That's Not How It Works Redeaux

So I was having lunch with the wife today when she told me something that she had seen on TikTok that surprised and dismayed her.  (First clue that it's gonna be f'd up - it was on TikTok.)  She told me that someone had posted a video complaining about the United States sending M-1 Abrams Tanks to Ukraine, warning us that "THEY'RE DISARMING US!  DON'T YOU SEE THAT?"

Uh, no.  That's not how it works.

Let me address the obvious first - who, exactly, is "THEY?"  The Federal Government?  Really?  If you believe that, then I suggest your tinfoil hat is on a tad too tight.  And disarming us for what?  "WE," as in the American people, don't own or possess Abrams tanks - the Army does.  And if you're gonna say "CHINA," then let me redirect you to my previous comment regarding your tinfoil hat.

But the meat of the issue is the misunderstanding that the tanks the US is sending will be taken out of the active forces, taken away from active duty tank units, to be sent over to the Ukraine.  Well, friends and neighbors, I'm here to tell you that ain't how it works.  

I'll be the first to admit that it's been a long time since I was in the active forces and I'm sure there are plenty of things that have changed since then, but I highly doubt if this is one of them.  I'm pretty sure that the tanks are coming from one of several sources - from the various WRM lots (War Reserve Materials) located around the world (yes, around the WORLD), from the Reserves, and/or from the National Guard.  Either that, or we're selling the tanks to the Ukrainian government outright.  That, to me, is the smart way because the US won't be paying for shipping them over there, and won't be responsible for getting them back when the war is over.  

And where are these tanks coming from?  What, you mean you didn't know that the US Army, along with the other armed forces, has a strategic reserve of materials?  Trust me, we've got plenty of extra tanks to sell to the Ukrainians.  And of course they won't be top of the line tanks, either - they'll be the ones that have been used, abused, and don't possess the latest updates and improvements - not unless the Ukrainians specifically ask for it, and I kinda doubt we'd do that.  

In any event, rest assured that the tanks ARE NOT coming out of the active forces.  And you can also go to sleep at night safe in the knowledge that no one is trying to "disarm" us.

Well, I will, anyway.  Can't speak for some of the people out there.

Deo Vindice

IHC