The Secret to Politics

“Make a Good Treaty With Russia” Were you forwarded this email? [Sign-up to The Daily Reckoning here.]( [Unsubscribe]( [Daily Reckoning] It’s come to our attention that you might be missing out on extra benefits exclusively for The Daily Reckoning subscribers. Check out our website where you can find archives, updates, and everything else included in your subscription. You can access it by [clicking here now](. The Secret to Politics - “The Russian army has been making plans for ‘how’ to fight in Ukraine for over 300 years”… - Does Russia want to occupy Ukraine?… - Don’t discount Russia for a second… Recommended Link [NEW: #1 Group of Tiny Cryptos To Buy For 2022]( [Read more here...]( Multimillionaire crypto investor James Altucher has just released an urgent buy alert on a [small group of tiny crypto.]( In the past, this special class of inexpensive cryptos have thrown off peak gains such as: - 9,000% in 18 months… - 22,000% in a year and a half… And… - 25,000% in almost 20 months… All of which begs the question… What makes these unique cryptos so explosive? [Get The Full Details Here]( Western Pennsylvania February 25, 2022 Editor’s note: You’ve heard all about the Russian invasion of Ukraine from political and economic perspectives. But how about from a military perspective? Byron King is a former naval officer who did a stint as an aide to the Chief of Naval Operations. Today, Byron draws upon his 30 years of military experience to show you Russia’s war plan. [Byron King]Dear Reader, I’m a retired U.S. Navy officer. I’m obliged to tell you that what follows are personal opinions. I do not speak for the Navy, Department of Defense or U.S. government. Having gotten that out of the way, let’s discuss a few technical points about war and in particular this war in Ukraine. “War is a dark room,” said one of my old professors at the Naval War College. Yes, because it’s hard to know exactly what’s going on while so many other things are happening in the complex arena of combat. It’s the classic fog-of-war issue. To phrase it another way, pretty much everything you see or hear about the early phases of a war is wrong. You may see a photo of a smoking hole in the ground or a burning truck. But that doesn’t explain what’s really happening. Still, there are a few basics that matter, things that help you make sense, at least at the strategic or operational level. For now, don’t worry about tactical details of what’s going on in Ukraine. Focus instead on what’s called “operational maneuver.” Don’t Underestimate the Russians The “special military operation” began the other night. But in reality, Russia has been preparing the battlefield for weeks, months and even years. That is, the Russian army has been making plans for “how” to fight in Ukraine for over 300 years. This is something deep in the military DNA of Russia. The takeaway is that Russia’s general staff are quite capable of planning combat operations in and around Ukraine. Do not underestimate Russian planners or equipment for even a moment. In my professional opinion (my 30 years of association with the U.S. Navy) they are outstanding at what they do. One small example: Russian military maps are beyond excellent; they are works of art. It goes back to the Napoleonic Wars when Russian generals realized they needed better maps. So they set up a cartographic branch that is nothing but superb, and that legacy continues today. Meanwhile, Russia’s military cartographers work hand in hand with Russia’s extremely competent intelligence services (another legacy of the Napoleonic Wars) to identify pretty much everything; and I mean everything! They know the weight-bearing capacity of every bridge. They know what’s inside every factory. They know where every petroleum pipeline is buried. All this and more. The point is, I’ve seen many Russian military maps, and Russia’s generals, colonels, company commanders and assault teams collectively know where everything is located that’s worth a bomb, a missile or a tank attack. Which brings us to the present war… Recommended Link [Crypto Legend Reveals: “The Next Bitcoin”]( He called Bitcoin at $61. Now he says this next crypto will be even bigger. In fact, he’s targeting 25X gains over the next year alone. [Click Here To Learn More]( “Time-Phased Force Deployment” This invasion was a highly planned event. "Time-phased force deployment” (TPFD) to use a Defense Department term. The Russian generals are feeding combat power into Ukraine at a steady pace, to move toward and seize defined objectives. They know exactly how much they need to accomplish specific points, plus how much reserve power they need. Russia began its operation with lightning-fast, precise missile and airstrikes on Ukrainian airfields, radar systems, supply sites, communication nodes, military headquarters and other targets of warfighting import. Plus, paratroops and special forces landed behind lines or on top of important objectives, all coupled with blistering artillery and rocket strikes. And Russian weapons are very good. They hit where they aim. So early on, Russian strikes (the air, rocket, artillery and special forces) took out pretty much all of the Ukrainian command structure, thus neutralizing higher headquarters. Ukrainian troops in the field had no leadership or coordination above the tactical level. It’s fair to say that Russia destroyed all significant Ukrainian airpower and bases. And Russia has destroyed all Ukrainian air defense systems, except for mobile, shoulder-fired weapons. Russia also destroyed all Ukrainian drones, or at least the command-and-control systems. And for what it’s worth, Russia has collapsed all Ukrainian naval power. War Will Likely End Soon Right now, Russian troops are moving into and across Ukraine from the south, east and north, under a blanket of air superiority if not supremacy. The electronic battlespace is entirely controlled by Russian operators. In this respect, Ukrainian ground forces are blind and being surrounded. And in any case, they are heavily outgunned by superior numbers of Russian machinery and outclassed by Russian systems that are truly state of the art. But Ukraine is putting up resistance, maybe more than the Russians expected. We’re seeing that Russian casualties are not insignificant -- there are photos and videos that show things you can't really fake. Dead guys. Wrecked equipment. Supply columns attacked in the rear. But from where things stand right now, in all likelihood the war will be over soon. Expect a few more days of intense combat. Then early next week, things will culminate in some version of a general “surrender” by whatever Ukrainian government remains and follow-up neutralization of opposing forces. Russia Doesn’t Want to Occupy Ukraine Russia has long made it crystal clear that it opposes NATO expansion toward its borders, and in the past eight years the Ukraine matter has been a top-shelf complaint. Russia watched what was happening and how, despite not being part of NATO proper, Ukraine integrated itself into NATO force structures. This was never a secret; it was open and notorious. Meanwhile, I don't think Russia wants to "take over" Ukraine. Yes, they want to control the eastern region (Luhansk, Donetsk and the coastal strip to Crimea.) But to occupy the rest of Ukraine, which is roughly the size of Texas? Nope. Prudently, President Biden and NATO leadership have publicly disclaimed any intent to send U.S., NATO or other Western forces to confront Russia in Ukraine. Good idea, right? Do not get into a war with Russia! But we have people in the West proposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, as if we need NATO jets trying to shoot down Russian jets. Hello? Serious world war, anyone? Crazy idea. Recommended Link [America’s #1 Futurist George Gilder’s 2021 Prediction Will Stun You]( [Read more here...]( “We’re headed for a potential $16.8 trillion reboot,” he says. This “reboot” could create the largest wealth generation in decades. And it has nothing to do with politics, the coronavirus, or the Fed. Tap into this wealth revolution and learn how it could make you very… very… rich. [Click Here To Learn How]( Until recently, Russia was willing to make a deal that Ukraine not become a member of NATO and that the country play a neutral role in terms of any threat it might pose. But lately, and more to the point, for 31 years since the fall of the Soviet Union, the West has failed to work things out with Russia. Two generations of U.S. and European leaders and policymakers have forgotten the sage advice of Germany’s long-ago Iron Chancellor Otto von Bismarck who once quipped, “The secret of politics? Make a good treaty with Russia.” No treaty. No deals. And so now we have a war. “Russia Is Just a Gas Station With Nuclear Weapons” Things will play out in unpredictable ways. The West is placing economic sanctions on Russia, to which Russia scoffs because the country is about as autarkic as a country can be. Russia self-produces almost everything. That, and sanctions work both ways. Shut off banking or trade with Russia? Russia can shut off natural gas to Europe. Kick Russia out of the international SWIFT money-clearing system? Russia and China have an alternative system in place, Plan B so to speak. Or Russia could demand gold for sales of vital materials like titanium or uranium. Isolate Russia diplomatically? Russia can terminate airline overflight permission to Western airlines, essentially shutting down much of the international air commerce system. When people say, “Russia is just a gas station with nuclear weapons,” I have to wonder about their overall knowledge. Because no, Russia is a highly sophisticated manufacturing and energy powerhouse full of well-educated people. Russia has everything from vast oil and gas fields to a space program that spent the past dozen years flying American astronauts into low orbit. And there’s much else of an advanced nature within the Russian economy, so don’t discount the place for even a second. If the West continues to, it could be in for a hard lesson. Regards, Byron King for The Daily Reckoning Editor’s note: The war in Ukraine is dominating the news. But there’s another war going on behind the scenes that few people know about. [It involves the Sixth Domain of War.]( And Jim Rickards has released a [blockbuster video to explain it.]( It’s already generated a lot of chatter on the internet. You’ll see why when you [click here]( to see it. Here’s a hint: It involves instead a massive, $6.6 trillion daily flow of capital that you can tap for potentially large gains. [Jim’s revealed his proprietary secret]( for profiting from this hidden treasure trove. Jim and his team have built a new computerized Tactical Operations Center to operate in the Sixth Domain of War. It’s something you really need to see. We think you’ll be amazed. [Click here now for details.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for reading The Daily Reckoning! We greatly value your questions and comments. Please send all feedback to [feedback@dailyreckoning.com.](mailto:dr@dailyreckoning.com) [Byron King][Byron King]( is Senior Geologist at Rickards' Gold Speculator. He is a Harvard-trained geologist who has traveled to every U.S. state and territory and six of the seven continents. He has been interviewed by dozens of major print and broadcast media outlets including The Financial Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, MSN Money, MarketWatch, Fox Business News, and PBS Newshour. 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