POTUS has extended the pause on attacking power supply infrastructure on the grounds that “the talks are going very well”.
(Whatever that means).
Obviously not a pause on all hostilities but it’s something.
IMO they just aren't ready is all. Their welcome committee is MIA. Yesterday there was a report of arrest of a CIA and Mossad cell in Chabahar, Baluchistan. Many weapons, explosives and several Starlink units were seized.
Chabahar and nearby Konarak have two ports and an airport and a ready made ground insurgency population. After this arrest I feel strongly that this is the intended landing site.
I guess the alternatives are TACO as Arethosemyfeet suggested, or “time to get ready” as you suggest.
I suppose the middle ground would be caused by Iran blinking? That doesn’t seem very likely but there may be more moderate voices than the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, given the levels of degradation, urging at least a try to get some ceasefire?
It doesn’t seem that “foggy” in Iran, despite Trump’s assertions, but you never know. The Gulf States may be having some significant influence behind the scenes. I’m sure they don’t want attacks on desalination for example.
I suppose the middle ground would be caused by Iran blinking? That doesn’t seem very likely but there may be more moderate voices than the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, given the levels of degradation, urging at least a try to get some ceasefire?
We can hope for the best but I feel it's also good to be prepared for the worst.
The UK government, and others, used to issue booklets on how to build a bomb shelter. That's preparing for the worst, but I'm not sure it was ever sensible.
I don’t recommend it. It’s a large investment, both financially and emotionally , for a small risk.
Mental preparedness is another matter. “If the worst comes to the worst” is an encouragement to avoid complacency.
I’m a Tom Lehrer fan myself. “If the world becomes uranious we will all go simultaneous”. Maybe not? But I live near enough to a number of US airforce bases.
‘You will all go directly to your respective Valhallas
Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars”.
Well, we survived that angst despite signs at the times that we might not.
But I think you read AFF correctly. Though in the worst possible circumstances, from her perspective, either eternity or another chance will follow. Which is kind of comforting.
‘You will all go directly to your respective Valhallas
Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars”.
Well, we survived that angst despite signs at the times that we might not.
But I think you read AFF correctly. Though in the worst possible circumstances, from her perspective, either eternity or another chance will follow. Which is kind of comforting.
Well I did mean mental preparedness in the first instance, but if you have a practical plan for what you imagine the worst case scenario then that's up to your budget and discretion of course.
I personally don't plan on suffering through my own imagined worst case scenario. I have a plan but it doesn't involve the survival of this iteration of my earth suit.
Either way, I have made my decision and it's a long way from today to what I imagine is the worst case so I'm still planning to get my permanent Spanish residency in May.
There is, I hear, a fear that Trump - currently being outplayed by the resilient Iranians - may choose to deploy a nuclear weapon.
That, of course, would up the ante dramatically. Is it likely, or are there still enough trolls (in his entourage) with functioning brain cells to dissuade him from the ultimate madness?
It's also a sobering thought that the US is the only country (as far as we know) to have used nuclear weapons against civilians...
If a nuclear explosion occurs in Iran, the fallout will presumably go east and damage Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and maybe beyond that. Would any of that bother Trump?
If a nuclear explosion occurs in Iran, the fallout will presumably go east and damage Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and maybe beyond that. Would any of that bother Trump?
If a nuclear explosion occurs in Iran, the fallout will presumably go east and damage Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and maybe beyond that. Would any of that bother Trump?
Probably not, and the first strike, at least, might be of 'limited' power...what could follow, of course, doesn't bear thinking about.
Looks like Trump is waging war based on how the stock and oil markets are doing. He threatens to take out the power plants in Iran, the stock market tanks and oil markets soar. He then backs off extending a pause for up to ten days. It financial markets rally and oil prices drop.
Had the weekly coffee break with my Lebanese friend today. I've never seen him in such a rage. His hatred for Netanyahu and the US government - which he considers to be one and the same - is breathtaking. Keeping up my side of the conversation isn't easy.
Had the weekly coffee break with my Lebanese friend today. I've never seen him in such a rage. His hatred for Netanyahu and the US government - which he considers to be one and the same - is breathtaking. Keeping up my side of the conversation isn't easy.
I forget who said it, but it was a general who had been in command in Afghanistan, and prior to that in Iraq. He said that in the Middle East if you kill two of the (enemy) you end up with ten more.
That said, I do not consider anyone in Lebanon or Iran my personal enemy.
Have you seen the war videos the White House is putting out? Here is one sample. The hese are the videos they are using to brief Trump on what is happening over there.
Had the weekly coffee break with my Lebanese friend today. I've never seen him in such a rage. His hatred for Netanyahu and the US government - which he considers to be one and the same - is breathtaking. Keeping up my side of the conversation isn't easy.
Given that Israel has displaced about 1million Lebanese from their homes, and is talking about holding territory in South Lebanon (annexation is only when the same thing is done by enemies of the West) the anger is somewhat understandable.
Comments
(Whatever that means).
Obviously not a pause on all hostilities but it’s something.
IMO they just aren't ready is all. Their welcome committee is MIA. Yesterday there was a report of arrest of a CIA and Mossad cell in Chabahar, Baluchistan. Many weapons, explosives and several Starlink units were seized.
Chabahar and nearby Konarak have two ports and an airport and a ready made ground insurgency population. After this arrest I feel strongly that this is the intended landing site.
AFF
I guess the alternatives are TACO as Arethosemyfeet suggested, or “time to get ready” as you suggest.
I suppose the middle ground would be caused by Iran blinking? That doesn’t seem very likely but there may be more moderate voices than the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, given the levels of degradation, urging at least a try to get some ceasefire?
It doesn’t seem that “foggy” in Iran, despite Trump’s assertions, but you never know. The Gulf States may be having some significant influence behind the scenes. I’m sure they don’t want attacks on desalination for example.
We can hope for the best but I feel it's also good to be prepared for the worst.
AFF
Maybe this question is worth another thread.
Survivalism.
I don’t recommend it. It’s a large investment, both financially and emotionally , for a small risk.
Mental preparedness is another matter. “If the worst comes to the worst” is an encouragement to avoid complacency.
I’m a Tom Lehrer fan myself. “If the world becomes uranious we will all go simultaneous”. Maybe not? But I live near enough to a number of US airforce bases.
When you see that ICBM...
I think mental preparedness is probably what AFF means, and yes, that does seem sensible (not quite the right word, perhaps).
‘You will all go directly to your respective Valhallas
Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars”.
Well, we survived that angst despite signs at the times that we might not.
But I think you read AFF correctly. Though in the worst possible circumstances, from her perspective, either eternity or another chance will follow. Which is kind of comforting.
Well I did mean mental preparedness in the first instance, but if you have a practical plan for what you imagine the worst case scenario then that's up to your budget and discretion of course.
I personally don't plan on suffering through my own imagined worst case scenario. I have a plan but it doesn't involve the survival of this iteration of my earth suit.
Either way, I have made my decision and it's a long way from today to what I imagine is the worst case so I'm still planning to get my permanent Spanish residency in May.
Hoping for the best as we all do.
AFF
There is, I hear, a fear that Trump - currently being outplayed by the resilient Iranians - may choose to deploy a nuclear weapon.
That, of course, would up the ante dramatically. Is it likely, or are there still enough trolls (in his entourage) with functioning brain cells to dissuade him from the ultimate madness?
It's also a sobering thought that the US is the only country (as far as we know) to have used nuclear weapons against civilians...
Probably not, and the first strike, at least, might be of 'limited' power...what could follow, of course, doesn't bear thinking about.
What a way to prosecute a war.
What a way to prosecute profit from a war.
AFF
I forget who said it, but it was a general who had been in command in Afghanistan, and prior to that in Iraq. He said that in the Middle East if you kill two of the (enemy) you end up with ten more.
That said, I do not consider anyone in Lebanon or Iran my personal enemy.
Another examplehttps://x.com/i/status/2029657893155311927
Given that Israel has displaced about 1million Lebanese from their homes, and is talking about holding territory in South Lebanon (annexation is only when the same thing is done by enemies of the West) the anger is somewhat understandable.