David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
@dburbach.bsky.social
Prof. National Security and International Relations. Space security, civil-military relations. Cats, science, photography for fun. Providence RI; Oregon at heart! Personal views ONLY; no govt resources used. Assoc Ed @TNSR.org
Pinned
David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
@dburbach.bsky.social
· Oct 19
My pinned tweet through Presidents of both parties: Sen. Leahy reminds an appointee that federal employees swear an oath to the Constitution, not of personal loyalty to any one man or woman.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlSI...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlSI...
For what it is worth, and I have nothing but general knowledge, Ft Bliss is the main hub for air defense systems, including testing and training exercises. Those do not normally close a major civilian passenger airport on no notice, though
February 11, 2026 at 1:27 PM
For what it is worth, and I have nothing but general knowledge, Ft Bliss is the main hub for air defense systems, including testing and training exercises. Those do not normally close a major civilian passenger airport on no notice, though
Reposted by David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
We have received numerous credible reports of torture, killing, and inhumane treatment of detained individuals at the Camp East Montana migrant detention facility, located within Fort Bliss. #txlege
February 10, 2026 at 6:47 PM
We have received numerous credible reports of torture, killing, and inhumane treatment of detained individuals at the Camp East Montana migrant detention facility, located within Fort Bliss. #txlege
1. ICE is saying REAL ID licences don't count
2. I routinely go for walks without my wallet
3. "If you have have your papers why do you care" is an unamerican response to becoming an 'Ihre Papiere, bitte' society
2. I routinely go for walks without my wallet
3. "If you have have your papers why do you care" is an unamerican response to becoming an 'Ihre Papiere, bitte' society
Markwayne Mullin defends "show me your papers": "If you're here legally, there's nothing to hide. Most people already are walking around with a government-issued ID, meaning your Real ID or your driver's license. If you go board a train here, you gotta show your ID."
February 11, 2026 at 1:13 PM
1. ICE is saying REAL ID licences don't count
2. I routinely go for walks without my wallet
3. "If you have have your papers why do you care" is an unamerican response to becoming an 'Ihre Papiere, bitte' society
2. I routinely go for walks without my wallet
3. "If you have have your papers why do you care" is an unamerican response to becoming an 'Ihre Papiere, bitte' society
Slightly misleading phrasing as directive seems to be to buy coal-generated electricity rather than DOD making giant coal piles, but in my opinion still misguided and bad for national security and the taxpayers
Trump to direct Pentagon to buy coal to revive industry, Bloomberg News says reut.rs/46vkQiO
Trump to direct Pentagon to buy coal to revive industry, Bloomberg News says
U.S. President Donald Trump is set to direct the Pentagon to use government funding and Pentagon contracts to sustain U.S. coal-fired power plants, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing a White House official.
reut.rs
February 11, 2026 at 12:17 PM
Slightly misleading phrasing as directive seems to be to buy coal-generated electricity rather than DOD making giant coal piles, but in my opinion still misguided and bad for national security and the taxpayers
Reposted by David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
the rollout of the mRNA vaccines was one of the greatest public health triumphs in history and the end result has been the all-around triumph of the antivax movement and I will never get over it
I genuinely cannot believe the degree to which we are pissing away this generational breakthrough, even given the fuckmuppets who are involved www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
FDA declines to review Moderna's mRNA flu shot
Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Food and Drug Administration has taken an aggressive stance against mRNA technology.
www.nbcnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:22 AM
the rollout of the mRNA vaccines was one of the greatest public health triumphs in history and the end result has been the all-around triumph of the antivax movement and I will never get over it
What in the world? This isn't just drones, this cancels all airline and cargo flights into a big city for 10 days on no notice, stranding people, also grounds local police and air ambulance helicopters. @jfallows.bsky.social ?
Late last night, the FAA announced a ban on all air travel over El Paso, Texas for the next ten days. No flights in or out until Feb. 20th. They offered no explanation.
This seems really bad. It hasn't happened since 9/11.
elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/u...
This seems really bad. It hasn't happened since 9/11.
elpasomatters.org/2026/02/11/u...
El Paso, New Mexico airspace closed by FAA without explanation; flights restricted under national defense noticeWithout explanation, FAA closes El Paso and New Mexico airspace for 10 days, cites natio...
The Federal Aviation Administration has closed airspace over El Paso and parts of southern New Mexico for 10 days under a national defense designation, offering no explanation for the rare move.An une...
elpasomatters.org
February 11, 2026 at 11:21 AM
What in the world? This isn't just drones, this cancels all airline and cargo flights into a big city for 10 days on no notice, stranding people, also grounds local police and air ambulance helicopters. @jfallows.bsky.social ?
NASA: does the crew oxygen work yet?
Elon: SATELLITE FACTORY WILL LOOK LIKE A GIANT CYBERTRUCK
NASA: have you tested if a landing leg hits a rock?
Elon: GROK, AM I KING OF THE MOON?
NASA:
Elon: CRATERS ARE LIKE INSIDE OUT BOOBIES
Elon: SATELLITE FACTORY WILL LOOK LIKE A GIANT CYBERTRUCK
NASA: have you tested if a landing leg hits a rock?
Elon: GROK, AM I KING OF THE MOON?
NASA:
Elon: CRATERS ARE LIKE INSIDE OUT BOOBIES
get in loser we’re going to the moon www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/t...
Elon Musk Wants to Build an A.I. Satellite Factory on the Moon
www.nytimes.com
February 11, 2026 at 3:18 AM
NASA: does the crew oxygen work yet?
Elon: SATELLITE FACTORY WILL LOOK LIKE A GIANT CYBERTRUCK
NASA: have you tested if a landing leg hits a rock?
Elon: GROK, AM I KING OF THE MOON?
NASA:
Elon: CRATERS ARE LIKE INSIDE OUT BOOBIES
Elon: SATELLITE FACTORY WILL LOOK LIKE A GIANT CYBERTRUCK
NASA: have you tested if a landing leg hits a rock?
Elon: GROK, AM I KING OF THE MOON?
NASA:
Elon: CRATERS ARE LIKE INSIDE OUT BOOBIES
Reposted by David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
Three different rockets on pads at Cape Canaveral at once, two of them two different crewed spacecraft! Is that a record?
Artemis 2 for Moon (39B), Vulcan with Space Force satellite (41), Crew 12 to ISS (40). And SpaceX has two Starlink waiting for pad 40 as quickly as they can turn it around.
Artemis 2 for Moon (39B), Vulcan with Space Force satellite (41), Crew 12 to ISS (40). And SpaceX has two Starlink waiting for pad 40 as quickly as they can turn it around.
Falcon 9 and Dragon on pad 40 for the Crew 12 mission aiming to launch on Friday (in the last 10 days its launch has gone 14th, 11th, 12th, 13th 🤷♂️)
February 11, 2026 at 1:20 AM
Three different rockets on pads at Cape Canaveral at once, two of them two different crewed spacecraft! Is that a record?
Artemis 2 for Moon (39B), Vulcan with Space Force satellite (41), Crew 12 to ISS (40). And SpaceX has two Starlink waiting for pad 40 as quickly as they can turn it around.
Artemis 2 for Moon (39B), Vulcan with Space Force satellite (41), Crew 12 to ISS (40). And SpaceX has two Starlink waiting for pad 40 as quickly as they can turn it around.
Did we have confirmation (in canon) before that Star Fleet has senior-level PME? Do CDR Spacemander and RedshirtDort poast about how woke it is all day long?
February 11, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Did we have confirmation (in canon) before that Star Fleet has senior-level PME? Do CDR Spacemander and RedshirtDort poast about how woke it is all day long?
This isn't going to win any contests but it beats clearing snow in Rhode Island 🚀😃
February 11, 2026 at 12:54 AM
This isn't going to win any contests but it beats clearing snow in Rhode Island 🚀😃
The hugely popular "Killology" -- yes, really -- training materials used by many law enforcement agencies tells cops you'll never fuck your wife better than the night after you kill someone.
in a text string after the shooting, a fellow agent told Exum he's a "legend"
"Beers on me"
"Beers on me"
February 11, 2026 at 12:34 AM
The hugely popular "Killology" -- yes, really -- training materials used by many law enforcement agencies tells cops you'll never fuck your wife better than the night after you kill someone.
Insanity. Insanity that will kill people. For what???
"At the heart of the dispute is what existing influenza vaccine Moderna should have used as a control when testing the efficacy of its new shot, which utilizes the same mRNA technology the company’s used in its Covid-19 vaccine."
www.statnews.com/2026/02/10/f...
www.statnews.com/2026/02/10/f...
FDA refuses to review Moderna’s influenza vaccine
FDA refuses to review Moderna’s influenza vaccine, which could raise concerns about the agency’s posture toward vaccines and drug approvals more generally.
www.statnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 12:19 AM
Insanity. Insanity that will kill people. For what???
Palantir literally recruits with a "save Western civilization" slogan and warns that college is woke, so if Palantir's own employees are rebelling... Sheesh
SCOOP: Tensions at Palantir have grown in recent weeks over the company's work with ICE.
On Friday, CEO Alex Karp tried to calm concerns in an hourlong video that offered few specifics—instead offering NDAs to workers who want to understand how it's empowering ICE.
www.wired.com/story/palant...
On Friday, CEO Alex Karp tried to calm concerns in an hourlong video that offered few specifics—instead offering NDAs to workers who want to understand how it's empowering ICE.
www.wired.com/story/palant...
Palantir CEO Alex Karp Recorded a Video About ICE for His Employees
In a video shared with Palantir employees, Alex Karp did not explain how ICE is utilizing the company's products. Instead, workers were told they can sign NDAs if they want detailed information.
www.wired.com
February 10, 2026 at 8:45 PM
Palantir literally recruits with a "save Western civilization" slogan and warns that college is woke, so if Palantir's own employees are rebelling... Sheesh
Reposted by David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
A simple proposal for federal judges frustrated that Trump Regime isn’t freeing people in response to habeas corpus orders:
Order that DHS bring each individual to court for their habeas hearing. If the judge grants habeas, the petitioner walks out free.
Bonus: huge pre-hearing burden on feds.
Order that DHS bring each individual to court for their habeas hearing. If the judge grants habeas, the petitioner walks out free.
Bonus: huge pre-hearing burden on feds.
February 10, 2026 at 12:17 PM
A simple proposal for federal judges frustrated that Trump Regime isn’t freeing people in response to habeas corpus orders:
Order that DHS bring each individual to court for their habeas hearing. If the judge grants habeas, the petitioner walks out free.
Bonus: huge pre-hearing burden on feds.
Order that DHS bring each individual to court for their habeas hearing. If the judge grants habeas, the petitioner walks out free.
Bonus: huge pre-hearing burden on feds.
Navy pushing back on Combatant Command requests for forces is probably a good thing. Not every problem needs a carrier strike group.
www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...
www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...
Navy leader wants to move faster, leaner instead of turning to carriers in crisis
Adm. Daryl Caudle wants to convince commanders to use smaller, newer assets for missions instead of consistently turning to huge aircraft carriers.
www.militarytimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:39 PM
Navy pushing back on Combatant Command requests for forces is probably a good thing. Not every problem needs a carrier strike group.
www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...
www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...
At some point the claims are so ludicrous you almost give him a bit of credit for lulz. Is this ice hockey thing purely because he imagines that will rile up Canadians or is there actually some maga thing going around about Mao banning it in the Sino Soviet split?
Trump, in the middle of his latest unhinged Truth Social screed, claims that if Canada makes a trade deal with China, "the first thing China will do is terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup."
February 10, 2026 at 11:54 AM
At some point the claims are so ludicrous you almost give him a bit of credit for lulz. Is this ice hockey thing purely because he imagines that will rile up Canadians or is there actually some maga thing going around about Mao banning it in the Sino Soviet split?
Reposted by David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
Hegseth, among others, is using the school as a punching bag to express the generic social anxiety and status-based resentment that drives much of the MAGA movement.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Pete Hegseth’s Attack on Harvard
The anger at the Ivy League is about status envy, not war-fighting.
www.theatlantic.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:08 PM
Hegseth, among others, is using the school as a punching bag to express the generic social anxiety and status-based resentment that drives much of the MAGA movement.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
33 minutes from opening the Lyft app at my house to sitting at my airport gate, not bad.
For the traffic it has its impressive how compact PVD feels. "Across the street from Wendys" is a reasonable direction to the terminal
For the traffic it has its impressive how compact PVD feels. "Across the street from Wendys" is a reasonable direction to the terminal
February 10, 2026 at 11:08 AM
33 minutes from opening the Lyft app at my house to sitting at my airport gate, not bad.
For the traffic it has its impressive how compact PVD feels. "Across the street from Wendys" is a reasonable direction to the terminal
For the traffic it has its impressive how compact PVD feels. "Across the street from Wendys" is a reasonable direction to the terminal
This is not good. Trump ordering CIA and other agencies to share anything and everything -- SCI at a minimum -- with a private attorney 'investigating' 2020, a guy with about as much credibility and professionalism as Sydney Powell. Great.
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
Trump’s ‘Stop the Steal’ lawyer probing 2020 election fraud has access to sensitive US intel
Top U.S. intelligence agencies are cooperating with Kurt Olsen, who worked with Trump to undermine the results of the 2020 election.
www.politico.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:57 AM
This is not good. Trump ordering CIA and other agencies to share anything and everything -- SCI at a minimum -- with a private attorney 'investigating' 2020, a guy with about as much credibility and professionalism as Sydney Powell. Great.
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
Reposted by David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
An underrated good the next Democratic administration could do with virtually zero actual political blowback from voters would be to come in with anti-trust laws like a wrecking ball and break up media and tech companies. It would fuck up The Other Side, too.
Brendan Carr is also very excited for more local broadcast TV consolidation at the hands of the right wing!
You know, to improve competition, something Carr (who has rubber stamped every desire media and telecom giants have ever had) genuinely cares about
You know, to improve competition, something Carr (who has rubber stamped every desire media and telecom giants have ever had) genuinely cares about
February 9, 2026 at 4:40 PM
An underrated good the next Democratic administration could do with virtually zero actual political blowback from voters would be to come in with anti-trust laws like a wrecking ball and break up media and tech companies. It would fuck up The Other Side, too.
SpaceX to focus on Moon settlements instead of Mars?!? Wow, it is hard to overstate what a change -- what a climb-down -- this is for Musk. It has always been Mars for him. Full stop. Supposedly the goal behind *everything* he does.
February 9, 2026 at 2:53 AM
SpaceX to focus on Moon settlements instead of Mars?!? Wow, it is hard to overstate what a change -- what a climb-down -- this is for Musk. It has always been Mars for him. Full stop. Supposedly the goal behind *everything* he does.
Reposted by David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
Hahaha OK that's pretty good.
February 8, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Hahaha OK that's pretty good.
Reposted by David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹
The *best version* of the Epstein scandal is that a wide swathe of American elites was palling around with a known child predator and explicit eugenicist for years on end — and is now closing ranks to downplay the severity of his crimes and their own complicity.
February 8, 2026 at 10:44 PM
The *best version* of the Epstein scandal is that a wide swathe of American elites was palling around with a known child predator and explicit eugenicist for years on end — and is now closing ranks to downplay the severity of his crimes and their own complicity.
This emerging excuse of "everyone but Epstein had sex only with girls who were 18+" is rather at odds with the accounts from victims of, you know, being given to men other than Epstein? You have to say they're all lying, not just that the emails don't explicitly talk about minors
Last week the far right started peddling a narrative that the outrage over Epstein is a moral panic. Today, like clockwork, a more polite version of that narrative appears in the Atlantic.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
February 8, 2026 at 11:11 PM
This emerging excuse of "everyone but Epstein had sex only with girls who were 18+" is rather at odds with the accounts from victims of, you know, being given to men other than Epstein? You have to say they're all lying, not just that the emails don't explicitly talk about minors