Sanctions - Trump's Only Old/New Iran Policies
I had missed this Friday news item on Iran:
Trump's Ukraine envoy says world must reinstate 'maximum pressure' on Iran
PARIS, Jan 11 (Reuters) - The world must return to a policy of "maximum pressure" against Iran to turn it into a more democratic country, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's incoming Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg told an Iranian opposition event in Paris on Saturday.Trump has vowed to return to the policy he pursued in his previous term that sought to wreck Iran's economy to force the country to negotiate a deal on its nuclear programme, ballistic missile programme and regional activities.
"These pressures are not just kinetic, just not military force, but they must be economic and diplomatic as well", Retired Lieutenant-General Kellogg, who is set to serve as Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, told the audience at Paris-based Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
He said there was an opportunity "to change Iran for the better" but that this opportunity would not last forever.
"We must exploit the weakness we now see. The hope is there, so must too be the action."
I wonder how official this is. Is Kellogg, who is supposed to be Trump's envoy for Ukraine, speaking for the future Trump administration?
The Iranian 'opposition event' in Paris was by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), also known as the terrorist organization MEK. It had fought on the side of Iraq in the Iran-Iraq war and was later involved in several high casualty terror incidents in Iran.
The MEK has a cult like structure. It is, at least in parts, financed by the U.S. and Israel. It regularly 'invites' former western officials to rant against Iran at its events while paying them generous speaking fees.
Kellogg seems to be one their regular well paid 'guests':
Kellogg has previously spoken at NCRI events, most recently in November, but his presence in Paris, even if in a personal capacity, suggests the group has the ear of the new U.S. administration. He postponed a trip to European capitals earlier this month until after Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.
...
Incoming U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also spoken at NCRI events in the past. The group has repeatedly called for the fall of the existing Iranian authorities, although it is unclear how much support it has within Iran.
The MEK has zero support in Iran.
I doubt claims that Iran is strong. But I also doubt claims that Iran is weak. It is a big country with lots of resources and a large population of well educated people.
Kellogg, like many, seems to underestimate what Iran can do.
His sentence, 'these pressures are not just kinetic, just not military force, but they must be economic and diplomatic as well', is a bit weird. What are the kinetic pressures the U.S. is putting on Iran? I do not see any of significance and if there were any 'kinetic pressure' Iran would certainly pressure back. Its position in the Persian Gulf would make painful.
Kellogg should know this. It also notable that Kellogg has previously criticized Trump's former national security advisor John Bolton for trying to instigate a war with Iran.
Thus his rant in front of the MEK looks unserious to me. I also doubt that his speaking for the incoming Trump administration.
We don't know yet what policies with regards to Iran the incoming Trump administration will really pursue.
It is obvious that Israel's Netanyahoo wants the U.S. to launch a war against Iran. Trump is dully aware of that. Three days ago he posted a video of a talk Jeffrey Sachs had given at Cambridge Union. Within the clip Trump posted Sachs clearly states that it was Netanyahoo who had dragged and is dragging the U.S. into wars in the Middle East.
Trump posting that video was clearly a warning to Netanyahoo to play games with such stuff. I therefore doubt that Trump wants to do anything 'kinetic' to Iran.
Sanctions? - Yes! - 'Maximum pressure'? - Yes!
Well ... so what?
The Islamic Republic has been under sanctions since its very inception. They have hindered its growth but have never made it concede to whatever the U.S. demanded.
Iran is also a part of BRICS and has well developed economic relations with China and Russia. On Friday Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian will be in Moscow where he will sign a new comprehensive partnership pact with Russia which is said to also cover military aspects of the relation.
It will help Iran to become even more sanctions proofed.
Posted by b on January 13, 2025 at 17:45 UTC | Permalink
next page »Isn’t Iran under maximum pressure and sanction?anymore?
What did change under Biden? Did he make gifs to Iran?
Did EU ?
Posted by: scc | Jan 13 2025 18:08 utc | 2
The only significant changes I could see would be assuring turkey doesn't come to other arrangements with iran (there were talks of turkey assuring the logistics for hezbolah in lebanon), and trying to stop RF from signing the treaty with iran (and finishing the su-35 deal) and china from buying iran's oil (and not providing jf-17 b3).
Turkey might be doable, the other two, not so much, unless trump is willing to pay through the nose and RF/China decide to syrialize iran...
Posted by: Newbie | Jan 13 2025 18:20 utc | 4
Deep, down son of a bitch
@They Call Me Mister | Jan 13 2025 17:56 utc | 1
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113789043423746072Why does alt-media keep lying about this? Watch it yourself. He's not talking about Netanyahu at all here...
I listened to Trump's 2 minute clip of Professor Jeffrey Sachs speaking. Quote:
"That war was started by Netanyahu.""He is a deep, down son of a bitch."
Posted by: Petri Krohn | Jan 13 2025 18:20 utc | 5
Kellog's speech was one of the main topics of today's Crooks-Napolitano chat. Kellog's performance was followed by a statement by an IRG person that True Promise III will certainly be launched since it appears the Zionists are drunk on the lie that Iran is weak and would be easy prey.
During the next chat between Glen Diesen and Napolitano, a clip is shown of Jake Sullivan speaking on one of the Sunday talk shows lying brazenly about the state of US security--that all of its adversaries are weak, etc. The Judge called it "hogwash" prior to showing it and a total lie afterwards, with which Diesen agreed.
I see the JUdge is trying to keep his chats to @20-22 minutes as they begin with a two-minute infomercial and end abruptly at about the 24-minute mark.
I would be curious about a detail audit about how much Israhell has costed and benefited the US since it's creation...
It has costed a lot to taxpayer and benefited a lot of politicians and lawmakers for sure , but in total ? How much ?
Posted by: Savonarole | Jan 13 2025 18:38 utc | 7
I truly hope Russia and Iran get into a mutual defense agreement because it is in the vital interest of humanity to push back Great Satan and Little Satan. If they don't do it then no one will and the result of that will be tragedy.
One thing Iran needs to consider is it is not the giant powerful country that Russia is that can afford to wait things out. If Iran tries that it will wind up like Syria. Great Satan and Little Satan, as we know, are a bottomless pit of treachery and will NEVER stop trying to harm.
Waiting for that to happen is a fool's errand. Don't do it.
Posted by: chunga | Jan 13 2025 18:45 utc | 8
@ Posted by: They Call Me Mister | Jan 13 2025 17:56 utc | 1
"Alt-media" is not really "alternative" so much as "complementary" to the right-wing mass media's usual lies. Outlets like the old Infowars and other seemingly non-mainstream sites play the role that stores like Hot Topic played for teenagers back in the 2000s. It's a nice set of cultural traits that seemingly differentiate them from "the mainstream" but which are firmly in the mainstream as media products produced for profit. Do people think these freaks hawk "dietary supplements", bought from the same warehouses as Gwyneth Paltrow's "Goop", out of the goodness of their hearts? They are career liars.
The clip in the link is only tangentially about Netanyahu. Its main subject is Russia (Trump's odd political bedfellow) and Syria. Trump has given Netanyahu everything he wants and more, and that will not stop in his second term. I was tempted to say he needs to shore up the support of the David Duke contingent, who are more fearful of "Jewish supremacy" than they are of Islam, but I don't think that's even the case. He's just sharing whatever makes his political rivals look bad. It's the usual "politics as team sports" that leads to TDS and delusions about the president's - any president's - real policy-making power. All of these old fucks are being led around by ghoulish think tankers who write policies that benefit their specific donors. In Trump's case, that's clerical fascists (Jewish and Christian), multi-national fossil fuel corporations, and so on.
Posted by: fnord | Jan 13 2025 18:49 utc | 9
@ savonarole #7
Info straight from the squid's mouth (probably and underestimate):
https://www.cfr.org/article/us-aid-israel-four-charts
Over $300b since 1948, benefits? haha funny....
Posted by: motorslug | Jan 13 2025 18:50 utc | 10
Satanyahu has said before "America is very easy to move..."
If in fact Trump rebuffs him and Israel's hawks in refusing going to kinetic war with Iran, I wouldn't put it past the Israelis and neocons to stage another - likely smaller and not in the Continental US - 9/11 type event to force his hand and provide the pretext for some sort of hot war.
There are tons of military targets spread out all over the ME and Africa, many of them quite 'soft' and ripe for an "Iranian terror attack."
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 13 2025 19:16 utc | 11
Warning - off topic
A fair article about making type V wood frame houses fire resistant
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-13/los-angeles-wildfires-why-these-homes-didn-t-burn?srnd=homepage-europe
Posted by: Exile | Jan 13 2025 19:21 utc | 12
I get the impression that, in "Israel", amongst the circa 70% of the population whom its politicians studiously ignore, Bibi is about as popular as a turd in a perfume shop.
One need look no farther than the divisions revealed by election results in "Israel" to see that there are almost as many differing opinions as there are jews.
United they ain't.
Trump probably laughs himself to sleep contemplating that oxymoron "Israeli Unity."
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 13 2025 19:32 utc | 13
@fnord #9
I'll talk your infowars and raise you Mother Jones, DeSmogBlog, TheNation, TheHill, etc etc
It is utter nonsense to say alternative media is right wing - the whole point is that there is an enormous spectrum of views and analysis available unlike the globalist/PMC/woke nonsense that predominates mainstream media.
For that matter - Joe Rogan is the biggest of all of them. He is repeatedly called right wing by dumbfucks but he is obviously centrist.
I would argue that it is to moral and intellectual vapidity of mainstream media and their puppet "alt media" sock puppets, that enables all of the other alternatives.
Posted by: c1ue | Jan 13 2025 19:40 utc | 14
Kellogg comes across as an idiot still clinging to a cold war mindset. It might be chalked up to age but I suspect that he was always a dim bulb. If he thinks that the US could flood Ukraine with weapons if Putin doesn't negotiate, he is profoundly misinformed about the state of the US arsenal. We don't have 155 HE rounds or any more Patriot missile systems to spare. And now he wants to "change Iran for the better" by doing . . . ? If Trump doesn't want a repeat of his first term, he needs to yank on this guy's leash, real hard.
Posted by: Mike R | Jan 13 2025 19:42 utc | 15
Satanyahu has said before "America is very easy to move..."
@Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 13 2025 19:16 utc | 11
It is theatre. The anglosaxons want him to act like that. It is an excuse for doing what the empire already wants.
The jews are not rewarded for acting in a reasonable manner. They are rewarded for making everybody hate them.
Posted by: petergrfstrm | Jan 13 2025 19:48 utc | 16
@ c1ue | Jan 13 2025 19:40 utc | 14 who write some strange shit
"
For that matter - Joe Rogan is the biggest of all of them. He is repeatedly called right wing by dumbfucks but he is obviously centrist.
"
Joe Rogan is a Libertarian elitist which is hardly centrist.
Test your contrarians on the basis of top/bottom reality not the mythical and manipulated left/right meme.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jan 13 2025 19:50 utc | 17
I get the impression that, in "Israel", amongst the circa 70% of the population whom its politicians studiously ignore, Bibi is about as popular as a turd in a perfume shop.
One need look no farther than the divisions revealed by election results in "Israel" to see that there are almost as many differing opinions as there are jews.
United they ain't.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 13 2025 19:32 utc | 13
The jews are going to quibble between themselves until they get israel back on track (with the lavish and boundless help of america, Russia and Europe) and stem the israeli military losses to a bearable level.
After that it's the jewish gun to the temple of every nation on earth again.
And the same would happen even if israel disappeared. America, Russia and Europe will take them back with open arms. All the big jews running things never even went to israel. Same story for millennia, from before they even came up with the shitty jewish religion.
And the victims will simply say that they know a good jew and that means no jew can be confronted individually or as a group.
If anyone can end this satanic theatre play, it will have to be someone in Asia, Africa or South America. Likely not the latter.
Posted by: Jack M | Jan 13 2025 19:53 utc | 18
I get the impression that, in "Israel", amongst the circa 70% of the population whom its politicians studiously ignore, Bibi is about as popular as a turd in a perfume shop.
One need look no farther than the divisions revealed by election results in "Israel" to see that there are almost as many differing opinions as there are jews.
United they ain't.
Trump probably laughs himself to sleep contemplating that oxymoron "Israeli Unity."
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 13 2025 19:32 utc | 13
_______
Among the 80% of the population that is Jewish, there’s near-unanimity when it comes to the notion that non-Jews need to be eliminated one way or another.
Bibi’s most formidable rivals — Smotrich and Ben Gvir and their groupies — think that Bibi isn’t being tough enough. That’s the nature of the disunity.
Posted by: malenkov | Jan 13 2025 19:55 utc | 19
Trump's foreign policy will focus on assets with weak or vulnerable defenses coveted by the capitalist oligarchy. Palestine, Iran, and Venezuela will experience intense aggression to destroy their sovereignty by the US ans its allies during the next four years.
Posted by: Keme | Jan 13 2025 19:56 utc | 20
It's patently obvious that Kellog's Rice Kry$pie$ along with little Marco Ruby $lipperie$ are simply bought and paid-for $hithead$. They not only take nice "gratuitie$ from the MEK $hah$ter$; that selfsame MEK as B. so tellingly points out is FINANCED by the U$$A and I$rael. Essentially this pair of agitators are nothing more than male whore$.
As for sanctions, several Tainted Hou$e D.C. regimes have been sanctioning Iran since Hell froze over...clear back to 45 years ago. Somehow, Iran has not only survived under those imposed sanctions, but has thrived both economically and militarily. Currently, their world-class missilry has the capacity to demolish the Izzy Entity...of course, with significant damage to their own civilian population...as is the M.O. of both the Zioni$t Entity and the Occupied Regime in the Di$trict of Corruption.
In a matter of four days, Iran and the R.U. will mutually agreee upon an already formulated comprehensive treaty. Military protection will be tacitly assured by Russia, while both the R.U. and China are highly likely to economically make up for any losses of trade Iran would have with the various satellite regimes, particularly in portions of the EU/NATO.
Likely in a matter of weeks we will discover whether Trump is actually a more or less genuine nationalist...OR still a bribed and blackmailed tool of the Evil Entities within the Bank$ter Cabal. Even if the latter is the case; the potential for an Iranian blockade of the Straits of Hormuz to skyrocket oil prices internationally will be a huge concern to the oil industry, who definitely have the ears of the soon to be U.S. Administration.
Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 13 2025 19:59 utc | 21
Unlike 90% of US politicians, and 80% of 'Western' politicians, Trump was rich BEFORE he went into politics. So the $5 Million+ which Biden sold out to "Israel" for would be Chump Change for Trump.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 13 2025 20:00 utc | 22
Posted by: They Call Me Mister | Jan 13 2025 17:56 utc | 1
I do not expect you, a Trumper, used to soundbites and other simplistic nonsense on LOL truthsocial catering to the dimwits to watch a full 1,5 hour speech.
Too much for your attention span.
If you would, you could see at 43.15 that he says " where did this war come from? From netanyahoo"
Save your dumb remarks for truth social.
Posted by: Ed Bernays | Jan 13 2025 20:07 utc | 23
Tom_Q_Collins@1916 Jan 13
Indeed. Yet another False Flag attempt on the part of the Nuts n' Yahoos regime in Occupied Palestine, on the part of their strategists is part of their considerations. Rationally, with the current state of near-rioting demonstrations within the Izzy entity, along with ongoing deep pinpricks into the Izzy military by both Hamas and Ansar Allah; we can consider any such action on the part of the Zionists as essentially a Hail Mary pass.
Near desperation in Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem is writ large. Thus, many once or more fooled individuals who were taken in by false-flag attacks such as the 911 Inside Job and the JFK assassination Inside Job; will not readily jump into line and volunteer their energies should be highly unlikely.
Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 13 2025 20:09 utc | 24
Posted by: c1ue | Jan 13 2025 19:40 utc | 14
You should stay in the basement with They Call Me Mister and be incels together.
Or are you the same one-braincelled lifeform?
It's really hard to believe there's 2 of you that level of stupid in these comments.
Posted by: Ed Bernays | Jan 13 2025 20:11 utc | 25
I am still kicking myself after all these years for not taking a particular snapshot.
The Bush White House published the ten reasons justifying the upcoming invasion of Iraq (2003).
One of the ten reasons was Saddam's support for MEK.
Cannot find those 'ten reasons' documented anywhere now.
MEK spread a lot of money around Washington and now is not a terrorist organization, even when it is working for "Israel" and assassinating civilians in Iran.
Posted by: librul | Jan 13 2025 20:14 utc | 26
And some good news...
abc.net.au has resumed its reporting of Monsterish "Israel's" Monstrous Crimes in Jewish Occupied Palestine :-)
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 13 2025 20:15 utc | 27
Some are asking here re the "maximum pressure" compared to the sanctions that have been in effect the past few years and how Iran is already used to it. First, while Iran is indeed used to sanctions, it is hurting the country severely in many ways. But more importantly, there IS a difference that can be applied by an out-of-control and illegal hegemon if it chooses to:
Heretofore, Iran has been somewhat able to skirt around the sanctions and sell limited amounts of cargo to China and India etc. as well as conduct non-energy trade. Not ideal, but a lifeline to the country, however difficult. What the outlaw empire can do is do a REAL embargo: stop all ships other than "humanitarian" from entering and exiting the country, board all international shipping, etc. You may recall this was tested out with an excuse for a ship conducting "illegal" trade a few years ago; so the precedent exists to make this total.
Iran naturally could respond in many ways ... but this response (like closing the Hormuz Strait) would lead to the war that Israel wants and Trump wants to avoid. So now the question is: is Trump smart enough not to want to kneecap himself with a bad war right off the bat or is he so beholden to powers that be that he is powerless to stop it.
Posted by: Caliman | Jan 13 2025 20:15 utc | 28
fnord@1849 Jan 13
Give me a friggen break. Such silliness on the part of frozen in time Neo-Marxism about "right wing mass media" is simply outdated and utterly outre'. The mass media of misinformation and mindfuckery...along with certain faux alternative sites are owned and directed by the Bank$ter Oligarchs. They are puppeteers for both the Main$cream and the $houters.
The Left-Right divide is nothing more (or less) than Caesar's "Divide and Conquer/Divide and Rule" system. Really quite simple...except for idiotological dinosaurs.
Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 13 2025 20:18 utc | 29
Since Raisi was killed (or died depending of what one wants to believe) a regional tectonic shift has occurred. Syria as a lifeline to Hezbollah has been severed after Iran's retreat, Iran's standing additionally got dented after Pezeshkian willful inaction following the USIS assassinations of Hamas' leader residing in Iran as a guest as well as Hezbollah's leadership and high profile Iranians. Hezbollah itself has been weakened by USIS to that effect that it seized to be a strategic threat to the Zionazi entity.
I have the impression that USIS hopes that these obvious Iranian failures of the last months (the successful missile salvo, ordered by the conservatives, on nuclear armed Israel of course made up significantly) will cause friction between the conservatives (Khamenei, IRGC, ...) and the reformists (the idiot Pezeshkian) and wait how that plays out. It's evident the the saner heads in Iran are seeking nuclear deterrence now that Hezbollah has been removed from the chessboard (and everything that preceded it Libya, Iraq, ...) and I think that USIS is hoping to pressure the reformists into a kind of deal (carrot or stick) into halting or even rolling back Iranian progress in this nuclear deterrence nearing completion. When enticing the reformists doesn't work out or when the conservatives get the upper hand again then the kinetic (military) option will be back on the table. There's no doubt Donald "Adelson" Trump will play his part, just like he did after Soleimani's assassination. Not that the results would be any different with Biden.
Trump kind of surprises me. He nearly got assassinated where a bullet pierced his ear making it abundantly clear it wasn't even a warning.
“Big threats on my life by Iran. The entire U.S. Military is watching and waiting,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“Moves were already made by Iran that didn’t work out, but they will try again … I am surrounded by more men, guns, and weapons than I have ever seen before,” he said, following increased scrutiny of the US Secret Service since two attempts on Trump’s life this year.
I mean, he knows the 'Praetorian Guard' failed by less than an inch in assassinating him and yet he still follows their script... .
Posted by: xor | Jan 13 2025 20:19 utc | 30
@Posted by: librul | Jan 13 2025 20:14 utc | 26
If anyone (thanks!) goes searching for the Bush White House 'ten reasons',
I just recalled that back then MEK was often referred to as MKO.
So adjust your search terms accordingly.
Thanks!
Posted by: librul | Jan 13 2025 20:25 utc | 31
"Within the clip Trump posted Sachs clearly states that it was Netanyahoo who had dragged and is dragging the U.S. into wars in the Middle East."
Sachs et al. under-estimate the Christian Zionists, the Dispensationalists, etc. :-( GW Bush invaded Iraq because of Christian Zionism, Dispensationalism, and their eagerness for the Apocalypse, the End of the World.
Posted by: lester | Jan 13 2025 20:36 utc | 32
"SINGAPORE/BEIJING, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Shandong Port Group has banned U.S.-sanctioned tankers from calling into its ports in the eastern Chinese province, home to many independent refiners that are the biggest importers of oil from countries under U.S. embargo, three traders said.
The province imported about 1.74 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil from Iran, Russia and Venezuela last year, accounting for about 17% of China's imports, ship tracking data from Kpler showed.
---
This will slow down imports of Iranian oil by Chinese independent refineries in Shandong. The US threatens to sanction any Chinese port that offloads from a sanctioned ship. The threat itself is enough to get Chinese ports to back off. If a Chinese port is sanctioned then it is cut off from the US financial system (no bank will want to do any deals with them). Any company or bank working with the port is itself threatened with the same sanctions. As long as there is no alternative to the US dollar for international trade, US sanctions system is very effective.
Countries like Turkey are probably going to end up getting economically destroyed by US sanctions in a few years because they are a threat to Israel. They should hurry up and figure out an alternative like using the yuan.
Posted by: dreadful | Jan 13 2025 20:36 utc | 33
""change Iran for the better" "
I would like to change the USA for the better, by giving up starting a new war every other year and just leave humanity alone.
Posted by: lester | Jan 13 2025 20:41 utc | 34
India has not bought Iranian oil since 2019. US sanctions have been completely effective in this case because due to geography Iran would naturally be the 1st or 2nd largest supplier of oil to India.
Posted by: dreadful | Jan 13 2025 20:41 utc | 35
@Posted by: librul | Jan 13 2025 20:25 utc | 31
Partial success.
In the Bush White House archives, on a page titled, "Saddam Hussein's Support for International Terrorism"
there is a bullet item that refers to MEK (aka MKO).
Iraq shelters terrorist groups including the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO), which has used terrorist violence against Iran and in the 1970s was responsible for killing several U.S. military personnel and U.S. civilians.
Posted by: librul | Jan 13 2025 20:45 utc | 36
@psychohistorian #17
Joe Rogan is not libertarian. He endorsed Bernie Sanders.
You are deluded, as most of you wannabe progressives are, in that anyone who doesn't agree with you must be right wing.
And that's why Trump won the popular vote in 2024.
Posted by: c1ue | Jan 13 2025 20:45 utc | 37
@Ed Bernays #25
LOL I am anything but in the basement.
Like most fiscal conservatives/social liberals - I actually do stuff for a living. I've founded companies - both successful and failed. I've created new technologies in industrial scale use. I'm bringing back old tech from 100 years ago, now.
It is losers like you - unemployed Song Dynasty intellectuals, wannabe Turchin-esque elites, that are the true trolls on the Western internet.
Posted by: c1ue | Jan 13 2025 20:49 utc | 38
-b-
A simplified answer is Kellogg, who is an envoy to Ukraine, publicly sputters nonsense about Iran to get off the hook having to actually say something substantive about Ukraine. “Look here”… and everyone turns their head.
Could sanctions go scorched earth, 2rd & 3rd parties?
Yup, they can get much worse.
I believe the U.S. attributed their “Caesar” sanctions as the lynchpin that finalized Syrian recovery and subsequent downfall, and will want a repeat and copy made for Iran.
The secondary and 3rd party sanctions involving India, Pakistan, Turkey and others can get much much worse for Iran.
Which is why I think Iran will in turn go scorched earth on all the bases, they won’t sit around and be bled and hemorrhaging to feed their own people much longer. They saw what the in-action and “Astana” agreement’s got Syria.
It’s all or bust coming up.
They are currently in negotiations (for the last time I think) with the EU 3 for sanctions removal. All the drills, underground middle parades and every other PR invention is to send that message regarding sanctions. I’ve said before, there’s no real benefit for Iran to sign agreements with Russia if Russia is simply going to hamstring Iran like they did Syria with their “aid” of the S300 that Syria was never allowed to use against Israel.
Should the EU3 deal show some as semblance of rational hope, then perhaps Iran will do something with Russia.
The North South Corridor and those contracts Russia U.S. anxious to get on with. But, I’m not so certain Iran isn’t simply going to end all the charades and reorder the ME since it appears they’re on their own over there. I doubt they gave any further interest in groveling for scraps at the China/Russia table and their “restraints” on Iran anymore.
They recognize they need to take their place proper in the ME, or USReal/Turkey will own it all. The “power sharing” equation is over with Syria gone.
Posted by: Trubind1 | Jan 13 2025 20:53 utc | 39
Nima played a couple of clips a couple of weeks ago. In one Trump is saying that he found out last time that there was one side in the middle east negotiations that didn't seem to be negotiating in good faith, but he didn't want to say which side.
Then Nima played a clip in which Trump criticized Netanoyu, implying that it was he that was holding up talks.
Posted by: wagelaborer | Jan 13 2025 20:54 utc | 40
@Posted by: librul | Jan 13 2025 20:45 utc | 36
Left off the link:
https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/infocus/iraq/decade/sect5.html
Posted by: librul | Jan 13 2025 20:55 utc | 41
Politically I would agree (this is becoming a worrying trend) with c1ue that Rogaine is a centrist. FFS he had Bernie Sanders on back in 2020 and endorsed him.
He can be a quasi libertarian tech bro asshole and still fall in the center on most policies, including M4A and anti-imperialism.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 13 2025 20:55 utc | 42
@ c1ue | Jan 13 2025 20:45 utc | 37 who wrote
"
Joe Rogan is not libertarian. He endorsed Bernie Sanders.
"
It sounds like you have never listened to Joe Rogan who openly admits to being a Libertarian.
Bernie Sanders talks like a centrist but he lives a cushy right wing life because he has his fingers crossed behind his back when he talks....a sheep dog border router as the networks folks say.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jan 13 2025 20:57 utc | 43
Posted by: c1ue | Jan 13 2025 20:49 utc | 38
P.S. my comment at 42: I was referring to Rogaine as the tech bro (adjacent) ahole, NOT you, so please don't jump down my throat. :-)
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 13 2025 20:58 utc | 44
MEK/PMOI has rallies in DC and Paris, in Iran they do banditry.
They pay speakers well, recycling US funds.
They like to fly the Iran flag with the Shahs eagle.
Notably the late John McCain and John Bolton are associated.
US sanctions make Belt Road Initiative and alternate international banking more appealing.
Iran been sanctioned and neocon love MEK terrorists since the Shah deposed.
Posted by: paddy | Jan 13 2025 20:59 utc | 45
@librul #26
It is funny, but not in a "ha ha" sense, indeed.
MEK removed from US terror lists in 2012 - Grauniad article
The MEK ran a bombing campaign inside Iran against the Shah's regime the 1970s. The targets were sometimes American, including the US information office, Pepsi Cola, PanAm and General Motors. The group routinely denounced Zionism and "racist Israel", and called for "death to America".A state department report in 1992 identified the MEK as responsible for the killing of six Americans in Iran during the 1970s. They included three military officers and three men working for Rockwell International, a conglomerate specialising in aerospace including weapons, who were murdered in retaliation for the arrest of MEK members over the killings of the US military officers.
The MEK was removed from the terror list in 2012 or 2013 - shades of HTS today.
Posted by: c1ue | Jan 13 2025 21:01 utc | 46
Unlike 90% of US politicians, and 80% of 'Western' politicians, Trump was rich BEFORE he went into politics. So the $5 Million+ which Biden sold out to "Israel" for would be Chump Change for Trump.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 13 2025 20:00 utc | 22
And he gained, and lost, much more than any of them.
Knowing that big money's worth, i.e. nothing , just a tool for real power.
You can get money or be screwed in a thousand ways if you have significant money but don't understand that.
Interesting point, only low-low classes and high -high classes know that truth.
Posted by: Newbie | Jan 13 2025 21:49 utc | 48
The Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK) is an exiled Iranian dissident group responsible for terrorist acts against Iran and the assassination of Iran nuclear scientists. It has worked closely with Israel and Saudi Arabia for years to enforce Iran regime change and receives funding from the Saudis.
The Mek was listed as a terrorist organization fo many years by the US. No American can deal with it; US banks must freeze its assets; and any American giving support to its members is committing a crime. Back in 2007 Shirwan al-Wa'eli, Iraq's national security minister, gave the MEK a six month deadline to leave the country which was receiving protection from the US military and regularly escorted MEK supply runs between Baghdad and its base, Camp Ashraf. The matter was reported on by CNN journalist Michael Ware at the time, and also in Forbes magazine, the articles subsequently disappearing. The MEK was being illegally supported by the US military for covert terrorist ops inside Iran.
By the way, back in 2003 the IAEA claimed it had "proof" that Iran was developing a nuclear weapons program. The "evidence" was a laptop that reportedly came to them from the MEK and their contacts inside Iran. They themselves admitted they had had Mossad help in "assessing" the laptop, a sure sign that the whole thing was a piece of Mossad propaganda. Notably, the laptop contained no distinguishing contents about the so-called program (file numbers, details etc that one would expect to find). Rather, it contained generic material that could have been put together by any intelligence agency. Iran denied the laptop as propaganda, which it was. But again in 2011 the IAEA put out a new report claiming that Iran has a nuclear weapons program. The "evidence" they cited was the same (debunked) 2003 dodgy MEK laptop. Plus ça change.
In May 2018 Trump withdrew the US from JCPOA saying that the deal allowed Iran to increase its military spending. As evidence to the WSJ he cited an article by Heshmat Alavi from Forbes magazine. There is only one problem with Heshmat Alavi -- he doesn't exist! He is a fictional character put out by an Albanian fake news workshop run by the MEK! So the most significant Trump foreign policy decision for Iran and the Middle East was based on fake news from a known terrorist organization.
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-meks-fake-mouthpiece-and-western-credulity/
Posted by: damien | Jan 13 2025 22:23 utc | 49
Talks advanced after ‘tense’ meeting between Netanyahu, Trump envoy
Two officials familiar with the latest ceasefire push told The Times of Israel on Monday that Trump’s Mideast envoy Witkoff held a “tense” meeting with Netanyahu on Saturday, during which the former leaned hard on the Israeli premier to accept compromises necessary to secure a hostage deal by the January 20 US presidential inauguration.
Israeli officials: Deal will see 33 hostages freed in 1st stage, most of them alive | TOI - 13 Jan. 2025 |
I get the impression that, in "Israel", amongst the circa 70% of the population whom its politicians studiously ignore, Bibi is about as popular as a turd in a perfume shop.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jan 13 2025 19:32 utc | 13
##################
Like the rest of the world, the obsession with politicians and parties is a mostly American phenomenon.
Most people are focused on living more comfortable family-oriented lives and don't have time for Idiocracy distractions like politics and reality TV.
The easier life gets the more stupid and crazy humans tend to behave.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 13 2025 22:36 utc | 51
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 13 2025 20:55 utc | 42
AFAIK he's finally shown his true colors (after acting neutral for views) and endorses Trump.
And having Sanders on the show?
Mostly these guys, or worse like the con artists Kid Rock Bottom or Yeonme Park, the lying sex doll.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDeprogram/comments/1i044so/those_curtains_are_getting_really_familiar/
Posted by: Ed Bernays | Jan 13 2025 22:39 utc | 52
Judging Iran and Russia by their actions in Lebanon and Syria they certainly seem to expect that something "kinetic" is about to happen.
Statehood of Iran is worth so much more than the failing states of Lebanon and Syria. My heart goes out for the people of these countries, though.
Posted by: js | Jan 13 2025 22:51 utc | 53
Posted by: Ed Bernays | Jan 13 2025 22:39 utc | 52
Is that Theil on the lower right? I don't listen to Rogaine (I would doubt c1ue does either, but I'm only guessing) so I am not really up to speed on who he has on his show or whether then exhibit an overall preponderance of right-leaning "influencers", tech lords or politicians.
But, given what I do know about Rogaine's format (i.e., just letting people speak with little to no educated pushback or request for clarification), if he's inviting people like those on frequently, he's made a move to the right even if he doesn't realize it.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 13 2025 23:12 utc | 54
paddy | Jan 13 2025 20:59 utc | 45
This post is spot on. It's all just a shell game. Tax dollars go to these groups and it's recycled back to MIC, politicians, and deep state actors.
Lester@2036 Dec 13
You may well be half-correct about the role of those JudieChristieMagickMindfucked types such as the shitty John Hagee of that Amen-Chorus in Fort Worthless, Texas in pushing the Zionist agenda.
However, the primary power is and remains the Central Bank$ter Cabal which OWN$ the pro$titician$ in the Di$trict of Corruption.
Is it conceivable that slip the reins after Inauguration? Not inconceivable, not probable.
Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 13 2025 23:26 utc | 56
"He's just sharing whatever makes his political rivals look bad. It's the usual "politics as team sports" that leads to TDS and delusions about the president's - any president's - real policy-making power. All of these old fucks are being led around by ghoulish think tankers who write policies that benefit their specific donors. In Trump's case, that's clerical fascists (Jewish and Christian), multi-national fossil fuel corporations, and so on."
Posted by: fnord | Jan 13 2025 18:49 utc | 9
Excellent post that goes beyond childish narratives. Indeed it is just perception management for the gullible US population. The (demographically insignificant) Jewish supremacist lobby owns the US, Trump included. The vicious Chabadnicks in particular (who are powerful in Kiev and Moscow). They are complementing the traditional likudnicks&labour in control of the republican camp and the evangelists are their shabbos goyim. War and chaos they spread. To their defense the energy + MIC lobbied do not complain. Perilous time for Iran.
But childish citizens of the empire are cheerleading "their" emperor, Obama, Clinton, Trump, Reagan. Bloody facts are irrelevant.
Posted by: Canadian muslim | Jan 13 2025 23:35 utc | 57
But childish citizens of the empire are cheerleading "their" emperor, Obama, Clinton, Trump, Reagan. Bloody facts are irrelevant.
Posted by: Canadian muslim | Jan 13 2025 23:35 utc | 57
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
How did you manage to miss Bush and Cheney? The Iraq war, like all wars, was based on deliberate lies.
Posted by: Ed | Jan 14 2025 0:03 utc | 58
Meanwhile, Tulsi Gabbard continues her transmogrification into a typical surveillance state swamp creature.
https://libertarianinstitute.org/news/gabbard-says-she-now-supports-fisa-section-702/
Whether she ever felt otherwise isn't the point (I'm inclined to believe she's fine with fascist government practices as a Hindutva extremist). She used to say something else.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 14 2025 0:03 utc | 59
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 13 2025 23:12 utc | 54
Yes that is indeed Peter Thiel.
And you describe Rogan accurately.
Just a casual chill talkshow host.
Generously letting his guest have their say, maybe a question or remark here and there.
But it's very clear by the kind of guests he's inviting he's giving them a huge platform to spout their right wing garbage.
IDK who runs his show or actually invites them and maybe he is this gullible.
Wouldn't make him any different than half the US.
I also haven't watched any of his shows either.
But he pops up now and then on my socials if he or his guests say something particularly appauling.
Same for Musk. Never cared for of followed him.
But he has power, is a narcist and sociopath and lately even more unhinged than usual.
In the last 14 days he has changed his name to Kekus Maximus or something, tweeted to free neo-nazi Tommy Robinson and this...
https://converseer.com/elon-musk-has-ww1-trench-knife-in-his-bedroom/
Better keep an eye on that nutbag.
Posted by: Ed Bernays | Jan 14 2025 0:09 utc | 60
The Skripal novichok story continues to unravel with time.
https://thegrayzone.com/2025/01/13/british-inquiry-skripal-poisoning/
As it happens, Yulia awoke from her coma, which was never made public, and said that they were sprayed in the face while dining in a restaurant. If the settled-on foundational elements of the ever changing story cannot even be relied upon, so much for the whole kit and kaboodle.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 14 2025 0:10 utc | 61
US Pacific airfields highly vulnerable to China’s preemptive attack
New report highlights US failure to harden military aircraft shelters, leaving them exposed to precision missile strikes in a Taiwan war
by Gabriel Honrada January 13, 2025
US airfields in the Pacific are critically vulnerable to China’s advanced long-range aviation and missile capabilities, risking devastating losses before a potential conflict even begins.
This month, the Hudson Institute think tank released a report saying that US airfields in the Western Pacific face critical vulnerability as China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has vastly outpaced US efforts to harden airfield infrastructure.
The Hudson Institute report says that while China’s military has doubled its hardened aircraft shelters to over 3,000 and added extensive runways, the US military has added two since the early 2010s. The report says this disparity leaves US airbases dangerously exposed to precision missile strikes, with most aircraft losses in a potential conflict expected to occur on the ground.
The report states that China’s fortification efforts enable sustained air operations under attack, posing a strategic advantage. In contrast, it points out that US reliance on Cold War-era approaches and minimal investment in airfield resilience increases operational risks and incentivizes Chinese aggression.
It recommends a multi-year campaign to harden US airbases, deploy active and passive defenses, and redesign force structures to operate from distant or dispersed locations. Without these measures, the Hudson Institute report warns that the US risks losing air superiority in the Indo-Pacific and faces a destabilizing strategic imbalance that could provoke preemptive Chinese military actions.
Further, The War Zone reported in December 2024 that the US Air Force’s new Installation Infrastructure Action Plan (I2AP) notably omits plans for new hardened aircraft shelters despite acknowledging that bases can no longer be considered sanctuaries and must operate under attack.
MORE...
https://asiatimes.com/2025/01/us-pacific-airfields-highly-vulnerable-to-chinas-preemptive-attack/
Posted by: Menz | Jan 14 2025 0:12 utc | 62
Thanks for the post b. Spot on.
–
I just recalled that back then MEK was often referred to as MKO.
So adjust your search terms accordingly.
Thanks!
Posted by: librul | Jan 13 2025 20:25 utc | 31
librul,
MEK, PMOI, MKO, NCRI are all the same entity.
This entity was militarily neutered, and dislodged from Camp Ashraf, Iraq – where they fought alongside Iraq against Iran – to Albania. They were given laptops to form a troll-farm.
They are also referred to as Monafeqin in Farsi, meaning: hypocritical, seditious, mischief maker.
Universally reviled in Iran.
Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | Jan 14 2025 0:16 utc | 63
Politically I would agree (this is becoming a worrying trend) with c1ue that Rogaine is a centrist.
Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 13 2025 20:55 utc | 42
Grin. I am sure you meant Rogan, as this item belongs behind many bathroom mirrors.
Posted by: Sakineh Bagoom | Jan 14 2025 0:45 utc | 64
Like the rest of the world, the obsession with politicians and parties is a mostly American phenomenon.
Most people are focused on living more comfortable family-oriented lives and don't have time for Idiocracy distractions like politics and reality TV.
The easier life gets the more stupid and crazy humans tend to behave.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 13 2025 22:36 utc | 51
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
When in the history of Human civilization has politics not been a central element of human activities and relationships?
For example, politics exists between husbands and wives, lovers, siblings, friends, enemies, slaves and masters, and at all levels of human interactions. Just because most people don't recognize it as such does not make it any less true.
Posted by: Ed | Jan 14 2025 1:00 utc | 66
Bibi is clearly done. Trump ain't inviting him. So Gantz will be PM likely this year.
Despite what jpost rants (https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-835732).
Also don't forget Bandar Abbas where india has massive economic interests. india is also being coaxed into be a partner to counter china (economically) and militarily with the quad (asian nato).
The world has changed last 4 years and it ain't going back.
Posted by: Sal | Jan 14 2025 1:30 utc | 67
a brief history of iran usa relations...
usa installs a brutal dictator by overthrowing the democratically elected leader of iran in 1953...
iran take 26 years to get rid of the fucker...
usa now considers iran a terrible terrorist state - for having the audacity of getting rid of the usa installed dictator..
mek - the new improved terorist / non terrorist org - just like hts ( new and improved!!) as now working with the usa to improve iran, lol.
trump assassinates soleiemini on a diplomatic assignment to iraq to help get some peace deal..
trump shares a segment of jeffrey sachs cambridge union talk from 2 months ago.. trump implies he is not a servant to netanyahu..
as the stomach turns... if anyone thinks peace is going to break out based on any of this- forget it... the country that wants to sanction everyone's ass here is not going to change direction... the titanic is headed for the iceberg and captain trump is going to go down with the maga ship!!
----------------- oh wait!! i am supposed to navel gaze on rogan - the real message in this thread, lol..
Posted by: james | Jan 14 2025 1:56 utc | 68
Posted by: Savonarole | Jan 13 2025 18:38 utc | 7
"I would be curious about a detail audit about how much Israhell has costed and benefited the US since it's creation...
It has costed a lot to taxpayer and benefited a lot of politicians and lawmakers for sure ,but in total? How much ?
at a tangent --
Last week in a conversation with Nima Alkhorshid, Col. Jacques Baud said that in its entire existence, Israel has been nothing but trouble for its neighbors; that it has never sought peace or acted with diplomacy but always violence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqqs2jLVvyk
Posted by: Errata | Jan 14 2025 2:46 utc | 69
@TQC - #61
UK Issued a DA-Notice On My Diary Result
Well, at last some appreciation for my analysis ... thanking British Intelligence!
Just reflected on some articles that linked the Skripal Case in Salisbury to MI6 agent [deleted]. I wrote about [deleted] in January 2017 involved with Orbis Business Intelligence and Christopher Steele. The LinkedIn page of [deleted] has been erased. Many other bloggers have spun further and looked into this peculiar relationship and the campaign of British anti-Russia hysteria and propaganda.
At the very beginning of the of the Skripal incident, the security services blocked by D(SMA) notice [Defence and Security Media Advisory] any media mention of Pablo Miller and told the media not to look at Orbis and the Steele dossier on Trump, acting immediately to get out their message via trusties in the BBC and Guardian. Gordon Corera, "BBC Security Correspondent", did not name the source who told him to say this, but helpfully illustrated his tweet with a nice picture of MI6 Headquarters.Link to story via my handle.
Even individuals and groups opposing the government in Iran have spoken out against MEK (Mojaheddin e-Khalq) and say the organisation is a cult.
Congress forms caucus to aid Iranian ex-terror group
... [Factions] of the Iranian opposition, who often clash fiercely with each other, are unanimous in their rejection of the MeK. Anti-hijab activist Masih Alinejad has labeled the group a “cult.” Iranian-American journalist Jason Rezaian, who was held hostage in prison on trumped-up charges by the Iranian government for over a year, has insisted that the MeK’s brand is “toxic.” Former crown prince Reza Pahlavi called the MeK “terroristic” in a Belgian parliament hearing last year.“The fact that a documented cult-like organization with a history of terrorism, human rights abuses, and committing atrocities alongside Saddam Hussein can get endorsed by lawmakers in Washington is a testament to how much money and power is behind the pro-war with Iran infrastructure here,” says Jamal Abdi, head of the National Iranian American Council ...
We have to wonder who encouraged or paid those members of the US Congress to support MEK, other than MEK leader Maryam Rajavi (in her 70s) and her followers. Which third-party agency or nation would most benefit from the US supporting and installing a puppet govt headed by this deranged leader and her cult in Tehran?
Posted by: Refinnejenna | Jan 14 2025 4:08 utc | 71
@KarlOf1:
"I see the JUdge is trying to keep his chats to @20-22 minutes as they begin with a two-minute infomercial and end abruptly at about the 24-minute mark."
Indeed, he is, which is very unfortunate, especially when it comes to Alastair Crooke. One of the MOST brilliant, if not THE most brilliant analysts that the Judge has on his show.
Posted by: Kay | Jan 14 2025 4:28 utc | 72
@KarlOf1:
"I see the JUdge is trying to keep his chats to @20-22 minutes as they begin with a two-minute infomercial and end abruptly at about the 24-minute mark."
Indeed, he is, which is very unfortunate, especially when it comes to Alastair Crooke. One of the MOST brilliant, if not THE most brilliant analysts that the Judge has on his show.
Posted by: Kay | Jan 14 2025 4:28 utc | 73
Tehran Times, Jan 14
TEHRAN – Diplomats from Iran and the European trio of Britain, France and Germany held serious and constructive nuclear talks in Geneva on Monday and agreed to resume talks to reach an agreement, the Iranian deputy foreign minister for legal affairs announced on Monday night. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 14 2025 4:29 utc | 74
@ Don Bacon | Jan 14 2025 4:29 utc | 74 with the multi-node meeting with Iran summary and link...thx
I like the new term multi-node instead of multi-polar.
If these 3 European countries can act unilaterally from the US then maybe there is hope those and other European nations can forge a future separate from US control.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jan 14 2025 4:46 utc | 75
Ah, yes the MEK cult conference! Lol!
MEK has been a real pain in Iran's backside.
Insofar as to what Trump will do to suck up to Israhell, or, uh, what he won't:
During his first Admin, Israhell and Bibi Miliekowsky got quite a bit out of Trump: He had General Soleimani and Abu Muhandis assassinated in Baghdad, something Miliekowsky had wanted for YEARS, he gave the Syrian Golan to Israhell, he bombed Syria under false pretexts, he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem, he was responsible for the normalization of Israhell and the Crypto Jews in Saudi Arabia.
Trump's biggest donor in his first term was Sheldon Adelson, Israhelli billionaire. This time it was his widow Miriam at 100 million. She will want a return on her investment. And since Israhell and Bibi Miliekowsky are drunk on colonial pursuits in Syria, I have ZERO doubt they will try to go to war with Iran. Iran IS WEAK. And in my view it's partly why the loss of Syria and the Israhelli's now violating Lebanese sovereignty, even during a ceasefire. Why Hezbollah continues to abide by it as Bibi violates it, Ill never know, but that is a different story.
I have a friend who lives in Iran and HATES Pezeshkian and his side kick ZARIF. Both are Western ass kissers. They are the reason Iran hesitated with the 2nd attack on Israhell and why the 3rd NEVER happened. My friend wanted Jalili to win the Presidency in Iran as he is more closely aligned with Raisi policies. Pezeshkian and side kick ZARIF are a real and present danger to Iran. They would rather ass kiss the West than fight them. This is the same mistake Hezbollah and Assad made and look what happened
Until a US target stops being AFRAID of the US and it's attack dog Nutty Yahoo, the US WILL continue to railroad whomever they want
Iran IS NEXT.The US and Bibi Miliekowsky have every right to believe that Iran is weak. There has been nothing to show them otherwise.
In some small way, I wish the US would dare to attack Iran. Closing the Strait of Hormuz is enough to destroy the global economy without firing a shot. The US power is mainly projection. It is a paper tiger. The first country that figures that out WINS!
Posted by: Kay | Jan 14 2025 4:49 utc | 76
As Desmond Dekker would say (apropos Kellogg) I It Mek!
Posted by: Gerry Bell | Jan 14 2025 5:27 utc | 77
Alastair Crooke. One of the MOST brilliant, if not THE most brilliant analysts that the Judge has on his show.
Posted by: Kay | Jan 14 2025 4:28 utc | 73
Gosh, is show that bad?
Posted by: Jake Barnherd | Jan 14 2025 5:36 utc | 78
Prof Jeffrey Sachs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm0zalh-BLg
"The US is leading us closer to nuclear war."
Posted by: John Gilberts | Jan 14 2025 5:46 utc | 79
(Russia) It will help Iran to become even more sanctions (proved) proof.
Posted by b on January 13, 2025 at 17:45 UTC | Permalink
Iran is no where near sanctions proof now, or will be with whatever Russia offers. they as cutoff from the 'regular' world and access to essential contacts and supplies as Russia is. And have been for over 40 years, which has a severe cumulative effect on everyone in the nation.
Iran is far from doing OK at present. They are gasping for air. Russia isn't helping much now unless you choose to believe the spin and propaganda all is well. It's is like asking a cripple to help your old grandma in a walker go shopping.
Posted by: Jake Barnherd | Jan 14 2025 5:56 utc | 80
Sachs "The US is leading us closer to nuclear war."
Good. Let's get on with it. The sooner the US s wiped out militarily and economically the better for the whole world.
Posted by: Jake Barnherd | Jan 14 2025 5:58 utc | 81
hey as cutoff from the 'regular' world and access to essential contacts and supplies as Russia is
Posted by: Jake Barnherd | Jan 14 2025 5:56 utc | 80
Sachs "The US is leading us closer to nuclear war."
Good. Let's get on with it.
Posted by: Jake Barnherd | Jan 14 2025 5:58 utc | 81
I hope it doesn't come to that, but if it does, I hope clueless WW3 cheerleaders like you are wiped out first.
Posted by: 5thcolumn | Jan 14 2025 7:15 utc | 82
Bright Lights Big City; Video walk through of Teheran
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Kal5HaWT1V0&pp=ygURdGVoZXJhbiBuaWdodGxpZmU%3D
Sanctions only serve to further isolate the USA and its vassals from 87% of the world these days.
Posted by: Exile | Jan 14 2025 7:22 utc | 83
Illuminating in depth Article on Unz Review published Monday
American Pravda: China vs. America •
A Comprehensive Review of the Economic, Technological, and Military Factors
Posted by: Exile | Jan 14 2025 7:29 utc | 84
China plans to blow Starlink out of the sky in a Taiwan war
by Gabriel Honrada January 14, 2025
China’s bold moves to counter Starlink’s military applications with cutting-edge satellite disruption methods spotlight the pivotal role space would play in a Taiwan Strait conflict.
This month, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Chinese scientists have developed a method to target SpaceX’s Starlink satellite constellation. SCMP says the method simulates a space operation that could approach nearly 1,400 Starlink satellites within 12 hours using 99 Chinese satellites.
The research, led by Wu Yunhua, director of the aerospace control department at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, was published in the Chinese academic journal Systems Engineering and Electronics and highlights Starlink’s military applications as witnessed in the Ukraine war.
The Chinese team’s computer simulation suggests that China could effectively track and monitor the operational status of Starlink satellites, which are equipped with lasers, microwaves and other devices for reconnaissance and tracking. The SCMP report notes that the method uses a new binary AI algorithm to mimic the hunting strategy of whales.
Wu’s team claims to have developed an unprecedented technology that enables computers at the ground control center to generate a comprehensive and reliable action plan in less than two minutes.
It also says the research has received significant funding from the Chinese government and military, with the Harbin Institute of Technology also participating in the project.
Asia Times has previously reported that China is reportedly developing anti-satellite technologies to counter the perceived military threat posed by the Starlink network, which has demonstrated strategic utility in Ukraine by enabling real-time battlefield coordination.
Chinese researchers advocate “soft and hard kill methods” to neutralize Starlink’s decentralized constellation, which provides resilient communication through over 2,300 satellites.
MORE...
https://asiatimes.com/2025/01/china-plans-to-blow-starlink-out-of-the-sky-in-a-taiwan-war/
Posted by: Menz | Jan 14 2025 7:48 utc | 85
Relevant to sanctions, unilateralism and the current implementation of "the belt and road" I have lately been informed by the United Parcel Service that my new Chinese computer is being delivered from the Lenovo factory in Ullo, Hungary.
Trumps policies? The dog barks as the caravan moves by.
Posted by: too scents | Jan 14 2025 7:52 utc | 86
Thanks to b for enabling (for me)this helpful discussion.
76 Jay. Your analysis corresponds to the way it' s been looking to me. I'm still waiting to see how the Syria dismemberment plays out, And concerned about Iran and waiting with foreboding to see what the orange entity does. Could he --wishing to upstage the Biden melies -- take a different direction toward less war in the immediate present, which would give the world a breather? --quien sabe. It would seem like a moment in the imaginary.
OT But big (i think)
So i just skimmed the comments here and spoted ....
OUI @ 70.
It looks a big story to me.
Worth a close look by b, id suggest ?
Also i pick up something off the bbc radio 4
At the same momment about...
Atoney Blunt a uk top notch, close to the Queen years ago, who as has been known for years was spying for Russia.
But i hered the term....
'Mi5 papers' is this new ? What do they contain of interest.
Mmm anything more recent ?
Well done Oui
Good post on your blog.
Its big.
On sunday some one close to me told me a D notice is in place to do with ...
Farage and 'reform'
Down the rabbit hole.
Any musk relavence ?
Posted by: Mark2 | Jan 14 2025 8:09 utc | 88
For me the big question......
What is the presant relationship between america and the UK ?
Good or very bad ?
Posted by: Mark2 | Jan 14 2025 8:47 utc | 89
39 Trubind1. "I’ve said before, there’s no real benefit for Iran to sign agreements with Russia if Russia is simply going to hamstring Iran like they did Syria with their “aid” of the S300 that Syria was never allowed to use against Israel."
I think you have stated the case, but I tend to think without or 'with' Russia, 'standing on it's own' as one poster said is precarious for Iran. Was Russia's failure (imo) in Syria (and loss of foothold in West Asia?) one up for Empire vs. BRICS? In the context of concurrent aggressions by empire in the world (So. Korea, Eastern Europe, Africa esp. Sahel, etc.)?
Posted by: Jake Barnherd | Jan 14 2025 5:58 utc | 81
Sachs "The US is leading us closer to nuclear war."
Good. Let's get on with it. The sooner the US s wiped out militarily and economically the better for the whole world.
<=I think of the USA as the gun in the bandits hand.
If you were to dispose of the gun you would not stop or tame the bandit..
The bandit adheres to an 'if I am not king of the mountain and owner of all then no one else shall be permitted to live] ideology.. That ideology attracts mostly humans who strongly express greed. The greedier the person the more likely that person is to be either in jail or sitting pretty among the wealthy few..
You will find persons expressing this pistol toting ideology in the highest positions in governments, industries, banks, militaries etc. world wide.. It might be more productive to find a way for societies to deal with greed expressing individuals.
Without greed there would be no such a thing as war.
Posted by: snake | Jan 14 2025 10:42 utc | 91
russia will win, russia will ...
Posted by: joe911 | Jan 14 2025 11:05 utc | 93
---
Russia will not "win". Rather, they will survive the immanent collapse of the West.
Posted by: too scents | Jan 14 2025 11:12 utc | 92
Refinnejenna @71:
We have to wonder who encouraged or paid those members of the US Congress to support MEK, other than MEK leader Maryam Rajavi (in her 70s) and her followers. Which third-party agency or nation would most benefit from the US supporting and installing a puppet govt headed by this deranged leader and her cult in Tehran?
Why, the taxpayer, of course! And the "customers" of the CIA's "side business" in illicit global air freight (guns, drugs, child sex slaves, involuntarily harvested transplantable organs, etc). Imperial money laundering. The State Department/CIA gives the money to criminal and terrorist outfits like MEK, ISIS, Israel, and Falun Gong, and then those outfits recycle some of the cash back to Congress to keep the money pump primed. All neat and tidy.
Posted by: William Gruff | Jan 14 2025 11:31 utc | 93
Barbaric Biden is trying to assassinate the Russian central bank governor. Such a desperate loser!
Posted by: Jason | Jan 14 2025 11:55 utc | 94
Russia -- the motherland -- is always extending a helping hand to those who need it most.
Russia -- the motherland -- is a blessed country and Mr. Putin is decent man and a loving man.
Posted by: pepe | Jan 14 2025 11:57 utc | 95
Bright Lights Big City; Video walk through of Teheran
Posted by: Exile | Jan 14 2025 7:22 utc | 83
The interesting point of that video (and many others like it on Youtube) is the large number of women who don't even pretend to wear hijab (headscarf), even on the back of the head, which was the fashion five years ago. There's no question of fearing the morality police. Been like that for a couple of years now.
Posted by: laguerre | Jan 14 2025 12:01 utc | 96
been informed by the United Parcel Service that my new Chinese computer is being delivered from the Lenovo factory in Ullo, Hungary.
Posted by: too scents | Jan 14 2025 7:52 utc | 86
Years ago China wanted to create a big shipping hub and other investments in Romania to take advantage of the Black Sea routes. Under EU-US command Romania refused and basically made fun of the plan, said they don't want any trade with China, "go away". Then China created multiple transport hubs and factories in other EU countries and a few years ago the Lenovo factory in Hungary ( news.lenovo.com/pressroom/press-releases/first-european-in-house-manufacturing-facility-ullo-hungary ). TCL has a factory Poland and TVs for the European market come from there. Recently Romania has blocked the purchase of an energy company ("E.ON") by a Hungarian company, due to Hungary's relations with Russia, even though they offered the best price.
Posted by: rk | Jan 14 2025 12:01 utc | 97
71 - MEK is probably the closest entity in relation to Iran that HTS is to Syria - terrorists brought in from the cold to accomplish a task.
Posted by: Waldorf | Jan 14 2025 12:16 utc | 98
"MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. Several Russian regions were targeted in drone attacks last night."
The drone war against Russia widens. Nothing could be more insidious.
Well, there's something worse if the West unleashes biological warfare against Russia. . . after all, it's even cheaper and has been well prepared in advance.
It's terrible that all this has fallen on Russia to do something about. But it has.
Posted by: elmagnostic | Jan 14 2025 12:35 utc | 99
"SINGAPORE/BEIJING, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Shandong Port Group has banned U.S.-sanctioned tankers from calling into its ports in the eastern Chinese province, home to many independent refiners that are the biggest importers of oil from countries under U.S. embargo, three traders said.
The province imported about 1.74 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil from Iran, Russia and Venezuela last year, accounting for about 17% of China's imports, ship tracking data from Kpler showed.
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This will slow down imports of Iranian oil by Chinese independent refineries in Shandong. The US threatens to sanction any Chinese port that offloads from a sanctioned ship. The threat itself is enough to get Chinese ports to back off. If a Chinese port is sanctioned then it is cut off from the US financial system (no bank will want to do any deals with them). Any company or bank working with the port is itself threatened with the same sanctions. As long as there is no alternative to the US dollar for international trade, US sanctions system is very effective.
Countries like Turkey are probably going to end up getting economically destroyed by US sanctions in a few years because they are a threat to Israel. They should hurry up and figure out an alternative like using the yuan.
Posted by: dreadful | Jan 13 2025 20:36 utc | 33
Generally you should not take reports about China from western MSM seriously until it's corroborated by Chinese media. Western MSM has a history of false claims and putting words in other countries' mouths that never happened, especially the primary propaganda targets like China, Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
These propaganda efforts by the western MSM are designed to exaggerate the effects of western sanctions and to prove to the western public that these sanctions are effective. However, is it really the case? For example, see the previously western sanction efforts on Russian oil and the implementation of a price cap. Despite MSM reports about these sanctions wrecking the Russian economy and so forth, empirical analysis of the trade data shows it has entirely failed. All three Russian oil blends of ESPO, Sokol, Urals have almost entirely stayed above the $60 cap, with the exception of a short period in 2023 for Urals. (Russian and Brent oil prices over time, https://energyandcleanair.org/december-2024-monthly-analysis-of-russian-fossil-fuel-exports-and-sanctions/) Even then, this is only due to Urals being the blend for EU exports, and it also has since recovered above.
Moreover, logically speaking, China benefits from the cheaper oil that the western vassals are banned from buying, giving it a competitive advantage. One of the reasons why China doesn't suffer from inflation like that of the west. So, in addition to the long standing Chinese government stance against US sanctions, it has no reason to comply.
I would bet this is a nothingburger and a year from now, statistics would show Chinese oil imports from Russia, Iran and Venezuela remains unchanged.
Posted by: Autumn | Jan 14 2025 12:35 utc | 100
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https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113789043423746072
Why does alt-media keep lying about this? Watch it yourself. He's not talking about Netanyahu at all here. President Trump hates being manipulated, and it would be really easy for Israel or anyone else to point out how this is being done.
Then again, I hope they don't. Seeing Netanyahu's ambitions collapse over fake news would be great.
Posted by: They Call Me Mister | Jan 13 2025 17:56 utc | 1