If accurate (I trust Trita Parsi more than any other voice on the topic) this will be **catastrophic** in ways we Americans have not felt in recent history.
I appreciate your analysis, Trita. You're the most sober, levelheaded voice I've come across on this horrific display of vulgarity made by Israel and the US against Iran.
No meaningful group of regular people on the planet will benefit from this. We will all pay the price for this continuing failure of Washington's policy supported by entrenched officials within **both** political "teams".
This is the continuing failure of the American people Jon. We should, many of us could bring the fight to DC and occupy it with 1,000,000. The No Kings Rally could easily gather folks. We do not have any more functioning Gov't remaining and could begin a constitutional-like convention, millions of folks could take part with cellular technology. Folks living in DC will assist, feed house, businesses also would help. As an old VietNam war protester , I know what DC people will do.
We have the numbers and this administration is hated by the majority. The wind is already at our backs. Indivisible and and all social and economic Justice organizations can join as well as all the strong progessive in congress would join. Indivisible has a list of changes to rebuild our democratic system. And remain in DC grabbing the medias stream all summer. The population would not permit the slaughter of Americans protesting in our nations capitol
You know as well as I that the root of corruption is money, money in politics, and the big money in general is now in too few hands. There are so many issues that could be resolved with redistributing money thru fair taxation. This should be the largest issue 1st
There are many Biblical admonitions US Christian Nationalists dismiss out of hand.
The US is the biggest arms merchant in the history of Nations. "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts.' Zechariah 4: 6
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:4
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and MONEY Matthew 6: 24
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1Timothy 6:10
Looking at the Leading Indicators and what the Secular MSM is reporting every Day, this Material World had finally arrived at the long prophesied Armageddon, the great Day of the Battle of Almighty God, between Theocratic Israel +Theocratic US Christian Nationalism, and Theocratic Iran, described in the Revelation of Jesus Christ 16:13-16.
I live on a remote island in Alaska that gets all of its phone and internet service via an undersea cable. It was damaged by a ship’s anchor last year and it knocked out all our phone and internet for three weeks. It’s clearly very easy to sever these cables and difficult to repair them. US media is reporting on the possibility as well. I think it’s definitely in the cards if the US escalates again.
What many still don’t understand is that modern wars are no longer isolated battlefields. They are attacks on systems: energy flows, shipping lanes, finance, communications, infrastructure, and public psychology. Every escalation meant to restore deterrence seems to create wider instability instead. After Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, you would think Washington would understand that endurance itself can become asymmetric leverage. Instead, we keep repeating the same pattern while assuming more pressure will somehow produce a different outcome.
Dr Bandy X Lee has submitted a detailed analysis outlining the current danger to the planet via nukes via Trump. Some of the most prestigious names are on the open letter. She also edited "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump". Much analysis has been done.
Valid question. Without a doubt, when someone keeps repeating the same destructive foreign policy patterns while expecting different outcomes, people are naturally going to start questioning mental fitness and judgment.
The USA and Israel became so used to dominating the world that they genuinely thought they could bully, sanction, destabilise or topple anyone forever.
For years, the US believed China could be controlled the same way others had been. How wrong they were.
I honestly picture Chinese ministers sitting there watching American political theatrics unfold thinking they were dealing with complete clowns. An empire publicly spiralling through arrogance, chaos and short-term thinking while still convinced it runs the world.
And now look at Iran. For decades, Iran was framed as weak, backwards and isolated. Sanctioned for generations. Economically strangled. Threatened constantly. The entire point was to break the country and force submission to empire. It failed. Iran adapted. Built internally. Survived. Endured.
Ordinary Iranians suffered heavily under sanctions. But the larger lie collapsed with it: that countries need the approval of empire to survive or prosper.
At the same time, China spent decades building factories, infrastructure, rail, ports, technology and industrial power while the United States burned trillions on wars, invasions, military bases and regime change operations. The US hollowed itself out chasing dominance abroad while letting its own foundations rot. Industries died. Manufacturing disappeared. Infrastructure crumbled. Entire towns were left behind.
And that is why this war reigniting matters. From a humanitarian perspective, war is horrific. The economic fallout alone will be enormous. Ordinary people will suffer like they always do. Civilian lives and infrastructure will be destroyed as that’s how empire works. They commit crimes against humanity with complete impunity. We know that from Gaza. From Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria… the list continues.
It's past time for the US congress to put a stop to this madness. Either that or J.D. Vance must invoke the 25th Amendment, remove Trump from the presidency, apologize to Iran and sue for peace, pay war reparations and with the world's help convince Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without "tolls."
Not happening. Didn't do it for Reagan. Didn't do it for Biden. Let Clinton get away with screwing the help. Did dead with Nixon, but that was 50 years ago. They have changef. America now treats its presidents like gods. They literally can do no wrong. The world is so f#&cked as a result. 77 million folk making a bad decision and the other 8 billion pay the consequences.
I can conjure Iran's "day after the day after the war ends" scenario. I really cannot fathom, or make coherent the US scenario. Assume Iran's leadership, infrastructure and military are eliminated tomorrow. Does the US rebuild Iran? Who leads it? Is it the breakaway groups, the Shah's son, a confederation of GCC states, US occupation? What about the people of Iran? Employment, schooling, healthcare, currency and more-- how will these institutions be restored now, much less with more destruction afoot? How and by whom is all of the energy infrastructure brought back on-line? How is the Strait reopened for all, given mines, proxies and militias-- existing and newly deployed? I could go on. I do more planning for a vacation than this Trump administration seems to do for war...with disastrous results. The American foreign policy affliction is amnesia.
Trump has no interest in analysis or any capability of thinking things through. He seems blinded by a lust for revenge on anyone and anything that calls his bluff. This is truly frightening.
Because of his giant size ego, all common sense, rationality has totally left him. All he is interested now is power and more money for himself, his family and his billionaire cronies. His name is being plastered all over the world with gold statues of himself here in the USA.
It has gotten to the point if people really call his bluff he will be ready to destroy the planet instead of facing reality and defeat.
How will resumption of hostilities by Trump and Netanyahu against Iran will come about?
1. Deployment of ground troops to steal the enriched uranium?
2. Use of ground troops and naval power to secure the Strait of Hormuz on the Western shores of Iran, a limited objective?
3. Indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure?
4. Use of new intelligence to destroy missiles, drones or additional leadership?
5. Use of a tactical nuclear weapon?
None of the above can be achieved without loss of thousands or hundreds of thousands of civilians and military personnel on both sides with no clear winning party.
I hope Trump's mind remains lucid for the next few weeks.
My apologies, in turn. I was writing ironically--and we clearly agree on that point. I would only add to your sensible selection of options Trump and Bibi would consider, there remains this:
Unfortunately, I think your assessment is correct. I also think Iran’s leaders have proven they know what they’re doing and will continue embarrassing America and its allies. But I still think the best thing they can do is build 5-10 nuclear bombs to make sure they are no longer held hostage by the unhinged sociopaths who rule Israel and America.
I may be biased about Iran since I lived and worked several years in Tehran and had great relationships with Iranian families who truly liked America and wanted to be friends with Americans. I’m thinking that we (Americans and others) only view Iran as a country to be subjugated - to WIN a battle with. Perhaps all of our thinking starts with the WRONG PREMISE: that we have to WIN THE WAR with them.
Isn’t it time to change OUR perspective? The Iranians I have viewed for decades have not overrun our borders or bombed our cities. They have responded militarily to protect THEIR borders; they have not encroached on ours or those of our allies.
This is the continuing failure of the American people We should, many of us could bring the fight to DC and occupy it with 1,000,000. The No Kings Rally could easily gather folks. We do not have any more functioning Gov't remaining and could begin a constitutional-like convention, millions of folks could take part with cellular technology. Folks living in DC will assist, feed house, businesses also would help. As an old VietNam war protester , I know what DC people will do.
We have the numbers and this administration is hated by the majority. The wind is already at our backs. Indivisible and and all social and economic Justice organizations can join as well as all the strong progessive in congress would join. Indivisible has a list of changes to rebuild our democratic system. And remain in DC grabbing the medias stream all summer. The population would not permit the slaughter of Americans protesting in our nations capitol
You know as well as I that the root of corruption is money, money in politics, and the big money in general is now in too few hands. There are so many issues that could be resolved with redistributing money thru fair taxation. This should be the largest issue 1st
It seems the pause extension was more about Trump going to China, than anything else. The Iran war is making them too much money and distracting from Bibi's implementation of the Greater Israel project.
Friends - I will do a Zoom Q&A for paid subscribers later this week about this (and whatever develops), at the end of this week.
If accurate (I trust Trita Parsi more than any other voice on the topic) this will be **catastrophic** in ways we Americans have not felt in recent history.
I appreciate your analysis, Trita. You're the most sober, levelheaded voice I've come across on this horrific display of vulgarity made by Israel and the US against Iran.
No meaningful group of regular people on the planet will benefit from this. We will all pay the price for this continuing failure of Washington's policy supported by entrenched officials within **both** political "teams".
This is all so tragic and unnecessary.
This is the continuing failure of the American people Jon. We should, many of us could bring the fight to DC and occupy it with 1,000,000. The No Kings Rally could easily gather folks. We do not have any more functioning Gov't remaining and could begin a constitutional-like convention, millions of folks could take part with cellular technology. Folks living in DC will assist, feed house, businesses also would help. As an old VietNam war protester , I know what DC people will do.
We have the numbers and this administration is hated by the majority. The wind is already at our backs. Indivisible and and all social and economic Justice organizations can join as well as all the strong progessive in congress would join. Indivisible has a list of changes to rebuild our democratic system. And remain in DC grabbing the medias stream all summer. The population would not permit the slaughter of Americans protesting in our nations capitol
You know as well as I that the root of corruption is money, money in politics, and the big money in general is now in too few hands. There are so many issues that could be resolved with redistributing money thru fair taxation. This should be the largest issue 1st
There are many Biblical admonitions US Christian Nationalists dismiss out of hand.
The US is the biggest arms merchant in the history of Nations. "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts.' Zechariah 4: 6
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Isaiah 2:4
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and MONEY Matthew 6: 24
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1Timothy 6:10
Looking at the Leading Indicators and what the Secular MSM is reporting every Day, this Material World had finally arrived at the long prophesied Armageddon, the great Day of the Battle of Almighty God, between Theocratic Israel +Theocratic US Christian Nationalism, and Theocratic Iran, described in the Revelation of Jesus Christ 16:13-16.
And let us not forget what Christ said as he was being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane............
"Those who live by the sword will perish by the sword."
I live on a remote island in Alaska that gets all of its phone and internet service via an undersea cable. It was damaged by a ship’s anchor last year and it knocked out all our phone and internet for three weeks. It’s clearly very easy to sever these cables and difficult to repair them. US media is reporting on the possibility as well. I think it’s definitely in the cards if the US escalates again.
What many still don’t understand is that modern wars are no longer isolated battlefields. They are attacks on systems: energy flows, shipping lanes, finance, communications, infrastructure, and public psychology. Every escalation meant to restore deterrence seems to create wider instability instead. After Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, you would think Washington would understand that endurance itself can become asymmetric leverage. Instead, we keep repeating the same pattern while assuming more pressure will somehow produce a different outcome.
Definition of insanity. Has anyone mentioned the President's mental state?
I think they’re still looking for it
Dr Bandy X Lee has submitted a detailed analysis outlining the current danger to the planet via nukes via Trump. Some of the most prestigious names are on the open letter. She also edited "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump". Much analysis has been done.
Yeah. Seen some of these analyses. Just, sadly, won't happen. Reagan, Biden both prove this. They… just…can't.
Valid question. Without a doubt, when someone keeps repeating the same destructive foreign policy patterns while expecting different outcomes, people are naturally going to start questioning mental fitness and judgment.
The disastrous trip to China proves to him the end of the American empire. Continued war with Iran will seal the deal. He’s done and so is his empire
Well about time. We need a total different global alignment. Out with all empires adn superpowers but cooperation between countries.
The USA and Israel became so used to dominating the world that they genuinely thought they could bully, sanction, destabilise or topple anyone forever.
For years, the US believed China could be controlled the same way others had been. How wrong they were.
I honestly picture Chinese ministers sitting there watching American political theatrics unfold thinking they were dealing with complete clowns. An empire publicly spiralling through arrogance, chaos and short-term thinking while still convinced it runs the world.
And now look at Iran. For decades, Iran was framed as weak, backwards and isolated. Sanctioned for generations. Economically strangled. Threatened constantly. The entire point was to break the country and force submission to empire. It failed. Iran adapted. Built internally. Survived. Endured.
Ordinary Iranians suffered heavily under sanctions. But the larger lie collapsed with it: that countries need the approval of empire to survive or prosper.
At the same time, China spent decades building factories, infrastructure, rail, ports, technology and industrial power while the United States burned trillions on wars, invasions, military bases and regime change operations. The US hollowed itself out chasing dominance abroad while letting its own foundations rot. Industries died. Manufacturing disappeared. Infrastructure crumbled. Entire towns were left behind.
And that is why this war reigniting matters. From a humanitarian perspective, war is horrific. The economic fallout alone will be enormous. Ordinary people will suffer like they always do. Civilian lives and infrastructure will be destroyed as that’s how empire works. They commit crimes against humanity with complete impunity. We know that from Gaza. From Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria… the list continues.
But this war is necessary. A victor is necessary.
And I hope that victor is Iran.
Why do it on a weekday? That’s not his MO
It's past time for the US congress to put a stop to this madness. Either that or J.D. Vance must invoke the 25th Amendment, remove Trump from the presidency, apologize to Iran and sue for peace, pay war reparations and with the world's help convince Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without "tolls."
Not happening. Didn't do it for Reagan. Didn't do it for Biden. Let Clinton get away with screwing the help. Did dead with Nixon, but that was 50 years ago. They have changef. America now treats its presidents like gods. They literally can do no wrong. The world is so f#&cked as a result. 77 million folk making a bad decision and the other 8 billion pay the consequences.
I can conjure Iran's "day after the day after the war ends" scenario. I really cannot fathom, or make coherent the US scenario. Assume Iran's leadership, infrastructure and military are eliminated tomorrow. Does the US rebuild Iran? Who leads it? Is it the breakaway groups, the Shah's son, a confederation of GCC states, US occupation? What about the people of Iran? Employment, schooling, healthcare, currency and more-- how will these institutions be restored now, much less with more destruction afoot? How and by whom is all of the energy infrastructure brought back on-line? How is the Strait reopened for all, given mines, proxies and militias-- existing and newly deployed? I could go on. I do more planning for a vacation than this Trump administration seems to do for war...with disastrous results. The American foreign policy affliction is amnesia.
Trump has no interest in analysis or any capability of thinking things through. He seems blinded by a lust for revenge on anyone and anything that calls his bluff. This is truly frightening.
Because of his giant size ego, all common sense, rationality has totally left him. All he is interested now is power and more money for himself, his family and his billionaire cronies. His name is being plastered all over the world with gold statues of himself here in the USA.
It has gotten to the point if people really call his bluff he will be ready to destroy the planet instead of facing reality and defeat.
How will resumption of hostilities by Trump and Netanyahu against Iran will come about?
1. Deployment of ground troops to steal the enriched uranium?
2. Use of ground troops and naval power to secure the Strait of Hormuz on the Western shores of Iran, a limited objective?
3. Indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure?
4. Use of new intelligence to destroy missiles, drones or additional leadership?
5. Use of a tactical nuclear weapon?
None of the above can be achieved without loss of thousands or hundreds of thousands of civilians and military personnel on both sides with no clear winning party.
I hope Trump's mind remains lucid for the next few weeks.
Please define "remains." I admit, I don't understand it's use in the sentence, above.
Interesting observation. My apologies. He does not have a lucid mind. We would not be in this predicament otherwise.
My apologies, in turn. I was writing ironically--and we clearly agree on that point. I would only add to your sensible selection of options Trump and Bibi would consider, there remains this:
6. All of the above.
Very good points. I especially like the last one.
Unfortunately, I think your assessment is correct. I also think Iran’s leaders have proven they know what they’re doing and will continue embarrassing America and its allies. But I still think the best thing they can do is build 5-10 nuclear bombs to make sure they are no longer held hostage by the unhinged sociopaths who rule Israel and America.
Trump is looking for a reason to nuke Iran. My goodness the world we live in..😐
Unfortunately I happen to agree with you!
I may be biased about Iran since I lived and worked several years in Tehran and had great relationships with Iranian families who truly liked America and wanted to be friends with Americans. I’m thinking that we (Americans and others) only view Iran as a country to be subjugated - to WIN a battle with. Perhaps all of our thinking starts with the WRONG PREMISE: that we have to WIN THE WAR with them.
Isn’t it time to change OUR perspective? The Iranians I have viewed for decades have not overrun our borders or bombed our cities. They have responded militarily to protect THEIR borders; they have not encroached on ours or those of our allies.
This is the continuing failure of the American people We should, many of us could bring the fight to DC and occupy it with 1,000,000. The No Kings Rally could easily gather folks. We do not have any more functioning Gov't remaining and could begin a constitutional-like convention, millions of folks could take part with cellular technology. Folks living in DC will assist, feed house, businesses also would help. As an old VietNam war protester , I know what DC people will do.
We have the numbers and this administration is hated by the majority. The wind is already at our backs. Indivisible and and all social and economic Justice organizations can join as well as all the strong progessive in congress would join. Indivisible has a list of changes to rebuild our democratic system. And remain in DC grabbing the medias stream all summer. The population would not permit the slaughter of Americans protesting in our nations capitol
You know as well as I that the root of corruption is money, money in politics, and the big money in general is now in too few hands. There are so many issues that could be resolved with redistributing money thru fair taxation. This should be the largest issue 1st
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It seems the pause extension was more about Trump going to China, than anything else. The Iran war is making them too much money and distracting from Bibi's implementation of the Greater Israel project.
uhhh so the Iran War stopped?!