iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Literally anytime anybody anywhere gets the chance they’re like “oh yeah we’re doing strategic attack baby” Simultaneously, the country that invented it is filled with milquetoast FGOs who love CAS and air superiority

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“30% of your cash generator is knocked out by airpower” “Airpower is a failure because it can’t open the strait of hormuz in the dumbest war known to man” - me, a smart person (not directed at you, just at the hordes of airpower knowers)

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we just need to ban ir students from reading pape and thinking they know things the most “how about dem apples” sequence of events “next semester you’ll be reading biddle about rhetoric and reality”

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Them: “strategic bombing is pointless” Me: “idk man seems kind of like the thing to do”

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

70% chance the bomber force was tired of being gone and used this as a pretense to go home and see their families + dogs.

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What’s the source on 50-60% of shaheds?

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Please tell me more about how stealth is only RF.

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Reposted by David Alman

James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I don't think this article is wrong exactly, but it mistakes largely iterative technological changes for a lack of political will in prosecuting conflicts. Raiding isn't a product of economic shifts in coercion, so much as a lack of willingness to accept the political costs of military casualties.

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

And I just always worry we read so much into necessity as if it were a choice. If Ukraine could mobilize without worrying about a demographic issue AND they had a world class Air Force, how would they choose to fight the war?

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Yeah, you can’t raid your way into taking France if you’re Hitler, nor can you raid your way into liberating it if you’re the US. That raiding could be downstream of a shift in how states / non-states meter their ambitions I agree with, but if someone wants to get big and violent you have to also

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Larry, Moe, and Curly are back for more

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

national security is my passion *opens bottle of wine*

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

This is just a non-sequitur. Our bases were built to do various things at various times. I don’t think any were built under the assumption that “air superiority would keep them safe.” Moreover, we do have air superiority over Iran et al. We just don’t have impenetrable air defenses.

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It just lacks some structure and isn’t as clear as it could be, imo. Would have been an awesome 50 page paper. Will be curious to hear your thoughts when you finish! It’s like part history of “the transition”, part history of past transitions, part rumination about the nature of tech changes

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Great thesis, imperfect book (imo)

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Yeah just make sure they know about the Guard / Reserve. I strongly recommend going to reg college and doing military reserves. We need good people!

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Literal decades of damage to United States national security. There are kids now who would have gone to do ROTC or joined the IC. They won't be there in thirty years as senior officers or analysts. Think about what leadership looks like then if only populated by those who joined now...

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It's wild reading about Britain's experience of decline, trying to learn from it, and then we just go out and shoot ourselves in the face

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Let me tell you, morale is HIGH /s

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A dramatic headline. If the American age is over it’s because of political malfeasence and strategic ineptness, not tactical prowess. Even the 1945 U.S. military would be challenged by this operating environment, concomitant restrictions, and unclear goals. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

theatlantic.com

The American Age Is Over

A period of global dominance has ended in plain sight.

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Reposted by David Alman

🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 @specialkhersoncat.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

A stunning shot of a Ukrainian F-16 pilot looking back at a jet-powered Shahed he had just shot down over Kyiv with his onboard cannon.

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Reposted by David Alman

👻 Jack Djinn Wail 🧞 @jacktindale.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Absolutely lost my shit at this co-op mode for Hearts of Iron, which you play as the Army, Navy, Emperor, and Government. All have their own win conditions aside the Government, which lost the game automatically in 1925. docs.google.com/document/d/1...

docs.google.com

True Imperial Japan Experience

True Imperial Japan Experience A Hearts of Iron 4 Game This is a counteroperative roleplaying game. The resolution system is a game of multiplayer Hearts of Iron 4 and a number of discord chats. Requi...

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Reposted by David Alman

Max Kennerly @maxkennerly.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

😂 congrats to JPMorgan's commodities team for being merely six months behind the typical Bluesky poster

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Luke Kawa @ljkawa.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

JPMorgan’s commodities team: “For the first time since the start of the Iran conflict, we don’t have a baseline view. We simply don’t know how to model the endgame.”

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I don’t think people appreciate how much this thing is destroying the Navy and Air Force, both of which I’ve been told we may need elsewhere.

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Not a great year to be a Strike Eagle

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

*spits into dip cup* “Now I may be a simple country guy with a gov funded undergrad and three masters, but air defense is air defense so don’t go telling me they don’t have game against the fast stuff”

static.klipy.com

Jack Ripper Smoking Cigar in Strangelove

ALT: Jack Ripper Smoking Cigar in Strangelove

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Remember Hunter Biden’s laptop? A scandal for the ages

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Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

“Two U.S. citizen teenagers who were on their way to file enlistment papers to join the Marines were violently attacked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who reportedly detained them for nearly eight hours before letting them go.” newrepublic.com/post/215393/...

newrepublic.com

ICE Attacks Two U.S. Citizen Minors on Their Way to Enlist in Marines

The ICE agents reportedly said they didn’t care after being told the two teenagers were citizens.

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

“Moderation is a fatal thing; nothing succeeds like excess.” A quote applicable to broad swathes of the American experience.

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

As the great Wiz Khalifa said, “Everything I do, I do it big”

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Or if you get scooped up right away - what about 44A?!???

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I have confidence in anduril’s ability to mess it up even if it started off well!

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David Alman @davidalman.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Perhaps if the PRC, via Iran, steals anduril garbage we can also set them back a few years

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Yeah my perspective is we need to actually do total force. Deep bench of O-4/O-5 types at guard / reserve units who would do a 2 year command tour of USERRA exempt orders. We just suck at total force

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Yeah…also congrats on getting back

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Did that consider the Guard / reserve though? Because total force should ease some of the burden if we let it, i.e. a less f-ed up version of ADOS

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And there are a bunch of Guard / Reserve tanker / transport / RPA units up there in the northeast as well.

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Not true though - this is why the Guard saved the USAF (and the nation when it comes to fighter pilots). Atlantic City in Jersey has Vipers. F-35s in Massachusetts and Vermont. That's why the Guard gets a bunch of Navy / Marine folks - because those services have no reserve component up there.

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24 is no issue for a 767 - the limit is 40

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The Guard is absolutely integrated into warfighting / planning. They are not integrated into some of the sweet benefits and opportunities. Guard = pay for your own healthcare while you're maintaining currency, still get deployed to get shot at. Wrong type of orders = no GI Bill, etc.

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In part, but honestly it would wind up that way anyways for aviation. All of the good bases were in areas where there were major airports, airspace was saturated, etc. Worked fine with P-51s and a 3,000 ft runway to go dogfight. Much harder with F-35s, 8,000 ft runways, and BVR combat.

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