For 18 years, the Iranian nuclear programme has been one of the top 10 targeting objectives of the US intelligence services. In 2007 they first conducted a formal inter-agency review. It is done every year. This is not a minor process. A great deal of input is received from dozens of Washington stakeholders, led by the CIA.
The result has been the same every single year. Iran is not currently seeking to produce an nuclear weapon. Many people know that Tulsi Gabbard delivered this assessment in spring this year. Not many people realise that this was in no sense specific to Tulsi Gabbard and she was delivering the same assessment, through the same process, that Directors of National Intelligence under both Republican and Democrat administrations had given.
Nothing changed. The only thing that changed is Netanyahu’s attack on Iran. Trump appears able to get away with simply stating that he does not care what the intelligence agencies say. It is harder for Starmer to do that.
British and American armed forces are already in this war, shooting down Iranian missiles, refuelling Israeli bombers (alongside the Germans) and providing targeting information. Military supplies are shipped to Israel through RAF Akrotiri – which is a British sovereign colony on Cyprus – and Israeli bombers have certainly landed there in the last week; whether starting bombing runs from there, I cannot currently confirm.
There is no public opinion in the UK supporting British participation in an attack on Iran, despite massive and continual propaganda on all state and corporate media. I do not believe anybody informed solely by the mainstream media this last fortnight would have any idea that Israel possesses nuclear weapons, or that there is no evidence Iran was producing them.
The British government has a massive parliamentary majority – gained on just 31% of the vote – and a Conservative “opposition” even more keen to attack Iran than the crazed Zionists Starmer and Lammy. I do not see how they can be prevented from attacking Iran. But they will try hard to fix public opinion. It is therefore essential that MI6’s view, that Iran was not developing a nuclear weapon, is kept quiet.
When Blair produced a dossier of “intelligence” lies to justify the destruction of Iraq, he was fortunate in having Richard Dearlove as Head of MI6, who was not just the most right-wing ideologue ever to hold the position, but one of the most right-wing men anywhere in England. Dearlove believed the moral case for the war was more important than the truth about Iraqi WMD.
Blair also had Sir John Scarlett as Head of the Joint Intelligence Committee and next Head of MI6. Scarlett passionately believed that the case for advancing the career of John Scarlett was more important than the truth about Iraqi WMD.
It is worth noting – and a prime example of how the neoliberal world works – that the next head of MI6, Sir John Sawers, is now an executive of British Petroleum. That company controlled Iran for decades, installed the fake Pahlavi “Shah” in 1921 and engineered and financed the coup that ended democracy in Iran in 1953. The appalling dictatorship of the Shah after that led directly to the theocratic revolution.
BP desperately want Iran’s oil back, so ex MI6 Head Sawers has been all over the airwaves advocating war on Iran. Meanwhile it is not an accident that two days ago, a new Head of MI6 was chosen and installed. Starmer has found his Dearlove.
The appointment was made by David Lammy. Blaise Metreweli was chosen ahead of more obvious candidates, who had served longer in MI6, had more operational experience, and were better analysts or better managers. However Metreweli – who spent much of her career in the Middle East – is a fanatical Zionist. She worked closely with Israel on technologies for surveillance and assassination.
Metreweli developed projects with both Pegasus and Palantir and was intimately connected to Israel’s use of new forms of attack in Lebanon and Iran. She was strongly endorsed to Lammy by Mossad as the next MI6 head. MI6 and the FCDO are inextricably connected. They work literally cheek by jowl in Embassies around the world, and MI6 HQ staff in London have cover jobs in the FCDO.
FCDO officials are extremely unhappy with the UK’s cooperation in Genocide in Gaza, with hundreds of them having been told by Lammy to shut up or resign. There is consternation at Mossad having designated the next Head of MI6. I asked my contact – a senior FCDO figure – whether Metreweli had involvement in the pager attacks in Lebanon. The reply was “Not 100% sure, but probably yes.”
Expect an imminent announcement that MI6 has determined that Iran was indeed about to produce a nuclear bomb.
The government appears to be justifying its current military involvement as the need to defend an “ally”, Israel. Emily Thornberry, a senior government MP and a lawyer, stated last night on BBC Newsnight that the legal right to take military action rested on our “right to defend our friends”. She did not use the word “ally”, and there is no such right as Thornberry posited.
Starmer and Lammy both frequently call Israel an “ally” but there is no public treaty of alliance available. There is a secret UK/Israel Defence Co-Operation Agreement of 2020. It is not known whether this amounts to a treaty of mutual defence.
Such treaties are supposed to be public and registered, not least because part of the alleged purpose is deterrence. You can read all the founding treaties of NATO.
The notion that the UK may go to war on the basis of a Treaty of Alliance that is secret from the British people, is so morally abhorrent it ought not to be able to be mooted, let alone acted upon. But democracy is dead in the UK, to the extent that people have forgotten its meaning.
Much worse, of course, is that this is not a case of mutual defence but of mutual offence. It was Israel that attacked Iran.
In standing alongside Israel, as in standing alongside Ukraine, the UK is condoning terrorist tactics such as the use of car bombs by both Ukrainian and Iranian “allies”. On what moral ground therefore does the UK stand in condemning the use of car bombs on the streets of London, when it supports our “allies” in their use?
You may recall that I recently published two posts focusing on remarkable fake terrorism plot narratives being heavily promoted by the UK security services in the mainstream media. Both revolved around alleged actions against Iran International, an extraordinary Saudi- and CIA-funded fake media organisation that promotes the return of the Pahlavi Shah in alliance with Israel and Iranian Sunnis.
From the Assange campaign, I have contacts on the libertarian side of MAGA that might surprise you, some actually in the Administration. I am told that the endgame being proposed in Washington by Israel and Saudi Arabia is Iranian regime change with the return of the Shah and a Sunni Prime Minister.
Remember there was no war with Iran yet, at the time I wrote those two articles about the remarkable happenings involving the security services and Iran International. This from my first article:
The connections all now click perfectly into place.
The UK has dived deep into the depths of immorality in which Zionism thrives. The consequences will be appalling.
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Beware of Freudian slips:
“the UK is condoning terrorist tactics such as the use of car bombs by both Ukrainian and Iranian “allies””…
Thanks, Mr. Murray for emphasizing the British involvement in the current Israeli/Iranian conflict.
This makes it even more puzzling that Iran, probably fully aware of this situation, still accepts to sit in Geneva for negotiations with representatives from the UK amongst others!
If only the Iranian people could decide for themselves, there could be a major surprise for many commentators…
“If only the Iranian people could decide for themselves, there could be a major surprise for many commentators…”
I don’t know why you would be surprised if the Iranian people decided to raze Israel to the ground. I certainly wouldn’t.
There’s certainly no surprise with your dismal attacks, chevalier.
“If only the Iranian people could decide for themselves, ”
The Iranian regime has survived all attempts, including those supported by you, to overturn it for 45 years. There’s a reason, most probably that it is actually popular, i.e. supported by the people. But not by those who profited from the Shah’s pillaging of his country’s wealth. That was what I observed when I was last there five years ago. People were much better off than when I first went in the time of the Shah. I am not at all surprised that all the West-sponsored uprisings have failed, though the middle class moan.
It was noticeable at the time of Brexit, that, as far as the ruling classes in the UK are concerned, the no-one other than the middle and ruling classes have an opinion at all.. There was an awful lot of moaning, “How could this have happened? Everyone I know was dead against it.” It is not surprising at all that this attitude should be applied to other countries.
With a war comes the real possibility of a strike against the ‘sovereign bases’ in Cyprus.
The proximity of Cyprus to the front line is illustrated in this report. You might want to just watch the video and ignore the vomit inducing write up.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14831639/terrified-Brits-watch-Cyprus-hotel-balconies-Iranian-missiles-Israel.html
However Metreweli – who spent much of her career in the Middle East – is a fanatical zionist. She worked closely with Israel on technologies for surveillance and assassination.
Hence the ‘gadget lady’ moniker. She was ‘Q’ and now she is ‘C’. Reading this, maybe that moniker should be changed to the ‘pager lady’? The Telegraph applauded that indiscriminate pager attack, as a masterfully conducted operation. It took the lives and sight of innocent children, and it didn’t concern itself with whether it caused a vehicle pileup or a plane/helicopter crash. Zionism and the sense of impunity it engenders have made people truly deranged. As you said, were Russia, China and Iran to start employing similar tactics against us, we’d be the first to cry foul. Although, since China manufactures everything these days, they’d probably view it as too vulgar a display of their power.
Still many parts of the pager attacks that remain unexplained, like Skripals. ‘We’ know it was Israel, but who else was involved ?
Maybe this cross eyed bint is an admission of, more, UK complicity !
Craig,
” Expect an imminent announcement that MI6 has determined that Iran was indeed about to produce a nuclear bomb.”
As a general rule – is British Intelligence always this unreliable, pliable and complicit when wanting to launch into a full scale expanded war?
I’m not Craig, but to answer your question: Yes, and most obviously and publicly since Thatcher. Even with a cursory glance at history I can cite the totally unnecessary UK war with Argentina, the destruction of Jugoslavija, the Iraq war, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Gaza, Iran . . . our benevolence knows no bounds. British Intelligence, like the US, exists to serve the politics of the day, not to inform or present facts.
I think it’s the other way around. The politicians of the day are serving the longer term goals of the unelected security services. Who is behind the security services if anyone?
Yup, The security services are there to push a globalist agenda and only politicians willing to go along with it need apply. Not sure who the money is though, presumably it’s the obvious cliques. Money buys power and oliogarchy certainly isn’t unique to Russia and Ukraine.
I think we should persevere with informing our MPs and voting for manifestos closer to our convictions. Also any grassroots activity that draws us e.g denouncing the two-state solution as grand apartheid. Fortunately the Zionists ruling Israel agree – because they want not bantustans but a complete ethnic cleansing of Palestine, making it easier to denounce the two-state solution as dead.
Like the Free Palestine grassroots activity, now declared illegal ?
You can protest but don’t rock the boat, you can write your MP but don’t make them uncomfortable. It’s all part of the facade of democracy. Remember, ‘we do as we like, you do as you’re told’.
I understand that what is illegal is not demonstrations (or anti-apartheid speeches and articles) but criminal damage or harassment of individuals. Concerning the damage of aeroplanes at RAF Brize Norton by spraying paint into their engines, how does anyone know whether they are being used to help genocide or to transport people e.g. to the Falkland Islands?
I understand where you’re coming from, but i feel we are way past that.
There will never be change if one plays by the rules of the establishment, they determine what is legal and illegal. How many innocents have died because of the, apparently, legal actions of the government. Sometimes to get someone’s attention you have to smack them in the mouth.
Since we are not at war, the actions of the RAF are questionable. Genocide or Falklands both morally wrong.
I looked up if any peaceful protest had ever worked. Did you know the suffragette movement went militant before it led to actual change? Anyway, the only convincing argument I’ve found was the pots and pans revolution in Iceland in 2009. It led to the resignation of the entire government and then a sniff of democracy with a citizen assembly created to form a constitution and a referendum to vote on it. Of course, the rug was pulled from under them when the new party turned out to be as corrupt as all politicians, and the constitution was never enacted. The reason that the media keep pushing this narrative of peaceful protest is simple, they are terrified of actual power and this propaganda is no different to these “online petitions” that lead no where, it’s just an outlet for anger . No revolution was ever bloodless, in the UK we outnumbered politicians 103,000 to 1.
In my lifetime, the only protests that the government has ever made changes as a result of were the poll tax riots. That’s the modus operandi of the British government: keep going as you want until the people riot, then change course.
The problem here is simple. Iran has refused to learn from the North Korean example. The Americans spent the entire 1990s and early 2000s sanctioning North Korea, threatening to overthrow the ruling Kim Dynasty. At one point in the 1990s, President Bill Clinton sent an aircraft carrier as a show of force to threaten the regime of the late Kim Jong-il. All of those threats and sabre-rattling ended the moment his son, Kim Jong-Un, unveiled North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons. If Iran wants to survive as a nation-state, it needs to drop its naivety. Developing nuclear weapons will actually deter both Israel and USA from daring to attack Iran. If the Iranians insist on being free of the nuclear bombs, the US and Israel will frame them as having those bombs and then invade today, tomorrow, next week, next month or next year.
Indeed the mere fact that a nuclear attack on Iran’ nuclear facilities is in the pipeline is all the proof you need that Iran has not developed a nuclear weapon and the secret state knows it. So the west doesn’t have to worry about serious retaliation. Of course if Iran had a nuke ready to go the US/Israel crime family would think twice before attacking it, but this fact is now academic. It’s already too late. Terrible destruction followed by regime change is now inevitable.
What would you say to those who perhaps agree with you concerning the sinister forces that appear to be at work, but who also dislike the Islamic Republic and IRGC and would wish them gone and off the backs of ordinary Iranians?
The alternative to the Islamic Republic and the IRGC is a new Shah and a new SAVAK. A democracy with a moderate secular president is not on the cards, 1953 showed that. I somehow don’t think the Iranian people would thank the US or anyone else for making the switch.
Ah, the adorable idea that psycho imperialists and genocidaires abhor “repressive regimes” and are motivated by the interests of the [Iraqi, Libyan, Syrian, Iranian etc, etc] people…
https://www.declassifieduk.org/britain-backs-most-of-the-worlds-repressive-regimes-new-analysis-shows/
They will never, ever be unconvincing, will they James?
Again, we only know what we are told. Many of the iranian dissidents, like the Chinese ones and the Korean ones, have their own agendas and are funded and supported by the western regimes. Maybe, the ordinary people have a different story to tell, we’ll never know, thanks to our free press.
James
Why is it that non-Iranians want to impose their values (“our values”) on Iranians. Each country or big group of people have their own culture and their own values and these should evolve by education and prosperity and gradually. Even if you dislike the Islamic Republic there should never be direct interference. Remember that when Iran found its way to a democracy with a socialist leanings in 1953, that the UK and Britain disliked the democratically elected leader and ousted him with a coup, replaced by the Shah. The repression created led to a backlash and the current Islamic state which has endured since 1979. They have their faults but have developed the country despite crushing sanctions and wars declared on them. But the sanctions have isolated Iran and has retarded its natural evolution into a more open non theocratic society. All of this still thanks to the west. So less rather than more interference in other countries please whether you dislike them or not
A general reply to all you’re replies above, thanks. Yes if there is a regime change it’s unlikely to be a good one, however is it naive to wish for it? I’m not Iranian so it’s not really my business, ultimately they’ll have to sort it out themselves, however I do know that for various reasons I would soon find myself in trouble if I lived under their present regime, so I hope for something better for them just as I hope for something better for my own folk in Scotland.
“Yes if there is a regime change it’s unlikely to be a good one, however is it naive to wish for it? ”
Contrary to the popular saying, you can’t please all of the people any of the time. Any regime change will produce its winners and its losers and the losers will always be unhappy about it. It is quite possible that the present regime in Iran is one that produces the smallest number of losers and that any regime change will be for the worse. While most people wish to live in a better world, none of them wish to live in the same better world as everybody else.
Unfortunately, the Regime change planned for Iran is the same model as imposed on Syria and Libya, so for the people it will be an absolute disaster. Destruction of infrastructure, religious persecutions, corruption, asset stripping, foreign militaries – welcome to western democracy. There is no spin that will make this good for Iran, hopefully they can resist.
Oppressive theocratic regimes are best left alone to reform under the pressure of their own citizens. An exchange of information and entertainment with the west would have ultimately facilitated change and individual liberty. War only hardens attitudes and defeat provides no solutions, other than bitterness and wrong-headed repercussions, as in modern Germany.
In any case the lens through which we see Iran is very much warped by incessant western propaganda. The same is true of Russia and China. It is rogue nations like Hitler’s Germany and modern-day Israel – cultures which threaten the peace and stability of their neighbors and ultimately the globe – that require some kind of international intervention, and even then war is not necessarily the answer.
“An exchange of information and entertainment with the west..”
There you go . Why do you think exposure to the west is a good option? What about just developing their own culture which is much older than that in the west where the elderly are neglected and with addiction and crime problems.
Cultural influence is complicated and contains a lot of treasure along with the rubbish. Generally speaking it is mind-broadening to come into contact with different cultures, ideas, traditions etc. It’s significant that one of Iran’s most eloquent defenders is a Professor of English literature at Tehran University. I’m certainly not suggesting that Iran should abandon its own traditions and culture but we live in an increasingly global society which I think is a good thing and something that would ultimately help to moderate the more insular aspects of Iran’s currently theocratic society.
The insularity is due to the sanctions
Did anyone catch BBC 2 Newsnight tonight?
The presenter, giggling and smirking, as he asked the studio guests about the TACO taunts, and whether Trump is ‘chickening out’ of bombing Iran? This is what we’ve become as a country; deadly serious matters, that may result in hundreds of thousands of deaths, discussed by the state broadcaster, as though they’re talking about Trump ‘chickening out’ of a round of golf with Obama. The BBC is appalling, and Newsnight, even before this new threadbare, low cost, couch guests format, has always been a hive of right-wing, neocon mischief and villainy.
“Did anyone catch BBC 2 Newsnight tonight”
=======
I did.
The tacky TACO piece marked a new low in the debased, cheapskate, chat-show format of a once decent news analysis programme.
Trumps fateful decision on whether to join the war on Israels side is crucial to Israels future existence. The Gulf states are host to US bases, Beirut hosts the US 5th Fleet and Qatar hosts the largest US bases Al-Udeid and Al-Sailiya, which sit within 300 kilometers of Iran – well inside the range of even Iran’s older missile systems. While Gulf states retain legal rights to veto offensive operations from these bases, that sovereignty is largely theoretical, if Washington chooses escalation. Iranian officials have already made clear that any platform used in aggression will be considered a legitimate retaliatory target. Should US airstrikes be launched from Gulf soil, none of these monarchies will escape the fallout. If Trump decides to back Israel the GCC countries could not stop the US from overriding what little sovereignty they might claim to possess. Iran possesses far more short range missiles embedded all along the shores of the strait of Hormuz which could rain missiles over all US bases in the region, and the GCC oil producing infrastructure, therefore threatening western nations with the mother of all economic disasters. Iran’s survival is crucial to the Chinese who purchase 90% of its oil and also a vital conduit to the Belt and Road initiative. Russia too has an interest, the fall of Iran could open a route to the soft underbelly of the Balkans, the latest Russian/Iran treaty does not mention a military alliance, because as Putin said recently.. the Iranians did not ask for such an alliance.
Trump will be briefed on all the considerable downsides, but make no mistake the Iranians are a proud and very powerful nation and will not compromise their sovereignty to US/Israeli bluster.
https://thecradle.co/articles/if-the-us-targets-iran-gulf-states-face-a-choice
China is swiftly putting in place alliances, moving to supply a new market, and doing what China does. China flow like water. If it meet an obstacle it flow round it. The hive mind of Chinese unity is less innately destructive than the parasite infiltration of Zionism, but it serves its own interests nonetheless.
Nuclear nations within alliances will need to come together to define their commitment to the survival of the Iranian people. Then perhaps this genocidal madness can be averted. Trump is a very smart man, as he tells us. He has inherited the end game. His unpredictability is our only hope.
Meanwhile Taiwan is negotiating a biotech deal with Astra Zeneca, as I learned from a conversation with a charming Taiwanese gentleman wearing a US navy Annapolis baseball cap at Kings Cross yesterday, as trains to Cambridge were cancelled and conversations among ‘customers’ flouished,
Still hoping for a mol from Kings War Studies to talk.
You do realise that it’s Trumps war, not Israel’s don’t you? The only reason that there is a European colony in the middle east is to do exactly the kind of things it’s doing. Israel is a shadow partner of NATO and just acts as the tip of the spear, destabilising the region with assassinations and wars in order for NATO countries to swoop in and pick up the pieces with some neoliberal IMF debt traps and a compliant “democratically” elected official. It’s happened so many times now that it’s hard not to notice. I’ve never understood how people could believe that this tiny colony in the middle east that’s almost entirely dependent on foreign aid, completely dependent on military aid, is famed for a lack of nuance and subtlety can somehow control all of Europe, the US, Canada, Australia etc. This small country controls all of these larger countries, all of which have a history of colonialism? I think not.
Correct.
‘If there wasn’t an Israel, we’d have to create one.’ Joe Biden.
Outstanding journalism Mr Murray. Thank you very much.
This though:
“I do not see how they can be prevented from attacking Iran.”
Speaking with Mercouris and Diesen on The Duran channel, John Mearsheimer makes a strong case that Trump has introduced his two week hiatus because he has realised that disaster looms if he goes ahead with joining Israel’s illegal, unprovoked military assault on Iran. That may or may not be the reason but there is strong evidence to back-up his view.
Iran is proving much militarily stronger than either Israel or the US seems to have realised and is inflicting unrestrained serious damage on Tel Aviv and Haifa. It is believed that their missile stocks are much greater than Israel’s and that Israel is quickly running out of defensive ‘Interceptors’. Furthermore they have hypersonic missiles that are virtually undefendable against. It is not inconceivable that they could, for instance, sink the Nimitz aircraft carrier and wreak even greater destruction on US forces and interests spread across the Middle East. All of which would bring the global economy to a shuddering halt. Further still, Russia and China are not sitting on their hands. China has delivered at least four cargo planes to Iran this week. Their specific contents are unknown but you can guess. Russia has made it plain that, while not getting involved militarily, it will stand by it ally. Both Russia and China have offered mediation support to resolve the situation.
All in all, the US/Israel could fail in their objectives, face humiliating defeat and devastate the global economy – and for what?
The Nobel Prize seeking Peace President’s reputation would be destroyed for all history.
The easiest way out of this, yet another, catastrophic situation is negotiating a peaceful resolution which would be a win-win for all concerned except, of course, Netanyahu and the US Empire.
But who is really in charge, Trump, Netanyahu, the US deep state ???
The answer to that question may well determine the outcome.
“Israel Has Walked Off a Cliff” – John Mearsheimer, Alexander Mercouris & Glenn Diesen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dalbnR8vNvs
I agree with every word you wrote. This time they went to far. But in case the warmongers should prevail – Netanyahu could stage a false flag operation against an u.s.-entity in order to force Tronald to attack – the following disaster will eat up a good part of humanity.
The Donald keeps affirming that Iran actually is in the process of building a nuclear weapon.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/20/trump-says-us-intelligence-wrong-about-iran-not-building-nuclear-bomb
And this puts people who disagree with him in the rather embarrassing position of supporting US Intelligence Agencies, who have repeatedly denied it.
Only a question. If people with wrong motives made up false stories about you (Craig) when you were an ambassador, but excessively concerned about human rights (from their point of view), wouldn’t similar humans also be capable of back-biting if a younger but very capable woman became Chief of MI6? Did similar back-biting happen against Stella Rimington when she became head of MI5?
There was a huge earthquake in Iran about 48 hours ago, I say huge, well five point something so not that huge, was this the testing of an underground nuke by Iran, or was there an explosion at an underground arsenal storage facility, or maybe as Occam would say it was just an earthquake.
Anyone recall the clip – of the bus and the entire street rising several feet in NK, after they tested a underground nuke about four- five years ago – or maybe it was longer?
They do have a lot of devastating earthquakes in Iran.
There’s refuelling tankers with them – are they staying local, or are they heading towards West Asia is the question.
” B-2 stealth bombers appear to have taken off from Missouri.
Eight tankers are in flight, headed the same direction, refueling the B-2 bombers over Kansas.
Audio confirms NITRO61 flt (KC-135) is refueling MYTEE21 flt (B-2)”
https://nitter.poast.org/GlobeWarReport/status/1936312639577313715#m
Plan – B if Trump doesn’t nuke the deep underground bunkers at Fordow.
“If the U.S. doesn’t strike Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear enrichment facility, Israel is seriously considering a ‘commando raid’ – Fox News”
https://nitter.poast.org/GlobeWarReport/status/1936260034872459394#m
Republicofscotland
Missouri to Kansas is about 294 miles.
Not many miles to the gallon there if they are re-fuelling now.
When they gey to near Iran they will be re-fuelling like beggary I imagine.
Not an expert of these matters but re- fuelling must mean that both the aircrafts ( the fuelled and the fueller)
must have to slow down.
Slow in the air suggest to me that it becomes very dangerous to go that slow.
Meaning a Surface to Air Missile could take them out fairly easily.
We shall see.
According to some media Iran has a ‘big surprise ‘ withing 48 hours.
Meanwhile great businessman that Trump is appears to be toying with striking the Nuclear
Bunkers before the Markets open on Monday.
As if the US greedy money people have a kind of Financial Alzheimers and will ignore the price of fuel
going through the roof.
As if the weekend attack never happened.
What an idiot he is .
I wonder what the ‘ Surprise ‘is?
MR MARK CUTTS.
Thank you for that Mark.
I’ll add this Mark, you’ll know better than me – fi somethings afoot.
https://nitter.poast.org/GlobeWarReport/status/1936419490839007715#m
Mark.
Forgot to add this.
“They are en route to Guam, and over the past several days, a deliberate aerial refueling bridge was established with tankers pre-positioned along the flight path.
The B-2s can carry out a direct, long-range, and stealthy strike on Iran from Guam.”
Republicofscotland
As I say no expert but, heavy means slow.
Suggesting I think that re-fuelling is even slower?
These are big Stealth ( allegedly – ‘ invisible’ ) bombers.
As you know from any engine if you burn fuel you need an exhaust.
Exhausts emissions are hot.
A sophisticated heat Seeking Missile could latch on to these bombers and that would be that.
Plus, unless they are going to fly to the edge of Iran and not into it then when they are fired they would need to cover the range of the target.
Yet again heavy missiles need a lot of fuel – a lot of fuel emits a lot of heat.
So, they may be invisible to the eye but, to a Heat Seeking Missile System they are not invisible.
Pure speculation though.
If they want to drop one bomb and then another on top that will be very difficult – hence the Tactical Nuke Option.
Maybe that is what they are actually carrying not Bunker Busters?
Seems a bit convoluted when they could do the same thing with Ballistic Missiles from an area outside of Iran and not risk US Military Personnel.
The B2 is not very fast, around 620mph I believe. They rely on their stealth capabilities rather than speed.
The Israelis also retrofitted extra fuel tanks on the F35 because they also suffer with limited range.
Lot’s of hype surrounding these platforms, best not to believe the Hollywood gumpf.
Even with the limited education of the Fox News audience, “nuclear enrichment” is a total nonsense. What is probably meant here is uranium enrichment. Please return to Physics 101.
Likewise, mad as he may be, Trump never considered “nuking” Fordow. He’s threatening to try and destroy the site with the conventional “bunker-buster” bombs. Which, even if wrong, makes quite a difference.
The current heatwave suffered in the West somehow also affects correct phrasing…
Melrose.
The million dollar question is does the US possess missiles/bombs that can penetrate deep enough?
“Conventional bunker busters are unlikely to be sufficient to knock out Iran’s deeply buried enrichment bunkers. The U.S. would have to go nuclear. The B61-11 nuclear earth penetrator has a yield of 300 to 400 kilotons. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were 15 and 21 kt. Using it would set a precedence that the no one will want.”
The consequences WILL be appalling. And I believe are now inevitable.
I think the decisions makers (aka ‘genocidal monsters’ in Professor Marandi’s eloquent phrase) have already decided.
I think the Trump two week pause is at best to try to confuse the Iranians and Western public opinion, and at worst, to give time to move people, ‘assets’, weapons and supplies into place, not to mention re-stocking Israel’s dwindling stock of air defence missiles.
Metreweli looks like an AI-generated robot, presumably with views to match.
The media mood music is profoundly depressing. Looking at mainstream news this morning it appears all are rushing to generate stories designed to prepare us to demonise those evil Iranians and justify why yet more unrestrained bombing and killing is justified.
Contemptible bullshit, and even though we’ve been here before, we are powerless to prevent it.
Like many of us, I struggle to get a handle on the implications and directions of this thing, it is so counter to my upbringing and education about what our society is supposed to be.
I suggest we are about to see a grand, real-time demonstration, a perverted experiment, if you like, on which version of reality is closer to the truth.
Is it the foul NeoCon version, presumably believing that Iran will fold and collapse as Syria did, thus completing the seventh of Wesley Clark’s seven take downs (and never mind the casualties or decades of profitable and compliant chaos ensuing)?
Or will our Western masters get the shock of their lives as the straits of Hormuz are closed, bases are bombed, ships are sunk, aircraft shot down, and British people come home in body bags, accompanied by the BBC’s earnest, outraged tones?
Never mind the poor, bloody civilians everywhere.
I hope I’m wrong. But to me it looks as if we are going to find out.
Or to use Donald’s elaborate language “We’ll see what happens”…
Fortunately, there aren’t many Britons in Iran currently, not even from Ms. Metreweli‘s troop. So few body bags hopefully required.
Just as you say, civilians will once again pay the heavy price…
This IS appalling, our gracious host calls it right. And absolutely prohibited by Common Article One (and sq.) of the Geneva Conventions.
As another commenter aptly pointed out, we should all write our MPs or Congressmen to ask for their intervention, if they’re not too compromised with the government…
Or with ZOG or party “Friends of Israel”.
“Fortunately, there aren’t many Britons in Iran currently,”
Well, they are probably better off in Iran than in Israel, where a group of visiting British Jews has been advised by David Lammy to walk to Egypt as the only way to get home.
Interesting how when it’s Zionists who hold documents issued by the Occupation as well as British citizenship, Britain recognises that it’s not the job of the British consulate in Tel Aviv to assist them… but oh, when it’s Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who is an Iranian-British dual citizen in Iran…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/20/british-nationals-stranded-leave-israel-offered-flights-uk-david-lammy
It’s against Occupation law for an Occupation “citizen” to enter Occupied Palestine on another passport – and this law is enforced. Dorrit Moussaieff, the wife of the 2003-16 president of Iceland was once terribly inconvenienced at Ben Gurion Airport. (She’s from Uzbekistan and she likes to tell people that she’s from one of Jerusalem’s oldest families. The bigger the lie, the more it’s believed, eh, Dorrit?)
At this point I cannot resist mentioning that Zionist murderer David Ben Gurion’s own wife, Paula Munweis, was NOT a Zionist. She did NOT support the existence of the “State of Israel”. She was an anarchist. (But don’t hold your breath for a Hollywood film about how things developed in their household as the decades wore on. She died in 1968. I don’t know whether she encountered the idea that “the personal is political”.)
The “two-week pause” is bullshit – a combination of the spoilt brat Trump’s refusal to let
his parentsanyone take him for granted, and games played on the financial markets by those who really do own him. I thought it was likely there’d be a crash yesterday (triple witching day for 2025 Q2). There wasn’t, but that doesn’t mean highly profitable games weren’t played with expectations and with other people’s probability assessments. I wouldn’t give the two weeks thing much importance.On the longer scale, what will replace the Netanyahu doctrine?
From the point of view of the cabinets and foreign policy specialists of the world, there’s only one mad dog in all this – not the individual person Netanyahu, who is dispensable, as every individual person is, but the organisation called Zionism. I doubt anyone in the German, US, Russian, British, or French foreign ministries believes they have reliable information about what this organisation will do next. They will know, though, that the next epoch will require even greater subservience for themselves, with some tasty biscuits doubtless available if they do the subservience thing well and really put their hearts and shoulders into it.
See the culture – items such as Dan Brown’s “Inferno” and of course the barbaric “Game of Thrones” (in which, see the involvement of the son of the Goldman Sachs CEO for those who are interested in such things). There’s not going to be any return to the idea of raising living standards for the poorest, social democracy, creating a more progressive, humane, liberal society.
” Never mind the poor, bloody civilians everywhere.”
You’re right.
Do these Liberal Scribes honestly believe that the US and their Pet Poodles seriously give a crap about Ukranian/Iranian/Yemeni/Sudanese and even Israeli people?
No they don’t and never will.
Proxy’s are just Chess Pieces in a terrible game where the pieces ( the people ) don’t count – just winning the greedy game of capitalism.
Even in The Land of the Free we are seeing how much the government and Trump give a crap about their own people.
As a lifelong Anti – Imperialist if you dig beneath the Democracy – Freedom rhetoric ,it all comes down to the ‘ Freedom ‘ of the capitalists to make money in any way necessary – including the death and destruction of ordinary people to achieve that aim.
Of course the MSM and politicians are paid to push the narrative that this ‘ for the people’ when in actuality it is for some ‘ people ‘ only – the rich.
The MSM gets the scraps off the robber’s table to spout this nonsense.
The galling part is the price they accept to do all this.
You Train Them – We Buy Them ( off) at very low prices.
“The appalling dictatorship of the Shah after that led directly to the theocratic revolution.”
It was not the theocrats who overthrew the Shah. The ayatollahs were the counterrevolution.
The Zionists were geared up to send military force to try to keep the Shah in office, i.e. they thought they were better at massacring crowds and terroristically deflating hope than he was. I doubt a new Shah will be installed, but we shall see. Perhaps Mossad are encouraging the stupider among their MI6 b*tches to think it’s still 1953. They’re not going to get a UAE-type arrangement in Iran. They aren’t aiming for any kind of peaceful stability in the short term.
Excellent point that those who rely solely on the MSM won’t know that the Zionists have nukes, let alone that they have hundreds of nukes. They will think it’s a “conspiracy theory”.
Also worth recalling that the Zionists backed the ayatollahs throughout the long Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.
Whether Ayatollah Khomeini used a long spoon when he chummed up with the “Little Satan” during most of his time in office is not recorded.
The plan in Israel and the US is to install the Shah’s son who is sufficiently groomed in our ways. Not sure MI6 have any relevance in the matter, their job has long been to do what the US tells them to do
Even Trumps ‘art of the deal’ isn’t very inspiring, casinos are places which guarantee a profit for the owners, Trump has lost the shirts of investors in 3 casino projects. Trumps MO is to make exaggerated demands, like his initial hyperbolic 145% tariff on Chinese goods, knowing he would settle for a much more reasonable figure during final negotiations. Unfortunately this ploy failed miserably when he was persuaded by Netanyahu to demand zero enrichment of nuclear fuel, Netanyahu knew this was an impossible demand for the Iranians to accept, hence Netanyahu gets his war, and Trump has been backed into a corner with no good way out. The video Peter linked to upthread with Mearsheimer, Mercouris & Glenn Diesen is an excellent discussion of the bind that Trump is in.
It must also be pointed out that the attack on Iran was a clear breach of International Law although we are all now in a post International Law phase, previously a preemptive strike could be justified to thwart a mass build up of troops on your border with the intention to attack. Whereas a Preventive war in Israels case is never justified, Preventive wars are generally considered unacceptable in international law, except for Israel which is above all International Law.
But obviously little do they care. Or maybe they should all repeat Law School.
“we are all now in a post International Law phase”
When was the international law phase?
Answers may refer for example to Kenya, Algeria, Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan.
We had a phrase where there was a pretense of international law selectively applied but when the US broke it they would make an excuse, pretend contrition or threaten to invade the Hague. It’s now mask off time from the entire Western establishment though with international law breaches being the norm as opposed to the exception. The problem has always been politicians, once they’re gone then so is the problem
“I asked my contact – a senior FCDO figure – whether Metreweli had involvement in the pager attacks in Lebanon. The reply was “Not 100% sure, but probably yes.””
I take it for granted you realize your “contact” by saying so was probably not so much giving you a scoop as trying to bolster their credentials within the intelligence service. Since, as horrendous as the pagers attack may have sounded to most of us, it seems a glorious and praiseworthy accomplishment to those who designed it. So “having involvement” in it, even remotely (pun!), can be seen as a compliment, certainly not to be denied…
Zionist asset Rafael Grossi has got quite some gall on him. Listen to this:
https://www.ft.com/content/f27a6684-f500-4606-85b4-9bf1804becf3
“On Friday, Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the UN Security Council that although the strikes had “not so far led to a radiological release affecting the public, there is a danger this could occur”.
“Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place, and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the state which has been attacked,” he said.”
Best not work for a regime’s espionage service if you don’t want them to use what you tell them.
Dear Red, I know that in your personal Madame Tussauds museum of hated celebrities, Rafael Grossi comes right next to Emmanuel Macron the emmerdeur-in-chief. Birds of a feather?
Still, in the rare instances when what he says sounds unquestionable, why not give him the little credit he deserves. After all, his patrons probably expected him to keep his big mouth shut…
He’s obviously been walking the tightrope for years and years. Few people would have managed to be acknowledged by both parties for so long. Even though he’s not British…
If Grossi leaves the tent and starts pissing into it, I will give him credit. Since hundreds of people have already died in this war, a figure which could soon grow much larger, topping himself might be an even more honourable act on his part.
Who’s #3 on your hit list?
Right. Now for the Fat Jon naive comment.
We know what Netanyahu wants; to be head of a nuclear powered state surrounded by non-nuclear satellite countries who cower in fear, as their puppet leaders kowtow to US/Israel policies.
Netanyahu wants this because he is a bully, and bullies don’t like powerful opponents.
The alternative would be a nuclear-free Middle East, which Israel is never going to agree to.
The first option must seem very tempting for Trump, with large supplies of oil & gas and a much more widespread base from which to threaten Russia and China. But, could Trump attack Iran without the permission of Congress? And if he tries to attack without Congress, would he not be guilty of contravening the Geneva Convention?
Not good from a Nobel Peace Prize perspective; and may result in impeachment because of the illegality of it all. A lot for POTUS to weigh up.
Absolutely. Nobody ever raised the Geneva Conventions issue before you. And it’s a biggie!
Meanwhile, the Nobel Peace Prize may look great framed above the mantelpiece, but doesn’t cash very much.
The Donald rather wants to be more Elon than Elon. “You may be a genius, but I’m ingenious, and soon I’ll be richer than you”. Guess how many hundred billions the Middle East may bring into his coffers, between the Gaza Riviera, the West Bank golf courses & casinos, and Iran’s reconstruction.
Saudi Arabia may soon be seen as a pauper! Pauper, not POTUS…
Melrose
All true.
But he is 78? and as my Mother used to say ( and Lyndsey Graham – The Foghorn Leghorn of Senators should realise this also)
‘ There are no Pockets in Shrouds.’
Basically – money is no use to you when you are dead.
Or to paraphrase a phrase in Fawlty Towers when Basil was told he didn’t look well by the polite Old ladies:
‘ That may be so, but at least I’ll live longer than you!’
I’d honestly prefer everyone to have them, than that scenario. Turkey, Egypt ; KSA, Iran the lot – they’d all get along so much better and with mutual respect, if other countries that have similarly acquired them are any guide. The trading of blows recently, between Pakistan and India, could’ve easily escalated into a full war were neither nuclear-armed powers. The only reason Trump is saying let this Israel v Iran war play out now, is because Iran isn’t a nuclear power and Israel are.
I think we risk making acquiring these weapons a matter not just of security, but a matter national honour for the Iranians. That is what happened in North Korea and in Pakistan in the face of western hypocrisy and dire warnings. And Lahore, Pakistan has seen frequent burnings of the US, British and Israeli flags and chants of ‘death to…” over the years. So the claims in our media, that Iran is uniquely dangerous and that Iranian society is somehow uniquely hostile to the West, is nonsense.
Lammy has just issued a statement after talks with the Iranians, saying the onus is now on Iran to agree to Trump’s demands. This is a perverse situation, totally unjust to Iran, who are the victims of an illegal, unprovoked attack. It’s akin to being beaten up badly by the school bully, then being told in the headmaster’s office you have to not only apologise to said bully , but give him your lunch money as compensation for his swollen knuckles.
The Geneva conventions don’t only come into play when a leader breaks domestic law.
According to domestic law Trump needs parliamentary approval to “declare” war, yes. But he can authorise military action without declaring war. And in any case, US Congress is occupied terrritory.
The Occupation in Palestine has already broken international law (UN charter) by attacking Iran in the first place. Even if its war were lawful, attacking civilian nuclear installations would still be unlawful. Etc.
“Not through speeches and majority decisions will the great questions of the day be decided (…) but by iron and blood.” (Bismarck).
Maybe this is why the B-2’s (possibly four, or even six) – are loaded and on their way to Guam – and later to strike Iran.
“Colonel Douglas McGregor says that “Israel” is in worse shape than they’re admitting.
He says, 1/3 of Tel aviv is Destroyed
Israel was not prepared for Iran’s response.”
https://nitter.poast.org/MonitorX99800/status/1936398049238008159#m
But can you confirm?
The only question is what degree it is true. The Israeli govt has ben trying to hide the reality, but it is difficult to say one degree or another of destruction is correct.
How strong is Iran at cyber? Possibly stronger than the enemy expected. That could explain the number of successful missile strikes.
On the other hand, taking some hits is good for the Zionists’ internal public relations, both in Palestine and among Jews worldwide.
As regards the hospital in Beersheva, it might be that a nearby military installation was struck by Iran, but the Zionists themselves exploded a charge or two within their hospital compound. It could suit both sides to say otherwise.
The hospital was hit with concussive blast from a nearby target, there were no fatalities. Israel has demolished 94% of all hospitals in Gaza killing thousands. There is one remaining hospital that is functional. 2000 beds for a population of 2 million
I rather doubt that “some hits are good for the Zionists’ internal public relations”. Have you seen the videos of the Israeli refugees arriving in Cyprus by boat? Israelis are not at all ready for the psychological shock of for once being on the receiving end of strikes.
” Colonel Douglas McGregor says that “Israel” is in worse shape than they’re admitting. ”
Well he would wouldn’t he but he’s thousands of miles away on the other side of the world so how would he know?
Pears Morgaine
So are you – so how do you know, that he doesn’t know?
I’m not saying i know he doesn’t know or that I don’t know he doesn’t know but how can you know that he does know?
Pears Morgaine.
Your not related to the late Donald Rumsfeld by any chance are you.
“Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult ones.”
I guess a clue is the fact that Israel has outlawed any reporting on strikes within the country. Why would the perpetual victims do that !
Pears Morgaine
Whereas the BBC et al are stood on a rooftop in Kiev ( a beautiful Orthodox Church behind them – untouched by the way ) and the others are reporting atop a Hill in Jerusalem and probably nipping out from the Tel – Aviv Hotel’s swimming Pools to file a report.
I’ll revise the above – only filing a report after making sure it is all claer
I genuinely have no idea of what’s happening.
The bad bit is that neither have the Reporters whos’ job is to allegedly report what is going on.
You won’t find anything out unless you ask questions.
The problem is – the MSM daren’t ask any.
Had I been the Supreme Leader in Iran with the rabid Israeli dog snapping at my heels, I would have had dozens of nukes at y disposal. Even if I had had to import them from North Korea. Who you will notice, no one is attempting to bully these days.
Ali Khamenei has been naive about acquisition. Building the military-grade uranium enrichment centrifuge infrastructure and having various Iranian officials posing for pictures alongside it,… maybe just to taunt Israel? All while making threats against Israel. It was asking for trouble. You can make threats from a position of strength having acquired the weaponry – although you don’t need to as they speak for themselves – but not from a position of weakness. What were the Iranian leadership thinking?
Have you seen this:
The UK currently has a warship sailing through the Taiwan strait for no apparent reason, other than to provoke/ irritate China : https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-condemns-british-warships-troublemaking-taiwan-strait-transit-2025-06-20/
China considers the strait to be Chinese waters, although Taiwan, the United States and many of its allies say it is an international waterway.
Why are they doing this? Who in the UK needs or wants to provoke China?
The problem with your comment, Goose, is that Iran has not been threatening Israel exceptionally, at least not verbally. They’ve been defending Palestine and other unfortunate suffers from Israeli aggression and brutality. That’s perfectly legitimate. The rest is Israeli propaganda. There never was a threat to wipe Israel from the face of the earth: that’s all the Israeli narrative.
I agree. And the fiery rhetoric there is largely for domestic consumption, and often matched by equally fiery rhetoric from Israeli hardliners. I made a post the other day highlighting how much of the confusion over ‘wiped off the map’, stems from a misinterpretation of a speech made by a then President Ahmadinejad, way back in 2005.
As for now, were I Putin or Xi, I’d tell Iran to accept any terms Trump demands and we’ll assist your weapons program in the future. Trump is just one politician and US politics is very fluid and could become chaotic. Iran’s immediate concern is survival of the county’s infrastructure; it’s water systems; it’s healthcare etc, not its nuclear program, and not giving Trump any justification to attack is what matters.
The US will destroy non-nuclear powerplants, water treatment facilities; gas and petrol processing/storage facilities and non-war related industry because that is how they conduct war. And they did so in Iraq. Anyone who thinks the US fights wars morally, is living in cloud cuckoo land.
A cynic (moi) would say, because America has no history or culture they are happy to destroy any country that does. The world’s history resides in the fertile crescent, the USA won’t be satisfied until it’s all destroyed and replaced with Disney and McDonald’s by their fake Jews.
Steve
Not exactly la verite but, I am coming to the idea that Iran has some Nukes but. not necessarily in Iran.
Maybe it begins wit P and ends in N?
Or even more intriguing – if not there – where?
Maybe, but P****N has just nominated Trump for a Nobel prize. Must be the groomers prize !
Perhaps they’ve just rolled out a Nobel War Prize to complement the Peace Prize.
Unbelievable.
We don’t have headlines in Norway, Holland or Denmark saying their equivalent of “Britain on a war footing” (Sunday Times), Sky: “Starmer couldn’t be clearer: Britain must prepare for war”, Torygraph – “Battle lines: Britain put on war footing”. And so on, uncritically accepting that war is inevitable and necessary.
“War footing” is the official phrase du jour, clearly.
Why are we suddenly getting ready for a war of someone else’s instigating, for transparently obvious political survival reasons of one B. Netanyahu? Why was Biden and the Democrats prepared to accept an election loss in order to protect the same genocidal bastard? Why are we willing to trash our international reputation, the rule of law, popular support among our own people, just to save this corrupt, bloodthirsty monster, our present-day Hitler?
We know what will happen. A war will be desperately costly in terms of blood and treasure. The consequent blow-back will be used as an excuse to tighten down even harder the security state, and further erode our civil liberties.
Until further notice, takes 2 to wage a war.
Don’t take Westminster’s gestures too seriously. They know fully well they share a common feature with Netanyahu: if the next election comes before the end of the war, they’ll lose it!
The UK, France, Germany and the US are already in the war though. Shooting down Iranian missiles for Israel is participation. It’s a certainty that when the US formally enter the war on Monday morning, we will be right along side them… Special relationship and all.
Oh, I see. You’ve had advanced information about US plans. Good for you. Nobody here will breach the confidentiality.
But don’t be modest. It’s rather the Americans who will channel the British. It’s for everyone to see. The unique trade agreement recently concluded permits the UK to sell America as many Land Rovers as they wish, the only very minor counterpart being to give up the NHS (already overwhelmed) and have hormone-fed beef (very nutritious) become the basic offering in British supermarkets. And all of this without more than 10percent tariffs!
What better deal, Dean, could you expect in a special relationship?
Melrose
Yes a ‘ Special Relationship ‘ akin to A Wife Beater.
Still Happily Married though – for Public Witnessing.
What positive international reputation does Britain have, except among elites who aspire to the upstairs-downstairs thing and who therefore buy into its Oxford, Cambridge, and private boarding school brands? (Brands which are detested inside Britain, I might add, among the country’s ordinary population, even and perhaps especially in their geographic centres of operation. To investigate this, go to Cambridge and ask a working class person what they think of “May Balls”.)
Most people around the world view the British regime as a gang of self-entitled lying monarchist c***s, who shouldn’t be trusted as far as you could whack one of them with a cricket bat.
There’s an old saying that no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy, and this one has been no exception. The Israeli censors have been working like beavers to keep the impact of the Iranian missiles quiet, but they’re not fooling anyone. The Iranians are giving back as good as they’re getting and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa are all taking a pounding. The fabled Iron Dome was always massively overhyped. It takes a minimum of four anti-missile missiles to bring down one incoming, and usually it takes a lot more. They’re going to start running out of AMs soon and they simply don’t have the capacity to replace them. The Israelis have obviously underestimated the size of the Iranian armoury. They can’t knock out a country the size of Iran, which is a proper nation, not lines drawn on an imperial map, like Iraq or Jordan. The plan was always to drag the Americans in, but — and I know most of the contributors here will die before admitting this — Donald Trump is not quite as stupid as foundational leftist dogma assumes. Despite the gansta talk, he’s shown no willingness to send Americans to die for Israel. He’s well aware that “America’s staunchest ally” doesn’t give one infinitesimal damn about US servicemen and women, but he has to. If he allows the US to become involved, we’ll know he’s as stupid as people on this forum assume him to be. If he doesn’t, the Israelis are never going to be able to finish what they started. Either way, the goings-on of a minor peripheral country like Britain, which is itself teetering on the edge of collapse, don’t really matter.
Totally agreed with your last sentence.
Something’s certainly going to change as we move out of the era of the “Netanyahu Doctrine”. I think most likely there will be a tightening not a loosening of Zionist control over the USA. That said, developments with Carlson, Bannon, Gabbard, and Musk too, should have an eye kept on them.
Indications are that US veterans are heavily Republican and pro-Trump, whereas opinions about Trump among serving personnel are more divided, and perhaps even a small plurality vote Democrat?
But a stepping up of US involvement in this war needn’t necessarily mean a large number of US casualties.
The Zionists have hundreds of nuclear weapons and could obliterate Teheran, city of 10 million people. If they get a public “okay great” from the USA, or even an “oh dear, how sad, what a shame”, it will be fine with them if they get it afterwards. Their ideology is super-down to earth, “on the ground”, realistic, practical.
Trump probably would instinctively prefer to keep the US out of any new ME military adventures; the campaign persona, saying, and more importantly, promising as much, was likely his genuine view. But he’s being manipulated by Israel firsters, like son-in-law Jared Kushner, and especially by Netanyahu himself.
I think he’s been spooked though, by the reaction, and the lack of support. Especially the MAGA criticism also that from Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon; Marjorie Taylor Greene and even fellow Floridian Matt Gaetz. The two weeks is an attempt to work with zionist outfit Fox News to bring more support on board. Losing MAGA would cripple Trump’s chances of avoiding becoming a lame duck after the midterms.
And have you noticed how all the liberal Trump haters have gone quiet now he’s seemingly gone over to the neocon darkside?
“all the liberal Trump haters have gone quiet now he’s seemingly gone over to the neocon darkside”
During his first term they praised him for being “presidential” only when he bombed Syria, couped Bolivia and tried to coup Venezuela.
This time, the vast “No Kings” anti-Trump rallies they have organised across America have seen no signs or speeches protesting the Gaza Genocide or the illegal, unprovoked attack on Iran. Lots of signs and speakers however condemning him for pulling the plug on military aid to Ukraine.
zoot
That is a good spot re: Ukraine.
The attack on Fordow might be on the cards this weekend afterall.
“3 KC-135R tankers have lifted off from Hickman Air Base, Hawaii, to meet the first batch of B-2 Bombers as they approach the Pacific islands.
This all but confirms they’re heading to Guam, and from there a direct strike on Iran is very much possible.”
https://nitter.poast.org/GlobeWarReport/status/1936441250393293156#m
Even after all these posts, I’m still very intrigued by this protracted interest that you have on tankers and refueling. Not just you, but several other commenters as well.
Is it the side effect of some video game I’m unaware of? Is the concept of refueling some Freudian metaphor?
As far as we can tell, American warplanes have a wide variety of options when it comes to filling tanks. On the ground, in any US or NATO airbase, on the sea, on any major USS vessel, in the air since many tankers are available around the Mediterranean.
Besides, in a bombing mission, the critical part is always the return to base. That’s usually when you need refueling…
Melrose
Here’s me thinking, the likes of you would be more concerned about this – than my comments on tankers and B-2 stealth bombers – then again I suppose it depends on what your remit is right now.
“Israeli media: Two and a half million Israelis have no shelters and are living in tents in parking lots.”
Beats me, sorry.
I’m the one who needs refueling right now.
Let’s see what happens on Monday then. And whether more KC-135Rs are in the sky. Please keep us posted.
Melrose
My point would be:
Why go through the pretence of ‘ We’re Coming to Getcha! ‘ with these High Tech Planes
( with all the risk to US Servicemen ) when you can casually lob a few Bunker Busters from the safety of your
own Home? (a base in the Mid East)
That’s what I don’t get.
Scott Ritter has claimed that Israel is on its way to a strategic defeat, and to those pundits who say Israel is running out of interceptors he said it does not matter since Iran’s missiles are defeating the iron dome anyway. The Iranian leadership have built up a huge arsenal of ballistic missiles, not only to fight Israel but to fight the USA. Col Macgregor says Tel Aviv is one third either destroyed or damaged, then quotes Ben-Gvir as saying he did not realize the power of the Iranian missiles. This is incredible Ben-Gvir is the Israeli Minister of National Security. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdmDunKkz2Y Methinks he has spent too much time reading the bible and no time at all on military matters.
Harry Law
June 21, 2025 at 17:28
“Macgregor says Tel Aviv is one third either destroyed or damaged,”.
What is the basis for that claim? Sounds like wishful thinking.
(If true – which I doubt – it would be a remarkable achievement by the Iranians.)
McGregor has fvck all credibility so….
ToI latest:
‘ Daily Briefing June 21: Day 624 – IDF head cautions no quick win in ongoing Israel-Iran war’
The Times of Israel
Yesterday at 17:30 ·
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir says Israelis must prepare for a “prolonged campaign” against Iran in order to “eliminate a threat of this magnitude.”
In a video statement, Zamir says that Iran has been “building for years a clear plan to destroy the State of Israel” and that in recent months, “the plan reached the point of no return, where the capabilities reached operational capability.”
“We launched the campaign when Iran possessed around 2,500 ground-to-ground missiles, with a high production rate, such that within approximately two years, they were expected to possess around 8,000 missiles,” he says.
Zamir says Iran’s ballistic missile efforts, proxies in the Middle East, and nuclear advancements, “compelled us to strike and deliver a preemptive blow.”
“The IDF will not stand by and watch as threats develop. As part of an emerging doctrine, we will act proactively and in advance to prevent an existential threat and to face any challenge,” he says.
Zamir says the IDF has “prepared for this operation for years,” and it was launched “thanks to the convergence of operational and strategic conditions.”
“Had we delayed, there was a risk of losing these conditions and entering the campaign in the future from a position of clear disadvantage. We understood that history would not forgive us if we failed to act now to defend the existence of the Jewish people in the State of Israel,” he says.
Zamir says the IDF’s opening “surprise” strikes on Iran “achieved extraordinary results.”
“We eliminated the enemy’s senior command, inflicted deep damage to components of the nuclear program, opened an aerial corridor to Tehran, identified and destroyed about half of the missile launchers, some just minutes before launch, and surprised the enemy despite its heightened state of alert,” he says.
Zamir continues, “Dear citizens of Israel, alongside the offensive operations, the defense of the home front continues. This is a different challenge from what we have known until now. The enemy, in its weakness, deliberately targets civilians, as we have experienced once again in the recent barrage. Our enemies do not understand that the Israeli home front is the source of the IDF’s strength, not its weakness.”
“We are preparing for a range of possible developments. We have embarked on the most complex campaign in our history. We launched this campaign in order to eliminate a threat of this magnitude, against such an enemy, which requires readiness for a prolonged campaign,” he says.
Okay – well here we have it – this whole debacle will be catastrophic for the West
Colonel MacGregor, former adviser to the White House, tells it as it is.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wLWXoSI7IFM&t=3s&pp=2AEDkAIB
And we know that everything he says in this interview is absolutely true.
Mr Netanyahu controls Congress. The US has committed to its inevitable defeat. Israel will use nukes. Iran’s allies will supply it with whatever response it needs to defeat not only Israel but all of us. There is nothing that can be done to turn aside from this horrific overreach by the United States and its allies.
Alyson
June 21, 2025 at 17:31
Alyson. How do we know that everything that McGregor says is “absolutely true”?
He has been announcing the collapse of Ukraine since Summer 2022.
A propagandist.
Okay, JK, I concur. He says what I think. And I think that what I think is absolutely true. But I could be mistaken and maybe things aren’t as irrevocably bad as he says
Macgregor states that the decision for the US to attack Iran has already been made, his contacts in the administration are very good, I could not dispute that. If he is right and the US is maneuvering its assets in the region then we are all in a world of hurt. US bases surrounding Iran and navel assets including aircraft carriers would be legitimate targets. Iran must now be preparing for the inevitable which is loss of life and property, just as the US will suffer. This is to save Israel from the consequences of its own actions [Israel started this]. As for the notion that Congress will have a say, 80% are bought and paid for ‘Israeli first stooges’.
A lot of insisting that Macgregor is wrong, while passing over Israeli exaggerations as true. The fact is that the Iranian counter-bombardment has been shocking to the core to Israelis used to handing it out to others, while remaining in comfort themselves. Never had to hide from bombs themselves.
JK Redux
in the Mist of war everyone has an opinion but unless you are going to ask The Ukranian Fighters and The Russian Fighters and the Iranian Fighters and the Israeli Fighters on the receiving end of all these weaponry assaults then we are all non the wiser.
Not that the poor sods would know much anyway..
Yet again, I will refer you to the Liberal media re: Ukraine.
They say Russia occupies 20% of ex Ukrainian Land.
Unless you think Wikipedia thinks it is only 19%?
I will say this about Colonel McGregor he seems to know his history unlike Senator Cruz.
I’ve yet to hear him say : ‘ God told me to bomb Iraq ‘
And ( just in case ) I am very aware that he and many others are Centre right ( minimum ) and right wing patriots but, on some issues as an anti Imperialist Leftie, I am game if they want to stop wars.
I agree with them because they agree with me.
You could however use Chat GPT and see what they (it?) thinks?
Do you know I still say please and thank you to the Bots.
Old Skool.
I might even send them a letter f thanks – if I knew their address.
Just for the personal touch and good manners.
FCDO = What ? Please don’t use abbreviations without first stating what they mean/ are.
A couple of points – I suppose any attack on Iran by the USA, will see a huge cyber attack first, then the attack.
“CENTCOM commanders have given their assent to Trump that all preparations are done
Kuwait announces that it has begun implementing the evacuation plan for its citizens from Iran.
We now only wait for the executive order & we’re in play – says U S. Source deployed in Syria in a US mission
Israeli media: Two and a half million Israelis have no shelters and are living in tents in parking lots.”
And not sure if this is a threat or not.
“Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian politician to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi:
When the war is over, we will reach Grossi’s account.”
Kuwaitis in Iran? Not many, I’d guess. What you do have in the way of interraction is the arrival every day from Iran of Iranian dhows with fresh veg – I saw it myself – and their return in the evening with cheap second hand cars (a Kuwaiti will have a new car every year). What are the Kuwaitis going to eat when the fresh veg is cut off?
Laguerre
Bob Marley- Guiltiness:
Say: Woe to the downpressors:
They’ll eat the bread of sorrow!
Woe to the downpressors:
They’ll eat the bread of sad tomorrow!
Woe to the downpressors:
They’ll eat the bread of sorrow!
Oh, yeah-eah! Oh, yeah-eah-eah-eah!