In international law, Tehran has every right to close the strait of Hormuz to nations with which it is in armed conflict. Two vital points:
1) States who permit attacks on Iran to be launched from their territory can be blocked
2) Iran can block neutral ships from trading with states with which it is in conflict.
Plainly UK ships can be blocked under 1). But it is also undeniable that Gulf states have permitted attacks to be launched from their territory. A-10 Warthog attack jets have been routinely used against Iranian ships and were used in the extraordinary operation at the weekend involving special forces on the ground in Iran.
(If you believe that was a pilot rescue I have a bridge to sell you).
Multiple types of helicopter have also been used. The 5th fleet having run away well into the Indian ocean, these short-range aircraft can only be operating out of the Gulf states.
HIMARS short-range missiles were also used against Kharg Island – again this has to be from the Gulf states.
Iran has the right therefore to close the Strait of Hormuz to ships trading with those Gulf States that are hosting US forces attacking Iran. Which effectively means an almost complete closure of the straits.
The remaining legal obligation – from Article 34 of the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea – is to allow free passage to neutral vessels which are not trading with states with which Iran is in armed conflict. That is not likely to be a large number of vessels.
A week ago I participated in a discussion on Al Jazeera in which I was able to make some of these points. I also pointed out the hypocrisy of the Western powers’ sudden interest in freedom of navigation, when they have been supporting or ignoring illegal blockades of Gaza, Cuba and Venezuela, and illegal action against the misnamed “Russian shadow fleet”.
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His masters voice White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller in an early January interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper about America’s capture of Venezuela dictator Nicolás Maduro, Miller truculently affirmed the might-makes-right thesis as a universal truth. “We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else, but we live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” he stated. “These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time.” Miller implied not merely that strength, force, and power are essential to American foreign policy, but that they are its exclusive components. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/opinion-not-might-makes-right-but-might-should-serve-freedom/ar-AA1VqTa8
These statements by Miller will not be lost on Iran,China and Russia they are reminiscent of Chairman Mao “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun”
They’re not looking for a peace agreement US/Israel and their allies – they just want to buy time to recoup and rearm.
” UK Defence Minister John Healey says hundreds of interceptor missiles will be sent to the Middle East within weeks.”
Meanwhile a Q9 drone was launched from RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus the other day – flying a recon mission over Lebanon, a few hours later Beirut was heavily bombed killing hundreds of civilians.
Not sure if this is 100% kosher 🙂
“There is now confirmed presence of a Russian nuclear submarine near the Strait of Hormuz.
There is also a confirmed announcement by Chechen Forces they will enter Iran to fight US if Invasion takes place. ”
https://www.globalresearch.ca/russia-sends-six-submarines-strait-hormuz/5920983
There may well be something in it Stevie Boy – China and Pakistan threatened to nuke Israel a few day ago, if Israel nukes Iran, it all heating up to become a huge conflict, and the British media is in frenzy over Russian subs – it probably propaganda to frighten the masses into agreeing that Russia is out to get us, and that we must aid the US and Israel to defeat Iran and in their words free the straits.
From “reds under the beds” to “Russkis under the waves”.
I’ll take them – over Nazi’s and Zionists any day.
Unlike;y I’d have thought. The straits are narrow and shallow in places, not the best place for large submarines, and very dangerous if Iran’s clams to have mined the straits are true. Mines are indiscriminate.
“They’re not looking for a peace agreement (US/Israel and their allies) – they just want to buy time..”
That’s what I’m minded to think – time for getting America’s second Marine Expeditionary Force and the 82nd Airborne Division into the Gulf. Military experts may well say that these elite forces, even with the others they have in the region, is not enough to conquer Iran and take the Strait of Hormuz – but the hubris of Trump and Hegseth may well prevail, with few daring to talk truth to power, and so we may see America’s Teutoburg moment, possibly even before King Charles’ state visit to the US. Let them not say they weren’t warned.
corr. ‘is not enough’ -> ‘are not enough’
Just before the US attempt to extricate whatever (the crew of a downed F15E jet, hidden enriched uranium near Isfahan) last weekend, the US Army Chief Randy George was given his marching orders by US War Secretary Pete Hegseth. One presumes George tried to talk truth to power, in the form of an opinion that the operation was going to fail.
When even senior officials are shown out the door over a one-off military operation – let’s put aside the amount of time, money and effort invested in this operation, whether planned carefully or rushed, to say nothing of the several hundred millions of US taxpayer money going up in flames – we have to conclude the Trump govt is very much determined to meet its Teutoburg Forest or Roman-Emperor-Valerian-vs-Sassanian-Shah-Shapur moment, whichever ancient history analogy you prefer.
Randy George was reportedly fired for opposing racism, sexism and political purges e.g. the removal of coloured men and women from a list of candidates for promotion to general, who may have supported mask mandates during the pandemic.
His opposition to a high-risk operation on Isfahan (and likewise a full invasion of Iran) may also have been a reason, but I agree that either way he is to be respected for his integrity.
“within weeks.” At least Starmerites provide us all with plenty of occasions to laugh.
As per Elijah Magnier, Iran will present to the US three options following Israel’s and Trump’s breach of the ceasefire:
-We resume the war
-Hormuz remains closed until the US decides on Israel
Hormuz reopens but we resume war only against Israel
https://x.com/lobatobdan/status/2042499067998064793
Sounds reasonable to me.
Meanwhile, the US is using the lull to build up troops in the region to 50,000+. An ominous sign and a bad faith gesture. It could well be that Iran is being played; in that in order to land/station their troops, the US needs this two-week ceasefire.
I do feel sympathy for Iranian negotiators, in that there are no good options with the US threatening genocide again, after launching their illegal, unprovoked war. Trump’s social media output would see any other western leader removed from office and detained for mental health assessment. The lack of US political and public protest over Trump’s Hitler-esque bloodthirsty threats on Truth Social, to kill an entire civilisation, is dispiriting. Tbh, I think even Hitler would have probably had the intelligence and sense of diplomatic decorum, to know you don’t casually brag about plans to commit genocide.
It should not be forgotten of course that 50,000+ US troops in the region doesn’t mean that many front-line fighters, rather more like less than 10K in contact. What are less than 10K going to do? It’s insufficient for such a large country as Iran.
It is not that Iran has no good options, rather it is the US that has no good options, which Trump’s bluster is covering up for. Prolonged closure of Hormuz will cause economic catastrophe in a few months. Iran has only to do nothing.
A report from the Electronic Intifada, the first half covering the Iranian retaliation for attacks by the US and Israel, showing just how costly the rescue operations have been for the Americans. The second half is about Lebanon, with footage of fighters setting up equipment which has not been shown before.
At least we have that honest broker Pakistan mediating between Iran and USA. Probably dancing to the USA’s tune. Laughable to believe Pakistan threatened Israel, They gaoled Mr Khan for wanting to represent the issues that matter to the indigenous population. They are simply dodgy, I really doubt they are independent !!
Well, the US isn’t independent. The UK isn’t independent. Who is? Cuba, for the moment?
A coalition of more than 70 countries, along with the European Union, has strongly condemned deadly attacks on United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon, warning that such actions may constitute a war crime. The joint statement, led by Indonesia and France at the United Nations, followed the killing of three Indonesian peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and injuries to personnel from multiple nations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOeMJjmNKAQ
Israel In Project Genocide.. Of Three countries at the same time, With the US full Crazed support.. And the Evil UK Support.
A piece about the Strait of Hormuz published by PressTV in Iran:
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2026/04/10/766586/why-no-matter-can-undermine-iran-eternal-dominance-over-strait-hormuz
“Because the strait’s width is less than 24 nautical miles, the entire waterway is not considered part of international waters or an international shipping route. The governing legal regime is not free and compulsory transit passage, but rather innocent passage.”
Some other interesting points too.
“Economically, the Strait of Hormuz is rightly called the true chokepoint of the world economy.”
This may depend on what you mean by “world economy”. It certainly depends on what view you take of finance capital. Two points that Iran is said to want agreed before the commencement of talks with the USA in Pakistan tomorrow, i.e. as preconditions, are 1) a ceasefire in Lebanon, but also 2) the unfreezing of Iranian financial assets. (They also want the lifting of all other sanctions, but this one has been singled out.)
There is also mention in the article of effective mines in the Strait costing only thousands of dollars (or equivalent!), compared to the astronomically huger cost of enemy losses – the kind of point that was once made about Vietnam.
The Idea that possibly 6,000 up to 50,000 lightly armed troops are going to invade any part of Iran is nonsensical.
There is a long-standing rule of thumb that holds that an attacker requires a 3-1 preponderance. So let us suppose that Iran has a standing army of one million and that a further two million men can be recruited by willing volunteers [easily done] that would mean the US would need nine million men to attempt the operation, an immediate draft in the US and the equipping of same would take many many months, and since the west will be in desperate oil, gas and fertilizer etc shortage in a couple of weeks the Iranians hold all the cards.
The Iranians are in a fight for their very survival, an unsatisfactory deal now would only mean they would be back to square one in a few months.
It is hard to think Trump can just declare victory and leave the Gulf region, with Iran controlling the strait, but Trump is desperate and could probably try something stupid. We Shall see.
re: UK trying to stop Russian ships …
that is already in planning – albeit not being carried out.
In contrast to Rubio´s (or which one said it?) “Might is right” one could argue the Russians are implementing “Might enables right” –
via Andrei Martyanov THE TELEGRAPH is reporting how the UK operates to come to a decision whether or not to seize Russian vessels – illegally of course.
“Navy barred from boarding Russian ships
No such operations have taken place because of fears that they would breach international law”:
“(…)
The Royal Navy has not seized any sanctioned Russian tankers because the Government fears it would breach international law. Vladimir Putin’s shadow fleet has been allowed to pass through the English Channel despite Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge, a fortnight ago, to “go after” the ships. Since The Telegraph revealed on Wednesday that Putin had sent a warship to escort sanctioned vessels through the Channel, there have been mounting questions over the Government’s failure to stop Russian ships. Now it can be revealed that Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, has given legal advice about how the ships could be tackled in British territorial waters to prevent the flow of sanctioned oil to Russia’s allies. Under his advice, ships can be boarded by special forces and officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA), but no such operations have taken place because of concerns about breaching international maritime law, which sets a high legal bar for a state to board a foreign vessel.
(…)”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/04/09/navy-barred-from-boarding-russian-ships/?msockid=11f636e4e10963c524ae2332e024621f
So UK is apparently afraid – not of international law – but of a power that could punish them for violating international law.
Or in Martyanov´s words: “International Law applies ONLY when you have power.”
Sad but true.
After 500 years terrorizing others they will have to learn to stick to laws they actually introduced themselves only to violate them as they please.
p.s. Rockford Weitz is apparently not aware that the US has simply no realistic means to enforce the opening of Hormuz the way it wants. If it did US NAVY would not have rejected Trump´s plea 3 weeks ago. If there is a US party acting responsibly on a military level it is the US Navy, traditionally.
It makes no sense to speak about mines, boats, A-10s when the issue are long-range fires supported by RU and CHINESE IRS, which would stop any military operation by the US. The “rescue operation” is a case in point for how that´d end.
It was his masters voice White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller in an early January interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper about America’s capture of Venezuela dictator Nicolás Maduro, Miller truculently affirmed the might-makes-right thesis as a universal truth. “We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else, but we live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” he stated. “These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time.” Miller implied not merely that strength, force, and power are essential to American foreign policy, but that they are its exclusive components. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/opinion-not-might-makes-right-but-might-should-serve-freedom/ar-AA1VqTa8
These statements by Miller will not be lost on Iran,China and Russia they are reminiscent of Chairman Mao “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun”
Right!
Mr. Miller.
Thanks.
The quote will haunt Mr. Miller for decades to come.
p.s. Mr. Miller´s world was depicted pointedly in Robert Altman´s neo-Western “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” (1971).
The name is coincidence only but the story behind it fits.
Frankly, Mr. Miller has zero clue.
To watch movies by some of the old guard of American storytellers might help him to catch up.
In the unlikely case he reads this blog, see here “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” in a fine print by Criterion on YT.
Starring: Julie Christie, Warren Beatty
camera: Vilmos Zsigmond
script: Robert Towne
“McCabe & Mrs Miller | WESTERN | Robert Altman | Full HD Movie | 1971”
121 min.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNlwTUrce5E
So, if someone breaks into Mr. Miller’s house, the way they broke into Mr. Pelosi’s house, and goes at him with a hammer, that’s just…the way things are?
I’ll bet if that happened Mr. Miller would be singing a whole different tune.
Herewith an extract from the well respected US journal The Hill. It says only to clearly the legacy of what Trump and his gang did. This extract could not make the lunacy of the Trump administration any clearer.
” History will record that the turning point of Trump’s war came on Mar. 18, when Iran wiped out 17 percent of Qatar’s LNG production capacity in a single strike in response to an Israeli attack on Iran’s South Pars oil field. Trump was forced to effectively apologize for the attack and promise it would not happen again. From that moment, the U.S. had lost the initiative and, as a practical matter, the war.
Despite suffering massive physical damage from American and Israeli bombardment, Iran is now in a far stronger military, economic and diplomatic position than when the war began. After a month of intensive bombing, it retains both control of the Strait of Hormuz and the ability to attack ships and destroy infrastructure anywhere in the Persian Gulf at will. Iran is still launching missiles and has a large supply of drones, along with one of the largest arsenals of naval mines in the world.
In short, Trump may have started the war, but Tehran will decide when it ends.”
The US and US satellite-country media are reporting the run-up to the US-Iranian talks in Pakistan on the level of famous man J D Vance arrives in country. I don’t watch TV but perhaps they have already shown him grinning at the top of some aircraft steps, eyelined up to the max. But AFAICT not a single big-media US or satellite country organ has mentioned the word “preconditions”. The Iranian press meanwhile is reporting that Iran has laid down two preconditions: a ceasefire in Lebanon, and the release of (billions of US dollars’ worth of) Iranian financial assets.
Interestingly, the Zionist “Times of Israel” has mentioned the preconditions. A case of those who give the orders not having to comply with them, whereas their subordinates are too scared to vary from whatever they were most recently told?
Meanwhile the notion of a ceasefire in Lebanon being a precondition for US-Iranian talks raises the question of what is the nature of internal relations on the US-Zionist side. Which may possibly relate to possible crack lines in MAGA-Trump world?
A Zionist retreat in Lebanon seems unlikely. Quite clear already that they are not simply interested in quietening Hezbollah.
The sheikhs are looking like the creeps that they are and always have been. Nobody is even suggesting they are players.
Yup, yessir, JD is just a good ol’ boy who’d rather be strummin’ his geetar on a plangent ( but, y’know, hard scrabble real ) Hillbilly Elegy than messin’ ’round with those unchristian heathens from I Ran & Pac…..istan, ‘specially when the whole world ( ie Yank *Christian*Zioville ) knows God gave that land to his Chosen People, ie Americans, for the exclusive use of the latter’s best buds – the Yahoos; says so right here in the Good Book – Herzl’s ‘ The Jewish State ‘.
Nonetheless, bein’ a good loyal ( read, avidly lusting after POTUSship ) Veep, he’ll go to that shithole country and pretend to be listening in good faith, when in reality, he’s only there to obtain some authentic kohl ( that eyeliner stuff is soooo messy to use ) and see if he can hire an assassin to take out his two closest rivals for the position of Supreme Leader Of USrael: now that El Trumpeto is on the way down/out and haemorrhaging support faster than you can say Dire Straits of Hormuz and even erstwhile U.S Protection Racket payees, ie the Gulf State Milk Sheiks are feeling, well…..not very protected, despite the gold, diamonds, jets etc they have lavished on their Yank overlords.
If only his first christian name was, dunno….Alan, Alex, Adolf or such, then he could be named A.D Vance; but, no, it’s actually Jackov
Talking of free speech.
“Westminster might vote to end protesting in England, we’re half-way there already.
“Next week, MPs will vote on a bill to give police unprecedented powers to ban recurring protests, turning a fundamental freedom into a privilege granted by the state. It must be opposed.””
https://tribunemag.co.uk/2026/04/protest-is-not-a-privilege/
The criminal justice system in England and Wales seems to have taken on a big element of the inquisitorial:
https://www.mountfordchambers.com/no-one-expects-the-inquisition/
As barrister Sofia Napolitano puts it rather mildly, commenting on a judgment issued in October 2025:
“Although our criminal justice system obviously remains adversarial, the Administrative Court’s ruling represents a shift towards a more inquisitorial system. It establishes that criminal defendants are expected (i) to cooperate with the prosecution, (ii) to raise objections as soon as possible once a relevant deficiency in the prosecution’s case has come to light, and (iii) not to wait for the prosecution to provide all the disclosure before they respond to it.
In a purely inquisitorial system, the judge conducts an extensive investigation to try and determine the facts of the case and does not simply act as a ‘referee’ between the prosecution and the defence. The judge objectively examines the evidence, and questions the witnesses. Throughout this process, criminal defendants are expected to cooperate fully in order to obtain as fair an outcome as possible.
The Administrative Court’s ruling appears to try to incorporate one element of the inquisitorial system (i.e., that criminal defendants must cooperate fully and proactively) into the current adversarial system. It essentially obliges criminal defendants to engage in proceedings in a way that may ultimately strengthen the prosecution’s case against them, rather than in a way which helps uncover the true facts of the case. The result is an adversarial system that is heavily weighted in favour of the prosecution, and one that is therefore more likely to lead to miscarriages of justice.
Conclusion
This is an interesting development, as it imposes one aspect of the inquisitorial system on the current adversarial system in a way which helps the prosecution, rather than as a means to uncover the truth as part of an impartial process. Even if the delay is to some extent caused by the prosecution, the judge is allowed to extend the CTLs. This may well lead to (i) an increase in guilty pleas ahead of trial as defendants spend more and more time on remand, and (ii) an increase in convictions, as the prosecution is able to strengthen their case ahead of trial with help from the defence.”
She has a career, of course, but we can assume that she is fully aware that it isn’t really adversarial for the defence to be expected to assist the prosecution.
Are you watching Ireland?
Tanks on the streets?
Blockades on the streets of Dublin?
Public support for protesters is widespread across Ireland. The government has decided tanks will be its response.
Actually Ireland is the ‘canary in the coal mine’. Small nations will collapse first. We watch and learn….
No sign of tanks on the streets yet, though. (Or not counting this, anyway.) The Irish state is looking weak…
@Robert – Have you read Hillbilly Elegy? I haven’t. It seems worth a read. The now eyeliner wearing chameleon seems to have begun his, er, friendship with Peter Thiel when he was 26 and Thiel was 43.
“What is it about the billionaire that attracts you, Mr Vance”?
At the same age, he began writing his memoir after he was persuaded by Amy Chua.
I call him a chameleon but the line that the poor are degenerates – and they breed degenerates too – seems to have been one that he has kept to unshakingly ever since he struck gold.
If someone is reading this who has read Vance’s book, they will doubtless be able to add more.
Hi B. No I haven’t read the book – though I’ve read about it – but I did hear, and like, the song of that title: actually, I heard the song before I’d even heard of Vance, I was surprised to find out later – when Vance became more wildly known – that it was inspired by the book of the same title.
As far as these things go, I thought he came across pretty well in the Vice POTUS debates, granted his opponent – Tim ” Slow ” Walz was not exactly electrifying ( more stultifying ) and seemed at least coherent and – within the restrictions of his Religio/Super-Patriot AMURICA THE GREAT ideology, reasonable. Seems he’s no boat-rocker though, and even if – as reported – he opposed * Trump’s * decision to attack Iran, ie do Israel’s bidding, the honourable thing would have been to state his opposition publicly, then resign. But he didn’t, so we have to assume those professed ” Appalachian values ” he allegedly lives by don’t stretch as far as refusing to have anything to do with such unjustified, murderous violence and his main motivator is the attainment of the Golden Chalice – POTUS.
Which, if ever achieved, may turn out to be a Poisoned Chalice
Ummm……just realised I’ve been labouring under a misconception; the song I’m referring to is actually called ‘ Rich Men of Richmond ‘ by Oliver North and has nothing directly to do with Vance’s book; though they do share some themes and the respective authors a common poor, working class background.
Don’t know how I got those two conflated to the point of thinking there was a direct link between song and book: maybe because of those thematic overlaps, or I might have read/heard some reference to both the song and book. Sorry for the wrong information. Still a good song though
The song is called ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ by Oliver Anthony, Robert. Oliver North is a former Marine Corps colonel who helped transfer the proceeds from illegal weapons sales to Iran to the Contras in Nicaragua in the 80’s.
Ah! doh ! the ol’ memory bank overdrawn. Your correction reminded me of Spitting Image’s mockery of Oliver North as a Stars n Stripes-worshipping dumbass & obedient servant of U.S Military actions, irrespective of the legality/illegality of those actions
Thanks for this ma man.
Next up……the new single Lou Costello…..” Oliver Cromwell’s Army “. A certain smash hit 🙂
J D Vance’s name in full is James David Vance.
yes, I know that, Jen. I was joking about his first name being Jackov, ie Jack-off 🙂
AKA. John Bowman, a catholic, married to an Indian Hindu.
Wonder how he consolidates those ‘views’ with zionism.
No need to consolidate anything, Stevie: as you know, for political advancement in the U.S ( and, increasingly in EUK/West generally ) the sine qua non is absolute compliance with Israeli/Zionist * values * & interests.
Did you hear him very publicly express regret re his wife’s Hinduism and his hope she would abandon her birth religion and become a Christian ( no doubt he meant * Christian * Zionist )
If I may digress from world matters can I make comment on governmental conduct in Scotland as it moves to a Scottish Parliament election in a few weeks.
For voters both in Scotland and further afield they might do well to reflect on how this Scottish Government have made provision to silence elected representatives when they ask questions that authority doesn’t want to hear.
Undernoted is a link to an appeal for funds to fight the never ending supply of resources by authority to do down an elected representative who in this case a 75 year old disabled retired biology teacher.
The link aside of providing a harrowing story about a national park authority councillor Sid Perrie provides the opportunity for those who value democracy to reflect on his particular fight. But he is not alone. There are other councillors who have met the same fate. The state as this piece shows is how time after time how it has unlimited resources to pursue those who it wishes to silence. And of course many readers of this blog will know of this be it campaigners for justice in Palestine, or the blog host here himself.
Well worth a read, and if you agree and value free speech, please consider assisting this particular fight in any way you can.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/sid-perrie-his-fight-for-balloch-and-loch-lomond-continues?attribution_id=sl:0419c315-d8da-4ead-a298-e8c380b9b3ac&lang=en_GB&ts=1775061860
Yes, Willie, the SNP as a Party & Government, having failed miserably to advance it’s ( supposed ) raison d’etre one mm in 11 years, instigated a series of ludicrous legal challenges – and lost every one, put more effort into promoting the interests of micro-demographics & assorted fruitcakes ( non-edible ) than it has the material & psychological wellbeing of it’s ( again, supposed ) * people *, has ” succeeded ” in adopting all the worse traits/tendencies of those other political entities it was formerly considered to be politically/ethically superior to – and under Alex Salmond’s tenure was superior to.
It has become just another vote-harvesting, lie-generating ( unfunny ) joke of a Political Party: using the same tactics of Lawfare; threats; bribery and sycophancy, eg to Brit Political/*Cultural * Establishment tropes, to advance it’s now sole ambition – to stay in power.
It has riven and sown fractious discord within the once cohesive and determined Scottish Independence Movement to a degree which * may * be irreparable: at the very least, dissipated the momentum that had been built-up during the Independence Campaign to enervated stasis and set-back the cause for, possibly, decades.
It will meet the same fate as all sellouts: the contempt of it’s former supporters & drastically declining electoral success. If not this imminent election that subsequent ones
Yes Robert thst is exactly where we are. And that is why, as you are only too well aware, thst we all in our own ways contribute to tackling the rotten foul governance that is so extant all around.
In the case of Sid Perrie he was asking awkward questions about the ‘ sell off ‘ and inappropriate procedures to facilitate an inappropriate commercial development on Loch Lomond.
Like so much that iscall around us he concerned about the loss of people’s rights. But as is so often the case, money interests talk, and governments and politicos become the agents of money. And lawfare and worse is their response when challenged.
But people can challenge.In 2014 the referendum.was nearly won. Indeed some say it might actually have been won. That was why the movement had to be stopped, decapitated. But people can win. Decapitation strategies can only do so much. The core sentiments and political want lives on.
And that is why people need to get behind fighting for what they want, opposing what they know is wrong. Many a mickle maks a muckle as they say in Scotland. Or as the Tesco tag line say, every little helps.
We should all never forget such sentiment. We may all be individuals but together all contributing in our own ways when we can, is the power for change.
.
If the petro-dollar’s your strength then they will turn it into your weakness.
According to the Wall St Journal, Trump is planning on “moving U.S. troops out of North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries deemed unhelpful to the Iran war effort and stationing them in countries that were more supportive.
https://en.interaffairs.ru/article/wsj-trump-team-explores-punishment-for-nato-countries-that-didnt-support-iran-war/
I suppose it’s too much to hope that one of those “less supportive” countries is the UK.
Just to insert a little further malignancy into the mix, I recently heard the argument that a consequence of NATO’s dissolution would be the end of collective defence under Article 5, thereby leaving Israel free to attack Turkey without provoking an automatic Article 5 response from NATO members.
I just cannot imagine who it can be filling Trump’s head with such paranoia about NATO.
Hi Breeks, good to hear from you again. Aye, I was hearing about that malignant possibility earlier ( on Danny Haiphong’s podcast ).
There may have been a time when such speculation would have been too wild to take seriously: not now. The psychotic regime in Tel Aviv are now capable of anything, no matter how planet-shatteringly insane, and we will not be surprised – horrified, but not surprised – if this is indeed the calculation – that the U.S leaves NATO in order to give Israel licence to turn it’s malevolent sights on Turkey.
Like others, I think NATO should have been wound-up after the break-up of the Soviet Union and everything that institution has done subsequently only confirms that belief: most egregiously, it’s unbelievably stupid, homicidally wreckless betrayal of it’s pledge not to expand ” one inch Eastwards ” – in the direction of Russia, and it’s response to the latter country’s existentially necessary response to this needless provocation.
It – NATO – has always been U.S + more-or-less impotent sidekicks and it’s almost laughable seeing total pricks like Rutte virtually licking Trump’s boots on one hand and pretending to be an autonomous entity on the other. His/Its idea of autonomy appears to consist of being every bit as chest-beatingly bellicose as the Yanks, but with a toy army at it’s disposal, rather than a $Trillions funded behemoth like the U.S. Though, of course, lavishly salaried master baiter Rutte has, as you know, been insisting EUK * citizens * should, eg accept lower/static pensions and reduced State welfare spending generally to raise that toy army to the status of, say, The People’s Front of Judea
What also troubles me is the asymmetric price of failure.
If Iran falters, the consequences for Iran losing seem dire and devastating, and their society will be torn apart and thrown to the wolves.
For the US and Israel, even the most embarrassing and humiliating defeat won’t change a goddamned thing; the evil will still get a good night’s sleep and wake up tomorrow to find some other vulnerability to exploit. In that sense, it seems indefatigable; a psychopathy you can never cure. Iran might win, but we still won’t be rid of the evil. It will take something more.
The consequences of another genocidal US / Israeli victory are frankly sickening. I also reference John Mearsheimer’s observation that by Nuremberg standards, Trump and Netanyahu would be hanged for their war crimes. Genocide is genocide isn’t it? In the other corner, we have Iran standing firm and defeating the insatiable warmongering, propaganda doublespeak and aggression, and frankly, that stoicism is deeply refreshing. It feels bold, like putting the wolves back into Yellowstone; thus starting the trophic cascade of change.
Will it have a happy ending? Who knows, but buckle up, it’s happening. Persia is on the rise beside a mighty China and ever patient Russia. I think the penny is dropping in Europe.
How I wish resource rich Scotland was more alert and positively engaged in the process, but our feckless “leadership” has adopted the wrong doctrine and I can’t shake the feeling our enthusiasm for Independence now charges up the wrang dreel completely. It will take a while for the cascade to reach us, and the dreadful SNP will insist they want no part of it.
Oh, and just to end on…
A massive salute to the inspired individual responsible for communicating Iranian’s frank and uncompromising disposition towards the USA via the medium of Lego.
We saw what you did there Denmark. Well played. 😉
‘ How I wish resource rich Scotland was more alert and positively engaged in the process, but our feckless “leadership” has adopted the wrong doctrine …….’.
Likewise, B. It’s just one more SNP * Management * fuck-up. They should be using these catastrophe-courting actions by – actually, successive U.S Admins, though the current one is on course to be the most catastrophic of them all, and lunatic Israeli partner-in-genocide + the U.S/NATO arse-kissing sycophantic U.K GOV to reinforce the now absolutely critical need for Scotland’s Independence to avoid our country being dragged into ANOTHER geopolitical bloodbath – this one potentially terminal for continued planetary survival.
Instead First Jellyfish Swinney has backed-up the warmongering hyperbole of this Starmer aberration of a * Labour Party * ( again, it wouldn’t matter which/what Political Party was/is in power, they all screech from the same Belligerent Blighty hymn-sheet ) signalling his collusion with the ‘ Putin/Russia The Terrible ‘ narrative. If the buffoon had even the memory of a spine ( he doesn’t ) he would be posing a simple question – well two questions – to the people of Scotland, to wit ……
( 1 ) do you REALLY want to see your loved ones sent to some distant country to fight and die/be horribly injured in body/mind/soul ?
( 2 ) If so, why, ie for what end and for whose benefit?
Another opportunity for the SNP to advance the cause – and for politically & morally justified reasons – squandered.
My suspicion/conviction is that such profligate squandering of opportunities is not coincidental, mere circumstantial happenstance, but deliberate undermining of the Independence aspiration
Iran VP: Deal possible if US negotiators are America Firsters rather than Israel Firsters
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2026/04/11/766630/No-deal-with-US-if-we-meet-the-representatives-of-Israel-First-Iranian-VP
Indeed, Iran should push this narrative even more to widen the division between US and Israel. Iran should relentlessly call out that the reason for this folly of a war is because of israeli interests – not american interest: The reason why US citizens now must pay more at gas station and at the grocery store, is because of israeli interests and so on.
On another topic, as israel assassinated another veteran iranian diplomat – Kamal Kharrazi – Iran better start engage in such operations themselves to prove that they have this capability and that israeli reps are not safe anywhere. Israel is getting away with way too much with their brazen serial-killing.
Its interesting to note that the US and Israel want Iran to abide by the UN Convention Laws of the Sea, with the Straits of Hormuz in mind, but neither nation has signed up to the treaty, and neither has Iran.
Fake news still being churned out.
“Two American warships pass through Strait of Hormuz as peace talks get underway in Pakistan”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-war-live-trump-ceasefire-peace-talks-pakistan-b2955715.html
“Iran Denies Reports About US Navy Vessels Transiting Strait of Hormuz – State Media”
“US Destroyer Sailing Toward Hormuz Strait Forced to Turn Back By Iran”
https://sputnikglobe.com/20260411/live-updates-usiran-peace-talks-in-pakistan-1123970586.html
So back to square one with failed talks.
Iran wants their freedoms and rights restored, America wants total surrender, Israel wants war and chaos and the West wants whatever Trump says it can have.
Hard to fathom where this goes next, let’s hope it’s another TACO.
I predict that only Israel will get what it wants.
Still no sign of
a) any reporting (much less outrage) in western media about the targeted destruction of Tehran’s main synagogue, on Passover.
Or
b) the ‘rescued pilot’.
If a synagogue in London or Paris got bombed, no seasoned observer would be surprised if the government put the army on the streets (as in fact Francois Hollande actually did in Paris after Charlie Hebdo in 2015).
If a synagogue in Tehran gets bombed, there’s near silence in the USA and satellite countries’ media.
The only Western main stream report is on CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/07/world/video/synagogue-tehran-destroyed-us-israeli-strikes-digvid-vrtc
Elsewhere ynet reports “IDF confirms Tehran strike targeted Iranian commander, synagogue hit was ‘collateral damage’ which obviously makes it OK.
Neither Netanyahu nor his big orange mate have the slightest concern for international law, as their actions have repeatedly shown. Trouble is, law is impotent if it cannot be enforced, and the other major powers, which to some extent also regard might as right, aren’t about to get involved. Russia has problems of its own, and Xi is confidently waiting for the US to implode – no action necessary.
Hypocrisy? Oh dear. Is that even a concept these days?
Not, of course, that Putin wants to rock the Trump boat. They have such well-aligned objectives….
https://olgalautman.substack.com/p/the-us-and-russia-are-running-a-joint
‘ Olga Lautman is an ( American ) Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). ‘
The C.E.P.A is a ‘ Centrist to Centre-Right / Atlantacist * space * ‘ . Committed – among other things – to ‘ strengthening the Transatlantic Alliance ( U.S- Europe ) ‘
So, ‘ Centre-Right + Atlantacist ‘ ergo, by definition Anti-Russia and Pro-N.A.T.O/U.S Hegemony.
Try harder Mr Dragon
Sorry, forgot this was an echo chamber for Local People! We’ll have no traditional views here!
Other opinions are obviously unacceptable here, but my take is that if you think Rump (the arch US hegemonist, in practice) is a kunt you’re pretty much obliged to think his chum Putin is too. Unless you have some ulterior motive.
Blah………blah……..blah. No, no one is so obliged: this spurious notion of ” balance ” is total garbage. I judge people/countries on their actions. Anyone with a functioning intelligence can see it’s not Russia that is the gravest threat to global stability but the Israeli/Zionist/U.S Neocon horror show. The fact that you’ve used ” Putin ” as a synonym for Russia tells me you have bought into the bullshit propaganda
Well, if you are looking for a section of society to blame – blame the Epstein Class. whose vile sexual desires allowed Epstein to blackmail them – and give the evidence to Mossad, who want Iran crushed, and the Zionists, want the US and if possible Nato – and Aussie/NZ troops to die trying to do it.
Ask yourself why, none of the Western leaders lifted a finger to prevent the genocide in Gaza, which I might add is still ongoing, its because Mossad has dirt on most of them, and the others have been bought off.
The puppet masters.
“Tucker Carlson has revealed that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) officers hold permanent offices at the Pentagon, while Mossad officers hold permanent offices at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia.
The remarks came during a discussion with geopolitical analyst Brandon Weichert, who alleged that Mossad officers are “permanently stationed” at both the Pentagon and CIA, citing a former CIA case officer who reportedly confirmed their presence at Langley.”
I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if there’s a similar set up at Whitehall and GCHQ.
The Westminster government used to renew a defence agreement whit Israel every ten years, now its a permanent fixture, it doesn’t have to be renewed.
The footage and commentary of the IRGC warning US navy ships to vacate the straits – or be attacked.
https://nitter.poast.org/MonitorX99800/status/2043311336935796958#m
Orange man stupid … ?
“President Donald Trump says the US Navy will “blockade any and all ships” trying to enter or leave Strait of Hormuz ” [BBC]
https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/stupid-male-character-sawing-off-the-tree-branch-he-is-sitting-on-man-idiot-or-fool-gm1277390793-376614819
Trump the king of the Epstein Class – on his social media platform said this, after the all but failed negotiations with Iran.
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.
At some point, we will reach an “ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO IN, ALL BEING ALLOWED TO GO OUT” basis, but Iran has not allowed that to happen by merely saying, “There may be a mine out there somewhere,” that nobody knows about but them.
I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas. We will also begin destroying the mines the Iranians laid in the Straits.
Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL! Iran knows, better than anyone, how to END this situation which has already devastated their Country.
The Blockade will begin shortly. Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade. Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION.
Hegseth, Rubio, Vance etc, saying Trump is a conman – and just generally denouncing him at every turn, before he became POTUS for a second time, now they can’t lick his boots quickly enough.
https://nitter.poast.org/Documark/status/2043243691570057224#m
Trump declares a blockade, no ships in and no ships out, any ship which pays a toll will be hunted down. More details from Daniel Davies @Deep dive here… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBHNQRpTYOs
Davies thinks this is a game of chicken, who can survive the longest Iran or the World economy? I agree with Davies, the Iranians are determined to maintain their sovereignty and will endure any hardship to do so.
“A retrial of six Palestine Action (PA) activists acquitted of aggravated burglary in February will begin this April 13. Having failed to secure convictions during the last round, the prosecution is colluding with a biased judge to stack the deck against the defendants before proceedings even begin. Known as the Filton Six, their names are Samuel Corner, Jordan Devlin, Charlotte Head, Leona Kamio, Fatema Zainab Rajwani, and Zoe Rogers.”
https://thegrayzone.com/2026/04/12/uk-jail-palestine-action-terrorism-uk/
Not sure what we’re able to report on this story because of state censorship.
Trump, led into the Iran war by Netanyahu is certainly watching Washington crumble to the ground in its futile commitment to Israel..
“Nancy Pelosi:If capital crumbles to the ground,one thing that’ll remain is our commitment to Israel https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=nancy+polosi++washington+can+burn+to+the+ground+++israel&pc=0P250&ptag=C999N55000A3F9E3214B9&conlogo=CT3210127&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dnancy%2520polosi%2520%2520washington%2520can%2520burn%2520to%2520the%2520ground%2520%2520%2520israel%26pc%3d0P250%26ptag%3dC999N55000A3F9E3214B9%26form%3dPCF249%26conlogo%3dCT3210127&mmscn=vwrc&mid=D4477115118D8192A510D4477115118D8192A510&FORM=WRVORC&ntb=1&msockid=569c83b4a83611f0849c219f024545f3
Yeah, just shaking my head, after the latest development it is clear that also Trump will, still, follow the demands by Israel by escalating the war by occupying Hormuz.
As Max Blumenthal, half-jokingly, said recently, it is really is ‘one nation, under ZOG’ now, it is not a loony conspiracy theory anymore.
Video: https://x.com/mikekatz/status/1823061655388856435
Further, it makes no sense for Iran to engage in any “talks” with the US at all considering all the death and destruction they brought upon on Iran – I mean they killed their leader! These phony “peace talks” only buys US and Israel time. Pakistan should also stop being the enabler/doormat for Trump!
Trump should be taken out of office, he is obviously not mentally fit, his sociopathic and narcisstic trait block him from de-escalate things, he can not afford to lose face.
“Trump should be taken out of office, he is obviously not mentally fit, his sociopathic and narcisstic trait block him from de-escalate things, he can not afford to lose face.”
Au contraire. Trump is mainly unpopular because he says what the US is actually doing, rather than wrapping it up in euphemisms and lies, but doing the same thing anyway. Deeds not words. Would a smooth-talking mendacious president that pursues the same policies be an improvement? No-one who won’t follow exactly the same policies as Trump is doing now will ever become POTUS. If he is removed it will be because he is doing his job badly, not because he’s not doing his job.
The English government want to play hardball with these protestors, their Zionist masters will be pleased.
“Six Palestine Action activists face a retrial after being acquitted in February following over a year in prison. If convicted, the six Palestine Action activists and 18 others will likely be sentenced as terrorists, facing long prison terms.
The jury has not been notified about the ‘terrorist’ designation, and the British media cannot report this information under a court order. Activists will also be prohibited from telling jurors how their efforts sought to impede the Gaza genocide.
The prosecution followed a meeting between government officials and counter-terror officers, where designating Palestine Action as terrorists was discussed. Those officials admitted the group’s activities were “mostly confined to criminal damage,” not terrorism.”
https://thegrayzone.com/2026/04/12/uk-jail-palestine-action-terrorism-uk/
Apple has removed Lebanese village names in Southern Lebanon from their maps, as the Zionists murder and pillage their way across Southern Lebanon – in aid of fulfilling the Greater Israel dream.
These well know big corps own shares in Apple.
“The Vanguard Group
~9.0%
Index/mutual fund manager
BlackRock Inc.
~6.5%
Index/mutual fund manager
Berkshire Hathaway
~5.8%
Conglomerate (active investor)
State Street Corporation
~3.7%
Index/mutual fund manager
Fidelity Investments
~2.2%
Mutual fund manager”
https://www.revenuememo.com/p/who-owns-apple
Donald Trump:
“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz.”
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116392448970133700
He’s gaga!
To end the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz we shall blockade the Strait of Hormuz ! Go Donny, go.
Trump:
“If Iran doesn’t stop blocking the Strait of Hormuz, we will destroy an entire civilisation… Wait a minute, we’ll try a ceasefire and talks… The talks were unsuccessful… Now we will block the Strait of Hormuz!”
Now a word from British government media:
“What is a naval blockade and how would it work in Strait of Hormuz?”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yv6xr6me3o
Trump seems annoyed that some countries (in his mind anyway) have paid a toll to Iran to traverse the Strait…but who does he think is paying the costs of the US navy to take over from Iran in blocking the Strait?
It’s almost as if the ZOG-owned “government” in the USA wants major disruption of world trade and the energy sector in particular.