/r/CredibleDefense

Photograph via snooOG

This is a forum dedicated to civil and informed discussion of military and defense issues and to bring better public understand of related topics. As such, our rules are more stringent than the typical subreddit.

  • Wiki Glossary of Common Terms and Abbreviations. (Request an addition)
  • General Rules

    • Strive to be informative, professional, gracious, and encouraging in your communications with other members here. Imagine writing to a superior in the Armed Forces, or a colleague in a think tank or major investigative journal.

    • This is not at all intended to be US centric; posts relating to other countries are highly encouraged.

    • No blind partisanship. We aim to study defense, not wage wars behind keyboards. Defense views from or about all countries are welcome so long as they are credible.

    • If you have experience in relevant fields, understand your limitations. Just because you work in the defense arena does not mean you are always correct.

    • Please refrain from linking the sub outside of here and a small number of other subs (LCD, NCD, War College, IR_Studies, NCDiplomacy, AskHistorians). This helps control site growth (especially limiting surges), and filters people toward those with a stronger interest.

    • No denial of war crimes or genocide.

    Comments

    • Should be substantive and contribute to discussion.

    • No image macros, GIFs, emojis or memes.

    • No AI-generated content.

    • Don’t be abrasive/insulting.

    • No one-liners, jokes, insults, shorthand, etc. Avoid excessive sarcasm or snark.

    • Sources are highly encouraged, but please do not link to low quality sources such as RT, New York Post, The National Interest, CGTN, etc. unless they serve a useful purpose.

    • Be polite and informative to others here, and remember that we should be able to disagree without being disagreeable.

    • Do not accuse or personally challenge others, rather ask them for sources and why they have their opinions.

    • Do not ask others their background as it is rude and not encouraging of others to have an open discussion.

    • Please do no not make irrelevant jokes, offtopic pun threads, use sarcasm, respond to a title of a piece without reading it, or in general make comments that adds nothing to the discussion. Please refrain from top-level jokes. Humor is appreciated, but it should be safe for a professional environment and infrequent.

    • Please do not blindly advocate for a side in a conflict, or a country in general. Surely there are many patriots here, but this is not the arena to fight those battles.

    • Asking questions in the comment section of a submission, or in a megathread, is a great way to start a conversation and learn.

    Submissions

    • Text posts only. This does not mean links are banned, rather, they should be submitted as part of the text post. Posts should not be quick updates or short term. They should hold up and be readable over time, so you will be glad that you read them months or years from now.

    • Links should go to credible, high quality sources (academia, government, think tanks), and the body should be a brief summary plus some comments on what makes it good or insightful.

    • Essays/Effortposts are encouraged. Essays/Effortposts are text posts you make which have an underlying thesis or attempt to synthesize information. They should cite sources, be well-written, and be relatively long. An example of an excellent effortpost is this.

    • Please use the original title of the work (or a descriptive title; de-editorializing/de-clickbaiting is acceptable), and possibly a sub headline.

    • Refrain from submissions that are quick updates in title form, troop movements, ship deployments, terrorist attacks, announcements, or the crisis du jour.

    • Discussions of opinion pieces by distinguished authors, historical research, and the research of warfare relating to national security issues is encouraged.

    • We are primarily a reading forum, so please no image macros, gifs, emojis or memes.

    • All posts will be manually approved by moderators.

    No Leaked Material

    • Please do not submit or otherwise link to classified material. And please take discussions of classified material to a more secure location.

    • In general avoid any information that will endanger anyone.

    Please report items which violate these rules. We don’t know about it unless you point it out.

    Credible Outlets

    We maintain lists of sources so that anyone can help to find interesting open source material to share. As outlets wax and wane in quality, please help us keep the list updated:

    https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/credibleoutlets

    /r/CredibleDefense

    91,351 Subscribers

    39

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 30, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    236 Comments
    2023/11/30
    13:00 UTC

    60

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 29, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    201 Comments
    2023/11/29
    13:00 UTC

    56

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 28, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    278 Comments
    2023/11/28
    13:00 UTC

    62

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 27, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    443 Comments
    2023/11/27
    13:01 UTC

    69

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 26, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    264 Comments
    2023/11/26
    13:00 UTC

    63

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 25, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    188 Comments
    2023/11/25
    13:00 UTC

    62

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 24, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    264 Comments
    2023/11/24
    13:00 UTC

    66

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 23, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    331 Comments
    2023/11/23
    13:00 UTC

    68

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 22, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    364 Comments
    2023/11/22
    13:00 UTC

    64

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 21, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    640 Comments
    2023/11/21
    13:00 UTC

    74

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 20, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    354 Comments
    2023/11/20
    13:01 UTC

    62

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 19, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    299 Comments
    2023/11/19
    13:00 UTC

    64

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 18, 2023

    The r/CredibleDefense daily megathread is for asking questions and posting submissions that would not fit the criteria of our post submissions. As such, submissions are less stringently moderated, but we still do keep an elevated guideline for comments.

    Comment guidelines:

    Please do:

    * Be curious not judgmental,

    * Be polite and civil,

    * Use the original title of the work you are linking to,

    * Use capitalization,

    * Link to the article or source of information that you are referring to,

    * Make it clear what is your opinion and from what the source actually says. Please minimize editorializing, please make your opinions clearly distinct from the content of the article or source, please do not cherry pick facts to support a preferred narrative,

    * Read the articles before you comment, and comment on the content of the articles,

    * Post only credible information

    * Contribute to the forum by finding and submitting your own credible articles,

    Please do not:

    * Use memes, emojis or swears excessively,

    * Use foul imagery,

    * Use acronyms like LOL, LMAO, WTF, /s, etc. excessively,

    * Start fights with other commenters,

    * Make it personal,

    * Try to out someone,

    * Try to push narratives, or fight for a cause in the comment section, or try to 'win the war,'

    * Engage in baseless speculation, fear mongering, or anxiety posting. Question asking is welcome and encouraged, but questions should focus on tangible issues and not groundless hypothetical scenarios. Before asking a question ask yourself 'How likely is this thing to occur.' Questions, like other kinds of comments, should be supported by evidence and must maintain the burden of credibility.

    Please read our in depth rules https://reddit.com/r/CredibleDefense/wiki/rules.

    Also please use the report feature if you want a comment to be reviewed faster. Don't abuse it though! If something is not obviously against the rules but you still feel that it should be reviewed, leave a short but descriptive comment while filing the report.

    277 Comments
    2023/11/18
    13:00 UTC

    5

    Rock(et) Blocked! Hamas redundant as an Iranian Proxy? [Diplomacy, deterrence, logistics and missile defense, oh my!]

    10 Comments
    2023/11/18
    10:21 UTC

    60

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 17, 2023

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    369 Comments
    2023/11/17
    13:00 UTC

    58

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 16, 2023

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    409 Comments
    2023/11/16
    13:00 UTC

    4

    Trench architecture in Ukraine

    When I was watching footage of the war in Ukraine, I noticed that the trenches are very "raw" - Usually they are just shallow ditches, without sandbag reinforcements, without any arrangements, with very shallow shelters, only a few meters underground. And I have this question, why? Reading the memoirs of World War I soldiers, the norm was at least drifts built up to 10 meters underground. Don't the Russians use such heavy weapons to make it necessary to make things so difficult? Digging on the battlefield is so dangerous that they can't be reinforced? Or is it just pointless, because a drone will still fly over your head and drop a bomb under your feet regardless of whether your trench is simply a hole in the ground or a concrete fortress?

    3 Comments
    2023/11/15
    20:55 UTC

    79

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 15, 2023

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    375 Comments
    2023/11/15
    13:00 UTC

    80

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 14, 2023

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    427 Comments
    2023/11/14
    13:00 UTC

    2

    I need help, 19 year old dude seeking advice.

    I’m completely lost in life, I’m currently a sophomore in math and science however my true passion has always had to do with studying war and everything about it. Anyone who has been gotten into the fields of military/intelligence/anything related to geopolitics, please share how you got there and how you suggest I do the same. Please let me know your genuine thoughts. Do you make enough to live comfortably?

    3 Comments
    2023/11/14
    01:46 UTC

    77

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 13, 2023

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    351 Comments
    2023/11/13
    13:01 UTC

    73

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 12, 2023

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    243 Comments
    2023/11/12
    13:00 UTC

    3

    Was the LCS program a temporary hiccup or a sign of decline?

    I can't imagine how a world superpower rapidly losing its lead to China would not be anywhere near okay (as a matter of fact I actually think the US navy storming and taking over the shipyards themselves would be fair) with such a disaster as was the LCS program.

    Does the USA quite literally not have any other choice but to use the shipyards it has? Why do our aircraft carriers and submarines still work perfectly well? Was it something entirely specific to the LCS program?

    China is putting out tremendous tonnage both submarines and surface vessels. The entire pacific theater seems pretty done to me if the trend of China learning and getting better while the USA forgets and worsens continues. Sure the USA can grit its teeth and decide the Pacific is done for and re-ignites its 1960s spirit and remembers South and Central America have a lot of resources too (and no nukes or navies to speak of).

    I said that last part in jest because we all know the USA has no intention of losing any part of the world's ocean as its area at the end of the day.

    3 Comments
    2023/11/12
    02:31 UTC

    2

    What marked the start of „modern warfare“?

    With the first world war marking the „popular“ start of industrial total warfare, what is your take on what marks the historical conflict, doctrine, situation, technology that started the era of „modern“ warfare?

    4 Comments
    2023/11/11
    23:25 UTC

    168

    In a 24 hour span between November 3rd & 4th, Pakistan lost 40-66 soldiers

    Firstly, in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, an IED planted inside a motorcycle exploded near a bus carrying police officers, killing 17 officers & some civilians. [Source]

    Secondly, in Pasni, Gwadar district, Balochistan Province, 14 soldiers were killed in an attack claimed by the Baloch Liberation Front. [Extreme NSFW video warning! Source]

    Thirdly, in Mianwali, Punjab Province, seven Tehreek Jihad Pakistan militants armed with American military gear including night vision & M16s, conducted a 12-hour raid on the Mianwali Airbase, resulting in multiple aircraft destroyed & a confirmed 9 soldiers killed, potentially up to 35 unconfirmed kills. [More details + Source] This comes after the acting defense minister of the Taliban government / Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan warned Pakistan to only sow what they can reap, referencing Pakistan's decision to deport 1.7 million+ Afghan refugees.

    The Tehreek Jihad Pakistan, a separate group from Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan, are rumored to be backed by the Kandahari faction of the Taliban, and are responsible for various high-profile attacks in Pakistan using American equipment, while the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan are seen less often with them (although they do have a fair amount) and are tied to the Haqqani network.

    Altogether, 40-66 soldiers were killed within a 24 hour span in Pakistan.

    For some context, close to Mianwali, Punjab, is Lakki Marwat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where civilians are raising militias due to the lack of control by the state's security & police forces, who have retreated to their bases and are too scared to patrol at night. The Pakistani Taliban doesn't have the manpower to openly control these areas, but neither does the govt of Pakistan, so large parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province is "contested" territory. Pakistan conducts near-zero kinetic action besides an IBO (intelligence based operation) here and there or an "encounter" where they execute some prisoners. Pakistan continues to not have a strategy to deal with the problem.

    Click here & scroll to the bottom for a MAP showing Lakki Marwat & Mianwali

    44 Comments
    2023/11/11
    20:01 UTC

    64

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 11, 2023

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    578 Comments
    2023/11/11
    13:00 UTC

    62

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 10, 2023

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    324 Comments
    2023/11/10
    13:00 UTC

    53

    The 2024 Geopolitical Reading List

    Hi all,

    We at Encyclopedia Geopolitica (the team behind the "How to get on a Watchlist" podcast) are thrilled to announce the release of our annual geopolitical reading list. The list includes books that the team and I feel are important to read to understand the geopolitical, security, and defence landscape of 2024.

    The list can be found here: https://encyclopediageopolitica.com/2023/11/10/the-2024-geopolitical-reading-list/

    As always, we'd be happy to answer any questions you may have on geopolitics, working in geopolitical analysis and security intelligence, and other related matters.

    Regards,

    Lewis

    6 Comments
    2023/11/10
    11:22 UTC

    0

    Economy, Autonomy, and Rethinking the Military

    Full Article: https://cepa.org/article/economy-autonomy-and-rethinking-the-military/

    • Companies are working on new systems to allow the mass use of autonomous systems. But getting them to the frontline will require fundamental changes.
    • The war in Ukraine has highlighted challenges around demography and geography for NATO's security due to declining birthrates reducing available manpower.
    • New technologies from startups and established companies are providing autonomous systems like drones that can help compensate by being comparatively cheap and easy to produce at scale.
    • Embracing autonomous systems on a massive scale will require fundamental changes to military procurement, logistics, organization, and recruitment/training to focus more on technology skills.
    • Industries are already ramping up production of precision weapons like artillery shells that can be guided with inexpensive kits. Programs are developing more advanced collaborating and loitering weapons.
    • The Ukrainian approach of highly mobile, dispersed units well supported by robotics and standoff fires provides a model for rethinking militaries around autonomy.
    • This will mean reducing investment in large, expensive platforms like capital ships in favor of robotic systems, as well as flatter command structures leveraging new technologies.
    1 Comment
    2023/11/09
    19:56 UTC

    68

    CredibleDefense Daily MegaThread November 09, 2023

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    475 Comments
    2023/11/09
    13:00 UTC

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