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Northern Light said:
I don't disagree.........

But

Will the media in Quebec or Canada latch on to this in light of the controversy over Quebec's bill limiting overtly religious attire?

The same thing? Of course not. But there is a relationship of some kind.........in Canada, the law may be advocated for by those who genuinely value secularism, but every bit as likely those who are
bigoted.

But the world again has a way of showing these arguments are rarely as simple as any hardliner as it were would wish to make them.
Click to expand...

I am sure they would try - but there is a *very* huge difference between a theocratic, fundamentalist state enforcing morality regulations (particularly around gendered dress) vs. the free choice (social pressure from immediate circle notwithstanding). If there is anything close, it would ironically be the secular state mandating zero tolerance of hijabs in certain settings.

AoD
 
Putin ordering partial mobilization. Focusing on ex-military. Ordering ramp of weapons production. Apparently 300k reservists called up.


This is going to be interesting. They don't have much modern equipment left. And I doubt many of these folks want to fight in Ukraine. Or they would have signed up for the large cash bonuses offered.
 
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kEiThZ said:
NATO decided to give Putin a scare too. Transponders off is escalation signalling.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1572377515020124161
Click to expand...
Though it is 'interesting' that NATO aircraft have turned their transponders off, I am not sure what it means. I assume that transponders are not the only way to know where they are and that the Russians track all NATO aircraft on radar. Maybe @kEiThZ can explain?
 
DSC said:
Though it is 'interesting' that NATO aircraft have turned their transponders off, I am not sure what it means. I assume that transponders are not the only way to know where they are and that the Russians track all NATO aircraft on radar. Maybe @kEiThZ can explain?
Click to expand...

If I had to hazard a guess they are going covert in an attempt to rattle their sabres.

They want Russia to be on alert and know that NATO is not f****** around. It sends a message that the game has changed and that NATO is ready to go to war.
 
Richard White said:
If I had to hazard a guess they are going covert in an attempt to rattle their sabres.

They want Russia to be on alert and know that NATO is not f****** around. It sends a message that the game has changed and that NATO is ready to go to war.
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While this MAY be what is being 'signaled', I am not sure why turning off transponders signifies ANY of this, which is why I asked. As I assume Russia knows where NATO planes are whether they have transponders or not, I see no reason to turn them off.
 
DSC said:
I assume that transponders are not the only way to know where they are and that the Russians track all NATO aircraft on radar.
Click to expand...

Radar isn't magic. Defence uses primary radar, which sends out a signal and gets a return. Air Traffic Control relies on secondary radar, which is effectively an interrogation of the transponder. The latter has much more range and visibility.

When operating in peacetime, to maximize flight safety, military aircraft have their transponders on broadcasting their position, callsign, type, etc. During war time, they don't broadcast. This forces the enemy to use primary radar to try and pick up the signature. Especially hard to do against stealthier aircraft and those equipped with electronic countermeasures to mask their signatures or jam.

Normally, even if you don't have fighters broadcasting, the tankers and surveillance aircraft do. And there's plenty of fighters hanging out near them. If the big birds aren't broadcasting it's a sign. Turning off transponders is basically another step to assuming a more public war footing, after increased patrols. "We're now going to make you work to find us."
 
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kEiThZ said:
Putin ordering partial mobilization. Focusing on ex-military. Ordering ramp of weapons production. Apparently 300k reservists called up.


This is going to be interesting. They don't have much modern equipment left. And I doubt many of these folks want to fight in Ukraine. Or they would have signed up for the large cash bonuses offered.
Click to expand...

The very fact that he is only ordering a partial mobilization meant he isn't ready, and is fearful of instabilities. Really weak hand.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
The very fact that he is only ordering a partial mobilization meant he isn't ready, and is fearful of instabilities. Really weak hand.

AoD
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Apparently he didn't actually say "partial". He just toned it down. But also, it's weird, because he's basically leaving it up to regions. So no guarantee they will fill ranks with what he wants. I think they'll empty their prisons and round up dissidents. In any event, flights from Russia are booked solid. And they are probably going to close the borders.

In the immediate term this is clearly about stop loss. They aren't letting contract troops end service (after contract expiry) or quit. And after the referendum conscripts will be obligated to serve, since they are defending "Russia".

Let's hope we finally see the complacency break in Russia. Much easier to protest when most of the national guard and secret police are tied down in Ukraine.
 
kEiThZ said:
Apparently he didn't actually say "partial". He just toned it down. But also, it's weird, because he's basically leaving it up to regions. So no guarantee they will fill ranks with what he wants. I think they'll empty their prisons and round up dissidents. In any event, flights from Russia are booked solid. And they are probably going to close the borders.

In the immediate term this is clearly about stop loss. They aren't letting contract troops end service (after contract expiry) or quit. And after the referendum conscripts will be obligated to serve, since they are defending "Russia".
Click to expand...

Doesn't matter - it isn't anything like a full mobilization; and leaving it to the regions just meant he doesn't want to do the dirty work and soil himself. Big whatever.

AoD
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
The very fact that he is only ordering a partial mobilization meant he isn't ready, and is fearful of instabilities. Really weak hand.

AoD
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Though I agree with your comments, it COULD be said that it is only a partial mobilization because the situation is under control and a full one is not required.
 
DSC said:
Though I agree with your comments, it COULD be said that it is only a partial mobilization because the situation is under control and a full one is not required.
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If things were under control, there'd be no mobilization at all. Also, who believes anything Putin says? The only takeaway here is that they are mobilizing.
 
Have to say I expected different news to wake up to today when I read this article yesterday.

www.bbc.com

Turkey's Erdogan: Russia's Putin willing to end war

As Ukraine reclaims more land, the Turkish leader says Russia aims to end the war as soon as possible.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com

Unless ending the war euphemistically referred to throwing even more people into the meat grinder in the hopes of achieving victory?
 
T3G said:
Have to say I expected different news to wake up to today when I read this article yesterday.

www.bbc.com

Turkey's Erdogan: Russia's Putin willing to end war

As Ukraine reclaims more land, the Turkish leader says Russia aims to end the war as soon as possible.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com

Unless ending the war euphemistically referred to throwing even more people into the meat grinder in the hopes of achieving victory?
Click to expand...

Erodogan has been quite shifty - I wouldn't believe a word he said - or the the words he didn't say.

AoD
 
T3G said:
Have to say I expected different news to wake up to today when I read this article yesterday.

www.bbc.com

Turkey's Erdogan: Russia's Putin willing to end war

As Ukraine reclaims more land, the Turkish leader says Russia aims to end the war as soon as possible.
www.bbc.com www.bbc.com

Unless ending the war euphemistically referred to throwing even more people into the meat grinder in the hopes of achieving victory?
Click to expand...
That is exactly what ending the war meant.
 
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Yet another mysterious death. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...on-Institute-dies-falling-flights-stairs.html

Top Russian aviation scientist dies in 'mysterious' circumstances after​

'falling down several flights of stairs' at Moscow institute linked to Putin's defence ministry​

  • Anatoly Gerashchenko was the former head of Moscow's Aviation Institute (MAI)
  • He reportedly slipped and fell down a flight of stairs at institute headquarters
  • MAI is one of Russian leading scientific research institutes for aerospace tech
  • Comes less than two weeks after energy sector official 'fell overboard' in Arctic
  • Ivan Pechorin headed up Russia's Far East and Arctic Development Corporation
  • More than a dozen top Russian execs died in mysterious circumstances this year
 
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