Imagine that...

 

You'd almost think it was somebody's "long game" wouldnt ya?

Weapons shortages spark tough choices for Ukraine’s allies

"Top defense officials in Europe say arms shortages among Ukraine’s Western allies are forcing difficult conversations about how to balance support for Ukraine with concerns Russia may target them next."

(If the Russians are out of arms like the article says they are? then why are, "Ukraine’s Western allies are forcing difficult conversations about how to balance support for Ukraine with concerns Russia may target them next."?)

"NATO members that have sent billions of dollars worth of weapons and equipment are discussing what stockpile levels they need to meet their obligations under the mutual defense treaty."

“When you are continuing to give away ammunition to Ukraine and you have to evaluate and assess the risk you take for your own readiness, you will have to take into account the threat,” the chairman of NATO’s military committee, Adm. Rob Bauer, said at the Halifax International Security Forum this weekend.

(Again, almost like somebody (Russians) forced us into this situation, go figure.)

"The strain on stockpiles is “across the board,” and particularly sharp for ammunition, he said. In the years before some countries donated to Ukraine, they maintained stockpiles at half capacity or less because they saw little risk or couldn’t afford more, and took a “just-in-time, just-enough,” approach to the defense industry.

“So the urgency now is seen and understood, I think in most of the nations,” Bauer said.

(Again, almost like somebody knew that isnt it?)

"While Russia’s battlefield losses of soldiers, tanks and aircraft have made it less of a threat, Ukraine’s allies have to make complicated calculations about the ability and pace at which Russia can reconstitute its forces, Bauer said.

“The Russians have the same problems we have in terms of their stocks,” Bauer said."

(This is where I 100% disagree, just like the thing I did a video on this AM, 

Putin 1) Warns no more NATO expansion, 2008. 2) In 2014 with several weapons systems developed, (among them Hypersonic missiles) Putin states "The west has failed to contain us." 3) He sells off dollar's and buys gold so as to be protected from sanctions 4) He insulates his economy as much as possible such that they can be almost self sufficient. (Hello rise of importance of turkey, dont even get me started.)5) He is following the strategy to defeat NATO by a war of attrition because he knew 14 years ago it was what he was going to do and it is a war of attrition against NATO.  So I'm just not gonna buy the argument that the man with that much foresight didn't know in advance what he was doing and didn't manufacture the weapons he knew he was going to need ahead of time. One side, "maintained stockpiles at half capacity or less because they saw little risk or couldn’t afford more" the other side knew 14 years in advance what they were gonna do but didn't manufacture enough ammo? It's a stretch at best, and we might as well face it, we got caught with our pants down. 

Side note: One of these latest missile barrages and somebody in the theatre of war posted a picture of part of a Russian missile with it's serial number on it and the number indicated that it was a later version of that type of missile and the caption was sort of: "See, they are using the newer stuff because they have ran out of all the older versions etc..." and I'm over here like no, that's just exactly what he want you do believe, it's why they do things like that.)

"Amid splits among Ukraine’s supporters over whether Ukraine should enter peace talks..."

(Who does that benefits again?)

"Mindful of Canada’s ammunition levels after Ottawa donated M777 Howitzers and more than 25,000 artillery rounds earlier this year, Eyre (chief of Canada’s defense staff, Gen. Wayne Eyre) said he visited General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems earlier this month to see what’s possible to boost production for 155mm ammunition."

“It’s not easy when you’re dealing with production lines that need significant retooling to get the various [equipment] that we need,” Eyre said. “It’s not easy when you have very complicated supply chains, especially for the component parts of the munitions that are required.”

(Again, almost like somebody had that part of the calculus figured out in their decision making process.)

"One challenge, Bydén said (Swedish military’s supreme commander, Gen. Micael Bydén), is that nearly every Western country is looking to the defense industry to ramp up to meet their defense needs simultaneously."

(Opps...)

“We have to coordinate ― specifically within the European continent ― better, because we have to fulfill a certain strategic autonomy in Europe,” Eichelsheim (Gen. Onno Eichelsheim, chief of defense of the Netherlands), said. “You cannot only rely on the U.S. or on other partners if the need is that high. Because the U.S. will not be able to ramp up completely for us, which is what we thought in the past. That’s not the truth.”

Seems to me like somebody else thinks were gonna focus on the Pacific...

I love you honey :-).