Whether he's dead or alive, one thing that *is* real is the absolute mess that is the Iran War. We outsourced our foreign policy to some folks in Tel Aviv, and now we are where we are. It is a clusterf*** of the most epic proportions. Operation Epic Clusterf***, it should be renamed. We don't have the ability to reopen the Straight of Hormuz without putting tens of thousands of American soldiers on the ground (in which case hundreds, maybe thousands will die), and Trump's only other option is to declare victory and run away (which I fear he will do...sounds like his style) which will only embolden the Russians and Chinese who watch with glee, munching their popcorn. I was MAGA from the beginning but I am sorry to say I think Trump has made a disastrous decision here.
Ok, for these kind of emergencies, I usually prescribe three days of Jeff Childers column - Coffee & Covid. Optimism is key here, Dan! Also, the Lord God is sovereign and He is the author of this. So until He comes back to get us, best not to stew about things we have no control over! Seriously, I hope your day gets better.
Thanks Marlene, I appreciate the concern and for what it's worth, I do follow C&C - it is generally brilliant but I suspect the usage of TAW is going to head into sharp decline in the coming weeks and months. As for the Lord God - did he author the Gaza genocide too? If so...not quite the guy I thought he was.
Yes Marlene, I did. And a)I would like to let the man work. I'd like to let him work on reducing the cost of living, fixing the rigged voting system and ridding this country of illegal criminals...remember? The things we elected him to do? Remember the rallies we all cheered? Remember the promises of "no more forever wars"? And b)I'm afraid that Trump does not always win. Sorry Marlene, he just doesn't. I'm the biggest Trump fan and defender you'll ever meet, but I draw the red line at being deliberately stupid and saying dumb stuff like TAW, more to convince myself than anyone else. Did he win in Minnesota, withdrawing all the ICE? Was that another TAW moment? Is he winning on the SAVE Act, with the legislation getting kicked into the senate long grass? Is that another TAW? And please, pray tell Marlene, tell me how he is winning in the Straight of Hormuz. I am sitting here by the computer waiting for your reply, so that I may know how this absolute clusterf*** is another win.
I understand why people instinctively compare any Middle East conflict to Iraq. That experience left a deep scar in American politics. But the early results of the Iran conflict look different from the disaster scenarios many predicted.
A recent analysis in National Review by Noah Rothman gives me hope…Iran’s capabilities have been degraded faster than bogus political pundits can spin a narrative, which tells me that the situation on the ground is going better than the CNN commentators convey (because we trust the media SO MUCH).
Even outside opinion pieces, early battlefield reporting suggests Iran’s missile launches and drone attacks have dropped dramatically as infrastructure and production capacity are targeted. And post-piece, those capabilities have been degraded even more.
No one should pretend war is good. But doing nothing also has consequences. For years Iran has funded proxy militias, threatened global shipping routes, and destabilized the region. At some point deterrence requires action.
And historically, limited uses of force have sometimes restored deterrence without turning into another Iraq-style occupation.
There’s actually precedent for this with Iran. In 1988, after Iran mined the Persian Gulf and nearly sank a U.S. frigate, the U.S. Navy destroyed much of Iran’s naval capability in a single day during Operation Praying Mantis. Iran stopped attacking shipping shortly afterward.
Iraq was about regime change and nation-building. That’s a completely different strategy from degrading military capabilities and restoring deterrence. Sometimes decisive force restores deterrence rather than creating another endless war. I hope that’s the case, here.
That’s why I thought the recent National Review analysis was interesting — it argues the early results of the current campaign may be degrading Iran’s capabilities faster than expected, which is exactly the kind of limited objective that has worked before.
Different administration. Different than anything we’ve ever seen before…nobody’s ever seen anything like it 🤣. Seriously, though. Not your typical president. Not your typical administration. I’m not saying I’m for or against…just offering another perspective. I can’t say what the admin’s talking points are, only what I research and see to be happening. I could be wrong…it’s happened before ;). But we’re in it, so we might as well hope for the best possible outcome. That said, my bug-out bag is locked and loaded. Gas tanks filled. Ready to bolt if things go south. The optimist in me prevails…but the realist stands ready. That is all.
You may be right, and many agree you are. I hope not…not because I WANT you to be wrong, but because I really do want sustained peace in the region. Color me Pollyanna ;).
Oh forgive me for my presumption but...NOAH ROTHMAN, you say? Now I wonder which country beginning with I has Noah Rothman's allegiance....just a wild guess LOL. Your optimism is sweet, but a)go tell that to all the people stranded in UAE who cannot get home and are sitting ducks for rocket attacks and b)go tell that to literally *everyone* on earth who can now look forward to $200 oil and the *huge* ramifications that will have on the cost of living. And all based on a theory that Israel Firsters such as the great Noah Rothman have (without a shred of evidence) that "Iran is going to nuke us!". People need to wake up. This is literally Iraq 2.0 but this time, it's just us and our Israeli "allies". The rest of the world (quite wisely) doesn't want to know.
National Review has famously been a war-mongering neocon redoubt ever since the mid-'80s, when they convinced Buckley to throw his best writer, my friend Joe Sobran, under the bus for "objective antisemitism." Though Joe's been dead for 16 years, he's one of the people the deranged Mark Levin bragged recently about canceling.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm guessing Noah Rothman is about 25 years old and has little to no background in military matters. All the experienced military hands appearing on truly independent media -- Doug McGregor (former Trump adviser), Lawrence Wilkerson (former chief of staff for Colin Powell), Scott Ritter, Daniel Davis, etc., etc. are saying that this war is an unmitigated disaster for the U.S. and the only way out is for the Egoist-in-Chief to make his daily declaration of victory then get the hell out of the region, former bases and all. In which case Israel is cooked. In which case they might then use their nukes and we're all cooked. This is not just another colonial foray into the Middle East. This is the big one.
Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan was on This Week in Washington and did not give Martha R the narrative she was looking for. He (much to her repeated dismay) confirmed that the administration had a plan and has been strategically successful so far. He agreed with everything they have done to date. Donegan has literally commanded naval operations in that region, overseeing U.S. and allied forces operating in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen. So when he speaks about what Iran can realistically do and NOT DO in the Gulf, he’s drawing on direct operational experience, not just academic analysis.
There are several highly respected retired military leaders — including Jack Keane, former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army; Philip M. Breedlove, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander; Kevin M. Donegan, former commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf (mentioned above); and Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — who have publicly supported the administration’s efforts in Iran. In fact, dozens of retired generals and admirals signed an open letter arguing that weakening Iran’s ability to threaten the United States and its allies is a necessary step toward restoring stability in the region.
Regarding Rothman…just because someone doesn’t have direct military experience doesn’t mean they don’t have the ability to research and analyze. I’m no medical doctor, but it didn’t take much research to realize that masks were infective against protecting against viral spread or that the “vaccine” was dangerous. One doesn’t have to be an “expert” to provide expert analysis.
Update: Rothman is mid-40s. No evidence of experience in military matters. He formerly worked for Commentary Magazine, which, of course, is Neocon Central.
Guess you would rather have democrats running wars. Since they are basically running a war now. Think hard about the mental condition they are in. Please. If we lose midterms, Dan McCarthy………
Janet the midterms are already gone. Anyone who says otherwise is either smoking crack or is an Israel Firster trying to get you to agree to doing their dirty work.
Like most of the parasites, this world would be a better place without him. Unfortunately, he would just be replaced by another political parasite that is hellbent on carrying on the same agenda. This seems like another psychological operation though to distract us from talking about all the real war crimes being committed and the ongoing war against humanity.
War and propaganda has always been the same, it's just much more sophisticated. Every war is a bankers war and this one is no different. Carlin had it right decades ago and it still rings true today: https://youtu.be/B5xGPU1QWok
Are 6-fingered AI-generated videos proof that AI is from Satan…or does Netanyahu actually have 6 fingers and he’s been hiding that because he knows he’s descended from Nephilim? THERE’S your real conspiracy theory. LOL.
Well, I don’t have many clothing items that haven’t been adorned with coffee stains. If my latte is so full to the very brim at the coffee shop that I have to lean down and slurp a bit off the top of the cup first in order to use the traditional way get the coffee into my mouth, then there is a tell right there. AI Bibi.
fauxspresso -- I will demand that this smart word be immediately added to both Cambridge and Oxford Advanced as well as Merriam Webster Collegiate dictionaries. ASAP approved by all lexicographers.
Whether he's dead or alive, one thing that *is* real is the absolute mess that is the Iran War. We outsourced our foreign policy to some folks in Tel Aviv, and now we are where we are. It is a clusterf*** of the most epic proportions. Operation Epic Clusterf***, it should be renamed. We don't have the ability to reopen the Straight of Hormuz without putting tens of thousands of American soldiers on the ground (in which case hundreds, maybe thousands will die), and Trump's only other option is to declare victory and run away (which I fear he will do...sounds like his style) which will only embolden the Russians and Chinese who watch with glee, munching their popcorn. I was MAGA from the beginning but I am sorry to say I think Trump has made a disastrous decision here.
Ok, for these kind of emergencies, I usually prescribe three days of Jeff Childers column - Coffee & Covid. Optimism is key here, Dan! Also, the Lord God is sovereign and He is the author of this. So until He comes back to get us, best not to stew about things we have no control over! Seriously, I hope your day gets better.
Thanks Marlene, I appreciate the concern and for what it's worth, I do follow C&C - it is generally brilliant but I suspect the usage of TAW is going to head into sharp decline in the coming weeks and months. As for the Lord God - did he author the Gaza genocide too? If so...not quite the guy I thought he was.
Wow. Somebody woke up cranky. A. Let the man work! and B. TAW!
Yes Marlene, I did. And a)I would like to let the man work. I'd like to let him work on reducing the cost of living, fixing the rigged voting system and ridding this country of illegal criminals...remember? The things we elected him to do? Remember the rallies we all cheered? Remember the promises of "no more forever wars"? And b)I'm afraid that Trump does not always win. Sorry Marlene, he just doesn't. I'm the biggest Trump fan and defender you'll ever meet, but I draw the red line at being deliberately stupid and saying dumb stuff like TAW, more to convince myself than anyone else. Did he win in Minnesota, withdrawing all the ICE? Was that another TAW moment? Is he winning on the SAVE Act, with the legislation getting kicked into the senate long grass? Is that another TAW? And please, pray tell Marlene, tell me how he is winning in the Straight of Hormuz. I am sitting here by the computer waiting for your reply, so that I may know how this absolute clusterf*** is another win.
I understand why people instinctively compare any Middle East conflict to Iraq. That experience left a deep scar in American politics. But the early results of the Iran conflict look different from the disaster scenarios many predicted.
A recent analysis in National Review by Noah Rothman gives me hope…Iran’s capabilities have been degraded faster than bogus political pundits can spin a narrative, which tells me that the situation on the ground is going better than the CNN commentators convey (because we trust the media SO MUCH).
Even outside opinion pieces, early battlefield reporting suggests Iran’s missile launches and drone attacks have dropped dramatically as infrastructure and production capacity are targeted. And post-piece, those capabilities have been degraded even more.
No one should pretend war is good. But doing nothing also has consequences. For years Iran has funded proxy militias, threatened global shipping routes, and destabilized the region. At some point deterrence requires action.
And historically, limited uses of force have sometimes restored deterrence without turning into another Iraq-style occupation.
There’s actually precedent for this with Iran. In 1988, after Iran mined the Persian Gulf and nearly sank a U.S. frigate, the U.S. Navy destroyed much of Iran’s naval capability in a single day during Operation Praying Mantis. Iran stopped attacking shipping shortly afterward.
Iraq was about regime change and nation-building. That’s a completely different strategy from degrading military capabilities and restoring deterrence. Sometimes decisive force restores deterrence rather than creating another endless war. I hope that’s the case, here.
That’s why I thought the recent National Review analysis was interesting — it argues the early results of the current campaign may be degrading Iran’s capabilities faster than expected, which is exactly the kind of limited objective that has worked before.
Here’s a link to the article: https://www.nationalreview.com/2026/03/whats-gone-right-in-the-iran-war/
Nice work. I think you hit all the administration talking points. Great job.
The same government that gave us Vietnam, the Surveillance state, MSM propaganda and gaslighting and covid.
But I'm sure it's telling the truth THIS time.
Different administration. Different than anything we’ve ever seen before…nobody’s ever seen anything like it 🤣. Seriously, though. Not your typical president. Not your typical administration. I’m not saying I’m for or against…just offering another perspective. I can’t say what the admin’s talking points are, only what I research and see to be happening. I could be wrong…it’s happened before ;). But we’re in it, so we might as well hope for the best possible outcome. That said, my bug-out bag is locked and loaded. Gas tanks filled. Ready to bolt if things go south. The optimist in me prevails…but the realist stands ready. That is all.
I admire your optimism, but it's pretty clear that the warmongering nature of the US foreign policy is at its usual best.
The only reason for this bs in the ME is to remove a rival to Israel.
You may be right, and many agree you are. I hope not…not because I WANT you to be wrong, but because I really do want sustained peace in the region. Color me Pollyanna ;).
Oh forgive me for my presumption but...NOAH ROTHMAN, you say? Now I wonder which country beginning with I has Noah Rothman's allegiance....just a wild guess LOL. Your optimism is sweet, but a)go tell that to all the people stranded in UAE who cannot get home and are sitting ducks for rocket attacks and b)go tell that to literally *everyone* on earth who can now look forward to $200 oil and the *huge* ramifications that will have on the cost of living. And all based on a theory that Israel Firsters such as the great Noah Rothman have (without a shred of evidence) that "Iran is going to nuke us!". People need to wake up. This is literally Iraq 2.0 but this time, it's just us and our Israeli "allies". The rest of the world (quite wisely) doesn't want to know.
I guess time will tell. And thank you for calling me sweet😊.
EVERYTHING these days is Iraq.
They lie to us nonstop.
National Review has famously been a war-mongering neocon redoubt ever since the mid-'80s, when they convinced Buckley to throw his best writer, my friend Joe Sobran, under the bus for "objective antisemitism." Though Joe's been dead for 16 years, he's one of the people the deranged Mark Levin bragged recently about canceling.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm guessing Noah Rothman is about 25 years old and has little to no background in military matters. All the experienced military hands appearing on truly independent media -- Doug McGregor (former Trump adviser), Lawrence Wilkerson (former chief of staff for Colin Powell), Scott Ritter, Daniel Davis, etc., etc. are saying that this war is an unmitigated disaster for the U.S. and the only way out is for the Egoist-in-Chief to make his daily declaration of victory then get the hell out of the region, former bases and all. In which case Israel is cooked. In which case they might then use their nukes and we're all cooked. This is not just another colonial foray into the Middle East. This is the big one.
Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan was on This Week in Washington and did not give Martha R the narrative she was looking for. He (much to her repeated dismay) confirmed that the administration had a plan and has been strategically successful so far. He agreed with everything they have done to date. Donegan has literally commanded naval operations in that region, overseeing U.S. and allied forces operating in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen. So when he speaks about what Iran can realistically do and NOT DO in the Gulf, he’s drawing on direct operational experience, not just academic analysis.
There are several highly respected retired military leaders — including Jack Keane, former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army; Philip M. Breedlove, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander; Kevin M. Donegan, former commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf (mentioned above); and Edmund P. Giambastiani Jr., former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — who have publicly supported the administration’s efforts in Iran. In fact, dozens of retired generals and admirals signed an open letter arguing that weakening Iran’s ability to threaten the United States and its allies is a necessary step toward restoring stability in the region.
https://jinsa.org/open-letter-from-72-retired-us-military-leaders-in-support-of-joint-us-israeli-strikes-on-iran/
Regarding Rothman…just because someone doesn’t have direct military experience doesn’t mean they don’t have the ability to research and analyze. I’m no medical doctor, but it didn’t take much research to realize that masks were infective against protecting against viral spread or that the “vaccine” was dangerous. One doesn’t have to be an “expert” to provide expert analysis.
Update: Rothman is mid-40s. No evidence of experience in military matters. He formerly worked for Commentary Magazine, which, of course, is Neocon Central.
Guess you would rather have democrats running wars. Since they are basically running a war now. Think hard about the mental condition they are in. Please. If we lose midterms, Dan McCarthy………
That's why much of the right is so pissed off. These military attacks on other countries is beyond the pale, and will likely scupper the midterms.
They did it to themselves. For no other reason than to help Israel rid the ME of a rival to Israel. Unconscionable.
Janet the midterms are already gone. Anyone who says otherwise is either smoking crack or is an Israel Firster trying to get you to agree to doing their dirty work.
Like most of the parasites, this world would be a better place without him. Unfortunately, he would just be replaced by another political parasite that is hellbent on carrying on the same agenda. This seems like another psychological operation though to distract us from talking about all the real war crimes being committed and the ongoing war against humanity.
War and propaganda has always been the same, it's just much more sophisticated. Every war is a bankers war and this one is no different. Carlin had it right decades ago and it still rings true today: https://youtu.be/B5xGPU1QWok
Are 6-fingered AI-generated videos proof that AI is from Satan…or does Netanyahu actually have 6 fingers and he’s been hiding that because he knows he’s descended from Nephilim? THERE’S your real conspiracy theory. LOL.
Right! Because six fingers. 666!!
Maybe Paul McCartney could appear in public with Netanyahu.
The lost Bibi-tle!
Bread and circuses, folks.
Srsly unsure/other
so hard to say what is going on and I claim I have no idea.
I feel the same way! And that’s all I can say!
And I keep reading headlines about the health of Iran's senior leaders. The MSM keeps misquoting Iranian leadership on this and I'm tired of it.
Iran did not say the Ayatollah was alive they said he was "as healthy as any of our senior leaders".
Accuracy matters in journalism!
For those in Portland, the above comment is SNARK!
Well, I don’t have many clothing items that haven’t been adorned with coffee stains. If my latte is so full to the very brim at the coffee shop that I have to lean down and slurp a bit off the top of the cup first in order to use the traditional way get the coffee into my mouth, then there is a tell right there. AI Bibi.
You can buy a fake finger to use in a video. If you later want to claim it's a fake AI, there's your proof!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DTaWHDFDDJY/
OMG! The plot thickens!
fauxspresso -- I will demand that this smart word be immediately added to both Cambridge and Oxford Advanced as well as Merriam Webster Collegiate dictionaries. ASAP approved by all lexicographers.
That was the longest it ever took me to vote in a Jenna Poll. And lo and behold! I guessed with most other guessers! Deep fakery wins the day! 🥳🍻🙌💪
😂👏🎉
I don't wish death on Bibi, but I do wish he would go away.
What's the difference between "Mossad trolling" and "peak deepfake energy?"
The former is intentional, the latter is accidental (that's why there's a combo/unsure/other option ;)
Both would make good names for a band!🤔😎
However, Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.
Or that's what they want you to think!
Armchair quarterbacks! Ugh, I’ve already got one of those. I’m weary of social media and the nonstop hype, queries and “opinions”.
Is it just me, or does that still of his hand show the standard, OEM, number of digits? I keep coming up with five, so...