John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
@johnridge.bsky.social
Physics | Weapons Systems | National Security | Foreign Policy | Arms Exports | Security Assistance | Tochnyi Contributor | Donate to Liberty Ukraine Foundation
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Seems there is a post-election exodus from the other app.
I’m haven’t decided on the disposition of my social media.
Given U.S. security assistance to Ukraine is likely to be terminated come January 20, I’m debating the future value of my Twitter account.
I’m haven’t decided on the disposition of my social media.
Given U.S. security assistance to Ukraine is likely to be terminated come January 20, I’m debating the future value of my Twitter account.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
The pathologies of the key players all laid bare in this rancid farce. Trump, the rapist, can't take hearing "no". Miller, the impotent rapist and would-be strangler, masks his impotence with frothing at the mouth tough guy posturing. Vance, the husk who sold his own soul, lying like it's breathing.
These fucking psychopaths are going to destroy NATO. I swear to fucking god.
TAPPER: Can you rule out the US is going to take Greenland by force?
MILLER: Greenland should be part of the US. By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? The US is the power of NATO
T: So force is on the table?
M: Nobody is gonna fight the US militarily over future of Greenland
MILLER: Greenland should be part of the US. By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? The US is the power of NATO
T: So force is on the table?
M: Nobody is gonna fight the US militarily over future of Greenland
January 5, 2026 at 11:45 PM
The pathologies of the key players all laid bare in this rancid farce. Trump, the rapist, can't take hearing "no". Miller, the impotent rapist and would-be strangler, masks his impotence with frothing at the mouth tough guy posturing. Vance, the husk who sold his own soul, lying like it's breathing.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
White House has filed its War Powers report for the attack on Venezuela.
I used to help draft these reports and this is an unusual specimen.
It promotes a number of political narratives, including about the attack being a "law enforcement operation" and framing Maduro as a "narco-terrorist." 1/n
I used to help draft these reports and this is an unusual specimen.
It promotes a number of political narratives, including about the attack being a "law enforcement operation" and framing Maduro as a "narco-terrorist." 1/n
January 6, 2026 at 1:21 AM
White House has filed its War Powers report for the attack on Venezuela.
I used to help draft these reports and this is an unusual specimen.
It promotes a number of political narratives, including about the attack being a "law enforcement operation" and framing Maduro as a "narco-terrorist." 1/n
I used to help draft these reports and this is an unusual specimen.
It promotes a number of political narratives, including about the attack being a "law enforcement operation" and framing Maduro as a "narco-terrorist." 1/n
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
Yes, I've been screaming it from the rooftops (including, more quietly, in the parts of my professional life that include European partners). The Vance Bloc is actively, rabidly hostile to NATO and gets off to the idea of doing an injury to the Atlantic liberal alliance so shocking, so repugnant...
what a lot of people don’t understand is that there is a good chance that the higher echelons of the fascist administration is majority staffed with anti-NATO groypers and christian nationalists. This is an additional positive to invading Greenland, not a negative.
DENMARK SAYS US ATTACK ON GREENLAND WOULD MEAN END OF NATO
January 5, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Yes, I've been screaming it from the rooftops (including, more quietly, in the parts of my professional life that include European partners). The Vance Bloc is actively, rabidly hostile to NATO and gets off to the idea of doing an injury to the Atlantic liberal alliance so shocking, so repugnant...
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
Incredibly disturbing things coming out about our president's continued aggression towards Denmark and Greenland. The Europeans are taking this seriously. Even Orban. Will we take it seriously too or will we wake up to discover that a cabal of corrupt child rapists has destroyed NATO?
LIVE: Storpolitisk drama mellem USA, Danmark og Grønland
www.dr.dk
January 5, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Incredibly disturbing things coming out about our president's continued aggression towards Denmark and Greenland. The Europeans are taking this seriously. Even Orban. Will we take it seriously too or will we wake up to discover that a cabal of corrupt child rapists has destroyed NATO?
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
Norms and international law *do* matter but they mostly matter for building and keeping coalitions. It is profoundly naive to think that any of the free world's enemies (ESPECIALLY Russia and China) feel restrained by them. They are happy to quote them against hostile coalitions, though.
Leftist IR is basically identical to the SovCit understanding of domestic law. It’s all a series of magic spells and the people with the best incantations are the most powerful.
I've seen a million posts like this but that's just not how international politics works. What really matters is power, not credibility or moral consistency. If Xi Jinping thinks he can successfully invade Taiwan at acceptable cost, he will do it
January 4, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Norms and international law *do* matter but they mostly matter for building and keeping coalitions. It is profoundly naive to think that any of the free world's enemies (ESPECIALLY Russia and China) feel restrained by them. They are happy to quote them against hostile coalitions, though.
Basically where I am at right now, tbqh
January 4, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Basically where I am at right now, tbqh
For what it’s worth, I think it’s possible to extract a net win from this situation. European statements are almost all supportive, which is good I suppose.
It’s largely a question of whether the Trump WH can land it, which I am obviously not confident in.
It’s largely a question of whether the Trump WH can land it, which I am obviously not confident in.
I am mostly reserving judgement on Venezuela while things develop. But my initial thoughts.
1) Maduro’s rendition probably doesn’t advance any U.S. foreign policy objectives, per se.
2) It invites significant reputational damage.
3) The WH doesn’t appear to have planned beyond this point.
1) Maduro’s rendition probably doesn’t advance any U.S. foreign policy objectives, per se.
2) It invites significant reputational damage.
3) The WH doesn’t appear to have planned beyond this point.
January 4, 2026 at 12:02 AM
For what it’s worth, I think it’s possible to extract a net win from this situation. European statements are almost all supportive, which is good I suppose.
It’s largely a question of whether the Trump WH can land it, which I am obviously not confident in.
It’s largely a question of whether the Trump WH can land it, which I am obviously not confident in.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
These online right wing freaks don't just hate their own country in the abstract. If you are reading this here, they hate *you* specifically. I don't know what our future holds for living with these people, but people should remember that toleration in Europe started behind a sword and a shield.
January 3, 2026 at 9:36 PM
These online right wing freaks don't just hate their own country in the abstract. If you are reading this here, they hate *you* specifically. I don't know what our future holds for living with these people, but people should remember that toleration in Europe started behind a sword and a shield.
I am mostly reserving judgement on Venezuela while things develop. But my initial thoughts.
1) Maduro’s rendition probably doesn’t advance any U.S. foreign policy objectives, per se.
2) It invites significant reputational damage.
3) The WH doesn’t appear to have planned beyond this point.
1) Maduro’s rendition probably doesn’t advance any U.S. foreign policy objectives, per se.
2) It invites significant reputational damage.
3) The WH doesn’t appear to have planned beyond this point.
January 3, 2026 at 9:32 PM
I am mostly reserving judgement on Venezuela while things develop. But my initial thoughts.
1) Maduro’s rendition probably doesn’t advance any U.S. foreign policy objectives, per se.
2) It invites significant reputational damage.
3) The WH doesn’t appear to have planned beyond this point.
1) Maduro’s rendition probably doesn’t advance any U.S. foreign policy objectives, per se.
2) It invites significant reputational damage.
3) The WH doesn’t appear to have planned beyond this point.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
President Zelenskyy on Maduro:
What can I say here? If this can be done to dictators, like that, then the United States of America know what they should do next.
What can I say here? If this can be done to dictators, like that, then the United States of America know what they should do next.
January 3, 2026 at 6:37 PM
President Zelenskyy on Maduro:
What can I say here? If this can be done to dictators, like that, then the United States of America know what they should do next.
What can I say here? If this can be done to dictators, like that, then the United States of America know what they should do next.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
I am really not used to Rubio looking and sounding this unhinged in pressers tbh. Just another weird detail in a bad, weird event.
January 3, 2026 at 5:39 PM
I am really not used to Rubio looking and sounding this unhinged in pressers tbh. Just another weird detail in a bad, weird event.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
Told ya we were just running Operation Just Because. With no clue as to why the original Just Cause went off smoothly, with little domestic or international pushback.
New: Trump administration officials are internally pointing to a 1989 legal opinion and the subsequent US invasion of Panama as precedent to justify the operation that was carried out in Venezuela on Friday night without US congressional authorization, per 3 sources.
January 3, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Told ya we were just running Operation Just Because. With no clue as to why the original Just Cause went off smoothly, with little domestic or international pushback.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
Never forget that the Realists, especially but not exclusively the offensive realists, have predicted 9 of the last 2 nuclear proliferants and 7 of the last zero great power wars, in the post-Cold War era. They're idiots. You can just say that.
an annoying thing about realists insisting they're the no-nonsense reality-based group is that few of their predictions have been based in reality
January 2, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Never forget that the Realists, especially but not exclusively the offensive realists, have predicted 9 of the last 2 nuclear proliferants and 7 of the last zero great power wars, in the post-Cold War era. They're idiots. You can just say that.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
Its insane this dude was the director of intelligence for CENTCOM, director of intelligence of the Joint Staff, director of intelligence for ISAF, and director of the DIA (under Obama)
1/ In a racist rant supported by a misleading graphic, Flynn proposes sending Obama “back to Africa” and suggests we “prosecute” Somalis on welfare.
December 28, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Its insane this dude was the director of intelligence for CENTCOM, director of intelligence of the Joint Staff, director of intelligence for ISAF, and director of the DIA (under Obama)
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
The reason he got there was patronage. The minute that patronage from McCrystal was gone, he was fired for incompetence.
The American officer corps not reconciling with how a guy like Flynn could reach the highest levels of American military intelligence is part of the reason we’re in this mess
December 28, 2025 at 9:29 PM
The reason he got there was patronage. The minute that patronage from McCrystal was gone, he was fired for incompetence.
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
This whole saga started back in 2023 when I told Konrad I had nothing against Merchant Mariners (they are indeed valuable people who do a tremendous amount of work) and he decided to pivot hard into this being some kind of underhanded antisemitism. His response was insane:
December 27, 2025 at 2:20 PM
This whole saga started back in 2023 when I told Konrad I had nothing against Merchant Mariners (they are indeed valuable people who do a tremendous amount of work) and he decided to pivot hard into this being some kind of underhanded antisemitism. His response was insane:
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
In Konrad’s latest installment, @thrustwr.bsky.social, myself, and Mike Black are apparently responsible for the cancellation of DDG(X).
lol lmao
lol lmao
December 25, 2025 at 3:42 AM
In Konrad’s latest installment, @thrustwr.bsky.social, myself, and Mike Black are apparently responsible for the cancellation of DDG(X).
lol lmao
lol lmao
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
It was entirely predictable but if Kamala D. Harris randomly conjured up a battleship on a wholly unrealistic timeline with weapons not actually in production with the same cost as a carrier, these guys would be hurling slurs not seen since reconstruction, instead it’s just:
December 24, 2025 at 5:55 PM
It was entirely predictable but if Kamala D. Harris randomly conjured up a battleship on a wholly unrealistic timeline with weapons not actually in production with the same cost as a carrier, these guys would be hurling slurs not seen since reconstruction, instead it’s just:
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
CENTCOM finds a way
December 20, 2025 at 2:51 AM
CENTCOM finds a way
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
I think the best parallel is the Iran-Iraq War. It’s a brutal slog between under equipped and exhausted conventional military forces that probably has no real bearing on how other contemporary conventional conflicts be will be fought.
Looking back through history, what war is most relevant for thinking about how the Ukraine war is going or a hypothetical Taiwan war? I’ve heard of people referring to the Ukraine War as “World War 1 with Blade Runner aesthetics” is that a fair characterization?
December 6, 2025 at 1:47 AM
I think the best parallel is the Iran-Iraq War. It’s a brutal slog between under equipped and exhausted conventional military forces that probably has no real bearing on how other contemporary conventional conflicts be will be fought.
Honest to god Landing Ship, Medium should be cancelled.
They should award F/A-XX, retain the first ten Constellation-class vessels, and begin design studies for a new FFG to succeed it
They should award F/A-XX, retain the first ten Constellation-class vessels, and begin design studies for a new FFG to succeed it
December 5, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Honest to god Landing Ship, Medium should be cancelled.
They should award F/A-XX, retain the first ten Constellation-class vessels, and begin design studies for a new FFG to succeed it
They should award F/A-XX, retain the first ten Constellation-class vessels, and begin design studies for a new FFG to succeed it
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
I think I would probably care a lot more about the National Security Strategy if we had an administration that actually cared about acting in line with their own stated policies
December 5, 2025 at 2:01 PM
I think I would probably care a lot more about the National Security Strategy if we had an administration that actually cared about acting in line with their own stated policies
Reposted by John Ridge 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼
Idk why I expected a navy seal to find a backbone tbh
A top admiral is expected to tell lawmakers tomorrow that he and his legal adviser concluded that the two survivors of a boat strike in September were attempting to continue their drug run, making them and the damaged vessel legitimate targets for another attack.
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Exclusive | Survivors of Boat Strike Were Actively Continuing Drug Mission, Admiral to Tell Lawmakers
Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, the commander of the September attack, is set to provide an account of his role for the first time in a closed briefing.
www.wsj.com
December 4, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Idk why I expected a navy seal to find a backbone tbh