The great fog of war — deliberate, purposeful, the kind of pea-souper you’re not supposed to see through…Another Substacker, Johan — a former foreign service officer — said yesterday:
“This wasn’t failed diplomacy, it was theater. Trump presented maximalist demands Iran couldn’t accept, held talks one day before strikes, then executed predetermined regime change.”
War as entertainment. Shock-and-awe assassinations and made-for-TV regime destruction carried out by a criminal who’s spent the past year soliciting and accepting hundreds of millions worth of bribes from the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia — Iran’s sworn enemies. And they’ve complied — knowing the influence this would bring them.
At this point, we’re practically client states of THEM, not the other way around. The tails wag the dog with deadly effectiveness. This is what they wanted, not what America needed. On top of that, the obvious — Netanyahu. And Putin gets an even more distracted America moving still farther away from Ukraine and Europe.
Follow the money. It’s Trump’s only real love and lifelong obsession. (That and the appearance of power, the willingness to kill to get a Nobel Peace Prize, and wanting to blow up the four faces on Mt. Rushmore just to carve his own likeness on their ruins).
During the last Gulf war — which ultimately killed hundreds of thousands — a few General Petraueses managed at least to pierce through the chaos and dissemblances to ask those who did the deed: "tell me how this ends."
No such voices inside our own lawless regime exist today. The airwaves echo with mostly silence about why this took place and why now, when a negotiated victory seemed likely. Republicans are already churning out fantastic idiocies about Iran being 45 minutes away from blowing up New York, as Trump bloviates that 'the bombings will continue' (until morale improves, no doubt).
No one has thought this through. Nobody has spent ten minutes thinking about what comes next. Nobody can say how this ends. Anybody who tries to tell you otherwise is just making ‘stuff’ up.
Dr. Cox Richardson has enumerated the crimes Trump has committed against the US Constitution. The Supreme Court has said Trump has full immunity from crimes while he is President. The Republicans in Congress have abandoned their Constitutional duties to make Trump a dictator in these United States. It is clear the US Supreme Court, and the Republicans in Congress and State houses are behind Trump as dictator, and are for ending the United States as we know it. It is clear all of these People and their institutions are part of the People but they don't believe so--they believe they are better than the People and should be over them. They are all doing this to have the kind of power authoritarians crave and intend to have at all costs to the People they now consider their stupid prey, as predators consider their prey supper, lunch, and breakfast. Do see how Musk and Thiel have characterized the People of the USA. It is clear where the US military stands. With Trump and the Republicans. They do his every bidding, no matter what it is. Dr. Cox Richardson has also enumerated the many ways this is so. This is where we are now.
Trump apparently did not get the memo. He has all the power and the military to back it up. Our Military is standing ready and willing to do Trump's bidding. Maybe two members of the Republican Party have spoken out against this war. So, I think he has all the power to do what he wants. Constitution be damned.
Probably my last comment of the day: MORRIGAN'S CURSE UPON THE NAZI-MINDED SUBSTACK NURDS FOR IMPOSING A FORMAT THAT MALICIOUSLY MAKES COMMENT-THREAD DIALOGUE IMPOSSIBLE.
I understand what you mean, I think. If it's about commenting/replying to someone's post and you have to scroll countless minutes to find which post the comment/reply is referring to, I totally agree.
Really? Wrong as a matter of common sense & Substack Inc's Terms of Use (TOU).
OK, I will not explain the current TOU once again for those who do not understand the binding contract we all operate under on LFAA.
We are ALL completely bound together contractually defined as "Readers" & "Authors" which incudes Heather, Joyce & every single one us. The Platform agrees; Substack Inc is equally bound as well.
I will not irritate the community by explaining how to use the cursor to easily read & follow digital syntax.
Wake up folks we are headed for much deeper waters. Get-it-together. We are getting real-time history in complete historical context from HCR. Make good use of it.
Read Meegan daily then take action now OR better yet lead.
Hendrik, I think Loren is referring to the maddening way Substack's comment utility includes and indents each reply to a reply to a reply to a reply, ad infinitum, until the original reply gets pushed off the page. Unfortunately, the reply chain often goes off-topic, rendering an on-topic dialogue impossible.
Readers in this forum have developed a courtesy of addressing the commenter by name at the beginning of their replies as an aid to keeping track of whom they're replying to. It's helpful, but Substack's comment utility still subverts the courtesy.
Rather than address this weakness in the comment utility, Substack's owners prefer to develop Facebook-like features that users didn't ask for and don't want.
Just so you know, "Our Military is standing ready and willing to do Trump's bidding. " . Members of the U.S. military take an oath that includes "obey the orders of those appointed over me". Unfortunately, the American people appointed Trump as Commander-in-Chief. Yes, the U.S. military will obey the orders of the CiC as the operators of speed boats in the Gulf of Mexico have learned. No judgement, just follow orders.
Yes, to some extent. Are you using that fact to give Americans a pass on making Trump the "Commander-in-Chief"? The Russians did interfere but they didn't throw the election.
He just started another war/"military operation" in violation of the Constitution & international law. With SCOTUS immunity, the only accountability is the possibility of a Blue tsunami in November which Trump & his MAGA goons intend to subvert under the guise of a "national emergency".
Any suggestion of Trumpian propaganda or corruption is obviously seditious fake news?
Timothy Snyder: Why attack Iran? Trump & Co authoritarianism & corruption."Given the stupefyingly overt corruption of the Trump administration, one must ask whether the US armed forces are now being used on a per-hire basis..." Trumpian propaganda must be believed? https://snyder.substack.com/p/why-attack-iran?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
In a national address, Trump has told Iran's military and security officials that if they lay down their weapons they will receive "complete immunity". Who the fuck is he to be making that kind of offer to those brutes who have murdered not just thousands of Iranians but also many Americans?
He's warned Iranians to stay in their homes because there would be bombs "falling everywhere"! And yet the British defence secretary this morning warned of indiscriminate retaliatory attacks by the Iranian regime. Yet earlier, Trump was calling on the people of Iran to rise up and overturn the government. His messaging is predictably ridiculous.
I totally agree that it is essential that Trump is either removed (and this is very unlikely) or neutered in the forthcoming midterm elections. Yet today, I watched Democrat Chris Coons on CNN welcoming the unlawful assassination of Khameini while offering some weasel words about hoping that the current phase of the conflict would not destabilise the whole region. Have the upper echelons of the Democratic party come to some miserable political calculation that Trump's popularity will somehow be enhanced by these attacks?
The whole “immunity” comment once again reveals how transactional it all is to The Grump. He doesn't give a flying fuck about all the lost Iranian lives (or American lives - remember “suckers and losers?”) And as for Iranian police - they're just that country’s version of ICE. ICE hasn't paid for any of its crimes, either.
It will indeed be that if the distraction of this war provides the cover for a cabal of traitorous Senate Democrats to join with the Republican Majority to eternally destroy our elections by passing the SAVE Act. (SAVE = Subjugate All Voters Eternally) If that measure becomes law, the ChristoNazi theocracy is literally forever, as with Trump's reduction of the oath-breaking military to his Legions of Death, we will have no possibly way to overthrow the ChristoNazi regime.
He has immunity (for the time being until we get a responsible Supreme Court) from certain criminal liability. He does NOT have immunity from Impeachable Offenses, nor civil liability. And if his in-office actions can be construed to be non-official acts, he does not have immunity for them either.
Just watched again the Judgement at Nuremberg, film from 1961. Hadn't seen it in decades. Whew! Everyone should watch that again. The dialogue is phenomenal, strong, condemning xenophobia, racism, genocide. Listen to the dialogue and tell me there's no parallel with America now.
Many lessons from my mother amplified by that movie. My dad was stationed in the Munich area from 1947 to 1950 where we lived (about 15 miles south of Nuremberg), during the later Nuremberg trials and the Berlin Airlift.
I was a preschool toddler at the time, but my mother, in particular, saw to it that we were taught age appropriate lessons forever after. The most memorable portion for me, from the Google AI search summary:
"...In the final scene of Judgment at Nuremberg, Chief Judge Dan Haywood (Spencer Tracy) delivers a powerful, defining line to Ernst Janning (Burt Lancaster) in his prison cell. When Janning insists he never knew the Nazi regime would commit mass murder, Haywood responds: "Herr Janning, it 'came to that' the first time you sentenced a man to death you knew to be innocent..."
Yes and Scotus provides the optics - that the President is above the law (which is why he was so angry at them for their decision about tariffs). It will take multiple acts of Scotus independent judgments for Trump to get it. Citizens United, a foolish Scotus, greedy bilionaires wanting more and a quisling Congress set the table. Will the citizens sit at that table?
I've long held the view that my old party turned into Quislings.
I always try to have a paperclip whether large or small to indicate the willingness to stick together like the Norwegian teachers who went to prison refusing to teach the Nazi curriculum after Quisling took power with Hitler's help.
Crimes committed while the President is in office will be judged by the Supreme Court as to have been while doing his official Presidential duty's. What they would find acceptable would be different if it is a Democratic President or Republican. At least with the makeup of this Supreme Court. They have displayed a complete lack of integrity, of right-wing Justices, over and over again ever since 2000 by interfering in the Presidential election. That's why we have the Roberts Court today.
He has interfered profoundly with Congress's traditional ways of doing things. He also "sits" in the Supreme Court and interferes with justice. More broadly he shows contempt for the culture of Congress and the courts. He despises museums, theater and books. He advises men to discipline their women. He is unsophisticated, a stranger to civilized manners, laws and norms. He is such an atypical president who gloats in the slaughtering of his political enemies, whimsically waiting to torture and execute them.
Dr. Cox Richardson has put it quite well that this is also a war against the United States. Americans should be out demonstrating today against ICE, against the War and insisting on releasing the Full Epstein Files. (RtFEF).
I am in Germany and we are having a demonstration locally against perceived corrupt act of the Federal government here. Of course people will be protesting the war in Iran as well. A demonstration is a time where you can say your most pressing thoughts on a sign.
Yes, Linda. I have quietly balked when well-meaning folks have referred to Donald or his minions as "traitors" because they had not technically met the constitutional definition. But with the strike on Iran, I believe Donald and his drunk Pete Hogsbreath, have crossed that line and may now be accurately designated traitors.
A patriotic House of Representatives would immediately file articles of impeachment, but we don't have patriots in the House. We have self-dealing leaches there, aided and abetted by cowards.
I'm glad you mentioned "MOST" pressing, because if I was to list everything about this regime that bothers me, I'd need a sign the size of those obscene banners of his ugly mug that hangs outside the DOJ.
We must, must, must be loud against the existence of concentration camps in America. Look into the conditions in the Dilley TX concentration camp. There are at last count 73,000 people in these camps with more camps being built to house double that.
Meanwhile Billionaires get even bigger tax breaks and contracts with our tax dollars, but our social security and medicare programs have been decimated by Trump who has knocked more than 10 years off of their lifespan and is blaming it on American citizens of Somalian descent. It is like living in the 1930s with the overt racism with every word.
The federal trustees of the Medicare program said in June 2025, before the tax bill passed, that the Medicare HI (Part A) fund was projected to run out of money in 2033. I have seen the article about the 2025 tax bill shortening the insolvency date by 12 years to 2040, but I'm skeptical. The Trustees' report is credible, but it doesn't synch with what the CBO wrote. Social Security needs changes to keep solvent or run short the next decade, but D's and R's aren't ranking that as a high priority for now.
Robert, I was just reading a discussion of it yesterdays as being depleted because Trump is giving his billionaire tax cuts, no matter what, and now he is trying to blame the depleted funds on the Americans of Somali descent. The man is shameless and that is part of why he gets away with everything.
Yes. I know about Hitler's rise to power, I know that Brown-skinned Germans like me either ended up in the camps, or got sterilized, or were appearing in jungle films naked without any say over it, to show how primitive we were. Some of course ended up in all 3 and some in none. Hans Massaquoi stayed in his village with his mom and just had to deal with the racism around him. He has written a book about it. I have it in German and English because I went to school with his kids. Steve and Hans.
Also, Hitler wanted to cultivate a certain group to help him take over African. Given that we are brown-skinned people who speak German this was considered useful. Also, a lot of brown-German children were taken away from their White German mothers and sent to the US to be adopted by Black couples. That is what happened to Linda Johnson Rice. Her father was the head of Ebony Magazine and Johnson Publishing and his magazine promoted this racist program. I also went to the same school as her as, although she is older than me.
Donald Trump's rise to power is bringing out the racism and anti non Christians in the world. Now there is a fatwa against the American and Israeli people, calling on all Muslims to honor it. How will that make life for Muslims in the US? For Jews in the US? Trump and his people do things and don't think of the consequences.
Not to mention Ellison and Kegsbreath. If Congress refuses to go back to Washington to end Operation Trumpstein Fury we all need to make sure their constituents know that they are not performing their duties. John Cornyn, Susan Collins and several others are up for reelection. Their constituents need to be reminded continuously they are cowards unwilling to hold the Trump administration accountable.
It might have to do with getting Iran to not sell oil to Russia for their war with Ukraine. More likely, it's to stop a regime that hates Israel and the US from getting a nuclear weapon. And maybe for Trump to stir the pot and deflect from trouble in the US, I'll give you that. If you want to list all the times the US has upended opposing regimes, keep in mind there's a long list of proxy wars and attacks on opponents and innocent parties that Iran has supported. Thinking of Hamas, and attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, among others.
Virginia, and oil before that around WWI. There is an excellent book called, I think, Lawrence In Arabia, very well written about some players at that time.
I thought Trump was trying to encourage more oil production and sales, to lower gas prices and maybe incidentally, put some pressure on Russia, a big oil exporter. And he wants I think to get more oil production from Venezuela.
Perfectly stated, and you’ve identified the exact corruption-doctrine nexus driving this.
And thank you for adding my work, truly appreciate that.
Let me sharpen the framework:
The money trail is documented: UAE $2B investment in Jared’s firm, Saudi $2B to Mnuchin, Qatari jet gift to Trump, hundreds of millions in Gulf “packages.”
These aren’t coincidental, they’re payments for policy. Iran is Saudi Arabia and UAE’s primary regional rival. They literally purchased regime change through bribes disguised as investments.
The inversion you named is critical: We’re not enforcing U.S. interests through regional champions…we’re providing military muscle for Gulf state interests while they bankroll our administration. The NSS calls this “regional champions creating stability.”
Reality: we’re the mercenary force for clients who bought the executive branch.
Putin’s calculus: Russia loses an ally (Iran) but gains distracted America burning resources in Middle East while Ukraine support crumbles.
Classic great power spheres—-he tolerates our Iran operation because it serves his Ukraine objectives.
The “how does this end” question exposes the fraud: There is no plan for Iranian self-determination because that was never the goal. The plan is: eliminate non-aligned regime, install Gulf-friendly government, secure oil/Strait access, prevent Chinese influence. Iranian freedom is marketing copy.
You’re right, nobody thought this through because the objective isn’t stability, it’s demonstrating purchased power executes. The Gulf states bought a war. Trump delivered.
That’s how oligarchic capture works.
Excellent thank you for helping us think through this.
Johan, you write: “ …we’re providing military muscle for Gulf state interests while they bankroll our administration. ”. Except they are not. They ARE bankrolling individuals in the administration in their personal capacities, not for the benefit of the American People.
Oligarchic capture, using their greed to turn the US armed forces into a mercenary force for those “allied“ regional powers who are able and willing to pay for us to do their dirty work. Saudis, Israel, UAE are the main actors with interests and ability to hire us with “gifts” to the executive (friends and family of DJT). Iraq can’t pay but profits. Russia profits indirectly as we tear through resources that took years and billions to build (and that we refused to give Ukraine).
the "Declare War Clause" at Article I, Section 8, Clause 11, of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the exclusive power to declare war. But within two months Trump has unilaterally Declared War against two counties on different sides of the Earth. This is a direct result of the 2024, Roberts Six opinion in "Trump v. United States," 603 U.S. 593, (hereinafter, "Trump v. U.S.A." ) which amounts to the making of a King. "Trump v. U.S.A." involved a Federal grand jury criminal indictment against President Donald Trump for efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding (the Senate certification of votes by State Electors for a Presidential election), conspiracy against rights, and obstruction of/attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, which was all being tested as an issue of whether "official acts" of the executive Office granted absolute presidential immunity from these criminal charges. The Roberts Six created categories of immunity for official vs. private acts. The Roberts Six held that under the separation of powers of our constitutional structure the nature of executive powers entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official actions taken within the conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority of the executive branch. Recall John Adams emphasizing the intent of the separation of powers, "to the end it may be a government of laws and not of men", thus no king, no tyrants. Recall Federalist: No. 47, James Madison wrote, “...the preservation of liberty requires that the three great departments of power should be separate and distinct.” Recall President Theodore Roosevelt, saying, "No man is above the law...”. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion that "In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law." Bottom line, the Roberts Six wrote "Trump v. United States" thus they are to blame for these two Wars, they are the enemy of We the People. We must Unite to Amend our Constitution to repeal the lies of the Court. I discuss all this in my Memorandum to We the People. Thanks to the outstanding interpretation and presentation of my Memorandum by Dale Rowett of LexiGraphics.Pro, that alone makes my Memorandum worth reading posted at UnitedWeAmend.org
As Dr. Richardson says, Trump's unconstitutional war is as much an attack on us, We the People of the (failed) United States, as it is an attack on Iran. Let us not forget this is a criminal war waged by a military that has damned itself to eternal infamy by violating its oath to defend the Constitution; it has thereby reduced itself to Trump's personal Legions of Death. This war is therefore both a vivid demonstration of how far Trump will go to keep his Trumpstein atrocities hidden and -- as a warning to the Liberation Movement -- what will happen if he unleashes his legions against us here at home.
Every General, Admiral and Captain, etc. involved in this should be prosecuted, convicted and put in jail for breach of the public trust by violation of their oath. The "Nuremberg defense," or "just following orders," did not work in Nuremberg and it must not work here either.
The comment you make here have been in my thoughts as well. 47 sewed the seeds of doubt on this when he prosecuted the 6 Congress members who reminded everyone not to follow illegal orders. He lost that case, but, the seeds were sewn. Many military leaders should be prosecuted (and that number would be rather large by now), but so will the numbers of many everyday soldiers, sailors, marines, etc. Another HUGE mess to clean up.
Loren, he already has unleashed his legions against us here at home. The irony of him engaging in a scorched earth attack against Iran to "protect the rights of protesting Iranian citizens" stands in stark contrast to his personally sanctioned ICE raids against any and all peaceful protesters here in the U.S. And all to protect his fragile little self against the truth behind the Epstein files. His actions are not those of a man "totally exonerated". They are the actions of a man who will burn the entire planet to the ground rather than face the consequences of his increasingly erratic behavior.
Completely agree, Janet...with the stipulation he won't hesitate to bomb us like he's bombing the Iranians if our resistance intensifies. (Don't forget this is the criminal nation that broke strikes with field artillery and bombing planes.)
My tiny paranoid brain is wondering if he's sitting back and watching to see how long it takes for the Iranian regime to ramp up their retaliation against their own citizens so he can put it into practice here.
Unlike those in Iran who had no hope of voting their govt out, or changing it in any way, US citizens can vote how they want for leaders they want. It would be great if Iranians now have that opportunity to create the govt they want.
Hello Albert... Did you see how Horrified John Roberts, and Amy Coney Barret looked when DJT talked at them?.... I believe that their Hubris is falling, and are realizing that they have Created A Evil Demented Monster...
No. I cannot listen to him speak anymore. He is living proof that the Scarecrow was 100% correct. In fact, Scarecrow could now add that "Some People Without Brains ......Do an awful lot of Voting."
Yeah, you’re right. It’s better that we spent $250 billion on illegals in this country. Thanks to Joe Biden to feed them to house them to clove them and to give them free medical care that we don’t even give our own homeless citizens. Good call !
Yeah, it’s called a war ever see a war that didn’t kill people or Iranians and haven’t killed thousands and thousands of Americans including soldiers including innocent civilians. What the fuck is wrong with you people what side of the world are you on? Geeeeeeez. Scum of the Earth
Yeah, if it’s ignored, here’s what happens. We remain ignorant of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is that the life you wanna lead to believe in something that isn’t true. Heather doesn’t tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth she was once a very respected historian and now she’s nothing but a capitalistic radical liberal activist telling you half the story or no story at all, depending upon what happens.
People like Merrill are obviously forgetting that Israel and America are working together to solve this problem. They’re not enemies. Trump is supporting Israel and Israel is supporting America. So who’s the ally right now the Republicans or the Democrat Democrats Trump or Obama?
The writer never mentions the Constitutional role of Congress . If Congress has not been consulted and approved, then a president’s actions are treasonous and impeachable, based on our own history.
Hey James real quick are you aware of how many bombs Obama dropped on Syria some 20,000 bombs he dropped on Syria without congressional approval do you know about that? Do you remember that at all? Do you know how many similar things were done by Bush before he even got congressional approval. Almost every president has done something similar to a certain degree and so there’s a big precedent for exactly what Trump is doing and believe me you’ll hear it in the news is coming up if they ever try to say that he didn’t have the right to do it trust me you’re gonna hear them if you want to pay attention but unfortunately for you, James, you’re gonna need to change the channel and see both side sides of the story because you’re not getting anything resembling the entire story here
Andrew Tate posted: “NOBODY WANTS THIS WAR.” Milo Yiannopoulos posted: “Oh, how disgusting. F--- you, Mr. President.” Nick Fuentes screamed: “NO WAR WITH IRAN. ISRAEL IS DRAGGING US TO WAR. AMERICA FIRST.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene posted a video just one day before the strike, featuring Trump’s own past words on Iraq: “They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none, and they knew there were none.” After the bombs fell, she added: “This is the Trump I supported. Now for some unknown reason, Trump has joined the neocons. End of MAGA.“
Yeah, Poor Rick is strongly convinced that any dictatorial leader should be bombed to death if he sees citizens taking to the streets protesting him, saying “No Dictators” and complaining that the economy is in the toilet - inflation up, job growth down. P Rick, like Trump, thinks that when a government kills innocent protesters in the streets or abducts 5 year old kiddos…..Ooooppppsssiiieee! Wait!! No Kings or No Ayatollahs???
No when is the leading sponsor of terrorism and has been sold for 45 years or more yes, Subsolution it necessary to get rid of it so that the whole world is safe, including all the Arab countries and mostly including Israel so people like you who happen to be there picnicking don’t get your balls cut off
Iran is the leading sponsor of terrorism. Can you read it now? I’ve killed thousands of Americans continue to shell Israel with weaponry through them, and their proxies tried to gain access to a nuclear bomb, which scares the whole world. Does that explain anything to you frau.
And maybe your name is a little bit to Germantown understand when 1200 innocent Israelis are having a picnic and the proxies attack them rape them cut off their heads, put them in a circle in their bedroom and light them on fire when they’re tied together, kill them, and then keep them hostage for a year. Are you still incoherent?
I actually watch five different networks and I go online as well. I watch the three majors and CNN and Fox that way I get a big picture of from everybody and their opinions and their perspectives and I was just gonna send you a message just a second ago until I read the last line I was gonna compliment you on this is the first time I’ve seen that you’re open minded and saying you’re quite aware of how bad Iran has been but then I read the second line when you said he doesn’t have a plan and you have no clue my dear
Do you know what the plan actually is and here’s the other problem that Iran has right now they talk about closing off the Sue for shipping and unfortunately almost all the oil from Iran that goes to Russia and China goes through the Suez. They’re in a real pickle
What are the thing for Al because I’m very familiar with exactly what’s happening or what happened in Iran when you talk about the plan for its government What he’s doing right now actually is suggesting to the people there that they take control of their own government. There is a lot of rumors about the revolutionary regard and other leaders that don’t want to fight anymore and then there’s a group a small group again that is now firing missiles all over the place inevitably Iran’s gonna run out of weapons. And as soon as they start firing more, Trump is gonna inundate them with ammunition and armaments He could actually at the cost of prices, gas prices going up he could eliminate their gas fields, their ability to deliver petroleum And maybe you didn’t know this frown, but this was planned almost 6 months ago so you can guess that there wasn’t a plan but there’s a very good plan. You just never necessarily know exactly what your opponent is going to do but you lay out alternatives and consequences and what you estimate they’re going to do based on history and based on their capabilities.
I don't know about you, but I have 75 terrified family members living in bomb shelters in Israel today thanks to 3 NY real estate developers who live by the laws of the jungle rather than attempts to negotiate peace.
My wife’s half brother is in a bomb shelter in Israel and he’s 80 years old. Meryl, you’re very short minded if you think about it if they can take Iran and stop having it be a sponsor of terrorism and continuing to fire missiles into Israel, the 75 terrified family members will never have to be in a bomb shelter again And that’s how life changes. I have a best friend who is a Iranian, whose father was the doctor to the Shah of Iran. Back when a Ron was a sophisticated upscale country with no terrorist implications, and when I called him yesterday, he was crying with happiness because they were exiled right after the Shaw lost and for the last five decades, there’s been nothing but misery for the entire region because of Iran
My relatives, who come from post WW2 Nazi Europe and have lived in Israel since 1948, don't believe Netanyahu's approach to "peace" will solve the 3000 year old Arab-Jewish conflict in the Middle East.
That’s exactly the plan. Do you think someone’s gonna snap their fingers and it will change? Do you think someone’s gonna be a passive bystander and it will change? How long do you want your relatives to be in bomb shelters ?
Well, Derek, fortunately for you and many others here there are no other RICK centers of this world anywhere that would come near this place these threats this nonsense. But I am brave enough, bold enough to tell people that they’re not getting all of the news they need to make them aware to some degree of what they’re not getting but still people refused to change the channel refuse to evaluate what Heather is telling them refused to question her on anything they’re just a bunch of lemmings 00 my God thank God you said that today Heather because it agrees with their thinking but not with reality not what’s happening outside
You actually had a lady here yesterday I forgot which one who said Trump and death in yahoo are colluding with each other
Until the day I die, I will probably hear nothing more ignorant, more profoundly stupid than that remark
Do you think I really care if you ignore me what you want to look at is the sentence you just constructed. Think About what you just said for a second Marcia. Oh my G-d.
Do you know what the root of the word ignoring is? I’m sitting here laughing my ass off. It’s the root word of the word ignorant, and you become ignorant when you ignore things whether it’s me or anybody else including news from the right side of the aisle because unless you hear that news, you have no idea what you’ve been told is true and it’s not
And what’s your point moron? Wouldn’t you love to have been some of the 1200 civilians having a picnic and having your wives raped in front of you or bloodied in front of you or have their heads chopped off in front of you or have them held hostage for a year or two or have them tied up in a bundle in a home and lit on fire.
To me, you’re nothing but an incarnate of the devil
Michael Wolff referred to this as “The black hole of war” instead of the fog of war since nobody truly knows why we are at war in the first place, what we are doing and what exactly is our endgame.
It's ready-fire-aim. Start a war to get people to stop looking at the corruption of this regime. Figure out the pesky “justification” question later…maybe. If they succeed in short-circuiting the midterms they won't even need to do that. We need to overwhelm them in November. Leave no stone unturned. Knock on all the doors. Send all the postcards. Make the phone calls. Sign up to be a poll worker. This is an all hands on deck moment.
This war is the result of collusion between our president and Netanyahu. We probably don't yet know the full extent of the quid pro quos. Democrats must ensure that never again will we be held hostage to the demands of Israel for weapons and military funding.
Are you stupid? Are you totally stupid collusion. You liberals are absolutely upside down in your brain. This is called cooperation it’s called support for the Jews. What the hell is wrong with you people ? They are trying to freeze themselves from 45 years of oppression and missiles being sent whenever the hell they want why do you think they have the iron dome huh? Why do you think so? Maybe Europe is sending those missiles to try to destroy Israel you ignorant people if you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about it’s better not embarrassing yourself here just stay out of the conversation unbelievable
There is a meme going around that shows “your kids” in the top frame- young soldiers on a battlefield. “Trump and Netanyahu’s kids” in the bottom frame- toes in the sand, sipping umbrella drinks on some beautiful beach somewhere. I think the meme captures it perfectly.
Apache get real what the hell kind of a common is that do you know of any man once he’s become president is going to serve on the front lines what the hell was that?
As soon as the first American soldiers are killed, the propaganda machine will gear up and anyone who protests the war will be called unpatriotic. If you lived through the Vietnam War, like me, you remember. And you remember how it ended.
"tell me how this ends" - a NBC WMD mass casualty event in either a Gulf State, CONUS or Israel resulting in a intermediate yield nuke strike on Tehran to annihilate what remains of the theocratic regime and decapitate the IRGC.
Iran can't keep swapping missiles because they are out gunned, so they will have to go asymmetric.
If they go asymmetric, they don't have time to start small and ramp up a long term terrorism campaign if they want to save the regime (and their own necks) so ergo they will have to "go big or go home" with the largest scale "spectacular" they can pull off. Given they've sponsored terrorism in the regime for literally generations their capabilities or the capabilities of their proxies should not be underestimated, even given the degraded state of Hezbollah, etc.
For good measure, throw in an ecological disaster by destroying multiple oil tankers in the Straits and/or ports and refineries in the region, with the concommitant effects on the global economy.
And the more oil prices rise, the more money Russia has to prop up their economy and continue the war in Ukraine. Everything comrade Krasnov Trump does aids Vladimir Putin. Everything.
If only they'd head to Mar-a-Lago! I've often thought Trump there every weekend is a security hazard. How difficult would it be for boats to come within firing distance of it?
I’ve had that thought as well. It’s insanity that they are running a war from the ballroom of a country club, right on the water. So sloppy and ham-fisted.
When Timothy Snyder called it "stupifying overt corruption", he wasn't kidding. No imminent threat except for jail time for him! Except distraction from the media about the 13-year-old. And maybe Trump's push for executive control over the November elections.
Anyone who believes that sending those two nitwits Witkoff and Kushner to negotiate with the Iranians was a serious attempt at finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran is an idiot. Kushner's conflicts of interest in the region are as alarming as Trump's.
And 2/3 of the troops are the sons and daughters and grandchildren of the people he conned into voting for him. There’s a reason “no new wars” was appealing to them in the first place.
Do yourself a favor Russell when you get the guardian hopefully you’ll get the hardcopy rip it apart in 40 pages and use it as toilet paper because that’s what it’s worth in America. As far as any other nonsense, you continue to attempt to report on things where you have no knowledge of the actual situation on the ground, but it doesn’t surprise me you’re just a left-wing loon hater and the funny
Thing is about my post on who is against the attacks in Iran and of all the countries you would think would not feel that way England and France because you’re faced with oh my God I can’t say anything negative about all these people that have swarmed my country and change the entire make up what used to be one of the world powers but I am glad that at least you separated from the EU
You’re big enough to stand on your own feet, but not brave enough to say anything that might’ve found all the Muslims that have overpopulated your country and taken away its original essence and sophistication
And bloody old England is sympathizing with the mullahs. . I love it I absolutely. Love it.
By the way, Russell, since you’re a top negotiator and know exactly how to negotiate why don’t you get in there go do what you’re supposed to do go negotiate a better deal than those two guys were already negotiated five
Middle East conflicts were a frequent occurrence during the majority of my 30 Navy career. Several of my Shipmates onboard USS COLE, USS Stark, USS Samuel B. Roberts were killed in action by the hands of Iraqi, Iranian & terrorist groups and the thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Marines that fought in Op Desert Shield/Storm, OIF, OEF, etc .... During my tour in Iraq during OIF, my troopers had plenty of close calls from IEDs, rockets & mortars provide by different factions from Iran. So, not a big fan of Iran. During the Obama administration's negotiations on the JCPOA, I felt the current Iranian gov't was being genuine in their desire for a fair deal. Then out of the other side of their mouths ... "Death to America, Death to Israel" So here we are ... I'm not happy of supportive of the motive for this attack and if this president's goal is leaders change, in my opinion he wants it to enrich himself and not the people of Iran. I'll take the news reports at face value... you don't take action that kills 200 kids. At the end of the day, there probably will be more causalities and some will be US service men & women. The one thing that truly breaks my heart is that the outcome will further erode the confidence & trust US citizens will have in senior military leadership. I leave everyone with one last request: Please find a copy of this book by Harlan Ullman; Anatomy of Failure: Why America Loses Every War It Starts
The look on Jason Crow’s face yesterday said it all. An Army kid in Iraq I, I believe, now Congressman from Colorado, pointing out the obvious — it’s the working class kids who will be first in the line of fire if/when it comes to us. And their conscientious officers know it, too.
In GEN Colin Powell’s book “It worked for Me, in life & leadership” he writes about the conflict that can occur between senior & junior leadership with respect to priorities, goals, etc… it’s a tough spot to be in. It wasn’t an accident that hegseth’s 1st firings were military lawyers (JAG Corps). Operational unit gets an order & they get the clearance from JAG it’s a legal order, they don’t get too many opportunities to question it. I’m sure that trust in JAG’s due diligence makes some officers scratch their heads & the hope senior leaders will have their backs when it does come to light that the orders were illegal & they don’t get thrown under the bus.
Senior leaders have their back? When no senior leader in this administration has anyone's back? "The buck stopped before it got to me, I've been exonerated" is how it works now.
TJB, senior military leadership are now so cowardly they'll obey unlawful orders to fight an unauthorized war of choice rather than stand up to their lunatic commander in chief. It's not our grandfathers' military anymore.
This is the second time that Trump has used ongoing negotiations as a cover for attacking Iran. The mere fact that the Iranians were willing to resume talks after the last attack proves that they were a defeated enemy. Trump knows this. That is why he attacked. After Iran had lost everything, after the protests that revealed the regime had lost popular support, Trump lost any fear of consequences he might have had. And this became merely "a special military operation" to achieve peace. Not a war.
The negotiation in Geneva had not concluded. Reports were the day before that "substantial progress had been made". I believe if we go back and review the record we will find thst even the American negotiators had said this. The Omani moderator certainly had. But as noted by this observer, Trump had actually increased his demands in the wake of the protests to the point of effectively demanding surrender in so far as his cause for war, nuclear power is concerned, to which he added ballistic missile capabilities. Maximalist demands as noted, much like Putin's of Ukraine, calculated to be unacceptable. And so, as urged by Netanyahu and his war cabinet, Trump indulged his desire to wage war on in Iran. In the final analysis this will be viewed as a war of opportunity waged as a result of the protests, against a weakened enemy that had for all intents and purposes already collapsed and had no resistance to offer.
It is abundantly clear and right to observe all the same that no one knows how this war will end, for the fog of war has crept in to the mind of the aggressor, and if anyone could figure out what he was thinking he would be damned. But we do know how the beginning will end.
The beginning will end when the US military runs out of munitions, or the Department of Defense runs out of money, or one of the following things run out: the patience of American voters, or that of America's present or past friends in tbe world, or the time between now and the first Tuesday of November, 2026.
At that time it is anyone's guess what will happen. But Iran will not be a friend of America. Nor will many countries be.
How antisemitic are you actually? You probably didn’t see the news that every single Arab country was supporting what Trump did the only to come countries in that area that didn’t support it ready for this England and France and you know why they didn’t support it. That’s the most hysterical if I get a chance later, we’re gonna get both barrels because you’re out there in ZORBON somewhere
At this point, we’re practically client states of THEM, not the other way around. The tails wag the dog with deadly effectiveness. This is what they wanted, not what America needed.
so it was ok when most of you were serfs? with the illusion of a carrot called democracy waving in front of your noses while all that was happening was that you all were, for the most part, dancing to the tune of the rich?
and as if there are any real borders between the business people around the globe? and as if this has changed much throughout history...?
and i know you know better than this...although i think your comment IS focused 'elsewhere' (this Iran deal. because that's what it obviously is, as you point out). but i'm sorry...i just had to point out how it looks to me in a broader, more personal(to each poor to middle class american) sense...
while it doesn't seem to matter WHAT is obvious, as far as maga goes...their agenda has been all too clear for quite a while...i'm REALly glad that a lot of this has been made all the more obvious to americans who were too preoccupied(and i don't mean this at ALL derogatorially. is that a word? anyways...i recognize that many people are too busy with just surviving, much less with some quality, working...putting food on the table and making sure the kids are being taken care of) to see it before...
as far as the 'military for hire' angle goes? is that any different than many of the invasions for resources for whatever company/s was/were pulling the strings?
This is exactly what American needs, especially for Israeli survival. And you, my friend should be ashamed of yourself. For two reasons number one you feel like that a number two you probably a Jewish Democrat, which are nothing more than entrenched and stupidity and still believe in FDR.
I doubt there is a “plan” going forward. He most likely thinks he will bomb them then go in and take their oil to put more money in his bank account in Qatar. He is turning our military into a “for hire” death squad for whoever lines his pockets.
There’s been a plan in place for five months unlike the plan in Ukraine when Biden just poured fuel on it with $170 billion when Ukraine was running out of money and it made it able to kill 100,000 more human beings on each side of the fight instead of trying to make peace and what kind of a disoriented world are you in that this is making anybody wealthier? But from your tone, you either seem to ignore Israel’s plight or are a true antisemite.
So I’m guessing you were a ninth grade English teacher do you wanna grade my paper here or do you want to read the content if you were an instructor at any level you always know that content is more important than form and this is not my thesis or my dissertation…. boom
Hey Jacqueline, you absolutely have the right to remain ignorant and have your own opinions on half the story, half the truth and failing to investigate on your own if there’s another aspect of the story that you’re missing. Or validating the story in the first place all it takes is Google and you’re gonna get 20 different objective OPPOSITE posts
And at least now you can form your opinion based on having as much information as you need, not listening to a liberal activist and no one else. Do you wanna go listen to CNN and MSNBC and not hear anything else from the right side your opinion is going to be off
And here’s one more. Did you keep in mind and pass this out to Jacqueline when Heather uses nothing but left-wing radical liberal sources for her story how fair and balanced or how much of the truth are you getting versus? How much is the purposely omitting?
He told Michael Scherer of The Atlantic that Iran’s new leadership wants to talk with him and that he will do so, suggesting that he was not, in fact, interested in regime change. “They should have done it sooner, Michael. They could have made a deal. They should’ve done it sooner. They played too cute,” Trump said. But then Trump told Scherer he had confidence that the Iranian people would launch an uprising against the
Now try to balance the hell out of this statement. OK? And now we find out that they were 2 to 3 weeks away from weapons grade uranium again for 11 nuclear weapons within 2 to 3 weeks. And all they did was talk, and if you turned the channel and watched another network, that’s exactly what you’d be hearing right now
Heather is not gonna tell you that they actually admitted that they had enough weapons grade uranium at 60% enriched which they say it takes about a week to 10 days to bring it to weapons grade and they had another. I don’t know the weight but another pretty large mass at 20% which would take about three weeks to enrich to weapons grade. And this negotiation by the way, it’s been going on for a year
And this is all in one statement. I’m gonna give you some more from other days, but then she goes on to say that they don’t want to get involved once the elimination of Uranium is done the people will make up their own minds and then somebody asked Lindsey Graham if the U.S. Is gonna get involved … and he said no because exactly what the left wants to hear is that we’re gonna put boots on the ground or we’re gonna take over the government and push for regime change or take over all the oil fields, which is the biggest crock of bullshit and that’s what they’re trying to tell Heather’s crowd here
He’s a murderer. Rapist, criminal, con artist, liar of historic proportions.
But above all he reveres violence. Yes to Netanyahu mass murdering Palestinians – and stealing their land. Yes to Putin by arms seizing parts of Ukraine, kidnapping tens of thousands of children, aiming to destroy the rest of Europe and its democracies.
He enjoys violence upon women – grab ‘em by the pussy. Big men for millennia have gotten away with that and he’s boasted it’s his entitlement, too.
Loves chaos. Believes in his own thug armies, first to attack the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Then with more heavily militarily armed goons to break into Minnesota homes and cars, throw people on the ground, wantonly murder.
Where the Constitution vests Congress with war-making, Donald is above the law.
Tim Snyder talking today with Phillips O’Brien noted Donald’s true home as destruction. Destroyed part of the White House. Destroyed the Kennedy Center. Destroyed the sound nuclear agreement with Iran Obama secured.
Add to that the 1,200 lives of underage girls and young women Donald and his elite pals sullied (same predator class also into money laundering and drug running). Add in the destroying of alliances with democracies, green energy, crucial environmental repair, foreign aid, and health care access. Finally, the coming November midterms he and his fascist goons intend to kill.
The U.S. has superior firepower over Iran. But if things tank, Americans die, that’s double win for Donald – that much closer to declaring emergency needed to cancel the mid-terms.
followed up (as only one example) by his decision to stop the government's tracking of hunger in the US - just before drastically cutting SNAP/food stamps. What we don't know won't hurt ... him!
Yep, and then proudly announce how many of millions of people no longer get food stamps during his State of the Union - completely ignoring the fact that those folks really needed them to feed their families.
“It’s a given that this sort of vaguely justified attack on another country usually reflects that the leaders in the attacking country are worried about losing power and are launching a war to try to get disaffected people to rally around the flag.” — Heather Cox Richardson
The fascists exult that if they repeat a lie enough times, a significant number of people will begin to half believe it.
Liberals worry that if they repeat a truth enough times, it will sound so banal that a significant number of people will begin to half ignore it.
Joe, I think the perfect example is the "rigged election" trope. Donald and his henchmen concocted the "Big Lie" even before the 2020 election was complete, which incorporated a "can't-lose" principle. If successful, the will of the people would be overturned and Donald would get to remain in the White House and out of prison, free to continue monetizing the office for his own enrichment.
If the Big Lie did not achieve overturning the election, it still laid the groundwork so that any future claims of rigged elections by Democrats would be dismissed as without merit, same as Donald's. And thus, when Harris appeared to lose the so-called "swing states," she readily conceded, so as to appear "patriotic," ignoring the suspected irregularities that many observed.
German Nazis such as Joseph Goebbels are most famous for advocating the use of “the big lie” for political purposes, but the idea would not have been unfamiliar familiar to Plato (who advocated for the “Noble Lie”). It’s fascinating that Hitler used this term as an accusation against Jews… “Blood libel” stories about Jews killing babies were based on the same kind of popular and official “witchcraft” that were used in the ancient Roman world against Christians.
Hannah Arendt has been much quoted in the Trump era - tell people enough lies and the danger is not that they will be believe the lies but that they will conclude there is no truth ... and at that point, you can do anything you want with them.
Well, as strange as it may seem, this could turn out to be one of the blessings of the MAGA phenomenon. It could be an “inoculation” against future fascism that is actually more protective than a vaccine in that it might energize a defense of liberal (rule of law) democracy. Liberalism is not primarily a defense of capitalism. It is primarily the idea that no one person, entity, religion, or institution should be credited with a monopoly on either “the facts” or “truth.” This tends to make liberals appear a bit “squishy” to certain authoritarian types. But it also does not foreclose being a LWA (liberal with an attitude).
Then again, vaccines (though generally safe and effective even when they are lab tested) can sometimes be fatal. And MAGAism is only partially lab cultivated. It is mostly based on a set of atavistic impulses made worse by wealth inequality and energized by oligarchic and fascistic propaganda.
37% approve, that is more than enough support to behave as he always has. If a smaller county had as their crazy leader it would not matter much. But the United States of America? How could that happen?
Is is just me or has that ~approval number fairly consistent throughout this nightmare? Seems to hover right around the 30’s. That number seems to represent the CofD?T (the C is for cult)
False flag operation coming to an American blue city. I feel it in my gut. Iran will be blamed. The rotting evil in the WH grows like a cancer while Congress sits and fiddles.
NO AMERICAN EXCEPTION HERE: "The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific . . . the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered . . . a formal reply to a recent American message . . . it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack." --President F.D. Roosevelt, 08dec41. 🤢
HCR's final paragraph bears repeating "trump’s attack on Iran scorns the will of the people and their constitutional right to decide whether they want to pay for a war with their money and their lives. That disdain for democratic government reveals that Trump’s military adventure against Iran is also fundamentally an attack on the United States of America."
Let's also start counting up the cost to other nations. Trump's "adventurism" is going to cost Ukraine because all of the billions of dollars of contracts for US weapons bought by members of the coalition of the willing for delivery to Ukraine through the PURL initiative will not be fulfilled. Hegseth will declare them necessary to maintain the US strategic stockpiles. Trump wouldn't give Ukraine Tomahawks, but they were used in Saturday's strikes on Iran. This is a quid pro quo for Russia; the US does not provide arms to Ukraine, and Russia does not provide arms to Iran.
I am wondering how fast Trump's $142 billion weapons agreement with Saudi Arabia will be fulfilled, and what else was promised as part of his side deals. It wasn't just US bases in the Middle East that were targeted in Iran's retaliation. They hit civilian targets in those countries, as well.
Of course, this also will give Israel permission to allow settlers to target Palestinians in the West Bank with more violence because they are a terrorist threat, and Iran was supporting Hamas, so the repression and crimes against humanity will ratchet back up in Gaza.
Perhaps another issue is the fact that the “negotiators” with Iran are/were real estate moguls (Kushner & Witkoff) with unknown, but potentially lucrative financial dealings with other members of the Middle East. These men are not diplomats.
Very disappointed in our military leadership *for not refusing the orders to undertake this unprovoked strike in *defiance of our Constitution. ⚖️
"The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific . . . the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered . . . a formal reply to a recent American message . . . it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack." --President F.D. Roosevelt, 08dec41. 🤢
“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties – that often happens in war. “ he says as he surrounds himself with gluttony in Mar-a-Lago.
He doesn’t care about We the People…this regime just cares about its own survival and power and doesn’t care who it has to harm to achieve that goal.
A man wearing a stupid baseball cap spouting lies and disinformation across the entire planet. Zero dignity, zero gravitas, just ignorance and PlayStation inspired rhetoric to describe another of his war crimes against humanity. This is the Epstein Cover Up War and everyone knows it.
Irena.., speaking with different ones regarding the information we seem to be fogged with on this side of the ocean we really don't have a clue of how we are being viewed on any daily basis. People like you and I, on the other side of the ocean, are going about their daily business. They're not focussed on Stormy, or Sydney, or Newsum, or Shumer, or Pretti, or Ms Good, or Milanias movie, or his rich family. Bombing.., here and there are pretty-much 'just events', happening somewhere else (until it's in their backyard). Europe and all the other so-named shithole countries are used to it. We, on this side of the ocean just had 4 years of normal life during Biden, after 4 years of nuttiness under Mr T, and we are now into another 4 yrs of nuttiness under the same guy. The rest of the worlds working people could give a crap less about the religious police in Iran because they aren't bring harassed by it. You and I look at all this tall signs listing gas prices at $2.59 and realize that that is all the MAGAtts are looking at (in addition to FOX noose). Recovering from this next 3 rears may not be so simple.
Alex, I’m British, living in relative peace and security in London, but I’m extremely fearful for friends and relatives in the USA so I’m wanting to stay informed about developments. In Europe we felt a much greater sense of security just a year ago, but no longer. The future suddenly looks extremely uncertain. What happens in the USA affects us all, you see.
Irena, I'm so pleased to have engendered your sincere response to my somewhat 'shotgun blast'. But, yes I am aware of the concern 'over there' because in the past 40 years Europe has (reasonably) benefitted from the (relative) stability of American government. A recognition that civility and diplomacy worked a semblance of balance was maintained. No More, the scale is badly tilted and the opposite weight not solid. I've lived in E. Anglia, W. Ger, and Fr and SEA over this past 50 years so can relate to a degree. The fact that the 'republican faction' has managed (as in: done so intentionally) to depict (as in: create a cartoon character of) the Democrat is just impossible to fathom. So, I'm glad you're concerned. You are so many little countries, so many cultures, so little to bind one another together. So ripe for this imbalance to reap havoc. How will it blow out?
Donold the demented doesn't care about us, We the People...he disregards the Constitution of the U.S. and tramples our rights, he calls veterans and service members "suckers and losers". He is not concerned about us or our military or the people caught in the crossfire or missiles raining down upon innocent victims in Iran (or Venezuela or Gaza or Ukraine).
The Trump regime isn't just damaging our own country but devastating for the rest of the world too.
With hindsight, we in Europe were feeling relative peace, quiet and stability until Trump came along a year or so ago. Now he’s destabilised many regions of the world, those secure feelings have vanished almost overnight. He’s like a loose cannon - unpredictable and inconsistent, volatile and dangerous. He hasn’t invaded or bombed the UK yet, but there’s absolutely no room for complacency, is there?
All of my reps... Republicans all ... Immediately voiced support for these attacks. They have willingly ceded their power to a lunatic dictator. I feel hopeless, and furious. We must keep our focus on doing all we can to vote them TF out.
I’m anxious for the day we can do that too. Stay in the fight even if your reps are the regime. My congressman is as well. Remember they are in the minority even if they have usurped more power than they are entitled to. We are together in this. We will hold together and we will win.
Thankfully, my congresscritters are Democrats. I am watching two streams of (ain't gonna call it "thought", but I want to avoid vulgarity if I can) garbage coming from my MAGAt retired cop cohort. One is all about gung ho for eliminating the evil Iranians, the other is referring to local protestors as "indoctrinated fools" (we had a protester injured by a vehicle yesterday, along with a student walk-out last week).
I once thought this divide could be bridged. I no longer think that. They have been Orwalled.
Of course you abhor the suffering of Iranian innocents; you are a woman of deep compassion. In law enforcement, you have seen every kind of person. For that experience to evoke a warm-hearted maganimity says loads about you, Ally. https://youtu.be/RYnLRf-SNxY
Why should our Republican representatives care? They’ll get their big fat $ contributions, red states support, free healthcare, lobbyist perks and insider trading profits no matter what.
Where are the goddamned congressional Republicans?! This is the most blatant breach of constitutional authority in US history! The Republicans have, in effect, dissolved Congress as a functioning governing entity. SCOTUS left us long ago. We are now governed by a dictatorship and the dictator of a weak-willed pedophile madman who is for sale to the highest bidder.
History’s pendulum will swing back the other way at some point; it always does. When it does, we need to remember the names of all those who knowingly gave away our democracy.
Remember that JB Pritzger taught us about this very topic. He appointed a commission to keep track of all the violations of the law the federal government commits in Illinois so that we can bring them to justice when sanity returns. We need something similar on a national level. The next sane Attorney General of the United States could use it effectively.
The very end of tonight's essay gets to crux of the matter: "Trump’s attack on Iran scorns the will of the people and their constitutional right to decide whether they want to pay for a war with their money and their lives. That disdain for democratic government reveals that Trump’s military adventure against Iran is also fundamentally an attack on the United States of America."
It FEELS like an attack on us. Plunge us into a war that we Americans do not want, as we've learned the consequences of our "adventures" in Iraq and Afghanistan. Deliberately leave Congress in the dark. Prove that the Republican Party views our Constitution as the enemy. Establish a precedent that We the People have no say.
One of the top reader comments in the NY Times today with over 5,000 likes: "Where is Congress? Why are we even paying them?"
Trump HAS declared war on the government of the U.S. … and he is waging it from the White House. He and the oligarchs and right-wing American fascists supporting and directing him do not want a healthy, functioning democratic republic. They prefer an authoritarian state, straight out of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Just in 2026, we have seen bombing of ships in the Caribbean and Pacific, an attack on Venezuela to arrest the head of state, a threat to invade Greenland (NATO), and now an all out war on Iran (focused on regime change) with not so much as a prior consultation with Congress. Oh yes, please give this gentleman the Nobel Peace Prize as he demands without further delay 🙄
The insufferable Donold thinks he deserves a prize for his menacing, militancy, war mongering, and despotic rule and foreign relations. He shouldn't get anything for it but might be awarded the War is Peace prize...
“US defense spending reached $919.2 billion in 2025. Trump’s proposed plans would push defense spending toward $1.5 trillion by 2027, which would add around $5.8 trillion to the national debt over a decade.”
“Every new conflict means more contracts, more backlog, more lobbying money, and more pressure for the next war.
More contracts, more profits, and more incentive to find the next enemy. Media consolidation increases control. Friendly coverage protects leaders from scandal and keeps dissenting voices marginal.
When Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, led the Department of Government Efficiency, he promised to cut $1 trillion from federal spending.
While Americans continue to wait for their DOGE checks, DOGE failed to deliver real savings and Musk’s wealth is on its way to reach a trillion dollars.
Not to mention that the shutdown of USAID programs caused economic stress for US farmers reliant on these programs, and pushed more toward bankruptcy.
The New York Times reported that twenty‑eight of DOGE’s forty biggest “savings” claims turned out to be false or inflated, and DOGE will cost the US about $135 billion due to layoffs, rehires, lost productivity, and lawsuits.
Money flows up. Risk and pain flow down. The more pain for you, the more wealth for them.
The language of “terrorism” and “security” is being turned inward. It is now pointed at citizens whose real offense is asserting their rights or standing near someone the state wants.
More war. More money to weapons. Less oversight. Courts that side with power. Corrupt leaders who own more of everything and answer to no one.
The elites are waging war on your humanity and dignity. It’s about time you finally recognize that and act accordingly.
Careful, Kristin, not to isolate them as merely arms dealers.
As closer examination shows of the Epstein predator class, if they sold arms they also did money laundering and sold girls and drugs.
Donald was heavily involved in Russian money laundering (go to search engine and Rybolovlev). He was also happy to rape -- all his life, and boast about it. In the oval office he has made a business of pardoning the world's worst drug runners.
He inhabits a small world of elite criminality, multi-faceted by the pals for whom he covers up -- has to cover up, as they, too, have the goods on him.
Use/share this spreadsheet (bit.ly/Goodtrouble) to contact members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly.
Reach out (beyond your own) to as many in the Senate and House as you can. All of this is bigger than “I only represent my constituents” issues.
The Republicans in Congress need to demand Johnson reconvene Congress to stop Trump’s war on Iran.
America has never fought a war alone, we needed France to help us win the Revolution. In this attack on Iran we stand alone.
After 9/11 George W. Bush led us into an ill advised and unfunded 20 year war. Yes, America was attacked but then blindly and naively struck out at what appeared to be an easy target for the quick relief it offered to our ego and demand for justice.
Iran did not attack American forces. Trump pulled us out of the Obama nuclear deal which allowed Iran to start up their nuclear program. Then only a short time ago Trump bombs Iran saying he obliterated their nuclear facilities. Now he’s launched a full scale attack along side Netanyahu on Iran.
Betting Speaker Bobblehead won’t do it. I doubt he knew of the attack beforehand, but it served their interests to pretend Congress doesn’t exist and use him to make sure it stays that way — he was the ‘right man’ for the job.
Donald's little Johnson is fully onboard with this unconstitutional attack. Mikey is an evangelical who's anxious to get on with God's Battle of Armageddon, when Satan will finally be "bound for eternity." Then Jesus will come back to rule the world for "a thousand years' reign of peace." And most importantly, Jesus will appoint his devout followers to positions of power around the world. It says so, right there in the book of Revelation. Mikey's not about to interfere with this scenario.
The Israeli government has been wanting this for a while. They finally have the backing of the President of the United States. Trump skipped Congress and turned our military into his private military.
MBS of Saudi Arabia had been quietly urging DJT to attack, and we know how buddy-buddy they are. He just didn't expect Iran to retaliate against his Kingdom.
"We may have casualties – that often happens in war.“ The utter inanity of that statement leaves me speechless. Thanks for informing us of that, Donald. Who knew.
Yes, I thought the same. To him it’s a game. The entire speech showed a man living inside his own head, completely divorced from reality. Of course he will never witness the consequences of his attack on Iran close up - the grotesque brutality of war, the bloodbath; hospitals overrun with dismembered bodies; innocent adults and children killed and maimed; families, homes and communities obliterated; generations wiped out overnight; buildings and infrastructure destroyed; death, destruction and bodies crushed under rubble. His advice - ‘stay safe indoors everyone because bombs will be dropping all around’.
The war from a distance has hardened leaders to the awful, bloody results of war. How convenient to push a few buttons from the comfort of your golf motel and not have to be face to face with the brutal results.
Exactly @lauriemcf - and not just leaders, ordinary people too. My parents were on the battlefields of WW2; I will never forget what they told me about the obscenity and horrors they’d endured. It’s no accident that my name, Irena, means ‘peace’.
The US has taken a lot more care with precision bombing than Iran and its proxies have done. And of course, Hamas deliberately attacked and brutalized Israeli average citizens on 10/7/23.
However, when Trump agreed to team up with Bibi on the unconstitutional and immoral mutual venture of attacking Iran he also assumed responsibility for Israel's penchant for murder in such affairs as my careful reading leads me to believe to be manifest in the 'mistake' of 'accidentally' killing a hundred fifty young girls in the bombing of a school in the Iranian city of Minab. The Trumpian jettisoning of America's previous caution about killing noncombatants is well known.
Hamas two-day October attack on Israel was brutal, no argument. But what word would you use to describe Israel's response to the Gaza strip and its people for well over two years now???
Sen. Cotton of Arkansas (whom I don’t care for,) said much the same thing. Well, Senator, your House and Senate colleagues are refusing to do your jobs and let Trump go to war by refusing to consult you. You should be defending the Constitution, not Trump!
He is insane. He stood at that podium on Tuesday night and told us he had the right to do whatever he wanted, he could complete destroy other countries (but not charge $1). This is the raving of a madman who thinks he can do no wrong. Why was no one listening?
What we witnessed yesterday was a corrupt 79 year old felon would-be dictator embroiled in a sex scandal collaborating with a 76 year old corrupt war criminal to assassinate an 84 year old vile cleric who brutalized his own people.
Humanity wins an F in the class of “How to Choose Your Leader.” Speaking as a 75 year old male, it's time to stop putting old men in charge.
Well, at least THOSE old, corrupt, venal crooks, criminals and murderers. 😜 Some of us in our 70s actually obey laws, treat waiters well and pause for paws…🐾!
A reminder for those of us forgetful of history, both recent and from decades ago — on December 6, 1941, Japan and the United States were actively negotiating with one another when, as we all know, Japan staged a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor the next morning.
It was about the dishonesty as much as the attack that led FDR to call it the ‘Date Which Will Live in Infamy.’
Yes, it's sad, please keep in mind that Iran and its allies like Hamas, have little regard for human life and that Hamas deliberately attacked and killed and degraded innocent Israelis on 10/7/23. The Israelis killed, raped, taken hostage were mostly innocent people, not victims of an off-target strike.
I mourn the Israeli and the Gazan dead, especially the children, but the adults, also. As well as all of the victims of war and violence who have perished without any acknowledgement of our shared humanity.
Operation Epic Miasma.
The great fog of war — deliberate, purposeful, the kind of pea-souper you’re not supposed to see through…Another Substacker, Johan — a former foreign service officer — said yesterday:
“This wasn’t failed diplomacy, it was theater. Trump presented maximalist demands Iran couldn’t accept, held talks one day before strikes, then executed predetermined regime change.”
War as entertainment. Shock-and-awe assassinations and made-for-TV regime destruction carried out by a criminal who’s spent the past year soliciting and accepting hundreds of millions worth of bribes from the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia — Iran’s sworn enemies. And they’ve complied — knowing the influence this would bring them.
At this point, we’re practically client states of THEM, not the other way around. The tails wag the dog with deadly effectiveness. This is what they wanted, not what America needed. On top of that, the obvious — Netanyahu. And Putin gets an even more distracted America moving still farther away from Ukraine and Europe.
Follow the money. It’s Trump’s only real love and lifelong obsession. (That and the appearance of power, the willingness to kill to get a Nobel Peace Prize, and wanting to blow up the four faces on Mt. Rushmore just to carve his own likeness on their ruins).
During the last Gulf war — which ultimately killed hundreds of thousands — a few General Petraueses managed at least to pierce through the chaos and dissemblances to ask those who did the deed: "tell me how this ends."
No such voices inside our own lawless regime exist today. The airwaves echo with mostly silence about why this took place and why now, when a negotiated victory seemed likely. Republicans are already churning out fantastic idiocies about Iran being 45 minutes away from blowing up New York, as Trump bloviates that 'the bombings will continue' (until morale improves, no doubt).
No one has thought this through. Nobody has spent ten minutes thinking about what comes next. Nobody can say how this ends. Anybody who tries to tell you otherwise is just making ‘stuff’ up.
Dr. Cox Richardson has enumerated the crimes Trump has committed against the US Constitution. The Supreme Court has said Trump has full immunity from crimes while he is President. The Republicans in Congress have abandoned their Constitutional duties to make Trump a dictator in these United States. It is clear the US Supreme Court, and the Republicans in Congress and State houses are behind Trump as dictator, and are for ending the United States as we know it. It is clear all of these People and their institutions are part of the People but they don't believe so--they believe they are better than the People and should be over them. They are all doing this to have the kind of power authoritarians crave and intend to have at all costs to the People they now consider their stupid prey, as predators consider their prey supper, lunch, and breakfast. Do see how Musk and Thiel have characterized the People of the USA. It is clear where the US military stands. With Trump and the Republicans. They do his every bidding, no matter what it is. Dr. Cox Richardson has also enumerated the many ways this is so. This is where we are now.
The Supreme Court ruled that Trump has immunity for official acts. However, he has no power to start a war without congressional approval.
Trump apparently did not get the memo. He has all the power and the military to back it up. Our Military is standing ready and willing to do Trump's bidding. Maybe two members of the Republican Party have spoken out against this war. So, I think he has all the power to do what he wants. Constitution be damned.
Probably my last comment of the day: MORRIGAN'S CURSE UPON THE NAZI-MINDED SUBSTACK NURDS FOR IMPOSING A FORMAT THAT MALICIOUSLY MAKES COMMENT-THREAD DIALOGUE IMPOSSIBLE.
I understand what you mean, I think. If it's about commenting/replying to someone's post and you have to scroll countless minutes to find which post the comment/reply is referring to, I totally agree.
"Imposing a format" ... "you have to scroll".
Really? Wrong as a matter of common sense & Substack Inc's Terms of Use (TOU).
OK, I will not explain the current TOU once again for those who do not understand the binding contract we all operate under on LFAA.
We are ALL completely bound together contractually defined as "Readers" & "Authors" which incudes Heather, Joyce & every single one us. The Platform agrees; Substack Inc is equally bound as well.
I will not irritate the community by explaining how to use the cursor to easily read & follow digital syntax.
Wake up folks we are headed for much deeper waters. Get-it-together. We are getting real-time history in complete historical context from HCR. Make good use of it.
Read Meegan daily then take action now OR better yet lead.
??? What does this post even mean? You seem to have done the impossible yourself . . .
Hendrik, I think Loren is referring to the maddening way Substack's comment utility includes and indents each reply to a reply to a reply to a reply, ad infinitum, until the original reply gets pushed off the page. Unfortunately, the reply chain often goes off-topic, rendering an on-topic dialogue impossible.
Readers in this forum have developed a courtesy of addressing the commenter by name at the beginning of their replies as an aid to keeping track of whom they're replying to. It's helpful, but Substack's comment utility still subverts the courtesy.
Rather than address this weakness in the comment utility, Substack's owners prefer to develop Facebook-like features that users didn't ask for and don't want.
The three dots to the right of the commenter's name are there to expand or collapse a comment once you've read it. Works for me, anyway.
Yes Loren, the medium has been rendered useless.
'They just wanted to practice evil'
trump must be Rosemary's Baby.
No wonder Mia didn't get on with Woody...
Just so you know, "Our Military is standing ready and willing to do Trump's bidding. " . Members of the U.S. military take an oath that includes "obey the orders of those appointed over me". Unfortunately, the American people appointed Trump as Commander-in-Chief. Yes, the U.S. military will obey the orders of the CiC as the operators of speed boats in the Gulf of Mexico have learned. No judgement, just follow orders.
It’s been proven Russia interfered with elections.
Yes, to some extent. Are you using that fact to give Americans a pass on making Trump the "Commander-in-Chief"? The Russians did interfere but they didn't throw the election.
He just started another war/"military operation" in violation of the Constitution & international law. With SCOTUS immunity, the only accountability is the possibility of a Blue tsunami in November which Trump & his MAGA goons intend to subvert under the guise of a "national emergency".
Any suggestion of Trumpian propaganda or corruption is obviously seditious fake news?
Timothy Snyder: Why attack Iran? Trump & Co authoritarianism & corruption."Given the stupefyingly overt corruption of the Trump administration, one must ask whether the US armed forces are now being used on a per-hire basis..." Trumpian propaganda must be believed? https://snyder.substack.com/p/why-attack-iran?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
In a national address, Trump has told Iran's military and security officials that if they lay down their weapons they will receive "complete immunity". Who the fuck is he to be making that kind of offer to those brutes who have murdered not just thousands of Iranians but also many Americans?
He's warned Iranians to stay in their homes because there would be bombs "falling everywhere"! And yet the British defence secretary this morning warned of indiscriminate retaliatory attacks by the Iranian regime. Yet earlier, Trump was calling on the people of Iran to rise up and overturn the government. His messaging is predictably ridiculous.
I totally agree that it is essential that Trump is either removed (and this is very unlikely) or neutered in the forthcoming midterm elections. Yet today, I watched Democrat Chris Coons on CNN welcoming the unlawful assassination of Khameini while offering some weasel words about hoping that the current phase of the conflict would not destabilise the whole region. Have the upper echelons of the Democratic party come to some miserable political calculation that Trump's popularity will somehow be enhanced by these attacks?
The whole “immunity” comment once again reveals how transactional it all is to The Grump. He doesn't give a flying fuck about all the lost Iranian lives (or American lives - remember “suckers and losers?”) And as for Iranian police - they're just that country’s version of ICE. ICE hasn't paid for any of its crimes, either.
Neutered works for me, let's do it.
Russell, we need a Trump whisperer. :-)
Game, set, match….Trumperica has done away with our Constitution and democracy. Not sure how we will ever recover?
It will indeed be that if the distraction of this war provides the cover for a cabal of traitorous Senate Democrats to join with the Republican Majority to eternally destroy our elections by passing the SAVE Act. (SAVE = Subjugate All Voters Eternally) If that measure becomes law, the ChristoNazi theocracy is literally forever, as with Trump's reduction of the oath-breaking military to his Legions of Death, we will have no possibly way to overthrow the ChristoNazi regime.
Loren, and to distract from the latest bombshell relating to his crimes in the Epstein files and, let's not forget, Ukraine and Russia.
And then there is Gaza and the West Bank - those are no less wars than all the others!!
Loren, your acronym for the SAVE act is brilliant, simply brilliant!
A good morning to you, good sir, wherever you reside. 🌞
He has immunity (for the time being until we get a responsible Supreme Court) from certain criminal liability. He does NOT have immunity from Impeachable Offenses, nor civil liability. And if his in-office actions can be construed to be non-official acts, he does not have immunity for them either.
Just watched again the Judgement at Nuremberg, film from 1961. Hadn't seen it in decades. Whew! Everyone should watch that again. The dialogue is phenomenal, strong, condemning xenophobia, racism, genocide. Listen to the dialogue and tell me there's no parallel with America now.
Many lessons from my mother amplified by that movie. My dad was stationed in the Munich area from 1947 to 1950 where we lived (about 15 miles south of Nuremberg), during the later Nuremberg trials and the Berlin Airlift.
I was a preschool toddler at the time, but my mother, in particular, saw to it that we were taught age appropriate lessons forever after. The most memorable portion for me, from the Google AI search summary:
"...In the final scene of Judgment at Nuremberg, Chief Judge Dan Haywood (Spencer Tracy) delivers a powerful, defining line to Ernst Janning (Burt Lancaster) in his prison cell. When Janning insists he never knew the Nazi regime would commit mass murder, Haywood responds: "Herr Janning, it 'came to that' the first time you sentenced a man to death you knew to be innocent..."
A lengthier transcript is at https://www.filmsite.org/bestspeeches20.html
But some people actually went to prison that time. More should have than did.
Yes and Scotus provides the optics - that the President is above the law (which is why he was so angry at them for their decision about tariffs). It will take multiple acts of Scotus independent judgments for Trump to get it. Citizens United, a foolish Scotus, greedy bilionaires wanting more and a quisling Congress set the table. Will the citizens sit at that table?
I've long held the view that my old party turned into Quislings.
I always try to have a paperclip whether large or small to indicate the willingness to stick together like the Norwegian teachers who went to prison refusing to teach the Nazi curriculum after Quisling took power with Hitler's help.
There are several instances where the Republican Congress has allowed Trump to usurp their powers. It is not just the Supreme Court at fault!
He may not - BUT he did. Now what?
Good to hear from a good neighbours to the North, Russell. 🫱🏻🫲🏽
Today, I feel for the suffering of Iranian innocents. Especially younger Iranians who have no dog in this fight. 😢
No one is so old that (s)he can not remember those carefree days to which every human being should be entitled as (s)he matures.💔
Very disappointed in our military leadership *for not refusing the orders to undertake this unprovoked strike in *defiance of our Constitution. ⚖️
Russell- Yes, but…presidents receive deference regarding matters of national security which this administration would argue is a basis for the attack.
This one could use some defensive defenestration, Sue.
He clearly does not care. He does not/ has not adhered to the laws that the Constitution sets out,and have
been followed by every President for 250 years.
This republican congresss who still abets this out of control madman is wholly to blame for this war.
and he can be tried fir crimes he committed once he's out of office ..if the pacifist Dems do it!
Crimes committed while the President is in office will be judged by the Supreme Court as to have been while doing his official Presidential duty's. What they would find acceptable would be different if it is a Democratic President or Republican. At least with the makeup of this Supreme Court. They have displayed a complete lack of integrity, of right-wing Justices, over and over again ever since 2000 by interfering in the Presidential election. That's why we have the Roberts Court today.
He has interfered profoundly with Congress's traditional ways of doing things. He also "sits" in the Supreme Court and interferes with justice. More broadly he shows contempt for the culture of Congress and the courts. He despises museums, theater and books. He advises men to discipline their women. He is unsophisticated, a stranger to civilized manners, laws and norms. He is such an atypical president who gloats in the slaughtering of his political enemies, whimsically waiting to torture and execute them.
Dr. Cox Richardson has put it quite well that this is also a war against the United States. Americans should be out demonstrating today against ICE, against the War and insisting on releasing the Full Epstein Files. (RtFEF).
I am in Germany and we are having a demonstration locally against perceived corrupt act of the Federal government here. Of course people will be protesting the war in Iran as well. A demonstration is a time where you can say your most pressing thoughts on a sign.
Yes, Linda. I have quietly balked when well-meaning folks have referred to Donald or his minions as "traitors" because they had not technically met the constitutional definition. But with the strike on Iran, I believe Donald and his drunk Pete Hogsbreath, have crossed that line and may now be accurately designated traitors.
A patriotic House of Representatives would immediately file articles of impeachment, but we don't have patriots in the House. We have self-dealing leaches there, aided and abetted by cowards.
Yes. I think that we need to sue the Congress and Trump for not representing us, and ask for tax relief. It must be class action.
What's this impeachment draft floating round the internet? Is it AI?
Haven't heard of it, Anne-Louise. But if it's "floating around the internet," it's likely not legitimate.
Don't know about it.
I think it's as Dale says (below). Wishful thinking.
I'm glad you mentioned "MOST" pressing, because if I was to list everything about this regime that bothers me, I'd need a sign the size of those obscene banners of his ugly mug that hangs outside the DOJ.
I agree about it being hard to list it all Miselle.
We must, must, must be loud against the existence of concentration camps in America. Look into the conditions in the Dilley TX concentration camp. There are at last count 73,000 people in these camps with more camps being built to house double that.
Meanwhile Billionaires get even bigger tax breaks and contracts with our tax dollars, but our social security and medicare programs have been decimated by Trump who has knocked more than 10 years off of their lifespan and is blaming it on American citizens of Somalian descent. It is like living in the 1930s with the overt racism with every word.
The federal trustees of the Medicare program said in June 2025, before the tax bill passed, that the Medicare HI (Part A) fund was projected to run out of money in 2033. I have seen the article about the 2025 tax bill shortening the insolvency date by 12 years to 2040, but I'm skeptical. The Trustees' report is credible, but it doesn't synch with what the CBO wrote. Social Security needs changes to keep solvent or run short the next decade, but D's and R's aren't ranking that as a high priority for now.
Robert, I was just reading a discussion of it yesterdays as being depleted because Trump is giving his billionaire tax cuts, no matter what, and now he is trying to blame the depleted funds on the Americans of Somali descent. The man is shameless and that is part of why he gets away with everything.
Sleepless In the middle of the night, I looked up Hitler's rise to power--beginning the 30's. We swore it would never happen again.
Yes. I know about Hitler's rise to power, I know that Brown-skinned Germans like me either ended up in the camps, or got sterilized, or were appearing in jungle films naked without any say over it, to show how primitive we were. Some of course ended up in all 3 and some in none. Hans Massaquoi stayed in his village with his mom and just had to deal with the racism around him. He has written a book about it. I have it in German and English because I went to school with his kids. Steve and Hans.
Also, Hitler wanted to cultivate a certain group to help him take over African. Given that we are brown-skinned people who speak German this was considered useful. Also, a lot of brown-German children were taken away from their White German mothers and sent to the US to be adopted by Black couples. That is what happened to Linda Johnson Rice. Her father was the head of Ebony Magazine and Johnson Publishing and his magazine promoted this racist program. I also went to the same school as her as, although she is older than me.
Donald Trump's rise to power is bringing out the racism and anti non Christians in the world. Now there is a fatwa against the American and Israeli people, calling on all Muslims to honor it. How will that make life for Muslims in the US? For Jews in the US? Trump and his people do things and don't think of the consequences.
I do think that Musk, Thiel, Murdoch do not have clean hands in this aggression
Not to mention Ellison and Kegsbreath. If Congress refuses to go back to Washington to end Operation Trumpstein Fury we all need to make sure their constituents know that they are not performing their duties. John Cornyn, Susan Collins and several others are up for reelection. Their constituents need to be reminded continuously they are cowards unwilling to hold the Trump administration accountable.
"Every Hotsi Totsi Nazi stand up and cheer!"
"The GOP was having trouble; what a sad, sad story.
We needed a new leader to restore its former glory.
Where, oh where was he?
Where could that man be?
We looked around, and then we found the man for you and me!
And now it's
Springtime for DJT and The GOP!
MAGA is happy and gay
We're marching to a faster pace.
Look out! Here comes the master race!
Springtime for Leo and Charlie Koch!
Winter for the USA
Springtime for Thomas and Alito!
Come on SCOTUS! Go into your dance!
I was born in Kremlin land and that is why they call me Putin's fan.
Don't be stupid, be a smarty! Come and join the MAGA Party!
Springtime for Elon and Peter Thiel!
Goosestep, a new step, today!
Bombs falling from the skies again.
ChristoFascists are on the rise again!
Springtime for Jared and JD Vance!
U-boats are sailing once more!
Springtime for Hegseth and Rubio!
Means that
Soon we'll be going
We've got to be going
You know we'll be going
to war!"
With apologies to Songwriter Mel Brooks
“Springtime for Twitler”
Well done, •lin!
How can one go wrong with Mel Brooks?
👏👏👏 Kudos! I needed some snark this morning!
Brilliant Lin Brilliant.
Tomorrow Belongs to Me...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tUctFu46_c
A Turning Point Rally - with better music. Yikes Thanks.
Is Kushner a Christian? Is Wickoff? Is Steven Miller?
I see how you get the "-Fascist" part of their label,
but I think the "Christo-" part is ungrounded.
This looks like a perfect opportunity for Kegsbreath to prove his masculinity, which clearly feels the need to do.
Do you mean Larry Ellison of Oracle, or Keith Ellison the Minnesota AG? Why would either of them want to be involved in the strikes against Iran?
David Ellison (Larry's son) bought Paramount+. He is a MAGA POS.
Don’t forget Miller.
NEVER FORGET MILLER, THE PUPPETEER!
Exactly! Evil personified!
It’s oil again! Think Iran (1957, CIA coup); Iraq (2002) and who knows how many others?
It might have to do with getting Iran to not sell oil to Russia for their war with Ukraine. More likely, it's to stop a regime that hates Israel and the US from getting a nuclear weapon. And maybe for Trump to stir the pot and deflect from trouble in the US, I'll give you that. If you want to list all the times the US has upended opposing regimes, keep in mind there's a long list of proxy wars and attacks on opponents and innocent parties that Iran has supported. Thinking of Hamas, and attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, among others.
Virginia, and oil before that around WWI. There is an excellent book called, I think, Lawrence In Arabia, very well written about some players at that time.
It’s a wonderful movie. “Lawrence of Arabia.” Worth your time if you can find it.
Yes, but the book is Lawrence in Arabia, the in is significant. It is one of the best historical books I have ever read.
…Miller
Bannon … who has wanted to burn the US down.
Call it the "Epstein War."
He's killing several "birds." Primary is to detract from Epstein.
Secondary is personal aggrandizement.
Also raises oil prices -- to benefit Putin's war machine.
And it may be a pretext -- an "emergency" to invoke the "unitary executive".
I thought Trump was trying to encourage more oil production and sales, to lower gas prices and maybe incidentally, put some pressure on Russia, a big oil exporter. And he wants I think to get more oil production from Venezuela.
Bannon has wanted to burn it all down for quite a while.
Trump acts disregarding the law, Professor explains most ably, we comment here. If we keep this cycle, our country will be lost.
We do have to break this cycle.
Perfectly stated, and you’ve identified the exact corruption-doctrine nexus driving this.
And thank you for adding my work, truly appreciate that.
Let me sharpen the framework:
The money trail is documented: UAE $2B investment in Jared’s firm, Saudi $2B to Mnuchin, Qatari jet gift to Trump, hundreds of millions in Gulf “packages.”
These aren’t coincidental, they’re payments for policy. Iran is Saudi Arabia and UAE’s primary regional rival. They literally purchased regime change through bribes disguised as investments.
The inversion you named is critical: We’re not enforcing U.S. interests through regional champions…we’re providing military muscle for Gulf state interests while they bankroll our administration. The NSS calls this “regional champions creating stability.”
Reality: we’re the mercenary force for clients who bought the executive branch.
Putin’s calculus: Russia loses an ally (Iran) but gains distracted America burning resources in Middle East while Ukraine support crumbles.
Classic great power spheres—-he tolerates our Iran operation because it serves his Ukraine objectives.
The “how does this end” question exposes the fraud: There is no plan for Iranian self-determination because that was never the goal. The plan is: eliminate non-aligned regime, install Gulf-friendly government, secure oil/Strait access, prevent Chinese influence. Iranian freedom is marketing copy.
You’re right, nobody thought this through because the objective isn’t stability, it’s demonstrating purchased power executes. The Gulf states bought a war. Trump delivered.
That’s how oligarchic capture works.
Excellent thank you for helping us think through this.
—Johan
Johan, you write: “ …we’re providing military muscle for Gulf state interests while they bankroll our administration. ”. Except they are not. They ARE bankrolling individuals in the administration in their personal capacities, not for the benefit of the American People.
Yep, exactly the point, individuals inside the administration
Nothing, absolutely nothing, is thought through.
Oligarchic capture, using their greed to turn the US armed forces into a mercenary force for those “allied“ regional powers who are able and willing to pay for us to do their dirty work. Saudis, Israel, UAE are the main actors with interests and ability to hire us with “gifts” to the executive (friends and family of DJT). Iraq can’t pay but profits. Russia profits indirectly as we tear through resources that took years and billions to build (and that we refused to give Ukraine).
Yep exactly
The UK Guardian's Tess McClure & Deepa Parent repors many dead & inured at an Iranian girls' elementary school, SHAJAREH TAYYEBH.
More war more violence & more death is what's next
the "Declare War Clause" at Article I, Section 8, Clause 11, of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the exclusive power to declare war. But within two months Trump has unilaterally Declared War against two counties on different sides of the Earth. This is a direct result of the 2024, Roberts Six opinion in "Trump v. United States," 603 U.S. 593, (hereinafter, "Trump v. U.S.A." ) which amounts to the making of a King. "Trump v. U.S.A." involved a Federal grand jury criminal indictment against President Donald Trump for efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding (the Senate certification of votes by State Electors for a Presidential election), conspiracy against rights, and obstruction of/attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, which was all being tested as an issue of whether "official acts" of the executive Office granted absolute presidential immunity from these criminal charges. The Roberts Six created categories of immunity for official vs. private acts. The Roberts Six held that under the separation of powers of our constitutional structure the nature of executive powers entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official actions taken within the conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority of the executive branch. Recall John Adams emphasizing the intent of the separation of powers, "to the end it may be a government of laws and not of men", thus no king, no tyrants. Recall Federalist: No. 47, James Madison wrote, “...the preservation of liberty requires that the three great departments of power should be separate and distinct.” Recall President Theodore Roosevelt, saying, "No man is above the law...”. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion that "In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law." Bottom line, the Roberts Six wrote "Trump v. United States" thus they are to blame for these two Wars, they are the enemy of We the People. We must Unite to Amend our Constitution to repeal the lies of the Court. I discuss all this in my Memorandum to We the People. Thanks to the outstanding interpretation and presentation of my Memorandum by Dale Rowett of LexiGraphics.Pro, that alone makes my Memorandum worth reading posted at UnitedWeAmend.org
As Dr. Richardson says, Trump's unconstitutional war is as much an attack on us, We the People of the (failed) United States, as it is an attack on Iran. Let us not forget this is a criminal war waged by a military that has damned itself to eternal infamy by violating its oath to defend the Constitution; it has thereby reduced itself to Trump's personal Legions of Death. This war is therefore both a vivid demonstration of how far Trump will go to keep his Trumpstein atrocities hidden and -- as a warning to the Liberation Movement -- what will happen if he unleashes his legions against us here at home.
Every General, Admiral and Captain, etc. involved in this should be prosecuted, convicted and put in jail for breach of the public trust by violation of their oath. The "Nuremberg defense," or "just following orders," did not work in Nuremberg and it must not work here either.
Trump now knows where the military stands. He has been given their loyalty.
The oath-breaking military's self-reduction to ChristoNazi Legions of Death is undoubtedly the product of two Evils: firstly, the decades of ChristoNazi brainwashing approved by bipartisan unanimity (see https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2023/06/26/defense-bill-targets-religious-freedom-group-for-its-advocacy-work/ ) (another example of how the deceitful Democrats function as the Republicans' Fifth Column); secondly the brazen bribery of promotions and loot promised by wars of ecogenocidal conquest.
The comment you make here have been in my thoughts as well. 47 sewed the seeds of doubt on this when he prosecuted the 6 Congress members who reminded everyone not to follow illegal orders. He lost that case, but, the seeds were sewn. Many military leaders should be prosecuted (and that number would be rather large by now), but so will the numbers of many everyday soldiers, sailors, marines, etc. Another HUGE mess to clean up.
Loren, he already has unleashed his legions against us here at home. The irony of him engaging in a scorched earth attack against Iran to "protect the rights of protesting Iranian citizens" stands in stark contrast to his personally sanctioned ICE raids against any and all peaceful protesters here in the U.S. And all to protect his fragile little self against the truth behind the Epstein files. His actions are not those of a man "totally exonerated". They are the actions of a man who will burn the entire planet to the ground rather than face the consequences of his increasingly erratic behavior.
Completely agree, Janet...with the stipulation he won't hesitate to bomb us like he's bombing the Iranians if our resistance intensifies. (Don't forget this is the criminal nation that broke strikes with field artillery and bombing planes.)
My tiny paranoid brain is wondering if he's sitting back and watching to see how long it takes for the Iranian regime to ramp up their retaliation against their own citizens so he can put it into practice here.
Unlike those in Iran who had no hope of voting their govt out, or changing it in any way, US citizens can vote how they want for leaders they want. It would be great if Iranians now have that opportunity to create the govt they want.
Gee, whouldja be at all surprised if there was an announcement of a TRUMP resort to be built in Iran!?!?
Hello Albert... Did you see how Horrified John Roberts, and Amy Coney Barret looked when DJT talked at them?.... I believe that their Hubris is falling, and are realizing that they have Created A Evil Demented Monster...
Well, they did stand up to him in their tariff decision. I didn't see them as horrified, but seriously disappointed in the President.
Hello Robert... I believe that the Biggest Tests Are Yet To Come....
No. I cannot listen to him speak anymore. He is living proof that the Scarecrow was 100% correct. In fact, Scarecrow could now add that "Some People Without Brains ......Do an awful lot of Voting."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJPOMrkh6WQ
All of the above supports accusations of treasonous conduct by Trump and impeachment through to conviction. James Hawley
Nice to see our tax dollars going towards killing school girls. Another new low for the US.
Yeah, you’re right. It’s better that we spent $250 billion on illegals in this country. Thanks to Joe Biden to feed them to house them to clove them and to give them free medical care that we don’t even give our own homeless citizens. Good call !
And saving millions of lives at the same time wow what a coincidence
Yeah, it’s called a war ever see a war that didn’t kill people or Iranians and haven’t killed thousands and thousands of Americans including soldiers including innocent civilians. What the fuck is wrong with you people what side of the world are you on? Geeeeeeez. Scum of the Earth
I reported you under Substack Inc 2025 TOU legal standard. All rights reserved.
Yeah hey everybody in Substack rick sender is out here telling the truth and we don’t like it
Don't feed the troll, friends. If it's ignored, it'll follow it's slug-trail back into the fetid hole it oozed out of.
Yeah, if it’s ignored, here’s what happens. We remain ignorant of the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is that the life you wanna lead to believe in something that isn’t true. Heather doesn’t tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth she was once a very respected historian and now she’s nothing but a capitalistic radical liberal activist telling you half the story or no story at all, depending upon what happens.
People like Merrill are obviously forgetting that Israel and America are working together to solve this problem. They’re not enemies. Trump is supporting Israel and Israel is supporting America. So who’s the ally right now the Republicans or the Democrat Democrats Trump or Obama?
The writer never mentions the Constitutional role of Congress . If Congress has not been consulted and approved, then a president’s actions are treasonous and impeachable, based on our own history.
Hey James real quick are you aware of how many bombs Obama dropped on Syria some 20,000 bombs he dropped on Syria without congressional approval do you know about that? Do you remember that at all? Do you know how many similar things were done by Bush before he even got congressional approval. Almost every president has done something similar to a certain degree and so there’s a big precedent for exactly what Trump is doing and believe me you’ll hear it in the news is coming up if they ever try to say that he didn’t have the right to do it trust me you’re gonna hear them if you want to pay attention but unfortunately for you, James, you’re gonna need to change the channel and see both side sides of the story because you’re not getting anything resembling the entire story here
Have you seen the MAGA response to these attacks, you moron?
Tucker Carlson told ABC News that the attack on Iran was “absolutely disgusting and evil.”
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HamimgJ8Xh0
Andrew Tate posted: “NOBODY WANTS THIS WAR.” Milo Yiannopoulos posted: “Oh, how disgusting. F--- you, Mr. President.” Nick Fuentes screamed: “NO WAR WITH IRAN. ISRAEL IS DRAGGING US TO WAR. AMERICA FIRST.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene posted a video just one day before the strike, featuring Trump’s own past words on Iraq: “They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none, and they knew there were none.” After the bombs fell, she added: “This is the Trump I supported. Now for some unknown reason, Trump has joined the neocons. End of MAGA.“
She followed up with more incendiary tweets.
https://x.com/FmrRepMTG/status/2027758087680000021
She followed up with: “What about our own military? This is not what we thought MAGA was supposed to be. Shame!”
Alex Jones was soon joining the bandwagon.
https://x.com/realalexjones/status/2027743549714731394?s=46
Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire pitched in as well with a longer tweet about the potential implications of these attacks.
https://x.com/MattWalshBlog/status/2027795872046625057
Yeah, Poor Rick is strongly convinced that any dictatorial leader should be bombed to death if he sees citizens taking to the streets protesting him, saying “No Dictators” and complaining that the economy is in the toilet - inflation up, job growth down. P Rick, like Trump, thinks that when a government kills innocent protesters in the streets or abducts 5 year old kiddos…..Ooooppppsssiiieee! Wait!! No Kings or No Ayatollahs???
No when is the leading sponsor of terrorism and has been sold for 45 years or more yes, Subsolution it necessary to get rid of it so that the whole world is safe, including all the Arab countries and mostly including Israel so people like you who happen to be there picnicking don’t get your balls cut off
You have said repeatedly that you don’t drink, but you sound like you are snorting some pretty heavy duty stuff, P Rick. Watch out for that fentanyl!
Incoherent rant.
please don't feed the troll
Iran is the leading sponsor of terrorism. Can you read it now? I’ve killed thousands of Americans continue to shell Israel with weaponry through them, and their proxies tried to gain access to a nuclear bomb, which scares the whole world. Does that explain anything to you frau.
And maybe your name is a little bit to Germantown understand when 1200 innocent Israelis are having a picnic and the proxies attack them rape them cut off their heads, put them in a circle in their bedroom and light them on fire when they’re tied together, kill them, and then keep them hostage for a year. Are you still incoherent?
I’m quite aware of how bad Iran has been. But Trump has no plan to get rid of its government. New leaders have already been appointed.
He’d be better to choke off their money supply: oil. Ideas:
- go after the dark fleet oil tankers (he’s already taken 6, mostly from Venezuela);
- bomb the oil terminal on Kharg Island
I’ve read far beyond Fox News, unlike you.
I actually watch five different networks and I go online as well. I watch the three majors and CNN and Fox that way I get a big picture of from everybody and their opinions and their perspectives and I was just gonna send you a message just a second ago until I read the last line I was gonna compliment you on this is the first time I’ve seen that you’re open minded and saying you’re quite aware of how bad Iran has been but then I read the second line when you said he doesn’t have a plan and you have no clue my dear
Do you know what the plan actually is and here’s the other problem that Iran has right now they talk about closing off the Sue for shipping and unfortunately almost all the oil from Iran that goes to Russia and China goes through the Suez. They’re in a real pickle
What are the thing for Al because I’m very familiar with exactly what’s happening or what happened in Iran when you talk about the plan for its government What he’s doing right now actually is suggesting to the people there that they take control of their own government. There is a lot of rumors about the revolutionary regard and other leaders that don’t want to fight anymore and then there’s a group a small group again that is now firing missiles all over the place inevitably Iran’s gonna run out of weapons. And as soon as they start firing more, Trump is gonna inundate them with ammunition and armaments He could actually at the cost of prices, gas prices going up he could eliminate their gas fields, their ability to deliver petroleum And maybe you didn’t know this frown, but this was planned almost 6 months ago so you can guess that there wasn’t a plan but there’s a very good plan. You just never necessarily know exactly what your opponent is going to do but you lay out alternatives and consequences and what you estimate they’re going to do based on history and based on their capabilities.
Hey Rick,
I don't know about you, but I have 75 terrified family members living in bomb shelters in Israel today thanks to 3 NY real estate developers who live by the laws of the jungle rather than attempts to negotiate peace.
My wife’s half brother is in a bomb shelter in Israel and he’s 80 years old. Meryl, you’re very short minded if you think about it if they can take Iran and stop having it be a sponsor of terrorism and continuing to fire missiles into Israel, the 75 terrified family members will never have to be in a bomb shelter again And that’s how life changes. I have a best friend who is a Iranian, whose father was the doctor to the Shah of Iran. Back when a Ron was a sophisticated upscale country with no terrorist implications, and when I called him yesterday, he was crying with happiness because they were exiled right after the Shaw lost and for the last five decades, there’s been nothing but misery for the entire region because of Iran
please don't feed the troll
Have you asked them about the last decades of threat from the Iranian regime? My friends are mostly happy about this. Israelis have had enough!
My relatives, who come from post WW2 Nazi Europe and have lived in Israel since 1948, don't believe Netanyahu's approach to "peace" will solve the 3000 year old Arab-Jewish conflict in the Middle East.
That’s exactly the plan. Do you think someone’s gonna snap their fingers and it will change? Do you think someone’s gonna be a passive bystander and it will change? How long do you want your relatives to be in bomb shelters ?
Yes, 3 Jews 10 opinions.
🙄
Thanks for weighing in Derek. I’ve missed you.
It’s a service I provide for the Rick Senders of this world.
Well, Derek, fortunately for you and many others here there are no other RICK centers of this world anywhere that would come near this place these threats this nonsense. But I am brave enough, bold enough to tell people that they’re not getting all of the news they need to make them aware to some degree of what they’re not getting but still people refused to change the channel refuse to evaluate what Heather is telling them refused to question her on anything they’re just a bunch of lemmings 00 my God thank God you said that today Heather because it agrees with their thinking but not with reality not what’s happening outside
You actually had a lady here yesterday I forgot which one who said Trump and death in yahoo are colluding with each other
Until the day I die, I will probably hear nothing more ignorant, more profoundly stupid than that remark
I live ignoring rick sender, that poor, lonely, sociopathic ignoramus.
please don't feed the troll
Do you think I really care if you ignore me what you want to look at is the sentence you just constructed. Think About what you just said for a second Marcia. Oh my G-d.
Do you know what the root of the word ignoring is? I’m sitting here laughing my ass off. It’s the root word of the word ignorant, and you become ignorant when you ignore things whether it’s me or anybody else including news from the right side of the aisle because unless you hear that news, you have no idea what you’ve been told is true and it’s not
And what’s your point moron? Wouldn’t you love to have been some of the 1200 civilians having a picnic and having your wives raped in front of you or bloodied in front of you or have their heads chopped off in front of you or have them held hostage for a year or two or have them tied up in a bundle in a home and lit on fire.
To me, you’re nothing but an incarnate of the devil
Michael Wolff referred to this as “The black hole of war” instead of the fog of war since nobody truly knows why we are at war in the first place, what we are doing and what exactly is our endgame.
The Orwellian part is that we're just supposed to be quiet and follow along. We don't need to understand -- in the Big Brother world, that is.
It's ready-fire-aim. Start a war to get people to stop looking at the corruption of this regime. Figure out the pesky “justification” question later…maybe. If they succeed in short-circuiting the midterms they won't even need to do that. We need to overwhelm them in November. Leave no stone unturned. Knock on all the doors. Send all the postcards. Make the phone calls. Sign up to be a poll worker. This is an all hands on deck moment.
And once you're in the gravity well there is no escape until you're obliterated...
…and obliteration no longer means what it used to to mean
This war is the result of collusion between our president and Netanyahu. We probably don't yet know the full extent of the quid pro quos. Democrats must ensure that never again will we be held hostage to the demands of Israel for weapons and military funding.
It would be nice to stop him from visiting every couple of weeks. Refuse to let his plane land.
If he tries for NYC, Zamdani will turn him over to the police as a war criminal.
Are you stupid? Are you totally stupid collusion. You liberals are absolutely upside down in your brain. This is called cooperation it’s called support for the Jews. What the hell is wrong with you people ? They are trying to freeze themselves from 45 years of oppression and missiles being sent whenever the hell they want why do you think they have the iron dome huh? Why do you think so? Maybe Europe is sending those missiles to try to destroy Israel you ignorant people if you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about it’s better not embarrassing yourself here just stay out of the conversation unbelievable
Hello ICTT.... It is deeply Ironic that 'Cadet Bone Spurs' talks Nobly of Starting Wars... I don't expect any Trump to serve on the Front Lines...
There is a meme going around that shows “your kids” in the top frame- young soldiers on a battlefield. “Trump and Netanyahu’s kids” in the bottom frame- toes in the sand, sipping umbrella drinks on some beautiful beach somewhere. I think the meme captures it perfectly.
Hello Kimberly.... Sadly Accurate... Last Seen, Netanyahu's Son was Clubbing in Miami...
Not seeing Barron putting on a uniform yet -- or ever.
Alas! Bone spurs are undoubtedly a genetic inheritance.
Apache get real what the hell kind of a common is that do you know of any man once he’s become president is going to serve on the front lines what the hell was that?
As soon as the first American soldiers are killed, the propaganda machine will gear up and anyone who protests the war will be called unpatriotic. If you lived through the Vietnam War, like me, you remember. And you remember how it ended.
"tell me how this ends" - a NBC WMD mass casualty event in either a Gulf State, CONUS or Israel resulting in a intermediate yield nuke strike on Tehran to annihilate what remains of the theocratic regime and decapitate the IRGC.
Iran can't keep swapping missiles because they are out gunned, so they will have to go asymmetric.
If they go asymmetric, they don't have time to start small and ramp up a long term terrorism campaign if they want to save the regime (and their own necks) so ergo they will have to "go big or go home" with the largest scale "spectacular" they can pull off. Given they've sponsored terrorism in the regime for literally generations their capabilities or the capabilities of their proxies should not be underestimated, even given the degraded state of Hezbollah, etc.
For good measure, throw in an ecological disaster by destroying multiple oil tankers in the Straits and/or ports and refineries in the region, with the concommitant effects on the global economy.
And the more oil prices rise, the more money Russia has to prop up their economy and continue the war in Ukraine. Everything comrade Krasnov Trump does aids Vladimir Putin. Everything.
What would help Trump even more than war far away? A terrorist attack here in our country. Remember, Trump fired the people who monitor terrorists.
There have got to be some truly conscientious folk out there scared to death at that scenario.
If only they'd head to Mar-a-Lago! I've often thought Trump there every weekend is a security hazard. How difficult would it be for boats to come within firing distance of it?
I’ve had that thought as well. It’s insanity that they are running a war from the ballroom of a country club, right on the water. So sloppy and ham-fisted.
When Timothy Snyder called it "stupifying overt corruption", he wasn't kidding. No imminent threat except for jail time for him! Except distraction from the media about the 13-year-old. And maybe Trump's push for executive control over the November elections.
Anyone who believes that sending those two nitwits Witkoff and Kushner to negotiate with the Iranians was a serious attempt at finding a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran is an idiot. Kushner's conflicts of interest in the region are as alarming as Trump's.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/29/jared-kushner-financial-ties-trump
Witkoff's own financial interests in the region are hardly less pronounced.
https://crezzio.com/politics/envoy-steve-witkoff-family-business-middle-east-deals
Trump has described Operation Epic Fury as "massive and ongoing" and has warned that American lives may be lost in the course of this war.
And 2/3 of the troops are the sons and daughters and grandchildren of the people he conned into voting for him. There’s a reason “no new wars” was appealing to them in the first place.
Who makes up these juvenile "Operation" titles?
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I've always wondered that myself. It seems really stupid to me.
“American lives may be lost...” We assume the potential War Dead will be in-theater, not in American streets protesting the war.
Heck, I think Jared is scoping out land for a Trump Iran golf resort!
Do yourself a favor Russell when you get the guardian hopefully you’ll get the hardcopy rip it apart in 40 pages and use it as toilet paper because that’s what it’s worth in America. As far as any other nonsense, you continue to attempt to report on things where you have no knowledge of the actual situation on the ground, but it doesn’t surprise me you’re just a left-wing loon hater and the funny
Thing is about my post on who is against the attacks in Iran and of all the countries you would think would not feel that way England and France because you’re faced with oh my God I can’t say anything negative about all these people that have swarmed my country and change the entire make up what used to be one of the world powers but I am glad that at least you separated from the EU
You’re big enough to stand on your own feet, but not brave enough to say anything that might’ve found all the Muslims that have overpopulated your country and taken away its original essence and sophistication
Sorry that might offend
And bloody old England is sympathizing with the mullahs. . I love it I absolutely. Love it.
By the way, Russell, since you’re a top negotiator and know exactly how to negotiate why don’t you get in there go do what you’re supposed to do go negotiate a better deal than those two guys were already negotiated five
Middle East conflicts were a frequent occurrence during the majority of my 30 Navy career. Several of my Shipmates onboard USS COLE, USS Stark, USS Samuel B. Roberts were killed in action by the hands of Iraqi, Iranian & terrorist groups and the thousands of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Marines that fought in Op Desert Shield/Storm, OIF, OEF, etc .... During my tour in Iraq during OIF, my troopers had plenty of close calls from IEDs, rockets & mortars provide by different factions from Iran. So, not a big fan of Iran. During the Obama administration's negotiations on the JCPOA, I felt the current Iranian gov't was being genuine in their desire for a fair deal. Then out of the other side of their mouths ... "Death to America, Death to Israel" So here we are ... I'm not happy of supportive of the motive for this attack and if this president's goal is leaders change, in my opinion he wants it to enrich himself and not the people of Iran. I'll take the news reports at face value... you don't take action that kills 200 kids. At the end of the day, there probably will be more causalities and some will be US service men & women. The one thing that truly breaks my heart is that the outcome will further erode the confidence & trust US citizens will have in senior military leadership. I leave everyone with one last request: Please find a copy of this book by Harlan Ullman; Anatomy of Failure: Why America Loses Every War It Starts
The look on Jason Crow’s face yesterday said it all. An Army kid in Iraq I, I believe, now Congressman from Colorado, pointing out the obvious — it’s the working class kids who will be first in the line of fire if/when it comes to us. And their conscientious officers know it, too.
In GEN Colin Powell’s book “It worked for Me, in life & leadership” he writes about the conflict that can occur between senior & junior leadership with respect to priorities, goals, etc… it’s a tough spot to be in. It wasn’t an accident that hegseth’s 1st firings were military lawyers (JAG Corps). Operational unit gets an order & they get the clearance from JAG it’s a legal order, they don’t get too many opportunities to question it. I’m sure that trust in JAG’s due diligence makes some officers scratch their heads & the hope senior leaders will have their backs when it does come to light that the orders were illegal & they don’t get thrown under the bus.
Senior leaders have their back? When no senior leader in this administration has anyone's back? "The buck stopped before it got to me, I've been exonerated" is how it works now.
Hard for me to see how any thinking person can respect a military that agrees to conduct piracy on the high seas.
TJB, senior military leadership are now so cowardly they'll obey unlawful orders to fight an unauthorized war of choice rather than stand up to their lunatic commander in chief. It's not our grandfathers' military anymore.
Time to IMPEACH.
Too much procedural nonsense to wade through, with no clear path to success.
For fast and effective results, Vlad Putin enthusiastically endorses Toad Toxin!
I'm thinking that Iran may have a hit man here in the U.S.. to take out Trump, perhaps with a bazooka.
Hmm. No chance of just nicking an earlobe with that.
I know that that incident draws skepticism, but the shooter was killed and at least one of the attendees was killed. How can that be staged?
Past time.
U
This is the second time that Trump has used ongoing negotiations as a cover for attacking Iran. The mere fact that the Iranians were willing to resume talks after the last attack proves that they were a defeated enemy. Trump knows this. That is why he attacked. After Iran had lost everything, after the protests that revealed the regime had lost popular support, Trump lost any fear of consequences he might have had. And this became merely "a special military operation" to achieve peace. Not a war.
The negotiation in Geneva had not concluded. Reports were the day before that "substantial progress had been made". I believe if we go back and review the record we will find thst even the American negotiators had said this. The Omani moderator certainly had. But as noted by this observer, Trump had actually increased his demands in the wake of the protests to the point of effectively demanding surrender in so far as his cause for war, nuclear power is concerned, to which he added ballistic missile capabilities. Maximalist demands as noted, much like Putin's of Ukraine, calculated to be unacceptable. And so, as urged by Netanyahu and his war cabinet, Trump indulged his desire to wage war on in Iran. In the final analysis this will be viewed as a war of opportunity waged as a result of the protests, against a weakened enemy that had for all intents and purposes already collapsed and had no resistance to offer.
It is abundantly clear and right to observe all the same that no one knows how this war will end, for the fog of war has crept in to the mind of the aggressor, and if anyone could figure out what he was thinking he would be damned. But we do know how the beginning will end.
The beginning will end when the US military runs out of munitions, or the Department of Defense runs out of money, or one of the following things run out: the patience of American voters, or that of America's present or past friends in tbe world, or the time between now and the first Tuesday of November, 2026.
At that time it is anyone's guess what will happen. But Iran will not be a friend of America. Nor will many countries be.
Trump knows very little. Netanyahu is using him.
How antisemitic are you actually? You probably didn’t see the news that every single Arab country was supporting what Trump did the only to come countries in that area that didn’t support it ready for this England and France and you know why they didn’t support it. That’s the most hysterical if I get a chance later, we’re gonna get both barrels because you’re out there in ZORBON somewhere
At this point, we’re practically client states of THEM, not the other way around. The tails wag the dog with deadly effectiveness. This is what they wanted, not what America needed.
so it was ok when most of you were serfs? with the illusion of a carrot called democracy waving in front of your noses while all that was happening was that you all were, for the most part, dancing to the tune of the rich?
and as if there are any real borders between the business people around the globe? and as if this has changed much throughout history...?
and i know you know better than this...although i think your comment IS focused 'elsewhere' (this Iran deal. because that's what it obviously is, as you point out). but i'm sorry...i just had to point out how it looks to me in a broader, more personal(to each poor to middle class american) sense...
while it doesn't seem to matter WHAT is obvious, as far as maga goes...their agenda has been all too clear for quite a while...i'm REALly glad that a lot of this has been made all the more obvious to americans who were too preoccupied(and i don't mean this at ALL derogatorially. is that a word? anyways...i recognize that many people are too busy with just surviving, much less with some quality, working...putting food on the table and making sure the kids are being taken care of) to see it before...
as far as the 'military for hire' angle goes? is that any different than many of the invasions for resources for whatever company/s was/were pulling the strings?
same as it ever was...same as it ever WAS...
This is exactly what American needs, especially for Israeli survival. And you, my friend should be ashamed of yourself. For two reasons number one you feel like that a number two you probably a Jewish Democrat, which are nothing more than entrenched and stupidity and still believe in FDR.
I doubt there is a “plan” going forward. He most likely thinks he will bomb them then go in and take their oil to put more money in his bank account in Qatar. He is turning our military into a “for hire” death squad for whoever lines his pockets.
There’s been a plan in place for five months unlike the plan in Ukraine when Biden just poured fuel on it with $170 billion when Ukraine was running out of money and it made it able to kill 100,000 more human beings on each side of the fight instead of trying to make peace and what kind of a disoriented world are you in that this is making anybody wealthier? But from your tone, you either seem to ignore Israel’s plight or are a true antisemite.
Nice run on sentence Rick. I think we are still free enough (maybe) to hold our own opinions.
So I’m guessing you were a ninth grade English teacher do you wanna grade my paper here or do you want to read the content if you were an instructor at any level you always know that content is more important than form and this is not my thesis or my dissertation…. boom
Hey Jacqueline, you absolutely have the right to remain ignorant and have your own opinions on half the story, half the truth and failing to investigate on your own if there’s another aspect of the story that you’re missing. Or validating the story in the first place all it takes is Google and you’re gonna get 20 different objective OPPOSITE posts
And at least now you can form your opinion based on having as much information as you need, not listening to a liberal activist and no one else. Do you wanna go listen to CNN and MSNBC and not hear anything else from the right side your opinion is going to be off
And here’s one more. Did you keep in mind and pass this out to Jacqueline when Heather uses nothing but left-wing radical liberal sources for her story how fair and balanced or how much of the truth are you getting versus? How much is the purposely omitting?
He told Michael Scherer of The Atlantic that Iran’s new leadership wants to talk with him and that he will do so, suggesting that he was not, in fact, interested in regime change. “They should have done it sooner, Michael. They could have made a deal. They should’ve done it sooner. They played too cute,” Trump said. But then Trump told Scherer he had confidence that the Iranian people would launch an uprising against the
Now try to balance the hell out of this statement. OK? And now we find out that they were 2 to 3 weeks away from weapons grade uranium again for 11 nuclear weapons within 2 to 3 weeks. And all they did was talk, and if you turned the channel and watched another network, that’s exactly what you’d be hearing right now
Heather is not gonna tell you that they actually admitted that they had enough weapons grade uranium at 60% enriched which they say it takes about a week to 10 days to bring it to weapons grade and they had another. I don’t know the weight but another pretty large mass at 20% which would take about three weeks to enrich to weapons grade. And this negotiation by the way, it’s been going on for a year
And this is all in one statement. I’m gonna give you some more from other days, but then she goes on to say that they don’t want to get involved once the elimination of Uranium is done the people will make up their own minds and then somebody asked Lindsey Graham if the U.S. Is gonna get involved … and he said no because exactly what the left wants to hear is that we’re gonna put boots on the ground or we’re gonna take over the government and push for regime change or take over all the oil fields, which is the biggest crock of bullshit and that’s what they’re trying to tell Heather’s crowd here
He’s a murderer. Rapist, criminal, con artist, liar of historic proportions.
But above all he reveres violence. Yes to Netanyahu mass murdering Palestinians – and stealing their land. Yes to Putin by arms seizing parts of Ukraine, kidnapping tens of thousands of children, aiming to destroy the rest of Europe and its democracies.
He enjoys violence upon women – grab ‘em by the pussy. Big men for millennia have gotten away with that and he’s boasted it’s his entitlement, too.
Loves chaos. Believes in his own thug armies, first to attack the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Then with more heavily militarily armed goons to break into Minnesota homes and cars, throw people on the ground, wantonly murder.
Where the Constitution vests Congress with war-making, Donald is above the law.
Tim Snyder talking today with Phillips O’Brien noted Donald’s true home as destruction. Destroyed part of the White House. Destroyed the Kennedy Center. Destroyed the sound nuclear agreement with Iran Obama secured.
Add to that the 1,200 lives of underage girls and young women Donald and his elite pals sullied (same predator class also into money laundering and drug running). Add in the destroying of alliances with democracies, green energy, crucial environmental repair, foreign aid, and health care access. Finally, the coming November midterms he and his fascist goons intend to kill.
The U.S. has superior firepower over Iran. But if things tank, Americans die, that’s double win for Donald – that much closer to declaring emergency needed to cancel the mid-terms.
A stomach churning list. I might add the at least million Americans he killed during mishandled COVID decisions in his first term.
Especially his no more testing rule - if you don’t look, it’s not there. Totally infuriating.
followed up (as only one example) by his decision to stop the government's tracking of hunger in the US - just before drastically cutting SNAP/food stamps. What we don't know won't hurt ... him!
Yep, and then proudly announce how many of millions of people no longer get food stamps during his State of the Union - completely ignoring the fact that those folks really needed them to feed their families.
“It’s a given that this sort of vaguely justified attack on another country usually reflects that the leaders in the attacking country are worried about losing power and are launching a war to try to get disaffected people to rally around the flag.” — Heather Cox Richardson
The fascists exult that if they repeat a lie enough times, a significant number of people will begin to half believe it.
Liberals worry that if they repeat a truth enough times, it will sound so banal that a significant number of people will begin to half ignore it.
“Which side are you on?”
Joe, I think the perfect example is the "rigged election" trope. Donald and his henchmen concocted the "Big Lie" even before the 2020 election was complete, which incorporated a "can't-lose" principle. If successful, the will of the people would be overturned and Donald would get to remain in the White House and out of prison, free to continue monetizing the office for his own enrichment.
If the Big Lie did not achieve overturning the election, it still laid the groundwork so that any future claims of rigged elections by Democrats would be dismissed as without merit, same as Donald's. And thus, when Harris appeared to lose the so-called "swing states," she readily conceded, so as to appear "patriotic," ignoring the suspected irregularities that many observed.
German Nazis such as Joseph Goebbels are most famous for advocating the use of “the big lie” for political purposes, but the idea would not have been unfamiliar familiar to Plato (who advocated for the “Noble Lie”). It’s fascinating that Hitler used this term as an accusation against Jews… “Blood libel” stories about Jews killing babies were based on the same kind of popular and official “witchcraft” that were used in the ancient Roman world against Christians.
Joe, not unlike "They're eating their dogs; they're eating their cats; they're eating their pets."
True that, Joe.
Regarding the liberals, I feel that happened with Kamala's warnings about our democracy at risk.
(and btw, I see you're new here. 👋🏼 WELCOME!!)
Hannah Arendt has been much quoted in the Trump era - tell people enough lies and the danger is not that they will be believe the lies but that they will conclude there is no truth ... and at that point, you can do anything you want with them.
Well, as strange as it may seem, this could turn out to be one of the blessings of the MAGA phenomenon. It could be an “inoculation” against future fascism that is actually more protective than a vaccine in that it might energize a defense of liberal (rule of law) democracy. Liberalism is not primarily a defense of capitalism. It is primarily the idea that no one person, entity, religion, or institution should be credited with a monopoly on either “the facts” or “truth.” This tends to make liberals appear a bit “squishy” to certain authoritarian types. But it also does not foreclose being a LWA (liberal with an attitude).
Then again, vaccines (though generally safe and effective even when they are lab tested) can sometimes be fatal. And MAGAism is only partially lab cultivated. It is mostly based on a set of atavistic impulses made worse by wealth inequality and energized by oligarchic and fascistic propaganda.
I couldn’t have said it any better, Phil. Right on.
37% approve, that is more than enough support to behave as he always has. If a smaller county had as their crazy leader it would not matter much. But the United States of America? How could that happen?
Is is just me or has that ~approval number fairly consistent throughout this nightmare? Seems to hover right around the 30’s. That number seems to represent the CofD?T (the C is for cult)
Yes 30% are Trump cultists. We have to ignore them. We have the power. Protest!
False flag operation coming to an American blue city. I feel it in my gut. Iran will be blamed. The rotting evil in the WH grows like a cancer while Congress sits and fiddles.
And rfk jr suggesting buying cheaper meat? Liver?
Yep. bones to the dogs
He is the “WORST OF THE WORST”
I have often called him a “destructionist” because that is precisely what he is. Well said, Phil.
Many thanks, Phil. Good to see your comments of righteous rage.
AMERICAN SHAME; AMERICAN IGNOMINY. Today, I feel for the suffering of Iranian innocents. Especially younger Iranians who have no dog in this fight. 😢
No one is so old that (s)he can not remember those carefree days to which every human being should be entitled as (s)he matures.💔
Very disappointed in our military leadership *for not refusing the orders to undertake this unprovoked strike in *defiance of our Constitution. ⚖️
https://youtu.be/RYnLRf-SNxY
NO AMERICAN EXCEPTION HERE: "The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific . . . the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered . . . a formal reply to a recent American message . . . it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack." --President F.D. Roosevelt, 08dec41. 🤢
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkTXcwc3zvk
Nicely summed up and I agree with your summation.
Scary.
HCR's final paragraph bears repeating "trump’s attack on Iran scorns the will of the people and their constitutional right to decide whether they want to pay for a war with their money and their lives. That disdain for democratic government reveals that Trump’s military adventure against Iran is also fundamentally an attack on the United States of America."
Operation Epstein Fury
That's it right there. You are right on point!!
Let's also start counting up the cost to other nations. Trump's "adventurism" is going to cost Ukraine because all of the billions of dollars of contracts for US weapons bought by members of the coalition of the willing for delivery to Ukraine through the PURL initiative will not be fulfilled. Hegseth will declare them necessary to maintain the US strategic stockpiles. Trump wouldn't give Ukraine Tomahawks, but they were used in Saturday's strikes on Iran. This is a quid pro quo for Russia; the US does not provide arms to Ukraine, and Russia does not provide arms to Iran.
I am wondering how fast Trump's $142 billion weapons agreement with Saudi Arabia will be fulfilled, and what else was promised as part of his side deals. It wasn't just US bases in the Middle East that were targeted in Iran's retaliation. They hit civilian targets in those countries, as well.
Of course, this also will give Israel permission to allow settlers to target Palestinians in the West Bank with more violence because they are a terrorist threat, and Iran was supporting Hamas, so the repression and crimes against humanity will ratchet back up in Gaza.
Figure/ground. Georgia, you make good sense by scanning more of the whole picture and noting what's NOT happening in the midst of what IS happening.
Perhaps another issue is the fact that the “negotiators” with Iran are/were real estate moguls (Kushner & Witkoff) with unknown, but potentially lucrative financial dealings with other members of the Middle East. These men are not diplomats.
They are after deals, not nation building, and they are clearly corrupt.
Correct, as far as I can see. Plus Kushner is not even supposed to be working for the US government now.
Bingo Georgia, thanks. Didn’t Jr. just get into a drone production partnership? I’ll have to look it up.
This cannot be repeated often enough! Reach out to as many as you can, and in many ways. Find the non-readers too! 💙🇺🇸💙
Very disappointed in our military leadership *for not refusing the orders to undertake this unprovoked strike in *defiance of our Constitution. ⚖️
"The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific . . . the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered . . . a formal reply to a recent American message . . . it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack." --President F.D. Roosevelt, 08dec41. 🤢
“The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties – that often happens in war. “ he says as he surrounds himself with gluttony in Mar-a-Lago.
He doesn’t care about We the People…this regime just cares about its own survival and power and doesn’t care who it has to harm to achieve that goal.
A man wearing a stupid baseball cap spouting lies and disinformation across the entire planet. Zero dignity, zero gravitas, just ignorance and PlayStation inspired rhetoric to describe another of his war crimes against humanity. This is the Epstein Cover Up War and everyone knows it.
He’s been lobbied heavily to attack Iran. Israel for one. The Gulf oil states too.
Irena.., speaking with different ones regarding the information we seem to be fogged with on this side of the ocean we really don't have a clue of how we are being viewed on any daily basis. People like you and I, on the other side of the ocean, are going about their daily business. They're not focussed on Stormy, or Sydney, or Newsum, or Shumer, or Pretti, or Ms Good, or Milanias movie, or his rich family. Bombing.., here and there are pretty-much 'just events', happening somewhere else (until it's in their backyard). Europe and all the other so-named shithole countries are used to it. We, on this side of the ocean just had 4 years of normal life during Biden, after 4 years of nuttiness under Mr T, and we are now into another 4 yrs of nuttiness under the same guy. The rest of the worlds working people could give a crap less about the religious police in Iran because they aren't bring harassed by it. You and I look at all this tall signs listing gas prices at $2.59 and realize that that is all the MAGAtts are looking at (in addition to FOX noose). Recovering from this next 3 rears may not be so simple.
Alex, I’m British, living in relative peace and security in London, but I’m extremely fearful for friends and relatives in the USA so I’m wanting to stay informed about developments. In Europe we felt a much greater sense of security just a year ago, but no longer. The future suddenly looks extremely uncertain. What happens in the USA affects us all, you see.
Irena, I'm so pleased to have engendered your sincere response to my somewhat 'shotgun blast'. But, yes I am aware of the concern 'over there' because in the past 40 years Europe has (reasonably) benefitted from the (relative) stability of American government. A recognition that civility and diplomacy worked a semblance of balance was maintained. No More, the scale is badly tilted and the opposite weight not solid. I've lived in E. Anglia, W. Ger, and Fr and SEA over this past 50 years so can relate to a degree. The fact that the 'republican faction' has managed (as in: done so intentionally) to depict (as in: create a cartoon character of) the Democrat is just impossible to fathom. So, I'm glad you're concerned. You are so many little countries, so many cultures, so little to bind one another together. So ripe for this imbalance to reap havoc. How will it blow out?
Donold the demented doesn't care about us, We the People...he disregards the Constitution of the U.S. and tramples our rights, he calls veterans and service members "suckers and losers". He is not concerned about us or our military or the people caught in the crossfire or missiles raining down upon innocent victims in Iran (or Venezuela or Gaza or Ukraine).
The Trump regime isn't just damaging our own country but devastating for the rest of the world too.
With hindsight, we in Europe were feeling relative peace, quiet and stability until Trump came along a year or so ago. Now he’s destabilised many regions of the world, those secure feelings have vanished almost overnight. He’s like a loose cannon - unpredictable and inconsistent, volatile and dangerous. He hasn’t invaded or bombed the UK yet, but there’s absolutely no room for complacency, is there?
Other people’s children will die..not his
He sounds like the scurrilous prince in “The Princess Bride” who says, “Many of you may die; it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
Wasn’t that also the quote from Lord Farquhar in “Shrek”?
You’re right—I misremembered the right movie. The right sentiment, wrong movie 🍿
All of my reps... Republicans all ... Immediately voiced support for these attacks. They have willingly ceded their power to a lunatic dictator. I feel hopeless, and furious. We must keep our focus on doing all we can to vote them TF out.
I’m anxious for the day we can do that too. Stay in the fight even if your reps are the regime. My congressman is as well. Remember they are in the minority even if they have usurped more power than they are entitled to. We are together in this. We will hold together and we will win.
Thankfully, my congresscritters are Democrats. I am watching two streams of (ain't gonna call it "thought", but I want to avoid vulgarity if I can) garbage coming from my MAGAt retired cop cohort. One is all about gung ho for eliminating the evil Iranians, the other is referring to local protestors as "indoctrinated fools" (we had a protester injured by a vehicle yesterday, along with a student walk-out last week).
I once thought this divide could be bridged. I no longer think that. They have been Orwalled.
Orwalled. Perfect.
I had a friend who tried to support his assertion with an effing Jesse Watters interview.
Many thanks, Alley. Your are dead right: this is a bare-knuckled boxing fight between republicanism and fascism. 😱
AMERICAN SHAME; AMERICAN IGNOMINY. Today, I feel for the suffering of Iranian innocents. Especially younger Iranians who have no dog in this fight. 😢
No one is so old that (s)he can not remember those carefree days to which every human being should be entitled as (s)he matures.💔
Very disappointed in our military leadership for not refusing the orders to undertake this unprovoked strike in defiance of our Constitution. ⚖️
I am disappointed as well. And I abhor the suffering of Iranian innocents.
Of course you abhor the suffering of Iranian innocents; you are a woman of deep compassion. In law enforcement, you have seen every kind of person. For that experience to evoke a warm-hearted maganimity says loads about you, Ally. https://youtu.be/RYnLRf-SNxY
Those who couldn't vote for Harris because Biden supported Israel, wonder what they are thinking today.
They are all pro-Israel, no matter what.
Why should our Republican representatives care? They’ll get their big fat $ contributions, red states support, free healthcare, lobbyist perks and insider trading profits no matter what.
Where are the goddamned congressional Republicans?! This is the most blatant breach of constitutional authority in US history! The Republicans have, in effect, dissolved Congress as a functioning governing entity. SCOTUS left us long ago. We are now governed by a dictatorship and the dictator of a weak-willed pedophile madman who is for sale to the highest bidder.
History’s pendulum will swing back the other way at some point; it always does. When it does, we need to remember the names of all those who knowingly gave away our democracy.
And we need to remember the names of those military members who yielded their consciences and agency to superiors who issued illegal orders.
Remember that JB Pritzger taught us about this very topic. He appointed a commission to keep track of all the violations of the law the federal government commits in Illinois so that we can bring them to justice when sanity returns. We need something similar on a national level. The next sane Attorney General of the United States could use it effectively.
The Roberts court gave them all the cover they need.
Repub roster
Sen. Rand Paul has been pretty clear. He might not be the only R to speak out. Probably not a majority.
The very end of tonight's essay gets to crux of the matter: "Trump’s attack on Iran scorns the will of the people and their constitutional right to decide whether they want to pay for a war with their money and their lives. That disdain for democratic government reveals that Trump’s military adventure against Iran is also fundamentally an attack on the United States of America."
It FEELS like an attack on us. Plunge us into a war that we Americans do not want, as we've learned the consequences of our "adventures" in Iraq and Afghanistan. Deliberately leave Congress in the dark. Prove that the Republican Party views our Constitution as the enemy. Establish a precedent that We the People have no say.
One of the top reader comments in the NY Times today with over 5,000 likes: "Where is Congress? Why are we even paying them?"
Reminds me of a meme I saw recently...
"Eggs are expensive because we have nothing but chickens in Congress"
Treason all dressed up as noble. What idiot believes that? Too many it seems. Or is chump the only one…
Yes, too many. Fox News—"If Trump told Congress, we'd lose the element of surprise and never win!"
Right. The Gang of Eight are notorious for leaks. Said no one ever.
Do we even know if the Gang of Eight was even informed???
No, they weren't.
TY. See my comments yesterday to Tim Snyder, and Jake Sullivan, and yesterday's late Bulwark post
Trump HAS declared war on the government of the U.S. … and he is waging it from the White House. He and the oligarchs and right-wing American fascists supporting and directing him do not want a healthy, functioning democratic republic. They prefer an authoritarian state, straight out of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Just in 2026, we have seen bombing of ships in the Caribbean and Pacific, an attack on Venezuela to arrest the head of state, a threat to invade Greenland (NATO), and now an all out war on Iran (focused on regime change) with not so much as a prior consultation with Congress. Oh yes, please give this gentleman the Nobel Peace Prize as he demands without further delay 🙄
Plus he has completely turned away the Ukrainians, who do need help in chasing off the Russians.
Well said, Frau Katze.
The insufferable Donold thinks he deserves a prize for his menacing, militancy, war mongering, and despotic rule and foreign relations. He shouldn't get anything for it but might be awarded the War is Peace prize...
He should easily get the Piece of Sh*t Prize. (I hate to refer to excrement in HRC's comment page, but I can't help myself in this case.)
“US defense spending reached $919.2 billion in 2025. Trump’s proposed plans would push defense spending toward $1.5 trillion by 2027, which would add around $5.8 trillion to the national debt over a decade.”
https://husseinhallak.substack.com/p/the-war-on-you?r=kxzps&utm_medium=ios
“Every new conflict means more contracts, more backlog, more lobbying money, and more pressure for the next war.
More contracts, more profits, and more incentive to find the next enemy. Media consolidation increases control. Friendly coverage protects leaders from scandal and keeps dissenting voices marginal.
When Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, led the Department of Government Efficiency, he promised to cut $1 trillion from federal spending.
While Americans continue to wait for their DOGE checks, DOGE failed to deliver real savings and Musk’s wealth is on its way to reach a trillion dollars.
Not to mention that the shutdown of USAID programs caused economic stress for US farmers reliant on these programs, and pushed more toward bankruptcy.
The New York Times reported that twenty‑eight of DOGE’s forty biggest “savings” claims turned out to be false or inflated, and DOGE will cost the US about $135 billion due to layoffs, rehires, lost productivity, and lawsuits.
Money flows up. Risk and pain flow down. The more pain for you, the more wealth for them.
The language of “terrorism” and “security” is being turned inward. It is now pointed at citizens whose real offense is asserting their rights or standing near someone the state wants.
More war. More money to weapons. Less oversight. Courts that side with power. Corrupt leaders who own more of everything and answer to no one.
The elites are waging war on your humanity and dignity. It’s about time you finally recognize that and act accordingly.
🆘 Speak up. Boycott. Organize. Protest. Fight Back.” 🆘
‘The War on You’
HUSSEIN HALLACK AND WE THE UNSTOPPABLE
MAR 01 2026 | Substack
https://husseinhallak.substack.com/p/the-war-on-you?r=kxzps&utm_medium=ios
The arms dealers make lots of money no matter who wins or loses. They love wars.
Careful, Kristin, not to isolate them as merely arms dealers.
As closer examination shows of the Epstein predator class, if they sold arms they also did money laundering and sold girls and drugs.
Donald was heavily involved in Russian money laundering (go to search engine and Rybolovlev). He was also happy to rape -- all his life, and boast about it. In the oval office he has made a business of pardoning the world's worst drug runners.
He inhabits a small world of elite criminality, multi-faceted by the pals for whom he covers up -- has to cover up, as they, too, have the goods on him.
Remarkable how it is always about the money with this regime. It matters naught that there are human lives involved.
No war! Be LOUD 💔🤍💙
Use/share this spreadsheet (bit.ly/Goodtrouble) to contact members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly.
Reach out (beyond your own) to as many in the Senate and House as you can. All of this is bigger than “I only represent my constituents” issues.
Comments/reactions help keep this bumped ✊
Thank you so much Megan -- I will share your spreadsheet again - and I will be making calls.
I posted your message with link on my BlueSky account. Let's Go!!!
THX, it never occurred to me to repost Megan's gift on SM. Der...done.
Now more than ever.
Thank You!
The Republicans in Congress need to demand Johnson reconvene Congress to stop Trump’s war on Iran.
America has never fought a war alone, we needed France to help us win the Revolution. In this attack on Iran we stand alone.
After 9/11 George W. Bush led us into an ill advised and unfunded 20 year war. Yes, America was attacked but then blindly and naively struck out at what appeared to be an easy target for the quick relief it offered to our ego and demand for justice.
Iran did not attack American forces. Trump pulled us out of the Obama nuclear deal which allowed Iran to start up their nuclear program. Then only a short time ago Trump bombs Iran saying he obliterated their nuclear facilities. Now he’s launched a full scale attack along side Netanyahu on Iran.
Betting Speaker Bobblehead won’t do it. I doubt he knew of the attack beforehand, but it served their interests to pretend Congress doesn’t exist and use him to make sure it stays that way — he was the ‘right man’ for the job.
Donald's little Johnson is fully onboard with this unconstitutional attack. Mikey is an evangelical who's anxious to get on with God's Battle of Armageddon, when Satan will finally be "bound for eternity." Then Jesus will come back to rule the world for "a thousand years' reign of peace." And most importantly, Jesus will appoint his devout followers to positions of power around the world. It says so, right there in the book of Revelation. Mikey's not about to interfere with this scenario.
He didn’t attack alone. Israel is heavily involved. The Israelis have people on the ground.
The Israeli government has been wanting this for a while. They finally have the backing of the President of the United States. Trump skipped Congress and turned our military into his private military.
MBS of Saudi Arabia had been quietly urging DJT to attack, and we know how buddy-buddy they are. He just didn't expect Iran to retaliate against his Kingdom.
Definitely! No love lost between Saudi Arabia and the Ayatollahs.
What Congress????? Really, what Congress?
"We may have casualties – that often happens in war.“ The utter inanity of that statement leaves me speechless. Thanks for informing us of that, Donald. Who knew.
Yes, I thought the same. To him it’s a game. The entire speech showed a man living inside his own head, completely divorced from reality. Of course he will never witness the consequences of his attack on Iran close up - the grotesque brutality of war, the bloodbath; hospitals overrun with dismembered bodies; innocent adults and children killed and maimed; families, homes and communities obliterated; generations wiped out overnight; buildings and infrastructure destroyed; death, destruction and bodies crushed under rubble. His advice - ‘stay safe indoors everyone because bombs will be dropping all around’.
The war from a distance has hardened leaders to the awful, bloody results of war. How convenient to push a few buttons from the comfort of your golf motel and not have to be face to face with the brutal results.
Exactly @lauriemcf - and not just leaders, ordinary people too. My parents were on the battlefields of WW2; I will never forget what they told me about the obscenity and horrors they’d endured. It’s no accident that my name, Irena, means ‘peace’.
My Dad was also a WWII vet - the fact that he very rarely spoke of it, actually said everything. I love that your name means Peace.
That would not have helped the little girls indoors in the school in which they were murdered by Trump and Bibi on their 'watch' . . .
The US has taken a lot more care with precision bombing than Iran and its proxies have done. And of course, Hamas deliberately attacked and brutalized Israeli average citizens on 10/7/23.
Of course??? Most assuredly so.
However, when Trump agreed to team up with Bibi on the unconstitutional and immoral mutual venture of attacking Iran he also assumed responsibility for Israel's penchant for murder in such affairs as my careful reading leads me to believe to be manifest in the 'mistake' of 'accidentally' killing a hundred fifty young girls in the bombing of a school in the Iranian city of Minab. The Trumpian jettisoning of America's previous caution about killing noncombatants is well known.
Hamas two-day October attack on Israel was brutal, no argument. But what word would you use to describe Israel's response to the Gaza strip and its people for well over two years now???
Sen. Cotton of Arkansas (whom I don’t care for,) said much the same thing. Well, Senator, your House and Senate colleagues are refusing to do your jobs and let Trump go to war by refusing to consult you. You should be defending the Constitution, not Trump!
Same with our military.
He is insane. He stood at that podium on Tuesday night and told us he had the right to do whatever he wanted, he could complete destroy other countries (but not charge $1). This is the raving of a madman who thinks he can do no wrong. Why was no one listening?
25 Amendment time!
What we witnessed yesterday was a corrupt 79 year old felon would-be dictator embroiled in a sex scandal collaborating with a 76 year old corrupt war criminal to assassinate an 84 year old vile cleric who brutalized his own people.
Humanity wins an F in the class of “How to Choose Your Leader.” Speaking as a 75 year old male, it's time to stop putting old men in charge.
Rachel Maddow would add a more critical view of Trump family corruption, including Jared Kushner’s recent involvement.
Well, at least THOSE old, corrupt, venal crooks, criminals and murderers. 😜 Some of us in our 70s actually obey laws, treat waiters well and pause for paws…🐾!
And those of us in our 90's
Same is true for some of us in our 80s!
Yes! Those of us in our 80s also know and respect the Constitution regarding the role of President vs Congress re the declaration of war!
A reminder for those of us forgetful of history, both recent and from decades ago — on December 6, 1941, Japan and the United States were actively negotiating with one another when, as we all know, Japan staged a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor the next morning.
It was about the dishonesty as much as the attack that led FDR to call it the ‘Date Which Will Live in Infamy.’
Of course you didn’t have any idea that IRAN was planning to attack. tomorrow.
🙄
I now have Iranian school girls added to the list of children throughout the world for whom I mourn.
horrifying and tragic. young, innocent lives blown up by two madmen.
Yes, it's sad, please keep in mind that Iran and its allies like Hamas, have little regard for human life and that Hamas deliberately attacked and killed and degraded innocent Israelis on 10/7/23. The Israelis killed, raped, taken hostage were mostly innocent people, not victims of an off-target strike.
I mourn the Israeli and the Gazan dead, especially the children, but the adults, also. As well as all of the victims of war and violence who have perished without any acknowledgement of our shared humanity.