There is, of course, the question of case tense used. We are now not in much of a position to fight either Norko or China. But then, we were in no position to fight the Wehrmacht or the Imperial Japanese. We adapted. We are good at that - it has been our saving grace over the years. The real question is whether the cabal that runs the country now would allow us to do so - and IF we’d stand for such or toss the cabal and build on our own. We have the ability, knowledge, and will. It’s just a question if we’d have the opportunity to do so. I have ultimate faith in the American spirit and people; I just don’t much trust the billet-heads running the country.
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As you say, it is all about the case tense. No question we (or those who came before us) were good at adapting. That was when the standard American expression was “Can Do”. Now … not so much. Too much bureaucracy, too much DIE.
Another factor is that, when WWII kicked off, the US had massive numbers of under-used factories which could be adapted. Today, again … not so much. The factories were dismantled and the equipment sent to China in the successful pursuit of higher short-term stock prices. A related factor is that, in those days, there were massive numbers of available trained workers & engineers who could be redeployed. Today, many people would have to be trained from scratch – and many do not have the educational basis to facilitate that training.
But probably the most important factor is that the Political Class has lost the confidence of a large part of the population. Compare the positive attitudes about liberating Kuwait with today’s big yawn about Zelensky’s regime in the Ukraine. Today’s Political Class is simply not up to the task of getting us all on board with blood, sweat, & tears for the benefit of some far-off country. Practically, the limit of their abilities is printing money.
All in all, our Political Class’s pigeons have come home to roost. If they were smart, they would realize this.
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Up to 25k? The Ukrainians need to learn to be more plausible with their PR. Maybe 3k, figuring 3x what the Russians are saying. This has no strategic purpose except to target the gas supply of the EU. Far from weakening Russian resolve, it will have terrible blowback for Ukraine. The Pyrrhic victory may help Zelensky raise more funds in the short term, though.
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Zelensky is open to a ceasefire. The west won’t let him negotiate with Putin
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I first came across Trent Telenko at the time of the CovidScam. He worked assiduously with publicly available information, and put out daily summaries that seemed to conclude we were all going to die … if we were not dead already. Classic case of believing government propaganda and Twitter posts instead of believing his lying eyes.
Mr. Telenko has written some very interesting analyses of events in WWII, and I think he means well. But his reporting on something like the proxy war in the Ukraine, while thorough, suffers from a little bit of bias and a whole lot of Garbage In - Garbage Out.
Of course, that is merely my personal assessment.
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Here’s data on what Ukrainians think re peace talks from 2 months ago https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2024/06/ukraine-public-opinion-russia-war :
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The question about polling for the Far Left Carnegie institution is – the potential for sample bias.
Which subset of “Ukrainians” was polled? Did this include the “Ukrainians” in the Donbas who have been subject to Kiev’s tender treatment for about a decade now? Did it include the young men who have risked life & limb to get out of Kiev’s clutches? Did it include the young Ukrainian women who infest the bars in the Middle East?
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What about the 26 to 59 age group?
Are they too busy being drafted?
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The chart just draws a contrast between the two extremes.
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If I were Ukrainian in my 20s and 30s and 40s I wouldn’t stay and fight, what’s the point no matter how much I personally hate Russia
It’s one thing to wear a pin or wave a flag 
… those people are on the sidelines playing armchair risk.
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Ukraine is in the midst of a massive mobilization drive, with the goal of adding hundreds of thousands of new troops to the country’s forces. New laws have lowered the age of conscription from 27 to 25, and imposed harsh new penalties on men who fail to update their draft registration. But unlike in the early days of the war—when so many Ukrainians volunteered after Russia’s invasion that the army had to turn some away—many men of fighting age are trying to avoid the military by any possible means.
Applications for postgraduate education programs, which traditionally came with an exemption from the draft, reached record highs this year. Smugglers charge up to $15,000 to get men out of the country illegally. Some men have effectively gone into hiding.
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One wonders where the idea for that exemption came from? But then, we know who really runs the Ukraine.
On the one hand, there is the old idea of “noblesse oblige” – more is expected from privileged people, such as those in higher education. On the other hand, giving students a deferment from service takes the steam out of a potential youthful threat to the stability of the regime.
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Yes, we do: Zelensky and his team. What makes you think differently?
Advanced education has been used to postpone military service in Warsaw Pact countries since WW2. As well as in the US during the Vietnam War. The noblesse are supposed not to take advantage of it, however.
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He who pays the piper calls the tune. And we all know who is paying the piper in bankrupt Ukraine, don’t we?
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How does one become a licensed arms dealer because it’s impossible in California?
Did Eric move to Europe?
Edit:
From Brave search ai…
Based on the search results, Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO, has been involved in the development of AI-powered kamikaze drones, specifically targeting the Ukrainian government. This initiative, dubbed “White Stork,” is a startup he is building in the US and Ukraine. Schmidt has written about the potential of AI drones in warfare and has invested in AI startups, including Mistral.
Key Points
Eric Schmidt is reportedly starting a tech-enabled arms dealer, White Stork, to sell AI-powered kamikaze drones to the Ukrainian government.
White Stork is being built under shell companies, with Schmidt as a beneficiary and employee of his family office as the sole board member.
Schmidt has written extensively about the future of warfare, including the role of AI drones, in a book co-authored with Henry Kissinger.
As a “licensed arms dealer” to the US military, Schmidt’s involvement in White Stork suggests he is operating as an arms dealer, supplying AI-powered drones to the Ukrainian government.
No Evidence of Arms Dealing Prior to White Stork
The search results do not indicate any prior arms dealing activities by Eric Schmidt. His involvement in White Stork appears to be a recent development, starting in 2024.
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A Bundeswehr general analyzing the Kursk offensive (auto-translated CC works):
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