StoneBridge & K-Syran - Starry Night

We had a quieter week overall here at The War Zone, but it started off with a giant bang. We published our big takedown of the crazy narratives coming out of the Indian-Pakistan MiG-21 Bison shoot-down and it caused quite the storm. Then we were all primed and ready to follow that with a week of budget-related news, but the DoD didn't release the detailed line-item budget books, so were were only left with broad, but still important strokes to report on. Beyond that, there was news about Japan getting its first land-attack capable cruise missile, new sniper rifles for America's special operators, a flight by a shady L-100 to Venezuela, and the retirement of the Tornado after 40 years of Royal Air Force service. Oh and we were able to take a walk back in time to revisit the crazy SAGE air defense bunkers of the Cold War. 

Still, there were many subjects we didn't get to. But it's not too late.

Welcome to Bunker Talk!

This is a weekend open discussion post for the best commenting crew on the net, in which we can chat about all the stuff that went on this week that we didn't get to. In other words, literally an off-topic thread.

We can talk about Louiseville Sluggers becoming standard equipment aboard U.S. supercarriers in the age of great power competition:

Or the slowly unraveling situation in Afghanistan:

Then there are the reports that the Trump Administration doesn't  just want allies to foot the bill for posting American troops in their countries, but they want to make a hefty profit on it:

We also have the ongoing 737MAX crisis. And really, that's what it is, a crisis. That airplane is Boeing's cash cow. There is a strategic importance to keeping that product line stable and well regarded. The discussion section has been all over this story at times. I haven't found a need to address it… At least not yet, but here is one interesting take I think is worth at least reading.

Finally, I just want to say a few things about what happened in Christchurch, New Zealand: 

Evil is real. It lives among us and is fed primarily by stupidity. That pathetic excuse for a human being put an amazing amount of effort into defining his hate and acting upon it. One can only imagine how he could have bettered his position in life with all that energy and effort if he put it to positive use.

For some people, blaming everyone else for their problems is the only way they can cope with their own deficiencies. In their eyes, the world's ills and personal failures are always someone else's fault and it is more convenient and satisfying blaming an entire race of people or a religion for them. Superiority of race is also grabbed at for a personal identity because certain people lack the ability to create their own space in the world. Maybe these are mankind's most vile diseases, ones in which medicine can't provide a cure.

I feel so bad for everyone involved in that tragedy. Not just for those who were injured or died, but also for those whose lives will be changed by experiencing that level of horror first hand and right in the places they are supposed to feel most comfortable in. It is a direct attack on all our freedom and should be viewed as such. 

Remember to remind those you care about how important they are to you. Try to be a teacher not a disciplinarian to those who depend on your leadership. Give people a shot who need it most. Don't fall for soft peddlers of hate and bigotry, but still have the ability to laugh at ourselves. And above all else, keep your guard up. I don't see this type of thing getting any better before it gets worse.

With all that said, let's get after it!

The Bunker doors are open!

Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com