get older,” she ventures.
Adalie is correct. The U.S. Navy has put in an order for General Dynamics to produce 12 nuclear ballistic missile submarines by 2042 — a job that’s projected to cost $130 billion. The industry is struggling to find the tens of thousands of new workers it needs. For the past 18 months, the company has traveled to elementary schools across New England to educate children in the basics of submarine manufacturing and perhaps inspire a student or two to consider one day joining its shipyards.
…
Though the new Columbia-class subs are primarily being built in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Virginia, the Navy is going to tremendous lengths to recruit talent across the country. Over the past year, a blitz of ads has appeared at various sports events — including major league baseball games, WNBA games and even atop a NASCAR hood — steering fans to buildsubmarines.com. The website connects job seekers with hiring defense contractors as part of a nearly $1 billion campaign. Some of that money will go toward helping restore the network of companies that can supply the more than three million parts that go into a Columbia sub. Like so much of the nation’s nuclear infrastructure, those supplier numbers have plummeted since the 1990s.
America Is Updating Its Nuclear Weapons. The Price: $1.7 Trillion.
Now this is grooming!
Recommended Reading:
The Office of Naval Research is an organization within the US Department of Navy. Ray Powell’s Project Myoushu started at Stanford’s GKC. Funny how Powell’s information has disappeared from Stanford’s GKC. The internet never forgets, though!
Perry World House’s Thomas Shattuck and Robin Garcia are out with an important new white paper which recommends the public release of visual information to counter China’s coercive activities, using the Philippines and Taiwan as examples. As the champions of “assertive transparency”, SeaLight enthusiastically welcomes this timely new scholarship!
Lighting Up the Gray Zone: The Philippines-Taiwan Counter-Coercion Toolkit
Perry World House is at the University of Pennsylvania, another university funded by the US government. I’ve updated my Project Myoushu document, to reflect the following:
The origin of Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. It’s sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, an organization within the Department of Navy. I saw it over at the Asian Century Journal, yesterday.
From a previous post.
Related:
Japan, U.S. and Philippines to discuss stronger military ties
The three foreign ministers will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in the wake of increasing collisions in the South China Sea between ships from the Philippines and China.
…
They agreed to work toward signing a Reciprocal Access Agreement that would make it easier for members of the Self-Defense Forces and the Philippine military to engage in joint training exercises by simplifying procedures to obtain visas and bring weapons and ammunition into each other’s countries.
Japan will also provide funds for the Philippines to acquire a coastal surveillance radar system.
Related:
US, Philippines to expand strategic port
Read More »Almost every assumption that undergirded the Israel-Arab normalization agreements was disastrously wrong, and now we are paying the price.
Forget ‘peace,’ did Abraham Accords set stage for Israel-Gaza conflict?
The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that “Israeli officials are quietly working with the Biden administration on a polarizing proposal to set up a U.S.-run uranium-enrichment operation in Saudi Arabia as part of a complex three-way deal to establish official diplomatic relations between the two Middle Eastern countries,” according to U.S. and Israeli officials.
WSJ conceals Saudi funding of pro-Saudi nuke deal source
New Zealand was once the beacon of independent policymaking, but recent intel suggests a seismic shift towards the U.S-led AUKUS military alliance. New documents unearth a looming war shadow, with Wellington pushing Kiwis towards a volatile stand-off with China. What’s driving this dramatic pivot? Are we on the brink of the unimaginable?
New Zealand: Waking Up to a Disturbing Reality! via Geopolitical Trends, w/Dr. David Oualaalou
Sources:
Unease Over New Zealand Overtures to US in Pacific
The bombing of the Rainbow Warrior
New Zealand says it will set China policy, not US-led Five Eyes
If, as reported, Joe Biden has finally agreed to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister is likely to face a straight-talking U.S. president focusing on three key issues
Biden Isn’t Fooled by Netanyahu. So Why Meet Him? 😂
Related:
Biden should rethink the Saudi Arabia-Israel normalization deal
Far from resolving conflicts, Saudi-Israel normalization will serve as a pillar of a repressive architecture that brings no justice for Palestinians or Arab peoples.
Why Saudi-Israel ‘peace’ will cement a violent future
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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