Trump has done almost everything totally different than those before him. He has done so many things that 'couldn't be done.' I'm gonna reserve judgement. I think he may surprise us all.
Certainly, if he follows the playbooks of past administrations and past military leadership, it will fail miserably. I don't think he will....I could be wrong....
Yes, but Napoleon was not the leader of the most advanced threat elimination technology the world has ever known. Napoleon did not have the ability to kill ANY leader of ANY country at ANY moment of his choosing. If the USA doesn't dominate the world, then someone else will. Frankly I would prefer the USA to maintain that position. And I would prefer we adopt a merciless stance against any world leader who would dare mess with us.
Spoken like a true ancient tribalist. "We have to go invade and take them out because our primitive fear based logic Assumes that that is what they will do to us."
When their leadership has been screaming “Death to America” publically for 40+ years and is working to build the weapon to make that happen, there’s no assumptions necessary about what they will do. What planet have you been living on?
Bullshit… he is a Nationalist and Iran has never stopped trying to drop a bomb on us. Furthermore, it IS the Iranians who are the “ancient tribalists” that you try to label Americans as… if you want a good life for your Grand & Great grandkids you should stop being an apologist for an evil death cult pretending to be a Religion…a matter of fact Debrah, if you were in Iran right now, presumably as a woman, you would have no rights, no education, you could not drive your car or venture out to the grocery store by yourself. You could not show your hair in public without getting a beat down.
So do your prodigy a favor and change your thought process to become an angry Mama Bear when it comes to a (so called) Religion that terrorizes every female member of their cult into complete submission.
Are those ruthless crazy men with rule the world expansionist dreams comparable to Trump? I think not. Did they have an evil enemy threatening to annihilate them and their home countries on a world stage, openly amassing the arms to do so? I think not, in fact they were the evil. I’m just trying to understand your distorted viewpoint. Here is some decent writing describing the real problem for your edification.
Well, I actually remember those Carter days of outing the Shah. Were you alive then? I've also been way ahead of the curve when the knowledge of Islam hit the US a short 25 years ago, and the masses had absolutely NO idea what a Muslim was and truly believes and still don't. No doubt about the wanna be Muslim cult followers like the gent in your article or the faction of radicals that take part in the Arab nations. There is indeed truth mixed with well orchestrated propaganda that has worked like a charm. (There's your hint.) I noticed you didn't mention the real ones actually victimized and the real target of those evil ones. You, know, Israel? Gods Chosen nation and people? That fact will never change. The very very tremendous bigly One is following the script to pretend he's looking out for their protection.
Yeah, but like everybody else 10 years out of college, I was trying to make a career and not paying much attention to foreign affairs. Israel hasn’t done a lot right in their history if you read the Bible closely, and I certainly don’t approve of everything they do, but I will honor God’s chosen people because He will, to the end of time on this earth (Genesis 12). His plans and ways and thoughts are not ours. Deal with it.
"Did they have an evil enemy threatening to annihilate them and their home countries on a world stage"
Thank you. That helps explains why the religious zealots went crazy since the 1970s, were allowed by the people to gain power, and have been shouting "Death to America!" ever since. It is certainly interesting that the earlier catalysts of this madness are studiously ignored by the chattering classes, who are out in full force again as always.
Trump will never have a “night of the long Knives”.. but I would say some people in our government are so corrupt & evil that they’d deserve it…and Trump has no intention to conquer the world and proclaim himself it’s emperor either…He is only going after bad Actors(domestic & abroad) who threaten our Prosperity and Security…and is justified in doing so.
Hitler had the German People’s support when he destroyed nations and committed genocide…so they deserved what they got..The cultish Mullahs of Iran do not have the Iranian population’s support… they are resisting…so your point is like comparing orange(man) to apples and it doesn’t fly. Iran is a beautiful place with Good People… they just need to take control of their future and destroy that brutal system that controls them. If Trump(and America)helps them, more power to Him & Us.
Trump was opposed to forever-wars, which is what we've been in with Iran for nearly 50 years. He's trying to end that conflict quickly. It needs to be done and I pray he will succeed.
why did Iran need to be reined in? because we don't like them? because they didn't do what we wanted them to do? funny thing about national sovereignty. some countries just don't like other countries telling them what to do. with our house so out of order, we can hardly hold the moral high ground to be bossing other countries around. oh, how i'd love to live in a country and not a fucking Empire!
If you don't know why Iran needed to be reined in, maybe try talking to an Iranian. They are almost out of fresh water, food shortages abound, electricity is on ration and they have no internet....oh, but I bet my bottom dollar you still weep for the Ukrainians. I can't explain common sense, you either understand it or you don't.
Who else was gonna do it? If they got a nuke, and they would have....Iranians are wicked smart in technology, their leadership would have used it on someone. Likely Israel, but just as easily someone else they didn't think Allah likes. Funny....I bet you would fight tooth and nail against a Christian theocratic government here, run by evangelists....but you are A-OK with it there.....do y'all even think? Or is it all regurgitated talking points?
Why do they get to be free? We don't get to be free. We pay taxes upon taxes upon taxes, and what do the local, state, federal governments do with OUR money? Anything they want.
define "free." are we free? we pay taxes that get wasted. we pay property taxes on our homes even when we own them outright. some of us were censored and fired from jobs because we refused an experimental vaccine. perhaps the Iranian people are free enough on their own term without us blowing them to bits to make them "free" according to our terms. oh yes, girls could wear mini skirts in the puppet run police state that the Shah we installed led. look at the blowback that caused.
did you know that about 15,000 jews live in Iran and do just fine there? won't that be ironic when the war we were bullied into fighting for the White House's most frequent "guest" blows up a bunch of the "chosen?"
Jesus flipped tax collectors tables over... Trump is cleaning up huge messes - for once very wealthy, productive nations.. Venez & Iran.
Our approaches in the past, have been non existent or without muscle.... and that's been terribly disappointing. Nothing improves without flexing our muscles. So, we're flexing them. Why is that, so disappointing?
Both Iran and Venezuela citizenry WANTS the U.S. to help them topple the tyrannical regimes. When's the last time semi-powerful Marxist, tyrannical regimes, populations -have wanted help?
Trump is creating his version of the NWO. He's not sitting on his hands, watching the Davos (unelected) crowd trying to influence world events.
In a few years, I suspect we'll have 2 new allies on the planet -- critical positioning
in the ME and for Central & Southern America. A real NWO.
Maybe there are wars to prevent wars. I was in my 20’s when the Iranian revolution happened and our embassy personnel were taken hostage. Iran’s leadership hsa been making trouble ever since. It was time to end that and their alliance with China and Russia not to mention their many terror proxies. I give Trump credit for having the courage to deal with this once and for all.
He certainly has already surprised many, mostly his MAGA disciples. A few of us non-sheeple, non herd-mentality types, believe from experience and history that most (if not all) politicians are self-serving psychopaths, who kowtow to their zionazi childminders.
How dare you bring up our staunchest allies - the zionazis!!! LOLOL. I love that term and will start peppering the comment sections with it if it’s ok with you.
All the talk is about Trump but no credit given to the silly putty Congress. The measure of a government is how long it takes to clean up the messes, will We The People step up this time?
He's not as stupid as Bush Jr, the dementia-stage Biden, or Kamala. But he certainly is both deeply narcissistic and heavily controlled (in ways we know as well as in ways we don't). So now he's in WAY over his head, and that has yet to get through his thick skull.
I do not support the war on Iran. I did not vote for this. I voted for no new wars, America First, and releasing the Epstein files. I voted for Trump three times; he has lost my support because in this term, he’s proving to be no different than the swamp he campaigned against. He has betrayed his supporters. IMO, the people still supporting him are the same people that believe Tyler Robinson was a lone gunman on a roof with a .30-06. MAGA has become a cult. No critical thinking is taking place.
You are entitled to your opinion; most disagree. I certainly do.
This is not a new war, or are you Sleeping Beauty who went to sleep in 1978??? He is finishing a war that began in 1979 & none of the feckless presidents since have had the balls (or likely the technology, to be fair to them) to do what needed to be done.
You must not travel much. I do, & depend on being able to get assistance from the US Embassy when I am overseas. A country’s embassy is its sovereign territory abroad according to centuries old law & custom. We were attacked by the Iranian state in 1979.
Joan Hurlock’s opinion is worth as much as your’s. 1979 was forty nine years ago. Iran presently posed no real threat to us and if it did attack us, then, and only then, we would have every right to defend ourselves. Our posture should never be offensive, but always defensive. For years we have meddled in other countries’ internal affairs with disastrous results. That must end if America is ever to be great again.
Tell that to any of the Americans killed by Iranian proxies.
You advice worked out well in December 1942, didn’t it?
Best defense is a good offense. We are letting the Venezuelans & soon the Iranians settle their own internal affairs. Trump is not a neocon, but is a realist & he is POTUS, & has made better decisions than any of his predecessors or alternatives, IMHO.
Many of those Americans killed by Iranian proxies were our soldiers deployed in countries we had no business being in.
In December of 1941 Japan attacked our military bases at Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt adhered to the requirements of our Constitution beseeching Congress for a Declaration of War to defend our country from further aggression. If the threat of Iran toward us is as dire as Trump has portrayed it, then he should have had beseeched Congress as Roosevelt had. Why did Trump bypass Congress? Maybe his portrayal of Iran isn’t as dire as he claims.
Venezuela and now Iran must do as Trump demands with the threat of further aggression from us if they don’t.
Compared to our most recent Presidents, Trump up until recently, did not have to try hard to be a better President. Our greatest President, George Washington, witnessed first hand the millennia old fighting amongst Europeans and Asians. Thus he warned all future generations of the United States to treat all other nations with benevolence and to avoid foreign entanglements. If Trump was wise and desires to achieve a reputation of one of our greater Presidents, he would heed the greatest President’s advice.
Waaahhh!!! Some ChIA operatives got kidnapped in Iran back in 1979. Embassies housing spies shouldn’t be off limits. His opinion is worth as much as yours.
You identify yourself as a traitor to your sex (are you willing to wear a hijab whenever you’re in public?), and a traitor to your country. You probably weren’t even alive in 1979 & have been well indoctrinated by your Islamist/commie professors. It is well known that any country that can afford to uses their embassy staff as cover for some of their spies. Are you saying that it is only illegitimate for the US to do so, or are you naive enough to deny that other countries do also?
Truth be known, @ this point, none of our opinions matter, what is going to happen is going to happen.
There are several things you are missing in the Iran War:
1. Trump is bombing military targets, and removing terrorist leaders that the Iranian people hate.
2. He is catching the leadership at a weak time
3. Unlike the arrogant Nazis entering Russia in 1940, who murdered the Russians who thought they were there to liberate them from Stalin, Trump is willing to help the people overthrow their government, not murder them.
4. This is 40 years of oppression, and the Persian Folk are tired of living on the Islamic Plantation
The celebrations taking place outside of Iran indicate the true fillings of the Iranian people about what President Trump is doing.
So...while history is always very valuable in providing indications if not outright templates for repeating itself, in this case, those templates probably do not apply
This is Neocon propaganda. The Neocons even stated that a ticker-tape parade would happen once Iraq was liberated. Haha, are you really going to be fooled again?
Can you be this naive? No one in the Middle East has any say. Power is dictated by religion. Just as in Iraq, once you create a power vacuum, players from dozens of factions begin their own wars for control. Not to mention that Iran is a proxy for China and Russia. China gets a large amount of oil from Iran, and they even spent billions on a Silk Road to Iran. The Neocons never think beyond bombing a country. They've never been successful. All you are doing is swallowing the bullsheit propaganda.
at least China builds things that are useful. I listened to a guy named Willy OAM on the Duran Podcast the other day. he said that China says "come over for some free beers" which is a lot better than "if you don't come over and do what I say, I'll steal your beers."
The USA was a great place to live before Carter, Bushes, Clinton, Obama dragged it down. Reagan was mostly right but he toppled the USSR, so he gets full credit. Trump has been mostly right and he is on track to knock cartels down a notch, Iran regime's network of cells down significantly, and restore mfg imbalance toward USA regrowth. All plusses.
so says Senator Lindsay Graham, washing his hands of the mess he's helped to make. "it's all up to the Iranian people" he implores. "we have nothing to do with it."
other than sanctions, destroying their economy and blowing them up whenever BiBi has a hard-on. and yet the regime has lasted all these years. gee, wonder how and why.
what gives us the right to take down regimes anyway?
When the regime loses its punch completely, Graham will become the dog that caught the car...now what?
Graham is annoying and disreputable. He isn't the reason Trump has done this. The regime's earned reputation, actions, and plans--and the world's response/paranoia to same--have convinced Trump to do this.
What do you think Netanyahu is? He went to college and ran around with our biggest Neocons. The Jewish nation and Neocons are synonymous. Geez, dude, wake up.
Ho boy. You guys need to wake up. Check out Rubio's past comments. He's a total Neocon. Trump is surrounded by them. They are everywhere. Ever notice how Congress always approves military increases? Yeah, Congress is full of Neocons. Look, most of our debt, the trillions owed, came from Neocon wars. We're still paying for WW2. They always blame the president, never the UNELECTED people, infiltrating our foreign policy for their own objective, no matter who the president is.
you're correct; rubio is a neocon. so is Waltz who kept telling Trump that Russia was on the verge of collapse and totally misread the Ukraine situation. but Trump should find things out for himself and not listen to the people who are trying to misdirect him. it's his own fault for not "doing his own research"
you make the common mistake of believing that the 90+ million "Persian Folk" think with a hive mind, the old "they will welcome our meddling interference with rejoicing" bullshit. how many of those 90+ million "Persian Folk" have you talked to lately?
the easiest way to unite a country, even one not necessarily happy with their regime, is to bomb them. or to take out their religious leader and his grand daughter and kill a bunch of school girls (aren't we always told that Iran doesn't allow women to be educated?).
it seems to me that the USA is pretty divided in it's opinions of the current leadership. does that mean we would welcome a military action (WAR) to "free" us?
Unfortunately, just about every U.S. President gets sucked in by the Neocons.......always ending in their demise. All the regime changes fail.
Perhaps staying home and fixing our infrastructure would be energy, time & money better spent.
We are not the policemen of the world.
We just attacked a country that posed zero threat to us, did not attack us and worst of all was sitting at a negotiating table when attacked......and why you ask? Because Bibi controls Big Brain Don. Don said.....get in the coffin for Israel! No thanks! They deserve to get their ass kicked.
This is the Persian Empire......they built 'Wonders of the World' the ooze with Physicists, Mathematicians, Engineers and Inventors of extremely high caliber. They speak Farsi, this is not your everyday Arab world country. This is the Persian Empire! A far cry from 2 guys in a garage glue gunning stuff together.
"They ooze with Physicists, Mathematicians, Engineers and Inventors of extremely high caliber." The best of the best of them working on nuclear weapons and long range missiles. These are priority 1 not working on Iran's infrastructure.
The Persian Empire began it's decline in 651 as Arab armies swept in. Islam took root. And the gears of this astonishing civilization began, slowly and then all at once, to grind to a halt. For a few generations, Persian scholars thrived within the new Islamic order. But the transformation of Iran from a Zoroastrian, pluralistic, and innovative society into a rigidly Islamic theocracy laid the groundwork for long-term stagnation. Today, nearly 1,400 years later, that stagnation is measurable in everything from economic output to scientific discovery. And the men who just died in those airstrikes were its most ardent custodians.
That will be up to the people of Iran. If we have to keep breaking their strategic military toys we should do it so they can't strike outside Iran.
Leaving out the radical terrorists I've seen the Islamic leadership in most of the Middle East change their positions on Israel and the USA in my lifetime. The first I remember was the 6 Day war in 1967. The new leadership in those countries may not like the USA or Israel, but they're willing to get along and do business.
As George Washington advised treat all other nations with benevolence (even people we consider “enemies”) and avoid foreign entanglements. It appears these nations have learned to get along and do business. We should do the same with all countries and particularly Russia and North Korea.
or more likely the new regime in Iran will be hardliners. the Ayatollah we just martyred was fundamentally opposed to nuclear weapons on religious grounds. if the regime survives, the next leader will not make that mistake again. the USA doesn't fuck with nuclear armed countries. that's a lesson Iran is finally learning
Those guys in a garage glue gunning are effective at terrorizing the world. Kill them all. No mercy. Don't commit any ground troops. Just enter, kill, and leave same day. That's what I voted for!
Man, your comments clearly, and without doubt, spell out your lack of knowledge and complete ignorance of reality! Iran was very close to having the capacity to launch long range missiles into the US! To “kill Americans” is, and for decades has been, one of their terrorist chants!!
Exactly as Jack stated. The Deep State IS THE TERRORISM! This is your standard Hegelian Dialectic. Problem----Reaction---Solution. If I want to take your freedom away from you.....you'll say no. So, I create a problem, then you react and beg me to take your freedom away because you fell for it and then I provide the solution...,,...I take your freedom, which you gave to me with a bow on it! This is the same script, bad movie, bad actors....same kabuki theatre ......YAWN!
nonsense. they exist because governments, including ours, always seek to increase their power and use whatever crisis at hand as excuses. and like frogs in a pot, the complaints from a compliant poorly educated, non-thinking populace were few and far between.
I wouldn’t call an America first person a “bigoted leftist bitch,” nor swear at her. You demean yourself. Following Trump’s logic we should take out the leadership in North Korea too. He should have done that first as North Korea actually does have nuclear weapons and the capability to attack us here, not like Iran. The difference to me is Iran has oil, North Korea doesn’t. Connect the dots. What other country did Trump just recently send our military into to remove its leader? And what does that country have? What a coincidence! Oil!
So we were told. Do you have any idea how much Neocon bullsheit is spread? Can you remember any war the US has decisively won when Neocons were in charge? You can't because there was never one. What is happening now is the same evil playbook as Iraq. Now that Iran is weakened, a major war will begin between the two major religious groups in the Middle East. Just like during the Iraq war, a power vacuum was created by the stupid US war. Nothing good will come of this action. Neocons do not care about anything but war.
We will see. My money is on Trump not putting any soldiers in Iran, and let the Iranian people sort this out, while we keep a watchful eye out for our interests from a distance. A Hunger Games sort of offense, where we let them kill each other off, and briefly intervene with remote weaponry as needed when the wrong people get the advantage.
Ok I'll bite. John, I know your military expertise is unquestionable, and Trump should replace Pete with you. But Trump is doing things DIFFERENTLY, and that is exactly what is needed. No we don't need to occupy Iran. Rather we just quickly discipline (i.e. tactical bombing to eliminate threats) them when they misbehave like a spoiled child, and we keep them busy thinking about how not to starve, instead of thinking about how to kill others.
Mr. Trump is surrounded by Neocons. He bought into their regime-change rubbish. Can anyone remember a successful regime change, especially via air war violence? It's never happened; it takes soldiers on the ground, and even then, it's not sustainable. The Neocons are a cancer to society. Just like Iraq, an important tent pin was pulled out, killing Iraq's leadership. The same for Iran, get ready for a protected religious war for control of the Middle East. Mr. Trump has ruined his legacy.
The military industrial complex factories are working overtime to produce weapons to meet the never-ending demand to wage senseless wars. It is government welfare for industries. I have little doubt some of their profits gets contributed to political campaigns.
John Leake, you wrote: "It may come as a surprise to many Americans that, even when a people doesn’t like their ruling class—just as we are not especially fond of ours—they still resent being bombed."
I call bullshit on You! You're only telling one side. People are celebrating in the streets right now! Both in Iran and in New York City, and all around the world, the Iranian diaspora is celebrating.
Your cherry picking of "facts" is getting very irritating. I'm really beginning to doubt your motives. If not for your connection to Dr McCullough, I probably would've already unsubscribed.
"I fear that President Trump should have stuck with his America First campaign promises,...to avoid nation building."
One, you say "fear". This is not a time or instance for kinda-sorta-maybe. Those people will not serve the US interest here.
Two, you imply that Trump is nation building. He is not. He is defanging a long-lived threat to USA interests and citizens.
If the move here to eliminate the Iranian regime collapses into civil strife, civil war, a new regime, or pick your outcome, ONE thing may be said for certain: Iran no longer has the standing command structure or infrastructure to project war-like capabilities abroad.
USA interest met, CASE CLOSED.
If desire is to reopen, then understand that free nations will choose their paths, and if Iran 2026+ chooses to revert to Iran 2025- then so be it, but it is no fault of "nation building".
please tell us all how Iran was a threat to American citizens. I know I wake up every morning in "terror" worrying about what Iran will do today. it's true that there are American citizens endangered by Iran- the servicemen on our many bases that surround the country and who shouldn't be there in the first place
It sponsors active cells abroad that cause mayhem and instigate local instability. It waged war on US soldiers surreptitiously during Iraq engagement. It has killed numerous US servicemen and financed/engaged in hostage taking of American citizens. Do you remember LTC Higgins?
The same sponsor of Hezbollah also attempting to develop a nuclear device is a complete NON-STARTER for any westerner. If that needs explanation, then please so advise.
and you would too if you had the USA breathing down your neck and threatening you for decades and trying by any means to destroy your country. if we are now going to use LTC Higgins as a pretext for war, why didn't we do something about it WAY back then?
sorry, this is BULLSHIT. as the ONLY country to ever use a nuclear weapon as collective punishment on a people, we lack any authority to tell others that they can't have the thing that would keep us from bullying them
The statute of limitations for murder...is there one? Is there a time limit to responding to an aggressor's wrongdoing?
The USA military is going to work on a problem long past due. It may be harder than planners's most pessimistic assessments, or not, but it's under way. Call it BS or whatever you like, but it will be done, despite your strong sentiments otherwise.
The threats from the many proxies and their insistence on a nuclear weapon makes this a wise choice. My opinion. They were a constant festering problem. I have listened to ex pat Iranians who are so happy this was done. I am hoping it goes well and the people can get what they deserve. Trump has a good team and I voted for him to do a job and will trust his judgement./
Iran's Ayatollah, the one we just martyred, was fundamentally opposed to nuclear weapons on religious grounds. I'm sure his replacement will have learned from that mistake.
obviously seeking opinions from ex-pats is not an accurate assessment of the mood inside a country as large as Iran. nor is watching videos taken from other countries in other times of people appearing to "celebrate" a good way to gain knowledge about a country. but bombing people in the name of "freedom" does generally serve to unite even quarreling factions against a common enemy.
last time I checked the USA was pretty divided in it's opinions of it's current leadership. maybe someone should come bomb us to "liberate" us?
I think you should stick with true crime writing instead of criticizing Trump’s military campaign. For one, he is not targeting the Iranian people, but the government of Iran. He is freeing the people to select their own government, which is what they want. He is targeting missile launchers and military installations as well as the leaders who have pushed terrorists on the world and sought to develop nuclear weapons. I prefer that Iran does not have nuclear weapons, that, surely, would be turned on us. And we’ve seen what terrorists do.
Your columns used to be positive John….full of praise and hope for the beginning of President Trump’s undoing of four years of Democratic ruin; of leaders like RF Kennedy Jr. Sadly it’s been awhile since you’ve had much, if anything, that makes reading your journalism an uplifting experience! Your words in your current report actually are the worst and most disheartening! Would life for you be a happier place in Iran under the ayatollah regime??
John, if in fact the stories we have heard of Iranians celebrating the bombing of their country in the streets, and the fact that 7 to 15,000 Iranian citizens have been murdered by their own country's police forces, and that MANY Iranians have requested not only lately but for years American support their effort at reversing the 1979 Shariah Revolution, one would have to admit this is not anywhere NEAR the same situation as those to which you refer. Add to that the obvious that Trumpie is not anything like the political hacks of Republicans-past and, hey,
In this case, the majority of the Iranians support the U.S. action and have been begging for it. I've been seeing Iranian citizens in videos dancing in the streets, and saying that 95% of the Iranians want an end to the murderous regime. Many want their Crown-Prince-in-exile, the son of the Shah, to return and think of him as their rightful monarch. I also do not see this as the "start" of a new war, but an end to a 47-year-long war. The Iranians have killed many Americans over the years, and they are by far the leading state sponsor of terrorism. More often than not, when terrorist acts occur on our soil or around the world, Iran funded whoever did it. But now - after we went in and destroyed their budding nuclear capabilities they were yet again starting up their nuclear program. Trump was negotiating with them about stopping what they were doing - he told them, they had 10 days to decide to say "We're stopping our nuclear program." They would say, well, like to make a deal, but we're not sure about stopping, but we're very near an agreement..." Just teasing, and not saying what Trump needed to hear - but honestly, there is no one in the world other than terrorists who thinks it's a good idea for Iran to have nukes. So - after this recent air strike, Iran fired off missiles to 14 different Arab nations, and there were a few causualties. The Arab world is not pleased with Iran, and this is not bringing anyone around to Iran's "side." Iran bombed Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia has condemned Iran - not rushed to their side. Ditto Qatar. In Europe, UK which initially disagreed with the US on this, has now spoken against Iran's actions and said that the people must choose their new government. Several other countries in Europe have agreed, and also Canda has spoken in support of the US. No sane person wants Iran to have nukes. Iran was back to trying to develop their nuclear program, plus, China and Russia were both arming Iran against the US, so it needed to happen soon, before more could be done. I say it was the right decision, to eliminate the old regime and hopefully allow the Iranian people to usher in the new one. For 47 years, Iran has made school children stomp on an American flag and chant "Death to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ " as they enter the front door of their school. They have tried hard to turn the nation against us, but the people want to get their country back, and they don't hate us - they are grateful to Trump. I have seen a video where one Iranian said - many people, most, are celebrating, but be sensitive, because many also are grieving loved ones who were killed by the evil government in massacres, or the loved ones are missing and people are searching everywhere to see if they kind their loved one in a hospital - or to find their body. The government has reportedly killed tens of thousands of Iranian citizens, innocent citizens - and in some cases, the condition of the bodies are horrific. The war against the Iranian people has been going on for a long women being imprisoned or tortured if a bit of ankle shows below the hem of their long gown, or if a stray hair shows outside their burqa, or they are executed for trivial reasons. The war against the US and really, the rest of the world with all the terrorism, has been going on for 47 years. Trump hopes to end it soon. I think he will. He's not talking about "nation building" but has called for the Iranian people to step up and I hope they will, take over their govt. I believe it will go well.
Iran's theocratic leadership was not keyed into the prosperity of its citizens, rather 'Death to Israel' and Death to America'! The majority of their GDP was focused upon sponsoring terrorism and the development of long range OFFENSIVE missiles. It sounds like your solution was to just keep talking and WAIT until either 1. An Iranian nuclear missile exploded over the US, 2. One of their sleeper cells attacked our GRID, (or possibly exploded a dirty bomb), or 3. They just miraculously came to their senses, stopped lying, and gave up their fetish and went back to being the successful merchants that is their heritage..
The economic sanctions have hurt their economy to the point that the majority or Iranian citizens became restless, Their supply of enriched uranium was sufficiently large (although not weapons grade), that it could possibly be bartered for a working device, Intelligence sources discovered that their top leadership was going to meet at a single site during daylight hours. There was a friendly moderate transition leader (Shaw's son) ready to step up to replace the theocracy, (Trump has not committed any ground troops!) This was a target of opportunity that might not happen again in a newborn's lifetime.
So given your criticism of .what's happened, what would you have done instead?
Trump has done almost everything totally different than those before him. He has done so many things that 'couldn't be done.' I'm gonna reserve judgement. I think he may surprise us all.
Certainly, if he follows the playbooks of past administrations and past military leadership, it will fail miserably. I don't think he will....I could be wrong....
Such was the common perception of Napoleon before 1812 and Hitler before 1941
Yes, but Napoleon was not the leader of the most advanced threat elimination technology the world has ever known. Napoleon did not have the ability to kill ANY leader of ANY country at ANY moment of his choosing. If the USA doesn't dominate the world, then someone else will. Frankly I would prefer the USA to maintain that position. And I would prefer we adopt a merciless stance against any world leader who would dare mess with us.
"If the USA doesn't dominate the world, then someone else will."
It's way too late for that, someone else already does.
Other than Our Savior, Who?
boom
Spoken like a true ancient tribalist. "We have to go invade and take them out because our primitive fear based logic Assumes that that is what they will do to us."
When their leadership has been screaming “Death to America” publically for 40+ years and is working to build the weapon to make that happen, there’s no assumptions necessary about what they will do. What planet have you been living on?
Bullshit… he is a Nationalist and Iran has never stopped trying to drop a bomb on us. Furthermore, it IS the Iranians who are the “ancient tribalists” that you try to label Americans as… if you want a good life for your Grand & Great grandkids you should stop being an apologist for an evil death cult pretending to be a Religion…a matter of fact Debrah, if you were in Iran right now, presumably as a woman, you would have no rights, no education, you could not drive your car or venture out to the grocery store by yourself. You could not show your hair in public without getting a beat down.
So do your prodigy a favor and change your thought process to become an angry Mama Bear when it comes to a (so called) Religion that terrorizes every female member of their cult into complete submission.
I think 9/11 and October 7 showed that thinking is correct.
Including Netanyahu, right?
Of course. Equal Opportunity Elimination for all is my motto!
Are those ruthless crazy men with rule the world expansionist dreams comparable to Trump? I think not. Did they have an evil enemy threatening to annihilate them and their home countries on a world stage, openly amassing the arms to do so? I think not, in fact they were the evil. I’m just trying to understand your distorted viewpoint. Here is some decent writing describing the real problem for your edification.
https://www.steynonline.com/16040/property-of-allah
Well, I actually remember those Carter days of outing the Shah. Were you alive then? I've also been way ahead of the curve when the knowledge of Islam hit the US a short 25 years ago, and the masses had absolutely NO idea what a Muslim was and truly believes and still don't. No doubt about the wanna be Muslim cult followers like the gent in your article or the faction of radicals that take part in the Arab nations. There is indeed truth mixed with well orchestrated propaganda that has worked like a charm. (There's your hint.) I noticed you didn't mention the real ones actually victimized and the real target of those evil ones. You, know, Israel? Gods Chosen nation and people? That fact will never change. The very very tremendous bigly One is following the script to pretend he's looking out for their protection.
Yeah, but like everybody else 10 years out of college, I was trying to make a career and not paying much attention to foreign affairs. Israel hasn’t done a lot right in their history if you read the Bible closely, and I certainly don’t approve of everything they do, but I will honor God’s chosen people because He will, to the end of time on this earth (Genesis 12). His plans and ways and thoughts are not ours. Deal with it.
"Did they have an evil enemy threatening to annihilate them and their home countries on a world stage"
Thank you. That helps explains why the religious zealots went crazy since the 1970s, were allowed by the people to gain power, and have been shouting "Death to America!" ever since. It is certainly interesting that the earlier catalysts of this madness are studiously ignored by the chattering classes, who are out in full force again as always.
Trump will never have a “night of the long Knives”.. but I would say some people in our government are so corrupt & evil that they’d deserve it…and Trump has no intention to conquer the world and proclaim himself it’s emperor either…He is only going after bad Actors(domestic & abroad) who threaten our Prosperity and Security…and is justified in doing so.
Hitler had the German People’s support when he destroyed nations and committed genocide…so they deserved what they got..The cultish Mullahs of Iran do not have the Iranian population’s support… they are resisting…so your point is like comparing orange(man) to apples and it doesn’t fly. Iran is a beautiful place with Good People… they just need to take control of their future and destroy that brutal system that controls them. If Trump(and America)helps them, more power to Him & Us.
I'm glad I am not POTUS, because a night of the long knives II - way worse than I - might happen if I were. I hope I am never POTUS.
Check out that song by Wyclef Jean called “If I were President”
His playbook that made him president was that there would be no war! It didn’t take him long to overcome that lie. Terribly disappointed.
Trump was opposed to forever-wars, which is what we've been in with Iran for nearly 50 years. He's trying to end that conflict quickly. It needs to be done and I pray he will succeed.
we have not been in a war with Iran except in the delusional minds of our "leaders"
They’re deluded on purpose.
China and Iran have been at war with us. War does not have to be kinetic to be a war.
Nobody wants another Iraq or Afghanistan....but Iran needed to be reined in.
Is this the right way? Who knows? Time will tell. The WRONG way has been what we did for 47 years, while they just got stronger and stronger.
why did Iran need to be reined in? because we don't like them? because they didn't do what we wanted them to do? funny thing about national sovereignty. some countries just don't like other countries telling them what to do. with our house so out of order, we can hardly hold the moral high ground to be bossing other countries around. oh, how i'd love to live in a country and not a fucking Empire!
If you don't know why Iran needed to be reined in, maybe try talking to an Iranian. They are almost out of fresh water, food shortages abound, electricity is on ration and they have no internet....oh, but I bet my bottom dollar you still weep for the Ukrainians. I can't explain common sense, you either understand it or you don't.
By 47 years, are you referring to the ChIA operatives that were taken as hostages in 1979 by the Iranians. Spying is a dangerous business.
Why did it need to be ruined in by us?
Sorry. Typo. Meant to write "reined in".
Who else was gonna do it? If they got a nuke, and they would have....Iranians are wicked smart in technology, their leadership would have used it on someone. Likely Israel, but just as easily someone else they didn't think Allah likes. Funny....I bet you would fight tooth and nail against a Christian theocratic government here, run by evangelists....but you are A-OK with it there.....do y'all even think? Or is it all regurgitated talking points?
Good question.
Yes, the Neocons have him surrounded. He bought their regime change bullsheit. His legacy is now lost.
Uh, no.
He isn’t surrounded by Neocons, he’s surrounded by ZIONAZIS - they’re even worse than the Neocons.
they are one and the same
Unless he gets a free Iran as a result - then he will b a hero.
Why do they get to be free? We don't get to be free. We pay taxes upon taxes upon taxes, and what do the local, state, federal governments do with OUR money? Anything they want.
define "free." are we free? we pay taxes that get wasted. we pay property taxes on our homes even when we own them outright. some of us were censored and fired from jobs because we refused an experimental vaccine. perhaps the Iranian people are free enough on their own term without us blowing them to bits to make them "free" according to our terms. oh yes, girls could wear mini skirts in the puppet run police state that the Shah we installed led. look at the blowback that caused.
did you know that about 15,000 jews live in Iran and do just fine there? won't that be ironic when the war we were bullied into fighting for the White House's most frequent "guest" blows up a bunch of the "chosen?"
Lost in the dust, trampled underfoot by his treacherous allies, both here and in Tel Aviv.
Israel is NOT an ally, just a pretend ally welfare state sucking us dry. they will throw us over the second the money flow stops
So, the precision strikes weren't/aren't, war.
Jesus flipped tax collectors tables over... Trump is cleaning up huge messes - for once very wealthy, productive nations.. Venez & Iran.
Our approaches in the past, have been non existent or without muscle.... and that's been terribly disappointing. Nothing improves without flexing our muscles. So, we're flexing them. Why is that, so disappointing?
Both Iran and Venezuela citizenry WANTS the U.S. to help them topple the tyrannical regimes. When's the last time semi-powerful Marxist, tyrannical regimes, populations -have wanted help?
Trump is creating his version of the NWO. He's not sitting on his hands, watching the Davos (unelected) crowd trying to influence world events.
In a few years, I suspect we'll have 2 new allies on the planet -- critical positioning
in the ME and for Central & Southern America. A real NWO.
Leave poor Jesus out of this mess.
He knew/saw/dealt with/ shunned.... evil tyranny.
Maybe there are wars to prevent wars. I was in my 20’s when the Iranian revolution happened and our embassy personnel were taken hostage. Iran’s leadership hsa been making trouble ever since. It was time to end that and their alliance with China and Russia not to mention their many terror proxies. I give Trump credit for having the courage to deal with this once and for all.
As am I. I believed his promise of peace.
He certainly has already surprised many, mostly his MAGA disciples. A few of us non-sheeple, non herd-mentality types, believe from experience and history that most (if not all) politicians are self-serving psychopaths, who kowtow to their zionazi childminders.
How dare you bring up our staunchest allies - the zionazis!!! LOLOL. I love that term and will start peppering the comment sections with it if it’s ok with you.
I'd like to say it's mine, but t'isn't. It's commonly used. But thanks for the vote.
All the talk is about Trump but no credit given to the silly putty Congress. The measure of a government is how long it takes to clean up the messes, will We The People step up this time?
Mr Trump has certainly surprised me. I did not think that a man who became so rich could possibly be so profoundly stupid.
He's not as stupid as Bush Jr, the dementia-stage Biden, or Kamala. But he certainly is both deeply narcissistic and heavily controlled (in ways we know as well as in ways we don't). So now he's in WAY over his head, and that has yet to get through his thick skull.
While you're up there, you may as well give him a colonoscopy.
I do not support the war on Iran. I did not vote for this. I voted for no new wars, America First, and releasing the Epstein files. I voted for Trump three times; he has lost my support because in this term, he’s proving to be no different than the swamp he campaigned against. He has betrayed his supporters. IMO, the people still supporting him are the same people that believe Tyler Robinson was a lone gunman on a roof with a .30-06. MAGA has become a cult. No critical thinking is taking place.
You are entitled to your opinion; most disagree. I certainly do.
This is not a new war, or are you Sleeping Beauty who went to sleep in 1978??? He is finishing a war that began in 1979 & none of the feckless presidents since have had the balls (or likely the technology, to be fair to them) to do what needed to be done.
You must not travel much. I do, & depend on being able to get assistance from the US Embassy when I am overseas. A country’s embassy is its sovereign territory abroad according to centuries old law & custom. We were attacked by the Iranian state in 1979.
Your opinion is not worth much.
Joan Hurlock’s opinion is worth as much as your’s. 1979 was forty nine years ago. Iran presently posed no real threat to us and if it did attack us, then, and only then, we would have every right to defend ourselves. Our posture should never be offensive, but always defensive. For years we have meddled in other countries’ internal affairs with disastrous results. That must end if America is ever to be great again.
Tell that to any of the Americans killed by Iranian proxies.
You advice worked out well in December 1942, didn’t it?
Best defense is a good offense. We are letting the Venezuelans & soon the Iranians settle their own internal affairs. Trump is not a neocon, but is a realist & he is POTUS, & has made better decisions than any of his predecessors or alternatives, IMHO.
Many of those Americans killed by Iranian proxies were our soldiers deployed in countries we had no business being in.
In December of 1941 Japan attacked our military bases at Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt adhered to the requirements of our Constitution beseeching Congress for a Declaration of War to defend our country from further aggression. If the threat of Iran toward us is as dire as Trump has portrayed it, then he should have had beseeched Congress as Roosevelt had. Why did Trump bypass Congress? Maybe his portrayal of Iran isn’t as dire as he claims.
Venezuela and now Iran must do as Trump demands with the threat of further aggression from us if they don’t.
Compared to our most recent Presidents, Trump up until recently, did not have to try hard to be a better President. Our greatest President, George Washington, witnessed first hand the millennia old fighting amongst Europeans and Asians. Thus he warned all future generations of the United States to treat all other nations with benevolence and to avoid foreign entanglements. If Trump was wise and desires to achieve a reputation of one of our greater Presidents, he would heed the greatest President’s advice.
Waaahhh!!! Some ChIA operatives got kidnapped in Iran back in 1979. Embassies housing spies shouldn’t be off limits. His opinion is worth as much as yours.
Oh, and I see that you are antisemite and anti Christian bigot. The shoe fits perfectly.
You identify yourself as a traitor to your sex (are you willing to wear a hijab whenever you’re in public?), and a traitor to your country. You probably weren’t even alive in 1979 & have been well indoctrinated by your Islamist/commie professors. It is well known that any country that can afford to uses their embassy staff as cover for some of their spies. Are you saying that it is only illegitimate for the US to do so, or are you naive enough to deny that other countries do also?
Truth be known, @ this point, none of our opinions matter, what is going to happen is going to happen.
Actually, most agree with her. Less than 25% support this military operation.
I don’t care. They are wrong and they probably also supported Hamas.
that's what happens when your educational system sucks
There are several things you are missing in the Iran War:
1. Trump is bombing military targets, and removing terrorist leaders that the Iranian people hate.
2. He is catching the leadership at a weak time
3. Unlike the arrogant Nazis entering Russia in 1940, who murdered the Russians who thought they were there to liberate them from Stalin, Trump is willing to help the people overthrow their government, not murder them.
4. This is 40 years of oppression, and the Persian Folk are tired of living on the Islamic Plantation
The celebrations taking place outside of Iran indicate the true fillings of the Iranian people about what President Trump is doing.
So...while history is always very valuable in providing indications if not outright templates for repeating itself, in this case, those templates probably do not apply
This is Neocon propaganda. The Neocons even stated that a ticker-tape parade would happen once Iraq was liberated. Haha, are you really going to be fooled again?
This isn't Iran liberation. It is regime takedown. Once the regime is out, the rest is up to Iran to self-determine.
Can you be this naive? No one in the Middle East has any say. Power is dictated by religion. Just as in Iraq, once you create a power vacuum, players from dozens of factions begin their own wars for control. Not to mention that Iran is a proxy for China and Russia. China gets a large amount of oil from Iran, and they even spent billions on a Silk Road to Iran. The Neocons never think beyond bombing a country. They've never been successful. All you are doing is swallowing the bullsheit propaganda.
at least China builds things that are useful. I listened to a guy named Willy OAM on the Duran Podcast the other day. he said that China says "come over for some free beers" which is a lot better than "if you don't come over and do what I say, I'll steal your beers."
such a contrast in diplomacy methods.
The USA was a great place to live before Carter, Bushes, Clinton, Obama dragged it down. Reagan was mostly right but he toppled the USSR, so he gets full credit. Trump has been mostly right and he is on track to knock cartels down a notch, Iran regime's network of cells down significantly, and restore mfg imbalance toward USA regrowth. All plusses.
so says Senator Lindsay Graham, washing his hands of the mess he's helped to make. "it's all up to the Iranian people" he implores. "we have nothing to do with it."
other than sanctions, destroying their economy and blowing them up whenever BiBi has a hard-on. and yet the regime has lasted all these years. gee, wonder how and why.
what gives us the right to take down regimes anyway?
When the regime loses its punch completely, Graham will become the dog that caught the car...now what?
Graham is annoying and disreputable. He isn't the reason Trump has done this. The regime's earned reputation, actions, and plans--and the world's response/paranoia to same--have convinced Trump to do this.
You have moved on from it is all the Jew’s fault to its all the neocons fault without a shred of evidence.
What do you think Netanyahu is? He went to college and ran around with our biggest Neocons. The Jewish nation and Neocons are synonymous. Geez, dude, wake up.
So, you really haven’t moved on from antisemitism, you are just cloaking it in neocon terminology.
Trump is not part of the neocons and neither is his cabinet. Those guys are gone this time around/
He is very close to Lindsay Graham. That is enough to cause me to shudder in fear.
Lady Lindsay, the senator of SC, is in Israel every couple of weeks! not here in his own state. I can't wait to vote against him
Ho boy. You guys need to wake up. Check out Rubio's past comments. He's a total Neocon. Trump is surrounded by them. They are everywhere. Ever notice how Congress always approves military increases? Yeah, Congress is full of Neocons. Look, most of our debt, the trillions owed, came from Neocon wars. We're still paying for WW2. They always blame the president, never the UNELECTED people, infiltrating our foreign policy for their own objective, no matter who the president is.
you're correct; rubio is a neocon. so is Waltz who kept telling Trump that Russia was on the verge of collapse and totally misread the Ukraine situation. but Trump should find things out for himself and not listen to the people who are trying to misdirect him. it's his own fault for not "doing his own research"
We did the same thing in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. It didn’t work well in any of those places.
The problem is when the iZraelis tell Trump that a girls’ school is a weapons of mass destruction site.
Why do you hate the Israelis so much?
Already debunked lie, Iranian rocket gone astray.
you make the common mistake of believing that the 90+ million "Persian Folk" think with a hive mind, the old "they will welcome our meddling interference with rejoicing" bullshit. how many of those 90+ million "Persian Folk" have you talked to lately?
the easiest way to unite a country, even one not necessarily happy with their regime, is to bomb them. or to take out their religious leader and his grand daughter and kill a bunch of school girls (aren't we always told that Iran doesn't allow women to be educated?).
it seems to me that the USA is pretty divided in it's opinions of the current leadership. does that mean we would welcome a military action (WAR) to "free" us?
The celebration is about the old people being removed from power. There would be celebration here too when the aged are removed from power.
anyone we don't like is a "terrorist." meanwhile the USA is largest purveyor of terror on the planet
Unfortunately, just about every U.S. President gets sucked in by the Neocons.......always ending in their demise. All the regime changes fail.
Perhaps staying home and fixing our infrastructure would be energy, time & money better spent.
We are not the policemen of the world.
We just attacked a country that posed zero threat to us, did not attack us and worst of all was sitting at a negotiating table when attacked......and why you ask? Because Bibi controls Big Brain Don. Don said.....get in the coffin for Israel! No thanks! They deserve to get their ass kicked.
This is the Persian Empire......they built 'Wonders of the World' the ooze with Physicists, Mathematicians, Engineers and Inventors of extremely high caliber. They speak Farsi, this is not your everyday Arab world country. This is the Persian Empire! A far cry from 2 guys in a garage glue gunning stuff together.
"They ooze with Physicists, Mathematicians, Engineers and Inventors of extremely high caliber." The best of the best of them working on nuclear weapons and long range missiles. These are priority 1 not working on Iran's infrastructure.
The Persian Empire began it's decline in 651 as Arab armies swept in. Islam took root. And the gears of this astonishing civilization began, slowly and then all at once, to grind to a halt. For a few generations, Persian scholars thrived within the new Islamic order. But the transformation of Iran from a Zoroastrian, pluralistic, and innovative society into a rigidly Islamic theocracy laid the groundwork for long-term stagnation. Today, nearly 1,400 years later, that stagnation is measurable in everything from economic output to scientific discovery. And the men who just died in those airstrikes were its most ardent custodians.
Paraphrased from Alexander Muse.
And we think we are going to affect change with a country and people imbedded with 1400 years of Islamic theocracy, ideology?
Only about 30%, at most, of Iranians in Iran are Muslim.
That will be up to the people of Iran. If we have to keep breaking their strategic military toys we should do it so they can't strike outside Iran.
Leaving out the radical terrorists I've seen the Islamic leadership in most of the Middle East change their positions on Israel and the USA in my lifetime. The first I remember was the 6 Day war in 1967. The new leadership in those countries may not like the USA or Israel, but they're willing to get along and do business.
As George Washington advised treat all other nations with benevolence (even people we consider “enemies”) and avoid foreign entanglements. It appears these nations have learned to get along and do business. We should do the same with all countries and particularly Russia and North Korea.
or more likely the new regime in Iran will be hardliners. the Ayatollah we just martyred was fundamentally opposed to nuclear weapons on religious grounds. if the regime survives, the next leader will not make that mistake again. the USA doesn't fuck with nuclear armed countries. that's a lesson Iran is finally learning
Those guys in a garage glue gunning are effective at terrorizing the world. Kill them all. No mercy. Don't commit any ground troops. Just enter, kill, and leave same day. That's what I voted for!
Man, your comments clearly, and without doubt, spell out your lack of knowledge and complete ignorance of reality! Iran was very close to having the capacity to launch long range missiles into the US! To “kill Americans” is, and for decades has been, one of their terrorist chants!!
Marilyn, let me guess? You're an Evangelical Christian hoping for Armageddon so you can have a 2nd Coming.
Or at least that's the rhetoric you have been told over & over again.
Let's agree to disagree. I think America needs a whole lot of fixing before we go 'fixing' everybody else!
America needs to eliminate the Iranian regime so that terrorism no longers scares the crap out of people in the USA.
TSA, DHS, Patriot Act, FISA exist because of Iran regime.
You want those gone and Americans to actually live and travel freely? Do what Trump is doing.
Exactly as Jack stated. The Deep State IS THE TERRORISM! This is your standard Hegelian Dialectic. Problem----Reaction---Solution. If I want to take your freedom away from you.....you'll say no. So, I create a problem, then you react and beg me to take your freedom away because you fell for it and then I provide the solution...,,...I take your freedom, which you gave to me with a bow on it! This is the same script, bad movie, bad actors....same kabuki theatre ......YAWN!
Those things came about as a result of 9/11, an attack carried out mostly by Saudis, not Iranians.
nonsense. they exist because governments, including ours, always seek to increase their power and use whatever crisis at hand as excuses. and like frogs in a pot, the complaints from a compliant poorly educated, non-thinking populace were few and far between.
don't blame Iran for what our Congress did
I no longer want to agree to disagree. I no longer wish to share a country with people left of center and beyond.
Eff You, you bigoted leftist bitch.
I wouldn’t call an America first person a “bigoted leftist bitch,” nor swear at her. You demean yourself. Following Trump’s logic we should take out the leadership in North Korea too. He should have done that first as North Korea actually does have nuclear weapons and the capability to attack us here, not like Iran. The difference to me is Iran has oil, North Korea doesn’t. Connect the dots. What other country did Trump just recently send our military into to remove its leader? And what does that country have? What a coincidence! Oil!
🥵🥵🥵🥵
So we were told. Do you have any idea how much Neocon bullsheit is spread? Can you remember any war the US has decisively won when Neocons were in charge? You can't because there was never one. What is happening now is the same evil playbook as Iraq. Now that Iran is weakened, a major war will begin between the two major religious groups in the Middle East. Just like during the Iraq war, a power vacuum was created by the stupid US war. Nothing good will come of this action. Neocons do not care about anything but war.
We will see. My money is on Trump not putting any soldiers in Iran, and let the Iranian people sort this out, while we keep a watchful eye out for our interests from a distance. A Hunger Games sort of offense, where we let them kill each other off, and briefly intervene with remote weaponry as needed when the wrong people get the advantage.
wow! you know nothing!
I am sorry you are susceptible to propaganda.
Ok I'll bite. John, I know your military expertise is unquestionable, and Trump should replace Pete with you. But Trump is doing things DIFFERENTLY, and that is exactly what is needed. No we don't need to occupy Iran. Rather we just quickly discipline (i.e. tactical bombing to eliminate threats) them when they misbehave like a spoiled child, and we keep them busy thinking about how not to starve, instead of thinking about how to kill others.
Mr. Trump is surrounded by Neocons. He bought into their regime-change rubbish. Can anyone remember a successful regime change, especially via air war violence? It's never happened; it takes soldiers on the ground, and even then, it's not sustainable. The Neocons are a cancer to society. Just like Iraq, an important tent pin was pulled out, killing Iraq's leadership. The same for Iran, get ready for a protected religious war for control of the Middle East. Mr. Trump has ruined his legacy.
Well never-ending wars are VERY lucrative for those in the smoky back rooms...
Evidence not found for your predicate.
The military industrial complex factories are working overtime to produce weapons to meet the never-ending demand to wage senseless wars. It is government welfare for industries. I have little doubt some of their profits gets contributed to political campaigns.
The implication of the original comment was that Trump is in the pocket of the MIC, and I don’t see that.
The Europeans & Ukrainians are keeping the MIC busy on their own.
except that they have no money
John Leake, you wrote: "It may come as a surprise to many Americans that, even when a people doesn’t like their ruling class—just as we are not especially fond of ours—they still resent being bombed."
I call bullshit on You! You're only telling one side. People are celebrating in the streets right now! Both in Iran and in New York City, and all around the world, the Iranian diaspora is celebrating.
Your cherry picking of "facts" is getting very irritating. I'm really beginning to doubt your motives. If not for your connection to Dr McCullough, I probably would've already unsubscribed.
any diaspora is not a measure of the people who remain in the country in question
I was talking about both. ...In Iran, and all over the world.
But mostly, the celebrations Iran speak loudest. No wonder they're trying to black out the internet over there...
they blacked out the internet to thwart the CIA, etc rabble rousers planted there to stir up trouble. stop listening to american propaganda
Do you live there Carolyn? How do you know?
Do you think they don't have their own rabble rousers here in the USA?
We still have internet to show all the protestors here, and I believe many of them are paid professionals..
"I fear that President Trump should have stuck with his America First campaign promises,...to avoid nation building."
One, you say "fear". This is not a time or instance for kinda-sorta-maybe. Those people will not serve the US interest here.
Two, you imply that Trump is nation building. He is not. He is defanging a long-lived threat to USA interests and citizens.
If the move here to eliminate the Iranian regime collapses into civil strife, civil war, a new regime, or pick your outcome, ONE thing may be said for certain: Iran no longer has the standing command structure or infrastructure to project war-like capabilities abroad.
USA interest met, CASE CLOSED.
If desire is to reopen, then understand that free nations will choose their paths, and if Iran 2026+ chooses to revert to Iran 2025- then so be it, but it is no fault of "nation building".
please tell us all how Iran was a threat to American citizens. I know I wake up every morning in "terror" worrying about what Iran will do today. it's true that there are American citizens endangered by Iran- the servicemen on our many bases that surround the country and who shouldn't be there in the first place
It sponsors active cells abroad that cause mayhem and instigate local instability. It waged war on US soldiers surreptitiously during Iraq engagement. It has killed numerous US servicemen and financed/engaged in hostage taking of American citizens. Do you remember LTC Higgins?
The same sponsor of Hezbollah also attempting to develop a nuclear device is a complete NON-STARTER for any westerner. If that needs explanation, then please so advise.
and you would too if you had the USA breathing down your neck and threatening you for decades and trying by any means to destroy your country. if we are now going to use LTC Higgins as a pretext for war, why didn't we do something about it WAY back then?
sorry, this is BULLSHIT. as the ONLY country to ever use a nuclear weapon as collective punishment on a people, we lack any authority to tell others that they can't have the thing that would keep us from bullying them
The statute of limitations for murder...is there one? Is there a time limit to responding to an aggressor's wrongdoing?
The USA military is going to work on a problem long past due. It may be harder than planners's most pessimistic assessments, or not, but it's under way. Call it BS or whatever you like, but it will be done, despite your strong sentiments otherwise.
This is America First; just because you don’t see it that way, doesn’t mean it’s not so.
The threats from the many proxies and their insistence on a nuclear weapon makes this a wise choice. My opinion. They were a constant festering problem. I have listened to ex pat Iranians who are so happy this was done. I am hoping it goes well and the people can get what they deserve. Trump has a good team and I voted for him to do a job and will trust his judgement./
Iran's Ayatollah, the one we just martyred, was fundamentally opposed to nuclear weapons on religious grounds. I'm sure his replacement will have learned from that mistake.
obviously seeking opinions from ex-pats is not an accurate assessment of the mood inside a country as large as Iran. nor is watching videos taken from other countries in other times of people appearing to "celebrate" a good way to gain knowledge about a country. but bombing people in the name of "freedom" does generally serve to unite even quarreling factions against a common enemy.
last time I checked the USA was pretty divided in it's opinions of it's current leadership. maybe someone should come bomb us to "liberate" us?
I think you should stick with true crime writing instead of criticizing Trump’s military campaign. For one, he is not targeting the Iranian people, but the government of Iran. He is freeing the people to select their own government, which is what they want. He is targeting missile launchers and military installations as well as the leaders who have pushed terrorists on the world and sought to develop nuclear weapons. I prefer that Iran does not have nuclear weapons, that, surely, would be turned on us. And we’ve seen what terrorists do.
Your columns used to be positive John….full of praise and hope for the beginning of President Trump’s undoing of four years of Democratic ruin; of leaders like RF Kennedy Jr. Sadly it’s been awhile since you’ve had much, if anything, that makes reading your journalism an uplifting experience! Your words in your current report actually are the worst and most disheartening! Would life for you be a happier place in Iran under the ayatollah regime??
John, if in fact the stories we have heard of Iranians celebrating the bombing of their country in the streets, and the fact that 7 to 15,000 Iranian citizens have been murdered by their own country's police forces, and that MANY Iranians have requested not only lately but for years American support their effort at reversing the 1979 Shariah Revolution, one would have to admit this is not anywhere NEAR the same situation as those to which you refer. Add to that the obvious that Trumpie is not anything like the political hacks of Republicans-past and, hey,
THIS could work! TAW
In this case, the majority of the Iranians support the U.S. action and have been begging for it. I've been seeing Iranian citizens in videos dancing in the streets, and saying that 95% of the Iranians want an end to the murderous regime. Many want their Crown-Prince-in-exile, the son of the Shah, to return and think of him as their rightful monarch. I also do not see this as the "start" of a new war, but an end to a 47-year-long war. The Iranians have killed many Americans over the years, and they are by far the leading state sponsor of terrorism. More often than not, when terrorist acts occur on our soil or around the world, Iran funded whoever did it. But now - after we went in and destroyed their budding nuclear capabilities they were yet again starting up their nuclear program. Trump was negotiating with them about stopping what they were doing - he told them, they had 10 days to decide to say "We're stopping our nuclear program." They would say, well, like to make a deal, but we're not sure about stopping, but we're very near an agreement..." Just teasing, and not saying what Trump needed to hear - but honestly, there is no one in the world other than terrorists who thinks it's a good idea for Iran to have nukes. So - after this recent air strike, Iran fired off missiles to 14 different Arab nations, and there were a few causualties. The Arab world is not pleased with Iran, and this is not bringing anyone around to Iran's "side." Iran bombed Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia has condemned Iran - not rushed to their side. Ditto Qatar. In Europe, UK which initially disagreed with the US on this, has now spoken against Iran's actions and said that the people must choose their new government. Several other countries in Europe have agreed, and also Canda has spoken in support of the US. No sane person wants Iran to have nukes. Iran was back to trying to develop their nuclear program, plus, China and Russia were both arming Iran against the US, so it needed to happen soon, before more could be done. I say it was the right decision, to eliminate the old regime and hopefully allow the Iranian people to usher in the new one. For 47 years, Iran has made school children stomp on an American flag and chant "Death to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ " as they enter the front door of their school. They have tried hard to turn the nation against us, but the people want to get their country back, and they don't hate us - they are grateful to Trump. I have seen a video where one Iranian said - many people, most, are celebrating, but be sensitive, because many also are grieving loved ones who were killed by the evil government in massacres, or the loved ones are missing and people are searching everywhere to see if they kind their loved one in a hospital - or to find their body. The government has reportedly killed tens of thousands of Iranian citizens, innocent citizens - and in some cases, the condition of the bodies are horrific. The war against the Iranian people has been going on for a long women being imprisoned or tortured if a bit of ankle shows below the hem of their long gown, or if a stray hair shows outside their burqa, or they are executed for trivial reasons. The war against the US and really, the rest of the world with all the terrorism, has been going on for 47 years. Trump hopes to end it soon. I think he will. He's not talking about "nation building" but has called for the Iranian people to step up and I hope they will, take over their govt. I believe it will go well.
Iran's theocratic leadership was not keyed into the prosperity of its citizens, rather 'Death to Israel' and Death to America'! The majority of their GDP was focused upon sponsoring terrorism and the development of long range OFFENSIVE missiles. It sounds like your solution was to just keep talking and WAIT until either 1. An Iranian nuclear missile exploded over the US, 2. One of their sleeper cells attacked our GRID, (or possibly exploded a dirty bomb), or 3. They just miraculously came to their senses, stopped lying, and gave up their fetish and went back to being the successful merchants that is their heritage..
The economic sanctions have hurt their economy to the point that the majority or Iranian citizens became restless, Their supply of enriched uranium was sufficiently large (although not weapons grade), that it could possibly be bartered for a working device, Intelligence sources discovered that their top leadership was going to meet at a single site during daylight hours. There was a friendly moderate transition leader (Shaw's son) ready to step up to replace the theocracy, (Trump has not committed any ground troops!) This was a target of opportunity that might not happen again in a newborn's lifetime.
So given your criticism of .what's happened, what would you have done instead?
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