Crimea River - Pentagon Press Secretary's Briefing This Week

[SamSwimmer]

Link to Transcript from Jan 19 Press Briefing

On Thursday, the Pentagon's spokeswoman Sabrina Singh took questions. A couple things stand out. I mentioned the US was being pressured to send Abrams into Ukraine. She mentioned almost the exact same concerns I mentioned earlier in the week:

Q: OK. And second, a different topic. The Germans have indicated they are hesitant to provide tanks to Ukraine unless the U.S. also provides Abrams. Where are we on those discussions? And what is the likelihood that, you know, Abrams would be sent in order to, I guess, work alongside the Germans on this?​

​

MS. SINGH: Well, we're going to have a readout from the Secretary's meeting with his counterpart, Minister of Defense Pistorius, later today, but in terms of the conversations, I think you saw Dr. Kahl really speak to this yesterday.​

​

The Abrams are a — it's more of a sustainment issue. I mean, this is a tank that is — requires jet fuel, whereas the Leopard and the Challenger — the — it's a different engine. They require diesel. It's a little bit easier to maintain. They can maneuver across large portions of territory before they need to refuel. The — the maintenance and the — the high cost that it would take to maintain an Abrams is just — just doesn't make sense to provide that to the Ukrainians at this moment.​

I'm not for ever providing Ukraine with Abrams. Biden is making this guy a damn warlord. Apparently we've provided high level training to hundreds of Ukrainian military members for ownership & maintenance of sophisticated missile systems as a condition of ownership. Those tanks are expensive & require a crazy amount of maintenance. In fact, their cost of maintenance vs what was expected has been the subject of government inquiry on several occasions. If he gives them those tanks, the cost of this war is just going to continue to be an untenable drain on us.

Also from the briefing (bold added for emphasis)

​

Q: I have two questions. The first one — so Ukraine's defense minister, Reznikov, said that Ukraine could use U.S. weapons to attack Russia's occupied Crimea. Is that concerning to the U.S.?​

​

MS. SINGH: I mean, Crimea's part of Ukraine. We've long held that position. We've said that that is — we certainly support the Ukrainians taking back their territory by any means that they can and what other — whatever weapons they are using. So again, we have not shied away from stating that fact from the very beginning.​

And

MS. SINGH: Are you asking if we can — if the Ukrainians are consulting with us?​

​

Q: If you're giving your advice — endorse such an operation on Crimea?​

​

MS. SINGH: Well, we don't dictate to the Ukrainians how to run their operations. That has been said by multiple people here at this Department. The Ukrainians make the decisions about their operations and when they conduct them.​

​

Crimea is part of Ukraine. We've made that very clear from the beginning. If they decide to conduct an operation within Crimea they are well in their bounds. That is a — that is a sovereign part of their country that was illegally invaded by Russia in 2014. They have every right to take that back.​

Basically, we're bankrolling, training, & arming Ukraine with zero input on operations. And if Ukraine decides to attack Russia in Crimea with American weapons, the Pentagon is on board with it.

 

[extragreen]

Basically, we're bankrolling, training, & arming Ukraine with zero input on operations. And if Ukraine decides to attack Russia in Crimea with American weapons, the Pentagon is on board with it.

Sounds eerily similar to the U S vs Afghanistan forever war. Where were you then?

 

[i am herdman]

Sounds eerily similar to the U S vs Afghanistan forever war. Where were you then?

It needed to end but the taliban did help harbor a terrorist cell that killed 3000 people.on our soil. We can argue how long.

Ukriane is a different situation completely. Sending main battle tanks is absurd. Ukraine is becoming a money pit and a drain in our weapons systems.

What is the end game? Goals?

 

[extragreen]

It needed to end but the taliban did help harbor a terrorist cell that killed 3000 people.on our soil. We can argue how long.

Ukriane is a different situation completely. Sending main battle tanks is absurd. Ukraine is becoming a money pit and a drain in our weapons systems.

What is the end game? Goals?

You're an hypocritical idiot and liar. You supported the forever war for TWENTY YEARS. What was the end game? Goals?

 

[raleighherdfan]

Afghanistan was nothing like this situation.

Russia is using their invasion to continue the weakening of US global status and leadership. We are now on an island when it comes to energy and petro dollar status. Russia has played the world energy market perfectly with its alignment with China, India, and other Arab states.

We have no one in the WH that can offer a strategic explanation of what we are doing. Biden, when he was “coherent”, was a foreign policy boob. I do find it interesting that we may very well have a Dem President when the US goes into its next generational economic depression.

 

[mlblack16.]

Afghanistan was nothing like this situation.

Russia is using their invasion to continue the weakening of US global status and leadership. We are now on an island when it comes to energy and petro dollar status. Russia has played the world energy market perfectly with its alignment with China, India, and other Arab states.

We have no one in the WH that can offer a strategic explanation of what we are doing. Biden, when he was “coherent”, was a foreign policy boob. I do find it interesting that we may very well have a Dem President when the US goes into its next generational economic depression.

At what point do all these woke CEO's finally accept the fact that dumping millions into getting dipshitcrats elected is only hurting their own businesses.

The media will continue it's ridiculous bias until the Dems (who infiltrated the various outlets by getting hired onto their boards of directors) are gone.

I'll give them credit, what the Left has done to contaminate the media and our education system from K thru college was a genius move albeit diabolical in their intent.

 

[muthed]

We need to grow a pair. VietNam, Iraq, Afghanistan, now this Ukraine BS. Just sending troops and money down the drain. Where's Truman? Call Harry. He'll take care of it.

 

[SamSwimmer]

Sending main battle tanks is absurd. Ukraine is becoming a money pit and a drain in our weapons systems.

I posted the link to the Pentagon's own press briefing just a few days ago so people can see, with their own eyes, that even they're acknowledging the exorbitant costs associated with those tanks. Plus, it's not hard to read up about the numerous times that exact topic has come up in Congressional hearings.

 

[ThunderCat98]

Sounds eerily similar to the U S vs Afghanistan forever war.

Holy crap. Even a moron can get one right on occasion. Congrats. That might be the only thing remotely accurate you've posted in a long time.

 

[extragreen]

Holy crap. Even a moron can get one right on occasion. Congrats. That might be the only thing remotely accurate you've posted in a long time.

You idiot. I've railed against the forever war for close to 20 years.

 

[SamSwimmer]

I'm trying to think which Abrams ultimately burns through money faster - the M1 or Stacey.

 

[i am herdman]

You're an hypocritical idiot and liar. You supported the forever war for TWENTY YEARS. What was the end game? Goals?

Well, maybe so. But, we had much more of a vital interest. We can argue how long it should have went. IT should have not ended the way it did.

Now, did you give a damn when Russia invaded part of Ukraine before? Probably not. Probably didn't even pay attention.

 

[i am herdman]

You idiot. I've railed against the forever war for close to 20 years.

You probably wouldn't have done a thing after 9-11. That's the problem.

Now tell me why all the sudden you and others give a damn about Ukraine. Did youn care when Obama was President and they invaded?

 

[extragreen]

we had much more of a vital interest.

For TWENTY YEARS?? You're an idiot.

 

[extragreen]

You probably wouldn't have done a thing after 9-11.

You did. You supported a war for TWENTY YEARS. Until your orange jesus said maybe we ought to get out of afghanistan.

Now tell me why all the sudden you and others give a damn about Ukraine.

Tell me why you supported the attempt to create a democracy in afghanistan but are against protecting one in ukraine.

 

[i am herdman]

For TWENTY YEARS?? You're an idiot.

Probably for about 10 and we needed a better wtihdraw strategy.

 

[extragreen]

Probably for about 10 and we needed a better wtihdraw strategy.

You supported the war for TWENTY YEARS. TWENTY.

 

[i am herdman]

You did. You supported a war for TWENTY YEARS. Until your orange jesus said maybe we ought to get out of afghanistan.

Tell me why you supported the attempt to create a democracy in afghanistan but are against protecting one in ukraine.

I am not against protecting one in Ukraine. What I am against is blindly sending them weapons and money. I am against escalating it to the point that we are drawn into a European war or to the point Russia does somethign really crazy. I am against main battle tanks, longer range missiles, etc. We are to the point we can't do proper training on certain system and we are getting low ourselves. That is not smart. Why all the sudden interest in Ukraine after all these years. It is a corrupt cesspool and your democracy remarks are somewhat questionable. We are being misled and we are paying for it.

 

[ThunderCat98]

Tell me why you supported the attempt to create a democracy in afghanistan but are against protecting one in ukraine.

What if, like myself and many others on this board, you didn't/don't like either?

 

[i am herdman]

You supported the war for TWENTY YEARS. TWENTY.

Ok, so? Afghanistan has nothing to do with Ukraine

I doubt you supported Ukraine or really even paid attention to it the first time they did it.

Do you even care your boy Biden and his family were funneling money and getting mysterious jobs? Oh but, that is ok? Right?

 

[i am herdman]

Oh, EG my support for Afghanistan wasn't necessarily to build or support a democracy. It was support killing the bad guys. Oh, and one of ours, Obama was PResident for 8 of those years. Remember?

 

[extragreen]

I am not against protecting one in Ukraine.

As long as the US does nothing. See below...

What I am against is blindly sending them weapons and money. I am against escalating it to the point that we are drawn into a European war or to the point Russia does somethign really crazy. I am against main battle tanks, longer range missiles, etc.

 

[i am herdman]

As long as the US does nothing. See below...

Nothing? How do you draw that conclusion?

 

[extragreen]

Nothing? How do you draw that conclusion?

That's what you're offering so far. No money, no weapons, nothing that would escalate the situation.

 

[i am herdman]

That's what you're offering so far. No money, no weapons, nothing that would escalate the situation.

I wrote this

What I am against is blindly sending them weapons and money. I am against escalating it to the point that we are drawn into a European war or to the point Russia does somethign really crazy. I am against main battle tanks, longer range missiles, etc. We are to the point we can't do proper training on certain system and we are getting low ourselves. That is not smart. Why all the sudden interest in Ukraine after all these years. It is a corrupt cesspool and your democracy remarks are somewhat questionable. We are being misled and we are paying for it.

 

[SamSwimmer]

I wrote this

What I am against is blindly sending them weapons and money. I am against escalating it to the point that we are drawn into a European war or to the point Russia does somethign really crazy. I am against main battle tanks, longer range missiles, etc. We are to the point we can't do proper training on certain system and we are getting low ourselves. That is not smart. Why all the sudden interest in Ukraine after all these years. It is a corrupt cesspool and your democracy remarks are somewhat questionable. We are being misled and we are paying for it.

If Ukraine, as we’re being told, were winning with Russians depletes we would not be rushing massive amounts of armor assets to them. Americans are being gaslit

 

[i am herdman]

If Ukraine, as we’re being told, were winning with Russians depletes we would not be rushing massive amounts of armor assets to them. Americans are being gaslit

Exactly.

 

[KyMUfan]

You supported the war for TWENTY YEARS. TWENTY.

Sooo...

Obama and Biden kept us in Afghanistan and now Biden is trying his best to get us into Ukraine. Hmmm... I see a trend but I'm not sure you're bright enough to recognize it...

 

[i am herdman]

Sooo...

Obama and Biden kept us in Afghanistan and now Biden is trying his best to get us into Ukraine. Hmmm... I see a trend but I'm not sure you're bright enough to recognize it...

Afghanistan and Ukraine are two different things completely.

 

[extragreen]

I wrote this

What I am against is blindly sending them weapons and money. I am against escalating it to the point that we are drawn into a European war or to the point Russia does somethign really crazy. I am against main battle tanks, longer range missiles, etc. We are to the point we can't do proper training on certain system and we are getting low ourselves. That is not smart. Why all the sudden interest in Ukraine after all these years. It is a corrupt cesspool and your democracy remarks are somewhat questionable. We are being misled and we are paying for it.

I wrote this...
That's what you're offering so far. No money, no weapons, nothing that would escalate the situation.

 

[extragreen]

Sooo...

Obama and Biden kept us in Afghanistan and now Biden is trying his best to get us into Ukraine. Hmmm... I see a trend but I'm not sure you're bright enough to recognize it...

I kept railing against the war since about 2003. herdman has been supporting the war since 2001.

 

[i am herdman]

I wrote this...
That's what you're offering so far. No money, no weapons, nothing that would escalate the situation.

We going to give them billions forever?

 

[extragreen]

We going to give them billions forever?

At the rate the U S is spending we could do this for 100 years before equaling what the forever war cost us. Do yourself a favor and shut up.

 

[i am herdman]

At the rate the U S is spending we could do this for 100 years before equaling what the forever war cost us. Do yourself a favor and shut up.

You really think they are the same? And, that is your logic? We spent this over here so do it over there?

Oh, and you virtue signalers never gave a flip about Ukraine prior. Probably most of you never heard of it.

Now tell me why we should send them Abrams tanks, the most sophisticated main battle tank in the world?

 

[extragreen]

We spent this over here so do it over there?

My president can spend trillions on a war, but yours? uh uh.

Now tell me why we should send them Abrams tanks, the most sophisticated main battle tank in the world?

So they have a chance of winning.

 

[i am herdman]

My president can spend trillions on a war, but yours? uh uh.

So they have a chance of winning.

That makes no sense. War in Afganistan covered 4 Presidents. Bush, Obama, Trump, Mush Brain.

So, That included both parties. Has nothing to do with who is President. Hell, plenty of republicans are voting for the money. I don't agree with them doing it blindly either.

So, what are you willing to give Urkaine and how do they win? How much do we give them? We give them our best tanks? We train them, support them, give them parts? Who fixes them? Are we growing low on weapons systems and ammo. We have sent all kinds of stuff over there.

you never cared about Urkaine before. So, what is the end game? What is out strategic interest?

We are now talking about sending main battle tanks? What is next? We have sent MLRS systems already? We have sent TOW missiles. Our Navy has already warned that we are running low on weapons.

 

[extragreen]

That makes no sense.

It was your guy who started both Afghanistan and Iraq. Not one time did you concern yourself with the cost. Shut up about the cost of Ukraine. Find another reason for not helping them.

 

[i am herdman]

It was your guy who started both Afghanistan and Iraq. Not one time did you concern yourself with the cost. Shut up about the cost of Ukraine. Find another reason for not helping them.

are you sure I wasn't worried about the cost? Hell, I remember blasting Bush prior to the surge in late 2000's that were messing up in Iraq.

I have given you other reasons about Ukraine. Not just monetary cost, but the depletion of our aresenals. I gave you an example of the Navy. Word is also other units are having trouble conducting necessary live fire excercises becaue their systems have been depleted.

I have also told you that we are taking our eye of the ball. While we are sending billions to that slush fund over there, the Chinese are surpassing our Navy. That is huge mistake. Our military needs rebuilt after 20 years of fighting a counter insurgency and differnt type of enemy. Yet, we are sending billions to Ukraine.

I have also warned of the escalation at some point in Russia is backed into a corner. What would the USA do if Russian Missiles and main battle tanks were in Mexico? We don't want an escalation at this point. Especially with China, the far bigger threat, surpassing us quickly.

Frankly, before I sent Zelinsky billions I would shore up moral and retention within out ranks, which is very bad right now.

Again, tell me why Ukraine is suddenly in our vital nationa interest. Russia took about 20% of Ukraine in 2014 or so. What did we do?

Are we after oil and energy? So what is it? Russia, Soviet Union, controlled Ukraine for decades. Did it matter to you then? Even think about it?

If we were going to act tough we should have done it when Putin was massing his armada and troops up. Now we are sending them billions withuot batting an eye? More weapons systems withought hesitation? Meanwhile we spend money renaming Forts and there is still mold in the barracks and 22 veterans take their lives daily. But, hey that smooth talking dude from Ukraine can get on there and bilks us for some more and we faill in line. Dude is fighting a war and finds time to be on magazines and awards shows. HIs wife gets on Glamour magazine while Mush, Mitch, etc. sending him billions. Meanwhile China has more ships and building better ones.

 

[SamSwimmer]

I’m starting to see more & more news orgs point out the maintenance costs (& additional support) associated with these tanks. I was starting to think anything (regardless of cost or insanity) floated in the rhetoric of “I stand w/ Ukraine” got instant approval with the left. Remember, the left wanted a no fly zone enforced. Wouldn’t surprise me if they floated the idea of bankrolling a Death Star (PuTiN wILl WiN iF wE DoN’t fUnD iT)

 

[i am herdman]

I’m starting to see more & more news orgs point out the maintenance costs (& additional support) associated with these tanks. I was starting to think anything (regardless of cost or insanity) floated in the rhetoric of “I stand w/ Ukraine” got instant approval with the left. Remember, the left wanted a no fly zone enforced. Wouldn’t surprise me if they floated the idea of bankrolling a Death Star (PuTiN wILl WiN iF wE DoN’t fUnD iT)

Tanks work wonerfully if you have support , logistics, and combined arms efforts with infantry, engineer assets, and artillery along with logistics and maintenance as mentioned. The Abramas is an instrument of death and destruction. But, you have to know what you are doing and support it. you just don't put tanks out there and say go get some. Or you don't do it effectively. See Russians in this war for example. See the Iraqis in the first Gulf War.

I am telling you there are some folks that I trying to get us in WW3. Some of our own people.

There is more to this Ukraine thing than meets the eye.