The Iran war and Poland

Medvedev chickened out, did I gather that right??? No longer talks about "N" for Iran, heh:)

When that truce works, that means brownie points for Trump....good job!

*gets more coffee*

Trump: "We have two countries (Israel and Iran) that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*ck they are doing"

@Bobko

Did he actually say that? 😀.

I hope so, because that's the Trump I voted for-not the sad-sack Liberation Day Trump.

Yeah, haha!

Iran fired off a single ballistic missile after the start of the ceasefire. Israel mounted a huge bombing run in response.

Trump said that Iran fired its missile by mistake, and that he was extremely frustrated with Israel for its disproportionate response.

Then he said "they don't know what the f*ck they are doing" as he was walking to Marine One.

Finally he tweeted this... and apparently it worked. The planes were rerouted mid air, and are returning to Israel.

P.S. - Defense editor of the Economist argues that Trump is likely correct. That Iranian commanders had earlier this year fired missiles into Pakistan, and it was later determined that this was done without the authorization of Khamenei.

The command and control issues likely stem from Iran implementing mass delegation of responsibility to lower level commanders in response to Israel's decapitation attacks.

Basically, some overeager Persian colonel had fired off the missile, or... he had simply not been aware of the ceasefire.

• 
  IMG_7142.jpeg
  

Yep here it is:

• 
  IMG_7144.jpeg
  

I freaking love this guy sometimes.

I absolutely love how he signs off as Donald T Trump, Prez of USA or, even better, thank you for you attention to this matter.

Yeah, the "they don't know what the f*ck they are doing" was pure poetry.

In one sentence, he explained the situation in such terms, that every single American can understand what is happening.

To be even more audacious: every single citizen of the world can understand.

Has he repaired the damage of the inept and feeble Afghanistan withdrawal?

... an old one, I know.

@Torq

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

"Like a normal you go through the front door, knock, knock. "

Not sure that he has.

If you love peace, then all this looks and smells pretty good.

If you are cynic, however, it's easy to argue that what happened was:

1) Israel was doing a hell of a job fighting Iran

2) Trump decided to hop onto the train at the last minute, so he could be seen as "kicking ass"

3) Without any proof that Iran's nuclear program was disabled - he declared Mission Accomplished.

That is, one could argue that it's becoming increasingly clear that the United States is unable or unwilling to engage in protracted operations.

--//--

Living here for quite a while, and having a healthy appreciation for American strength - I think that this incapability/inability is largely political in nature. America certainly has the wherewithal, but it lacks the will.

That's all that's important for people like Xi and Putin to observe. Can we escalate to such an extent, that America will always back down? Will the American people support a forceful intervention by Trump in Ukraine or Taiwan?

The Fordow strikes were a powerful demonstration of America's unparalleled technical dominance and the unbelievable professionalism of its military. But we already knew this, if even some people began to forget.

You gotta hand it to Trump, he really has a way with words.

@Torq @AntV

"Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs," Trump said, "the likes of which I've never seen before, the biggest load that we've seen. I'm not happy with Israel."

This was what Trump said early this morning, before he said "they don't know what the f*ck they are doing".

What is that, but a transparent attempt by Netanyahu to override the will of the POTUS, and forcefully drag America deeper into war?

It's what Zelensky does every time as well, when it seems like this war will wind down. Then when Putin inevitably responds, he starts shrieking like a hysterical woman that "Putin" cannot be trusted. Same sh*t - trying to continue the war at all costs, in a desperate attempt to end it on his terms.

Hmmm?

Good point.


The question Xi or Putin may be asking though is "Do we want to find out if America will back down? Do we want to find out if there will be American support of a forceful intervention by Trump?"

Trump has shown he is willing to take it to domestic agitators as well.

Dunno if you saw this, but Medvedev came crawling out of his den yesterday with what amounted to a public apology.

I imagine it was pretty humiliating for this wannabe Napoleon, to do such a thing... so something serious must have happened.

More likely than not, it was Putin that told him to shut his trap and stay in his lane.

Dont want to rain on the parade...

Trump basically confirmed what everyone knows ie the Israelis attacked Iran with America's blessing. There is no way they would have done so without America's blessing. Trump has just proved that he could stop the genocide or at the very least end starvation tactics but choses not to. Not surprising given that Israel allows America to pretend to be one place removed from genocide and war crimes (not that they care about such things). The EU is even more pathetic in its resp[onse to the whole mess spitting out weasel words and Starmer in the UK thought that starvation was a legitimate tactic.

Damn good point. It's certainly a part of the Israeli playbook. This morning's dispatches were Trump's answer to such attempts, I suppose.

I didn't see the Medvedev thing. BTW, what does he actually do?


Oh no, you aren't raining on my parade, your comments are more like a nice Spring breeze and mild warm front passing through my parade.

!

(it was all over the german media)


Absolutely!!!

I'm abit concerned about Israels "Iron Dome" still....it has shown weaknesses....not good....

@Bratwurst Boy

Nothing on this Earth is fool-proof, BB. Although not perfect, the dome has performed well from what I can tell.

Proving to the world that his parents were first cousins.

@Bobko

From Zelensky's point of view trying to drag the US deeper into war makes perfect sense.

The EU is the most disgusting weakling of all. Not mentioning them, because... well because they're entirely useless.

Having been kicked to the periphery in a war on their own Continent, they decided they'd like to try their hand at Iran.

Again they trotted out all their foreign policy cavalry, and the Iranians actually obliged and received them. The result - a big fat zero.

Israel laid a big fat turd on their diplomatic efforts. Trump told them to "stay the hell out".

And they did. Meekly retreated back into their corner.

@Torq
😂😂

Correct. It's a Soviet Union but without army. :-/

....well then...*phew* :)

I love the idea about such possible shielding of whole cities...

Actually? Nothing.

Technically, according to our Constitution, he's not even in the line of succession for the presidency, if a big icicle falls on Putin's head one day from the Kremlin bell tower.

He's Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the RF. The Security Council is less powerful than the American National Security Council. It's a purely consultative organ, with no executive functions.

As Deputy Chairman, he does not even control the agenda of the Security Council. Putin sets the agenda, and chairs the meetings.

He's not even the second, or third most powerful person on the Security Council - that's the Minister of Defense and the head of the FSB.

--//--

So he doesn't do much of anything.

That's why in recent years, Medvedev has largely reinvented himself as a radical hawk, posting unhinged threats on Telegram and echoing the most maximalist war rhetoric. But he does it in such comedic fashion, that even his supposed constituency of "war fighters" can't take him seriously.

He wears a Mao-style French tunic, and strange jewelry. Likes to announce impromptu visits to state armament factories, and then prowls around the production floor nodding at tanks and artillery pieces with a knowing wink and a little pat of his paws.

They say he writes too, but the things he writes are so hideous - that people need to check themselves into rehabilitation for two weeks after reading his works. Allegedly it's poetry, but I have also heard fantasy fiction.

Curious fella.

I thought you liked the EU.


You are a hopeless uber-optimistic romantic, BB. You continually disprove that a Prussian heart is dark, rigid, and militant.


Great line!

...but but but.....nodobdy should know!!!

@Bratwurst Boy

Keep wearing that helmet, and the secret is safe.

Oh, I do.

I am not blind though. In its current form the EU is an empire of clerks, with a thousand pens but no sword - as Bobko said, hopelessly impotent.

... and it is rather leftist-leaning too.

That's why I feel nothing but contempt for Euros ...especially when they try to stick their dicks where adults congregate.


That was perfect...