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LINDLEY-FRENCH ANALYSIS: BRITAIN, CONSCRIPTION, AND A NEW NATIONAL GUARD. How can Britain maintain the peace both at home and abroad? The riots in England reveal the depth of divisions within Britain and the profound failure of policy by governments of all persuasions. If the home base is so insecure the ability of London to project power in defence of democratic freedoms is also acutely compromised. This summer analysis explores the policy solutions London must embrace and urgently if a new and stable Britain is to be forged. It focuses on two policies - a new form of conscription and a new National Guard. https://lnkd.in/eGd3N_x8

Young rebel armies are rewriting the history of a conflict that has been forgotten https://ift.tt/EyIZU4V A pair of speakers, matching in size with the guys toting them, are delivered to the stony summit. A large Myanmar army facility is located in the town of Hpasang, around 800 meters below the surface. It's a scorching hot day—above 40 degrees Celsius—and additional youthful resistance fighters are positioned behind on bamboo poles, toting a bulky, hefty battery pack and amplifier. Nay Myo Zin, a former army captain who joined the resistance after serving for 12 years, is leading the climb. He had the appearance of a performer ready to go on stage, especially with his dark green camouflage jacket slung over one shoulder. He is here to persuade the country's governing military's loyalist troops on the base below to change sides. Two groups are engaged in combat in this deep jungle in the eastern region of Karenni state, Myanmar. The conflict has, in one form or another, lasted for decades. However, the resistance's quick progress in recent months suggests that they could be winning this time. The country of South East Asia is at a crossroads: ethnic groupings and a new army of youthful rebels have driven the dictatorship to the brink of collapse after decades of military control and terrible persecution. Between half and two thirds of the nation have been overtaken by the resistance in the last seven months. Thousands of people have died, many of them young children, as a result of the military taking over in a coup in 2021. About 2.5 million people have been forced to flee, and the military is dealing with an unparalleled threat to its authority. In an effort to blunt the increasing opposition, its airplanes often strike homes, schools, and churches (the resistance has none of these). The army fires on Nay Myo Zin's location before his sound equipment is turned on. Undeterred, he yells, "Everyone, cease fire!" while flicking the switch and holding the microphone. Please put out the fire. Just give it a listen for ten or five minutes. Surprisingly enough, the assault ends. He informs them about the recent rebel drone strikes on military installations in Napidaw, the nation's capital, and the 4,000 troops who submitted to the resistance in northern Shan State. It's time to quit up because we are winning and your dictatorship is collapsing. Battles and deadlocks have taken root in Hpasang and across Karenni state, as well as throughout most of the nation, as a massive rolling insurrection poses a danger to the military junta's power. The elected civilian government was overthrown by a military coup in 2021, and Aung San Suu Kyi, along with other political figures, is still imprisoned. Nonetheless, this fight goes unreported since the world's focus is mostly on the Israel-Gaza conflict and the situation in Ukraine. There is no freedom of the press; international journalists are closely watched when they are permitted formal entr...

Good morning from sunny, bright, cooler - only 5 degrees above average, Summer Bahrain. Today is Friday 28 June 2024. Today, I’d like to do something different just for the sheer fun of it. But it will be in the comment section. By the way yesterday I mentioned the ads with chest and above pictures of human prunes topped in battle helmets and clothed in battle uniform I’d seen on NewsBreak for senior citizens to enlist in the U.S. military. Another ad had a line item for military jobs in London. I followed up with a long time friend, retired U.S. Army, if these ads were genuine. No; they’re fake, bait for the unwary and needy, promising an up to $50,000 sign on bonus. The pictures of course are AI generated. Please if you know anyone, naturally silver and white topped by age, who may answer the ad’s call to duty, swayed and swooning with patriotism, doing their bit to make America better and stronger in its hour of need, advise them these ads are fake and meeting online or live could possibly be dangerous. So moving right along. Apparently new Ukrainian recruits captured off the street and tossed into the frontlines to die are having no part of it. They want to live, rejoin their families, life a good, normal life with a future. Surrender to Russia allows this. Russia knows this and even better can safeguard their lives as POWs, who when the war is over, can return to their families, future and homes that will need rebuilding and the land rehabilitated. Further by surrendering for this outcome Russia can rely on most of them to live their lives, rebuild in trust and hardwork, knowing they do not want to return to war. So surrendering is a vote for peace and prosperity with Russia. It’s a win-win-win situation except for the USG & Collrctive West. Here’s where I go out on a limb but I love to live dangerously in my own fantasy. Zelenskyy has sold off Ukraine’s resources and future to the likes of US agricultural behemoths and BlackRock. In order to forego this, Russia “must” occupy the whole of current Ukraine, erase Ukraine from the map and the former Ukrainians can go back to their own land, not American companies’ land on which they are tenants. This will also make a good bargaining position in negotiating a new EuroAsian security architecture sans NATO and weak European militaries. My fantasy doesn’t include real logistics, a balloon popper, however this is where neighboring countries would agree with Russia in principle and start negotiations. https://lnkd.in/dT_gYe6d

CALIFORNIA: We are unable to track $20B spent to combat homelessness. THE PENTAGON: We are unable to track $2T of military spending THE WHITE HOUSE: We are unable to track $100B sent to Ukraine THE US TREASURY: We are unable to track $2T in pandemic spending THE IRS TO ME THIS MONTH: You did not claim the $700 for March Madness brackets you received through Venmo.

On this day, May 4th, in the afternoon 79 years ago a floating dock stranded at the coast of Langeland close to a location called Påø. It was in 1945 in the final days of the 2nd World War and our allies were fiercely battling the German forces. The floating dock held about 1.400 prisoners of war. They were placed on the dock as a mode of transport and shipped from Sassnitz to Flensborg. The tugboat that had towed the floating dock got gunned down and sunk by allied bombers and as a result it drifted for 4 days – without food or water. The 800 Russians and 600 French prisoners along with a few Belgians and the German guards were assisted to shore by small rowing boats and by local fishermen. Once safely on shore they were accommodated cared for in various ways until they could return to their countries. It was a major effort by the local municipality of Rudkøbing and the island of Langeland at large but it worked out. What is the morale of this? When we come together, we can overcome the most extreme situations and hardships – but when we go to war with each other then we only bring hardship upon all of us. The situation in Ukraine is threatening the security of all of Europe and probably the entire world. Large allocations of our national budgets now go to defence, rather than research and education. At the time when we need to come together our global leaders are failing us – and egoistic autocrats hold our destiny in their hands. To this day, we still place candles in our windows on May 4th. A longstanding tradition to commemorate our liberation and the end of the 2nd World War. We do not need more wars to commemorate!

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Political v Partisan: a lesson in semantics and a small rant As we approach the November election, it’s imperative veterans and, particularly members of The American Legion, understand the difference between the words “political” and “partisan.” The American Legion has been, is, and will continue to be a political organization. The organization and, primarily, its DC office exist solely for political purposes - to lobby Congress on behalf of its membership on matters to “pertaining to the government or the public affairs” of our country. (Political!) The American Legion is not a “firm adherent to one party, faction, or person.” (Partisan!) The organization exists to push forward legislation that benefits its members, regardless of which party may or may not support the legislation. As for politics, I’m not sure when, but as some point, being deemed “political” became a bad thing. I adamantly believe the SIV process should be streamlined for Afghan Allies. I believe immigrants should receive citizenship for serving honorably in our nations military. I believe outdated AUMFs should be repealed, so that Congress no longer usurps the voice of the American people. I believe the Coast Guard should be paid during a federal shut down. I believe the VA should continue to modernize to provide the most efficient and effective service to our veterans. All of those statements are political. None of those statements are partisan. Rather than admonishing members for being political, we should encourage them to be more political - more engaged, more loud, more concerned. Do you think officials should be held responsible for the deaths of 13 servicemembers in Kabul in 2021? GOOD. Say something about it. Do you think it’s malarkey Congress has a seemingly bottomless pit of funds for foreign nations, but not for barracks construction? GOOD. Say something about it. We need more men and women - not less - with the intestinal fortitude necessary to take a stance and stand by it. Be political. _____ 📸: eating a beignet, probably arguing politics #foreignpolicy #veteransstrengtheningamerica #politics #veterans #defense #military #readingcomprehension

MEMORIAL DAY 2024 TRIBUTE✨💫 Our Roots of Peace Grove was established at the VETERANS HOME OF CALIFORNIA-YOUNTVILLE—the largest Veteran’s home on the United States nestled in the heart of Napa valley California. Six redwood trees stand tall, as we salute Veterans from the past six wars who died from landmines—indiscriminate ‘seeds of terror’ which do not distinguish between the colors of the flags that are flying. In tribute to Memorial Day, we honor American veterans who died while serving in the U.S. military armed forces—a tradition which began in 1868—as many American soldiers have tragically lost life and limb to landmines. Yet, few realize the world’s first widespread deployment of landmines took place during the Civil War (1860-1865). According to Dr.,Ken Rutherford, landmine survivor who wrote the Forward to my book #BreakingGround, landmines were first used during the start of the war, when the disparity in manpower, material and weaponry between the North and South was significant. The gap widened in the Union’s favor as the war progressed, forcing the Confederate war industry to innovate and improvise. As the conflict progressed, landmine warfare advanced commensurably, and both tactics and technology evolved to include innovative types of design and deployment. During the later years in the war, Confederate soldiers used both command-detonated and victim-activated landmines more frequently to defend and protect static positions, including cities. Since their origins in the American Civil War, landmines have been widely used in world wars and modern conflicts. Their prolific use continues to maim and kill innocent victims, long after the guns of war have silenced. Today, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA), works to deliver programs and services aimed at reducing the harmful effects of at-risk, illicitly proliferated, and indiscriminately used conventional weapons of war. However, we now live in a world where there are an estimated 110 million landmines in 60 countries which maim and kill innocent children long after the guns of war have been silenced. Since The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975 (when I was 17 years old), over 100,000 innocent Vietnamese have been maimed or killed by these explosive remnants of war. Over 30% of Ukraine is now contaminated by landmines, cluster munition and UXO—a country once known as the ‘Breadbasket of Europe.’ We bow our heads for the loss of limb and life of our own American soldiers who were victims of landmines, on this Memorial Day. U.S. Department of State World Food Prize Foundation #forbes50 IWF Northern California

Post 36.27 Thus spoke the military Peace Oracle on tactics on RTPPK channel-5: introduction PART 2, on how EU and UN prevent wars more effectively & efficiently. Hea päev, I am Tara Margit, junior lieutenant reservist of the Estonian Defence Forces, Maavägi, Army. At the Purple PeaceKeepers (PPK) I lead a liaison reconnaissance team and speak on Reality TV (RT) programs where we carry out 'EU-Filmthis …-assignments. In this post I introduce part 2 of series 36 with: ‘how we think tactically about the phenomenon of war’, and ‘how we think tactically about Peace’. Both tactical topics arise from the strategy determined by the European Union within the framework of the 17 sustainability goals of the United Nations. War and Peace are viewed by us in a broad sense, taking place in each of the 17 reality domains. This is (among others): Military, States in relation to each other; At home/on the street, from person to person; within Climate/Environment/Biodiversity; Human, hunger; Social, poverty; Care, health/prosperity; Justice; Economy; Industry and Trade. Refugees and Displaced Persons are also directly linked to war and Peace. You can keep them out of your country borders or throw them back across them, but you do not solve anything causally. Every war is ‘hybrid’ and requires adaptability for Peace. We mirror that. War is inherently connected to Man by nature. The cause of this is the ‘mind of nature’ that governs this planet. On the other hand, Peace is also naturally connected to the nature of Man: inner Peace through the ‘nature of the mind’. Think of love-compassion-joy-equanimity. The Peace that RTPPK advocates is the middle way by FORESEEING and thereby preventing wars. The mirrored cultivation of wisdom does not generate power, but strength. We are not talking about goat wool socks in sandals who perform Don Quixote actions with religious moralism! These posts share knowledge to bring happiness to as many People, citizens as possible in this 21st century via a new innovative Social Medium. Slogan Are there ways to free Humanity from war? -Einstein-

Could the Allies have used the #FrenchResistance to better effect before and after #DDay? This 1984 archive article by Michael Houlihan is free to read for the next 7 days at https://lnkd.in/gZn2wfBa