Tag: Iran

Donny Proposed, Iran Answered

I am sucker for this crap.  I feel compelled to let my readers know what is happening with Iran because their child may have to fight this stupid lame ass war.

Donny sent a letter with his proposal and now Iran has answered and Donny is butt hurt.

President Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s response to the latest US proposal to reach a deal was “totally unacceptable,” signaling that the two sides are still not close to reaching a deal.

“I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called ‘Representatives.’ I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

Trump made similar comments to Axios reporter Barak Ravid, saying, “I don’t like their letter. It’s inappropriate. I don’t like their response… They have been tapping along many nations for 47 years.”

The president said that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday about Iran’s response. According to Israeli media, Israeli officials are trying to convince their US counterparts to launch major airstrikes aimed at destroying Iran’s energy infrastructure.

An Iranian source told Iran’s Tasnim news agency that Trump’s rejection of Tehran’s response was “of no importance” because no one “writes proposals to please Trump.” The source added that the “negotiating team should draft proposals only for the rights of the Iranian people, and when Trump is dissatisfied with them, naturally that is better.”

Iranian media has reported that the Iranian response, which came after the US provided its response to a 14-point Iranian proposal, is focused on bringing a permanent end to the conflict and other hostilities in the region, including in Lebanon, where the Israeli military killed dozens of people over the weekend.

Iranian sources said Iran is also asking for an immediate end to the US blockade, the lifting of US sanctions, the release of frozen assets overseas, and the ability to freely sell its oil. The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran had offered to move some of its enriched uranium to a third country, but that hasn’t been confirmed by Iranian sources, which suggest the idea is to end the hostilities before negotiating on the nuclear issue.

Of course he spoke with BiBi….to get his next instructions.

Donny is butt hurt because he has taken on someone who will not submit to his bullying……and that makes him angry.

Anyone opposed to this stupid war with Iran is a traitor…..so says the clown of DC….he was mainly speaking of Dems but I sure he meant all of us…..

I read the Fake News saying that I am under “pressure” to make a Deal. THIS IS NOT TRUE! I am under no pressure whatsoever, although, it will all happen, relatively quickly! Time is not my adversary, the only thing that matters is that we finally, after 47 years, straighten out the MESS that other Presidents let happen because they didn’t have the Courage or Foresight to do what had to be done with respect to Iran. We’re in it, and it will be done RIGHT, and we won’t let the Weak and Pathetic Democrats, TRAITORS ALL, who for years have been talking about the Dangers of Iran, and that something has to be done, but now, since I’m the one doing it, belittle the accomplishments of our Military and the Trump Administration.

This is being perfectly executed, on the scale of Venezuela, just a bigger, more complex operation. The result will be the same. In my First Term, I built the Greatest Military our Country has ever seen, including adding Space Force. In my Second Term, I am properly and judiciously using our Military to solve problems left to us by others of far less understanding or competence. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Words of a babbling idiot.

I guess that makes me a traitor….a person that did not neglect mny duty to country to avoid military service.

This dim witted shit can kiss my ass!

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”

Why Is This Strait So Damn Important?

I write this for those that are casual observers of thew international world….there are many that feel this is just too much and why is our little Donny being such a twat about it.

The Strait of Hormuz By The numbers…..

Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz has jolted the world economy, causing a spike in fuel prices that has rippled through other sectors with effects far beyond the Middle East. Iran effectively seized control of the critical waterway after the US and Israel attacked it on Feb. 28. Weeks of heavy bombing and a US naval blockade imposed last month have yet to loosen its grip, reports the AP. Iran says it will only reopen the strait if the war ends and the blockade is lifted. President Trump is seeking wider concessions, including the rollback of Iran’s disputed nuclear program. A look at the strait by the numbers:

  • 21 miles: This is the width of the Strait of Hormuz, which bends like an elbow, at its narrowest point between Iran and Oman. Ships follow narrow lanes to safely navigate the shallow water, making it even more of a chokepoint.
  • 20%: Before the war, a fifth of the world’s traded oil typically flowed through the Strait of Hormuz every day, as well as large supplies of natural gas, fertilizer, and other petroleum products.
  • 100-130: The number of ships that passed through the Strait each day before the war began, including oil tankers and cargo ships, according to research firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
  • 534: The number of ships that are believed to have passed through the strait since the start of hostilities through Monday, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Many are believed to have carried Iranian oil. In normal times, an estimated 6,500 to 8,450 ships would have transited the Strait during the same period.
  • 50%: The amount that the average price of gas in the US has risen since the war began. The average price of a gallon was $4.56 on Thursday, according to AAA. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has also nearly doubled the cost of jet fuel.
  • Up to 10%: Insurance rates for ships have skyrocketed from 1% of the ship’s goods up to as much as 10%, according to shipping experts.
  • 45 million: The number of people who could experience hunger, mostly in Asia and Africa, if Strait does not open soon, according to the UN World Food Program. The blocking of fuel and fertilizer shipments could soon push the price of food and other necessities out of reach for those already in a precarious situation, it said.
  • 10: The number of mariners who have been killed since the Iran war began, according to the UN’s International Maritime Organization.
  • 32: The number of ships that have come under attack, according to the International Maritime Organization.
  • 1,550: The number of vessels, from 87 countries, currently stranded in the Persian Gulf, according to the US military.
  • 22,500: The number of mariners stranded on these ships, including many from South and Southeast Asia.
  • 15,000: The number of US soldiers, accompanied by 100 aircraft, committed to enforce Project Freedom, according to the US military. Trump’s initiative to guide ships through the strait was paused on Tuesday, just two days after he announced it.
  • 2: The number of ships that the US said it successfully guided through the strait as part of Project Freedom.

As you can see the Strait is a super important cog in world trade….

Does that answer ant questions you may have had?

Then the US should do all they can to punish Iran, right?

It may not be as simple as that infantile approach…..why?

US spy agencies see Iran holding out significantly longer under President Trump’s naval chokehold than the White House is signaling, reports the Washington Post. A CIA analysis concludes Iran could withstand the blockade for about three to four months—and potentially more—before hitting a far steeper economic cliff, according to four Post sources familiar with the document. It also finds that Iran’s missile forces remain largely intact: Roughly three-quarters of its mobile launchers and about 70% of its prewar missile stockpiles are believed to have survived US and Israeli strikes.

Trump has described Iran’s missile stockpile as “mostly decimated,” and the White House has said Iran is being “strangled economically” by the US blockade. The CIA analysis, however, suggests greater Tehran resiliency for a number of reasons, including the use of overland routes for oil. It also suggests Iran retains thousands of attack drones that could continue to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. If all goes well, the assessment could be moot soon: Iran is expected to respond to a new US peace plan that could result in the end of the war.

So without a valid ceasefire things will get worse for the consumer….I said valid….not some vague promise that does nothing but keep the billionaires rolling in dough.

This quote explains everything you need to know about Donny and his promises….

“We are 9 weeks into a 4 week war that we won 8 weeks ago”

Enough said!

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Iran: Minute By Minute Brain Farts

Just about two days ago Donny and Lil Marco turned again and is ending the so-called blockade….

President Trump says that he has paused the US effort to guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz to finalize an Iran deal. Trump announced the decision in a Truth Social post on Tuesday evening, saying he was pausing the effort for a short period to give space for US efforts to finalize a settlement with Iran to end the war, the AP reports.

  • “Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” Trump wrote.
  • The announcement came after military leaders and Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on Tuesday that a ceasefire in the Middle East was still holding and that—while the conflict is not resolved—the initial major US military operation against Iran has concluded. Rubio told reporters at the White House that “Operation Epic Fury,” the attack the US and Israel mounted on Iran on Feb. 28, “is concluded” because its objectives were met, the AP reports. Rubio said recent clashes with Iran related to US efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz were “defensive in nature.”

Which is good news but then less than a day later Donny makes this announcement….

President Trump on Wednesday suggested that a deal to end the Iran war is indeed in the works—but he also warned Iran of new strikes should it balk. If Iran “agrees to give what has been agreed to,” the war will wrap up, wrote Trump on Truth Social, without providing specifics. But if they renege, bombing will resume “at a much higher level,” he added. His comments followed reports in Axios and Reuters that a peace deal between US and Iranian negotiators was imminent.

We will close this very soon,” a source in Pakistan tells Reuters. The news sent oil prices down, with Brent crude falling 10% to below $100 a barrel before leveling off after Trump’s warning, per the Wall Street Journal. It was back at $103 more recently. Earlier Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard suggested it would soon allow commercial traffic to resume in the Strait of Hormuz if the US “threats” were over, notes Reuters. But nothing is certain: The New York Times reports that a spokesman for Iran’s parliamentary national security downplayed the Axios report about a one-page peace memorandum, describing it as “more a list of American wishes than a reality.”

What are these yahoos doing?

TACO will find a way to end this…..it is costing $72 billion in 60 days…..Donny needs top look like he is in charge (a wishful fallacy)….so he will cave and tell us how smart and clever he was to end this stupidity.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

WTF? Confusion And More Confusion

Donny made a big deal out of the US escorting ships trapped  by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz….that was just a couple of days ago…..and now that operation will be paused…..

President Trump said in a Tuesday night post on Truth Social that the US military operation to “guide” commercial ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, which he has dubbed “Project Freedom,” has been paused.

“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom (The Movement of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz) will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed,” the president wrote.

In response to Trump’s announcement, an Iranian official told Drop Site News reporter Jeremy Scahill that the post was “riddled with falsehoods” and that Trump’s operation to “liberate” the Strait of Hormuz “failed completley.” The official also reaffirmed Tehran’s position that direct talks won’t happen until the US blockade is lifted.

“We will not participate in direct negotiations until the United States formally announces the end of the blockade,” the official told Scahill.

Pakistan has passed messages between the US and Iran, and late last week, Tehran had presented a new proposal to the US that, according to Iranian media, was focused on bringing a permanent end to the conflict and other hostilities in the region, including the Israeli war in Lebanon. Iran said on Sunday that it was reviewing a US response to the proposal, but then Trump announced “Project Freedom.”

Scahill said that the US did send a message to Iran through Pakistan, “indicating the US does not intend to carry out direct military action in the Persian Gulf and is seeking direct talks with Iran.” He also noted that the US and Israel had attacked Iran twice before while the US was claiming it was negotiating.

Trump’s announcement came after Iran made clear it would respond to US attempts to “guide” commercial ships out of the Strait of Hormuz and the two sides exchanged fire on Monday.

(antiwar.com)

Typical Donny policy…..keep farting around until something breaks.

This is pathetic policies….but then most of Donny’s policies are either pathetic or disgusting or both.

I Read, I Write, You KNow

“lego ergo scribo”

A Lesson To Be Learned

Welcome to Cinco De Mayo…..

Most of my long time regulars know that I am fascinated with World War One….the carnage and the dumbass decision made by leaders….one of the biggest bone head decisions was Churchill’s attack on the Dardanelles at  Gallipoli…

A little history to help with the understanding of where I am going….

The ongoing deadlock on the Western Front led the Allies to formulate plans to attack Turkey, an ally of the Central Powers. If the Turkish capital of Constantinople (now Istanbul) was attacked via the Dardanelles Straits, it might relieve the pressure on Britain’s ally Russia. It could also open a supply route to Russia through the Black Sea and at best knock Turkey out of the war altogether.

Plans were made for a naval expedition to seize the Dardanelles in February and March 1915. Given their strategic importance, the straits were well defended by minefields and fortifications. There were also many Turkish gun emplacements on the Gallipoli peninsula to the north and the Asian coast to the south.

When the naval attacks failed to destroy these defences, it became clear that troops would have to seize the peninsula and destroy the guns and minefields. Only then could the Royal Navy force the straits and push on to Constantinople.

However, the naval operation had alerted the Ottomans to the danger of an attack in the region. Any Allied landing had now lost the crucial element of surprise.

https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/gallipoli

Just a little background because Donny is still thumping his chest about sending in ground troops in and around the Straight of Hormuz….but will that be the disaster that Gallipoli was?

The Iran war reminds us small strategic moves can mushroom into expanding military commitments. The United States decided to blockade Iranian ports by controlling access to and from the vital Strait of Hormuz, as a response to Iran’s asserting control over it – which it had long threatened to do if attacked.

In its list of conditions to end the war, Iran is for the first time demanding recognition of its sovereignty over the waterway – considered the world’s most critical energy corridor. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s key maritime choke points: strategic corridors where large volumes of global trade pass through extremely limited space.

A heavy price has often been paid for assuming this type of operation will be over quickly and easily.

America’s allies might wisely consider this history now – particularly as the April 25 anniversary of the disastrous Gallipoli campaign, which aimed to open the way to the Black Sea during World War I, approaches.

https://theconversation.com/gallipoli-has-4-lessons-for-the-strait-of-hormuz-crisis-280723

Just like Gallipoli the Straight is about the flow of trade and keeping the lanes open.

Gallipoli was a mind numbing disaster and I feel that the Straight and Kharg Island will meet the same fate.

Do we want such another failure on our all but stellar record of war?

I say screw it!  Time to end this stupid non-productive war and recall all our troops and ships and let diplomacy (if they remember what that is) do what it was designed top do.

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribol”

The Iranian Two Step

This is good stuff….as a student of international relations this is perfect example of how not to act.

WE have a ceasefire between the US and Iran (at at least I think we do) and on Friday Iran opened the Straight of Hormuz to shipping traffic….

Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz, and world markets were celebrating. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced on X that the waterway is once again open to commercial traffic, reports the Wall Street Journal. He said it will remain open at least through the duration of the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Oil prices plunged about 10% on the news, with benchmark Brent down to roughly $90 a barrel, per CNBC. The Dow surged more than 500 points, or 1.1%, and the S&P 500 also rose about 1%.

President Trump hailed the move on Truth Social. “Iran has just announced that the Strait of Iran is fully open and ready for full passage,” he wrote in all-caps. “Thank you!” However, he added that the separate US blockade on ships entering and exiting Iranian ports would remain in effect “until such time as our transaction with Iran is 100% complete.” He said reaching a final deal should “go very quickly” from here on out.

Then our clueless leader had to go on stage and chest thump about taking Iranian uranium in his clumsy way…….then on Saturday a 180….

Iran swiftly reversed course on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, reimposing restrictions on the critical waterway on Saturday after the US said it wouldn’t end its blockade of Iran-linked shipping. Iran’s joint military command said that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces,” per the AP. It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the US blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect. The announcement came the morning after US President Trump said that even after Iran announced the strait’s reopening on Friday, the American blockade “will remain in full force” until Tehran reaches a deal with the US, including on its nuclear program.

The conflict over the choke point threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy after oil prices began to fall again on Friday on hopes that the US and Iran were drawing closer to an agreement. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait, and further limits would squeeze already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Control over the strait has proven to be one Iran’s main points of leverage and prompted the US to deploy forces and initiate a blockade on Iranian ports as part of an effort to force Iran to accept a Pakistan-brokered ceasefire to end almost seven weeks of war that has raged between Israel, the US, and Iran.

Iran said it fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels after a 10-day truce was announced between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. An end to Israel’s war with Hezbollah was a key demand of Iranian negotiators, who previously accused Israel of breaking last week’s ceasefire with strikes on Lebanon. Israel had said that deal didn’t cover Lebanon. But after Trump said the blockade would continue, top Iranian officials said his announcement violated last week’s ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US and warned the strait wouldn’t stay open if the US blockade remained in effect. Data firm Kpler said that movement through the strait remained confined to corridors requiring Iran’s approval. US forces have sent 21 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, US Central Command said on X.

Only an extremely stupid person does not know when to keep their idiot mouth shut.

The logical question now is what comes next?

Oil prices plunged and the stock market boomed on Friday after Iran and the US said the Strait of Hormuz was largely open to commercial traffic. An Iranian official suggested the move isn’t permanent as peace negotiations continue, though President Trump said on Truth Social that Iran promised to never close the strait again, and declared that the Hormuz “situation is over.” Related coverage:

  • Questions: Plenty of questions were unanswered about how freely ships will be able to move and even whether they may have to pay a toll to Iran, notes the Washington Post. Further complicating things was that the US was leaving its own blockade of Iranian ports in place. It may take awhile for the details to clarify, but “assuming this holds, then I think it’s great news,” Jerry Kalogiratos of the shipping company Capital Clean Energy Carriers tells the New York Times.
  • Uranium: One of the sticking points in talks has centered on Tehran’s stash of enriched uranium. On Friday, President Trump said in a Truth Social post that Iran had agreed to hand over its stockpile, though Tehran hasn’t confirmed. “We’re going to get ‌it together,” Trump told Reuters. “We’re going to go in with Iran, at a nice leisurely pace, and go down and start excavating with big machinery. … We’ll bring it back to the United States.”
  • Oil/gas prices: The cost of a barrel of Brent crude plunged 10% to under $90 a barrel, and that could translate into a quick reduction in gas prices, says GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan, per NBC News. “This could accelerate sending fuel prices lower starting this weekend with the national average likely falling below $4/gal to perhaps $3.65-$3.85,” he wrote. The average price was $4.09 Friday morning.
  • The talks: The Times reports that US and Iranian negotiators were finalizing a three-page memo that contained the broad strokes of a peace deal. It could be signed at a second round of talks in the coming days.

Now that Donny has fucked up this attempt at a ceasefire…..where will he go now?

For one he will start seizing ships….

The US military is preparing to board and seize Iran-linked commercial vessels on the high seas in the coming days, officials say, widening a maritime campaign that has so far centered on the Persian Gulf region. The move follows Iran’s assertion that it is again tightly controlling the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with reported attacks on commercial ships there. The Trump administration is using increased naval activity and economic leverage to pressure the Iranian government over its nuclear program and its control of oil exports, the Wall Street Journal reports.

And now he has made one of his ill-conceived sweeping statements…..

President Donald Trump has issued his latest threat to Iran and said that if officials fail to make a deal with the United States “the whole country is going to get blown up.”

The president also made threats Sunday morning to target civil infrastructure after it was reported that Iranian forces were refusing to allow ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz this weekend.

“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” Trump wrote. The posts appeared to be an effort to bring the regime to the table for 11th-hour talks before the U.S.-Iran ceasefire expires next week.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-iran-negotiations-infrastructure-bridges-b2960588.html

Iran ddoes not need nukes….it has the Straight of Hormuz.

Will someone give this twat a Big Mac and Diet Cola and tell him to go sit in the corner?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Add A Drum Roll

The talks failed with Iran and then Donny says they will restart in a couple of days and now we know that he is sending more ground troops to the region on stand-by.

The US is sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East and is considering restarting the bombing campaign against Iran or launching ground operations in the country, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed US officials.

The report said that the forces include 6,000 troops aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush and its accompanying warships. Notably, the Bush traveled around southern Africa on its way to the region instead of going through the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal, the typical route of US warships, signaling the US is concerned the Houthis in Yemen could close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

About 4,200 other US troops, including thousands of Marines, are heading to the region from the Pacific aboard the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group. The Post said they are expected to reach the Middle East by the end of April. Once both forces arrive, the US will have more than 60,000 troops in the region.

The buildup and the US blockade of Iranian ports are framed as an effort to get Iran to agree to US demands for a diplomatic deal. But according to President Trump, the US is continuing to demand that Iran make a commitment to never again enrich uranium for civilian purposes, a condition that’s seen as a non-starter and will likely lead to a renewal of the bombing campaign if the US sticks to it.

The current ceasefire between the US and Iran will expire on April 22 if it’s not extended. Other reports have said that President Trump has considered launching “limited” strikes in Iran to get Tehran to capitulate, but any renewed bombing campaign would mean a return to full-blown war.

Concerning possible ground operations, the Post report said that Trump administration officials have “discussed everything from launching a complex Special Operations mission to extract Iranian nuclear material, to landing Marines on coastal areas and islands to protect the strait, to seizing Kharg Island, an Iranian export facility in the Persian Gulf.”

(antiwar.com)

Is this a bluff?

Will Americans die because of Israel?

Now flash forward to the other side of the world…..a small island nation of Cuba.

Donny and that little idiot Marco have been threatening Cuba for a couple of months and now word comes that there may be more to their jaw slapping than BS….

The Pentagon has increased its preparations for a possible attack on Cuba, according to media reports, as President Trump has made clear that war against the island nation may be his next military intervention.

Zeteo first reported the ramped-up plans for war with Cuba, saying that in recent days, “officials at the Pentagon and elsewhere in the US government were quietly given a new directive that came straight from the Trump White House. The message: ramp up your preparations for possible military operations against Cuba.”

USA Today affirmed the Zeteo scoop, reporting that military planning for war with Cuba has increased in case President Trump orders an attack on the country.

Trump may be eyeing an operation similar to the attack on Venezuela that resulted in the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, as Zeteo reported that the administration is discussing plans to “attack and kidnap Cuban leaders.”

Since the attack on Venezuela, which killed at least 83 people, including four civilians, the US has been dealing with Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s vice president, who was sworn in as acting president. The US has eased sanctions on Venezuela in an effort to control its oil industry and oil experts, and has cut off Cuba from Venezuelan oil, part of a ramped-up blockade that’s caused a devastating humanitarian crisis in the country.

The US has been engaged in some negotiations with Cuba, but it’s unclear what sort of deal would satisfy the US, as the main driver of the policy, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, would likely not accept an arrangement that keeps the current government in power.

On Monday, President Trump told USA Today that the US “may stop by Cuba after we’re finished with this,” referencing the US-Israeli conflict against Iran. The president has previously said that he wants to have the “honor” of “taking Cuba” and that he feels that he “can do anything I want with it.”

In the face of the pressure and threats from the US, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has said he will not step down and has vowed that Cuba is ready to fight.

“An invasion of Cuba would have costs. … It would affect the security of Cuba, the United States and of the region,” Diaz-Canel told NBC News in a recent interview. “If that happens, there will be fighting, and there will be a struggle, and we will defend ourselves, and if we need to die, we’ll die, because as our national anthem says, ‘Dying for the homeland is to live.’”

(aqntiwar.com)

This wrinkled old bastard and his idiotic cohorts are determined to set this world on fire.

Are you people happy now?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

Are We Blockading The Blockade?

When this silly mash-up started Iran punished the west by blocking the Straight of Hormuz and now after the ‘talks’ failed to accomplish a ceasefire Donny will blockade Iranian ports.

The next challenge in the Iran war has arrived: President Trump’s new blockade of Iranian ports took effect at 10am Eastern, reports the BBC. Washington has not formally acknowledged the start of the operation, but the Wall Street Journalreports that more than 15 US warships were in place to enforce it. Under the plan, US forces will stop ships going in and out of Iranian ports but let other vessels pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The move is meant to choke off Iran’s oil exports and raise pressure on Tehran to accept US terms for ending the war.

Two Iran-linked tankers got through hours before the deadline, notes the New York Times. And both sides were issuing warnings:

  • If Iranian ports are threatened, “no port in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman will be safe,” said Ebrahim Zolfaghari, an Iranian military spokesman.
  • Trump, meanwhile, wrote on Truth Social that if any Iranian “ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED.”
  • Amid the new tensions, Brent crude jumped about 7% to nearly $102 a barrel. For the record, European allies are not on board with the new blockade.
  • The ceasefire announced by Trump expires on April 22, and some still see hope of striking a deal before that deadline.

Full disclosure oil prices have dropped a bit today.

Then there is the Donny military chest thumping….

As the US military on Monday began a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after the Trump administration’s failed talks with the Iranian government, a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a warning to the United States.

“If the war continues, we will unveil capacities that the enemy has no idea about,” said Sardar Mohibi, according to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency. “We will unveil warfare methods that the enemy will have little ability to counter.”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/strait-of-hormuz-blockade

On a side note about the war ….

A new poll of Israelis shows that six-in-ten are opposed to the current truce with Iran. Last week, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire to allow space for talks to bring a permanent end to the conflict.

The survey, conducted by the Institute for National Security Studies, found 61% of Israelis are opposed to the ongoing ceasefire with Iran. Earlier this month, Pakistan brokered a truce between the US and Iran that was intended to halt fighting across the Middle East. However, Israel has refused to stop attacking Lebanon.

69% of Israelis support continuing military operations inside Lebanon. However, a majority of Israelis also said that they do not believe that attacking Lebanon will improve Israel’s security situation.

https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/israelis-oppose-ceasefire-with-iran-believe-the-war-will-resume/

Of course the Israelis oppose because they have wanted to drag the US into their mash-up with Iran for 40 years.

Back to the blockade silliness.

I ask again is not this a blockade of a blockade?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

What’s Next?

The proposed ceasefire talks with Iran did not take (few of us thought it would) and now what fresh Hell awaits the region?

After Vice President JD Vance left Pakistan with no nuclear agreement and few clear next steps, politically problematic options remain for the Trump administration. It could reopen extended negotiations over Iran’s nuclear future, the New York Times reports, or resume the attacks that have triggered the largest energy disruption in modern history. President Trump, who announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, has argued that Iran should now simply give in after enduring more than 13,000 strikes. But Tehran says the casualties and damage have only strengthened its resolve. The shaky two-week ceasefire expires April 21.

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf suggested the next step is up to the US, per the Washington Post. “America has understood our logic and principles, and now it’s time for it to decide whether it can earn our trust or not,” Ghalibaf posted on X. Any renewed conflict could worsen oil shortages, drive gasoline prices higher, deepen supply problems for products including fertilizers and semiconductors, and push inflation above its current 3.3%. Both governments claim victory from the first round of fighting—the US for its firepower, Iran for withstanding it—and neither side is signaling readiness to compromise.

One expert cautioned about the ceasefire, per Deutsche Welle. “The risk is gradual erosion,” said Fatemeh Aman of the Atlantic Council. “Local incidents, miscalculations, or actions by allied groups could test the limits of restraint. Without a follow-up diplomatic process, the ceasefire remains exposed. It may hold in the short term, but it lacks long-term stability.”

Donny’s newest threat for the conflict….a blockade…..

President Trump’s vow to use the US Navy to shut off Iran’s access to the Strait of Hormuz is pushing the six-week war into a more dangerous phase with major economic stakes, the Wall Street Journal reports. After US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan collapsed over Tehran’s nuclear program, Trump said the Navy will on Monday begin blockading the narrow waterway, inspecting ships that have paid Iran for passage, and clearing sea mines; he warned that any Iranian forces firing on US or commercial vessels would be “BLOWN TO HELL.” US Central Command says the blockade, which will begin at 10am Eastern time Monday, will be “enforced impartially against vessels of all nations,” but that ships will be allowed to transit the strait if they are traveling between non-Iranian ports—a step back from Trump’s initial threat of a full blockade, the AP reports.

The Pentagon says the operation is feasible, but current and former officials who spoke to the Journal caution that keeping control of the strait—bordered by Iran and vital to global oil flows—will be far more complicated than launching the blockade. Iran’s regular navy has taken heavy losses, but the Revolutionary Guard still fields a large fleet of fast boats, drones, and mines that can harass or threaten US ships. Retired Rear Adm. Mark Montgomery calls the effort “militarily manageable” but said Washington will likely need partners.

The economic fallout is already spreading. With Iran having previously choked traffic through Hormuz, factories in parts of Asia are cutting output, some gas stations there are rationing fuel, and some airports in Europe and Asia are running low on jet fuel. Analysts estimate about 13 million barrels a day of Gulf oil—or roughly 12% of global supply—has been knocked offline; a successful effort to halt Iran’s remaining exports could remove another 2 million barrels daily.

Trump and his advisers argue the blockade is needed to end what they call Iranian “extortion” and to prevent Tehran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. The White House says “numerous countries” will join the effort, though key European and Gulf governments have signaled their participation may depend on a broader ceasefire and an international mandate. Iran, buoyed by recent oil revenue, still holds leverage: it could target Saudi and UAE pipelines that bypass Hormuz or use allied groups to threaten other chokepoints, such as the Bab al-Mandeb off Yemen—raising the possibility of a drawn-out test of endurance between Tehran and a global economy already under strain. Experts who spoke to Reuters echoed those who spoke to the Journal, noting a blockade of the strait is an act of war that could bring retaliation from Iran, and is unlikely to help with US gas prices.

There you have just what is waiting for us on the horizon…..will Donny jump or will calmer heads prevail?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

The Shaky Ceasefire

Note:  I get juiced this morning early so I will be down for the count….chemo has that effect…..hopefully I will be at full strength come Saturday…..Have a good day.

It has been announced and it has been on unstable ground since that day…..but just for the FYI here are the points of each side….

US 15 Point Proposals Now

1) US will remove all sanctions on Iran

2) It will cease all threats to reimpose sanctions

3) Iran’s nuclear program will be frozen under a defined framework

4) US will assist Iran in developing a civilian nuclear project

5) There will be limit on enriched uranium to remain under supervision

6) US agrees to address the Iranian missile program at a later date

7) Iran’s nuclear program will be restricted to civilian purposes only

8) Iran will halt the development of existing nuclear facilities & capabilities

9) Iran will discontinue further expansion of enrichment capabilities

10) No production of weapons-grade nuclear material to occur on Iranian soil

11) Iran will hand over all enriched materials to the IAEA on an agreed timeline

12) Iran’s Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow nuclear facilities will be taken out of use

13) International monitoring and verification mechanisms

14) Implementations will be gradual and tied to compliance

15) Both sides to discuss additional regional and security issues

Then there is the counter from Iran….

Iran’s Current 10 Point Proposal

1) Guarantee that Iran will not be attacked again

2) Permanent end to the war, not just a ceasefire

3) End to Israeli strikes in Lebanon

4) Lifting of all sanctions on Iran

5) End to all regional fighting against Iranian allies

6) In return, Iran would open the Strait of Hormuz

7) Iran will determine the rules of safe passage through Hormuz

8) A Hormuz fee of $2 million per ship

9) Iran would split these fees with Oman

10) Iran to use Hormuz fees for reconstruction instead of reparations

Let’s pretend that this ceasefire holds…..who won?

So who’s winning, or has won, the Iran war thus far? Who’s losing?

Iran has agreed to a temporary ceasefire and to negotiate. But it will still run the Hormuz strait. It will collect fees. Higher global oil prices means it will make even more money from oil sales. That can buy a lot of Chinese radars and Russian anti-aircraft systems. The US will not control the Hormuz in any way. Iran will set the rules and control the strait, in cooperation with one or two friendlier Gulf states (Oman, maybe Qatar?)

Iran will replenish and accelerate production and development of its missiles and drone programs.

The Iran war—like the Ukraine war—means military power has changed radically. Surface ships are sitting ducks. Even 5th generation aircraft if they get too close. War is now about hypersonic missiles, autonomous weapons, massed drones in the air, on and under the water, low orbit satellites and surveillance—and of course economic destabilization.

The most important question remains: what will Israel do should US and Iran agree to a deal (or don’t)? Trump and the Iranians can agree to all they want. Israel will not necessarily abide by it (even if it says it will). When the dust settles, Israel will again try to find a way to lure America into its wars of expansion in the middle east.

(counterpunch.org)

Will this actually hold a peace in the region?

I think not for Israel does not want a peace for the region.

What say you?

Just FYI….Iran is claiming victory…..

US forces secured a “historic and overwhelming victory” over Iran, defense chief Pete Hegseth declared Wednesday, adding that “Iran proved utterly incapable of defending itself.” Iran, of course, begs to differ, with its national security council boasting that it delivered “an undeniable, historic, and crushing defeat” to its foes, per the Wall Street Journal. A Washington Post piece finds that behind the bluster, neither side is a “clear winner,” but the newspaper is among a number of outlets exploring why Tehran is maintaining victory. The short version: The regime survived, albeit after losing key figures; Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz; and it still possesses a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, per Politico.

“What Iran did, systematically and deliberately, was hurt the US economy” by shutting down the strait and sending oil prices soaring, Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute tells the Journal. “They made sure the war was felt in the US,” he says, adding, “I don’t think Trump’s going to try that again.” And even after the ceasefire, Iran continues to maintain control over which ships are allowed to navigate the strait. “The implication: Iran is intent on using its newfound control over the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf as leverage over Trump as the Islamic Republic seeks to rebuild its power after the biggest threat to its survival in decades,” writes David S. Cloud of the Journal.

The Post, meanwhile, notes that crowds filled the streets of Tehran after the ceasefire announcement, triumphantly waving their nation’s flag, far from the “unconditional surrender” President Trump had previously demanded. Not that Iran emerged unscathed: In additon to the relentless bombing attacks from the US and Israel, it is now more isolated than ever in the region because of its attacks on neighboring nations. Still, as one Asian diplomat tells Politico of Hegseth’s threat to resume strikes if necessary, “Declaring victory by saying he will attack Iran some more seems like losing.”

What say you?

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”