There is NO written, published, mutually agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding confirming anything Trump claims today. Nothing. Not even the concept of a Memorandum of Understanding. If there were, that’s what all of us would be discussing right now.
The JCPOA negotiated and signed by 5 countries under President Obama in 2015 was hundreds of pages long, negotiated by tens of nuclear physicists (not 2 real estate developers), with details that took three years to hammer out. Its first sentence made clear that Iran was not seeking to develop, build or acquire a nuclear weapon. The Strait of Hormuz was intact. Iran was left with virtually no enrichable uranium.
The Gulf States have already made their side deals with Iran, which translates to hundreds of millions in secret bribes — their standard modus operandi.
As General Mark Hertling said this evening, this is all straight out of “I Dream of Jeannie,” with a scantily-clad Barbara Eden blinking her little eyes and going “yes, Master” to please Larry Hagman.
Pure, made-for-TV fiction, arranged for the 17th time to suit the markets — and his birthday — rather than the peace of the Middle East.
PIcky picky picky, expecting a "written, published, mutually agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding" confirming anything our desperate president claims. /s
The Iranians lie too. None of the parties involved in this are credible. And then there are the Israelis and Hezbollah who don't even pretend to be a part of any negotiations. This isn't over.
Our best hope is Trump takes a Victory lap and .goes on to a new project. Our only hope it to get out of there any way we can or it will never end. The Iranians have no reason to end the war they didn't start. Do you think they will ask Trump for reparations... something like the Slush Fund he was so found of...
I do just want to add that Trump tried to throw another red herring at us by releasing the UFO files. It appears to me to be a dud. Am I correct... And I am not worried about aliens coming here. If they are smart enough to come here in flashes of light, they are smart enough to know if they land, they will bring along their viruses and wipe us out just as we did as we brought the viruses we were immune to as we left Europe and infected the Native Americans by the millions.
Trump is enough of an Unfilted Foreign Object himself. And I don't think we have taken the red herring seriously.
And, Iran can shut the strait right back down by blowing up just one single oil tanker or transport ship. One wonders if there is a latter day James Bond being prepped and equipped to remove the chaotic and extraordinarily expensive Orange Menace?
"The JCPOA negotiated and signed by 5 countries under President Obama in 2015 was hundreds of pages long, negotiated by tens of nuclear physicists (not 2 real estate developers), with details that took three years to hammer out. Its first sentence made clear that Iran was not seeking to develop, build or acquire a nuclear weapon. The Strait of Hormuz was intact. Iran was left with virtually no enrichable uranium."
This was Jen Rubin's opinion of the JCPOA ten years ago:
"This goes back to the administration’s bait-and-switch. After the administration repeatedly promised Congress and the American people that Iran would need to reveal possible military dimensions (PMDs) of its nuclear program, the final deal did not do so. The administration claimed it was unrealistic to expect Iran to come clean, and besides, we would know everything about Iran’s program. Now we know at least at Parchin there is evidence of precisely what we suspected all along. What we do not know — because the administration let Iran off the hook — is the extent of that program, other sites that might have been used and any information that would have come had the IAEA been allowed to interview scientists."
"“If this were not Iran and the IAEA discovered this, we would be demanding further inspections and interviews with the key scientists involved in weaponization, which Iran has already refused,” sanctions guru Mark Dubowitz tells Right Turn. “Since this is Iran, we won’t be asking because we won’t get any further inspections and the administration lives in fear of doing anything that could collapse the deal. So they invent fictions like we know everything anyway, which is patently untrue, and they preemptively surrender.” He urges Congress insist on physical inspections of Iranian military sites."
"It should be clear to both Democrats and Republicans that the Iran deal allowed Iran to escape scrutiny of past violations and left plenty of room to maneuver and evade future inspections. It should likewise be clear that fear of losing the deal has led the administration to countenance Iran’s non-nuclear misbehavior. With a new president should come a new Iran policy, one that halts new concessions (e.g. dollar transactions), applies new economic pressure and, where possible, claws back concessions the prior administration made. If nothing else, a tougher stance against Iran will persuade our Sunni allies that we have stopped deluding ourselves about the nature of the Iranian regime."
She's come a long way since then. The larger point is -- could something better have been negotiated back in 2015, securing the buy-in of the US, the EU, Russia and China, that deprived Iran of that much enriched uranium and got in-vountry, on-site inspection in writing? Probably not.
We know what much, much worse looks like now, however.
If that's true, she would be saying so right now, but she isn't.
"The larger point is -- could something better have been negotiated back in 2015..."
You were talking about how great and wonderful the JCPOA was, and I offered Jen Rubin's own comments as a rebuttal. And, as stated before, she is not making any commentary about Iran. Rather, she's focused squarely on Trump. Ten years ago Jen was able and willing to comment about the Obama administration's dealings with Iran while also covering the threat Iran posed to the region and beyond. She is noticeably quiet on the "Iran threat" aspect now, with no explanation thus far for her silence.
"We know what much, much worse looks like now, however."
That may very well be true. But Trump squandered a golden opportunity to rid Iran of a religiously fanatical and tyrannical regime that is a direct threat to Israel and the entire Middle East. But he flinched, and we're now stuck with the consequences. The ones I truly feel sorry for are the people of Iran, the ones Trump told he was coming to help. Absolutely disgusting.
Trump has never had the slightest interest in freeing anyone from tyranny. He's actively trying to establish an authoritarian police state to replace our Republic. Yeah, I heard him use the words, but they were empty as usual, and we saw his actions. He sides with Russia all the time over all their neighbors. By the way, shafting allies isn't just a Trump thing: Republicans have been busy for years screwing over those who worked and fought beside our forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and it wasn't enough to just block them from ever coming to the U.S. Now they're trying to deport the few that made it here.
And he lost any hope of winning a war against Iran starting on day one of his second term by launching his stupid tariff war against the whole world and insulting every one of our allies. Had he instead closely coordinated with our allies to come up with an actual plan to address Iran's ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, things might have been different. But that would have required knowledge and planning, and Trump made sure none of that got anywhere near the White House.
"He's actively trying to establish an authoritarian police state to replace our Republic."
If true, he's doing a horrible job.
"And he lost any hope of winning a war against Iran starting on day one of his second term by launching his stupid tariff war against the whole world and insulting every one of our allies."
Yeah, Trump's worst enemy is his own big mouth. Trump doesn't think like a capitalist; it's more like mercantilism. In his mind, the U.S. has to be on the plus side of the ledger in every single transaction, or he thinks we're being "ripped off".
I have mentioned repeatedly in this forum that the Executive Branch should not have the power to levy tariffs, full stop. But Congress first delegated that authority back in the days of FDR. The Constitution says that only Congress can raise revenue, which includes tariffs. Congress needs to put aside partisanship and repeal that power.
"Had he instead closely coordinated with our allies to come up with an actual plan to address Iran's ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, things might have been different. "
We have known since the days of Jimmy Carter that Iran would try to close off the Strait in order to apply worldwide economic leverage. To my knowledge, no one has had any workable solution. Part of this vulnerability lies in the region's other oil producers to plan for such an eventuality. Saudi Arabia and Oman were the exceptions. Hopefully the other Gulf States will work together to create oil pipelines to bypass any future Iranian threat. But the best solution would be regime change.
"Sunday night, Donald Trump announced an Iran ceasefire deal had been reached."
Of course he did. He's been announcing this every few days for nearly three months. Even now, when the MSM seems to be giving this announcement more credence, I don't have much confidence. Some sources have called it a "cease fire," And we know what's happened to his previous cease fires; the firing doesn't cease very long, a few days, a week...
But he'll continue to "own" this cease fire or peace plan or whatever it gets called, in contrast to his refusal to own the Iran war. And he'll claim that the date it should be remembered on, henceforth, should be June 14.
The Ancients believed the pursuit of fame was actually a desire for immortality and a fear of death. It's not surprising that this pathetic person would fear his ultimate fate.
"Ceasefire" certainly has a flexible meaning this days, especially when the BFF coalition of the US and Israel are involved.
Israel has now killed 1000 men, women and children in Gaza since the 'ceasefire' there in October, while US media has mostly moved on (I could only find mention of a grand total of 5 IDF soldiers killed in that time, all in occupied Gaza).
Meanwhile, Israel has killed at least 500 people in Lebanon since the 'ceasefire' was declared in April.
Does anyone buy for two seconds there will be anything approaching a meaningful 'ceasefire' anywhere in the region as long as Israel occupies 20% of all of Lebanon?
So long as we have despotic, deceitful, self-serving amoral leaders in the US and Israel, how could any of us buy into their ceasefire claims? Color me cynical.
Much ado about nothing. With an emphasis on the word nothing, because the big dummy didn't have to do a thing with Iran. He inherited a deal that was signed off on by the United States, Iran, Russia, and China. But he trashed it. Why? Because President Obama and John Kerry brokered it. There's nothing worse than an idiot who thinks he's a genius, and on top of that, a vindictive asshole. Trump could have inherited presidencies from Obama and Biden and done nothing... just let the machine keep running. Obama had taken us out of the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression, which of course was caused by a Republican president. Against all odds, he created a universal healthcare plan. Biden had to tangle with the mess of COVID, high unemployment, and inflation, and by the end of his term, even according to the conservative Wall Street Journal, made the U.S. economy the strongest in the world. Of course, we know how Trump has butchered that. Those of us who paid attention knew Trump would do the same thing to the United States as he did to his many failed businesses. We tried to sound a warning. And after that warning wasn't heeded, we just hoped we could squeeze by without a pandemic or WWIII, or an economic meltdown. We weren't lucky in the big dolt's first term. COVID battered us. We've got to neuter him come November so we can ride out the storm of his final two years, unless, of course, his deteriorating health or the Epstein files take care of him first.
You are so very correct. I couldn't understand how people did not realize Biden was a great president. He made the Republicans come to the table and deal with reality. I think that was his strength. If Trump did nothing but play golf during this term we would be way ahead. Instead all his schemes mean he spends more money and puts us deeper and deeper into debt.
We really have to tell the American people about how their future debt will be costing them more interest to the banks every year. In my view we should be yelling out from the rooftops that Trump is Bankrupting America now and for our future.
Given that we only attack countries that have no nuclear weapons, and that we attacked Iran without provocation (murdering the leaders and thousands of innocent civilians including children - obviously many war crimes) I think we can be sure that Iran will now work harder than ever to build nuclear weapons or perhaps buy them from its anti-American friends Russia or China. How truly horrible for humanity and a very, very, sad time for us Americans that would like to foster peaceful coexistence and mutual support of the peoples of other nations around the world.
The Iranians will use every peaceful moment to continue preparing for the next foolish round of escalation. 24/7 production of their most effective weapons, more concealed underground storage and launch facilities, a particular focus on tactics for enforcing a Hormuz closure, hardening Kharg Island into a death trap for any invasion attempt, and on and on. They are not stupid or without resources.
Donald and Bibi really stepped in a steaming pile this time, and the only "friends" they have in the region are cynically transactional. I'm not holding my breath waiting for the details of the final agreement.
So, nothing about Israel's continues occupation of Lebanon?
Reported today:
'Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,700 people in Lebanon, including 132 health workers and 247 children, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Around 1 million Lebanese people have been displaced by the war, and Human Rights Watch said Israel has committed “numerous violations of the laws of war in Lebanon with total impunity, including apparently deliberate or indiscriminate attacks on journalists, civilians, medics, financial institutions, reconstruction-related facilities, and peacekeepers, in addition to the widespread and unlawful use of white phosphorus in populated areas.”:
Oops...the US team forgot to mention Lebanon. Or anything at all that would commit Israel to honoring a cease fire--if indeed there is an actual cease fire by any party to this deal-agreement-framwork thingee. What will those prediction markets make of all this?
Well, once we see what prediction markets are saying, i guess that is now a proxy for policy right? We can expect some huge bets followed 'coincidentally' moments later by policy changes following those bets.
I wonder if the human race will survive long enough into the future for anyone to make sense of how we allowed the debasement of our economic system to such a meaningless, perverse state.
I think this oversight is more significant. After all, "attack Lebanon to stop any deal" (or attack Gaza, or attack the West Bank) has been Israel's key move for years. But now, after Iran's negotiations and efforts, they have managed to turn Israeli attacks into a problem for Israel, especially for their key ally, the US. And the US from the top (our delusional president) on down is seeing a broad upswell of "cut Israel loose" comments across the media. Israel has already escalated its attacks on Beirut, yet Tehran now signals (without certainty) that a ceasefire between the US and Iran is imminent anyway. This does require them to hold back from being provoked, but the strategic advantage of turning Israel into the problem, rather than Iran, is immense for Iran. We should probably expect Netanyahu and his ultra-radical allies to go all-out with more provocation in the next few days, since they can probably see which way the wind has started blowing... but at this point, that may finally become self-defeating (as it always should have been). Rather than the sequence: Israel launches provocative attacks -> Iran responds -> Iran gets blamed, it's looking more like Israel launches provocative attacks -> Iran strategically responds in communication with its new negotiating partner, the US -> Israel gets blamed. And Israel, while a major military power, probably can't sustain its position for long if US aid in money and dollars is cut. And Netanyahu faces an election he will likely lose in October.
Trump and his cronies are constantly making bank on manipulating the stock market over their on-again, off-again war. Why would they stop?
The oil industry is making bank having spiked oil prices and is raking in billions in profits. Why would they want this to end?
The military industrial complex is making bank on all the really expensive missiles we have expended, and since breaking stuff so they have to make more is really good for them, they don't want the war to stop either.
Is it even legal these days to mention Israel? Israel started this war. Israel got Trump to go along with the war (and did the Council on Foreign Relations make any effort to disentangle what Israel destroyed in Iran, and what the U.S. destroyed in Iran, or is it all on us? Or did we do all of Israel's bombing for them)?
Israel has used this war as cover to take over southern Lebanon, and seize the West Bank. They are never going to stop.
I expect Trump will be running on his imminent no-fooling-this-time peace deal when he runs for president in 2028.
Netanyahoo & his far-right religious/ nationalist puppeteers, Ben-Gvir & Smotrich are all criminals, along with Trump. ‘The Worst’ are ruling America & much of the world.
“There are currently 56 ongoing conflicts worldwide, which is the 🔻highest number since World War II. These conflicts vary in scale and intensity, with many involving multiple countries.
“9 Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified. For these things must take place first, but the end will not occur immediately.”
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another food shortages and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.”
What is your proof that Israel started this war? Since when does trump listen to anyone but Putin? What role do you think Hezbollah has in helping Iran colonize Lebanon and then murder Israeli civilians?
Greetings, bot. Please do your reading. Trump said Netanyahu called him up and said Israel was going to attack Iran, and therefore the U.S. (interests in the region) would be attacked, so we might as well attack Iran too, so, Trump said, we did.
Epstein files, of course. And yes, it was a moron's decision. Trump just wants everyone (who matters) to like him. He doesn't do "consequences," or wider issues. This is a man who lured a diplomat to Iraq for negotiations, and then murdered him on the tarmac. An outrage of millennial proportions. You do not murder diplomats arriving to negotiate! Ever! And he did.
Of course he would "do Netanyahu a favor." Netanyahu told him it would be a cake walk.
Oh, bot, please do your reading. Trump TOLD us what Netanyahu said. Don't need no privy, don't need no invite, Trump cannot help himself blabbing about how important he is and what people say to him ALL THE TIME.
I hear that Mexico is now hoping to be attacked by the US, as it would like to engage with our crack peace negotiators to settle. They have said up front that they will agree to stop hostilities and to send their farm workers to harvest our crops in exchange for the return of California, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. They generously offered to leave Texas with us.
Good, clear-eyed summary, thank you. Has everyone been looking at the pictures coming in? Street scenes in Teheran? A beautiful, modern city, busy urban traffic, trees everywhere. Not a burqa or even a mask in sight - women striding through the streets, hair free, everyone wearing pants. The lean, intelligent faces of the spokesmen. Did Trump's closet/cabinet think they were dealing with desert tent-dwellers?
Burqas are and were only worn in Afghanistan, masks have never been worn in Iran. What had to be worn by women were tchadors and later headcloths. I have family there and visited last in 1999. As to the rest of your comment, I do agree.
Strategically, he achieved three months of Epstein diversion, at least until the NY Times article about Vance and the Situation Room. And this diversion has only cost us a trillion dollars - what a bargain!
"Middle East expert Steven Cook told me that his initial impression of the announcement “is that there is nothing in the agreement on which President Trump can actually claim ‘victory.’” "
We should have all learned by now that Trump can declare anything that he wants, and his loyalists will believe him. We should also have learned by now that Trump has a bad habit of not delivering on promises made and even declares that he never made them. We have also seen him abandon one distraction/issue in favor of jumping to the next one. This is what is likely to happen with Iran: the seagull approach to the war - fly in, make a lot of noise, make a lot of mess, and fly away. Others will deal with the losses in blood, and treasure, and will, of course, have to deal with the cleanup. Count on it.
Barely a concept of a plan and the regime is heralding it like Jesus has returned. We didn't sign any of the other so-called cease fires. Why are they signing this agreement to keep on talking?
Thanks for the breakdown of the chaos & destruction waged against Iran. Loss of Americans adds to the utter sadness & makes me so angry. Trump has no conscience.
It's ben acknowledged over and over again that Tump is cornerd and will not be able to come out of the situation with a victory. We all know what a blunder it is/has been. I suspect many americans like me were not invested in going about things this becausit was very unlikely to solve anything or help alleviate the plight of the Iranian people, and many Americans have never supported Bibi's goal in the region, which is complete dominance. It's unworkable, along with many other things the current Israeli regime is trying to accomplish in the name of peace.But how else is it supposed to end? I'm not so sure that immediately attacking the terms (without actually knowing the terms) by, for instance, pointing out that it was a stupid, needless war in the service of Bibi N which will end wth the US & it's allies in a worse position than they were in at the start, is not that helpful to me. It seems like your saying stop the war but don't stop the war becasue its such a bad situation, There is no way to stop innocent individuals from being needlesly killed and losig their homes but to stop the war. And the terms will worse that what we had to begin with. Fact. But let's stop the damn war!
There is NO written, published, mutually agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding confirming anything Trump claims today. Nothing. Not even the concept of a Memorandum of Understanding. If there were, that’s what all of us would be discussing right now.
The JCPOA negotiated and signed by 5 countries under President Obama in 2015 was hundreds of pages long, negotiated by tens of nuclear physicists (not 2 real estate developers), with details that took three years to hammer out. Its first sentence made clear that Iran was not seeking to develop, build or acquire a nuclear weapon. The Strait of Hormuz was intact. Iran was left with virtually no enrichable uranium.
The Gulf States have already made their side deals with Iran, which translates to hundreds of millions in secret bribes — their standard modus operandi.
As General Mark Hertling said this evening, this is all straight out of “I Dream of Jeannie,” with a scantily-clad Barbara Eden blinking her little eyes and going “yes, Master” to please Larry Hagman.
Pure, made-for-TV fiction, arranged for the 17th time to suit the markets — and his birthday — rather than the peace of the Middle East.
PIcky picky picky, expecting a "written, published, mutually agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding" confirming anything our desperate president claims. /s
Have the Iranians not learned that HE LIES?
Oh I think they’re well aware of that.
The Iranians lie too. None of the parties involved in this are credible. And then there are the Israelis and Hezbollah who don't even pretend to be a part of any negotiations. This isn't over.
Our best hope is Trump takes a Victory lap and .goes on to a new project. Our only hope it to get out of there any way we can or it will never end. The Iranians have no reason to end the war they didn't start. Do you think they will ask Trump for reparations... something like the Slush Fund he was so found of...
I do just want to add that Trump tried to throw another red herring at us by releasing the UFO files. It appears to me to be a dud. Am I correct... And I am not worried about aliens coming here. If they are smart enough to come here in flashes of light, they are smart enough to know if they land, they will bring along their viruses and wipe us out just as we did as we brought the viruses we were immune to as we left Europe and infected the Native Americans by the millions.
Trump is enough of an Unfilted Foreign Object himself. And I don't think we have taken the red herring seriously.
Just red meat for the conspiracy theory crowd.
I'm not looking forward to the new project.
And, Iran can shut the strait right back down by blowing up just one single oil tanker or transport ship. One wonders if there is a latter day James Bond being prepped and equipped to remove the chaotic and extraordinarily expensive Orange Menace?
"Like his never-delivered healthcare plan, an Iran final deal very likely will perpetually be two weeks away."
So, Infrastructure Week again, except this time with military members' (including two of my family members) LIVES on the line.
Funny how he never mentions or expresses any compunction about that.
Trump thinks people serving in military are suckers and losers.
"The JCPOA negotiated and signed by 5 countries under President Obama in 2015 was hundreds of pages long, negotiated by tens of nuclear physicists (not 2 real estate developers), with details that took three years to hammer out. Its first sentence made clear that Iran was not seeking to develop, build or acquire a nuclear weapon. The Strait of Hormuz was intact. Iran was left with virtually no enrichable uranium."
This was Jen Rubin's opinion of the JCPOA ten years ago:
"This goes back to the administration’s bait-and-switch. After the administration repeatedly promised Congress and the American people that Iran would need to reveal possible military dimensions (PMDs) of its nuclear program, the final deal did not do so. The administration claimed it was unrealistic to expect Iran to come clean, and besides, we would know everything about Iran’s program. Now we know at least at Parchin there is evidence of precisely what we suspected all along. What we do not know — because the administration let Iran off the hook — is the extent of that program, other sites that might have been used and any information that would have come had the IAEA been allowed to interview scientists."
"“If this were not Iran and the IAEA discovered this, we would be demanding further inspections and interviews with the key scientists involved in weaponization, which Iran has already refused,” sanctions guru Mark Dubowitz tells Right Turn. “Since this is Iran, we won’t be asking because we won’t get any further inspections and the administration lives in fear of doing anything that could collapse the deal. So they invent fictions like we know everything anyway, which is patently untrue, and they preemptively surrender.” He urges Congress insist on physical inspections of Iranian military sites."
"It should be clear to both Democrats and Republicans that the Iran deal allowed Iran to escape scrutiny of past violations and left plenty of room to maneuver and evade future inspections. It should likewise be clear that fear of losing the deal has led the administration to countenance Iran’s non-nuclear misbehavior. With a new president should come a new Iran policy, one that halts new concessions (e.g. dollar transactions), applies new economic pressure and, where possible, claws back concessions the prior administration made. If nothing else, a tougher stance against Iran will persuade our Sunni allies that we have stopped deluding ourselves about the nature of the Iranian regime."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2016/06/20/new-evidence-of-irans-chicanery-and-the-obama-administrations/
Of course, Jen won't say squat about that now...
She's come a long way since then. The larger point is -- could something better have been negotiated back in 2015, securing the buy-in of the US, the EU, Russia and China, that deprived Iran of that much enriched uranium and got in-vountry, on-site inspection in writing? Probably not.
We know what much, much worse looks like now, however.
"She's come a long way since then."
If that's true, she would be saying so right now, but she isn't.
"The larger point is -- could something better have been negotiated back in 2015..."
You were talking about how great and wonderful the JCPOA was, and I offered Jen Rubin's own comments as a rebuttal. And, as stated before, she is not making any commentary about Iran. Rather, she's focused squarely on Trump. Ten years ago Jen was able and willing to comment about the Obama administration's dealings with Iran while also covering the threat Iran posed to the region and beyond. She is noticeably quiet on the "Iran threat" aspect now, with no explanation thus far for her silence.
"We know what much, much worse looks like now, however."
That may very well be true. But Trump squandered a golden opportunity to rid Iran of a religiously fanatical and tyrannical regime that is a direct threat to Israel and the entire Middle East. But he flinched, and we're now stuck with the consequences. The ones I truly feel sorry for are the people of Iran, the ones Trump told he was coming to help. Absolutely disgusting.
Trump has never had the slightest interest in freeing anyone from tyranny. He's actively trying to establish an authoritarian police state to replace our Republic. Yeah, I heard him use the words, but they were empty as usual, and we saw his actions. He sides with Russia all the time over all their neighbors. By the way, shafting allies isn't just a Trump thing: Republicans have been busy for years screwing over those who worked and fought beside our forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, and it wasn't enough to just block them from ever coming to the U.S. Now they're trying to deport the few that made it here.
And he lost any hope of winning a war against Iran starting on day one of his second term by launching his stupid tariff war against the whole world and insulting every one of our allies. Had he instead closely coordinated with our allies to come up with an actual plan to address Iran's ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, things might have been different. But that would have required knowledge and planning, and Trump made sure none of that got anywhere near the White House.
"He's actively trying to establish an authoritarian police state to replace our Republic."
If true, he's doing a horrible job.
"And he lost any hope of winning a war against Iran starting on day one of his second term by launching his stupid tariff war against the whole world and insulting every one of our allies."
Yeah, Trump's worst enemy is his own big mouth. Trump doesn't think like a capitalist; it's more like mercantilism. In his mind, the U.S. has to be on the plus side of the ledger in every single transaction, or he thinks we're being "ripped off".
I have mentioned repeatedly in this forum that the Executive Branch should not have the power to levy tariffs, full stop. But Congress first delegated that authority back in the days of FDR. The Constitution says that only Congress can raise revenue, which includes tariffs. Congress needs to put aside partisanship and repeal that power.
"Had he instead closely coordinated with our allies to come up with an actual plan to address Iran's ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, things might have been different. "
We have known since the days of Jimmy Carter that Iran would try to close off the Strait in order to apply worldwide economic leverage. To my knowledge, no one has had any workable solution. Part of this vulnerability lies in the region's other oil producers to plan for such an eventuality. Saudi Arabia and Oman were the exceptions. Hopefully the other Gulf States will work together to create oil pipelines to bypass any future Iranian threat. But the best solution would be regime change.
Preach!
"Sunday night, Donald Trump announced an Iran ceasefire deal had been reached."
Of course he did. He's been announcing this every few days for nearly three months. Even now, when the MSM seems to be giving this announcement more credence, I don't have much confidence. Some sources have called it a "cease fire," And we know what's happened to his previous cease fires; the firing doesn't cease very long, a few days, a week...
But he'll continue to "own" this cease fire or peace plan or whatever it gets called, in contrast to his refusal to own the Iran war. And he'll claim that the date it should be remembered on, henceforth, should be June 14.
The Ancients believed the pursuit of fame was actually a desire for immortality and a fear of death. It's not surprising that this pathetic person would fear his ultimate fate.
"Ceasefire" certainly has a flexible meaning this days, especially when the BFF coalition of the US and Israel are involved.
Israel has now killed 1000 men, women and children in Gaza since the 'ceasefire' there in October, while US media has mostly moved on (I could only find mention of a grand total of 5 IDF soldiers killed in that time, all in occupied Gaza).
Meanwhile, Israel has killed at least 500 people in Lebanon since the 'ceasefire' was declared in April.
Does anyone buy for two seconds there will be anything approaching a meaningful 'ceasefire' anywhere in the region as long as Israel occupies 20% of all of Lebanon?
So long as we have despotic, deceitful, self-serving amoral leaders in the US and Israel, how could any of us buy into their ceasefire claims? Color me cynical.
I'll just go back to the UFC fight for some reality.
Delightful sarcasm - made me smile.👍
Much ado about nothing. With an emphasis on the word nothing, because the big dummy didn't have to do a thing with Iran. He inherited a deal that was signed off on by the United States, Iran, Russia, and China. But he trashed it. Why? Because President Obama and John Kerry brokered it. There's nothing worse than an idiot who thinks he's a genius, and on top of that, a vindictive asshole. Trump could have inherited presidencies from Obama and Biden and done nothing... just let the machine keep running. Obama had taken us out of the worst economic meltdown since the Great Depression, which of course was caused by a Republican president. Against all odds, he created a universal healthcare plan. Biden had to tangle with the mess of COVID, high unemployment, and inflation, and by the end of his term, even according to the conservative Wall Street Journal, made the U.S. economy the strongest in the world. Of course, we know how Trump has butchered that. Those of us who paid attention knew Trump would do the same thing to the United States as he did to his many failed businesses. We tried to sound a warning. And after that warning wasn't heeded, we just hoped we could squeeze by without a pandemic or WWIII, or an economic meltdown. We weren't lucky in the big dolt's first term. COVID battered us. We've got to neuter him come November so we can ride out the storm of his final two years, unless, of course, his deteriorating health or the Epstein files take care of him first.
A smart person can play dumb but a dumb person cannot play smart, and Donald Trump is one dumb dude.
You are so very correct. I couldn't understand how people did not realize Biden was a great president. He made the Republicans come to the table and deal with reality. I think that was his strength. If Trump did nothing but play golf during this term we would be way ahead. Instead all his schemes mean he spends more money and puts us deeper and deeper into debt.
We really have to tell the American people about how their future debt will be costing them more interest to the banks every year. In my view we should be yelling out from the rooftops that Trump is Bankrupting America now and for our future.
The orange felon will now claim he ended yet another war. Time to turn our attention back to the trump-epstein files.
I think this is like his claims that the war is over. I think he's up to 40 now. Who knew?
Given that we only attack countries that have no nuclear weapons, and that we attacked Iran without provocation (murdering the leaders and thousands of innocent civilians including children - obviously many war crimes) I think we can be sure that Iran will now work harder than ever to build nuclear weapons or perhaps buy them from its anti-American friends Russia or China. How truly horrible for humanity and a very, very, sad time for us Americans that would like to foster peaceful coexistence and mutual support of the peoples of other nations around the world.
The Iranians will use every peaceful moment to continue preparing for the next foolish round of escalation. 24/7 production of their most effective weapons, more concealed underground storage and launch facilities, a particular focus on tactics for enforcing a Hormuz closure, hardening Kharg Island into a death trap for any invasion attempt, and on and on. They are not stupid or without resources.
Donald and Bibi really stepped in a steaming pile this time, and the only "friends" they have in the region are cynically transactional. I'm not holding my breath waiting for the details of the final agreement.
So, nothing about Israel's continues occupation of Lebanon?
Reported today:
'Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,700 people in Lebanon, including 132 health workers and 247 children, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Around 1 million Lebanese people have been displaced by the war, and Human Rights Watch said Israel has committed “numerous violations of the laws of war in Lebanon with total impunity, including apparently deliberate or indiscriminate attacks on journalists, civilians, medics, financial institutions, reconstruction-related facilities, and peacekeepers, in addition to the widespread and unlawful use of white phosphorus in populated areas.”:
Oops...the US team forgot to mention Lebanon. Or anything at all that would commit Israel to honoring a cease fire--if indeed there is an actual cease fire by any party to this deal-agreement-framwork thingee. What will those prediction markets make of all this?
Well, once we see what prediction markets are saying, i guess that is now a proxy for policy right? We can expect some huge bets followed 'coincidentally' moments later by policy changes following those bets.
I wonder if the human race will survive long enough into the future for anyone to make sense of how we allowed the debasement of our economic system to such a meaningless, perverse state.
It’s a good question.
I think this oversight is more significant. After all, "attack Lebanon to stop any deal" (or attack Gaza, or attack the West Bank) has been Israel's key move for years. But now, after Iran's negotiations and efforts, they have managed to turn Israeli attacks into a problem for Israel, especially for their key ally, the US. And the US from the top (our delusional president) on down is seeing a broad upswell of "cut Israel loose" comments across the media. Israel has already escalated its attacks on Beirut, yet Tehran now signals (without certainty) that a ceasefire between the US and Iran is imminent anyway. This does require them to hold back from being provoked, but the strategic advantage of turning Israel into the problem, rather than Iran, is immense for Iran. We should probably expect Netanyahu and his ultra-radical allies to go all-out with more provocation in the next few days, since they can probably see which way the wind has started blowing... but at this point, that may finally become self-defeating (as it always should have been). Rather than the sequence: Israel launches provocative attacks -> Iran responds -> Iran gets blamed, it's looking more like Israel launches provocative attacks -> Iran strategically responds in communication with its new negotiating partner, the US -> Israel gets blamed. And Israel, while a major military power, probably can't sustain its position for long if US aid in money and dollars is cut. And Netanyahu faces an election he will likely lose in October.
Trump and his cronies are constantly making bank on manipulating the stock market over their on-again, off-again war. Why would they stop?
The oil industry is making bank having spiked oil prices and is raking in billions in profits. Why would they want this to end?
The military industrial complex is making bank on all the really expensive missiles we have expended, and since breaking stuff so they have to make more is really good for them, they don't want the war to stop either.
Is it even legal these days to mention Israel? Israel started this war. Israel got Trump to go along with the war (and did the Council on Foreign Relations make any effort to disentangle what Israel destroyed in Iran, and what the U.S. destroyed in Iran, or is it all on us? Or did we do all of Israel's bombing for them)?
Israel has used this war as cover to take over southern Lebanon, and seize the West Bank. They are never going to stop.
I expect Trump will be running on his imminent no-fooling-this-time peace deal when he runs for president in 2028.
Netanyahoo & his far-right religious/ nationalist puppeteers, Ben-Gvir & Smotrich are all criminals, along with Trump. ‘The Worst’ are ruling America & much of the world.
“There are currently 56 ongoing conflicts worldwide, which is the 🔻highest number since World War II. These conflicts vary in scale and intensity, with many involving multiple countries.
visionofhumanity.org World Population Review”
Almost makes Jesus’ words believable …
“9 Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified. For these things must take place first, but the end will not occur immediately.”
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another food shortages and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.”
Luke 21
What is your proof that Israel started this war? Since when does trump listen to anyone but Putin? What role do you think Hezbollah has in helping Iran colonize Lebanon and then murder Israeli civilians?
Greetings, bot. Please do your reading. Trump said Netanyahu called him up and said Israel was going to attack Iran, and therefore the U.S. (interests in the region) would be attacked, so we might as well attack Iran too, so, Trump said, we did.
Trump still ‘hot’ from his successful Venezuelan adventure,
— so he needed little persuasion.
🔻And he wants desperately to outdo Obama’s relative success there also!
“…so we might as well attack Iran too, so, Trump said we might as well attack too.”
Sounds like a moron’s decision. Where’s the pressure ?
Epstein files, of course. And yes, it was a moron's decision. Trump just wants everyone (who matters) to like him. He doesn't do "consequences," or wider issues. This is a man who lured a diplomat to Iraq for negotiations, and then murdered him on the tarmac. An outrage of millennial proportions. You do not murder diplomats arriving to negotiate! Ever! And he did.
Of course he would "do Netanyahu a favor." Netanyahu told him it would be a cake walk.
How do you know what Netanyahu told him? Are you privy to their convos? Did they invite you to Signal for the discussion?
Oh, bot, please do your reading. Trump TOLD us what Netanyahu said. Don't need no privy, don't need no invite, Trump cannot help himself blabbing about how important he is and what people say to him ALL THE TIME.
I hear that Mexico is now hoping to be attacked by the US, as it would like to engage with our crack peace negotiators to settle. They have said up front that they will agree to stop hostilities and to send their farm workers to harvest our crops in exchange for the return of California, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. They generously offered to leave Texas with us.
Good, clear-eyed summary, thank you. Has everyone been looking at the pictures coming in? Street scenes in Teheran? A beautiful, modern city, busy urban traffic, trees everywhere. Not a burqa or even a mask in sight - women striding through the streets, hair free, everyone wearing pants. The lean, intelligent faces of the spokesmen. Did Trump's closet/cabinet think they were dealing with desert tent-dwellers?
Burqas are and were only worn in Afghanistan, masks have never been worn in Iran. What had to be worn by women were tchadors and later headcloths. I have family there and visited last in 1999. As to the rest of your comment, I do agree.
Thanks for the clarification. Anyway: no tchadors or headcloths in sight either.
Strategically, he achieved three months of Epstein diversion, at least until the NY Times article about Vance and the Situation Room. And this diversion has only cost us a trillion dollars - what a bargain!
"Middle East expert Steven Cook told me that his initial impression of the announcement “is that there is nothing in the agreement on which President Trump can actually claim ‘victory.’” "
We should have all learned by now that Trump can declare anything that he wants, and his loyalists will believe him. We should also have learned by now that Trump has a bad habit of not delivering on promises made and even declares that he never made them. We have also seen him abandon one distraction/issue in favor of jumping to the next one. This is what is likely to happen with Iran: the seagull approach to the war - fly in, make a lot of noise, make a lot of mess, and fly away. Others will deal with the losses in blood, and treasure, and will, of course, have to deal with the cleanup. Count on it.
Barely a concept of a plan and the regime is heralding it like Jesus has returned. We didn't sign any of the other so-called cease fires. Why are they signing this agreement to keep on talking?
Thanks for the breakdown of the chaos & destruction waged against Iran. Loss of Americans adds to the utter sadness & makes me so angry. Trump has no conscience.
Thank you for telling it like it is, Jen. What a thoroughly incompetent bully!
It's ben acknowledged over and over again that Tump is cornerd and will not be able to come out of the situation with a victory. We all know what a blunder it is/has been. I suspect many americans like me were not invested in going about things this becausit was very unlikely to solve anything or help alleviate the plight of the Iranian people, and many Americans have never supported Bibi's goal in the region, which is complete dominance. It's unworkable, along with many other things the current Israeli regime is trying to accomplish in the name of peace.But how else is it supposed to end? I'm not so sure that immediately attacking the terms (without actually knowing the terms) by, for instance, pointing out that it was a stupid, needless war in the service of Bibi N which will end wth the US & it's allies in a worse position than they were in at the start, is not that helpful to me. It seems like your saying stop the war but don't stop the war becasue its such a bad situation, There is no way to stop innocent individuals from being needlesly killed and losig their homes but to stop the war. And the terms will worse that what we had to begin with. Fact. But let's stop the damn war!