The food shortages have arrived sooner than expected. The pirates are not only running out of ammo but also running out of food:
“Dan F. was alarmed when his daughter, a Marine aboard the USS Tripoli, a warship deployed to fight the Iran war, sent him a photo of a meal served on the ship. A lunch tray, two-thirds empty, carried one small scoop of shredded meat and a single folded tortilla.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/04/16/iran-war-mail-packages-middle-east/89609308007/

Failure of feeding the troops leads to low morale, mutiny and fragging.

Posted by: p3t3r | Apr 19 2026 14:41 utc | 3

see the 2:23 video at the first/second link   
 
 
 
https://x.com/alon_mizrahi/status/2045510974359421392
Alon Mizrahi @alon_mizrahi   
 
Humanity has to bring Israel and Zionism to an end 
 
 
https://x.com/Iranian_RCS/status/2045487033288737011
@Iranian_RCS Translated from Persian   
 
Unseen images of a war crime and damage to hospitals following airstrikes by the Zionist regime and America   
 
See the bravery of medical staff in preserving patients’ lives
 
————————
 
https://x.com/ejmalrai/status/2045848884572766240
Elijah J. Magnier 🇪🇺  @ejmalrai 
 
The US blockade is illegal and considered as a collective punishment against civilians. 
 
The US has violated the international law countlessly since Donald Trump is in power and (to a lesser level before him).
 

Posted by: michaelj72 | Apr 19 2026 14:53 utc | 5

Iran should develop hypersonic ballistic missiles that can reach all parts of US.

🇺🇸🇮🇷 US Regime’s Secretary of Energy Chris Wright considers Trump’s threats to blow up Iranian civilian infrastructure “maximum leverage” — not a war crime.

🔴 @DDGeopolitics

https://t.me/DDGeopolitics/182356

Posted by: Surferket | Apr 19 2026 14:58 utc | 7

@6
 
As I recall they were hanged. 

Posted by: AleaJactaEst | Apr 19 2026 15:09 utc | 9

Bring it on Trump! Just Do it!

Posted by: Surferket | Apr 19 2026 15:13 utc | 11

If anyone with the resources is able to deconfuse the following, ( means looking for time stamped decisions etc.) . If only for historical purposes etc .

Sequence of events:

US attacks Iran.
Iran closes straights.

Ceasefire negotiation Pakistan:

Ceasefire announced.

Iran says to include Lebanon, will not implemented in straights until that.
US dithers.
Pakistan says includes Lebanon.
US ‘applies pressure’ on “Israel”, Lebanon ceasefire also announced.

To deconflict, place timing:

Iran FM tweets straights fully open, reprimanded for doing so.

US announces blockade of Iran for not respecting ceasefire (?).

Iran announces straights fully closed again.

Questions also:

Were ‘open straights’ to include Iranian approvals of some kind, i.e. to exclude military traffic, to require declaration of passage to Iran etc.

Note: Even shipping companies are uncertain of what arrangement was in force when.

The above would help indicate who is misleading who, where various loyalties or manipulation might exist.

The blockade and closure of the straight is both a distraction to other events in Levant, as well as jusrification of reinitiating conflict.

“Israeli” and US actions are also antagonistic towards any possible resolution (further actions in Lebanon, Gaza, menaces etc.).

Posted by: Ornot | Apr 19 2026 15:45 utc | 13

Did someone really think the U.S. will just back down? They’d rather suffer through a Vietnam than admit they’re not as powerful as once were.
Posted by: Messier | Apr 19 2026 15:35 utc
 
I agree with you. 
 
FWIW, Finnish economist and forecaster Malinen has been saying that the conflict will only end with the capitulation of one of the sides.  (He looks at it in game theoretic terms.) 
 
He also takes the news that Trump is pulling Vance out of Pakistan as indicating that a US ground assault is coming.

Posted by: spudski | Apr 19 2026 15:52 utc | 15

Is Venezuela is at risk for a Chinese take over..during the time most western assets are employed in the seafaring passages quibble going on in the Middle East?  

Posted by: snake | Apr 19 2026 16:03 utc | 17

I think that Wilkerson is right and that we may be 48 hours away from a global depression – if Trump renews the war. Iran will destroy the Gulf States in retaliation – and has the power to do so.

Posted by: Eighthman | Apr 19 2026 16:04 utc | 19

MAKC: Dwayne Monroe: ‘Understanding Capitalism’s Heart Attack’
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBML_4s7zjY
 
“The key nodal points of the capital system.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Apr 19 2026 16:10 utc | 21

DH: Mohammad Marandi: ‘Trump is On His Knees’
 
https://www.youtube.com/@DannyHaiphongYT/streams
 
“Iran just hit US Navy hard in Strait of Hormuz, Trump stunned.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Apr 19 2026 16:14 utc | 23

From The Cradle’s article: https://thecradle.co/articles/trump-renews-threats-to-knock-out-irans-power-plants-bridges-if-final-deal-fails
“We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform, while announcing talks would continue in Pakistan on Monday.
Trump’s mentally enable to perform his role. Nixon, Reagan , Bush, Biden had the same issue at the end of their terms. The difference now is that the people around Trump are utterly incompetent, so it wouldn’t make much of a difference.
With Biden, Tony Blinken and Jake Sullivan took up the role, which I think is unconstitutional, and they were ultra Zionists, albeit sane of mind.
In the case of Trump, I’d argue that Hegseth is also certifiable. Not sure who’s more a nutjob between the two of them… 
 
 

Posted by: Jules | Apr 19 2026 16:28 utc | 25

Daniel Davis lays it all out in this video posted this morning.
https://www.youtube.com/live/gJABhERNyDo?si=YNTPOoI7I9p8xqKr

Posted by: morongobill | Apr 19 2026 16:41 utc | 27

BI: Laith Marouf
 
https://www.youtube.com/@boganintel
 
“The real situation in Southern Lebanon right now.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Apr 19 2026 16:45 utc | 29

I hope everyone posting or reading here has donated.
 

Posted by: NJH | Apr 19 2026 16:52 utc | 31

Sean Foo: ‘Japan Hits Panic Button’
 
https://www.youtube.com/@SeanFooGold/videos
 
“Japan demands US permission to save its currency – Bessent’s financial panic begins.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Apr 19 2026 16:54 utc | 33

TEIAP: Aman Ullah Tariq
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwYsbmOimys
 
“Playing the middle ground: Pakistan & US-Iran negotiations.”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Apr 19 2026 17:12 utc | 35

🇮🇷⚡️🇺🇸 IRNA Exclusive: Second Round of Islamabad Talks Denied
 
🔹 Reports of a second round of negotiations in Islamabad are false. U.S. demands, shifting positions, and continued “naval blockade” actions have stalled progress, leaving little hope for successful talks.
 
🔹 The reports are described as part of a U.S. media “blame game” to pressure Iran.

https://t.me/RezistanceTrench/49383

Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 19 2026 17:19 utc | 37

Posted by: Nemesis | Apr 19 2026 17:18 utc | 36
would be a good start if he said the same to Ukraine but he won’t 

Posted by: Night Tripper | Apr 19 2026 17:26 utc | 39

@Konami | Apr 19 2026 17:23 utc | 38

 This kind of blame game won’t work particularly well precisely because Iran went to Islamabad in “good faith” last time.  

That is true and the reason why Iran went to Islamabad last week: To demonstrate to the world that Iran wanted a diplomatic solution and cannot be blamed for the game the US is playing. An I believe the world has received that message.
 

Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 19 2026 17:29 utc | 41

Iran’s days are numbered…if residents of Tehran want to live, they better leave ASAP…heheheh 

Posted by: Trump The Conqueror | Apr 19 2026 17:49 utc | 43

Finally speaking for the whole world: “Pezeshkian: No one has the right to deprive us of our nuclear rights; what we demand is fair treatment for all nations within the international system.” [My Emphasis] he should have added the word “entire” prior to international.

Posted by: karlof1 | Apr 19 2026 17:52 utc | 45

Borzzikman claims the Russians lifed a downed F-35 from the Gulf and toke it Home….🥳😂🍿

Posted by: Nobody | Apr 19 2026 18:01 utc | 47

Unusually high activity detected a few hours ago from U.S. E-6B Mercury “Doomsday” aircraft. The plane repeatedly broadcast 12-group emergency operational messages, typically used for strategic and nuclear command coordination, possibly directing naval units to take offensive or defensive positions.
 

Posted by: StrongOx | Apr 19 2026 18:06 utc | 49

Iran War Summary: Week Seven, 17th April, 2026:  May be Useful to Some: The Iran War Summary: Week Seven – by Dr. Rob Campbell

Posted by: The Busker | Apr 19 2026 18:14 utc | 51

This self-proclaimed Physics professor often makes jokes intended to belittle commenters. Pretending to be a university professor, he rarely attempts to analyze the issues raised and instead spends time staging a spectacle from his pulpit. All these verbal games meant to imply that others don’t understand the topic under discussion are nothing more than empty rhetoric.
 
If someone is clear about what they’re writing, they don’t need to revel in the supposed incompetence of others. They speak clearly and with clear understanding. As you say, this guy’s true colors have been showing for some time.
 
On another note, although it’s off-topic, the number of bots implemented on this site isn’t a consequence of there being discerning human beings who want to help alleviate the suffering of their fellow human beings.
 
The bots aren’t here because the site is going to change minds. The bots are here because they collect data about human behavior. Although the people on this forum may feel special, there are thousands of forums, in multiple languages, where people, using their free will, talk more than they should.
 
A bot is a program specifically designed for that purpose.
 
Currently, there is a huge variety of bots, but they have all been created with a specific goal. In the case of social media, the purpose of a bot is to profile personalities. That is, to find out not only age, gender, children, family, job, income, years of contributions, education, political leanings, religious beliefs, but even where you live, etc.
 
The objective of Machine Learning applied to society is to profile personalities, not because they are relevant as contrarians (which they are not), but to discover the psychosocial patterns of behavior in millions of people. There will always be antisocial people. People who have failed to conform to the imposed social norms. These are the interesting ones. The humans who have always been unproductive for the State, Religion, or Procreation.
 
Although most are ineffective and will die, the influence they exert on their descendants must be documented because no data should be inconsequential for analyzing and synthesizing a personality profile.
 
All the data is Our Yum, Yum.
 
Says a human. Do you believe or not.

Posted by: Sarah | Apr 19 2026 18:14 utc | 53

China must provide Iran all the real-time satellite intelligence it needs to monitor all US dispositions in the Arabian peninsula and the Arabian sea, in order to see and pre-empt any surprise attack. 
 
US capability is limited by its force disposition so it must be tracked at all times to assess scenarios what realistically might happen.

Posted by: unimperator | Apr 19 2026 18:32 utc | 55

The threat Trump gave Iran on the ending of their civilization was obviously a nuclear threat. The last day or so a message apparently sent out by the Pentagon in code has done the rounds in social media. No idea if it was a hoax or genuine but the problem there is Trumps nuclear threat. He wanted to go nuclear on Iran in his first term.
 
Whatever that message was, its an exceptionally dangerous time. The MAGA in Trumps mind does not do defeat, especial against a hated enemy like Iran.

Posted by: Peter AU1 | Apr 19 2026 18:50 utc | 57

Ornot 2
 
It looks like Scott Ritter was right.
Iran will not accept this Qiyanat / treachery by Israel ,  issuing  yellow lines in Lebanon during a ceasefire.  
 
Iran will know that the Epstein Sauds and Nato Turkiye , Jewlani+Shimon Elliot and Duplicitous Dubai are all involved in this Treachery.
 
The tiny prepuces in the garbage bin will be all that’s left. 

Posted by: Giyane | Apr 19 2026 18:55 utc | 59

Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 19 2026 16:31 utc | 26
Insane, but GOD BLESS THE HONESTY OF TEAM TRUMP. 
 
the attempt at information control and homogeneity is so profound and largely successful that only a small percent of people know what happened on Oct 7. Academics, journalists, priests, doctors, etc., are not agents of light. They participate in and spread Big B’s lies. It’s a crime to report what the people of Gaza or Lebanon or Iran say. 
 
war profiteering? Thank you President Trump for your honesty. how have people failed to notice all the gambling on weapons production happening via various stock markets? Thank You for Your Attention!

Posted by: duck n cover | Apr 19 2026 19:35 utc | 61

Today, an Iranian-flagged cargo ship named TOUSKA, nearly 900 feet long and weighing almost as much as an aircraft carrier, tried to get past our Naval Blockade, and it did not go well for them. The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop. The Iranian crew refused to listen, so our Navy ship stopped them right in their tracks by blowing a hole in the engineroom. Right now, U.S. Marines have custody of the vessel. The TOUSKA is under U.S. Treasury Sanctions because of their prior history of illegal activity. We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board! President DONALD J. TRUMP
 
The USN attacked an Iranian ship.

Posted by: KillerDoll | Apr 19 2026 19:38 utc | 63

America has a fundamental problem: China has built all the necessary instruments to become the collective agent that decides everything.
 
Are Americans idiots? Surely not.
 
Here, all the intelligence structures are working to achieve their objectives.
 
Of course, there are short-term individual objectives, but all collective agents are perfectly aware of the inertia. The United States is not in a position to sustain the preeminence of its empire. China is a monster that cannot be contained in the next 100 years. That’s why some Americans prefer to think that, instead of returning to the continent and assimilating the loss of that so-called Pax Americana, they prefer, upon leaving, to burn everything down.
 
Destroying the Middle East is the Americans’ way of saying goodbye. Trump is the necessary idiot who is destroying the rules-based order. You consider him an idiot or a madman. But I consider his handlers to be very astute: they’ve chosen a poor man who’s going to change the power structures with strategic vision.
 
What does America need to be the most incredible force in the known and unknown universe? Money. But who has money without needing to counterfeit it? China. China produces everything. America produces nothing. So, let’s create a problem with energy resources to minimize China. But even if we make money, a regional power has emerged that will exert influence in the Middle East and Central Asia. The issue is clear to those in charge. America is in a bad way. What’s needed is to make a lot of noise while sustaining the miserable existence of American workers.
 
The coming years will witness that wonderful concept Runsfell spoke of: every crisis is an opportunity… until it isn’t. In the immediate future, 4 or 5 years, societies without basic structures will degenerate and become useless. It is evident, by the love of God Almighty and Our Father in the Universe, that this is the beginning of the breakdown of communication lines between commodities. If God, America, can’t, then God can’t. This is war. It remains to be seen how the patient who depends on the patient’s life will react.
 
Russia is another matter. Russia freed itself from the yoke of the West the day it decided to defend its fellow citizens living in Donbass: February 22, 2022.
 
And all this talk about whether Russians have to take care of others is nonsense because, what do you want? To be dominated by others or to have self-awareness? Bravo Iran. And bravo Russia. And bravo China. And, America and Israel. Israel and America, stop hurting others.
 
And you, AUH, marvelous bigot, take a time to recognize that the people are not the same as you say. Even you see the bad, there are always some one to be free, even an individuality. 
 
And, please, you have the fallacious behavior of a bot that choose a little thing from others to make a terrible castle of arena.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
bot  

Posted by: Sarah | Apr 19 2026 19:42 utc | 65

“As President of the United States, I have access to information that could bring down the Papacy, the Vatican, and the entire CatholicChurch overnight! ….”

https://t.me/youseffares19/115376

Meanwhile in Lebanon…

https://t.me/youseffares19/115377

Posted by: Ornot | Apr 19 2026 19:55 utc | 67

And, there is, of course, more humans:
 
The classification begun when God, That Musician, spreads their Love to Make Everybody Mad. 
 
And the humans, doted by the free will, decided to be owners of their bad thinking and, in their arrogance, never understood that there are dominions of intelligence. Places and times when there are people to fight and there are times to cooperate. Nothing can be so strict to be a simple thing, there are nuances. And hope.
 
If I really thought that there was a time when there was no hope for the human being, I was wrong.
 
 

Posted by: Sarah | Apr 19 2026 20:03 utc | 69

Posted by: circumspect | Apr 19 2026 16:03 utc | 18
 
Fantasy from yt. They never do anything and they will not do anything now that US says it clearly:
“US Navy will inspect ships heading to China as part of the fight against the supply of Iranian oil, – US Permanent Representative to the UN Walts”

Posted by: rk | Apr 19 2026 20:07 utc | 71

🇦🇪⚡️🇺🇸 Prominent UAE commentator: It is time to think about closing the American bases as they are a burden and not a strategic asset

https://t.me/RezistanceTrench/49391

Posted by: Norwegian | Apr 19 2026 20:19 utc | 73

There’s an ongoing spate of  false flag  arson attempts  on Jewish-related property in London.  I say “attempted” because the arsonists appear to be incompetent and fail to actually burn anything down.
 
This has of course been condemned by every usual suspect from Starmer, the chief rabbi, the Metropolitan Police to the (Israeli-funded) Campaign Against Antisemitism.  The  blame appears to be directed at a group called Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia.
 
For anyone who didn’t see it, Craig Murray debunked Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia  last month. 
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2026/03/the-london-ambulances-attack-of-course-it-was-a-false-flag/
 
Extract : “The organisation that, conveniently for the Zionist narrative, immediately claimed responsibility for the attack is Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia. This is a group which simply did not exist until the US and Israeli attack on Iran, when it suddenly appeared fully formed and started causing small incidents of property damage to Jewish communities in Belgium and the Netherlands. From day one of its appearance, Israeli-backed think tanks and security groups instantly claimed to have linked it to Iranian militias.
These Israeli claims were first surfaced by regular Israeli security service outlet Joe Truzman of the “Foundation for Defending Democracy”, who makes a living from fronting Israeli claims that all the deaths in Gaza were Hamas.
The first online “evidence” of the existence of the group was on 9 March. On 16 March the entire Israeli Hasbara machinery in coordination went into overdrive on Harakat Ashab al-Yamin. Israel’s Diaspora Ministry issued a statement. So did Israel’s MFA. So did the Institute of National Security Studies. So did BICOM – the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre.
All on the same morning. At a time when Harakat Ashab al-Yamin had done nothing except allegedly start a small fire in Rotterdam. This frenzied publicity activity about this, by that point practically non-existent, group was prioritised by the Israeli state on the morning of some of the most intense missile and bombing attacks by Israel, the USA, Iran and Hezbollah of the war.”

Posted by: Red Star | Apr 19 2026 20:21 utc | 75

Posted by: rk | Apr 19 2026 20:07 utc | 74

Brian is right. US only policy is all about strangling China anyway possible.

Posted by: Surferket | Apr 19 2026 20:29 utc | 77

unimperator @ 50
 

At this point the plan is to completely destroy all infrastructure in the Middle East, so re-attacking Iran and its power plants and other infrastructure is part of the plan to trigger this. It’s also a pre-requisite for greater Israel. 

Every 20 minutes the devil whispering in my ear tells me this, it’s easy and seductive, but the fact is the USA-Israel tried to bring Iran down with soft power through internal collapse, the umpteenth orange revolution trick, and they miscalculated that badly, just like they miscalculated that the Putin administration would collapse domestically from a sanctions tsunami and a blitz from Ukraine on the Donbas intended to put to flight the Russian population and all the irregular fighters.
 
If the goal was to bait Iran into striking the Gulf state petrochemical infrastructure, IOW getting Iran to do their dirty work for them, the entire orange revolution part, the many years and millions in bribes and opposition research and nefarious energy invested could have been much better spent elsewhere. I also can’t imagine the US military wanted to see its bases in the Gulf, especially the naval ones, and bases in Iraq get destroyed, Iraq itself was a 25 year investment.
 
If the arrogant brilliance of their orange revolution had worked there would be no destruction of the Gulf petro industry, no closing of the Strait of Hormuz, no talk of closing Bab al Mandab.
 
There’s no question the USA wants to raise global oil prices to keep the demand for petrodollars high and to make its petro-industry competitive, but I don’t see a brilliant plan to trick Iran into destroying Gulf State oil production and USA bases and equipment as the actual plan, rather just the latest clusterfuck the USA needs to work around. Nothing new here, being able to survive clusterfucks and keep going forward, making lemonade from lemons, is the ultimate prerogative of hegemony, it’s the very reason power strives for it and the USA has been perfectly successful at it for 80ys.
 
The USA is a net importer of all things petro, it does not have anything close to the amount to replace destroyed capacity from Russia, The Gulf, and Iran, destroying supply will simply destroy demand which will cause a global and domestic recession and very likely depression which would greatly lessen demand for petrodollars. Michael Hudson just recently pointed that out. Whatever is going on is probably a plan, just not a well thought out one, and one that went south.
 
Instead of the USA tricking Iran into doing its dirty work destroying global petro supply, more likely I think we are seeing Russia and China through proxy Iran working at making the hegemon’s prerogative finally hit the wall, finally making the bill come due for its Mother Of All Clusterfucks. 
 
But, don’t hold me to it, the devil on my shoulder might be right.
 
 

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Apr 19 2026 20:31 utc | 79

Trump sees that Roman Catholic churches have images of Jesus inside. Trump will expose the Pope and all these churches for using a fake. Trump knows the real Jesus is orange.

Posted by: Bingo | Apr 19 2026 20:33 utc | 81

Norwegian 76 
 
‘Prominent UAE commentator: It is time to think about closing the American bases as they are a burden and not a strategic asset.’
 
Corporate AI slop.  
 
I will never forgive UAE for siding with Israel  and genociding Somalis , Yemenis, and Sudanese for Israel.
 
Best way to keep those skyscrapers cool, a sign of  the approach of Jusgement Day,  is to fell them into the sea. 
 
But even that won’t cool the fire of Hell
 

Posted by: Giyane | Apr 19 2026 20:38 utc | 83

@72 Hot Carl

The idea that Iranian leadership is a western psyop is not going to be taken as credible by many Iranians, nor by those anti-empire/colonialism who look on Iran as a worthy opponent to it.

I tend to think Iran has factions, that it utilises all the facets mentioned to own furtherment, that they keep each other in check to achieve that. These would be the sort of divisions US would look to exploit.

The nuclear question seems to play into US hands, sometimes it all looks staged, sometimes it looks purposefully goading because of the projected “Israeli” security paranoia, which then opens the colonial file as a pivot of confrontation and conflict, ‘survival’.

Sometimes it also seems like some kind of a nuclear lobby project. Someone mentioned normalisation of nuclear weapons, I have mentioned nuclear armament as domestic socio-political tool, or globalist at world level, and here we also have energy type safety coming into play, with reactors proffered to other regional countries, if not actually under construction.

It’s a difficult mixture, a lot of it very high level.

I don’t know.

Posted by: Ornot | Apr 19 2026 20:39 utc | 85

Why is Iran entertaining these idiotic ‘talks’ (total surrender) again.
 
I mean the US has even announced they are sending the two clowns that are not wanted or trusted to ‘lead’ the ‘negotiations’.
 
I get it, Iran wanted to show that they were trying to be reasonable, you’ve done your part Iran. If there is one thing I can guarantee you, these two morons are not interested in anything that even remotely resembles ‘reasonable’.
 
As an aside, stop saying you’re not going to show up to the talks when you are clearly going to show up. Stop saying Lebanon is a red line and then allowing the Israeli’s to waltz right over it. Stop ‘condemning and ‘slamming’, it is utterly ineffectual. In fact just don’t talk, announce ‘red lines’ or ‘condemn and slam’ at all. Actions speak louder than words and all that. All you are doing is giving that ‘person’ in the White House more press and attention, which is exactly what he wants.

Posted by: Bob Hopkins | Apr 19 2026 20:43 utc | 87

He could always try “Yanqui go home!” 
Posted by: Diamante | Apr 19 2026 20:39 utc | 87
 
I like what was previously suggested here.
 
MAGA (Make America Go Away)
 
MAGA (Make America Go Away)
 
A lot of Americans would be on board with Americans leaving the Middle East and Europe and focusing on our internal problems.

Posted by: Woke American | Apr 19 2026 20:51 utc | 89

There’s a certain country missing from this list.
 
-Israel attacks three nations for alleged backing of Iran
The Israeli ambassador to the UN questioned France, China, and Pakistan over Hormuz, as their vessels reportedly passed through despite the Iranian blockade –
 
https://www.rt.com/news/638717-israel-iran-china-pakistan-france/

Posted by: Vacuous Cipher | Apr 19 2026 20:52 utc | 91

Maybe for the open thread but peeps on MoA are always and still trying to get to the bottom of the Orange Wonder. I was looking up Roy Cohn’s “three rules of winning” to send a friend as they explain, in fact they incorporate, Trump perfectly – Trump no more no less just Trump Totality. Explains all his actions as if a wind-up Trump came with an instruction manual.
Google AI spit this out, it’s taut and concise, impressive. For those who don’t know Cohn was Joe McCarthy’s legal attack dog, his right hand man, Cohn mentored Trump as a young acolyte, Trump described him as the father he wished he had:
 
 

Roy Cohn’s philosophy, often described as a “ruthless playbook” for winning, was built on a foundation of unyielding offense, absolute denial, and the refusal to ever admit defeat. This approach, aimed at generating fear, controlling the narrative, and dominating opponents, was famously summarized in three core rules. 

Roy Cohn’s three rules of winning:

1. Attack, Attack, Attack: Cohn believed in staying on the offensive, regardless of the situation. This involved relentless, proactive aggression rather than defense.

2. Admit Nothing, Deny Everything: This principle taught that truth is subjective and malleable—a “construct” or “fiction” that could be shaped to one’s advantage.

3. Claim Victory and Never Admit Defeat: Regardless of the actual outcome or how dire the circumstances, one must always project an image of winning. 


Core Tenets of the Cohn Philosophy

“Play the Man, Not the Ball”: Cohn advised attacking the person (the opponent) rather than focusing on the facts or the case itself.

Weaponize the Law: Lawsuits were used as a, tool for intimidation, harassment, and punishment rather than a simple means of resolving disputes.

Manufacture Reality: He believed in cultivating the media to plant stories and control the narrative, knowing that public perception often overrides established facts.

No Morality/No Truth: Cohn argued that there is no absolute “right or wrong,” only winning and losing.

Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Apr 19 2026 21:00 utc | 93

@96
 
I sincerely hope you are correct because last time, the Iranians said they had severed all communications with the US while Trump said negotiations were about to happen.
 
Result: Negotiations happened (they failed) but they did happen even after all the denials about contact from Iran.
 
This time Iran says they not going, but the completely ‘trustworthy’ and ‘not’ US aligned Pakistanis are saying that C-17s with all the armored cars etc have already arrived preceding the delegation.  A delegation headed by two ‘people’ the Iranians supposedly refused to speak with the last time.
 
Now does that mean that the talks actually happening are written in stone, no. But it certainly looks like they are happening despite Iran claiming it is not showing up.
 
And if they don’t show up, good for them. Nothing positive will come of them as we all know who is pulling the strings and what demands they are making. Demands that Iran says it will never accede to. So no need for talks.

Posted by: Bob Hopkins | Apr 19 2026 21:03 utc | 95

Trump has posted a video of Frank Sinatra performing “My Way”. “And now, the end is near / And so I face the final curtain… 
Regrets, I’ve had a few / But then again, too few to mention… 
I did it my way.”

Posted by: Perimetr | Apr 19 2026 21:10 utc | 97

Pretty dumb idea that failed to consider what would happen to your very expensive US AD systems if US refuse to sell you missile reloads.

“🇦🇪⚡️🇺🇸 Prominent UAE commentator: It is time to think about closing the American bases as they are a burden and not a strategic asset

🚩 @RezistanceTrench

https://t.me/RezistanceTrench1/63997

Posted by: Surferket | Apr 19 2026 21:12 utc | 99