Perry Snider

Retired Armor CSM and Master Gunner, believer in science and truth, happily married to HS sweetheart and independent voting blue no DMs 💙

[Perry Snider @MikeGolf86]

@japan_nobunaga @bluesGrrl1 Both a true hero and a compassionate warrior. I salute you sir

[NOBUNAGA🇯🇵🏯 @japan_nobunaga]

In 1944, thousands of Japanese on Saipan hid in caves, sure the Americans would torture them if they came out. Many families chose the cliffs instead.

An 18-year-old American Marine from East Los Angeles walked up to those caves at night, alone, and called to them in Japanese.

His name was Guy Gabaldon. He was a Mexican American kid who had grown up partly in the home of a Japanese American family, the Nakanos. That is where he picked up his Japanese. When the war came, the Nakanos were sent to internment camps. Their twin sons, Lane and Lyle, joined the U.S. Army anyway and served in the 442nd.

Fifty years later, he still said it plainly: "These were Americans."

On Saipan, Gabaldon was a scout with the 2nd Marine Regiment. Right after landing, he slipped off on his own and came back with prisoners. His commanding officer, Capt. John Schwabe, threatened him with a court-martial for leaving his post.

The next night, he came back with about fifty.

After that, they let him go out alone.

He crawled to the cave mouths in the dark and promised the people inside water, medical care, and that nobody would hurt them. Night after night, ten or twenty at a time, they followed him out.

On July 8, by his own account, about 800 came out in a single day. Schwabe remembered that day too. It was the day they tagged him the Pied Piper of Saipan.

Not everyone listened. At the cliffs, he begged a mother not to kill her child. He watched her throw the baby and jump. He was still talking about it fifty years later.

His Navy Cross citation says that on Saipan and Tinian he brought in "well over one thousand enemy civilians and troops."

Schwabe recommended him for the Medal of Honor. He received the Silver Star. Sixteen years later, after Hollywood made a movie about him, the Navy upgraded it to the Navy Cross.

He died in 2006 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

I am Japanese. Those caves were full of my people, frightened, starving, and certain that the Americans were monsters.

An American teenager walked toward them in the dark and offered them water.

On this Veterans Day, Japan should know his name.

[Perry Snider @MikeGolf86]

@LucasSa56947288 Neither. We need aggressive folks like Raskin, Osslof,etc. never heard of this new guy so zero impact on politics old blood

[Lucas Sanders 👊🏽🔥🇺🇸 @LucasSa56947288]

Quick question!

Who would you prefer to be Senate majority leader?

(A: Sen. Chris Van Hollen
(B: Sen. Chuck Schumer

[WW3finalboss @WW3finalboss]

🇺🇦🇷🇺 UKRAINE IS DESTROYING PUTIN'S WAR PLANS, AND THE DAMAGE IS NOW SPREADING THROUGH RUSSIA'S ECONOMY.

The Kremlin wanted 2026 to be the year it finally conquered the rest of Donbas.

Instead, Ukraine has reportedly reduced Russia's territorial gains to a fraction of last year's pace, while bringing the economic consequences of the invasion increasingly deep into Russian territory.

And the connection between these developments is becoming difficult to ignore.

RUSSIA'S DONBAS OFFENSIVE IS STALLING

According to figures attributed to the Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces captured just 119 km² between January and October 2026, almost 41 times less than during the corresponding period in 2025.

Russian forces even lost ground during April and May. By September and October, their territorial losses reportedly exceeded their gains.

Moscow's original operational concept involved surrounding Ukraine's fortified Sloviansk–Kramatorsk–Kostiantynivka defensive belt through simultaneous advances from Lyman in the north and Pokrovsk in the south.

Neither axis has delivered the intended breakthrough.

Ukrainian forces reportedly pushed Russian units back near Lyman during the autumn, while the southern advance was contained.

ISW analyst George Barros identifies Ukraine's expanding mid-range strike capabilities as a major factor.

Ukrainian drones operating 30–200 kilometres behind the front have been targeting ammunition depots, fuel supplies, command posts, air-defence systems and transport routes.

These attacks matter because an offensive depends on far more than the number of soldiers deployed.

An army can possess substantial manpower and equipment yet struggle to advance when ammunition, fuel, communications and reinforcements cannot reliably reach the battlefield.

Barros argues that Russian logistics have never fully recovered from this campaign.

Moscow has reportedly postponed its deadline for capturing all of Donbas at least sixteen times. The latest reported target is February 2027.

UKRAINE IS ALSO STRIKING THE ECONOMY BEHIND THE WAR

The pressure is not confined to the front.

Russia's KINEF refinery in Kirishi, owned by Surgutneftegaz, has reportedly sustained further damage following earlier Ukrainian strikes in August.

Preliminary accounts identify three primary distillation units, including AVT-6, which alone has an annual processing capacity of approximately 8 million tonnes.

That represents roughly 40% of the refinery's total capacity.

The ownership is significant. Surgutneftegaz is one of Russia's most opaque major oil companies, with its ownership structure and possible connections to Putin's long-standing associates attracting investigative scrutiny.

A refinery supplying St. Petersburg and northwestern Russia is therefore facing renewed disruption while previous damage remains unresolved.

And Russian motorists are beginning to experience the consequences of broader fuel-supply pressures.

Following strikes on at least eight major refineries since 30 October, purchase restrictions and queues have been reported across multiple regions.

In Karelia, Rosneft stations have reportedly restricted gasoline purchases to 30 litres and diesel to 50 litres, while suspending sales into canisters.

Similar restrictions have been described in Nizhny Novgorod, Arkhangelsk, Penza, Krasnoyarsk, Buryatia, Zabaykalsky Krai and Leningrad Oblast.

In Kostroma, motorists have reported stations offering only limited fuel grades, with queues and 30-litre purchase limits.

The strategic significance is straightforward: damage to refining infrastructure can create supply problems hundreds of kilometres from the facilities actually attacked.

RUSSIA'S ENERGY EXPORTS ARE FACING THEIR OWN PROBLEMS

Three tankers that departed Russian ports in early October carrying approximately 140,000 tonnes of petroleum products have reportedly failed to complete the anticipated deliveries to the United States.

Agioi Fanendes missed its expected 7 November arrival window in New York and subsequently appeared without a confirmed destination.

Talisman reportedly diverted after passing Gibraltar, while Leruo changed its destination to Brazil.

Despite announcements surrounding a temporary waiver for Russian diesel imports, no confirmed American buyer has emerged for these shipments.

The distinction between announcing an energy agreement and actually delivering commercially viable cargo is becoming increasingly important.

EVEN RUSSIA'S DIAMOND INDUSTRY IS UNDER PRESSURE

Alrosa, the Russian diamond producer partly owned by the federal government and Yakutia, is facing severe financial difficulties.

The company reported a first-half net loss of 9.5 billion rubles, with revenue falling 33% and EBITDA declining 61% year-on-year to 14.3 billion rubles.

Its free-cash-flow deficit reportedly reached 16.9 billion rubles during the first half and 33.2 billion over the preceding twelve months.

CEO Pavel Marinichev has confirmed production suspensions affecting operations associated with Almaz Anabara, the world's largest placer-diamond producer.

Alrosa has also reduced salaries for non-production staff, introduced part-time arrangements and suspended operations at Severalmaz.

Its projected 2026 diamond output has fallen to approximately 25–26 million carats, representing a further 13–16% reduction.

These difficulties reflect a combination of sanctions, weak diamond-market conditions and financial pressures rather than Ukrainian military strikes alone.

But they illustrate how Russia's economic vulnerabilities extend beyond the oil industry.

THE BIGGER STRATEGIC PICTURE

There is a crucial difference between damaging Russia's military and undermining the systems that allow it to keep fighting.

Ukraine's expanding strike campaign is increasingly directed at those supporting systems: the transport networks moving ammunition, the fuel infrastructure sustaining logistics and the industrial facilities generating revenue.

At the same time, Russia's offensive operations continue to consume personnel, equipment and financial resources without delivering the territorial gains Moscow originally sought.

The reported figures do not establish that Russia's economy is approaching collapse, and refinery capacity under attack is not the same as production permanently lost.

But they point to a growing strategic problem for the Kremlin.

Russia must simultaneously sustain offensive operations, repair damaged infrastructure, maintain domestic fuel supplies and absorb wider economic pressures.

Each of those demands competes for resources.

Putin's original expectation was that Russia could outlast Ukraine. Ukraine is now demonstrating that the cost of continuing the invasion can rise far beyond the battlefield.

And that may ultimately matter more than the capture of another few kilometres of territory.

[Perry Snider @MikeGolf86]

@NotDevinsMom That’s exactly why we need lots of new blood. Nothing will change till the new members are sworn in and new leadership is in place

[I’m NotDevinsMom Moron @NotDevinsMom]

Why the fuck did 11 dems miss the Hegseth vote?
Now impeachment is buried in committee.
Nice job leading Jeffries.

[墓碑科技 @mubeitech]

众议院刚丢了多数党，带头打输的人转身就要接着当领袖。

闭门会议开到一半，共和党众议员安娜·保利娜·卢纳（Anna Paulina Luna）直接离场退席。
面对镜头，她打了个比方：
如果一支球队战术执行烂了、被人彻底击垮，你绝不可能让同一个班子继续带队。

这次众议院少数党领袖之争，台面上是两个人。
一边是现任多数党领袖史蒂夫·斯卡利斯（Steve Scalise）；
另一边是保守派力推的司法委员会主席吉姆·乔丹（Jim Jordan）。
但卢纳在走廊里拉开的，不仅是一场人事争夺，更是被领导层按了整整两年的四项具体法案。

第一件是禁止国会议员炒股。
基层议员一直在推内幕交易禁令，选民也盯着国会山里的股票账户。
结果领导层拿出来的，是一个抽掉牙齿的缩水版本。

第二件是把联邦学生贷款利率按 2.5% 封顶。
这项法案在两党普通选民里都有极高的支持率，川普也明确表态支持，而且联邦政府原本就有监管权限。
方案推上去，领导层根本不听。

第三件是审查除草剂草甘膦（glyphosate）。
卢纳自己去推农药审查程序，领导层同样在背后阻挠。

第四件是确认选民资格的《拯救美国法案》（SAVE America Act）。
保守派议员当初以停摆众议院为代价，才强行逼着把法案合并推进。
结果到了参议院需要过法案时，斯卡利斯等人私下做交易，直接走暂停规则放行，把众议院手里的筹码全送光了。

你看这四件事，每一件都踩在最实在的利益上。
议员自己的钱袋子、年轻人的学贷成本、餐桌上的食品安全，还有大选的选民规则。
每一项在底层选民里都有极强的穿透力，可在国会领导层的算盘上，全成了私下妥协的筹码。

期中选举丢掉多数党席位之后，这种矛盾彻底公开化了。
斯卡利斯与吉姆·乔丹这一票，投的并不只是谁坐进少数党办公室。
它决定了国会共和党在遭遇挫败之后，到底继续按老规矩在内部妥协做交易，还是转向兑现草根选民的民生承诺。
如果连议员炒股都不敢碰、关键法案带头退让，到了 2028 年，选民凭什么再把票投回来？

[Teamsters @Teamsters]

🚨 BIG NEWS ALERT 🚨

2,500 nurses across four hospitals at Endeavor Health in Illinois have filed for an election to join the Teamsters.

[Damaan, AKA 'Philly's Finest!' @Damaan4u33]

Rubio: "Ultimately, our job is to execute on the president's orders; in the end, the decision is the president's; ultimately, our job in this administration is to execute on his direction!"

They're scampering just like the rats they are! 🐀

[Willie Ross Jr. Knee Deep @RossKneeDeep]

Without a doubt.

[Perry Snider @MikeGolf86]

@daviddunn177 Who cares he has done nothing in his entire time in politics so in essence a totally inefficient leader. Can’t handle it another loser

[Evan @daviddunn177]

Jim Jordan, who predictably said nothing as Ohio State wrestlers were being molested by their team doctor, will be the new House GOP Minority Leader.

[Perry Snider @MikeGolf86]

@Jurgen80048425 Of course just another illegal scam

[Jürgen .. 🌎❤️ @Jurgen80048425]

Should Congress conduct an investigation into Barron’s crypto scams? 🤔

[Perry Snider @MikeGolf86]

@Suzierizzo1 Sorry never heard of him. Zero impact in my opinion. Time for new blood that will take us forward

[Suzie rizzio @Suzierizzo1]

Senator Chris Van Hollen is now considering making a run against Chuck Schumer for Senate Minority leader. What do you think?

[💙Brittney💙 @AZ_Brittney]

Trump attacked Kaitlan Collins again and he actually had the nerve to call her a loser.

Calling anyone a “loser” the week his party lost the House AND the Senate is wild.

I stand with Kaitlan 💯

[Perry Snider @MikeGolf86]

@LucasSa56947288 Didn’t work for the Nazis. Send him to The Hague and then prison for life

[Lucas Sanders 👊🏽🔥🇺🇸 @LucasSa56947288]

Pete Hegseth notes that everything he did was "ordered by the commander in chief"

(Basically he was just following orders, right)