Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
No. of Recommendations: 5
The cease fire is now, apparently, "nominal", after all the "peace is at hand" chatter last week.
Wash, rise, repeat.
US bombs Iranian military sites and Tehran targets American troops in Kuwait
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States said Monday that it bombed radar and drone sites in Iran after Tehran shot down an American drone over the weekend. Iran then said it targeted American soldiers in Kuwait with missiles, which the U.S. says it shot down.
The nominal ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. has been repeatedly tested with such back-and-forth attacks, even as officials from both countries try to negotiate an end to the war. It’s not clear how close they are to a deal — and there is always the risk that an attack could derail those talks.https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/world/article...Steve
No. of Recommendations: 7
No more kabuki dance.
Iran stops negotiations with U.S., vows to ‘completely’ block Strait of Hormuz: State media
Iranian negotiators will stop exchanging messages with the U.S. through intermediaries, and Tehran will move to fully close the Strait of Hormuz, in retaliation for ongoing ceasefire violations, Iran’s state-affiliated news outlet Tasnim said Monday.
The report, in a translated post on the social media site Telegram, homes in on Israel’s military operations in Lebanon against the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah.https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/01/iran-us-negotiatio...As I heard an analyst say, a week or so ago, Trump keeps adding poison pill demands, to sabotage the negotiations. Seems the Iranians have tired of the kabuki dance.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 1
Trump tells CNBC: ‘I don’t care’ if Iran negotiations are over
President Donald Trump on Monday shrugged off the possible collapse of peace negotiations with Iran, telling CNBC, “I don’t care if they’re over, honestly.”
“I really don’t care. I couldn’t care less,” Trump told CNBC’s Eamon Javers in a phone interview when asked about reporting that Iranian negotiators will stop communications with the U.S. due to Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.
Trump told CNBC that he was “going to ask” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “what’s going on with Lebanon.”https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/01/trump-iran-war-neg...Sure, he'll ask his boss, "Bibi" what next.
As the CEOs of Exxon and Chevron have been warning, for weeks, the world has just about drawn down it's crude reserves. With the Strait still closed, and the "negotiation" kabuki dance concluded, fuel prices will probably take off like a Polaris missile.
MAGA will plead, tears streaming down it's cheeks "Please God On Earth Trump, make gas cheap". Trump the God will reply "I will need to invade Iran and destroy the government. Are you up for that? MAGA replies "YES. We don't care one whit about the lives of Iranians, or our GIs. WE WANT CHEAP GAS!!!" And "Bibi" sees his wet dream of 40 years realized.
17D chess.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 14
״As I heard an analyst say, a week or so ago, Trump keeps adding poison pill demands, to sabotage the negotiations. Seems the Iranians have tired of the kabuki dance.״
I think Trump is the side in this negotiation that is desperate for a deal. But he doesn’t know how to get there without everyone realizing that he’s the loser. When it comes to negotiating tactics, he’s a one trick pony, call it the Art of the Bluff.
No. of Recommendations: 1
“MAGA will plead, tears streaming down its cheeks "Please God On Earth Trump, make gas cheap". Trump the God will reply "I will need to invade Iran and destroy the government. Are you up for that? MAGA replies "YES. We don't care one whit about the lives of Iranians, or our GIs. WE WANT CHEAP GAS!!!" And "Bibi" sees his wet dream of 40 years realized.”
Can’t do that because the Iranians will respond by destroying the refining capacity of the Saudis and gulf states, which will take months or years to repair.
No. of Recommendations: 1
I think Trump is the side in this negotiation that is desperate for a deal.His usual spiel is he doesn't care. It's always the other party that comes to him on bended knee, tears streaming down their cheeks, begging for a deal, according to him.
That being said, former Trump security advisor, Joe Kent, said out loud, last week, what I have suspected all along: the negotiations were "theater". Trump keeps adding more demands, that are intended to be poison pills, to sabotage the negotiations. I posted the link to that interview before. Recall, over last weekend, the news reported Trump had made more, "tougher" demands, of Iran, as Joe Kent predicted.
Sun, May 31, 2026
Trump sends tougher demands back to Iranhttps://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump...Iran finally figured out Trump was not negotiating in good faith, they were being played, and said "f-you".
...because Israel did not want a negotiated settlement with the existing Iranian regime. Israel wants the regime crushed and the country tipped into civil war. Now that the negotiation kabuki dance is done, the only way to open the Strait is a ground invasion of Iran, to topple the government. USians will be buffaloed into supporting the invasion, by the financial pressure of soaring gas prices.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 3
As I heard an analyst say, a week or so ago, Trump keeps adding poison pill demands, to sabotage the negotiations. Seems the Iranians have tired of the kabuki dance.Yeah, not really:
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-t...IRGC-linked Iranian news outlet announces "activation of other fronts, including the Bab el-Mandeb strait"
An Iranian news outlet closely linked with the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps indicated Monday that the Iranian regime had given its Houthi rebel allies in Yemen the nod to start attacking commercial shipping via another key Middle Eastern waterway, the Bab el-Mandeb strait.If the Houthis want to join the "Find Out" chat, we're more than happy to oblige.
No. of Recommendations: 1
If the Houthis want to join the "Find Out" chat, we're more than happy to oblige.
No need. If it's really a Hegseth & Co. Double-Secret-Probation Strategery, you brainiacs will text the plans to The Atlantic.
No. of Recommendations: 1
If the Houthis want to join the "Find Out" chat, we're more than happy to oblige.
The US attached the Houthis, repeatedly, in recent years. They're still there.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 3
you brainiacs will text the plans to The Atlantic.Meanwhile, the braniac in chief, tries to walked back the "don't care" comment.
Trump says he ‘couldn’t care less’ about Iran peace: ‘Oil will be dropping like a rock’
He added that the long-running negotiations had “started to get very boring.”
He also told NBC News earlier in the day that the U.S. should “go silent” in the talks because “we have been talking too much.”
But hours later, he appeared to walk back his prior comments to the television networks by posting on Truth Social that the talks were ongoing and moving quickly.
Talks are continuing, at a rapid pace, with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he said.
The president’s inexplicably contradictory comments came not long after Iran’s state-affiliated news agency Tasnim said that Iran's negotiating team would cease exchanging messages with the United States through mediators over attacks on Lebanon.
Trump also told CNBC he’d be speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for an update on “what’s going on with Lebanon” and later posted on Truth Social that the Israeli leader had assured him that “there will be no Troops going to Beirut, and any Troops that are on their way, have already been turned back.”“I think the oil will be dropping like a rock in the very near, you know, the very near distance,” he said. before adding that he was in no hurry to resume negotiations with Tehran.
“If they’re over, they’re over. If they’re not, you know, I think they took too much time,” he said.
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/politics/arti...There is a stunning about of Trumpian BS in that article. I actually believe he was getting bored with Iran. He does seem to have the attention span of a gnat, given his long record of meandering drivel, passed off, by him, as "a weave". Trump said Israel will not occupy Beirut, and the troops on the way are being turned around. In the Israeli campaign, Bennett has been talking about expanding the ground war into Beirut. Maybe Trump can't tell the difference between Bennett and "Bibi", or "Bibi" responded to Bennett by also threatening to expand the war into Beirut. Makes no difference. "Bibi" is going to "Bibi", regardless what he tells Trump, or what Trump thinks "Bibi" said.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 0
Oh no. Israel isn't controlling Trump. Trump is controlling Israel (according to regime propaganda)
Story by Barak Ravid
Trump reins in Netanyahu over Lebanon after Iran threatens to quit talks
President Trump on Monday pulled the brakes on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to bomb Hezbollah targets in Beirut after Iran threatened to abandon its negotiations with the U.S. over Israel's actions in Lebanon.
An Israeli official told Axios the planned strikes on Beirut would not be happening.
Why it matters: Trump's decision to rein in Netanyahu was a clear signal that he doesn't want his key ally to get in the way of a deal with Iran.https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/trump-reins-i...Folks on the left regard Ravid as nothing but a propagandist for the Israeli and US regimes.
Ben Meiselas (often cited from MeidasTouch) frequently criticizes Barak Ravid, labeling him a "stenographer" for Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. Meiselas argues that Ravid repeats information in a way that simply serves as propaganda to manipulate public narratives and financial marketsCenk Uygur frequently criticizes Axios reporter Barak Ravid, often dismissing his coverage of U.S.-Israel relations as "White House press releases disguised as news stories". Uygur argues that Ravid acts as an insider who launders talking points to make the U.S. or Israeli governments appear more critical of each other than their actual policies reflectJohn Iadarola of The Young Turks has previously been critical of reporting by Axios journalist Barak Ravid, specifically referring to a piece by Ravid as a "phony report" that ultimately led to "uncertainty and embarrassment" for the public.For example, discussing developments regarding the Middle East and the Trump administration's foreign policy on The Young Turks YouTube Channel, Iadarola took issue with Ravid's coverage, using the article to illustrate what he viewed as misinformation in mainstream media reporting at the time.Steve
No. of Recommendations: 3
The US attached the Houthis, repeatedly, in recent years. They're still there.
The US played largely defense only during the Biden years. As in, paint nice big red targets on the Navy and let the Houthis fire at will.
No. of Recommendations: 3
It seems Operation Freedom has been going on for a while:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/31/business/us-mil...(From a lib-safe link)
American forces in recent weeks have helped coordinate the passage of dozens of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to U.S. officials, even as travel through the waterway remains risky amid stalled negotiations to end the war with Iran.
U.S. Central Command has guided around 70 commercial ships through the strait, traveling into and out of the Persian Gulf, in the last three weeks, one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. The U.S. officials added that most of the vessels had turned off their transponders to avoid detection when going through the narrow waterway.As I've said repeatedly, we hadn't made a real effort to force the strait open. Sounds like we are now.
No. of Recommendations: 1
The US played largely defense only during the Biden years. As in, paint nice big red targets on the Navy and let the Houthis fire at will. Trump bombed them a lot last year. They're still there.
US air strikes kill 80, injure 150 in Yemenhttps://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/18/more-than...Steve
No. of Recommendations: 0
you brainiacs will text the plans to The Atlantic.
They will be on the live chat, so no texting needed.
No. of Recommendations: 4
Oh no. Israel isn't controlling Trump. Trump is controlling Israel (according to regime propaganda)
Story by Barak Ravid
Trump reins in Netanyahu over Lebanon after Iran threatens to quit talks
President Trump on Monday pulled the brakes on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to bomb Hezbollah targets in Beirut after Iran threatened to abandon its negotiations with the U.S. over Israel's actions in Lebanon.
An Israeli official told Axios the planned strikes on Beirut would not be happening.
Why it matters: Trump's decision to rein in Netanyahu was a clear signal that he doesn't want his key ally to get in the way of a deal with Iran.
Not propaganda. It's the reality on the ground. Netanyahu was escalating in Lebanon to try to drag Iran and America into a new round of fighting. It's already Tuesday in Israel. TACO Tuesday. Trump is so desperate to open the Strait of Hormuz that he's throwing Netanyahu under the bus. Very bad for Netanyahu politically. His only hope to survive the coming election is to keep the war going.
No. of Recommendations: 15
U.S. Central Command has guided around 70 commercial ships through the strait, traveling into and out of the Persian Gulf, in the last three weeks,
lessee....70 ships over 21 days......3 ships per day? Instead of the 130 per day, before Trump's war. Oh yeah. Strait forced wide open. The all powerful Trump made it happen.
/sarcasm
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 1
Trump is so desperate to open the Strait of Hormuz that he's throwing Netanyahu under the bus. Very bad for Netanyahu politically. His only hope to survive the coming election is to keep the war going.
The Beeb is reporting a new cease fire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah. Remember how the last one, in late 24 went? Hezbollah didn't fire another shot, until March 2 of this year. Meanwhile, Israel bombed Lebanon almost every day, ignoring the cease fire, from 2024, until this past March. But the media rarely says that. According to USian media, it was Hezbollah that broke the cease fire on March 2, and Israel's invasion of Lebanon, since then, is all "defensive", and it's all Hezbollah's fault.
I agree, any sort of stand down would be politically bad for "Bibi", as Bennett is promising to kill more Muslims that "Bibi" has been.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 8
MAGA will plead, tears streaming down it's cheeks "Please God On Earth Trump, make gas cheap". Trump the God will reply "I will need to invade Iran and destroy the government. Are you up for that? MAGA replies "YES. We don't care one whit about the lives of Iranians, or our GIs. WE WANT CHEAP GAS!!!" And "Bibi" sees his wet dream of 40 years realized.
Executives at Chevron and Exxon are saying that wall will be hit here in the US sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.
8 dollar gasoline and shortages.
Gas up and keep it filled. Maybe even put some extra gasoline in a few gas cans/containers.
Stock up on beans/grains/rice.
And if we have free and fair elections in November, vote the bastards out. Can’t get the main culprit yet, but he has a whole party of enablers who need to be sent back to where they came from.
Sentiment is swinging away from Trump. The next month of chaos should accelerate his political demise.
Just remember that flailing autocrats become more dangerous- not less.
No. of Recommendations: 19
Dope1:
As I've said repeatedly, we hadn't made a real effort to force the strait open. Sounds like we are now.
From the article you quoted:
U.S. Central Command has guided around 70 commercial ships through the strait, traveling into and out of the Persian Gulf, in the last three weeks, one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.
Wow! 70 ships in 3 weeks. That’s amazing!!! Sounds like we’re kicking some serious ass.
But……… I think you forgot to read the entire article:
Before the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February, well over 100 commercial ships a day passed through the strait.
70 ships in 3 weeks vs over 2,100 ships in 3 weeks. Iran must be shaking in their boots.
And at what cost are these “escorts” to US taxpayers?
And how many service members are put in danger?
And how much have Americans paid in higher priced gas?
Trump is an idiot. You don’t have to be one, too.
No. of Recommendations: 4
I agree, any sort of stand down would be politically bad for "Bibi", as Bennett is promising to kill more Muslims that "Bibi" has been.Now you're making up shit.
It's politically bad for Netanyahu because it proves to Israelis that he's turned Israel into a vassal state of Trump, and Trump doesn't care about Israel's interests. Nothing new about that, but most Israelis have been delusional about Trump. The Israeli public is now turning away from Trump with a sense of betrayal, and that's very bad for Netanyahu.
https://www.axios.com/2026/06/01/trump-netanyahu-i...As much as most Israelis would like to get rid of Netanyahu, they don't like it when their prime minister is humiliated.
No. of Recommendations: 0
Now you're making up shit.From the Times of Israel:
Saturday, May 30, 2026
Slamming government, Bennett and Lapid call for ‘powerful response’ to Hezbollah attacks
“The government is returning us to the contemptible policy of containment and normalizing an intolerable and unacceptable situation,” Bennett writes. “Over the weekend, sirens were heard every 20 minutes across the north and people were forced to seek shelter. This is not victory.”
“Dahiyeh must tremble until security returns to the north,” he declares, referring to the Shi’ite majority suburb of Beirut that is known as a Hezbollah stronghold.https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/slamm...The race is on. Who can promise more death and destruction in Lebanon.
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 1
It's politically bad for Netanyahu because it proves to Israelis that he's turned Israel into a vassal state of Trump, and Trump doesn't care about Israel's interests. Right after Trump the Magnificent Peacemaker issued his statement boasting about a cease fire in Lebanon:
Netanyahu says Israeli forces to continue Lebanon operations despite Trump announcement
“Tonight, I spoke with President Trump and told him that if Hezbollah does not cease attacking our cities and citizens—Israel will attack terror targets in Beirut,” he said. “This stance of ours remains unchanged. In parallel, the IDF will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon.”https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/foreign-...It's that new, Israeli style, "cease fire", where their opposition has to stop shooting, while the Israelis keep killing as before. The only difference is the campaign against Beirut is postponed, until Hezbollah shoots back at the Israelis who are shooting at them.
And what will the campaign against Beirut look like?
Israeli Far-Right Minister Pushes for Escalation to Flatten Beirut Suburbs
Addressing Netanyahu directly, he said, “Dear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, I love and appreciate you, but now is the time to level the suburbs to the ground.”https://www.tasnimnews.ir/en/news/2026/05/31/36046...Now, explain to me again, who owns who?
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 9
“Now, explain to me again, who owns who?”
Clearly, I think, Trump owns Netanyahu. When it comes to calling the shots, Trump has all the cards. He gives Netanyahu as long a leash as he can, as long as it doesn’t lead to war breaking out again between the U.S. and Iran. Fundamentally, their strategy goals are at odds. Netanyahu wants to escalate and extend the war at least until the Israeli election in September. (And because it’s election season you’ll hear belligerent rhetoric from the Israeli opposition too). Trump wants one thing, to open Hormuz. Once that happens he’ll walk away from it entirely without any of the promised negotiation over enriched uranium etc. ever happening. The Iranians understand Trump’s desperation, and know they can stall and make Lebanon a sticking point, driving a wedge between Trump and Netanyahu.
No. of Recommendations: 4
Trump wants one thing, to open Hormuz. Once that happens he’ll walk away from it entirely without any of the promised negotiation over enriched uranium etc. ever happening.
Trump could do that today: walk away, without asking anything of Iran, and tell "Bibi" if he wants a war with Iran, he is welcome to it. Hormuz would be open overnight. When Trump first announced the "cease fire", Iran announced the strait was open, but then closed it again, because Trump did not stand down the blockade of Iran. So, why doesn't he do it?
Meanwhile, Trump brags about a cease fire in Lebanon, and "Bibi" immediately sticks a thumb in Trump's eye, by announcing combat operations in the south will continue.
who owns who?
Steve
No. of Recommendations: 13
Trump could do that today: walk away, without asking anything of Iran, and tell "Bibi" if he wants a war with Iran, he is welcome to it. Hormuz would be open overnight. When Trump first announced the "cease fire", Iran announced the strait was open, but then closed it again, because Trump did not stand down the blockade of Iran. So, why doesn't he do it?
Trump is in a pickle because he can't just walk away from Hormuz. If he does, it would reopen under Iranian control, which would mean strategic control over the whole Persian Gulf and all of its oil producing countries. He's trying to avert the greatest strategic disaster for America since the Vietnam war at least, one of his own making.
