The War in Ukraine

[ZiggysFryBoy]

https://www.oca.org/questions/romancatholicism/catholic-and-orthodox

The orthodox church considers itself to be catholic. Little c catholic, not big C Catholic

I assumed this is what Jockey meant given that the article he was quoting was criticizing the Russian Orthodox church. If I misunderstood him than mea culpa.

When the article is talking about the Pope and the Patriarch of the Russian church "fueding",  it's big C Catholic versus little c Orthodox.

Clarissa can explain it all, beyond my explanation.

[Jockey]

Catholic noun
Cath·​o·​lic | \ ˈkath-lik  , ˈka-thə- \
1: a member of a Catholic church
especially : ROMAN CATHOLIC
2: a person who belongs to the universal Christian church

It's basically a synonym for "Christian."

I have never heard a Catholic refer to himself as a Christian or vice versa.

Maybe others have a different experience?

[The Sultan]

Pedantic.

Are you a Lutheran Catholic?   

Yes, but with catholic not capitalized.  The Apostles Creed I say during worship states:

"I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church..."

You could just admit you were wrong instead of doubling down.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Yes, but with catholic not capitalized.  The Apostles Creed I say during worship states:

"I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church..."

You could just admit you were wrong instead of doubling down.

You are hopeless.

[JWags85]

Yes, but with catholic not capitalized.  The Apostles Creed I say during worship states:

"I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church..."

You could just admit you were wrong instead of doubling down.

Thats interesting.  Since the late 80s, my experiences in Lutheran churches of 2 diff synods, as well as Presbyterian services, it was always "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy christian church" or "we believe in one holy, christian, and apostolic church" when saying the Nicene.  The only time I ever saw "catholic" instead of christian was going to Mass with my Catholic side of the family.

My understanding was using the lowercase catholic, in that or other cases, was very antiquated.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Thats interesting.  Since the late 80s, my experiences in Lutheran churches of 2 diff synods, as well as Presbyterian services, it was always "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy christian church" or "we believe in one holy, christian, and apostolic church" when saying the Nicene.  The only time I ever saw "catholic" instead of christian was going to Mass with my Catholic side of the family.

My understanding was using the lowercase catholic, in that or other cases, was very antiquated.

Sultan does not approve of these distinctions.a

[Jockey]

Back to the war...

For the 1st month to 6 weeks, I took all of the reports of how well the Ukrainians were doing with a grain of salt. There is value in having the other side believe you are having great success.

But as the war goes on, the struggles of Russia and the Russian army are seeming to become much more obvious and realistic. They have been handed some pretty solid defeats and have engaged in a lot of retreat over the last month or so.

Just wondering if anyone else is getting the same sense about the war.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Back to the war...

For the 1st month to 6 weeks, I took all of the reports of how well the Ukrainians were doing with a grain of salt. There is value in having the other side believe you are having great success.

But as the war goes on, the struggles of Russia and the Russian army are seeming to become much more obvious and realistic. They have been handed some pretty solid defeats and have engaged in a lot of retreat over the last month or so.

Just wondering if anyone else is getting the same sense about the war.

I've read "State of the War" type updates from numerous different sources, and based on the maps they've shown, Russia is grinding out territorial gains in the east of Ukraine. Not steadily, with numerous setbacks, and at enormous cost. The question is how long Russia can keep getting punched in the face to eke out these gains, particularly as the West has become more comfortable providing increasingly advanced weapons to Ukraine.

At the beginning of the war I thought Russian would just takeover the two "breakaway" republics under his peacekeeper rouse, but Putin stupidly wanted to eat the whole elephant. I think he believed that Trump had weakened NATO and the West's resolve sufficiently that they wouldn't put up much of a fight. But everyone rallies to the underdog, and I believe you have to give Biden credit for uniting Europe and NATO behind Ukraine. There is zero chance this happens if Trump is still President, the man who stupidly called Putin's war of conquest genius.

Putin could just consolidate in gains in Donetsk, which would likely lead to a long-term stalemate. I'm not sure I see any other way out for him. Best case scenario is the fucker dies and a new leader declares mission accomplished and ends it. It's tragic that Ukraine has to continue to absorb horrific losses; if they had access to out truly advance conventional forces--specifically F-35s and Abrams MBTs and the associated support abilities--they would drive Russia out in no time.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Another Ukrainian tractor captures its prey

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1524717743668346880

[The Sultan]

Thats interesting.  Since the late 80s, my experiences in Lutheran churches of 2 diff synods, as well as Presbyterian services, it was always "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy christian church" or "we believe in one holy, christian, and apostolic church" when saying the Nicene.  The only time I ever saw "catholic" instead of christian was going to Mass with my Catholic side of the family.

My understanding was using the lowercase catholic, in that or other cases, was very antiquated.

Lifelong ELCA Lutheran.  We have always said "catholic."

Sultan does not approve of these distinctions.a

I completely approve.  You just don't understand the meaning of words and get mad when someone shows your ignorance.  People interested in lifelong learning would say "I didn't realize that...thank you."

[noblewarrior]

I don't agree with that, so I'm starting my own 'catholic' church... ? Protestantism, yes?  Whichever version you choose that fits your fancy.   

Lifelong ELCA Lutheran.  We have always said "catholic."


I completely approve.  You just don't understand the meaning of words and get mad when someone shows your ignorance.  People interested in lifelong learning would say "I didn't realize that...thank you."

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Lifelong ELCA Lutheran.  We have always said "catholic."


I completely approve.  You just don't understand the meaning of words and get mad when someone shows your ignorance.  People interested in lifelong learning would say "I didn't realize that...thank you."

Peek sultan.  You are right, as usual.  I worship at your font of catholic knowledge.

[Hards Alumni]

I don't agree with that, so I'm starting my own 'catholic' church... ? Protestantism, yes?  Whichever version you choose that fits your fancy.   

Catholics created a hierarchy out of whole cloth.

[Hards Alumni]

Back to the war...

For the 1st month to 6 weeks, I took all of the reports of how well the Ukrainians were doing with a grain of salt. There is value in having the other side believe you are having great success.

But as the war goes on, the struggles of Russia and the Russian army are seeming to become much more obvious and realistic. They have been handed some pretty solid defeats and have engaged in a lot of retreat over the last month or so.

Just wondering if anyone else is getting the same sense about the war.

I think that the most important thing to remember is that everyone is susceptible to propaganda... everyone.

[Uncle Rico]

I think that the most important thing to remember is that everyone is susceptible to propaganda... everyone.

Yup.  We would have rolled them in a conventional war had it come to that in the Cold War

[TSmith34, Inc.]

The Overlooked Reason Russia's Invasion Is Floundering
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/05/russian-military-air-force-failure-ukraine/629803/?utm_source=apple_news

"The Russian air force's failure is perhaps the most important, but least discussed, story of the military conflict so far. Ukrainian forces showed surprising strength in the air war, and adapted as the fighting progressed. But either side of this war could still gain air supremacy—and fundamentally change the course of the conflict.

Unfortunately for the Russians, the recent modernization of the Russian air force, although intended to enable it to conduct modern combined operations, was mostly for show. The Russians wasted money and effort on corruption and inefficiency. Though much was made of the flashy new equipment, such as the much-hyped SU-34 strike aircraft, the Russian air force continues to suffer from flawed logistics operations and the lack of regular, realistic training. Above all, the autocratic Russian kleptocracy does not trust low-ranking and middle-ranking officers, and so cannot allow the imaginative, flexible decision making that NATO air forces rely upon.

Of course, the most important reason for the failure of Russian airpower, and the evident caution of Russian pilots, has been Ukrainian opposition. Unlike their enemy, the Ukrainians have developed a coherent concept of air operations, one that has allowed them to block what looked like an easy path to Russian air dominance."

[Herman Cain]

These are the Apostles Creed and Niceness Creeds we say:

https://www.episcopalchurch.org/what-we-believe/creeds/

I am in the process of converting to Presbyterian and it is similar in that denomination

https://www.christpres.org/nicene-apostles-creed

I always feel good when reciting these creeds .

[MU82]

"A partial rundown of Russia's struggles," from David Leonhardt of the NYT:

++ Russian troops have not taken control of any major cities in the Donbas region that they did not already control in February, at the start of the invasion, my colleague Julian Barnes notes. "Russian morale remains bad," Julian says. "The casualties are bad."

++ British officials made a stunning announcement yesterday: Russia appears to have lost about one-third of the troops it has sent to Ukraine. The officials also said Russia's Donbas push had "lost momentum and fallen significantly behind schedule."
One recent battle was so deadly for Russia that it has led to criticism from pro-Russia bloggers.

++ "The Russian military has not yet achieved Putin's stated territorial objectives of securing all of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and is unlikely to do so," Katherine Lawlor and Mason Clark of the Institute for the Study of War in Washington wrote on Friday. Yaroslav Trofimov of The Wall Street Journal has made similar points.

++ My colleague Michael Schwirtz noted that, until two weeks ago, he had not seen an aircraft in the sky for more than a month. But he has since seen several fighter planes and attack helicopters, all evidently Ukrainian. Russia's inability to control the air is hampering its ability to advance.

++ Avril Haines, the U.S. director of intelligence, told Congress last week that Russia was "increasingly unlikely" to meet its territorial goals in the coming weeks.

Also ...

After trying to win the war with an early blitz, Putin's military leaders apparently have realized they needed to slow down the offensive and try to win a war of attrition. Putin could be searching for ways to declare victory and to make a settlement that could end up with Russia gaining some of Ukraine's territory.

[pbiflyer]

The Overlooked Reason Russia's Invasion Is Floundering
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/05/russian-military-air-force-failure-ukraine/629803/?utm_source=apple_news

"The Russian air force's failure is perhaps the most important, but least discussed, story of the military conflict so far. Ukrainian forces showed surprising strength in the air war, and adapted as the fighting progressed. But either side of this war could still gain air supremacy—and fundamentally change the course of the conflict.

Unfortunately for the Russians, the recent modernization of the Russian air force, although intended to enable it to conduct modern combined operations, was mostly for show. The Russians wasted money and effort on corruption and inefficiency. Though much was made of the flashy new equipment, such as the much-hyped SU-34 strike aircraft, the Russian air force continues to suffer from flawed logistics operations and the lack of regular, realistic training. Above all, the autocratic Russian kleptocracy does not trust low-ranking and middle-ranking officers, and so cannot allow the imaginative, flexible decision making that NATO air forces rely upon.

Of course, the most important reason for the failure of Russian airpower, and the evident caution of Russian pilots, has been Ukrainian opposition. Unlike their enemy, the Ukrainians have developed a coherent concept of air operations, one that has allowed them to block what looked like an easy path to Russian air dominance."

Finest GPS available.

Downed Russian fighter jets are being found with basic GPS 'taped to the dashboards,' UK defense minister says
https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-su34-jets-basic-gps-receivers-taped-to-dashboards-uk-2022-5

[Hards Alumni]

"A partial rundown of Russia's struggles," from David Leonhardt of the NYT:

++ Russian troops have not taken control of any major cities in the Donbas region that they did not already control in February, at the start of the invasion, my colleague Julian Barnes notes. "Russian morale remains bad," Julian says. "The casualties are bad."

++ British officials made a stunning announcement yesterday: Russia appears to have lost about one-third of the troops it has sent to Ukraine. The officials also said Russia's Donbas push had "lost momentum and fallen significantly behind schedule."
One recent battle was so deadly for Russia that it has led to criticism from pro-Russia bloggers.

++ "The Russian military has not yet achieved Putin's stated territorial objectives of securing all of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and is unlikely to do so," Katherine Lawlor and Mason Clark of the Institute for the Study of War in Washington wrote on Friday. Yaroslav Trofimov of The Wall Street Journal has made similar points.

++ My colleague Michael Schwirtz noted that, until two weeks ago, he had not seen an aircraft in the sky for more than a month. But he has since seen several fighter planes and attack helicopters, all evidently Ukrainian. Russia's inability to control the air is hampering its ability to advance.

++ Avril Haines, the U.S. director of intelligence, told Congress last week that Russia was "increasingly unlikely" to meet its territorial goals in the coming weeks.

Also ...

After trying to win the war with an early blitz, Putin's military leaders apparently have realized they needed to slow down the offensive and try to win a war of attrition. Putin could be searching for ways to declare victory and to make a settlement that could end up with Russia gaining some of Ukraine's territory.

Eh, they took Mariupol.  It cost them heavily, but they took it. 

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Some thoughts based on the Pentagon briefing

https://twitter.com/PhillipsPOBrien/status/1527180740592553985

[forgetful]

Some thoughts based on the Pentagon briefing

https://twitter.com/PhillipsPOBrien/status/1527180740592553985

Interesting comments below, where people on the ground in the Donbas contradict what the Pentagon said. Some of them say Russia is about to take major supply lines that will cut off the Ukraine military and that the shelling his more intense than ever.

[forgetful]

Now this is a bad Gaffe.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/20/middleeast/bush-iraq-ukraine-slip-mime-intl/index.html

[TSmith34, Inc.]

The ultimate Freudian slip

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Interesting comments below, where people on the ground in the Donbas contradict what the Pentagon said. Some of them say Russia is about to take major supply lines that will cut off the Ukraine military and that the shelling his more intense than ever.

Updates:
https://twitter.com/PhillipsPOBrien/status/1528276530253660162

Very intense fighting, but in a very small section of front line.