Not only would the UAE and Saudi Arabia collapse but I daresay Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar would just as quickly follow those two entities into the dustbin of history.
The scenario might well be that the rulers of Bahrain and Kuwait at least flee to Riyadh for refuge while the Bahrainis declare independence or seek to unite with Shi’ites along the southern part of the Persian Gulf in the old KSA and the newly liberated Kuwait rejoins Iraq.

Posted by: Jen | Jul 17 2019 11:04 utc | 4

Ready @5
The Zionist will order their American Lackeys to elevate to nuclear ……

Posted by: ger | Jul 17 2019 11:17 utc | 6

Brevity. Don’t you just love it.
What happens to Israel? Hopefully it gets in hours what it has dealt to the Palestinians over the entire period of it’s existence.

Posted by: eagle eye | Jul 17 2019 11:44 utc | 8

Iranian Professor: UAE will ‘CEASE TO EXIST IN A FEW DAYS’ if US-Iran War Breaks Out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7w_kLug2pw

Posted by: curious man | Jul 17 2019 11:58 utc | 10

A US-led Christian Colonial Coalition attack on Iran will mark a significant departure from the West’s mendacity-based safety-first cowardice. AmeriKKKa’s fake wars are tr-r-aditionally launched against feeble and/or pre-disarmed targets which, not coincidentally, are also a safe distance from the US Homeland. On the other hand, the Homeland is NOT a safe distance from Iran’s allies, Russia and China.
Iran has had 40 years to prepare for this latest AmeriKKKan assault on its independence and sovereignty. It’s impossible to believe, or even imagine, that Iran wasted those years sitting on its hands, feeling helpless. Let’s hope that AmeriKKKa comes to its senses and doesn’t decide to find out, the hard way, why Iran doesn’t, and never did, need Nukes…

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jul 17 2019 12:10 utc | 12

The Emirati and Saudi regimes would most probably swiftly collapse. Millions of indentured servants would overrun Abu Dhabi and Dubai while Yemeni forces and their regional allies would overwhelm Saudi Arabia as western occupation forces would be expelled from the region. Millions of people would stream towards Europe, even as the EU and the rest of the world would be facing an economic catastrophe.

I don’t know.
Energy and food independent North America would likely be ok, perhaps after a manageable crisis is used to achieve long stated goals of the Globo elite.
Energy rich Russia would likely benefit most of all, quickly moving to fill the gap in Europe and that would likely be unstoppable, even for NATO which would fold like a tent.
China would be the biggest loser, shorter term, but the political elite would likely also benefit since the US would be held 100% responsible. Deadwood would be chopped from their own economy, production could be quickly reoriented towards ocal demand and they do seem otherwise relatively well prepared from a security perspective. China will manage just fine I think and after just a few years BRI will be that much more necessary and fully back on track.
A steady stream of the wealthiest Middle Easterners would likely pour into Europe but I doubt the poorest people would make it very far if they tried to make the same trip. When all is said and done the entire ME region would look a lot like Yemen. In fact I’m beginning to think Yemen is a Globalist test bed for how far people must be pushed before they will die. I have yet to see a single Yemeni make it to Canada asrefugee, for example, and the Turks could block Anatolia to protect themselves I am certain. 3 million Syrian refugees is already more than enough for Erdogan and their mountainous geography has long been a barrier between Occident and Orient.
All in all it looks like the Psychopathic Elite are just waiting to pull the trigger. Also, total enslavement of so-called First World populations would become much easier under such conditions. A thousand solutions presently difficult to enact are just waiting to be introduced. And who will refuse the extreme demands of our governments under such circumstances? We are already too pacified and frightened to stop the train barreling down upon us.
They keep promising this will be the year. Perhaps this is it.

Posted by: C I eh? | Jul 17 2019 12:28 utc | 14

A US Led Naval Coalition… is all US mouth and trousers.
Britannia waives the rules: oil tanker theatre for preserving ongoing effort to restrict Iranian infrastructure

Posted by: FiWade | Jul 17 2019 13:03 utc | 16

The Professor has a unique and perhaps somewhat biased perspective having been a victim of chemical warfare attacks.

Posted by: wakada | Jul 17 2019 13:11 utc | 18

Clearly the intent is to provoke Iran into “starting” a war.
But there intent is usually that it would be an incremental advance to war so there is no defined starting point and is the fault of the entity that we wish to attack because they are a danger to our peace and prosperity and to democracy in general and to world order.

Posted by: jared | Jul 17 2019 13:35 utc | 20

@7 “Which will be the green light for an even more violent & disproportionate counterstrike on Iran”
Escalatory dominance lies with Iran, for the simple reason that it has a half-million-strong army and CENTCOM can muster – on a good day, and by scraping the bottom of the barrel – perhaps 30,000 ground troops. Throughout the entire Middle East.
So the sequence will probably go like this:
a) Trump orders a “limited” strike on Iran
b) Iran responds with a disproportionate (in the Israeli-sense of the word) way-over-the-top response.
c) An outraged Trump-Bolton-Pompeo triumvirate responds with “even more violent & disproportionate counterstrike on Iran”
d) Iran mobilizes 500,000 soldiers and sends them marching through Kuwait and into Saudi Arabia
e) Trump/Bolton/Pompeo suddenly realise they have way less than 30,000 GI’s in the region, and promptly piss their pants.
Because that’s the thing that everyone keeps forgetting: Iran has an army – a big army – that it can throw into the fray, and CENTCOM….. doesn’t.
CENTCOM has nothing even remotely like the number of men that Norman Schwarzkopf or Tommy Franks had under their command, and no way of building up those numbers in anything live the speed they would need to have any hope of standing against 500,000 soldiers all baying for blood.

Posted by: Yeah, Right | Jul 17 2019 13:42 utc | 22

@Julian (19)
There is no point in spending a single thought or putting the slightest hope on Ursula von der Leyen. She is a proven transatlantic servant, she’s Bilderberger-certified, unconditional supporter of NATO and its eastward expansion, represents the American line towards Russia and has excellent contacts to European big capital. As a matter of fact, she is since her birth member of the 0,1%.
And concerning her potential reluctance towards Saudi Arabia being a woman: Well, being German Defence Minister she had no problems negotiating excellent weapon deals with the butcher, isn’t it? (German, but the image is telling enough)

Posted by: Cemi | Jul 17 2019 13:54 utc | 24

Trailer Trash @23
Postcards from Uncle Sam Land show the peons inside our privileged borders are either a) applauding Trump’s every twitch because Republican!, b) drumming up hope about “winning” the next election because Not Republican!, or c) not paying any attention to what this Exceptional United States is doing in or to other nations.
The USA deserves, nay, NEEDS to have life made less easy. Then, when hunger sets in, the A/C or heat fails, and we can no longer hide behind instant gratification, US citizenry will be forced from our apathetic fat-n-salt-coated existence and may just rebel enough to return the attention of our so-called leadership from invading foreign soil to controlling a domestic crisis. We NEED this. Other nations NEED this.
If world leaders view the US as actually trembling on the knife-edge of an escalation, is not the pertinent action to disrupt our oblivious way of life. Technology exists which could disrupt without the loss of life our sanctions, our conflicts or another global war could demand. I’ve never seen a bully stop, but I’ve seen bullies stopped. We the People obviously are not reining in our bully leadership ourselves. We need to BE stopped.
I know this, and I live in Uncle Sam Land…

Posted by: Summer Diaz | Jul 17 2019 14:43 utc | 26

Re: Posted by: Cemi | Jul 17 2019 13:54 utc | 24
Well – if as you say, and I take your word for it, this Von der Leyen is no good and more of the same (as, frankly, I would expect), then even more reason to reach out to her asap.
If the case is that she is no good, get on the front foot and expose that fact to a wider audience. Don’t give her a chance to build any sort of reputation. Pigeon-hole her as just another NWO lackey and expose her hypocrisy UP FRONT.
Even more reason.
Given she is an unknown quantity to most – get on the front foot with the likes of Russia, and help craft the narrative about her – just another Juncker/Merkel/Macron/Tusk!!
Plus ca change right?

Posted by: Julian | Jul 17 2019 15:05 utc | 28

mike k @ 9 is right. On the other hand, if Iran feels that a serious attack by the west is imminent, then it might pre-empt, and some in the west will purposefully provide it with reasons to do so, the small but obvious escalations here and there are always testing that line. In theory escalation to full scale war is not worthwhile for either side, the US would level Iran in reply, or worse, the US and Russia would also level each other. So though the comment by C I eh above is maybe accurate for the middle east, with Iranian ground forces showing dominance, I don’t think the west can guarantee its own future either, and even were Russia or China not to react, as I think the more dictatorial western authorities over estimate their own homeland capability or support – those that know they can impose order do not know how to manage the running of that order in day to day terms, they just imagine they do. So much of even existing structure is based on accepting illusion of perception.
With Iran I am aware that there is a subculture or poise that has Israel as target, this is hardly a secret, nor the reasons why (past and continuing Israeli aggression, as well as its use by US as policy tool). The attempt to remove Iran from Syria, and Russia is (or has been) party (see efforts at constitutional change for example), threatens (or deescalates) that position, and the survival of resistance/defence against Israel. That adds up to Iran now being at maximum preparation for conflict with Israel and partners, a position that is trying to be erroded (by sanctions, by interfering with Iran presence in Syria). In theory this is an attempt at “reasonable readjustment of power” , in practice Iran might well understand this as to start its regional decline (if not an attempt at overthrow) , and may decide to act accordingly by escalation.
So the policy error, where it is not purposeful by pro conflict groups, is to fail to address the problem Israel poses for regional peace. That is something the west will not do seriously, which is why the only policy response it can think of is to neutralise Iran, one way or another. I don’t think in the west we are aware how much the US and Israel are despised in the middle east because of this circumstance. The British and other European nations less so .
I don’t see a practical way out of this. An oversimplistic way of viewing this, in terms of economy and territory, is the west looking to control the levant seaboard, from Turkey to Israel. The Arab nation stretches from Saudi through central Iraq and joins with Turkey, and has claims on the levant seaboard. Iran and Russia stretch through Iraq east to west, including Syria, with Iran acting to defend against Israel, including in Israel/Palestine. These are deep and complex age old arguments antagonised by modern oportunistic attitudes and dismissive ignorance, and are only becoming more complex as illusory formats of reconstruction are presented to be fought over. Israel (and so its main backer/s) will remain the greatest obstacle to peace in the region. It cannot survive as a state demographically without apartheid, further colonisation and oppression, and the arab people will never forget what has been done to them. The west is also busy destroying what good was left of its reputation in the region by one means or another. For western countries to think they can establish their own claim via Israel is completely deluded, a dog is only master while left to guard a territory.

Posted by: gzon | Jul 17 2019 15:18 utc | 30

Three main antagonists have aimed at post-revolution Iran: The Outlaw US Empire, Occupied Palestine, and Saudi Arabia, the latter being the most recent and vulnerable, while the first two have already waged varying degrees of war with the Empire’s Economic War having existed for 40+ years. The Levant’s former Colonial powers–Turkey, France, UK–are feeble, and in Turkey’s case is allied with Iran while being spurned by NATO and EU. Lurking in the background are Russia and China’s designs for Eurasian Integration which only the Outlaw US Empire seeks to prevent as such integration benefits Saudi Arabia, Occupied Palestine, France and UK. Thus the only entity that might benefit from non-hybrid war with Iran is the Outlaw US Empire–Occupied Palestine’s interests actually lie with becoming part of an Integrated Eurasia not in trying to impede it. And the same goes for the other nations occupying the Arabian Peninsula–but they all need to come to their senses by deeply examining their actual long term interests as Qatar seems to have done in its rapprochement with Iran.
But, just how would a non-hybrid conflict with Iran benefit the Outlaw US Empire if it consumes its regional allies? Would it bring more riches or create greater debt atop the human cost? Most analysts have pointed to the Empire’s vulnerability upon the trashing of the current global economic structure. Indeed, the only visible benefit might accrue from slowing Eurasian Integration. Then there’s the highly negative result to the Empire’s global credibility which is already scrapping rock bottom and the likely end of Dollar Hegemony and the Free Lunch it’s lived on for the past 70+ years. But what about the fulfillment of the Christian Rapture Myth? Sorry, but there should be no need to answer that fantastical, magical, thinking. Not a very good balance sheet is it as liabilities seem to vastly outweigh assets. Unfortunately, such logic is ignored by ideologues drunk on magical thinking. And these results don’t take into consideration an escalation into global nuclear conflict that’s in nobody’s interest.
But as noted, Trump’s up a tree and keeps climbing higher onto ever thinner, more precarious branches. Iran offered him a chance to climb down if he removes illegal sanctions and returns to JCPOA, which Pompeo promptly replied to with a lie that Iran would negotiate on its ballistic missiles, thus giving the overall goal away.
So, Trump can’t/won’t climb down and non-hybrid conflict would do great damage to Outlaw US Empire interests, which is where we were at July’s beginning.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 17 2019 16:23 utc | 32

An Alternate Scenario
There is a saying in Persian language called “Namad Maali” translates as “feltman massag”, it means slow killing.
This proverb is very often used in contemporary Persian language but most of the people do not know the actual origin of the proverb.
There is an interesting legend behind it. Holagu Khan, a Mongol ruler, the grandson of Chengiz Khan conquered Baghdad on year 1258, and captured the Caliph Al-Mo’tasam, the last Caliph of Abbasid dynasty. Holagu decided to execute the Caliph and finish the 500 years Muslim caliphate.
Many statesmen begged him to hold on. They told him that the caliph is legitimate successor of prophet Mohammad. Caliphate is the pillar of the world, if you remove this pillar there will be sun eclipse, thunder storm and total darkness. Holagu, with his shamanistic believes fearing sky revenge was yielding, but he consulted his prime minister a Persian mullah, Nasir al-Din Tusi. Nasir told him do not worry, these are total nonsense, all of our great Shai twelve imams were direct descendants of prophet Mohammad, they were inherently innocent, while Abbasid are not direct descendants of prophet. See that our imams, eleven out of twelve, were martyred, there was no sun eclipse, no thunder storm, no darkness of the world.
Holagu was bold enough to carry out the execution. Other statesmen brought forward a group of astrologists who searched through their horoscopes and studied signs of stars and concluded that all the signs are catastrophic, if a drop of caliph’s blood drops on earth, there will be a devastating thunder storm, rain of bloods pours down from sky and end of world …
Holagu consulted Nasi again. Nasir being a great humorist, told him not worry, we can devise a pretty easy solution for your peace of mind, send the caliph to hot bath of feltman workshop, order to be wrapped in felt, they will give him a hot water bath with soap, they will roll him slowly over and over, as they are crafting a felt, his life will be ended peacefully in massage, without a drop of blood, meanwhile I will assign one of my intelligent apprentice who is familiar with sky ways ( Nasir was a great mathematician and Astronomer, he founded a famous observatory, he was inventor of trigonometry), to sit on the roof top of the feltman workshop, he will monitor any changes on sky if there is a minor change, he will signal to the feltman to release the caliph.
President Vladimir Khan has been giving warnings to Ayatollah do not burn JCPOA, do not close Strait of Hurmoz. Ayatollah is telling him do not worry we are giving a feltman massage. Just tell Xi khan do not lean his back against the wall street pillar, clean up your hands from future fund casino, the pillars are collapsing slowly.

Posted by: arata | Jul 17 2019 16:47 utc | 34

A reminder from Iran that they can hit back.
Hopefully folks who can influence power have been reading the Guns of August.
Possible miscalculations are everywhere and the parties are no strangers to false flags and proxy actors.
So I’m crossing my fingers for strong back channel communications.
I’m not expecting outright major war. Perhaps a skirmish or two, but a negotiated deal is still the most likely outcome.

Posted by: OutOfThinAir | Jul 17 2019 17:31 utc | 36

There seems to be misconception about Kuwait, in particular.
Kuwaitis are fed up with the Saudis and are more Iranophile than anything. They see who is a true regional power.
Recently, I happen to be invited to a diplomatic function, welcoming a new Kuwaiti ambassador (Not in US). There were several businessmen associates of the new ambassador at that function. In an impromptu conversation, they professed their love for anything Iranian or Persian, from culture and history to food and the people, and their disdain for the Saudis and their ruling family.
In fact, one of them, much to my shock, uttered the circulating rumor that the ruling family in SA are actually Jews. He said everyone in the region knows about this open secret but afraid to talk about. That was a revelation for me coming from a Kuwaiti since I never did pay attention to those rumors.
I think in the event of a regional conflict, Kuwait will be spared by Iran. What would happen to the ruling family will be another story.

Posted by: Uncle Jon | Jul 17 2019 17:57 utc | 38

@goldhoarder 33
“……….If they don’t play by the rules it just leads to more rule breakers.”
How do you appeal to a nation who think of themselves as “rule makers” to play by the rules? A futile exercise at best.

Posted by: Uncle Jon | Jul 17 2019 18:14 utc | 40

@ 31 elkhern
There may be short term calamity from a collapse but I remain ever hopeful for an end to this crushing multicultural internationalism which has gutted the insides of the U.S.’s better angels.
Like an addict coming down, cold turkey will be a bitch, but it must come if multipolarity and balance is to ascend.

Posted by: Nemesiscalling | Jul 17 2019 18:23 utc | 42

@41 evelyn… thanks.. i agree with you too.. the leadership and the people are 2 different beasts.. sometimes they are way out of sync.. however, the usa has a long history in all of this and for some reason, it is like an addict – to use nemesiscallings word – where although they profess to have good intent every 4 year election cycle, they continue on in the same vein… nothing really changes and i believe many americans are completely oblivious to the suffering their country inflicts on others… i hope it comes to an end, but i don’t think it is going to happen any time soon… either the addict dies, or falls away… this is how i view the usa today…

Posted by: james | Jul 17 2019 18:38 utc | 44

I disagree that peons have it too easy. Consider that half the population can not scrape up $400 without selling or borrowing. That doesn’t sound like “conspicuous consumption” to me. That sounds more like people are barely able to get access to the necessities of life.
Trump fans. He and the Republicans are going to further cut their SS, Healthcare, Food Stamps and other benefits as they cheer them on!

Posted by: fastfreddy | Jul 17 2019 18:48 utc | 46

It’s a 1.4 quadrillion derivatives exposure that gives the Anglozionists pause.

Posted by: Anunnaki | Jul 17 2019 18:58 utc | 48

You would think the prospect of 20k American sailors sent to Davey Jones’ locker on the first day of hostilities would give Trump’s Neocons pause.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Challenge_2002?wprov=sfti1

Posted by: Anunnaki | Jul 17 2019 19:07 utc | 50

@tam (7). Thank you for pointing out the undeniable truth that amidst the chaos of the proposed scenario, Iran itself is likely to suffer untold death and destruction, possibly exceeding that of all its enemies combined. There will be no winners, only losers. I am surprised and saddened that some of the commenters seem to be excited by the prospect of such a cataclysm.

Posted by: Rob | Jul 17 2019 19:59 utc | 52

@ Lozion #49
Thank you for the link. This news offers the only scintilla of hope I see on the horizon. In the event that Paul is appointed and Iran agrees to see him, one can but hope that (domestically speaking) Paul’s life insurance is paid up.

Posted by: Evelyn | Jul 17 2019 20:03 utc | 54

@51 rr
I like the ballsey, monolithic descriptors that you use for the Chinese. In a prior post, I tried to lay out what can and does separate the common easterner from a westerner.
There is no harm in it, contrary to what internationalists and their lackeys tell us.
But your insistence that the Chinese are family oriented begs the question as to what descriptors we can ascribe to us here in the west. I would argue that we are far less tolerant of dictators, however benevolent they may in fact be, and from this you could surmise that the Iranian cultural revolution is for the best, both the world and themselves in that it is more natural to their history and the history of the east.
But back to the west. It is true that we are less friendly to dictators, but we are far too trusting of our media. It is hilarious in my opinion that easterners probably aren’t as much of a sucker for their state-run media as we are for are alleged free press.
Indeed, putin is a great example of this. Even though there is great support for Putin in Russia I would guess, his approval rate belies a fatalistic acceptance in their culture of rulers. The joke I have heard is that, “did you hear Putin won again? Yeah, this time, however, he only got 130% of the vote.”
In a nutshell, westerners are not on guard like they should be with their press. Too self-satisfied of our enlightened liberal culture. To an easterner, at least the laughter is on their side for not being so dang gullible.

Posted by: Nemesiscalling | Jul 17 2019 20:27 utc | 56

Nemesiscalling @56
Every supervisor is a dictator in the West, and the only places I don’t see so much grovelling to those petite dictators is in union shops.
You obviously think China’s President Xi is a “dictator”, but how do you square that with his trade agreement with Trump being thrown out several weeks back by the 100 million members of China’s Communist Party? Some “dictator”!

Posted by: William Gruff | Jul 17 2019 20:41 utc | 58

The Gulf states know they would be in the front lines in any conflict, Saudi and UAE infrastructure destruction would mean Kings, Princes and Emir’s scurrying from their destroyed countries because of their inability to sell oil and feed their people, as one Iranian General said.. the US bases in the region are not threats, “they are targets”. Its true Iran has an army of 500,000, they also have millions of military aged men who would form militias and have the reputation of taking their shrouds with them into battle.
I think a major miscalculation by Trump, initiating this kind of scenario is unlikely, those other whack jobs Pence, Pompeo and Bolton are a cause for concern, just hear this nutcase Lindsey Graham threatening the Europeans….
“The United States should sanction “to the ground” European countries that continue to trade with Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal and refuse to join America’s pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic, says top Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
“I will tell the Europeans, ‘If you want to side with the Iranians, be my guest, but you won’t use an American bank or do business with the American economy,'” Graham said”.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/07/16/601067/US-Graham-Trump-Iran-JCPOA-EU-sanction-to-ground

Posted by: Harry Law | Jul 17 2019 21:24 utc | 60

@ Harry Law | Jul 17 2019 21:24 utc | 60
The folks who now are called Iranian once fought the most militaristic society ever – the Spartans. There is likely a memory of that conflict still, and the lessons learned. They face a military that no longer remembers Vietnam or its lessons. Sanctions are an act of war, not military war but war against another who have been made into enemies nonetheless. Be mightily careful who you make your enemy, one sage reminds that you become like them. Look at those the U.S. has made enemy: Hitler and National Socialism; Mussolini and Fascism; Stalin and State Authoritarianism; Franco and Military Repression; and the list continues substantially, and then look at the U.S. in a distortion free mirror and what does one see?

Posted by: Formerly T-Bear | Jul 17 2019 21:54 utc | 62

@35 “when it didn’t. they resort back to the usual MO, look busy.”
I agree with that comment, though I will add that for this Administration “looking busy” has a Keystone Cops look about it.
I mean, let’s be real here: Norman Schwarzkopf did not make a single move against Iraq until he had well over 500,000 GI’s at his command, and Tommy Franks was not willing to restart the Crash Boom Bang until he had built up his army to just shy of 500,000 soldiers.
And Iraq then was nowhere near as formidable as Iran is now.
Where are the troop buildups? Where is the CENTCOM army?
Nowhere. And no sign of it happening.
There is a real possibility that Bolton might get his way and start his dinky little war, only to find that the USA loses a great big war before he even manages to get out of bed.
CENTCOM is not ready for war, nowhere close to it, and for that reason alone Iran is correct to tell the USA that if Trump launches a “limited strike” then their response will be “it’s on, baby”.

Posted by: Yeah, Right | Jul 17 2019 22:14 utc | 64

Uncle Jon @ 38:
Would you happen to be familiar with a report that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein commissioned from the Iraqi intelligence agency on the story he must have heard flying about back in the early 2000’s on the origins of Wahhabism in the Arabian Peninsula, the genealogy of its founder Mohammed ibn Wahhab (1703 – 1792) and his supposed ancestral link to a messianic cult in 17th-century Ottoman Turkey whose members converted to Islam?
During his life Mohammed ibn Wahhab was persecuted for his preaching and he found shelter in an oasis area governed by the Saud family. The report also states that the Saud family itself is descended from a Jewish merchant.
Wahhabism became a large enough movement in the southeastern parts of the Ottoman empire during the late 1700s / early 1800s that Ottoman authorities in Istanbul became alarmed. Due to their own internal issues, they had to rely on Muhammad Ali Pasha in Egypt to supply the troops to crush Wahhabism in the second decade of the 19th century. From this point on, Egypt more or less became an independent state under Muhammad Ali Pasha’s rule to the late 1840s.
The Iraqi report also makes much of a collaboration between the Wahhabi movement, the Saud family and a British spy.
The document (which you can take or leave) later came into the possession of the US military and was translated into English.

Posted by: Jen | Jul 17 2019 22:31 utc | 66

@ William Herschel 61. If the U.S. or anyone else uses any type of Nuclear weapons against Iran, a declared ally of Russia, it will result in an immediate and full scale Nuclear retaliation. This is a recent statement made by Vladimir Putin. Pompeo, Bolton et all are well aware of this. The U.S. might talk of using tactical nukes but despite their Hubris, even the most pro war in the Pentagon know what the results of that type of planned anihilation will have on the U.S. mainland. People like Lindsey Graham are merely empty vessels making a lot of noise.

Posted by: Beibdnn. | Jul 17 2019 22:51 utc | 68

Why would Iran allow any Western nation to save face through negotiations or otherwise? Khamenei yesterday tweeted several statements that were later posted to his website:
“At this meeting, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran stressed that Western governments’ arrogant behavior is the main obstacle in establishing ties and maintained: Western governments’ major vice is their arrogance. If they face a weak government, their arrogance will be effective. But if that country knows the truth about them and resists, the Western governments will be defeated.
“Referring to problems rising between Iran and the European partners of the JCPOA, Ayatollah Khamenei said: Now, in the matters between us and the Europeans, the problems persist, because of their arrogance.
“The Leader of the Islamic Revolution highlighted Iran’s commitment to the JCPOA—also known as the Iran Deal—and criticized European dignitaries of the deal for breaching it, saying: As stated by our Foreign Minister, who works hard, Europe has had eleven commitments, none of which it has met. The Foreign Minister, despite his diplomatic considerations, is clearly stating that. But what did we do? We acted based on our commitments, and even beyond that.
“Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that Iran continued to stay within the JCPOA despite the fact that the EU partners of the JCPOA as well as the British government violated the international plan of action and yet demanded Iran to stay with its promises: Now that we have started to reduce our commitments, they step forward. They are very insolent, and they have not abided by their eleven commitments. We have just started to reduce some of our commitments, and this process will surely continue.”
The hypothetical suggestion Zarif made in his interview with NBC News was just that–hypothetical–as it had to spell out again for the apparently illiterate, deaf or both SoS Pompeo and BigLie Media presstitutes.
In his arrogance, Trump climbed up the tree he’s now stuck within; and as I’ve pointed out again and again, Iran isn’t going to help him in his climb down–they’ll be no face saving for the arrogant Western nations. I mean, how clear can the Iranians make that?! They quite well understand the very real interests at stake I put forth in my comment @32. And the Turks on their own have upped the stakes with Erdogan assuring:
“that his country is prepared to leave NATO during a meeting with Russian Deputy Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
“‘I met twice with Turkish President Recep Erdogan and he told me personally that Turkey was willing to withdraw from NATO,’ Zhirinovsky wrote.”
Trump seems desperate for a way to climb down from his tree. Controversial Kentucky Senator Rand Paul apparently volunteered his services as an emissary to Iran, which Trump okayed but Paul’s office is being mum about. As noted, Iran isn’t going to talk unless tangible, visible concessions are made prior to any talks occurring–concessions Zarif and Rouhani have already stated as the minimum required: Ending all illegal sanctions and return to JCPOA.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 17 2019 23:14 utc | 70

The United States should sanction “to the ground” European countries that continue to trade with Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal and refuse to join America’s pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic, says top Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
Could be a top, but a betting man would say bottom.

Posted by: fastfreddy | Jul 17 2019 23:30 utc | 72

@ karlof1 with the Politico link about Rand Paul
I laughed at the statement that thinks this all is just going to be Obama 2.0 when settled.
Uncle Jon just above shows that any Obama 2.0 is someones bad shit pipe dream to Iran
Just how is empire going to respond to the Iran demand to stop selling weapons of war in the ME or anywhere?
Outside of financialization of everything that is all that is left of America
The fall can’t come soon enough.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jul 17 2019 23:47 utc | 74

IMO, barflies will find this Russian-Turkish relations article of interest, particularly of Russia’s state-owned industry’s level of Turkish investment and their impact on strategic relations.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 17 2019 23:55 utc | 76

@68 nemesis calling… thanks.. i think i took exception to the idea that the usa has a problem with dictators with the suggestion that other countries don’t.. and of course i liked william gruffs comment to you before mine which i mostly shared.. i agree with you there are cultural differences and that it is difficult to impossible to understand them clearly from our own ethnocentric position.. but i am okay with making generalizations too, so maybe i shouldn’t have bothered to say anything..
but, i think it is the idea that all of these wars in faraway countries that the usa makes on the world, are supposed to get rid of evil dictators.. that is what really gets me, as it has been the usa more often then not that has installed these same dictators, or been quite happy to work with them, so long as they worked on the usa’s terms… so ultimately what country has a track record of supporting dictators? it is the same country that is told how you have to get rid of them too… in this regard americans appear to be easily manipulated and know very little about history outside the usa.. and in fact, i would argue that this is exactly how the leaders of the usa would like to keep it… sort of like barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, in that the ordinary american seems clueless on how pivotal that have been in keeping dictators in power!!!! i can’t underline this enough… @evelyn up above was saying how not all americans are happy with the state of affairs inside the usa.. i am quite sure this is true.. and for the record – us canucks are not far behind americans in being fairly naive and ignorant when it comes to al this too.. thanks for your comments..
@75 karlof1… i read the john helmer article yesterday.. i thought it was pretty good too.. here it is direct from his website…

Posted by: james | Jul 18 2019 0:12 utc | 78

@58 gruff
A show of force to support the communist party only cements my point, actaully. It means they are perfectly happy with technocratic dictatorship, tyvm! Lol!

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jul 18 2019 0:27 utc | 80

@71 fastfreddy
Risqué…lmao
Ultimately, I don’t see how these sanctions do anything but help the rest of the world decouple their economies from the dollar.

Posted by: Hassaan | Jul 18 2019 0:32 utc | 82

@77 james
Americans are indeed exceedingly trusting of our leaders’ FP, I agree. That is why America needs to revert back to isolationism. It is frankly because we are a bunch of dullards when it comes to internationalism. It doesn’t suit us like the Europeans.
Let’s put it this way, anytime we have been convinced to come out of our shell and fight, it has been at the behest of those who have said that we are going after evil. We are too goody-goody for our good. Too trusting of the media, like I said.

Posted by: NemesisCalling | Jul 18 2019 0:40 utc | 84

@82 sleepy.. okay, i see what you are saying.. to me that constitutes bad or non existent leadership canada and most of the european countries are essentially colonies of the usa foreign policy as i see it..until these countries, my own included find a voice to challenge this b.s., we are all f#k’d.. obviously it’s a way to impose control over others with finance central to it all.. i think it is going to end and it can’t happen soon enough.. maybe i am overly idealistic..
@83 nemesis calling… i am cool with the isolationist approach as well.. in fact, i think we would all be better trading directly with one another and skipping the currencies… doing this locally as much as possible is one way to short circuit the reliance of oil too as you remove the long distance transportation which is key to this ‘globalization agenda.. ironically, all the interconnectedness relies heavily on oil and burning this stuff is part of the reason we are dealing with climate change as i understand it.. isolationism, if it means working with others in our local community – i am all for that.. i agree with your last few lines too..
@84 karlof1… i noticed how they didn’t mention john helmers name in the article.. i will send john a note and ask him about it.. i am guessing he got paid for it, but one never knows… interesting development via the twitter comment you have shared too.. thanks..

Posted by: james | Jul 18 2019 1:07 utc | 86

1/The notion that the Sauds are of Jewish origin is of interest primarily because it reflects european anti-semitism. Within the major strands of Islam there is no tradition of anti-semitism, indeed the forebears of the muslims in Arabia appear to have included Jews. Someone who knows about these matters could provide a useful comment on the subject.
2/ Regarding Lindbergh and the federal reserve he appears to have been in the great tradition of American distrust of financiers, part of which had to do with the immense power in the USA of British finance and the City of London. If you go back through the Bryan campaign of 1896 (Silver at 16:1) to the Greenback movement to the Jacksonians to the great John Taylor of Caroline county it is clear that there was nothing new about the struggle over the federal reserve. It goes back to the C17th and the critics of William III’s ‘Dutch system of finance’.Pope and Swift had much to say about the banking practices that gave rise to the South Sea Bubble, the ever inflating National Debt (in the UK) and the corruption and imperialist war that came with it.
The great well spring of the critique of Finance is William Cobbett’s ‘Paper against Gold’, though Cobbett himself credits Tom Paine “The Decline and Fall of the English system of Finance” for putting him on the right track.
Both works are easily available on the internet and are worth reading as literature, given that their authors are amongst the two greatest masters of the language.
3/ It is always worth bearing in mind, when we talk of finance, that Islamic scholars have been foremost in their analysis of the dangers of usury. And that almost all Christian teachings until comparatively recently-including both Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox schools- warned of the dangers of allowing money to be lent at interest. Again someone knowledgeable in the history of theology could assist us in this matter.

Posted by: bevin | Jul 18 2019 1:22 utc | 88

I Wonder how likely Turkey really is to “secede” from NATO, and I wonder how that might change their behaviour, for example in Syria. Turkey is a known snake in the grass, but I wonder, how much of that is cause they’ve been on team NATO ? I’m reminded of how “leopards don’t change their spots”. Anyone have an inkling ?

Posted by: Featherless | Jul 18 2019 2:23 utc | 90

Maracatu | Jul 17 2019 22:00 utc | 63
Basically you are right: it is all about Syria.
Trading the Iran presence in Syria could only be done against the departure of US troops (UK and french Special forces included).
– This would induce the Syrian Kurds to return in Bachar fold but quiet down also Erdogan.
– Idlib has to be liberated of all djihadists associetd there and helped by Turkey and the usual interventionist.
note that Afin will be hard to release from Erdogan’s grip.
Now any substantive progress depends on Netanyaou with his election calendar (and managing to form a government).
conclusion consider at least 6 months of continued stand-off in the Gulf …without major incident.
(I made it short)

Posted by: Charles Michael | Jul 18 2019 2:52 utc | 92

Maracatu @ 63:
“… The wild card in all of this, however, is Turkey’s presence in Syria. Perhaps China can lend a helping hand on that issue?”
China would like all those thousands and thousands of Uyghurs stuck in Idlib province to come home for a start.

Posted by: Jen | Jul 18 2019 3:12 utc | 94

@89 Featherless

IMO, Turkey  remains as a wedge into NATO.

Russia is hammering the wedge to split NATO.

That  leopard becomes a dead wedge.

Posted by: arata | Jul 18 2019 3:34 utc | 96

Many excellent insights, few paid trolls, but many deluded individuals.
I have to admit to a perverse desire for US vs. Iran war, because this would certainly put a stop on USrael ruling the World. It is common for the thuggish, selfish, killer bullies to keep increasing their target until they bite something they cannot chew any more. The same applies to their MIC, it is one thing to milk the sheeple/cattle for wars against feeble opponents, totally different to lose control in a war against a medium power enemy possibly supported by the bigger powers.
The desire for US-Iran war is obviously totally perverse, because many, many Iranians would die in a nuclear holocaust (the real one) and everybody on the planet would be seriously impacted, even if the whole show does not get wiped out.
The correct way to consider US is a moron with nuclear weapons (some used a photo of a monkey with a grenade, but this is a clear insult to monkeys), ridden & controlled by the self-obsessed, full of chutzpah Jewish Zionists who could not manage a village fair without setting the tent on fire, but want to rule the World. It should never be forgotten that all this fuss about Iran is only about the Israel’s God-given right to take other people’s lives & property whenever they feel like it.

Posted by: Kiza | Jul 18 2019 4:13 utc | 98

Conventional mutual assured destruction. An interesting concept but I don’t buy it. The US is in no position to challenge Iran and has always challenged an enemy with overwhelming force placed into a region. Without that force in place things will be on a slow burn. MAD is a nuclear policy. It is not a conventional policy and I think that is what is going on here. They have nukes but they will not admit it openly.
If the US and Britain had the forces in place they could easily demolish Iran. It would come at some cost to all. The consensus is not there militarily or economically for such a huge deployment. The economic cost would be very high to the whole world. The NEOCONS are crazy enough to do it anyway.
Iran is far superior, far more committed, and clearly more capable militarily than any in the region. It is clear the region is propped up by the West militarily. No amount of money placed into weapons by the Saudis and the regions’ partners will help them as they are not warriors. Only the West can get it done.
There will be no more coalition of the willing like before. Iran could create one by doing something really stupid. The West is being rolled up by decades of foolishness that has caught up to them. Everyone can see their moral and monetary bankruptcy. Time and patience is of the essence.
Its a slow burn, a war of words and small maneuvers. The statement is just one to counter what the crazed NEOCONs hope to accomplish.
To Stop Iran’s Bomb, Bomb Iran

Posted by: dltravers | Jul 18 2019 4:47 utc | 100