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Conservative columnist Nicholas Kristoff lays it out (gift link)

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/04/opinion/trump-i...

Now, once again, we’ve botched our way into an Iran cul-de-sac, and in the process we appear to have inadvertently strengthened the most dangerous and extreme forces in that country. President Trump is right that we have significantly degraded Iran’s air force, navy and missile systems — but conversely Iran has gained leverage by controlling passage through the Strait of Hormuz. So one bizarre result of the war is that Iran is now earning almost twice as much per day in oil revenue as it was before the war, partly because of higher oil prices, according to The Economist.

It’s healthy that President Trump is talking about wrapping up his war in Iran: “We will be leaving very soon,” Trump said. The problem is that while President Trump could start the war, he can’t end it on his own; Iran has a vote on that.
….
If Trump leaves Iran controlling the Strait of Hormuz, charging hefty tolls and barring the passage of ships linked to the United States or its military partners, he will have significantly set back the global economy, weakened the United States and strengthened Iran. And American ships will remain stuck, unable to leave.

Iran could earn $500 billion over about four years just in tolls charged to passing ships, Reuters estimated. If that sum were allocated for weaponry, Iran would have one of the five biggest military budgets in the world.

After laying out the numerous missteps, he concludes:

Definitely we got a change in the regime, like Trump said, but a very, very bad change in the regime,” Citrinowicz said. He described the killing of Khamenei as “a major mistake,” saying that if the supreme leader had died naturally, his hard-line son, Mojtaba, would have had little chance of succeeding him. Instead, the successor might have been someone like Hassan Khomeini or Hassan Rouhani, both perceived as somewhat more open to change.

As Vali Nasr, an Iran expert at Johns Hopkins University, told me: “We essentially removed all the people who were still a restraint on the system and replaced them with the most hawkish people.”

The new leadership is weighted toward the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, so we may see Iran evolving in an even more militaristic direction. That’s my fear: We’ve put Iran on a path to become another North Korea.

The new leadership is weighted toward the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, so we may see Iran evolving in an even more militaristic direction. That’s my fear: We’ve put Iran on a path to become another North Korea.

MIGA!

It’s healthy that President Trump is talking about wrapping up his war in Iran: “We will be leaving very soon,” Trump said. The problem is that while President Trump could start the war, he can’t end it on his own; Iran has a vote on that.
….

Trump the Conqueror has been declaring victory about every other day, for a month.

Today: more abuse, threats, and jive.

Trump gives Iran 48-hour deadline to reopen Strait of Hormuz or face new strikes

President Trump on Saturday gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or reach a peace agreement — or face a new round of military strikes targeting the country's energy infrastructure.

"Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT," Trump posted on Truth Social. "Time is running out — 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!"

https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/world/article...

As long time Middle East hand, Gary Sick, said in his interview on Amanpour last night, the Iranians have learned, the hard way, you can't believe anything that comes out of Trump's pie hole.

Steve

President Trump on Saturday gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or reach a peace agreement — or face a new round of military strikes targeting the country's energy infrastructure.

He threatens Iran, again, unless they reach an agreement. Then, hours later, announces more Iranian "leaders" have been killed.

Trump: Iran military leaders 'terminated' in strike

President Donald Trump on Saturday said multiple Iranian military leaders were killed in a major strike on Tehran, hours after issuing a separate warning giving Iran 48 hours to comply with U.S. demands.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "Many of Iran's Military Leaders, who have led them poorly and unwisely, are terminated, along with much else, with this massive strike in Tehran! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump-iran-mi...

So....why were all those honchos in one place, at one time? Were they suckered into meeting to discuss a proposal to the US, so they could all be killed? There are reports that the meeting where Kahmenei and many others, were killed, was called to discuss a proposal from the Trump regime. That is also consistent with Israeli practice: where officials of Hamas were invited to Qatar to discuss terms with the Israelis, The Israelis then bombed the apartment building in Qatar where the Hamas delegation was living.

Rant #1, as updated and amended, states that the objective is to cut off oil exports from the Gulf, for the great profit of USian big oil.

With gas prices on the rise, Trump officials discuss feared $150 oil

White House senior staff and administration officials are discussing the possibility that oil prices climb to a record $150 or more per barrel as the Iran war drags into its second month, according to a person familiar with the conversations and two people close to the White House.

President Donald Trump has also heard from Treasury officials about the near-term outlook for energy prices, which the department now sees as likely to remain above $100 per barrel for some time. According to the person familiar with internal discussions, the administration sees that number as “a baseline” and isn’t ruling out the possibility of prices rising as high as $200 per barrel.

The oil price discussions are largely being run through the National Energy Dominance Council, a standard policy coordinating committee that includes the Defense, Energy, Commerce, State and Interior departments,

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/31/white-hou...

How do you "dominate" the energy market? Take the other guy's production off line, to create a shortage, that you can profit from.

Steve

Trump: I'm going to bomb the hell out of you. "GLORY BE TO GOD".

LMAO. The irony...he's trying to match the Islamic clerics in religious stupidity.

"GLORY BE TO GOD".

Pretty much the same meaning as “Allahu Akbar”

“American Taliban” is no longer hyperbole

“American Taliban” is no longer hyperbole

And just as bigoted. I posted an article, a couple days ago, about an Easter service at the Pentagon: for Protestants only. No service for Catholics.

Steve

Bill, thanks for the link. Very interesting. I did not know that Trump the Conqueror had ordered increased production of interceptor missiles, months before the attack on Iran. The linkage between knocking over Venezuela, and attacking Iran, is obvious. Trump the Conqueror says it out loud. I don't agree that Witkoff and Kushner were intentionally placed in negotiations as incompetents. Kushner has been a go to guy since the first term. It was Kushner, that was gushing how valuable the ocean front property in Gaza would be, once all the Pals were gotten rid of.

Jared Kushner says Gaza’s ‘waterfront property could be very valuable’

Donald Trump’s son-in-law also says Israel should bulldoze an area of the Negev desert and move Palestinians there

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/19/ja...

I think the negotiations with Iran were simply to induce the Iranians to let their guard down.

Most folks don't appreciate the level of greed, and disdain for people, by extreme sociopaths, like the Trump crowd. I look at their machinations, and say "yup, typical JC".

Steve

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