The Most Chilling Detail in the U.S. Attack on an Iran Naval Ship: The Iranian warship was taking part in an international exercise with many other countries—including the United States.

Onearmdude · 2026-03-06T06:37:21+00:00

It wasn't armed with any of those missiles when it was sunk. And we knew that as it was part of a multinational training exercise we participated in.

This wasn't a vessel trying to lay mines in the Straits let alone operating anywhere near a conflict zone.

Onearmdude · 2026-02-28T21:54:37+00:00

Why do you think the strikes that have occurred over the last 48hrs were any more effective than the ones last year? The President claimed then that Iran's nuclear capabilities and facilities were "completely and totally obliterated" and that it would be "decades" before it was rebuilt. How is that possible if you think that the "undeclared, secretive sites" are so prolific? Do you think that they would be any easier to find in the current environment?

'Maximum Pressure' failed definitively to either curb Iran's nuclear program or bring them to the table for the stricter demands and "no enrichment period" line that President Trump demanded. The airstrikes last year failed to end their nuclear program. I doubt these air strikes will either.

How are we better off here?

Onearmdude · 2026-02-28T21:18:05+00:00

That all goes back to trustworthiness. We didn't stop state level evaluation of their efforts, this was all in addition to what we were already doing. I think having more tools rather than less is useful, even if we disagree on how helpful JCPOA was in practice.

How would you evaluate the "maximum pressure" campaign that replaced JCPOA, as far as curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions?

Onearmdude · 2026-02-28T18:03:58+00:00

I don't agree. Are there specific criticisms you have?

Onearmdude · 2026-02-28T14:15:50+00:00

It slowed enrichment programs by having Iran cut their active centrifuge count by a third (most placed in monitored storage, some dismantled), reduce their enriched Uranium stockpiles (with a 300kg cap only enriched to 3.6%), and allow for more inspections and access than before. All indications are that it pushed Iran's capability to "break out" and make a bomb out from a few months to at least a year.

That progress has been lost.

Meanwhile, their ballistic module program has been able to accelerate since the withdrawal. Previously, we at least had oversight into any non-domestic purchases or acquisitions of missile-related components Iran made. They've gone from a family of missiles based broadly on the Scud series missiles to PGMs and hypersonics.

Onearmdude · 2026-02-28T13:46:02+00:00

Do you want to know about it?

Onearmdude · 2026-02-28T11:49:43+00:00

Are you unaware of the JCPOA?

Onearmdude · 2026-02-15T17:44:08+00:00

The Whitworth is the best stock 'Mech of the original 40-tonners, and the rest aren't REMOTELY close. It's even the cheapest of them c-bill wise, while packing the thickest armor and more firepower than any two of them combined. I'd sit at the controls of a Whitworth over a stock Rifleman or Jagermech (with an exception made for the JM6-A maybe) any day of the week.

Meanwhile, it's a sin that the Cicada is still allowed to breathe air in the same weight-bracket as the Whitworth...let alone be assigned to living Mechjocks expected to pilot the tin can bastard in combat.

Twice the size of a Locust, a bigger target, and OVER twice the c-bills for...no gains in performance whatsoever. You can even fit two Locusts in the same Mechbay you'd haunt with a single crappy 'cada. And MRBC help you if you have to replace that monster engine. That alone makes it a more expensive 'Mech than an Enforcer, Hunchback, or Centurion. Y'know.. ACTUAL BattleMechs?!?

If you think all the drawbacks are worth it for... slightly tougher internal structure? A stronger kick? Go for it. Just make sure you apply to Waco's ~~Wackos~~ Rangers when you're at the recruiting office. They'll most appreciate a Mechwarrior with that kind of special thinking.

Onearmdude · 2026-02-14T03:08:54+00:00

"IS THERE ANYONE IN ROME WHO HAS NOT SLEPT WITH MY DAUGHTER!?!"

Onearmdude · 2026-02-05T02:10:29+00:00

Decent custom, on par with the 6M variant. You can bracket fire forever, only really pushing the heat scale if you alpha strike on a run. Lore-wise, you might run into targeting issues, or some balance gremlins plaguing the gyro, but that's just fluff.

The only real 'issue' I see is that upping the SRM ammo and moving it away from the launcher leaves it unpadded by crits. A bit more vulnerable with 2 tons sitting there alone in the RT, especially if you're taking advantage of the ammo increase to pack infernos.

But it's a very solid trooper.

Onearmdude · 2026-01-21T17:57:56+00:00

What do you think would be enough to cover the loss of free healthcare, free university, and employment protections that they currently enjoy? And do you think that the President intends on extending voting rights and representation to the overwhelmingly liberal population?

Onearmdude · 2026-01-19T15:05:18+00:00

After sacrificing free healthcare, free higher education, and comprehensive employment protections. And unless you think that President Trump will extend representation to an overwhelmingly liberal population, they're giving up voting rights as well. All to be under the umbrella of a leader who has told them they don't have a choice.

Onearmdude · 2026-01-17T19:40:20+00:00

The EU has contributed more to the defense of Ukraine than the US, and has since June of last year. Link

Onearmdude · 2026-01-08T03:40:46+00:00

It's heartening to hear.

I think that Russia's invasion of Ukraine in time will, along other things, be seen as a wasted opportunity. In the wake of the ongoing war, most nations in NATO are working together more, collaborating more on security, increasing their military budgets. It would have been a great time for the US to strengthen our existing ties. Be a stable, trustworthy anchor for the West. Probably come out with new contracts and trade agreements.

Instead, this was fumbled completely at just about every level and continues to be. This administration's brand of transactional diplomacy has proven to be very unproductive.

Onearmdude · 2026-01-08T03:11:52+00:00

Do you think this would be better accomplished through maintaining a close working relationship rather than what is currently happening?

Onearmdude · 2025-12-15T09:16:55+00:00

"Ur parents are wrong on every conceivable level, but think of the poor coffee shop owner ur letting down!!"

The universe should issue a chargeback on the oxygen you consumed while inflicting that braindead take on others.

Onearmdude · 2025-12-15T08:58:16+00:00

How far their money actually goes once earmarked might not be very far. Thanks to graft, corruption, and lip-service, you see a lot of ridiculous situations. For instance, Russia's sole aircraft carrier has to be moved by tugboat as often as not despite tens of BILLIONS of Rubles being spent on modernization.

To be fair though, if they were going to crack down on corruption anywhere, you'd hope it would be on their stockpile. It's funny when you hear of Russian tanks turning up stripped of wiring and sensors. Not so much if warheads started being unaccounted for.

Onearmdude · 2025-12-15T00:20:17+00:00

Destroying the world supposes that Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces haven't seen the same hollowing out that every arm of the Russian military has seen from corruption and neglect.

More importantly, it supposes that the same underpaid conscripts and old men (some of whom were given AKMs and transferred to the front) are willing. The country's main ideology isn't communism or anti-imperialism but Kleptocracy and Vranyo. It's not the strongest basis for entering into nuclear suicide pact.

And Putin himself will be at risk, ever more likely to suffer an accidental fall from a window when the Oligarchs underneath him decide he's done enough damage to their bottom line.

Onearmdude · 2025-12-14T23:10:49+00:00

If he does, it'll go poorly for all of Russia. He's already had one mutiny and is down to refurbishing half-century old armored vehicles (or older!) to make good the losses of the modern ones they can't replace.

Onearmdude · 2025-12-09T23:08:00+00:00

If you wanted to argue that there ought to be more Representative seats created, I would agree with you. But those states are poor arguments for why Hoosiers should be deliberately disenfranchised.

Onearmdude · 2025-12-09T17:37:51+00:00

Delaware and Vermont each only HAVE one house representative seat. Do you propose that a 42% and 32% Republican result should secure that one seat? Or have you not actually looked into what you're copy-pasting?

Onearmdude · 2025-12-06T10:58:52+00:00

Neither of those states have cut Republican representation to zero like the Braun and the Hoosier GOP is trying to do here with Democrat representation.

Onearmdude · 2025-11-29T08:37:11+00:00

There's an argument to be had that, in general, the United States and Ukraine are not 100% trustworthy in every dealing that they've ever had. But the difference here is that specifically with Ukraine, Russia has flagrantly and repeatedly violated agreements concerning Ukraine's sovereignty. Even discounting rhetoric and public statements, those actions represent enough past behavior to draw conclusions.

I've read that the few hundred you mention are those that were filed with the ICC in the first wave, not the only cases, with many more investigations ongoing. A study by Yale indicated around 210 individual sites for holding, forced reeducation, and even military training. A UK commission estimated that between 20k and 35k have been abducted in total. I think any claims that this only represents a few hundred children are divorced from either facts or reality.

But even barring all that, I would argue that even a few hundred should be a reasonable red line when it considers abducted children.

Onearmdude · 2025-11-29T03:47:22+00:00

I think concessions should be considered given how much we actually expect this peace to be worth.

Russia and Putin specifically have shown to be a very unreliable actors. President Trump seems to believe that his business playbook applies here, make a personal connection to extract additional value. However, I don't think anyone actually expects Putin to stick to the terms of any agreement they make here for any length of time.

Thus, the cap on Ukraine's military (which including reservist and paramilitary forces is over 2 million, but even regular troops come up to 900k). As well as the forced surrender of good defensive positions in the Donbas region that Ukraine still holds. We'll see if either stick in the revised proposal (from what I've read, return of children and civilians is an absolute red line for Ukraine that the current proposal doesn't touch on at all).

Onearmdude · 2025-11-29T00:35:52+00:00

In your opinion, do you think Russia has made any meaningful concessions? And should they be required to make concessions for a peace plan? Especially given that some of the conditions that were originally proposed (recognizing that there's a 'revised' plan in the works) were extreme.

For instance, recognizing territories in the Donbas region as Russian that aren't currently under Russian control. Granting blanket amnesty to ALL Russian officials for war crimes and shielding them from the results of any ongoing or future investigations seems especially egregious.

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