As this is written, we seemingly have two carrier strike groups (Eisenhower and Ford in the Eastern Med.) Combat Marines are available as part of a quick reaction force. You can bet that our units like the 25th ID, the 82nd Airborne and the 101 Airborne (Air Assault) are getting ready to go and taking steps to increase their readiness posture.
Units already in Europe are likely hamstrung due to Russian expansionism. Russia, of course, is doing everything they can to get a major war to break out in the Middle East to further dilute our badly crippled military as it is.
And how could anyone believe that China isn't watching all of this with MAJOR interest... since their calculus is likely one of... if they get more tangled up in the Middle East, then we'll never have a better chance to take out Taiwan... which they want so badly they can taste it.
Now many of these things have been on the table for a long time.... even before the hamas scum launched their terrorist attacks against Israel.
But I stumbled across a story that troubles me greatly, a story that broke a few hours ago.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, went to Saudi Arabia to have a chat with the Saudi Crown Prince, one Mohammed bin Salman, aka "MbS."
After forcing Blinken to wait for several hours, Salman then cancelled the meeting.
No notice. No warning.
Can you even remotely begin to ponder MbS taking such a step if the President's name was Trump?
That's neither here nor there, because it isn't Trump. It's Biden.
What does this insulting behavior mean, precisely?
Well, even in the diplomatic world that is a humongous "Fuck You" to the United States. It means they neither respect us nor fear us. I suppose, with an incompetently, indecisive and frequently cowardly foreign policy, I can understand why MbS would take such a step.
He gains a great deal of face in the process, ending the politically opportunistic idea on the part of his political opposition that he is America's puppet. The US loses a great deal of face in a region where that sort of thing matters.
But at the same time, he risks a great deal depending on American retaliation. We can cut off his parts and maintenance fort his almost entirely American mechanized armed forces, in everything from personnel carriers to F16's.
He can cut off oil to us (hey, face it: it's not like it hasn't been done before) because he knows that thanks to Biden, we've long since lost our energy independence. He also knows our strategic reserve is gutted.
For our part, we can end the security services we've provided that have kept Saudi from becoming an Iranian vassal state. We can withdraw all American personnel and equipment from not only Saudi, but from the entire region.
There's a great many things we can do... a great many things THEY can do... and the omnipresent reality that none of this would be happening if Trump has been in office.
To me, it seems increasingly likely that American combat troops are going to be committed. The army for its part, is what... 40,000 under strength dues to blown recruiting quotas? All of the other services save for the crayon eaters (slang for Marines) are similarly situated. Activating even the inactive reserve forces likely could shore up the numbers but for how long?
The rurality here is that clearly, it seems none of the players in the area give a damn what Biden thinks, or, for that matter, even does.
They've had it with Israel; Israel's had it with them. And Biden's (and per force, the United States') stature is the lowest of any president in this... or the last.... century.
Expect it to get worse before it gets better, particular with leftist hamas supporters infesting Congress.
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