Ben Hodges
Former CG USArmyEurope, loves the Army Team, FSU football, and Braves baseball.
- Stunningly poor understanding by POTUS of the actual state of the war in Ukraine, of why Soldiers “who don’t have the cards” fight (see Vietnam, Afghanistan, American Revolution), and why Ukrainian success is important to American strategic interests.
- What a disgusting, ignorant, arrogant statement by the Secretary of Defense of the United States. Nobody trusts anything he says or does. That’s very dangerous for the US…we depend so much on our Allies. I served in Afghanistan in RC South 2009-2010 where thousands of Allies fought and many died.
- Very disappointing. Senior retired Generals should be speaking out in mass against POTUS, SecDef, and SecArmy for this disgusting spectacle at Fort Bragg. Army leadership must take a hard look inward to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Mark Milley tried to warn us and we apparently did learn.
- "A rich and increasingly powerful Poland, with the best and largest land army in Europe outside Ukraine, will need to assume a leadership role for which its history has not prepared it," writes @EliotACohen
- Thoughts and prayers for the Voters of Alabama…
- Alex Finley is always sharp, quick to the point, and comes with feasible, achievable recommendations. open.substack.com/pub/alexzfin...
- @alexzfinley.bsky.social is always worth reading! Russian Influence Operations and Victor in Trouble open.substack.com/pub/alexzfin...
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- More excellent analysis by @phillipspobrien.bsky.social Weekend Update #131: Was This The Week Putin Miscalculated? open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
- As ever…sobering analysis by @phillipspobrien. A Nothingburger Of Hope open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
- I agree with Minna…she’s smart and she’s right. Ukraine should not take a bad deal that doesnt meet their interests. They are actually winning on the battlefield, according to SACEUR Cavoli’s testimony in front of HASC and SASC…and the Russians will never live up to any agreement unless compelled.
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- Short yet compelling analysis by Alex Finley who knows what she's talking about. As Trump Courts Putin, Russians Keep Trying to Kill Americans open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...
- Exceptional analysis and clarity, as usual, by @phillipspobrien.bsky.social obrien.bsky.social The Trump/Putin Plan For Ukraine open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
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- Superb analysis and well-written as always. Trump Administration parroting Kremlin talking points. Ukraine should decide if and when it has elections, not the US or Russia. Otherwise why don’t we demand Russia holds a free and fair election as a condition for a settlement? Hahahahaha
- I hope the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania will reverse their similar bad decisions of last week canceling courses about Black Soldiers and Women in Combat.
- Thank goodness: after an outpouring of public dissent, Lackland reversed its terrible decision and will thankfully be teaching recruits about the Tuskegee airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots again. A reminder that we must always push back: www.expressnews.com/news/article...
- Huh? What’s woke about trying to clear old minefields from places where children and farmers need to move?
- Similar cancellations happened at the Army War College in Carlisle PA. Canx history courses about Black Soldiers and Women in Combat.
- The Air Force is stripping Tuskegee Airmen lessons from basic training curriculum because of our White supremacist government. Put that in a headline. www.expressnews.com/news/article...
- Thoughts and prayers for the Voters of middle Tennessee.
- Russia is much weaker now than a year ago. I hope President Trump will use this leverage to achieve a better outcome for Ukraine and for our own strategic interests, including deterrence of China.
- Hands in pockets…what an inspiration 🙄
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- The Court of Trump open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
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- No

- Not too cold for Bernie!
- Likely to be true of everyone of these Russian Shadow Fleet vessels. EU refers to them as "end of life" ships. Good enough reason to stop/inspect them all. Finnish Authorities Find Alarming Safety Deficiencies on Russian Tanker Suspected Cable Damage gcaptain.com/finnish-auth...
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- It should be about deterring China from trying what Russia has tried. Help Ukraine defeat Russia and the Chinese will see we have the political will and industrial capacity to stop them.
- Superb by Dr Rob Person. www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/why...
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- "The idea that the world is more complex now than in the 1970s and 1980s is, of course, horse-sh&t. Sullivan was presented with a world in which the US had very few security concerns as a nation and far greater freedom of action.” @PhillipsPOBrien open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
- The constant dooming about Ukraine by some well-known analysts, amplified by many media outlets, and taken for granted by the Biden Administration (now white-washing its failure) has been a gift to the Kremlin, undermining support for Ukraine. We are lucky Ukraine keeps fighting.
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- Reposted by Ben HodgesWhile we’re banning books… Finland is teaching children in school how to recognize fake news and propaganda as part of critical thinking and civic responsibility. Some of this will seem very familiar. Be. Like. Finland.
- Hard to imagine a worse idea for a negotiated outcome than what Sam Charap has proposed. It is a surrender document for Ukraine to Russia and does nothing for the strategic interests of the US or our Allies, let alone Ukraine. The Chinese will certainly note our lack of resolve.
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- Practical, clear-eyed, useful strategic assessment from President Zelensky. x.com/zelenskyyua/...
- International law, treaties ratified by the Senate, sovereignty, and other aspects of international rules-based order mean nothing to the incoming Administration? Will the Senate allow this? Hearings for Secretary of Sate-nominee Marco Rubio should dive into this. www.wsj.com/world/americ...
- Many more senior Russian Officers, especially those targeting Ukrainian cities, who should be taken off the board. They're combatants, responsible for the death of thousands of civilians. Weekend Update #112: Ukraine Strikes a Senior Russian Officer (Again). open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
- “Don’t waste your independence!” Powerful warning from Polish Hero of post-WWII #EdwardRaczynski. Unfortunately it feels as if we are wasting our Independence in our failure to adequately support Ukraine and Georgia and our failure to fully defend independence and democracy in our own countries.
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- Thoughts and prayers for the people of Alabama…
- Dear friends this account below is a fake account. I’ve reported it. Pls block and report as well. Sorry that you may have been bothered by someone impersonating me. Ben
- Diane Francis’ latest excellent piece about the US health care system will make you think. Manhattan Murder open.substack.com/pub/dianefra...
- Excellent by John Sipher and Michael Hayden about the importance of our intelligence services and the network of capabilities and trust-based international relationships required to protect our strategic interests. www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/o...
- Russia’s continuing disregard for international law should give pause to talk about negotiations with Ukraine. With fall of Assad regime, Russia will make a deal with someone else to keep this lucrative criminal activity going. Loss of their naval base in Tartus could be a real problem for Kremlin.