Let me make it clear: There is no scenario where war crimes are justified. I understand errant bombs and munitions because of the nature of war. Where the line is crossed is when targeting intentionally and knowingly strikes at civilians to hurt them. Also: punishment bombing never works.

Great news about the rescue of our airman.

Air power alone will not reopen the straits. For the IRGC, they are fighting for their existence and now know they are winning through economic warfare. A ground operation would need to go deep to reopen the straits and there are not enough troops to do that.

The Holy Pokrovsky Men's Monastery (300+ years old) in the city center of Kharkiv, Ukraine, is burning after being targeted by russia.

Unacceptable. I get you can’t talk operational details but the American people need to hear something.

Bridges and universities depending on if they are being used for military purposes could be legitimate military targets (ie: rocket research labs and air interdiction ops). But ground troops are needed to exploit interdiction missions and I haven’t seen an explanation for the universities.

This should be investigated by the ICC.

Now that at least one U.S. air crew member is alive on the ground in Iran, it's worth revisiting Pete Hegseth's commitment to "no quarter, no mercy for our enemies." This is the scenario he was warned about.

To be blunt, the coverage level is due to the fact that American POWs on television would be a big game changer for American citizens consuming the war. They are so detached from even the military that combat losses no longer resonate. Oil prices do. POWs on TV definitely will.

mtsunews.com/war-in-iran-... I had a great experience talking with the students at Middle Tennessee State last week. And yeah I took Douhet to the woodshed in my opening statement.

Air intelligence is way harder than most people understand. For example, the 14 October 1943 strike on Schweinfurt was initially believed to be a success before the Americans learned that despite the strike photos showing the ball bearing plant was hit, the machines were still intact.

If this double tap strike is true then everyone involved in this attack has committed a war crime. They are also all now exposed to criminal charges at home and abroad. We’ve be inching this way with the boat strikes and normalizing it.

Bombing bridges can serve a military purpose in ground operations and can be used in a strategic bombing campaign to limit manufacturing production such as the Transportation Plan in World War II. However, this bridge does not appear to serve in military or production services from the looks of it.

Bombing residential buildings to kill “moderate” politicians trying to broker a deal. Absolute madness. Either Trump is lying about wanting a deal, or Netanyahu wants to kill anyone who might help it happen. Or both. Again: Bibi hated the Iran Deal because it worked.

Anyone and let me emphasize ANYONE who commits a war crime is not only crossing a significant moral line (which won’t stop some people unfortunately), but also exposes themselves criminally at home and abroad. “Just following orders” was not a valid defense in World War II.

👇👇

So let me get this straight. Every time oil prices go up there is messaging indicating peace talks. When prices go down there is an increase in military escalations, which leads to oil prices going up. And at around $110-$120 a barrel we get more peace talks. The circle of diplomacy.

Professor Robert Pape to CNN: “We’re heading to stage 3 of the trap. That is ground operations. “When those Marines hit the beaches, many will die. And when they die, many Trump supporters will double down. “They won’t want to say those people died for us and now we’re abandoning the mission. 1

That’s two schools now confirmed by major media outlets. How many others that we don’t know about yet?

@alanallport.bsky.social @smoorebofb1940.bsky.social @airminded.org @navalairhistory.com @airpowerhistory.bsky.social presenting virtually on 23 April. facebook.com/events/s/the...

I think many Americans are now fully starting to understand why it was a fucking stupid idea to think that you could simply fly the One Ring to Mount Doom. Weather, integrated air defenses, and the fact that you don’t control the ground.

The legality and morality of the Iran Debacle aside, it’ll be useful in the future as a case study in how being technically and tactically superior to your adversary doesn’t matter even a little if you’re not marrying operations to strategy or clear political goals

I'm sorry, hwat?

😡

Fascinating that the attacking group blurred out the red cross indicating that it’s a medevac bird (you can still tell from the winglets and nose bump that it’s an HH-60M)

Are these the same hotels the Iranians are bombing? @sodrock.bsky.social

How long before he uses the phrase “special military operation?”

I just found out about this. Are you kidding me! I’m gonna go outside and scream into the void.

Russia failed to defeat Ukraine for six months before it started targeting civilian electricity generation in an effort to get Ukraine to capitulate. It didn’t work.

It is a fool's game to say who will end up "winning" this war. Yet, if you are the USA/Israel and planned it, started it, and more than three weeks into it are undertaking an unexpected escalation while relaxing sanctions on Iran--that is hardly a sign of victory at this time.

Iran's demonstrated an ability to maintain strategic focus, from what I can tell. Close the strait, gradually open it up to states that do not align w/ the US, extract tolls as oil prices skyrocket. Gives them time.

Not surprised but it makes you wonder what Iran has developed that we haven’t seen yet.

We really need to teach military history more to the general public. And if anyone asks why ever again I’ll just replay these press conferences.

A NATO ally - whose soldiers died alongside ours in Afghanistan - preparing to blow up runways, sending blood, and readying to fight a delaying action against…..us. Our national humiliation continues unabated.

1/ Denmark was reportedly preparing for full-scale war with the US over Greenland in January, with military support from France, Germany, and Nordic nations. Elite troops and F-35 jets with live ammunition were sent, and runways were to be blown up to prevent an invasion. ⬇️

I have scientifically applied the Principles of Humor to make the best Jomini joke.

I have a Clausewitz joke but I don’t know if I’ll live to finish it

Cardinal Pizzaballa: “The abuse and manipulation of God’s name to justify this and any other war is the gravest sin we can commit at this time.” www.vaticannews.va/en/church/ne...

Really? Desert Storm doesn’t ring a bell? Cobra? Midway? Or is modern now defined as in the last five minutes? By the way, I wouldn’t call this anywhere near a victory yet.

Yes! Or like any strategic bombing campaign!

Good news! Pape is getting noticed outside of academia! Bad news: it took our current situation for the average person to Google him and his book.

This war is going so well

A-FUCKING-MEN

Yes! That was my reaction.

This!

Well, yeah. If you want to get nerdy about how we got here, and why it doesn't work:

This is the problem with American society. Most Americans think air power is a quick fix. It’s not. People die under the bombs and non combatants get killed. Also, the enemy gets a vote. Cramer shouting about something he knows nothing about to get clicks. I would say stick to economics but…

This thread!