The other thread got locked - while we are still ongoing with the 'War' .... there's stuff going on every day it seems, whether it's negotiations, threats, blockades or watching Chinese ships sail thru the blockade. Figure a new thread is warranted.
Question at this point - same as the original question/comment: What is the objective for the USA? Does anyone actually know? Does anyone think Trump knows? Or are we at a point Trump is trying to end this with no more loss of face and embarrassment, but he doesn't know how?
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
If the USA applies the blockade to all countries attempting to move oil and gas out of the straits of hormuz, it will speed up the process to reach an agreement, imo.
If the USA chooses to make side deals for some counties, the blockaide will end up being a mess, imo.
The USA isn't going to initiate or block a Russian, Chinese or Indian vessel. A Chinese vessel sailed thru after the announcement already. Saudi Arabia is getting antsi ... All Trump continues to do is prove the US is unstable and push former allies away while paving the way for China to look stable and a more attractive partner. Coming soon .... De-dollarization and loss of US $ power and influence
Last edited by mgh888; 04/15/2604:01 PM.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
The USA isn't going to initiate or block a Russian, Chinese or Indian vessel. A Chinese vessel sailed thru after the announcement already. Saudi Arabia is getting antsi ... All Trump continues to do is prove the US is unstable and push former allies away while paving the way for China to look stable and a more attractive partner. Coming soon .... De-dollarization and loss of US $ power and influence
At least that is what some hope for. This country is turning communist. Now you have states looking to make citizens pay "bail" before they can move out of state.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
According to you communists have been asking over forever. It seems as if that's what you call anyone and everyone who promotes helping people over big business.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Is that what you call the millions of people who live in states where wages are so low they receive government benefits? I would have thought at some point you would have gotten tired of your tax dollars paying corporate welfare but I guess not.
While corporations rake in billions your tax dollars pay for their employees benefits. You're paying for those profits. And then you call others communists?
I have a better idea. Maybe instead of "helping freeloaders" we just let their children starve and go homeless or build orphanages for millions of children? How does that sound to you?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Here's the latest • Strait of Hormuz: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the vital trade chokepoint is now open to all commercial vessels for the remaining period of the truce, adding that this is in line with the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.
• Ceasefire in effect: A 10-day truce in Lebanon appears to be holding despite the Lebanese army accusing Israel of violations. Israel said its forces would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, and Iran-backed Hezbollah warned it would only abide by the truce if Israeli attacks stopped.
• Diplomacy push: US President Donald Trump said a White House meeting between Israel and Lebanon could take place within two weeks. The conflict with Hezbollah has been a key sticking point in negotiations on the war with Iran. Trump also voiced confidence that a deal with Tehran will come soon, saying talks could happen this weekend.
• Israeli embassy: British police are investigating after an unnamed group said it would target the Israeli embassy in London with drones carrying dangerous substances.
But a blockade on Iranian ports stays in effect........................
Live updates: Iran declares Strait of Hormuz 'completely open'; Trump says U.S. blockade 'will remain in full force' until peace deal
President Donald Trump hailed the news about the key waterway, and said negotiations over a peace deal with Iran "should go very quickly."
U.S. BLOCKADE REMAINS 'IN FULL FORCE': President Donald Trump hailed the news and thanked Tehran, but said the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports "will remain in full force" until the two sides reach a peace deal. Negotiations “should go very quickly," he said.
I have a better idea. Maybe instead of "helping freeloaders" we just let their children starve and go homeless or build orphanages for millions of children? How does that sound to you?
You always go to the extreme as your example. I am not going to get in to what can be done because it is pointless to talk to you.
Looks like the plan is working in Iran and the stock is back. Looks like the panicans who got out of the market lost money.
Gas probably won't go down very much in the short term. First, we are headed in to higher demand season and the refineries are sitting on millions of barrels which they paid inflated prices. They will have to sell that off reflective of the prices they paid before we start to see prices reductions at the pumps that totally reflect the current barrel costs.
It will go down some. At some point they will start to average the cost of stock on hand with the new shipments which will bring a gradual step down in price.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
I see you are once again relying on the word of a man who has from the beginning lied to you consistently. As of now everything being done in both Lebanon and Iran are based on very short term cease fires. Could it end up being settled long term? It could. But don't pretend it's over until it's over. I hope it is but according to trump we won in the first hour.
As of 2023 39% of people getting government assistance were children. Also as of 2023 33% of households getting government food assistance were on Social Security. That's 72% of people on assistance either being children or elderly. Don't blame me because I'm presenting you with facts while you have some preconceived notions that is false. But considering these facts I can see why you don't wish to discuss it any further.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Yeah...not so fast. So now this morning we have US still closing Iranian ports, the Iranians closing the strait again and firing at ships and the Israelis and Lebanon trading fire.
BREAKING: Iran Fires on Tanker Hours After Trump Announces Strait of Hormuz is Open Tommy Christopher Apr 18th, 2026, 9:20 am Share 1950 comments Iran Fires on Tanker Hours After Trump Announces Strait of Hormuz is Open screenshot
Iranian gunboats fired on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump announced the Strait was open and would never be closed again.
Friday was a big news day, as Trump announced developments in the Iran War via a series of social media posts. In addition to a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, the president said the Strait of Hormuz would be opening immediately, never to close again. As the news filtered out, media reports and Iranian sources contradicted some of Trump’s claims.
The president spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One Friday night just before landing, and began by saying he had just gotten “pretty good news” that he then refused to give any details about.
But on Saturday morning, minutes before Trump went live for a bill signing, News broke that the Iranians were firing on an oil tanker, and the U.S. was enforcing its blockade. From The Associated Press:
CAIRO (AP) — The dueling blockades in the Strait of Hormuz lurched into uncharted waters on Saturday. The United States pressed ahead with its campaign to choke off Iranian ports and Iran reversed an initial move to reopen the waterway, firing on a ship attempting to pass.
Confusion over the critical chokepoint threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence a new deal was within reach.
Iran’s joint military command said on Saturday that “control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state … under strict management and control of the armed forces.” It warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
Two gunboats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said on Saturday. It reported the tanker and crew as safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination. TankerTrackers.com reported vessels were forced to turn around in the strait, including an Indian-flagged super tanker, after they were fired on by Iran
Israeli gov’t sees Trump ceasefire announcement as ‘slap in face’
By Nour Odeh Reporting from Ramallah, occupied West Bank
Two things are happening: This ceasefire that was announced by Donald Trump was seen as a slap on the face to the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his coalition government, which were talking about occupying Lebanese territory all the way to the Litani River.
And then you had that social media post from the US president basically telling Israel that enough was enough with the air strikes. However, nobody – not the US, not Secretary of State Rubio – has asked Israel to withdraw from the territory that it already occupies. So that is the only wiggle room that the current Israeli government has to justify to its public, which is furious with the government, that it’s still doing something to make good on its promise to provide security.
The Israeli government was so overconfident. Just a few days ago, it was talking about forcing the Lebanese government not just to disarm Hezbollah by force, but to kick them out of the parliament, which they won elections to have membership in, to kick them out of the government as well.
And in the meantime, all of this demolition, equating the Shia-majority villages with Hezbollah infrastructure, all of that is done to appease the right-wing base in Israel, and to tell them they’re doing whatever they can to keep them safe, including that absolute decimation of the villages, turning them all to rubble, and not allowing the Lebanese residents to go back to their homes and rebuild.
The Israeli government sees Trump’s ceasefire announcement as a “slap in the face”.
Netanyahu (it is not "Israel" - something Celm once highlighted) - that has a vested and urgent need to keep the country engaged in wartime activities. We all know why. Trump & Hegseth were something of a clown show for listening to and being swayed by Netanyahu as was reported in detail (article you posted Nothlima). But we are where we are. Trump will claim a massive victory even though no such victory is real. Some will believe him no matter what. Some will try to justify the incompetence we have seen "Because" - but the facts are the facts and this was not good on any level. The only person truly happy an who has come out with benefits after this whole scenario has played out is Putin. Period.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
The Latest: Standoff escalates after Iran closes Strait of Hormuz over US blockade
by The Associated Press - 04/19/26 8:07 AM ET link
Iran reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and warned that it would continue to block transit through the strait as long as the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports remained in effect.
The escalating standoff over the critical choke point threatened to deepen the energy crisis roiling the global economy and push the two countries toward renewed conflict, even as mediators expressed confidence that a new deal was within reach.
The strait is closed until the U.S. blockade is lifted, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy said Saturday night. Hours earlier, two gunboats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard opened fire on a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It reported that the tanker and crew were safe, without identifying the vessel or its destination.
Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through the strait and further limits would squeeze the already constrained supply, driving prices higher once again. Meanwhile, a 10-day truce between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon appeared to be holding.
The fighting in the Middle East conflict, which is approaching the two-month mark, has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, nearly 2,300 in Lebanon, 23 civilians and 15 soldiers in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. Thirteen U.S. service members have also been killed.
That whole thing in Iran has been bungled from the start. But then what can you expect from a Bible thumping Movie buff like Hegseth.
Tell us what you would have done different...
The short answer is "not done it at all"... and by 'it', I'm talking about the decision to strike (because that was the framework of Daman's statement, as I understood it).
I'm going to assume that you meant "how would you have dealt with Iran?", because the truth is that Iran is a problem that needs to be dealt with someway, somehow. I think any military action should've been strictly scoped to nuclear development sites. That is the only remotely consistent and coherent reasoning behind what we're doing. The world wasn't completely upended when we struck their main site a couple months ago. And while their capability wasn't "completely obliterated" (or maybe it was, that assessment has varied wildly) it was affected and bought us and our dwindling collection of allies some time to lay down a better long-term plan.
... which is clearly what we need given the results so far. After having conducted a fairly comprehensive air campaign that includes degrading their air defenses, killing their leader, and striking their oil infrastructure, what have we achieved?
-realizing their military is going to be a tougher nut to crack than we hoped... especially if we decide to continue what we're doing and/or escalate -realizing their missile capability/range is significantly better than we thought -installing an even more hardline leader that picked up right where his predecessor left off -hurting the global oil market, which helps the very countries we are trying to inhibit (Iran, Russia)
Don't even get me started on what we've spent to achieve these less-than-impressive results (lives/ammo/equipment lost/spent/destroyed, alliances stressed/weakened, diminished reputation standing amongst the world).
I think the very first thing that should have been done differently is not to lie to the American people. Allow me to frame that in the most basic of terms.
Initial strikes on Iran's nuclear capabilities was launched in June of 2025. Here s what trump said about the effectiveness of those strikes.....
During a NATO summit in June 2025, Trump stated that strikes on Iranian nuclear sites (such as Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan) were a "total obliteration," setting the program back "decades" and making it very difficult for Iran to rebuild.......................
In March of 2026, President Donald Trump stated that Iran was "two weeks away" from possessing a nuclear weapon, which he cited as the justification for U.S. military action against the country.
Now one of those things has to be a lie. Both of those statements can't possibly be true. So he was either lying back in June of 2025 or he was lying as his reasoning for starting this war.
The inability to trust anything that comes out of his mouth both by the American people, at least by those willing to pay attention, as well as the rest of the globe places everything about this war in question.
And let me remind you that Benjamin Netanyahu has a well-documented history of warning that Iran is on the verge of producing a nuclear weapon, with predictions of an "imminent" threat often cited as months away dating back to the early 1990s.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Not being swayed and led by the nose by Netanyahu.
Not alienating and insulting allies.
Not declaring victory when there was no victory.
Not threatening genocide.
Not talking out of your azz constantly.
There's lots of things to have done differently. But at the end of the day even if none of us has a better idea of what to have done it doesn't deflect from the abject incompetence that we've witnessed.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
to have a clue going into this that the leverage the Iranians were going to pull closing the Strait. I can not for a second believe that our military planners didn't tell them that they would pull this card.
They did but trump ignored it. It even came from the man trump refers as "Raizin Caine"..........
Top US general warned Trump before war that Iran could close Strait of Hormuz — report
US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine warned President Donald Trump before the United States entered the war with Iran that Tehran could try to close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Caine told the president in several briefings that US officials had long believed Iran might attempt to block the critical shipping lane using naval mines, drones and missiles if conflict erupted, according to the report.
Trump reportedly acknowledged the risk but decided to move forward with the military campaign, telling advisers he believed Tehran would likely capitulate before taking such a step, and that the US military would be capable of reopening the waterway if necessary.
trump said " Iran can’t blackmail us." by blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile trump blocks all of their ports and threatens to destroy all of their infrastructure if Iran doesn't accept the terms of the deal being offered by the US.
It appears that in trumplandia blackmail is a one way street all flowing in trump's direction.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Good post, Oober. I agree with a lot of what you posted. I think some of it is a little overboard, I mean, I'm not sure we could target a mosquito in the region without it affecting the world oil market so it's silly to think we didn't see that coming.
I was speaking specifically to his statement "That whole thing in Iran has been bungled from the start." Meaning, mission has started, for whatever reason you have decided, everything from that point forward. I was hoping he would respond but knew that probably wouldn't happen before everyone else did. I don't not agree with Daman, but I'm not sure I ever have. If he saw a headline that says Trump eats babies, he would 100% believe that and repeat it without reading another word.
I just think, whether war or football, it's always easy to armchair it after the fact. I see the necessity of dealing with this bully a lot differently than most here, I'm basically sitting shotgun with 'Peen in that respect.
I won't bother arguing about it though. It's mostly futile. It baffles me that we can talk about the possibility of Iran having a nuke and many people think (me included) that would be the direst situation, read: threat to humanity by humans, that this planet has ever faced... others think it's a nothingburger. There's not really much reason for those people to try to talk it out.
to have a clue going into this that the leverage the Iranians were going to pull closing the Strait. I can not for a second believe that our military planners didn't tell them that they would pull this card.
I won't bother arguing about it though. It's mostly futile. It baffles me that we can talk about the possibility of Iran having a nuke and many people think (me included) that would be the direst situation, read: threat to humanity by humans, that this planet has ever faced... others think it's a nothingburger. There's not really much reason for those people to try to talk it out.
All while refusing to address this..............
Initial strikes on Iran's nuclear capabilities was launched in June of 2025. Here s what trump said about the effectiveness of those strikes.....
During a NATO summit in June 2025, Trump stated that strikes on Iranian nuclear sites (such as Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan) were a "total obliteration," setting the program back "decades" and making it very difficult for Iran to rebuild.......................
In March of 2026, President Donald Trump stated that Iran was "two weeks away" from possessing a nuclear weapon, which he cited as the justification for U.S. military action against the country.
Now one of those things has to be a lie. Both of those statements can't possibly be true. So he was either lying back in June of 2025 or he was lying as his reasoning for starting this war.
The inability to trust anything that comes out of his mouth both by the American people, at least by those willing to pay attention, as well as the rest of the globe places everything about this war in question.
And let me remind you that Benjamin Netanyahu has a well-documented history of warning that Iran is on the verge of producing a nuclear weapon, with predictions of an "imminent" threat often cited as months away dating back to the early 1990s.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I'm not your puppet, dude. I know you think I am, I'm not. I'll address what ever I want and ignore whatever I want... from now till Armageddon. Write it down somewhere and have your wife start feeding it to you for breakfast.
I understand. trump tells a blatant lie about the results or causes for this war, take your pick, and you ignore it like the plague. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who gets what's going on here. I'm just curious, which story did trump tell you that made you convinced Iran was on the verge of getting a nuclear weapon? The first one or the second one?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Pit I understand you are openly rooting for Iran in this war but understand what you are rooting for here. There is a video out there about some of the people Iran are executing daily for protesting their tyrannical government and they are you 18-year-old girls. These same Iranian Leaders you're cheering for that is sentencing these young girls to be gang raped before they are executed because in their religion if a female is a virgin they go to heaven but if they are not, they go to hell. But you have already shown your true colors cheering for Hamas for multiple years and now you're a fan of Iran. Sad that we have people in the US openly supporting these people, but you keep it up!!!
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples' money." Margarat Thatcher
If you face a loaded gun does that mean try and shoot first?
What is nuclear disarmament? There is none because the formula is out.
One nuke facing another means that nobody will pull the trigger because they know they will be nothing but ashes.
Mutually assured destruction reduces the chance of a deliberate full-scale nuclear first strike, but it does not make nuclear proliferation harmless.
North Korea already showed that nuclear weapons can weaken deterrence, embolden conventional aggression, complicate alliance commitments, and destabilize regions even without any bomb being used.
Iran would be more dangerous because it sits in a far more connected and volatile region, where one new nuclear state could trigger an arms race and raise the odds of coercion or miscalculation.
No, we'll never be to a point where "Iran can't make a nuke". That's basically impossible. But pushing to stay as close as possible will be an ongoing task for what seems like may be an eternity.
A nuclear-armed Iran would trigger a regional arms race like the world has never imagined. You think that area is a powder keg now?? And, in Iran's case, retaliation fear doesn't freeze bad actors; it just lets them play dirtier below the red line.
Pit I understand you are openly rooting for Iran in this war but understand what you are rooting for here.
Once again you come here and do nothing but lie.
Quote
There is a video out there about some of the people Iran are executing daily for protesting their tyrannical government and they are you 18-year-old girls. These same Iranian Leaders you're cheering for that is sentencing these young girls to be gang raped before they are executed because in their religion if a female is a virgin they go to heaven but if they are not, they go to hell.
And claiming I'm cheering for them is yet another lie.
Quote
But you have already shown your true colors cheering for Hamas for multiple years and now you're a fan of Iran. Sad that we have people in the US openly supporting these people, but you keep it up!!!
Why must you constantly come here to spread your right wing propaganda? Oh I know, because you can't defend trump so you attack me. Typical extreme right wing tactics.
I'm not rooting for Iran. I didn't root for Iraq either but I thought going there and starting a war was wrong. I get it. You think opposing America going to war means you support the enemy. You can't wrap your brain around the idea that supporting our troops and supporting the mission they were sent on is two different things. It's a foreign concept to you.
What I don't like is being lied to about the reason for war. What I don't like is being the worlds police. Trump specifically stated he would not start any wars.
In June of 2025 he said those air strikes set Iran's nuclear program back "many years if not decades". Only eight months later he claimed Iran was less than a month away from having a nuclear weapon.
He is a habitual liar and here you are calling me out and not him. That's hilarious!
You do realize that what you posted as "your reasoning" for a war in Iran is nothing close to the reason trump claims he went to war there, right?
So rather than call trump on all of the times he has lied about this war and even lying about the fact he would not start any wars somehow you think it's my fault because I call him on his BS? So that means you just come here and make up lies about me instead? So you're just like trump. Murica! Freedumb! Dr. Jesus!
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Good post, Oober. I agree with a lot of what you posted. I think some of it is a little overboard, I mean, I'm not sure we could target a mosquito in the region without it affecting the world oil market so it's silly to think we didn't see that coming.
I was speaking specifically to his statement "That whole thing in Iran has been bungled from the start." Meaning, mission has started, for whatever reason you have decided, everything from that point forward. I was hoping he would respond but knew that probably wouldn't happen before everyone else did. I don't not agree with Daman, but I'm not sure I ever have. If he saw a headline that says Trump eats babies, he would 100% believe that and repeat it without reading another word.
I just think, whether war or football, it's always easy to armchair it after the fact. I see the necessity of dealing with this bully a lot differently than most here, I'm basically sitting shotgun with 'Peen in that respect.
I won't bother arguing about it though. It's mostly futile. It baffles me that we can talk about the possibility of Iran having a nuke and many people think (me included) that would be the direst situation, read: threat to humanity by humans, that this planet has ever faced... others think it's a nothingburger. There's not really much reason for those people to try to talk it out.
I was definitely writing with a bit of snark, so yes some was a bit overboard.
Personally, I don't mind a bit of short-term discomfort (price of oil and it's effect on other prices) if the reasoning and long-term benefit is there. So, to me, the issue is 100% why this whole thing was kicked off, and no amount of tactical execution can make up for an unclear or nonexistent objective. I agree with you on armchairing conflicts... except for the 'why'. And in this case critics don't even have to use the benefit of hindsight to question why we're attacking... it's been mixed messages since the aftermath of the first strikes on the nuclear sites.
Exactly. It's impossible to tell what is a lie and what is the truth. Now the consequences of that when he lies about every day things isn't so bad yet still undermines whether we can trust anything he says. But when the topic is war those lies can result in some terrible consequences. We're already at the point that the entire globe doesn't trust anything that comes out of his mouth. And the long term impact of that is even more severe.
What they have learned is no long term deal or agreement with the U.S. can be trusted. Here is at least a partial list of agreements the U.S. had made that trump has broken...............
[Paris Climate Agreement]: Trump withdrew the U.S. from the global climate accord for a second time in 2025.
[United Nations Entities]: A directive was signed in early 2026 to withdraw from 66 international organizations, including 31 UN entities and 35 other organizations, in a move to cease funding and involvement in entities seen as counter to U.S. interests.
[World Health Organization (WHO)]: The U.S. withdrew from the WHO.
[UN Human Rights Council and UNESCO]: The U.S. formally exited these bodies.
[UNRWA (Palestinian Refugee Aid)]: Funding was halted for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
Trade and Regional Deals Modified or Terminated
[Tariffs and Trade Deals]: Trump initiated a 90-day pause on trade negotiations in mid-2025, substituting them with new tariff rates for major partners including the E.U., Canada, Japan, and South Korea, after the Supreme Court struck down earlier IEEPA tariffs.
[UK Technology and Prosperity Deal]: This deal was suspended in December 2025.
[USAID Activities]: The administration has moved to dissolve or severely curtail the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The entire globe has learned that the word of the U.S. can never be trusted again because with a single election it can all be broken.
That's a lot more than a little "short term discomfort."
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
No matter if you agree or disagree this is a good and interesting discussion.
I think Piers is an absolute butthole - and I don't like the dude who talks over the interview giving his opinion... but the Greek dude is worth listening to even if you don't agree with all his viewpoints.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
You know, with all of the bluster from the right, none of you have been willing to address this question or address this set of facts. But I'm not going to stop trying to get you to.
On the campaign trail trump said he wouldn't start any new wars. Now you may say "This isn't a war" but trump has referred to it as a war several times. yes he has called it other things as well but he keeps slipping up and calling it a war. He plainly said there were no wars in his first term and there wouldn't be any in his second term either.
Six months after he was inaugurated, in June of 2025, He attacked Iran's nuclear program and stockpile. Immediately after he claimed he had set their nuclear program back many years if not decades by "obliterating it".
Then, just eight months later he said Iran was less than a month away from having a nuclear weapon.
So we know he lied about not starting a war. Something people voted for at the time.
Now all you have to do is decide if he was lying to you in June of 2025 or in March of 2026.
Since he told you two opposite things what makes you think we really needed to attack Iran when we did? And remember, it's been Netanyahu who has been telling the lie that Iran was on the verge of having a nuclear weapon since the 1990's.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Unverified claims circulating online allege that President Donald Trump attempted to "use nuclear codes" during a meeting on the war with Iran, but there is no evidence to support the allegation and no confirmation from U.S. officials.
The claim originates from comments made by former CIA officer Larry Johnson during an appearance on Judging Freedom, a podcast and YouTube talk show hosted by former Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano. Johnson did not provide evidence, did not identify any sources for his account and did not clarify what he meant by “nuclear codes.” Newsweek has found no independent corroboration for the claim.
What Larry Johnson Said During the April 20 episode of Judging Freedom, Johnson claimed that an emergency White House meeting took place on Saturday night amid escalating tensions with Iran.
“One report coming out of that meeting at the White House is that Trump wanted to use the nuclear, so‑called, use the nuclear codes, and General Dan Caine stood up and said 'no," Johnson said. He described the exchange as “apparently quite a blowup.”
Johnson did not name his source, explain how the information was obtained, or provide any details about what actions Trump was alleged to have taken. He did not clarify whether he was referring to a nuclear strike, a briefing, or any formal command process.
Johnson also cited images he said showed Caine, who is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, leaving the meeting “with his head down." Later in the episode Napolitano shows footage of the general walking outside on the White House grounds with his head down. Newsweek has not been able to independently verify when the footage was taken or whether it is connected to the alleged incident.
What We Know and Don’t Know There is no public evidence that Trump attempted to initiate a nuclear strike or access nuclear launch authority. Newsweek has reached out to the White House and the Pentagon for comment outside normal working hours.
Johnson used the phrase “nuclear codes” colloquially and did not describe how U.S. nuclear command-and-control procedures function. Under established protocol, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff does not have unilateral authority to block a presidential nuclear order.
No credible news organization has independently reported that Trump sought to access nuclear launch authority or that such an exchange occurred.
Well, besides the fact that even MSN aggregated reports and expressed broad skepticism, many outlets have since reported that there wasn't even an emergency meeting scheduled or conducted on that date.
In other news, Biden and Kamala were having an affair. One dude said it so.....
JUST IN: JD Vance’s Trip to Pakistan for Iran Peace Talks Delayed
Vice President JD Vance’s flight to Pakistan for fresh peace talks on the Iran war has reportedly not taken off as scheduled on Tuesday, raising new speculation over a peace deal with the regime.
CNN’s Alayna Treene reported that Vance will attend policy meetings at the White House on Tuesday, and will not travel to Islamabad as scheduled.
It’s currently unclear whether Vance’s trip will happen at all, sources told Treene.
“We don’t know if this trip is definitely off,” she told The Situation Room anchors Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown. “All we do know is that it is definitely delayed and that we should expect to see now the vice president at the White House for meetings today, not leaving this morning on that plane as we had previously reported.”
Vance flew to Pakistan earlier this month to lead talks in Islamabad along with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner. The VP said the Iranians refused to agree to the main point the Americans were seeking — an “affirmative commitment” the country will not pursue nuclear weapons.
The meeting failed to result in a deal being made.
“The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement,” Vance said at the time. “And I think that’s bad news for Iran, much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America.”
Well, besides the fact that even MSN aggregated reports and expressed broad skepticism, many outlets have since reported that there wasn't even an emergency meeting scheduled or conducted on that date.
fate...understand that the entire story about Trump trying to access the nuclear codes might not be factual...the entire story could be a CIA "false flag event", meant to influence future negotiations between Iran and the USA.
Simply planting the seed gives Iran negotiators something else to think about while negotiating.
The story might be true...or it might not be true that Trump attempted to access the nuclear codes...regardless it could end up being used as a positive negotiating ploy by the USA/CIA.
That whole thing in Iran has been bungled from the start. But then what can you expect from a Bible thumping Movie buff like Hegseth.
Tell us what you would have done different...
First of all I wouldn't have lied to the American people. I wouldn't have told anyone that Iran was 2 weeks away from a Nuke... That was clearly a lie..., Or, if you believe the moron when he said about 8 or so months ago that we had Obliterated their Nuclear Capabilities.. Which by the way tells me he lied either about 8 months ago, or he lied to start a war. I'll let you decide what he lied about.
This kinda "Kid Stuff" crap he's running makes him look more childlike than I'd like a President to be.
Then I'd have actually read the deal that came into play during the Obama Admin. If he had, he'd have found out that it contains all the assurances that Trumps been asking for. But you know Trumps ego.. He needed to make a splash.. He needed the deal to have his name on it, Not Obamas..
Clearly, he was Guided into this war by Netanyahu..... I support Israel but not their Leader. He's as big a disaster as Trump...
Lastly, I would never have gotten into a war without Clear Objectives and a Plan to attain that Objective.. And to be ready for that, I would NEVER have put a Cartoon character in charge of the Department of Defense... ( yeah, that's the official name) A man that doesn't know the difference between a bible verse and a Movie line.
And I wouldn't ever get rid of the Brain Power that Hegseth cut from the Military. Did you ever wonder what it costs to train a Military leader? This Moron tossed them out like dirty laundry... I wouldn't have allowed that to happen
What I would have done is exactly what Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden did. Especially Obama.. I would Trust But Verify. I would Trust my Military leaders to have a plan ready to activate in a moments notice,., And I'd have made Damn Sure we have our Allies on board before any action was taken....
I wouldn't have allowed my CIA or FBI or DoD to fire all the intel people on the Iran/Middle East Desk.;.. That was IDIOTIC.....(i suppose you weren't wondering why we didn't know about all the capabilities Iran had,, We'll that might be your answer.)
While your at it, why don't you take a look at the WPA.. War Powers Act.. look closely what it says a President can and can't do.. Match that with Trumps actions..
Trump bastardized that to mean what he wants it mean.. Not what it says.,,
Let me know if I answered your question.
Thank you for your attention to this matter! D
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
I think you go way, way overboard -- or you maybe fire from the hip not caring -- way too often. But - this post is dead nuts on the money.
- Iran was not 2 weeks away from a nuke. - Either we didn't obliterate their capacity 9 months ago - or we lied to go to war. Take your pick. It's actually most probably both. - Netanyahu definitely played Trump and led us into this war which he has tried to scaremonger us into for 20 years. - There was no real plan and definitely no exit strategy when Iran didn't instantly capitulate - hence the empty threats and constant ratcheting up of rhetoric which is Trump's only play and he hasn't realized Iran does not care. - Yes Hegseth is incompetent and has small man syndrome - Firing the military and intelligence personnel was foolish and short sighted. - 1000% get your allies on board before you launch an attack they all determine as illegal - and don't insult and demean them constantly when they stick to principals and adhere to international law.
Last edited by mgh888; 04/22/2603:11 AM.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
When things aren't quite going the way you thought they would...................
Navy Secretary John Phelan fired from administration amid Iran war
The chief Pentagon spokesperson said Phelan would depart "effective immediately," without adding more details about why he was leaving.
Navy Secretary John Phelan will leave the Trump administration “effective immediately,” the Pentagon announced Wednesday, marking the latest departure of a top defense official this year.
“On behalf of the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War, we are grateful to Secretary Phelan for his service to the Department and the United States Navy,” chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement posted on X.
Parnell did not provide a reason for Phelan's exit, but said that the new acting Navy secretary will be Undersecretary Hung Cao.
The abrupt firing by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth came after mounting tensions between Phelan and Hegseth and the Pentagon’s No. 2, Stephen Feinberg, according to multiple officials and others familiar with the relationship.
There were a number of issues between the men, but the speed and approach Phelan was taking when it came to shipbuilding, a challenge in which President Trump has taken a personal interest, appears to have been the main reason for the firing, multiple people said.
They clashed not only on shipbuilding, but also the Golden Fleet, Trump’s signature naval initiative, as well as the deployment of ships around the world. Feinberg had wrested some decision making on shipbuilding away from Phelan, according to two officials familiar with the matter.
NBC News could not immediately reach Phelan for comment. The Pentagon responded to a request for comment by referring back to Parnell's statement.
Phelan’s ouster comes amid the U.S. naval blockade of Iran. The American military has seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has called a violation of the precarious ceasefire between the two countries. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Fox News Wednesday that the seizure was not a violation because they were “international vessels,” and insisted the blockade has been “massively effective.”
Firing the head of the Navy when the U.S. is enforcing a naval blockade caught members of Congress and Pentagon officials by surprise, according to multiple officials. By Wednesday evening, there were differing accounts from administration officials about Phelan’s firing. Three people familiar with the matter said Phelan did not know he was being fired until he saw the post on X from the Pentagon’s top spokesman announcing his departure. But a senior administration official said Phelan was notified ahead of time.
“President Trump and Secretary Hegseth agreed new leadership at the Navy is needed,” according to the official. “Secretary Hegseth informed John Phelan of this news prior to it being made public.”
Despite the dismissal, Phelan's tenure included moves favorable to the Trump administration.
Last December, Phelan announced a new class of U.S. battleships, dubbing them “Trump-class battleships” while speaking at an event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Earlier in the year, Phelan reversed the demotion of Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson, who had been stripped of his rank in 2022 after an investigation found he behaved inappropriately during his time as White House physician. Jackson, who served under Trump and former President Barack Obama, called the investigation’s findings politically motivated at the time.
The Senate confirmed Phelan as Navy Secretary in a 62-30 vote in March 2025.
Lawmakers were surprised by the dismissal. Phelan had spent the greater part of the day on Capitol Hill discussing the nuts and bolts of shipbuilding, according to one official and one person familiar with the matter, and had no apparent idea he was about to be sacked.
There was no immediate response from Sen. Roger Wicker, the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who represents Mississippi, a major shipbuilding state.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member of the committee, expressed concern about the firing.
“Secretary Phelan’s abrupt dismissal is troubling,” Reed said in a statement. “I am concerned it is yet another example of the instability and dysfunction that have come to define the Department of Defense under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth."
Phelan’s departure comes after Hegseth forced out the Army’s top officer and two other Army generals earlier this month.
Hegseth ousted Gen. Randy George, the Army chief of staff. Parnell later confirmed George’s departure, saying the top officer would be “retiring from his position … effective immediately.”
Hegseth has removed multiple senior officials he believes are associated with previous administrations. George was senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who served in President Joe Biden’s Cabinet. George’s firing was in part a result of a brewing turf war between Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.
Hegseth has fired numerous officials since starting his tenure in 2025.
Last year, he fired Air Force Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, who headed the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency, after an initial assessment by the agency found that U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities were not as extensive as Trump had indicated.
Hegseth also fired Navy Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield; Joint Chiefs Chairman CQ Brown Jr.; Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh; Navy Adm. Lisa Franchetti; and head of the Coast Guard, Adm. Linda Fagan.
We're not the ones who ended up with someone who changed everything he used to believe after he had a stroke. It's not such an uncommon symptom.
Unless of course you think Fetterman Made Strokes Great Again.
Name a few things then. I mean, if he "changed everything", it should be easy...
The debate over John Fetterman's consistency often centers on whether his post-election actions are a fundamental shift or just the first time he's had a national platform for his long-held views. While he maintains his core values are unchanged, several high-profile issues have fueled the "changed stance" narrative:
Key Areas of Debate
"Not a Progressive" Label: Since 2023, Fetterman has explicitly rejected the "progressive" label, stating he is just a "regular Democrat". Critics point out he was endorsed by Bernie Sanders in 2016, though he has always diverged from the "Squad" on several issues.
Israel and Foreign Policy: Fetterman has become one of the most outspoken pro-Israel voices in the Senate. While he pledged to "lean in" on Israeli security during his campaign, the intensity of his current stance—often breaking with Democratic leadership—has surprised many constituents.
Fracking: This is one of his most documented shifts. In 2016, he called fracking a "stain" on Pennsylvania and signed a pledge for a moratorium. By 2022, he stated he "supports fracking," citing improved state environmental regulations as the reason for his change.
Immigration: He has criticized Democratic approaches to border security and supported certain enforcement measures that align more with centrist or even Republican-leaning positions.
Bipartisan Cooperation: Recently, Fetterman has drawn both praise and fire for voting with Republicans to end government shutdowns and expressing willingness to confirm some of Donald Trump's cabinet appointees, such as Marco Rubio.
You just listed several high profile issues and then ask me to show you?
His shift has led to a significant decline in his approval rating among Pennsylvania Democrats, with some former supporters feeling a sense of betrayal. Conversely, his new, more moderate-to-conservative positions have earned him praise from some conservatives and political commentators.
He had his stroke before his 2022 campaign and just days before the primary.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Well - this isn't really about politics to me. It's about counting.
What have we gained. What has it cost. Was it worth it. I guess the politics might be about commenting on the absolute sh*t show on display regarding the "negotiations" and the tantrums and attacks on western allies.
Trying to spin this onto the Democrats as being the bad actors .... really just plain flat out dumb.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
Sometimes the reality of the world has to smack people in the face. Some snap out of it, some remain delusional in the hope that non reasonable zealots become reasonable.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
I'll ask you again Peen, since it seems all you want to do is throw crazy, unfounded, baseless accusations around.....
So did trump "obliterate Iran's nuclear weapon program setting it back many years if not decades" in June of 2025 or were they "less than a month away from having a nuclear weapon" in February of 2026?
One of those things is a lie. So which one do you believe is true and which one is the lie?
Obama had a deal set in place that prevented Iran from having a nuclear weapon. In case you missed it, he is one of the "you people" you're are talking about. Enrichment was limited and open inspections were being done. Iran was complying. Now if you want to start using trump talking points about that, please bring some facts to the table as to why it was such a bad deal and didn't to that instead of just more baseless rhetoric like you're using here. It was actually trump, one of "you people" that opened the door when he blew up the deal we had in place with Iran. He made it clear to Iran that the American government was no longer trustworthy to honor the deal they made.
So don't blame "us people" for the situation we're in because it was one of "you people" who created this mess.
Now what should we have done about Iran? Who knows? Because we have no idea which time trump was lying to us and which time he wasn't. And neither do "you people".
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Firstly I would discount anything Israel ever said about Iran and it's nuclear program. Netanyahu has been saying for 20+ years Iran was months or weeks away from a nuclear bomb. Clearly all those statements - dozens of which are in print and on video for you to see for yourself, were all lies driven by an agenda, just like his sales pitch to Trump to engage in the current war.
Before the the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was terminated in May 2018, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had unprecedented access to Iran’s nuclear program to verify compliance.
Under the 2015 agreement, often called the Obama agreement, Iran allowed IAEA inspectors "continuous and robust" monitoring of declared sites, along with implementing the Additional Protocol, which allowed for inspections of suspicious, undeclared sites.
Based on reports up to the 2015-2018 period, the IAEA consistently reported that Iran was complying with the technical requirements of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), limiting its nuclear program. While the IAEA identified minor issues, it did not report a concerted effort to build a nuclear weapon before the U.S. withdrew from the agreement.
Those are facts and that is simply "counting".
You and others are free to believe that the rest of the world are stupid or naive - you can choose not to believe experts in the field and on the ground. Peen can voice his opinion that anyone that doesn't agree with Netanyahu or Trump "wants Iran to have Nukes" ... That's your choice. But it is driven by emotion and opinions, which is fine, but worth highlighting.
For reference: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is composed of 181 member states (as of late 2025), a 35-member Board of Governors, a General Conference of all members, and a Secretariat led by a Director General. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Except for the people repeating trump's BS of what a terrible deal it was without any substance to back that up other than repeating trump's BS about what a "bad deal" it was. That's all you managed to do.......
Stockpile Reduction: Iran was required to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium from over 10,000 kg (enough for 8-10 bombs) to no more than 300 kg of 3.67% low-enriched uranium.
Removal of Excess: The vast majority of Iran's stockpile was either shipped out of the country or diluted, according to the Obama White House Archives.
Enrichment Level Cap: The deal capped Iran's enrichment level at 3.67%, which is suitable for civilian nuclear power but far below the 90% required for a nuclear weapon.
Duration: These limitations were designed to last for 15 years.
Declared Facilities: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had 24/7 continuous monitoring via cameras and online enrichment monitors at declared nuclear sites like Natanz and Fordow.
Now let's look at the trump approach.
He told Iran they would undergo continuing talks. Not once but twice they left talks on Friday that were set to resume on Monday and he bombed them over those week-ends. All he has done is show the globe that you can't trust our government to honor its word from one day to the next.
I mean there are two ways to look at this. They either had nothing to speak of in terms of nuclear capability when trump started this war if you believe what trump told you in June of 2025 after he said he "obliterated their nuclear program setting it back many years, even decades" or they were "less than a month away from having a nuclear weapon" when trump started this war with Iran which is the same false flag Netanyahu has been repeating over and over again since the 1990's.
You are a pretty funny guy though. When I try to get an answer to a question about something from you, you throw a fit and claim you don't have to answer anything and that you're not my puppet. Then expect to get an answer from me?
Before we get into this too deep I hope you've taken something for your mood swings.
It's also hilarious that Obama had a much better deal and accomplished more to put Iran's nuclear capability in check and after about 50 billion so far trump hasn't really accomplished anything in that regard. And that was with zero American troops killed or injured during Obama reaching that deal. I hope if noting else that means something to you.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Except for the people repeating trump's BS of what a terrible deal it was without any substance to back that up other than repeating trump's BS about what a "bad deal" it was. That's all you managed to do.......
Stockpile Reduction: Iran was required to reduce its stockpile of enriched uranium from over 10,000 kg (enough for 8-10 bombs) to no more than 300 kg of 3.67% low-enriched uranium.
Removal of Excess: The vast majority of Iran's stockpile was either shipped out of the country or diluted, according to the Obama White House Archives.
Enrichment Level Cap: The deal capped Iran's enrichment level at 3.67%, which is suitable for civilian nuclear power but far below the 90% required for a nuclear weapon.
Duration: These limitations were designed to last for 15 years.
Declared Facilities: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had 24/7 continuous monitoring via cameras and online enrichment monitors at declared nuclear sites like Natanz and Fordow.
Now let's look at the trump approach.
He told Iran they would undergo continuing talks. Not once but twice they left talks on Friday that were set to resume on Monday and he bombed them over those week-ends. All he has done is show the globe that you can't trust our government to honor its word from one day to the next.
I mean there are two ways to look at this. They either had nothing to speak of in terms of nuclear capability when trump started this war if you believe what trump told you in June of 2025 after he said he "obliterated their nuclear program setting it back many years, even decades" or they were "less than a month away from having a nuclear weapon" when trump started this war with Iran which is the same false flag Netanyahu has been repeating over and over again since the 1990's.
You are a pretty funny guy though. When I try to get an answer to a question about something from you, you throw a fit and claim you don't have to answer anything and that you're not my puppet. Then expect to get an answer from me?
Before we get into this too deep I hope you've taken something for your mood swings.
It's also hilarious that Obama had a much better deal and accomplished more to put Iran's nuclear capability in check and after about 50 billion so far trump hasn't really accomplished anything in that regard. And that was with zero American troops killed or injured during Obama reaching that deal. I hope if noting else that means something to you.
Great story, but I think you missed the question... How does this "prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon"?
Great story, but I think you missed the question... How does this "prevent Iran from having a nuclear weapon"?
I'm sorry you couldn't grasp the removal of their enriched uranium and the inspections that kept all of the uranium enrichment down to 300 kg of 3.67% low-enriched uranium. 3.67% enrichment of Uranium-235 is specifically designed for use in civilian nuclear power plants to produce electricity.
The agreement wouldn't have even ended until July of last year by which time they had already enriched a lot of uranium to over 60%. Trump had given them since 2018 to do so. Trump and any other administration would have had years negotiate a new deal without any of what we see now happening had the Obama deal have been left in place.
And on top of all of that, there is zero evidence Iran holds any uranium enriched to over 60% even now. weapons grade uranium needs to be enriched to 90+% to make a nuclear weapon.
Trump started a war that didn't need to happen when it did.
The funny thing is you have more questions to answer here than I do. But unlike me, you won't. No surprise there.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
I think you go way, way overboard -- or you maybe fire from the hip not caring -- way too often. But - this post is dead nuts on the money.
- Iran was not 2 weeks away from a nuke. - Either we didn't obliterate their capacity 9 months ago - or we lied to go to war. Take your pick. It's actually most probably both. - Netanyahu definitely played Trump and led us into this war which he has tried to scaremonger us into for 20 years. - There was no real plan and definitely no exit strategy when Iran didn't instantly capitulate - hence the empty threats and constant ratcheting up of rhetoric which is Trump's only play and he hasn't realized Iran does not care. - Yes Hegseth is incompetent and has small man syndrome - Firing the military and intelligence personnel was foolish and short sighted. - 1000% get your allies on board before you launch an attack they all determine as illegal - and don't insult and demean them constantly when they stick to principals and adhere to international law.
Love it,,, I went overboard, but you agree.,.....Perfect.
Worry not my friend, I always pack extra life vests!
The really funny thing about not having a plan and not having the intelligence on the matter is incredible. I mean, Iran has a history of not Capitulating. Nothing new. But without someone to bring that up, Hegseth and Trump either didn't know or didn't care because they thought they could puff up their chests and make the cry uncle. Honestly, I'm not really sure which.
Trump and the minions don't or can't grasp that our allies don't really need us. They are stronger with us, but without us, they are formidable. So taking the approach that we can just "Bully" them, is childish and nutty and well, wrong.
#GMSTRONG
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.” Daniel Patrick Moynahan
"Alternative facts hurt us all. Think before you blindly believe." Damanshot
Where things stand • Trip canceled: President Donald Trump said he no longer plans to send a US delegation to Pakistan this weekend, blaming “infighting” in Iran for derailing potential talks and saying the trip would have been “too much work.” Trump said the cancellation does not mean fighting will resume.
• Stalled peace effort: The White House had hoped to renew peace talks by sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, but Tehran never confirmed plans to meet directly. Iran’s top diplomat has already left Pakistan after talks with mediators.
• In Lebanon: Meanwhile, Israel has launched more deadly strikes on southern Lebanon, according to the country’s health ministry, despite a ceasefire agreement recently extended by three weeks. Iran-backed Hezbollah has fired rockets into northern Israel.
NBC News Drops Bombshell Report on Trump War Battle Damage: ‘Far Worse’ Than Trump Team Said Tommy Christopher Apr 25th, 2026, 10:32 am Share 865 comments NBC News Drops Bombshell Report on Trump War Battle Damage screenshot
NBC News dropped a bombshell report on Saturday that multiple government officials say damage to U.S. military bases was much more extensive than President Donald Trump’s officials have publicly disclosed.
The president is preparing to speak at his first White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) in office on Saturday night, as will frequent press attackers like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
Pentagon reporting has been in the administration’s crosshairs, but a parade of anonymous government sources nevertheless contributed to the reporting by NBC’s Gordon Lubold, Courtney Kube, Mosheh Gains, and Natasha Lebedeva.
The team attributed six sources for their report, which revealed that repairs from the Iran War damage will cost billions:
American military bases and other equipment in the Persian Gulf region suffered extensive damage from Iranian strikes that is far worse than publicly acknowledged and is expected to cost billions of dollars to repair, according to three U.S. officials, two congressional aides and another person familiar with the damage.
The Iranian regime swiftly retaliated after the Trump administration attacked on Feb. 28, hitting dozens of targets across U.S. military bases in seven Middle East countries. Those attacks struck warehouses, command headquarters, aircraft hangars, satellite communications infrastructure, runways, high-end radar systems and dozens of aircraft, according to the U.S. officials and an assessment by the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington, D.C.
In the initial days of the war, an Iranian F-5 fighter jet bombed the U.S. base Camp Buehring in Kuwait, despite the base having air defenses, a rare breach that marked the first time an enemy fixed-wing aircraft has struck an American military base in years, according to two of the U.S. officials.
The U.S. bases that came under attack are home to thousands of American troops, and in some cases their families, though they were largely cleared out in the days and hours before the U.S. and Israeli went to war with Iran.
I just have a few things that seem quite confusing which I thought you may possibly help provide some clarity on. I know those on the other end of the spectrum won't touch it so I thought possibly you could.
The last two times trump was going to send Kushner and Witkof, and one of those two time Vance as well, Iran made it clear they would not be meeting with the U.S. The first time they said that they wouldn't even be there and the second time they said they were only there to talk to the Pakistani representatives in the peace talks and had no plans to speak with the U.S. Yet trump planned those trips and didn't cancel them until the last moment.
All along he has contended that Iran was the party most wishing for a deal. "They are dying to make a deal!" On April 17th trump told CBS news Iran had "agreed to everything," including the removal of enriched uranium and ceasing support for proxy groups.
So if all that's true why isn't Iran showing up? If that's true why hasn't a deal already been signed? If Iran is "desperate to make deal" why is it the only people that have planned a trip to negotiate a peace deal between Iran and the U.S. since the first meeting been the U.S.?
And probably the most confusing part of this................
Trump claims that there is so much infighting going on in Iran they themselves don't even know who is running the country.
If that's true why is the U.S. agreeing to and attempting to holding peace talks with Iran? If Iran can't figure out who is in charge of their own country how can this administration know who is running Iran? If what they are saying is true how do they know the people they are negotiating these peace talks with would even have the power and authority to honor such a peace deal if one is agreed upon?
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Some time back I suggested that a political struggle was in play and the hard line military was gaining some degree of control. In the end, he who controls the army controls the country.
You sent me lectures on how they have a constitution.
In the mean time we just keep trying to see who emerges and continue our slow choke out death with the blockade. Hopefully one of their buddies in China comes over and tells them they lost and need to give it up.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
Hey - Saw this the other day but have been tied up.
Not sure if your question is serious or not. The truth is we don't know and we can only speculate. The reality is I suspect that Trump's ego and narcistic personality prevents him from ever acknowledging ... well anything. I take the root cause of everything you said as: Trump can't stop his verbal diarrhea and talks utter BS many times. Just my 2 cents.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
Some time back I suggested that a political struggle was in play and the hard line military was gaining some degree of control. In the end, he who controls the army controls the country.
You sent me lectures on how they have a constitution.
In the mean time we just keep trying to see who emerges and continue our slow choke out death with the blockade. Hopefully one of their buddies in China comes over and tells them they lost and need to give it up.
Actually that isn't what's going on. The "the hard line military" known as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard has always been in control and is controlled at the behest of their Supreme Leader. That was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei before he was killed. That is now his son Mojtaba Khamenei...................................
Senior Iranian lawmaker Ali Nikzad declared that the Strait of Hormuz will never return to its pre-war state, citing a direct order from the Supreme Leader. He dismissed Trump’s demands on Iran’s nuclear program, asking: “Who is Trump in the world to decide this?” The strait remains restricted amid a US naval blockade.
They have said they will open the Strait IF trump removes the blockade of their ports however. That hasn't changed since trump took that action.
Their senior lawmaker just made that perfectly clear yesterday.
If Iran doesn't know who is in charge like trump claims, why would they be trying to broker a peace agreement with Iran? They would have no idea of they are even negotiating with who is running Iran. Here's a hint. When trump tells you something that doesn't make any sense, don't believe it.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
BERLIN, April 27 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday Iran's leadership was humiliating the United States and getting U.S. officials to travel to Pakistan and then leave without results, in an unusually abrupt rebuke over the conflict.
Merz also said he not see what exit strategy the U.S. was pursuing in the Iran war - comments that underlined deep divisions between Washington and its European NATO allies, which had already been festering over Ukraine and other issues.
"The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result," he said during a talk to students in the town of Marsberg.
"An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible," he added at the venue in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
U.S. President Donald Trump has harshly criticized NATO allies for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict. The waterway has remained virtually shut, causing market turmoil and unprecedented disruption in energy supplies.
Merz reiterated that Germans and Europeans were not consulted before the U.S. and Israel started attacking Iran on February 28, and that he had conveyed his scepticism directly to Trump afterwards.
"If I had known that it would continue like this for five or six weeks and get progressively worse, I would have told him even more emphatically," Merz said, comparing it to previous U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Hopes of reviving peace efforts have receded since Trump scrapped a visit on Saturday by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi travelled to Russia on Monday after failed talks in Pakistan and Oman.
Merz said it was evident the Strait of Hormuz had been at least partially mined. "We have offered, also as Europeans, to send German minesweepers to clear the strait, which has obviously been mined in part," he said.
He said the conflict was costing Germany "a lot of money, a lot of taxpayers' money and a lot of economic strength."
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, writing by Kirsti Knolle; editing by Matthias Williams)
The world is inching closer to a global recession... All because of Trump and his ego.
It's that simple. Fact.
And the EU and ROTW is probably going to get more vocal about it. What Germany just did/said was the equivalent of screaming "WTF are you doing dummy" ... Diplomatic talk is not normally so blatant.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
Gasoline prices in the United States hit their highest level in four years on Tuesday as negotiations over the Iran war appeared to show little signs of a resolution.
Gasoline prices in the United States hit their highest level in four years on Tuesday as negotiations over the Iran war appeared to show little signs of a resolution.
The daily gas market price went up 20 cents a gallon last night. Diesel went up 23.
Gas down the street from my house at three stations is 4.99.
And the strait is still closed. We have “total dominance” and they can keep the straight close with some fast boats and drones? Yeah sure
I got it las night at Sam’s in Boardman for 3.84. My wife went by today and said the line was from the pumps, down the main incoming aisle, down the main entrance coming into the site and cars were out on the main road
Gasoline prices in the United States hit their highest level in four years on Tuesday as negotiations over the Iran war appeared to show little signs of a resolution.
The daily gas market price went up 20 cents a gallon last night. Diesel went up 23.
Gas down the street from my house at three stations is 4.99.
And the strait is still closed. We have “total dominance” and they can keep the straight close with some fast boats and drones? Yeah sure
I got it las night at Sam’s in Boardman for 3.84. My wife went by today and said the line was from the pumps, down the main incoming aisle, down the main entrance coming into the site and cars were out on the main road
DOW up 800 points despite this. Nothing makes sense anymore.
It's supposed to be hard! If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great!
GM's comment is a very well worn saying but it's never been more true. The rich are getting richer and it is at the expense of the (what is traditionally called) middle and working classes.
GM's comment is a very well worn saying but it's never been more true. The rich are getting richer and it is at the expense of the (what is traditionally called) middle and working classes.
In 2025, the wealthiest 1% of Americans owned nearly 50% of the stock market. The top 10% own 87.2%, and the bottom half owned 1.1%.
So while anyone with a 401K or investments is 'getting richer' - the divide is ever ever ever widening and increasing.
Ok...so what?
I don't say that because I don't want others to share in the wealth. I just don't see how vilifying wealth is somehow going to help. To some wealth is a dirty word.
My feeling is before we do that, lets wipe out all the fraud money going to the slugs of society and sharing it with the folks who are trying and need an extra boost before we start pointing fingers at people who are deemed to be making too much money.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
GM's comment is a very well worn saying but it's never been more true. The rich are getting richer and it is at the expense of the (what is traditionally called) middle and working classes.
In 2025, the wealthiest 1% of Americans owned nearly 50% of the stock market. The top 10% own 87.2%, and the bottom half owned 1.1%.
So while anyone with a 401K or investments is 'getting richer' - the divide is ever ever ever widening and increasing.
Ok...so what?
So what? He pointed out that the wealthiest 10% of Americans own 87.2% of the stock market. It shows that the vast majority of the stock market increase goes to the wealthy. Those are the very same people that paying more for gas isn't as much of a burden as those who make much less.
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I don't say that because I don't want others to share in the wealth. I just don't see how vilifying wealth is somehow going to help. To some wealth is a dirty word.
Who said anything vilifying the rich here? Stating actual facts and statistics isn't vilifying anyone. Dear Lord man.
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My feeling is before we do that, lets wipe out all the fraud money going to the slugs of society and sharing it with the folks who are trying and need an extra boost before we start pointing fingers at people who are deemed to be making too much money.
The top 20% of households holding approximately $49.1 trillion in equities and mutual funds. First nobody "did that" and secondly you're fixated on something that doesn't hold a candle to the wealth being discussed here.
Intoducing for The Cleveland Browns, Quarterback Deshawn "The Predator" Watson. He will also be the one to choose your next head coach.
Trump says Iranians have "agreed to everything," including removal of enriched uranium
President Trump said in a phone interview that Iran has "agreed to everything," and will work with the U.S. to remove its enriched uranium.
He insisted that doing so will not involve U.S. ground troops. But when asked who would retrieve it, he would only say "our people."
"No. No troops," he said. "We'll go down and get it with them, and then we'll take it. We'll be getting it together because by that time, we'll have an agreement and there's no need for fighting when there's an agreement. Nice right? That's better. We would have done it the other way if we had to."
The president said the material would then be brought to the U.S.
"Our people, together with the Iranians, are going to work together to go get it. And then we'll take it to the United States," he said.
As Pit has already mentioned - al be it a little more aggressively - no-one said wealth is bad or vilified the wealthy. You said everyone who has a 401K is getting rich in response to GM saying the rich are getting richer. . . . I simply pointed out that your statement basically confirms what GM said. If the markets go up - it is the Rich getting richer disproportionately compared to other classes. You or I or others on the board could even have a lovely nest egg and have a million or two stashed away .... we would still be falling way behind the 1% even if we'd be doing 100 times better than the average citizen.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
No, no wait. He said that back on April 17th. It was a lie....... again.
You know I read your post and was almost optimistic for a moment.
This war is absolutely crazy. Hegseth this week was an utter embarrassment and is being ridiculed in the EU news.... well I say ridiculed, they have quoted what he said. smh.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
As Pit has already mentioned - al be it a little more aggressively - no-one said wealth is bad or vilified the wealthy. You said everyone who has a 401K is getting rich in response to GM saying the rich are getting richer. . . . I simply pointed out that your statement basically confirms what GM said. If the markets go up - it is the Rich getting richer disproportionately compared to other classes. You or I or others on the board could even have a lovely nest egg and have a million or two stashed away .... we would still be falling way behind the 1% even if we'd be doing 100 times better than the average citizen.
First, I said richer, not rich. Small difference in spelling, a large difference in connotation.
No doubt money grows money. I'll concede that point. Unless you put a cap on how much one can earn or how much one can have, I don't know of any way to avoid that. My feeling is it is simply envy/lust. If you took all the money away from the 100 richest people, how long do you think it would take before the next 100 would become the target? Until everybody is equally broke, there will always be a next target.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
The finer details of rich or richer are worth pointing out - but I don't think it alters the conversation or my point. In some ways I think that is might be a distraction or deflection.
I have not commented on redistributing wealth. I have not offered a solution. I have not said being wealthy is a sin or bad. I have stated factually that the wealth gap between the haves and the have nots is wider than it has ever been and it continues to grow. And that isn't a wealth gap between the out of work and welfare state recipients and the guys that work hard and your average "successful" graduate having a great career - it's the wealth gap between most - nearly all (80-85%?) and the ultra wealthy. Essentially in response to you suggesting that everyone with a 401K is doing alright (getting richer) I think it is actually important to realize and focus on who overwhelmingly benefits from market moves. If you want to have a conversation about whether that's good or bad. Fair or unbalanced. Justified or whether the 'game' is rigged - I'll happily discuss. But that wasn't the point made or the conversation that I started.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
It stands to reason that those with a larger stake in the market are going to benefit more from a dollar standpoint.
If everybody was invested exactly the same, their percentage gain or loss would be the same for the year, month, or day, whichever unit of measure you would choose. I get that not everybody with a 401K is doing well. I don't know how you fix that. I just chalk it up to you have winners and losers in all phases of life. That isn't a reflection on any one individual, it's just the way the game goes.
Let me ask a question. If the ultra wealthy were stripped of 20% of their wealth, how much money do you think would actually get down to the people who are deemed in need?
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
If the ultra wealthy were stripped of 20% of their wealth, how much money do you think would actually get down to the people who are deemed in need?
That all depends on how it was done, who did it, and what long term goals were set in order to do it.
For the sake of argument - let's say that the ultra wealthy are those in the top 0.1% of the USA. That means you have to have a minimum of about $62 million. Total assets - $25 trillion. 20% (your number) is $5 Trillion.
With $5 Trillion and just using AI as a tool.
- if you raised $5 trillion through a tax on the wealthiest 0.1%, that single injection of capital could theoretically fund the complete eradication of U.S. child poverty for nearly 28 years.
- The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimates that bringing U.S. infrastructure (roads, bridges, water systems) into "good repair" would cost nearly $2.6 trillion over 10 years. Economic ROI: Every $1 billion in infrastructure investment is estimated to add $3 billion to the GDP over a decade
- If directed globally, $5 trillion could solve several worldwide crises for decades. Ending World Hunger: The United Nations estimates a global fix at roughly $60 billion per year. A $5 trillion fund could bankroll this mission for 83 years.
- Universal Clean Water: Providing clean water and sanitation globally would cost roughly $150 billion annually, meaning $5 trillion could sustain this for 33 years.
- Expanding the American education system to include the earliest years would cost a fraction of $5 trillion. Universal Pre-K: Implementing high-quality preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds is estimated to cost $351 billion over 10 years. Universal Childcare: A broader proposal to subsidise childcare for nearly all parents with children under 6 is estimated at $390 billion.
You could do an awful lot - 20% seems harsh. It's also impossible to implement - how do you tax unrealized gains? And - I've answered with the perspective of what you could do socially or to improve lives and infrastructure. That's important but as import - possibly even more importantly at this moment in time .... reduce the national debt !! It is unsustainable.
Last edited by mgh888; 05/02/2608:55 AM.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
I was watching a news show. They were discussing the reasoning for the war. One guy said Trump is lying about his reasons for starting the war. The other guy says what if he us not lying , that was his counter.
Not how dare you suggest the president would lie about his reasoning for the war but "what if he is not lying" that's were we are. News flash he is lying
Trump can't get what he claims he wants (essentially capitulation by Iran) - without escalating the war. That means ground troops. More $$$. More US lives lost. If he doesn't escalate in some form or another, even if its to try to get ships through the straits, he is essentially losing face and has been embarrassed.
Iran are comfortable with the current status quo - they have resisted the great military might of the USA. But ...
When Trump says he wants to do more - escorting the ships thru or out of the straits.... Iran can't let them do it - they need to escalate or they lose what leverage they have which is all about the global impact of shutting the straits.
I found that logic hard to counter.
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
Just listened to Hegseth making an announcement about project freedom. Jesus he is such an embarrassment. This is a gift to the rest of the world from the USA. lmao. I wish a journlaist would ask what sort of gift he think s this is - the straits were open before, They are not open as a direct result of Israel and the USA's illegal war of choice (based on international law). World economic forecast has shrunk and is probably heading to a recession .... some gift you complete a-hole. The only kind of surprising thing was that he didn't shotgun a beer at the end of the address he gave and shout MURICA !!!
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
• Ceasefire under strain: The ceasefire between the US and Iran is being tested after both sides fired shots in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting President Donald Trump to decline to say if the truce remains in place. In addition, the United Arab Emirates, a US ally, said that its air defenses “engaged” 19 Iranian missiles and drones and that a drone attack caused a fire at an oil port in the Fujairah region.
• US threat: Trump also warned Iranian forces they would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if they attempted to target US ships in the strait or the Persian Gulf.
• Impact on economy: Oil prices rose and stocks fell on concerns about the safety of transiting the critical waterway. Average US gas prices could reach $5 a gallon if the strait remains closed, an oil market expert told CNN.
The other interesting (IMO) thing at play is the game Hegseth is playing with Congress.
He has already gone over the 60-day "requirement" for bringing a war declaration to Congress. He's claiming that the ceasefire essentially functions as a pause button in terms of the 60-day requirement, but I think the general consensus is that that is a load of doodoo (we're currently firing at each other and our Navy sank 6 Iranian small boats yesterday).
Don't get me wrong, I have exactly zero expectation of Congress deciding it's going to start doing its job or growing a spine.... plus, it's not like past presidents haven't played fast and loose with the War Powers Resolution rules. So it's not like we should be surprised if this all gets swept under the rug... but just as easily we could see this blow up into all sorts of drama with the backdrop of smaller elections going on right now.
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