It still is. It’s one of those lovely old cities in Central Europe. Unfortunately the shadows of the communist repression is still influencing their many societies. I hope the people of Hungary eventually will be truly free.

My daughter is in Budapest right now on vacation. Really good vibes on the streets.

Yes Gotland is special but certainly not unique. There are several other places in the Baltic area that have similar qualities. Bornholm is fantastic, Åland and Blekinge Archipelagos etc. Every archipelago area have its own charm. I’m fortunate enough to get to know them all.

Just briefly when I visited Fårösunds Fästning for work. I’ve spent weeks exploring every bay and beach around Gotland with my sailboat and 20 years circling around Gotland with naval ships. So I know the coastline quite well…😅

Fårö is lovely. Here at anchor off Sudersand.

Who knows. Could it be JFK JR:s brain worm? In a normal world we would exclude everyone above the age of eight who lives outside institutions.

We live in a post truth society where facts seems like just another interpretation of reality. Is this the logical conclusion of the constructivists endeavour?

Indeed.

Europe is even more complicated. I kind of like it. The world is a complicated place. Trying to simplify to much is normally not useful. I tried to describe the bond between Finland and Sweden to an American. Finland have been a part of Sweden 3 times American history. Sweden was once an empire etc.

This is not a partisan problem as this development have progressed for decades. Higher education almost reserved for the already privileged. Healthcare etc. To be able to take risk in life you have to your basic needs met, now instead you’ll end up frustrated and angry (MAGA).

I’m a fascinated watcher of American politics and society. US have tremendous wealth and fantastic opportunities. But my best analysis of the root of the American problem is the inability to evenly distribute this to the population. The American dream is an practice dead for most Americans.

And as it is a cult of personality it by definition can never be the great leaders fault.

Good point. From my European perspective it seems like a wast majority of the MAGA crowd have voted against their best interest. We see the same phenomena at home were populist uses a few popular culturewar items to push policy against their voters interest… and then blame someone else.

Another observation I’ve made is that I’ve not yet seen a black ICE agent. As a matter of statistic it should have been plenty.

Yes. I think it is the space required for the VLS cells for long range SAMs that is the critical factor. The flip side of this is that these ships inevitably get fewer and more prioritised targets. The terrain in the Baltic Sea makes it favourable to complement with landbased or distributed assets.

In order to establish and exercise sea control in the Baltic Sea I think you will need a few ships that are able to survive in a contested battlespace. They must of course be complemented with unmanned, smaller warships, drones and missiles.

Saw this text from Snyder on the other place. Sums it up nicely.

Iran doesn’t care much for international law. But undermining it should be a concern for Iran and the rest of us. It would have been a positive sign if ANYONE actually tried to make a legal case for it. Not just ignoring it. Powell, everything is forgotten. youtu.be/DhWlPo3qxak?...

I think the rationale for a larger warship is solid even even if I agree we need to diversify and build smaller and unmanned as well. The task for NATO in the Baltic Sea is to attain sea control to a degree to sustain SLOC to the Baltic states and to Finland. That requires larger ships with SAMs.