We maintain and continue this committee of correspondence in memory of our founder and mentor, Colonel W. Patrick Lang. The image to the right is Marcus, a character from William S. Burroughs’s “The Coming of the Purple Better One.” Colonel Lang would refer to Marcus sometimes in clever jest, sometimes in biting social commentary and sometimes simply because he liked Marcus. May everyone who corresponds here do so in a similar spirit.
Essential Writings on History, War, Religion and Strategy
From the Introduction:
“In the aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Col. Lang created his own blog which to this day still serves as a committee of correspondence for a large network of former military and intelligence officers, diplomats, and scholars of international affairs.
Since its launch in 2005, the Turcopolier website has had over 40 million unique visits.
Since leaving the government, he has also authored five books, including a Civil War espionage trilogy, a memoir of his years in government service, and a primer on human intelligence.
This present volume—his sixth book—is an anthology of some of his most important writings. The content speaks for itself. So have at it.”
By Robert Willmann
In only 11 pages, the governments of the United States and Ukraine have created a “Reconstruction Investment Fund”, through a governmental agency of each, in the form of a “partnership” as the organization operating the fund. A fund means an amount of money or items of value that can easily be turned into money. Although the wording shifts a little bit here and there, the two countries seem to be described as “limited partners”.
The agreement actually consists of two agreements: this agreement to establish the fund, and an “LP Agreement”, which one would think means “Limited Partnership Agreement”, although the document does not specifically say that, and only refers to it as the LP Agreement. All the important details are in that LP Agreement, which is hidden and out of sight. Whether the second agreement has been completed at this time is not clear, although it probably has, since it is referred to as affirmatively addressing certain points.
The agreement establishing the fund is provided in this article, so that you can read it for yourself [1]. Numerous spots in the wording are worth thinking about, and some are quite amusing and others are troubling. A small sample is as follows.
The first 10 paragraphs start with the word “whereas”, in all capital letters. The sixth one reveals which fingers want to get into the pie—
“the United States of America and Ukraine seek to create the conditions necessary to … increase investment in mining, energy, and related technology in Ukraine by third parties including, but not limited to, international investors based in the United States of America, the European Union, and other States supporting Ukraine’s defense ….”
We can assume that the “third parties” and “international investors” will not be charitable organizations, but instead will want to make money.
The eighth and ninth paragraphs starting with whereas are two of the funniest ones. They proclaim that Ukraine has sovereignty over its natural resources and “retains the right” to determine the areas within all of its territory “to be made available” for the exercise of the activities of prospecting, exploring for, and producing natural resources. But, “the rights to be conveyed in the LP Agreement referenced herein are applicable to the entirety of such areas”.
In other words, every square inch of Ukraine is subject to the tentacles of “The Fund”.
Article 2, paragraph 3. The agreement is superior to the law of Ukraine. The second sentence says: “To that end, the Government of Ukraine shall ensure that in case of any inconsistency between legislation of Ukraine and this Agreement, this Agreement shall prevail to the extent of the inconsistency. Further, the Government of Ukraine agrees that it may not invoke the provisions of its internal law as justification for any failure to perform its obligations under this Agreement”.
Article 4: Taxation and Tariffs. All you “third parties” and “international investors” — do not worry. There are not going to be any taxes or tariffs, except maybe U.S. income taxes for a U.S. person or company.
Article 5, paragraph 4. “The location of the bank accounts [plural] of the Partnership will be as determined in the LP Agreement”. The fund most likely will receive a lot of money. Banks which receive that money will be very happy because it increases the amount of money they can use for banking activities. Since the LP Agreement is hidden from view, we do not know at this time which banks will be involved or where they are.
All the media talk about getting money from Ukraine was on the subject of rare earth minerals. However, Appendix ‘A’ on page 10 provides the definition of “Natural Resource Relevant Assets”, which includes 57 items. Aluminum, copper, gold, nickel, platinum, potash, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, oil, and natural gas are on the list, and are not any of the 17 “rare earth minerals”.
Agreements like these are not made to be a philosophical exercise. They are designed to have certain physical activity take place. It is always useful to try to visualize the conduct that is desired by agreements, and laws made by federal, state and local governments. This is not always easy to do from the documents themselves and the text in them. But it is essential to try to figure out what is coming, and to pick up the pieces and trace the fraud and corruption that might follow.
[1] The agreement to establish a Reconstruction Investment Fund.
It is here in the pdf computer format or can be seen at the Internet website citation.
http://kyivindependent.com/the-full-text-of-the-us-ukraine-minerals-agreement/
Just waiting to find out what a total reset in the Sino-American trade relationship entails… if anything. At least we’re talking. I thought I heard someone announcing we had a deal with India on trade/tariffs, but I haven’t heard the White House crowing about it. India tariffs on US goods are pretty stiff, far higher than anything China levies on our goods.
CATHY DYSON | The Free Lance–Star
The partial remains of three unidentified Civil War soldiers, whose bones were discovered 10 years ago during excavations in downtown Fredericksburg, were laid to rest last week at Fredericksburg National Cemetery. It was the first time since 1945 that a burial was held at the cemetery, which was established in 1866. Most of the 15,243 soldiers, sailors and Marines interred there are casualties from the Civil War, and at least 85% are not identified. The three Union soldiers will be among those whose tombstones read “Unknown.“
It’s believed the men originally were buried on Sophia Street, where the 14th Regiment Connecticut Volunteer Infantry set up a divisional hospital during the Battle of Fredericksburg, according to the National Park Service. An article about “History Hidden for 153 years” is available on the NPS website, at https:// www.nps.gov/articles/000/discovery-of-union-hospital-burial-in-fredericksburg.htm.
Several homes along Sophia were occupied by the Union Army during the brutal winter of 186263. They included property owned by Absalom P. Rowe, a quartermaster for the Confederate States during the war and later, the city’s mayor. The Rowe House and adjoining grounds have since become Riverfront Park, and when excavation work was done in 2015, crews mistakenly removed truckloads of soil from an area that the Dovetail Cultural Resource Group had determined was archeologically sensitive.
During the digging, crews also found bones, primarily fingers and toes, according to the NPS. After the war, remains of the dead often were exhumed from makeshift graves, such as behind hospitals, and moved to permanent sites. “Those responsible for this arduous task would often gather the most prominent specimens, like skull and long bones, leaving the smaller remains behind,” according to the NPS article.
In October 2015, John Hennessy, who’s since retired as chief historian at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, told The Free Lance–Star there are no records showing that any Civil War soldiers’ remains were buried there in the Rowe backyard. But that doesn’t mean that none were, he said. “There are thousands and thousands of people buried in town whose graves we know not where they are today,” Hennessy added. Archaeologists used DNA and radiocarbon dating, the context in which the remains were found and associated artifacts, including uniform buttons, to determine the soldiers had served in the Union Army, according to a news release from the City of Fredericksburg.
The city has worked with the park service since 2017 to find an available burial plot at the Fredericksburg National Cemetery. The Virginia Department of Historic Resources also collaborated “to coordinate respectful reburial of the remains,” according to the NPS website. The pandemic also delayed the process. There were “several years of archaeology and research on how to move forward with this unprecedented historic event,” according to the city.
The ceremony took place Friday afternoon under blue skies dotted with clouds. The Sons of Union Veterans and representatives from Missing in America Project participated with Park Service and city officials. The groups discussed opening the event to the public, and the media, but “the National Park Service limited attendance due to their security protocols,” said Caitlyn McGhee, the city’s public information officer. “Completing the reinterment before Memorial Day ensures the remains can be honored alongside other fallen soldiers during the annual luminaria event,” she said. “The public is now welcome to visit the grave and pay their respects at any time.”
The Fredericksburg National Cemetery is open to the public daily from sunrise to sunset. The annual luminaria event is scheduled on Saturday, May 24, from 8-11 p.m.
_ _ _
Comment: This was the lead article in my local paper last Wednesday. I was glad to see it reported so prominently. It reminds me of the historical significance of this area. The annual luminaria event at the Fredericksburg National Cemetery is both moving and awe inspiring across the rolling hills of the cemetery overlooking the city below. I believe Fredericksburg was the first city to be at the center of a battle during the Civil War, although it was not the last. To the best of my recollection, Vicksburg and Atlanta were devastated to a far greater degree than Fredericksburg.
But that night there was a story on the local Tv news about vandalism at the Fredericksburg City Cemetery over the weekend. Shortly after 11:00 PM on 3 May, vandals entered the cemetery and damaged some fifteen gravestones, mostly old and historic headstones. Damage is estimated at $20,000. Heavy rains at the time obscured the cemetery’s surveillance cameras, but a police bloodhound was able to gather some evidence to assist the case. Local news, including the Free Lance-Star continue to cover the story.
The City Cemetery and the Confederate Cemetery are located next to each other. The first question that came to my mind was whether this vandalism occurred in the nearby Confederate Cemetery. It didn’t, but I’m not sure the vandals were aware of this. Maybe it was just idiot vandals committing a random act of vandalism. But it was pouring rain at the time. I find it difficult to believe that kids or drunks or drunken kids would choose to go to the cemetery in the pouring rain on a stupid whim. It seems more like the conditions desired by vandals intent on committing a deliberate act of vandalism and in the rain and darkness destroyed headstones in the City Cemetery rather than the Confederate Cemetery. I find that far darker than a random act of senseless vandalism. The Civil War is not over.
TTG
White smoke billowed from the chimney and the bells of Saint Peter’s Basilica ring out as Catholics around the world rejoice in the election of our new Holy Father, Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A. Order of Saint Augustine), Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. He is our first American Pope, born in Chicago. I was surprisingly elated to see that white smoke and truly taken aback that we now have an American Pope. I know nothing of him so here’s a write up from the College of Cardinals.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a former prefect of the influential Dicastery for Bishops, is a Chicago-born prelate with views close to Pope Francis who spent many years as a missionary in Peru before being elected head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms.
Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Prevost entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) in 1977 and made his solemn vows in 1981.
His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University in 1977, a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and both a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. His doctoral thesis was on “The role of the local prior in the Order of Saint Augustine.”
His career in the Church has been marked by significant roles and achievements. After his ordination as a priest in 1982, Prevost joined the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985 and served as chancellor of the Territorial Prélature of Chulucanas from 1985 to 1986.
He spent the year 1987 to 1988 in the United States as pastor for vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian Province of Chicago before returning to Peru where he spent the next ten years heading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo and teaching canon law in the diocesan seminary, where he was also prefect of studies. He also served in other capacities there, including as a parish pastor, diocesan official, director of formation, seminary teacher, and judicial vicar.
In 1999, he returned to Chicago and was elected provincial prior of the “Mother of Good Counsel” province in the archdiocese. Two and a half years later he was elected prior general of the Augustinian and served two terms until 2013.
In 2014, he returned to Peru when Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo. He was elevated to Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015. While there, he also served as vice-president and member of the permanent council of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference from 2018 to 2023.
During that time, Peru’s bishops reportedly played an important role in ensuring institutional stability during the successive political crises that led to the overthrows of successive presidents.
In 2020 and 2021, Prevost served as apostolic administrator of Callao, Peru.
Pope Francis appointed Prevost prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in January 2023, a powerful position responsible for selecting bishops, a position he held until Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025. On September 30, 2023, Pope Francis elevated Prevost to the rank of Cardinal.
During his first months as prefect, then-Archbishop Prevost continued to remain characteristically discreet in the media, but was reportedly appreciated for his ability to listen and his mastery of issues. Aleteia reported that a French bishop who met him two months after he took office praised his “judicious questions” and his ability to synthesize, stressing that this first contact had left him with a “good impression.”
On key topics, Cardinal Prevost says little but some of his positions are known. He is reportedly very close to Francis’ vision regarding the environment, outreach to the poor and migrants, and meeting people where they are. He said last year “the bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom.”
He supported Pope Francis’ change in pastoral practice to allow divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion. Prevost appears somewhat less favorable to currying favor with the LGBTQ lobby than Francis, but he showed mild support for Fiducia Supplicans.1
Prevost has faced some controversy regarding clergy sexual abuse although he has been defended in both instances.2 The cardinal’s supporters stress his innocence and say the cases have been inaccurately and unfairly reported in the media.
https://collegeofcardinalsreport.com/cardinals/robert-francis-prevost
TTG
If you’re just joining us, India has attacked nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Wednesday with at least three deaths reported. Pakistan has said it was mounting a response as the worst fighting in years erupted between the two countries. Armies of the nuclear-armed neighbours have also exchanged intense shelling and heavy gunfire across their frontier in disputed Kashmir in at least three places, police and witnesses told the Reuters news agency. The offensive has occurred amid heightened tensions in the aftermath of an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month. Islamist assailants killed 26 men in the 22 April attack, the worst such violence targeted at civilians in India in nearly two decades.
India said it struck “terrorist infrastructure” where attacks against it were planned and directed. Pakistan’s defence minister has told local media that all sites targeted by India were civilian and not militant camps. Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, has announced a meeting of the national security committee in Islamabad following the strikes. The strikes came just hours after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said that water flowing across India’s borders would be stopped. Pakistan had warned that tampering with the rivers that flow from India into its territory would be an “act of war.”
Modi did not mention Islamabad specifically, but his speech came after Delhi suspended its part of the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty, which governs water critical to Pakistan for consumption and agriculture. “India’s water used to go outside, now it will flow for India,” Modi said in a speech. The Indus treaty governs the distribution and use of waters from the Indus River and its tributaries, which feed 80% of Pakistan’s irrigated agriculture and its hydropower. As well as suspending the treaty, Delhi has suspended trade with Pakistan, summoned and expelled its diplomats, and suspended visas for Pakistanis. Pakistan has also suspended all trade with India and closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
The director general of the media wing of Pakistan’s armed forces has confirmed to the Guardian that at least two jets of the Indian air force have been shot down. “I confirm that we have shot down at least two Indian Air Force jets,” said DG Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. Separately a senior security official, requesting anonymity, said that the military shot down three Indian jets. “We have shot down one jet in Bathinda, Indian Punjab province bordering with Pakistan Punjab province, and two jets in Indian occupied Kashmir in Awantipora and Akhnoor. They were in their airspace after the attacks and we had fired missiles,” said the official. He added that “India had started the conflict with its attacks on civilians in Pakistan. We had to retaliate. We had to protect our sovereignty.”
A US State Department spokesperson has said they are aware of reports of the ongoing attacks but had “no assessment to offer at this time. This remains an evolving situation and we are closely monitoring developments.” In recent days, Washington has urged the nuclear-armed neighbours to work with each other to de-escalate tensions and arrive at a “responsible solution.” US leaders, including president Donald Trump, offered support to India after the 22 April militant attack in which 26 people were killed. American officials did not directly blame Pakistan.
Analysts said last month that Washington may leave India and Pakistan on their own in the early days of the tensions, in part because it already has a lot to deal with, given US involvement in trying to reach diplomatic goals in Russia’s war in Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza.
South-Asia analyst Michael Kugelman has told the Associated Press that “these are some of the most high-intensity Indian strikes in Pakistan in years, and Pakistan’s response will surely pack a punch as well.” “These are two strong militaries that, even with nuclear weapons as a deterrent, are not afraid to deploy sizeable levels of conventional military force against each other. The escalation risks are real. And they could well increase, and quickly.” Kugelman notes that India’s strike on both India’s initial strikes and Pakistan’s response are already “higher up the escalatory ladder than any time in [the 2019] crisis.”
In 2019 India conducted air strikes on what it said was a militant training camp near the Pakistani town of Balakot in response to a suicide car bombing in Kashmir’s Pulwama area. Pakistan, which said the planes had bombed an empty hillside and not a camp, launched a retaliatory incursion into Indian airspace that led to a dogfight between the two air forces, leading to the capture of an Indian pilot. The situation cooled after he was released days later.
Comment: So is the future here? Is this going to be a water war with nuclear weapons? “The Guardian” is covering this with frequent updates.
TTG
A critical component of all diplomacy with the US now is how Trump feels about the interaction. Bad deals can’t be called out for what they are without risking Trump’s wrath and the inevitable retaliation that will follow. Understanding this, diplomats try to frame agreements that provide some appearance of victory for Trump while holding firm against proposals that would be detrimental to their interests.
Trump’s objective was to quickly end the war and normalize relations with Russia. The conditions of a peace agreement were of little consequence. Since Ukraine depends on allied aid and the US provided the bulk of the military aid, Trump believed he could force Ukraine into an unjust deal while giving Putin most of his demands. This led to the ambush in the oval office on February 28th and the suspension of intelligence and equipment deliveries for a week on March 3rd.
But Ukraine and its allies have an advantage because Russia cannot afford the political cost of stopping the war. On March 29th, President Stubb of Finland spent a day in Florida socializing with Trump. It helped that Stubb was a good golfer in his youth and that he and Trump teamed up to win a tournament staged by Trump’s golf club. Stubb was also able to explain how Russia does not negotiate in good faith and has no desire to support a ceasefire, despite their rhetoric with the US.
Three weeks after Stubb’s visit, the Pope died on April 21st. Two days later, Trump told Vladimir to stop the unnecessary attacks on Ukrainian cities and said that “things will happen” if the attacks continue. The Pope’s funeral created an opportunity for brief visits with Macron, Starmer, and most importantly, Zelensky. Equally important, Vance and Witkoff of the pro-Russian faction were not in Rome. Trump left Rome before a possible second meeting with Zelensky the next day, but he publicly stated that there was no reason for Putin to attack civilians with missiles and he wondered if Putin was just stringing him along and wasn’t interested in peace after all. He suggested that Putin might need to be coerced with more sanctions.
With the change in momentum, the minerals deal was finally signed, one that had better terms for Ukraine than the deal they were willing to sign in February. Ukraine currently earns a total of $1 billion a year from all of its natural resources although it holds trillions of dollars in untapped resources. But the minerals won’t be mined within Trump’s lifetime. Soviet-era maps of the resources have not been modernized or vetted. 99% of mineral exploration fails. Of the 1% that succeeds, 99% will never end up as a producing mine. It takes an average of 18 years to construct a mine that can operate for 30-80 years. Each mine also needs infrastructure (electricity, rails, etc.) to support operations. It is a century-long investment that will span the evolving politics of several generations. The deal does not exclude Ukraine from integrating with Europe, nor does it force Ukraine to pay for military aid that was provided in the past. It does not provide Ukraine with security guarantees but, importantly, the deal can be portrayed as a success and a sign of progress.
https://xxtomcooperxx.substack.com/p/dons-weekly-5-may-2025-part-4-russia
Comment: These guys figured it out. I always thought Zelenskiy’s original proposal for a mineral deal was based on this reading of Trump. Pretty damned slick in my opinion. I’m very surprised Putin and Lavarov didn’t employ this strategy. They started in a much better position with Trump than Zelenskiy. I guess they felt hemmed in by their own tough talk.
Yuri Shvets, a former KGB major based in Washington was one of the early spotters of Trump as a potential recruitment had this to say about Trump:
“In terms of his personality,” Shvets added, “the guy is not a complicated cookie, his most important characteristics being low intellect coupled with hyperinflated vanity. This combination makes him a dream for an experienced recruiter.”
By the way, I still don’t think the Russians ever formally recruited Trump as an agent. I still consider him uncontrollable and, therefore, unsuitable as a recruited asset. Colonel Lang agreed. But he can be manipulated.
TTG
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his government could not guarantee the safety of foreign delegations visiting Moscow to attend the Victory Day Parade next Friday, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. “Our position is very simple for all countries traveling to Russia on May 9: We cannot be held responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy told reporters, according to a report by Ukrainian news agency Interfax on Saturday. “They provide you with security; therefore, we won’t give you any guarantees. Because we don’t know what Russia will do these days,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying. He also warned that Russia could orchestrate provocations, including “arson, bombings and so on, only to blame us.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva are among the leaders set to attend the celebrations to commemorate the victory of the Soviet Union and its allies over Nazi Germany on May 9 in Moscow, according to several media reports.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council and the country’s former president, referred to Zelenskyy’s statement as a “verbal provocation” on his Telegram channel, according to Reuters. Zelenskyy “understands that in the event of a real provocation on Victory Day, nobody will be able to guarantee that Kyiv will live to see May 10,” Medvedev threatened on his channel.
In the run-up to the celebrations, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a one-sided three-day ceasefire starting on May 8. Kyiv referred to Putin’s truce announcement as a manipulation attempt, while calling for a ceasefire that would be “immediate, full, and unconditional, for at least 30 days.”
Comment: Now that’s a piece of cold hearted psychological operations. And Putin and some of his guests appear to be falling for it. Since Zelenskiy’s equivalent of saying, “Nice parade you got there. Shame if something would happen to it,” both Serbia’s Vucic and Slovakia’s Fico said they can’t attend the 9 May victory parade. And even more damning, Reuters and others reports that “Vladimir Putin will be present at the parade on Red Square via video communication.” This may be true. Or it could be a bold faced lie. In either case, Putin should be declaring loudly and defiantly that he will be in Red Square and addressing the crowd, the dignitaries and the world in person. If he doesn’t, how many other dignitaries, even his friend without limits, Xi decide to stay home?
Will Ukraine try to send drones to Red Square during the parade? Maybe. I’m sure Putin has upped the air defense ring aroung Moscow for the event, but how much faith does he have in the effectiveness of that air defense? Even a Ukrainian drone performing a fly by will, most likely, cause immense panic and become the cause for an untold number of Telegram videos. What happens if a couple of locally launched unarmed FPV drones start flying above the VIP stand? Or better yet, a couple of free flight model airplanes? All the EW in the world can’t stop that. They managed to kill Russian generals in Moscow, launching a model airplane should be possible. It’s up to Zelenskiy and Budanov whether this goes beyond just this ambiguous threat. And it’s up to Putin to boldly stand up to that ambiguoys threat.
TTG
Wed, 08/07/2024 – 17:33
The Army’s first mobile brigade combat team will be put through its paces in August as it heads to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. Equipped with new capabilities such as the Infantry Squad Vehicle, the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team is part of the service’s transforming in contact effort, an Army chief of staff initiative to accelerate the Army’s transformation for the future fight.
Just as the Army adapted to address the emerging needs of the fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is now evolving for large-scale combat operations, Maj. Gen. Brett Sylvia, commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, said earlier this year. “The 101st has been one of two divisions to test and prototype the Army’s near-term transformation efforts,” he said. “We’re doing that by introducing the mobile brigade combat team and integrating various technologies to increase lethality and survivability on the future battlefield.”
In addition to designating the 2nd Brigade as the mobile brigade combat team, the division also has “embarked on a multiyear campaign to build a unique capability” for combatant commanders and the Army, he said. In May, the 2nd Brigade completed its first comprehensive field assessment, called Operation Lethal Eagle, in its new form, Sylvia said. The 21-day exercise involved the entire division and included a large-scale, long-range air assault, he said. The exercise “provided us a venue to test new Army technologies, prototype reorganized force structures, employ multidomain fires and experiment with creative sustainment solutions to be able to mass combat power at scale [and] at the time and place of our choosing,” Sylvia said.
Operation Lethal Eagle was the first time the mobile brigade combat team was “put through the paces,” Sylvia said. “We’ll do it again in August when we take them down to our Joint Readiness Training Center,” he said. “We’ll fight it again, and the idea is to continue to fight it in future iterations or whatever it is that the Army wants next out of our 2nd Brigade,” Sylvia said. Lessons learned will be used to inform Army decisions on whether to move ahead with mobile brigade combat teams, how many there should be and how they should be used, he said. The centerpiece of the mobile brigade combat team is the Infantry Squad Vehicle, Sylvia said. The nine-passenger vehicle, based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 platform, has enabled the brigade to “move every infantry squad much faster,” Sylvia said. The vehicle has given the brigade more flexibility and mobility, he said. During an air assault, soldiers don’t have to land in a single, consolidated location. They can be dispersed, then rapidly come together where they’re needed, he said. “It provides this ability to rapidly move combat power in a way that you could not before,” he said. “Before, I could move 2½ kilometers an hour when I’m under load, and now I can go up to 200 kilometers in an Infantry Squad Vehicle, and I have the capability to carry more.” The ability to carry more gives units greater resupply and endurance while out in the field, Sylvia said. “This allows division commanders and corps commanders to increase our operational reach, to extend the lengths at which we would be able to fight the formation,” Sylvia said.
The mobile brigade combat team also has structures designed to integrate its new capabilities, such as a multifunctional reconnaissance company, Sylvia said. Each of the brigade’s infantry battalions also has multipurpose companies that are “providing a landing spot for new capabilities down inside of the infantry battalions as well,” he said. As the division continues to experiment, test and collect soldier feedback, Sylvia said the 101st Airborne is excited to be at the forefront of the Army’s continuous transformation efforts. “This process that we’ve embarked on will continue to be iterative, adaptive and incentivize disciplined innovation,” he said.
https://www.ausa.org/news/armys-first-mobile-brigade-combat-team-prepares-jrtc
Comment: Although this article is over a year old, it is relevant in light of the recent letters from SecDef and the Army Chief on Army modernization. The Army will up the procurement of the M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) and equip all infantry brigades with them. I imagine that includes the 82nd Airborne Division and the 10th Mountain Division. I would hope the 11th Airborne Division would stick with something more suitable for the arctic terrain and climate. I gather the Army is under no illusions that the ISV will not be suitable as an assault vehicle although it can be equipped with a top ring and side pintle mounts for machine guns. I look at that photo above and see nothing but a series of imminent FPV drone explosions followed by smoldering hulks and strewn bodies. At least the ISV provides no illusions of protection like the now canceled HMMWV tactical vehicle and the JLTV light armored vehicle. The same goes for the canceled Booker light tank, which really isn’t that light.
So, the ISV isn’t that small, either. It’s a stripped down Chevy Colorado pickup truck. It’s closer to the old deuce and a half truck than it is to the quarter ton jeeps we had in the 1/35th Infantry. And the ISV is a monster next to the mechanical mules in the Marine Brigade at Kaneohe. The ISVs will not be easily hidden in the brush. Maybe the Army should also be looking at using dirt bikes in certain Infantry units, say a company within a battalion. Those companies can still have a few ISVs for cargo, ammunition and support weapons. My “Hollow Army” Infantry company had one deuce and a half, a handful of jeeps and Gamma Goats as mortar carriers. Our 106s and later TOWs were jeep mounted. I don’t know what modern Infantry companies have as support weapons.
Keith Harbaugh brought this issue to my attention with a couple of comments. I thank him for this. I chose this old article to point out that the Army was in the process of modernizing well before Pete Hegseth assumed his duties as SecDef. The ISV began development back in 2020 and was approved for mass production back in 2023. The Mobile Infantry Brigade was being exercised a year ago, but the decision to equip all Infantry Brigades with the ISV appears recent as does the decision to cancel further procurement of equipment like the HMMWV, JLTV and Booker light tank. Hegseth is to be commended for providing the encouragement and top cover for the Army to make these hard decisions. The changing face of ground warfare as shown in the Russo-Ukrainian War has increased the urgency of such decisions.
TTG
Nuclear energy is off to a fast start in the first 100 days of the Trump Administration. Several major milestones have already been announced since President Trump took office in January, from strengthening our nuclear fuel supply chain to supporting the nation’s first restart of a retired nuclear power plant.
The long-awaited nuclear renaissance is right around the corner thanks to President Trump as the Administration works to restore American energy dominance to bring more reliable, secure, and affordable power back to U.S. taxpayers. Read on for the top nuclear energy accomplishments from the Trump Administration’s first 100 days.
1. Restarting the Palisades Nuclear Plant: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) continued its support for the reopening of the Palisades Nuclear Plant, which will provide 800 megawatts of affordable, reliable baseload power in Michigan when completed. The Department announced the second and third disbursements of the up to $1.52 billion loan guarantee to Holtec for the project. It will be the first restart of a retired commercial nuclear reactor in U.S. history, pending regulatory approvals and could support or retain up to 600 high-quality jobs in Michigan.
2. Unleashing American-Made SMRs: In March, DOE re-issued a $900 million solicitation to support the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) to better align with President Trump’s bold agenda to unleash American energy and AI dominance. The modified solicitation process removed a 20 percent weighting for DEI imposed by the previous administration to ensure potential SMR first-movers are judged only on technical merit. U.S. electricity demand is forecasted to soar in the coming years, and next-generation SMRs could provide flexible, reliable power for energy-intensive sectors like industry and data centers.
3. Dow and X-Energy Seek Advanced Reactor Construction Permit: Dow and X-Energy submitted a construction permit application to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in March for a proposed advanced nuclear project in Seadrift, Texas. The project is part of a demonstration project supported by DOE and includes four Xe-100 reactors at a Dow chemical plant. If approved, it would be the first advanced nuclear facility at an industrial site in the United States.
4. HALEU Headed to 5 Advanced Reactor Developers: On April 9, DOE made conditional commitments to provide high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) to five U.S. nuclear developers to meet their near-term fuel needs. Many advanced reactors will need HALEU to achieve smaller designs, longer operating cycles, and increased efficiencies over current technologies, but HALEU is not currently available from domestic suppliers. This first round of HALEU allocations brings innovative American nuclear technologies one step closer to commercialization and will expand the use of nuclear energy to deliver more secure, affordable, and reliable energy to the American people.
5. First Higher Enriched Fuel in U.S. Commercial Reactor: Southern Nuclear recently loaded a new nuclear fuel enriched above 5 percent into a commercial reactor for irradiation testing — a first for the United States. The advanced fuel was developed by Westinghouse through DOE’s Accident Tolerant Fuel Program to help improve fuel cycle safety and lower operational costs. The higher enrichment levels will allow the fuel to last longer and operate at increased power levels, potentially leading to additional reliable power production at nuclear power plants across the country.
6. First Fast Reactor Fuel Safety Test of the 21st Century: Idaho National Laboratory (INL) conducted the world’s first safety test on a high burnup fast reactor fuel in more than 20 years at its Transient Reactor Test facility, which was restarted during President Trump’s first term in 2017. The testing was part of a collaboration between DOE and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency and will provide crucial new data to help develop and qualify fuels for fast reactors currently being pursued by several U.S. companies.
7. Reducing Dependence on China-Sourced Cobalt: Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) created a new “super alloy” that shows promise for use in future advanced reactors and could reduce U.S. dependence on China-sourced cobalt. Scientists at PNNL figured out how to swap out cobalt for manganese in response to supply chain disruptions and increased global demand for cobalt, which is largely controlled by China. PNNL is now seeking industry collaborators to scale up manufacturing of the new alloy and assess its potential for nuclear energy applications.
8. New Testbed Propels Research on Nuclear-Powered Rockets: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) developed a new high-temperature testbed to advance research on nuclear thermal propulsion rockets. ORNL’s high-temperature furnace can be placed close to a reactor core to mimic the extreme heat and radiation conditions that nuclear fuels and materials will encounter in space, which will be a key asset for future experiments seeking to identify materials for use in nuclear thermal propulsion rockets. Nuclear-powered rockets offer greater efficiency over chemical rockets and could one day be used to transport a crewed mission to Mars.
9. First-of-a-Kind Molten Salt Test Loop Unveiled: INL debuted a new molten salt test loop that will support the development of advanced reactors using molten salts. This revolutionary experimental platform will be used to help identify corrosion-resistant materials, sensors, and instrumentation that can survive in high-temperature environments. It will also support the Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment (MCRE) — the world’s first fast-spectrum, salt-fueled reactor experiment at INL scheduled to begin in the 2030s.
10. Cracking the Code on Molten Salt Fuel Production: INL also successfully demonstrated a more efficient way to produce the fuel that will be used in MCRE. The team brought in experts from INL, Southern Company, and TerraPower to help design a series of experiments aimed at reducing the time it takes to produce a batch of fuel salt for the reactor experiment. Now they can sustainably produce 18 kilograms of fuel salt in 8 hours and will soon have the time down to 5 hours — a critical step on the way to unlocking MCRE’s potential to break new ground in molten salt reactor research.
11. Advancing an American Civil Nuclear Deal in Poland: Sliding in on day 99 of the Trump Administration’s first 100 days, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright joined industry leaders and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for the signing of the Engineering Development Agreement for Poland’s first AP-1000 civil nuclear power plant. This agreement is part of a multibillion-dollar nuclear energy security deal that was started during the first Trump Administration and could lead to the construction of up to six of large-scale advanced nuclear reactors across Poland.
https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/11-big-wins-nuclear-trump-administrations-first-100-days
Comment: This was put out by the Department of Energy to support Trump’s 100 day celebration. It actually is a lot of good news about the direction of nuclear power in the US. It’s much more than mere loosening of regulations. It’s thoughtful investment and research. I’m very glad to see it.
I find that last point especially interesting. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright spoke at the latest meeting of the Three Seas Initiative, the inaugural session of the Three Seas Business Form in Warsaw to be exact. He spoke highly of the Three Seas nations and their “pursuit of freedom and prosperity.” He also spoke of the wrong energy choices made by Germany and others in pursuit of reaching Net Zero 2050. Wright declared that both nuclear energy and natural gas will be key to providing the Three Seas nations and the world with enough energy while still pursuing the ultimate goal of decarbonization in the decades ahead. I’m glad to see we’re still willing to invest in international projects like the six nuclear reactors across Poland. Both Wright and Trump are actively pushing for more exports of US LNG. That’s also a good thing. Things seem to be going well at the Department of Energy.
TTG
“We move freely through wooded areas and narrow trails, we don’t need roads. Maneuverability is a huge plus of a motorcycle. And surprise is the main tactical device of a motorized assault rifle,” Mikhail Turkanov, commander of the assault motorcycle group of the Hispaniola brigade, said in an interview with the newspaper VZGLYAD.
The Russian military actively uses light motor vehicles – motorcycles and ATVs – in the area of its defense. Earlier it was reported that motorcycle storm troopers have a special tactic that has proven itself well in the rapid liberation of the Harvest and Staromayorsky. The APU has traditionally complained – even with the help of a drone, it is difficult to hit a motorcyclist. Enemy drones are unable to catch up and deliver an accurate blow to maneuverable vehicles that accelerate to 80 kilometers per hour or more. Mikhail Turkanov, commander of the assault motorcycle group of the Hispaniola brigade, with the call sign “Pitbull”, told the newspaper VZGLYAD about which motorcycles turned out to be more adapted to the conditions of modern battles, how stormtroopers work on bikes and why they have become a headache for the enemy.
VIEW: How did the idea to use motorcycles come about?
MT: Firstly, this type of equipment was used during the Great Patriotic War. Secondly, let’s imagine the situation: an offensive is scheduled for the morning, during the night the fighter needs to move into position. But during the journey on foot, a soldier can simply become exhausted. What kind of assault can we talk about then? In addition, a fighter in full gear will need half a day to cover 15 km. That’s why we jump on our iron horses and get to the right place pretty quickly. At the same time, it must be understood that this is not an easy task. For example, I rode a bike only in my youth in the village. As a result, we hired an instructor who turned us into “cavalrymen” in a month. At the same time, I myself am not used to holing up in a trench or headquarters. Personally, I go at the head of my group, pull out the “three hundreds” and “two hundreds”. Our commander with the call sign “Spaniard” also adheres to this position. He can often be found on an ATV on the front line: where they are hard-bombed. That’s the kind of person you want to follow. They say that the soldier who does not dream of becoming a general is bad. All right. But a general is not just a position, a general is an advanced soldier.
VIEW: You mentioned an ATV. Do you have a whole set of different light motorcycles in your squad?
MT: Of course. We have been working on ATVs for a long time, but motorcycles have appeared relatively recently. When we first acquired them, it was not advertised. They were used to deliver provisions, there was no talk about “stormtroopers” initially. But then, in the course of communication with the “Spaniard”, they decided, and why not. As for the bikes, they are no different from ordinary civilians. However, we are repainting them so that they are not too noticeable, and we are improving some details. But it makes no sense to make global changes, because in this case, technology is expendable. We understand that when we “fly”, we will return on foot. During the first assault, we covered 13 kilometers, then our motorcycles were burned by FPV drones, so we covered the rest of the distance on foot. There have been many proposals for additional protection of the bike, but this only makes the bike heavier.
VIEW: You said that you were returning without motorcycles. Isn’t it too expensive to have a disposable car?
MT: Yes, but the path that we are overcoming has already been shot at by the enemy. Artillery and FPV are constantly working there. It will not be possible to overcome such a distance safely. You constantly have to hide somewhere, which takes a very long time. In other words, the sheepskin is worth the effort. Our commander always says: “Fuck it – with the equipment, the main thing is that the fighters are alive.” Vehicles are just consumables. At the same time, we are the only squad that lives entirely at the expense of the humanitarian aid. There are sponsors who buy us equipment. We collect, as they say, from the world by a thread. We most often use simpler Chinese models. They are more affordable for repair and maintenance than other analogues. In general, Chinese medium-level equipment periodically fails. And, of course, it needs to be repaired. That’s why we’re recruiting guys who are good at it. At the same time, the instructor teaches each fighter basic things – to clean the chain, change the oil. We have interchangeability.
VIEW: At the moment, only Ural tricycles are produced in Russia. How widely are they used?
MT: The old Soviet “Izhs”, “Urals”, “Java” are used, but not for assault, but for the movement of personnel. Over the years, I have already met different models many times. They brought them to us too, and we use them. Any technique that comes in needs to be used. There is rationality in any case.
VIEW: How long does one motorcycle last on average?
MT: There is no definite answer. There is a technique that lives conditionally for three weeks. And some devices can withstand several months. It all depends on the situation the fighter gets into. One of the weakest parts of a motorcycle is the steering wheel, which bends when falling. We are replacing them with reinforced ones. The gearbox legs also tend to break, as well as the rear brake.
VIEW: Are there any special techniques for using motorcycles during an assault, other than speed?
MT: A motorcycle, first of all, due to its maneuverability and minimal contact with the road, has the opportunity to drive where even an ATV cannot. We successfully go on combat missions along forest paths, the bike freely moves over a small recumbent tree, for example. This level of maneuverability is a huge plus. Besides, motorcycles enable the assault group to attack the enemy from unexpected directions. Surprise is the main tactical device of a motorcycle storm trooper. In general, our work looks like this: there is a direction in which we are working, there are directly objects, supports, forest plantations that we are storming. Accordingly, we are given a task, and then a decision is made on how to solve it – to walk or ride a motorcycle. A lot depends on the road, the distance, and the intensity of the shelling of this area. If the fire is very dense, it is easier to overcome it on bikes than on foot.
VIEW: There are not the most positive reviews about the use of motorcycles. I’ll give you a quote: “To go on the attack on this is just suicide. The problem faced by such an attack aircraft is absolutely the same as that of the guys sitting on the body of the APC, and not inside. Any fragmentation damage can be fatal.” What would you say to that?
MT: The answer is in the question. Going on the attack is dangerous in principle – and it doesn’t matter what you move on: on a motorcycle, on an armored personnel carrier, on foot, even in a tank. If it hits you, it won’t seem enough. Six months ago, on the front line in my UAZ Patriot pickup truck, I went with an assault medic with the call sign “Valkyrie” and another of our fighters to pull out heavy “three hundredths”. A FPV flew into the pickup, clearly hit the armrest from behind. As a result, the car burned down, but we got off with a slight concussion. If you called yourself a bunch, get into the box. If you called yourself a stormtrooper, do your job as your adequate and competent commanders tell you.
VIEW: Do you consider yourself a lucky person?
MT: I use two basic principles in my life: everything has its time and what will happen will happen. I know 100% that two deaths will not happen, my death will come when it is destined. Nothing depends on us. I have proved this by my own example many times. A tank, artillery, FPV, mortars fired at me, but I’m still alive.
Comment: Mikhail Turkanov, a battalion commander in the Española Brigade is not a typical Russian soldier. In 2012, Turkanov was imprisoned on extortion charges and was released in 2017. In 2019, police fined him for publicly displaying Nazi symbols. Nor is the Española Brigade a typical Russian Army unit. It is a PSC, but with much tighter connections with Moscow. They’ve learned from the Wagner mistake. The unit is full of people like Turkanov… football hooligans and neo-nazis. But it is not as thoroughly neo-nazi as Rusisch or anything like the hard line orthodox Russian Imperialist Movement. Since the middle of 2024, it’s been named the 88th Sabotage and Reconnaissance Brigade (88… nice reference).
In ways, the Española Brigade is similar to Ukraine’s Azov derived units like the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, which is now expanding to the 3rd Army Corps. They both owe their start and leadership to football hooliganism, hyper-nationalism and neo-nazism. Both are highly motivated, disciplined and effective military units. And both, I believe, are creating the future core of their respective armies, not the neo-nazism, but the pragmatic and effective tactics and organizations needed to survive on the modern battlefield.
This interview examines one of the tactics being developed to deal with a drone dominated battlefield. These motorcycle assaults seem to be extremely hazardous to those doing the assaulting judging by the many videos and battle descriptions I’ve seen, but Turkanov describes how his unit is trying to make them less deadly. Training, detailed planning and a stealthy approach seem to be key. The speed and surprise of these assaults does offer an “inside the enemy’s OODA loop” approach. The goal is to get inside the enemy’s defensive positions as quickly as possible where a good old fashioned infantry close battle can be fought.
This isn’t as crazy as it appears. Back in my day, we did not sacrifice mobility for the sake of personal protection. We would conduct assaults with only our steel pots, three second rushes and an astute attention to the minute folds in the terrain. Given the body armor that seems to be the modern norm, the speed of a motocross bike may be a reasonable solution. We used these kinds of bikes in the SMU I was in, but that was far behind enemy lines, not assaulting prepared positions. So are bikes in the assault a clever approach or an act of desperation?
TTG
RSS