In my last post about our dismal state of affairs, I got a comment shooting out a link, and I read it this morning. Here's a money quote.

As a former head of the Warsaw Pact forces in the Swiss strategic intelligence service, I observe with sadness—but not astonishment—that our services are no longer able to understand the military situation in Ukraine. The self-proclaimed “experts” who parade on our screens tirelessly relay the same information modulated by the claim that Russia—and Vladimir Putin—is irrational. Let’s take a step back.

OK, but who the fuck is he and who should care? Easy.

Jacques Baud is a former colonel of the General Staff, ex-member of the Swiss strategic intelligence, specialist on Eastern countries. He was trained in the American and British intelligence services. He has served as Policy Chief for United Nations Peace Operations. As a UN expert on rule of law and security institutions, he designed and led the first multidimensional UN intelligence unit in the Sudan. He has worked for the African Union and was for 5 years responsible for the fight, at NATO, against the proliferation of small arms. He was involved in discussions with the highest Russian military and intelligence officials just after the fall of the USSR. Within NATO, he followed the 2014 Ukrainian crisis and later participated in programs to assist the Ukraine. He is the author of several books on intelligence, war and terrorism, in particular Le Détournement published by SIGEST, Gouverner par les fake news, L’affaire Navalny. His latest book is Poutine, maître du jeu?

Oh, my. Almost sounds a little more expert than the retired colonels and generals supplementing their retirement pay through "expert" bla bla and yak yak appearances on Fox, CNN, and MSNBC. Incidentally, as a former US Navy officer I can't get through a single guest appearance by any of them ever. I know high-ranking military officer bullshit-speak when I hear it. I only ever knew one single flag-officer in 8 years I didn't think was mostly a liar and mostly full of bullshit most of the time. They're politicians. That's how they get there when it's not no-shit war.

Well, might as well mention the one dude who was straight-up mensch. Henry H. Mauz.

Henry Herrward Mauz Jr. (born May 4, 1936) is a retired United States Navy admiral and the former Commander in Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet from 1992 to 1994.

After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1959, Mauz went on to serve in Vietnam, operating river patrol boats along the Mekong Delta. He went on to command a minesweeper, USS Prime (MSO-466), the guided missile destroyer USS Semmes (DDG-18), and the guided missile cruiser USS England (CG-22) (1980–1982).

Mauz served as commander of the United States Seventh Fleet from 1988 to 1990, and in August 1990 assumed command of all United States Naval forces in the Persian Gulf.

Mauz retired from active duty in 1994 as Commander-in-Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet. A 1965 graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, he was President of the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation, and currently serves on its board. Mauz's education includes the Naval Academy, Naval War College, a graduate degree in electrical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Business Administration from Auburn University.

Well, I know a lot of flag-officer resumes read similarly but personally, Mauz was different. Perhaps it was because he maybe could have been a pro golfer instead. He had a 3 handicap, and this is when I knew him in his 50s (US Seventh Fleet Staff).

People are so prone to authority figures. And it's pathetic and fucking stupid. Here's the real hierarchy:

1. Solid record of being right and producing important results that are obvious and can be accounted for with math
2. Job titles held
3. Degrees held

And 3 and 4 are entirely superfluous because only #1 matters, and 2 and 3 are not prerequisites. Fuck off already about this. It's really fucking sad that we live in a world were #1 real results are only taken seriously if 2 and 3 are prominent. I know we all fall prey to its seduction.

...For another quick diversion before I get to the meat course, fucking Alex Berenson. A lefty, former NYT reporter, author of some books, etc. He's one of the few lefties with credentials that went after the Covid scam. He wrote a book, Pandemia: How Coronavirus Hysteria Took Over Our Government, Rights, and Lives, published last November and has been a top seller in spite of zero media attention or marketing from his publisher. I haven't read it, but I know a couple who have and who give it high marks. Here's a review by a German academic. In short, Berenson's stuff on Covid has been narrative smashing and that's what's important.