Reposted by Sam FellmanJohn Ismay @johnismay.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Days since USS Abraham Lincoln deployed: 282 Iran war began: 183 USS George HW Bush deployed: 152 SecDef briefed reporters on the war: 117 USS George Washington deployed: 99 2nd naval blockade: 48 USS George Washington arrived in C5F: 11 Last known US strike on Iran: 0 04217
Reposted by Sam FellmanBrian Finucane @bcfinucane.bsky.social · 22/07/2026Some LOAC issues raised by Trump’s latest version of this threat: —threat of indiscriminate attacks (not against specific military objectives) —threat of attacks against civilian objects (not all those targets will be military obj) —threat of violence intended to terrorize civilian population 829396
Reposted by Sam FellmanMatt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 21/07/2026“The Israeli military is quietly but quickly building a giant earthen barrier separating the over 50% of the Gaza Strip it controls from the rest of the territory…”apnews.comIsrael is building a miles-long earthen barrier inside Gaza, entrenching its divisionThe Israeli military is rapidly constructing a large earthen barrier in the Gaza Strip, further entrenching the division of the tiny Palestinian enclave. 410375
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 21/07/2026"For the military to defy policy direction from a Minister appointed by the President and Parliament to implement a reform agenda therefore brought into question the premise of Ukraine’s war effort," RUSI's Jack Watling writes: www.rusi.org/explore-our-...rusi.orgThe Dismissal of Ukraine’s Defence MinisterFedorov’s removal leaves critical issues unresolved between the Defence Ministry and General Staff. 000
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 20/07/2026A Ukrainian manufacturer said they are "deeply concerned" that the country has gone through three defense ministers in a little over a year: Via Sinéad Baker and @byjepstein.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-arms...businessinsider.comUkraine's weapons makers fear a costly slowdown after their tech champion was pushed out of the defense ministryDefense industry sources worry about what Mykhailo Fedorov's dismissal could mean for battlefield innovation at a pivotal moment in the war. 011
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 17/07/2026"There is no training for the anticipation, the hum of orders, or how the air weighs down with the threat of violence." Powerful account of Stockdale's reaction to Houthi attacks from the ship's conning officer: www.usni.org/magazines/pr...usni.orgUnder Fire in the Red SeaSeptember 2024. The guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG-106) is about to enter one of the most contested waters of the world: the Red Sea’s Bab el Mandeb Strait. 000
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 17/07/2026When Russian sailors opened fire on Ukraine's explosive-laden boats, nearby drones launched small aerial drones to kill them. Uncrewed boats are evolving rapidly, as @byjepstein.bsky.social reports: www.businessinsider.com/ukraines-dro...businessinsider.comUkraine's war drones are catching new rides into battleMotherships are helping Ukraine send small drones farther into battle and strike from less predictable directions. 011
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Colleagues from BILD saw Ukraine's long-range drone war up close on a secret launch mission. via the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network: www.businessinsider.com/inside-ukrai...businessinsider.comInside Ukraine's secret mission to devastate Russian energy facilitiesIn eastern Ukraine, soldiers furtively readied Fire Point drones to fly attack runs deep into Russia. Their biggest fear is being discovered. 000
Reposted by Sam FellmanHope Seck @hopeseck.bsky.social · 16/07/2026Marines working with DoD to build direct-hire path for civilian jobs www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...militarytimes.comMarines working with DoD to build direct-hire path for civilian jobsThe Corps is scheming up a way for troops to seamlessly land their first civilian jobs, up to a year before their end of active service date arrives. 013
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 16/07/2026"From what I see, Fedorov is the best defense minister so far — the most active and willing to reorganize [the] old corrupted machine," an Unmanned Systems Forces officer told BI. www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-pro-...businessinsider.comUkraine is ousting its pro-tech defense minister after just 6 months. Troops fear it's a monumental victory for Russia.Mykhailo Fedorov set out to transform Ukraine's military into a modern fighting force. Soldiers praised many of his reforms. 020
Reposted by Sam FellmanDr. Jonathan Schroden @jjschroden.bsky.social · 14/07/2026"In the 19th century, the great Prussian military theorist Carl von Clausewitz observed that war is politics by other means. In this conflict, only one side truly acted on that insight." [Spoiler: It's not us 😑] warontherocks.com/outgunned-bu...warontherocks.comOutgunned, But Not Outplayed: Iran's Theory of VictoryNineteen weeks ago, Iran faced the combined might of the most powerful country in the world and the most advanced military in the Middle East. Today, it 081
Reposted by Sam FellmanEric Columbus @ericcolumbus.bsky.social · 14/07/2026There are *four* takeovers in this picture: Canada, Greenland, Venezuela, and (h/t eagle-eyed @trs1998.bsky.social) Cuba! 62872287
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 14/07/2026It is easier to fantasize about future wars than to end ongoing ones. Exhibits A, B, C: 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 🇮🇷 000
Reposted by Sam FellmanBill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 13/07/2026Assuming this math is correct, it means that the US plans to charge 15X as much as the Islamic Republic of Iran. So if you're a shipper, whom do you want to do business with -- Trump or the ayatollah? 23421153
Reposted by Sam FellmanDr. Jonathan Schroden @jjschroden.bsky.social · 13/07/2026If GWOT taught us anything, it’s that beards make you more lethal 🧔 🔥 1234
Reposted by Sam FellmanMike Hixenbaugh @mikehixenbaugh.com · 13/07/2026Have you noticed it can cost hundreds of dollars for a family bowling outing? Thank private equity. @spettypi.bsky.social reports. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...nbcnews.comWall Street goes bowling for profits, driving up the price of a middle-class pastimeFueled by private equity investments, Lucky Strike Entertainment went on a buying spree and now owns more than 1 in 10 American bowling alleys. 1411755
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Gripens are great for Ukraine's air force, but they are not a silver bullet, as BI's Sinéad Baker reports: www.businessinsider.com/ukraines-get...businessinsider.comUkraine is finally going to get Gripen fighters built for a Russia fight, but new jets come with new challengesSwedish-made Gripen fighter jets have long been viewed as ideal for Ukraine's fight against Russia and it's long-term security. 020
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 08/07/2026The 737's flight path crossed the region affected by the collapsing US-Iran ceasefire before its crash. via @trainsonplanes.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/boeing-737-p...businessinsider.comWhat may have caused the 737 plane to crash off the coast of PakistanThe K2 Airways cargo plane from Pakistan, carrying five crew members, plummeted before losing contact. Small clues point to possible causes. 010
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 08/07/2026New details on the AI 'kill web' NATO has begun building, in partnership with a colleague at BILD: www.businessinsider.com/nato-builds-...businessinsider.comNATO is building an AI 'Kill Web' to stop Russian attackers in their tracksThe new strategy creates a vast network to detect and strike targets, an approach shaped by lessons from Ukraine. 020
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 08/07/2026This is exactly the opposite of what candidate Trump called for: Ending the Ukraine war in 24 hours. Now President Trump says he's letting them fight. With less US arms support to Ukraine, that has generally favored Russia www.businessinsider.com/how-trump-co...businessinsider.comWhat Trump's own words tell us about what a White House win could mean for UkraineRussia's war in Ukraine is a major issue in the 2024 election. If Trump wins the White House, Ukraine's future is more uncertain than ever. 010
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 08/07/2026Trump keeps playing the same card (threats of massive retaliation) and expects a different result 0162
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 08/07/2026This is a significant misspeak by Trump. The United States is treaty-bound to defend Japan 010
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 07/07/2026A 2020 law bans the US from selling Turkey F-35s stealth fighters until the secretary of state certifies Turkey has not purchased or accepted Russia's S-400 air defense system (which are now in Turkey's possession). www.fddaction.org/policy-alert...fddaction.orgPolicy Alert: Why Congress Must Block Any F-35 Transfer to TurkeyBot... 000
Reposted by Sam FellmanJon Collins @jcollins.bsky.social · 06/07/2026It was a decade ago my newsroom got word of a police shooting in a nearby suburb. The victim's name was Philando Castile. His death would trigger a surge of protest for police accountability, the first criminal charges against an officer and would change the state. (1) share.google/B3Ogmudw35eb...share.google‘Nobody was supposed to know what his name was’: Philando Castile’s legacy grows a decade after his deathA decade after he was killed by a St. Anthony police officer, the legacy of Philando Castile looms large in how people view policing in the Twin Cities. 115950
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 06/07/2026"You have to be careful when you sleep next to a bear." See how Europe's eastern edge is preparing for war: www.businessinsider.com/nato-eastern...businessinsider.comNATO's eastern flank prepares to fend off Russia — with or without AmericaReporters traveled to three exposed stretches of Europe's eastern frontier and found varied strategies and uneven progress to deter Russia. 020
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 06/07/2026These makeshift drone defenses look as effective as a screen door on a submarine -> www.businessinsider.com/russia-anti-...businessinsider.comRussia equipped its submarines with anti-drone cages to protect against Ukraine's deep strikes, Western intel saysCages are common on the battlefield to give armored vehicles more protection against drones. They are increasingly used to shield infrastructure. 000
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Foreign volunteers can earn as much as $10,000 a month fighting for Ukraine. An official described it as the "highest salaries in the world for infantry." via @byjepstein.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-payi...businessinsider.comUkraine is paying big to get foreign fighters to the front. Keeping them there is the hard part.Foreign fighters told Business Insider that new contracts and higher pay could fix manpower issues if soldiers stick around long enough. 022
Reposted by Sam FellmanAdam J Schmidt @adamjschmidt.com · 06/07/2026So many questions about this incident. Can only hope a full and transparent investigation answers them. As a former Guard Soldier I'm particularly curious what Rules for the Use of Force (RUF) they're operating under and what their law enforcement training consists of. www.npr.org/2026/07/05/n...npr.orgNational Guard troops fatally shoot a man in downtown MemphisMemphis police say National Guard troops fired their weapons in the early morning hours of July 5, killing a man who was armed with a handgun. State investigators will handle the case. 12210
Reposted by Sam FellmanJack Murphy @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social · 06/07/2026New High Side article out today about the JSOC 0400 counter-WMD mission, and the proposed plan to snatch highly enriched Uranium out of Iran. thehighside.substack.com/p/iran-wmd-r... 16013
Reposted by Sam FellmanPeter Baker @peterbakernyt.bsky.social · 02/07/2026More than 2 million troops have been killed or wounded since Putin's invasion, per @csis.org study, including 1.4 million Russians and up to 625,000 Ukrainians. Russian deaths are four times greater than US has had in all wars since WWII combined. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/u...nytimes.comTroop Casualties in Ukraine War Top 2 Million, Study Finds 911665
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 01/07/2026Most recent offensives in the Ukraine war have slogged forward at the pace of 1916's Battle of the Somme, this striking chart from @csis.org shows: 100
Reposted by Sam FellmanPaul Rieckhoff @rieckhoff.bsky.social · 01/07/2026Unfortunately, this trash is also happening. It’s the opposite of the unifying Team USA we will see and root for tonight. 2182
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 01/07/20261/ The VP used a speech commemorating America's 250th anniversary to take potshots at a Democratic president before sailors at a Virginia naval air station. It's a vivid reminder of the norms breakdown toward the nonpartisan military: 152
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 01/07/20261/ A recent wargame challenged German leaders to react to a security crisis without clear American support. Now NATO leaders are facing issues similar to those seen in the game. www.businessinsider.com/us-pullback-...businessinsider.comUS pullback from NATO echoes the set-up of an unsettling German wargameThe new podcast "Ernstfall" examines the challenges Germany would face in a war crisis without US support. 110
Reposted by Sam FellmanJake Lahut @jakelahut.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Quick mini thread on some new polling out of New Hampshire for 2028. Purely interesting in terms of what it says about voter expectations and which names are breaking through. 3122
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 30/06/2026More evidence that a relentless US bombing campaign against Iran has left the US in a *weaker* condition in the Middle East: from NYT: www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/w... 011
Reposted by Sam FellmanJohn Sipher @johnsipher.bsky.social · 30/06/2026The dumbest idea ever. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/29/u...nytimes.comInside Intelligence Agencies, a Fight Over Building a Master List of Spies 2313136
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 30/06/2026Bulgaria and Israel scrambled fighter jets to escort this airliner that transmitted an alert: www.businessinsider.com/lot-polish-a...businessinsider.comErroneous hijack alert on a flight to Tel Aviv triggered fighter escorts and an emergency landingPassengers on a LOT Polish Airlines flight to Tel Aviv found themselves in a tense mid-air situation. It proved to be a false alarm. 000
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 30/06/2026"Ironically, the hardest thing in FPV piloting is flying very slowly or hovering in one place, said Radio, a Ukrainian drone instructor. @byjepstein.bsky.social went inside Ukraine's drone academy: www.businessinsider.com/ukrainians-w...businessinsider.comUkraine's war drone pilots must first survive the 'Killhouse'As drones radically change how wars are fought, Ukraine is putting would-be pilots through a test of nerves and skill before sending them to fight. 031
Reposted by Sam FellmanMike Hixenbaugh @mikehixenbaugh.com · 30/06/2026For a half-century, U.S. policy has pushed to keep disabled Americans out of institutions. Now Rebecca Anger and many others fear that era could be coming to an end. Here's my latest on the Trump administration's growing attacks on Medicaid-funded home-care programs.nbcnews.comParalyzed at 7, she fought for the life she wanted. Medicaid cuts threaten to take it away.For a half-century, U.S. policy has pushed to keep disabled Americans out of institutions. Now Rebecca Anger and others fear that era could end. 14031
Reposted by Sam FellmanAaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 30/06/2026there were more people in my garage watching the World Cup last weekend 44393851282
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 30/06/2026It's a stretch to believe a Signal chat among US officials named "Iran/Ukraine planning" did not include classified information. From this eye-opening Atlantic scoop: www.theatlantic.com/national-sec...theatlantic.comHegseth, Rubio, and Caine Had an Auto-Deleting Signal ChatNew records reveal that officials kept using the app, even after the president suggested they stop. 011
Reposted by Sam FellmanKevin Rothrock @kevinrothrock.me · 30/06/2026A Ukrainian drone strike on a house outside Moscow has killed a 6-month-old baby. The boy died of burns en route to the hospital, the mother had both legs amputated and remains unconscious, and the father lost a foot. t.me/ostorozhno_n...t.meОсторожно, новостиШестимесячный младенец погиб от тяжёлых ожогов, его мама потеряла обе ноги после украинского удара по Подмосковью. «Осторожно, новости» выяснили подробности удара БПЛА по дому в подмосковном Егорьевс... 3103
Reposted by Sam FellmanCarl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 29/06/2026> @ericlipton.nytimes.com @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2026/06/28/w... 36740231
Reposted by Sam FellmanSteve Herman @newsguy.bsky.social · 26/06/2026US Central Command announces its forces today (Friday) conducted strikes against Iran "as a powerful response to yesterday’s attack on a commercial ship that was transiting the Strait of Hormuz." 11815
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 26/06/2026This was "stupid," "reckless," "insanely bad" Via @trainsonplanes.bsky.social www.businessinsider.com/pilots-react...businessinsider.comPilots react to a Boeing 777 freighter that came within feet of the ground in a 'reckless' stunt over TexasA Boeing 777 nearly clipped the ground during an unusually low flyover in Texas, a stunt veteran pilots called "reckless" and "stupid." 020
Sam Fellman @samfellman.bsky.social · 26/06/2026This eye-opening paper from CNAS's Paul Scharre argues that tomorrow's wars will be won far differently than those before. Wars will be decided, narrowly, and based on national "compute" power and the militaries that most effectively employ AI www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...foreignaffairs.comLosing the War of the FutureHow new technologies threaten America’s military advantage. 000
Reposted by Sam FellmanCaitlin Talmadge @proftalmadge.bsky.social · 26/06/2026More evidence that US-Iran agreement has not effectively addressed Iran's continuing ability to interfere with traffic in the Strait-- a source of Iranian strategic leverage that did not exist before the war. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/26/w...nytimes.comAfter Attacking Cargo Ship, Iran Presses Its Claim to Authority Over Strait 2259
Reposted by Sam FellmanDan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Garrett Graff (@vermontgmg.bsky.social), who wrote a defining book about Watergate, calls JD Vance's comments "shockingly a-historical" and an "immature understanding of what Watergate was and wasn’t." (But Garrett agrees with Vance that Nixon would've survived Watergate in the modern era.)doomsdayscenario.coJD Vance and the Latest Nixon Cover-UpThe vice president is utterly wrong about Watergate—but correct about its legacy. 76113