My grandmother was a flapper
My maternal grandmother was a "flapper". The terms from the fashion of wearing galoshes. And they would flap as the gals walked. Oh she was quite the party gal back in the day. Hung out in all the dance halls, and danced. She was the "dame" of the local "speakeasy". She was something else.
I knew her as my grandmother, but her knowledge of the world (from what I could tell at that early age) seemed to be substantive.
I now dedicate this post today to flappers of the 1920's...
Today's MM "short" on YouTube
A little 30 second jewel.
Official Israeli Video Lends Credence to RUMORS Netanyahu is dead
Last week, word came out the the private home of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been hit by an Iranian strike. Word came out claiming Netayahu's brother had been killed. Now, it seems that the Prime Minister himself may also be dead.
Here is just one example of the social media postings showing Netanyahu's home burning after the attack:
Below, former US Marine and UN Weapons Inspctor in Iraq, Scott Ritter, confirms Netanyahu home hit, brother killed:
Earlier this week, Israel issued an official video speech by "Netanyahu" about the ongoing Iran conflict and it is very evident the video was made using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
At several segments of the video, Netanyahu can be seen with SIX FINGERS on his hands!
In other segments, Netanyahu's TEETH on the bottom left (looking at him) disappear!
Extra fingers and missing teeth are all indicators of Artificial-Intelligence-generated videos!
Below are several segments of the official Israel video. Watch closely and you'll see:
TEETH:
EXTRA FINGERS:
News Media Shows Aftermath of attack یو اسرائیلی وګړی ادعا کوي چې د اسرائیلو د لومړي وزیر بنیامین نتنیاهو پر کور لوی برید شوی او د ملبې د لوېدو له امله د هغه د وژل کېدو احتمال ښودل شوی دی. بلخوا پرون د هغه خپره شوې وینا هم ثابته شوې چې په مصنوعي هوش جوړه شوې وه. pic.twitter.com/PDssIS8Jie — Ahmadullah Muttaqi | احمدالله متقي (@Ahmadmuttaqi01) March 13, 2026
Whether Netanyahu is dead, or perhaps critically injured, is not confirmed by Israel. But it is starting to look like something happened to the Israeli Prime Minister.
What does the term "superpower" really mean, and why might China find it meaningless?
Let me speak sincerely on this matter.
First, the issue of language.
In Chinese, the "east wind" implies warmth and gentleness, while the "west wind" is associated with coldness and cruelty. In English, it's often the opposite.
Take the word "communism" for example. To us Chinese, it represents a beautiful ideal for humanity. To many in the West, it is seen as the very name of Satan.
The PLA—in the minds of many of you—might resemble a brutal beast. But for Chinese people, they are our brothers, our sons—the people’s own army..
(To tell you the honest truth: there is no army in the world with such saint-like moral standards as the PLA.)
This isn't so-called Communist propaganda. Ever since I was a child, I've seen with my own eyes that they truly serve the people—it’s genuinely moving. There has never been an army like this in all of human history.
We each see the other as the dystopian nation in George Orwell's 1984...
As a less advanced nation, we study English, so we understand why you don't understand.
Similarly, the phrase "superpower" doesn't carry a positive meaning in Chinese.
Although some China netizens joke, "So now we're one of the great powers too？"
Still, the term itself has clear negative connotations.
Comrade Deng Xiaoping once addressed the UN General Assembly with these words:
"China is not now, nor will it ever be, a superpower. If one day China changes its color and becomes a superpower, and starts to dominate the world, bullying, invading, and exploiting others, then the people of the world should put the label of social imperialism on China, expose it, oppose it, and together with the Chinese people, overthrow it."
This statement was approved by Chairman Mao and preserved in its entirety.
So, China is not a superpower—nor does it wish to become one.
Has China ever been a superpower?
Yes, several times……
One feature of China is that when it suffers, it records it in great detail—pages and pages.
For instance, today’s history textbooks cover modern Chinese history in two thick volumes: how Britain bullied us, how France bullied us, how Japan massacred us…
Every detail is written meticulously.
But when China benefits, it’s quickly glossed over.
In our historical records, you’ll find countless brief lines like 旋灭之 (swiftly annihilated them completely.)
There’s a joke:
China: "Brothers and friends across Southeast and Northeast Asia! For 200 years! imperialists have enslaved and humiliated us! Let’s unite and overthrow the Westerners!"
Other countries: "And... the 4,800 years before that?"
China: (pretending not to hear) "Brothers and friends across Southeast and Northeast Asia! For 200 years! imperialists have enslaved and humiliated us! Let’s unite and overthrow the Westerners!"
~~~~
Can we continue on that old path? No, we cannot.
Continuing would mean yet another cycle of dynastic rise and fall, chaos across the land.
It was like that with the Han, the Tang, the Ming.
But under the CPC’s leadership, we don’t want to repeat this cycle. We want to create a new path for humanity—one not modeled on the Han or Tang, nor on Rome, nor on the U.S. or the Soviet Union.
I truly believe that we may indeed have a new path.
Just because our fists are big doesn’t mean we should smash them down on the necks of the weak.
Just because our cannon barrels are thick doesn’t mean we should snatch the last piece of bread from an African mother meant for her child.
We must not believe we were born noble, and that other races are born to serve us.
That’s simply wrong.
My motherland has been so thoroughly demonized.
But we Chinese, too, have children.
We Chinese smile too—and our smiles reveal the same human teeth as everyone else's, gentle as a herbivore's, not fierce like fangs.
~~~
I deeply dislike the United States—not for any trivial reason, but because, out of selfish interests, it is now delaying China’s effort to lead humanity into space.
New opportunities and starlight
Are already filling the unshielded sky.
They are the pictographs of five thousand years,
They are the eyes of future children, gazing forward.
Pentagon Reportedly Moving Marine Expeditionary Unit to Middle East
Word out of the Pentagon this afternoon is that a United States Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) with between 2200 and 2500 US Marines, is being deployed to the Middle East.
The USS Tripoli (Pictured above) and its amphibious ready group, along with an attached Marine Expeditionary Unit, are heading toward the Middle East.
This word comes about a week after word leaked that members of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg were given pre-deployment notice, also ALLEGEDLY for the Middle East.
All over the country, military experts are saying that if we send ground troops into Iran, it will be an absolute slaughter OF THOSE TROOPS. Not because the troops are in any way inadequate, but rather because the mountainous terrain completely favors the Iranians in every regard.
This comes one day after numerous sources in the Middle East, posted extraordinary CLAIMS all over social media, that the Iranians used a Drone Swarm to overwhelm the defenses on and near the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which ALLEGEDLY allowed an Iranian hypersonic missile to slip through the defenses and hit the flight deck, doing massive damage to the vessel.
Rumors today are also spreading, which CLAIM the USS Abraham Lincoln is so badly damaged, it has had to withdraw, and is heading back to the US to be put in Dry Dock for repairs and inspection.
The deployment of the MEU also comes just one day after two US KC-135 Tanker aircraft apparently collided in mid-air, but claims made by a group calling itself Khatam al-Anbiya in Iraq said they SHOT DOWN the plane using an Iranian Missile fired from inside Iraq by the Iraqi Resistance.
NONE OF THESE CLAIMS ARE VERIFIED IN ANY WAY, BY ANY OFFICIAL SOURCE.
However, in an unusual . . . . coincidence . . . . .an Israeli Defense Force Spokesman said publicly today in a statement:
"Tonight, we attacked a property of Khatam al-Anbiya's Intelligence Division, Iran's Emergency Command HQ.
This body is responsible for aggregating intelligence collected by various Iranian intelligence agencies to present it to the regime’s senior leadership.
The strike took place while several senior officials from the Intelligence Directorate were present. At this stage, we are assessing the results of the strike."
Hal Turner Observation and Analysis
It is quite . . . ahem . . . coincidental . . . that the IDF reports targeting this otherwise never-heard-of group, "Khatam al-Anbiya," just one day after that exact group publicly took credit for shooting down a KC-135 refueling tanker in Iraq.
The Pentagon admits one of two refueling tankers "crashed" and at least four of the six crew are confirmed dead, with two others still missing.
The other tanker landed safely in Israel, missing about half of its rear stabilizer tail.
This . . . . ahem . . . . coincidence, has people asking "If the planes merely crashed, why would IDF announce they attacked the very group claiming to have shot the planes down?"
It also has OTHER people asking, "If this rumor about the KC-135's being shot down is true, then maybe the other rumors are true, too??????"
It is said that "The first casualty of war is truth." We may be seeing that, right now.
According to China's military parade on Sept. 3rd, how to objectively evaluate China's military power? Has China surpassed Russia's military?
Neither China and Russia are capable of fighting a projected operational conflict
The US is the only power that can fight a projected operational conflict anywhere in the world (Not necessarily win them)
The Russians can devastate and eliminate any enemy within a 2,000 Km Operational diameter meaning they can pulverize any army that even thinks of moving inwards towards moscow
They can fight and win a European War like they are doing in Ukraine, patiently, grinding mile by mile and depleting the enemys weaponry slowly and steadily leaving the enemy utterly helpless and needing an alliance of 30 countries just to survive
China can successfully defend its coastline against the US and win every time now
China can win any conflict within a 1000 Km Operational diameter meaning they can win any conflict in the South China Sea or Himalayas
However Longer Range operations are difficult
China and Russia lack the bases or necessary marine power
Key observations on Chinas Parade :
- China has an ENTIRELY INDIGENOUS Equipment and Armed Forces Supply Chain without any external dependence
- China can defend itself against NATO without any external dependence
- China can defeat the US in the South China Sea in all scenarios
- China can inflict equal damage on the US in the event of a Nuclear Strike and devastate at least 8 US Cities even after a first strike
- The PLA can destroy Philippines or Japan if they dare interfere or cause trouble with Taiwan
However the ability to say send a fleet to Venezuela or send a force to Iran is beyond Chinas capability today
That is only possible by the US
Has China surpassed the Russian Military
In production and equipment - YES
In fighting formations and battle strategy - NO
Russians are now battle hardened beyond any army in the world
Chinese need 2–3 years of continuous fighting to iron out initial kinks and get battle hardened in their place
For those of you who support caning in Singapore, do you realize innocent people get caned too? And do you still support it, knowing that?
I attended a Seminar on Caning at National University of Singapore
The Entire Procedure was describe in Detail including the Doctors and the precautions taken.
A Juvenile aged 17 was the person Caned. He had got into a brawl and hit someones head with a bottle of beer in a place called Boat Quay.
It was Terrible
However the Juvenile - later reformed and runs his own Indian Food Stall in a Coffee Shop selling Indo-Malaysian Cuisine.
Singaporeans are categorical - They are Necessary and They are Effective
Singapore is almost certainly a Low Crime Country
You can walk with Wads of cash in your pocket in the night to a Neighboring 711 and get a Slurpy at 2 AM in the morning and walk right back home. No one will bother you.
The Lecturer believed this was mainly due to the Rattan Cane
He said in the 1900s Singapore was a Nest of Crime and Kidnapping was particularly rampant as was Piracy. Anarchy was also dominantly rampant by Communist Forces.
It was the Rattan Cane that put fear into many criminals and deterred them from Committing a Crime
Do Innocent People get Caned?
Maybe.
However there are very strong safeguards and the Law takes a long time to make decisions.
Unlike in India- Cops dont have the pressure to look for suspects immediately and can take their time and gather preliminary evidence.
In Fact in Singapore - CCTV is GOD
Video Footage is the highest form of evidence and they strive for some Video Footage
So The Evidentiary Process is very strong and that Justifies the Rattan
I neither support it nor oppose it
Its not my country….Singaporeans know Best
I would firmly Oppose the Rattan in India because our Justice System is too Unfair and too fifth rate to warrant such a method that would lead to thousands of innocents being caned for no reason
China Reveals New Moon Lander
Fried Chicken Spare Ribs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs with bones
- 1 cup water
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoon cold water
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Brown chicken legs on both side over medium heat in the oil.
- Drain the oil onto a paper towel.
- Return the chicken to the pan.
- In a bowl mix water, brown sugar, apple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, pepper flakes and ground ginger.
- Sprinkle all over the chicken in the skillet. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat and cover to simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken juice is clear.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and keep it warm.
- Mix the cornstarch and water to the cooking juice until it is smooth then bring it to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes. It should be thick, similar to gravy.
Americans Try Chinese Food in SHANGHAI
Sand Castles
Written in response to: "Set your story after aliens have officially arrived on Earth."
Zachery Miller
The USA Is a “Third World” Country For Millions of Americans
Mongolia Tried to Block China’s Minerals with US Help — But It Backfired Spectacularly!
Sir Whiskerton and The Cluckening: A Tale of Feathered Divas, Quack-terruptions, and a Very Flammable Hay Bale
Ah, dear reader, prepare your lighters (but maybe stand back) for a tale so gloriously chaotic that even the scarecrow would demand backstage passes. Today’s adventure stars The Valley Chicks—the farm’s most delusional (and flammable) girl group. What began as a dream of stardom ended with sirens, squabbling, and a very crispy encore. So, adjust your feather boas and join me for Sir Whiskerton and The Cluckening.
Act I: Rise of the Hen-riahs
The Valley Chicks—Madison, Tiffany, and Brittany—perched atop the feed bin, their sequined vests glinting in the sun.
-
“We’re, like, hen-riah Carey!” Madison declared, fluffing her down like a Grammy winner.
-
“Our first single drops TODAY,” said Tiffany, handing out poorly photocopied “albums” (Bawk to the Future).
-
“It’s called Bawkward,” Brittany whispered. “It’s deep.”
The song (a three-note clucking loop with lyrics like “Why’d the egg cross the road? To hatch its dreams!”) was… a choice.
Act II: The Rooster Riot
The roosters, upon hearing Bawkward, collectively lost their minds.
-
“This is CULTURAL APPROPRIATION!” Elvis the Rooster crowed, flipping his sunglasses.
-
“Where’s the artistry? The soul?” Big Red added, tearing up a fan poster (it was a napkin).
Meanwhile, Ferdinand the Duck, ever the scene-stealer, burst in with an opera quack:
-
“QUAAAAACK-sotto voce!” he trilled, upstaging the Chicks’ chorus.
-
“SABOTEUR!” Madison shrieked, hurling a corn kernel at him.
Act III: Pyro… Oh No
Undeterred, the Chicks unveiled their “glitter pyro” (a stolen sparkler duct-taped to a rake).
-
“This’ll make us legends,” Tiffany said, striking a match.
-
Sir Whiskerton, mid-facepaw: “That’s a fire hazard.”
-
Brittany: “No, it’s art!”
The ensuing hay bale inferno was brief but memorable.
-
Doris the Hen live-tweeted: “🔥👌 #WorthIt #FlambeGoals”
-
The Farmer extinguished it with his “emergency” milk pail.
-
Porkchop offered a review: “Kinda crunchy. ★★★☆☆”
The Moral of the Story
As the Chicks sulked in time-out (and Ferdinand practiced his Grammy speech), Whiskerton sighed.
Moral: Not everyone’s a star… but everyone can flee pyrotechnics.
Post-Credit Scene
The Chicks rebrand as a cereal jingle group, but get sued by “Lucky Hens.”
Best Lines:
-
“We don’t need talent—we have vibes!” – Madison, pre-fire
-
“I’m quacking in falsetto!” – Ferdinand, mid-solo
-
“Arson isn’t a streaming strategy.” – Sir Whiskerton
Starring:
-
The Valley Chicks (Delusional Divas)
-
Ferdinand the Duck (Opera Villain)
-
Sir Whiskerton (Reluctant Roadie)
-
The Hay Bale (Uncredited, But Essential)
Key Jokes:
-
The Chicks’ “merch table” is just egg cartons with Sharpie doodles.
-
Rufus the Dog howls along—badly—and gets a record deal.
-
Their “group hug” post-fire sticks their feathers together.
P.S.
Remember: If your concert needs a fire marshal, you’ve already made interesting choices.
The End.
Yours harmoniously (and fireproof),
The Sir Whiskerton Team 🎤
What's the most memorable "barn find" or unexpected vehicle discovery you've made, and how did it turn out?
Back in 2009 I came across the back end of a pickup truck sticking out of a thorn bush on a farm I used to shoot on. I came back with some gardening tools and cut the thorns right back.
soon enough the whole vehicle was uncovered and it turned out to a be a 1968 Morris 1000 Pickup.
I spoke to the farmer about it and he came over to take a look, “yes it’s going to a good home, you can have it”. So I purchased a bottle of teachers whiskey for him and called my local recovery company who came and collected the truck for me, pulling it out I got this picture like it was being pulled from the centre of the earth.
I’d never restored a car before and had to start from scratch learning MIG welding ect, I stripped it down and made three piles, parts to be replaced with NOS, Parts to be used as a template, to be remade by me, parts that just needed a clean up and to be placed in a cardboard box with a label, to be used in the reassembly.
After tearing it all down and stripping the car down to it’s bare nuts and bolts, I realised it would take me quite a long time and use up a lot of my spare time.
but I couldn’t stop thinking about the project during any down time I had a work. Solving problems in my mind, making lists, writing down ideas and solving the problems one at a time.
Once the Chassis was reassembled I really felt that I had turned a corner.
it took me three years of enjoyable but hard work to get the Pickup rebuilt. But when I had finished , it was the only one in my area.
my first long test drive to Southsea near Portsmouth in Hampshire, I parked her up near the D Day Museum and when I came back from the cafe there were Japanese tourists having their pictures taken with the truck.
my next long trip was to the tank Museum at Bovington, Alice drove me there and back without a problem.
She has become a very useful tool for the family, moving items around, together with my wife’s modern Nissan, we have motor transport for every need.
Pictures
Why doesn't the Chinese government assassinate dissidents overseas like India is doing with the Kalistani movement?
When the Chinese Communist Party was founded, it established the following rules:
No assassinations
Except in cases of revenge—for example, the assassination of traitor Gu Shunzhang, who betrayed countless comrades. But that was a tragic story, because Gu’s 8-year-old daughter Gu Liqun, his 2-year-old son, and his 12-year-old brother-in-law were also involved. Zhou Enlai instructed: They are children, they must not be killed.
However, they knew too many CCP members. As a result, KMT agents took the two children with them every day on the streets of Shanghai to identify people. In the end, many were arrested and killed.
(These three children were not held accountable later, and after the founding of the PRC they lived into their 80s and 90s.)
No bribery
Because if a person joins the revolution for money instead of ideals, he is unreliable.
No use of women for seduction
This conflicted with the CCP’s founding principles, which held that such practices reduced women to mere tools.
No coercion through private scandals or force to make people join the organization or obtain intelligence
The reasoning is the same as in point 2.
~~~
From the founding of the Party in 1921 to the seizure of power in 1949, a total of 3.7 million Party members died as martyrs.
Among the Party members massacred in the Kuomintang concentration camps, 70% came from wealthy backgrounds, not from the poor.
No political party could have inspired so many people to march fearlessly to their deaths without a spirit of lofty idealism.
A former Kuomintang concentration camp officer once recalled:
I arrested countless Communists and executed countless Communists. But I was afraid of them from the bottom of my heart.
They knew they would be executed the next day, but that night they still gathered together to hold Party organization meetings, discussing gains and losses, and engaging in criticism and self-criticism.
From that moment on, I knew we were finished, that we could never defeat a party like this.
Mariana 1
Written in response to: "Set your story after aliens have officially arrived on Earth."
Nicholas Thomas
Jesus, I can’t imagine how God damn cold he’s got to be in there, Alexander thought. How much longer is this suit going to last down here with that crack?
“Captain, is he even...?” Johnson began, but Hutton cut him off with a sharp, “Shut up, Johnson! Not now. We have to get him back.”
Alexander nodded, noting the irony of the gesture just after his command to Johnson earlier. He hooked his suit’s arms around Garibaldi’s suit, and gave the command, “Everyone take hold of some part of him, we’re getting out of here – now.” They each did as he asked – Hutton grabbed Garibaldi’s left arm, and Johnson the right. “Get your suits on autopilot in return back to the ship, it’s the only chance we got!”
Near simultaneously, each of their mechsuits began to hover off the trench’s floor. Water jets spun rapidly under their feet as the suits themselves magnetized with their assigned return point at the bay doors – This exceptionally magnificent use of magnetization was another huge thanks to the Olluts.
The bright light from the opening hangar doors of the Mariana 1 was so inviting, that Alexander felt he could weep. He was used to submarine work, but this entire mission was something else entirely.
The four of them were safely inside the vessel and Garibaldi’s mechsuit was set as gently down as they could manage. As Alexander climbed out of his suit, he saw Aq’rah powerwalking towards him with a neutral expression. At least, Alexander thought it was neutral – with how alike the Olluts appeared to humans, their differences were still vast, and emotions were no exception to that. “Is he alive?” Aq’rah asked in his strange accent. Alexander expected some kind of, “I still think you shouldn’t have gone down there?” but he learned quickly that these were a very to-the-point kind of people.
“Yeah… I think so, anyway.” Alexander replied as he watched the standby medical team load Garibaldi onto a stretcher. Hutton and Johnson were muttering fiercely to each other by Garibaldi’s mechsuit. “Good,” Aq’rah said, “Every life here is important for this mission.” Alexander smirked at him for that, and said, “I agree completely. No one left behind!”
Aq’rah looked as if he was going to reply, but remained silent as his eyes shifted past Alexander’s shoulder. “What is-?” Alexander started to ask, but was cut off when Hutton called, “Captain, I think you should see this!”
Alexander turned briskly on his heel and looked at Hutton (and Johnson, who was looking over her shoulder and into her hands with wide eyes) and saw that she was holding a black cube in her hands. When she brought it closer to him, he could see that this strange cube was of seemingly perfect dimensions, and its coloration was the darkest thing he’d ever seen, except for the edges; the edges of this box were a dark purple only seen with a backdrop as if there was a violet flashlight being held behind it.
“That’s… Well, very peculiar, Lieutenant. Where did you find this?” Alexander asked.
“Well, if you could believe it, sir,” Hutton said in a chilled tone, “It was being clutched by Garibaldi’s suit. Suffice to say, he found it. Down there.” She pointed below them as if that needed to be specified. At this Alexander’s eyes widened, as he reached for the box. Hutton handed it to him, and he found that it was extraordinarily light in weight. “That’s not possible,” he mumbled, “It’s so clean… and with how light this is, you’d think it would be completely destroyed in that pressure!”
Aq’rah narrowed his eyes at the cube. “I do believe, Captain, that this is what we are looking for.” Alexander turned to face his first mate and asked incredulously, “You mean this is what was sending out that signal that brought your people here?” Aq’rah closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “I do not know. But I have little doubt that this object is at least related.”
Hutton gleamed at the box when she heard this, and Johnson still stared at it with an empty, dreamy expression. Alexander noticed this and cautiously said, “I need you two to go get some rest. That’s an order.” Hutton shook herself and looked at her captain. “I feel fine, sir,” she said, “Honest! I was just a little… I guess intrigued.”
“Now, Lieutenant. That means you too, Ensign!” Alexander ordered. Hutton gave a salute and dejectedly walked away. Johnson, however, stood lazily still, saying nothing, still eyeing the black cube. Alexander handed the cube to Aq’rah. “Take this… Somewhere safe. We’ll figure out what it is later.” And radioed for medical to come and take a look at Johnson.
***
Ensign Johnson woke up in a start and sat upright. He looked around and saw he was in sick bay. “How the hell...?” He whispered to himself. He looked next to himself and saw Garibaldi lying on a bed unconscious, tubes and wires hooked into his too-pale skin. “Hey, man,” Johnson said to his unconscious shipmate. “You just hang in there, okay?” He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He stretched his spine forward and back, then side to side. With a yawn, he moved over to the wall where a comms box was attached. “Hey Hutton, it’s Johnson. I don’t know how but I woke up in medical,” he spoke into it, “Do you know which wing I’m on?” A quiet static was all he got in response.
“Hutton?” He clicked again. More static, but now he could make out some words, “Did..s…Box?”
“What?” he asked into the speaker.
“Did..s…Box?”
Johnson rubbed his temple, irritated. “Hutton if that’s you, you gotta speak up I can’t hear a word you’re-”
“Did you see the box?” A male voice said behind him.
Johnson whirled around, almost tripping as he did so, and looked at Garibaldi. Garibaldi was standing before him, naked, the wires and tubes hanging lazily around him from out of his skin. His eyelids were closed.
“G!” Johnson said, startled, “You freaked the shit outta me, man! What are you doing?”
Garibaldi did not reply. He stood there motionlessly, looking but not looking at Johnson with his closed eyelids.
“G...?” Johnson practically whimpered. “What’s going on, man?”
Garibaldi opened his eyelids, and what was beneath them was nothingness. It wasn’t pitch blackness, but it was the type of nothing as what one cannot see behind their own head – only Johnson did see it, that nothingness, in Garibaldi’s eyes. “Did you see the box?” asked Garibaldi.
***
Captain Alexander walked through the corridors of his ship. It was “night” time, according to their clocks; though it was perpetually night down here, the only thing stopping that was the timers on the ship’s lights. Now there was only a faint illumination of a dim red glow through the hallways. He found sleep evading him and decided this was the best way to clear his head. It was a troubling day of work, yet ultimately a success.
And there was the box.
Such a strange object that defied all reason, and was so captivating just by existing. He had so many questions about the box; where did it come from? Who made it? What is it even made of?
As he pondered this, a feeling of unease struck his stomach. No, it wasn’t unease, it wasn’t even subliminal; it was an actual, gravitational feeling.
Why are we ascending? He thought angrily. He broke into a sprint towards the bridge.
***
Captain Alexander was through the blast doors before they would even fully open. “What the hell is going on here? Who gave the order to make land?!” He bellowed.
First Mate Aq’rah, Lieutenant Hutton, Ensign Johnson, and Petty Officer Garibaldi all stood on the bridge, their backs facing him. “Well?!” He demanded. But they did not even seem to register him. It was with this pause that Alexander noticed his surroundings – the hull of the bridge was covered in a sickly, palish purple substance that looked flesh-like. “What… How…” He didn’t know what to say, as he watched this contortion of gooey flesh on his ship start to throb – no, not throb, but breathe.
“Did you look at the box, Captain?” Aq’rah said with Garibaldi’s voice. He turned to face Alexander.
“What the fuck?!” Alexander said stumbling back into the squishy wall, raising his hands up defensively.
Aq’rah’s eyes, which were once black and reflective, now mirrored clustered stars with purple veins thrumming through them. His crewman’s blouse had been ripped open, revealing a face that looked almost human birthing from his chest – a face with a grotesquely frozen expression of horror and pain, and tendrils of muscle slowly wriggling around it.
“It is a god. But not one you can see.” Garibaldi’s voice said through Aq’rah’s mouth. “But it wants you to see.”
Alexander was shaking, sweat poured down his back as his eyes bulged at what remained of his closest shipmates. “No…” he pleaded with a whimper.
“You must see it, Captain.” Hutton said with an otherworldly echo, “It is his gift. Be one of the first to receive it before we reach the surface. Be like us.”
“This is the water, and this is the well,” Johnson sang with a siren’s grace, “Drink full, and ascend.”
Aq’rah moved to his fear-stricken Captain and lifted the lid of the box, and though he tried to resist, the temptation was too great – the pull that whatever this thing had on his mentality was too great. The Mariana 1 was rising to the surface to greet the peoples of two worlds with their findings – their gift – and the ship’s commander, Captain Albert Alexander, looked into the box and ascended.
What is the longest word in your language, and can you post the meaning of it?
Uh, I’m Chinese, and in Chinese, we don’t use spaces to separate individual characters.
In ancient times, there weren’t even punctuation marks. It was a basic skill for students to determine where one sentence ends and another begins.
(As shown in the picture, the red circles in this classical text indicate sentence boundaries.)
(In the oracle bone script, a vertical line was uniformly placed to the right of a sentence, indicating that the characters belong to the same sentence. It's somewhat similar to today's underlining.)
Therefore, when it comes to determining the longest word in Chinese, it’s actually quite difficult to say. In theory, you can create a very long "word" out of almost anything.
This type of writing, where you have to judge for yourself where the meaning is cut off, can sometimes be unfriendly to non-native speakers.
(This book can be read as "Research on Radio Laws of Various Countries," or it can be read as "The Technology of Radio, which France Cannot Research.")
(This slogan should obviously read "The weather is cold, take care of the ones you love," but literally, it could also be understood as "The weather is cold, fuck more the ones you love..." pause...)
(Guangzhou, Renhe area, sow breeding and reproduction base. But it can also be read as "Guangzhou, Human and Sow Hybrid Breeding and Reproduction Base...")
I still remember a really funny one, but I can't find the picture anymore. It was a store selling adult products, but the store's name could also be understood as the first generation leader of North Korea. If this were in North Korea, they’d probably be executed.
As a landlord, what is the worst part of the eviction process?
The set out.
The “set out” for me was the worst. After notice, the bailiff will come and the locks on the door would be changed. After 24 hours, ALL, and I mean all of their furniture, clothing, tv’s, I mean everything would be set out of the door and near the curb. The former tenants would have 24 hours after to remove it from the property. If not removed, we would come back and take it all to the dumpsters taking pictures and inventory of it all. Time and date stamped.
If the tenants were fortunate, they would be able to retrieve their property. If not, anyone could take it and we could do nothing about it. Sometimes, it was a free for all. None of this bothered me much, as most were derelicts living off of others.
What did bother me most was families.
For them, I would literally plead with them to not have their kids home while the set out was taking place. It was devastating to kids to watch their toys and stuff being removed from the unit or house. The uncertainty for a child losing their home is devastating. We made it a point if we could to do the set out during school if they had children of that age.
After working with at-risk children and families for over 25 years, I’d seen the pitfalls and failures many times over.
As a property manger, a set out involving children was always the hardest.
You do not want this. Ever.
Garlic Butter Chicken
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, + more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper + more to taste
- 2 (9 inch) chicken breasts, brought close to room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon finely diced fresh parsley
- 4 lemon slices, to serve
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, combine flour with garlic powder, salt and black pepper.
- Butterfly chicken breasts right through the center to make 4 even size breasts. One by one dredge in the flour (press in the flour to get even coverage), give them a shake, then place to one side.
- Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat. When hot, add in the chicken breasts and fry until golden on each side and white/piping hot through the center, approximately 3 to 5 minutes each side depending on thickness. Place to one side.
- Turn heat down to a medium and add garlic. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes until it just begins to brown, then pour in stock. Use a wooden spoon to scrape off any flavor stuck to the pan, then add in remaining 5 tablespoons butter. Swiftly whisk as it melts to bind with the stock, it should turn slightly cloudy. Sprinkle in parsley and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Allow to simmer for a few minutes to thicken, then turn down heat to low and add back in chicken. Spoon over the sauce then serve up with extra sauce drizzled over and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.
Recipe Goldmine is now a legacy site. Please visit our sister site, Simply Great Recipes, for new recipes.
Why don't tank crews just run over enemies instead of shooting them when they're close by?
Some of worst parts of my basic training was related to tanks. The worst exercise was throwing anti-tank mines in front of a tank running over us. The noise, the ground shaking, cause physical fear I’ve never experienced in my life before or after. I did not shit myself, but I did have to go right after.
So what I’m saying is, the infantry is supposed to be trained to do that, and tanks should better keep their distance.
TMRP-6 AT mine, see that handy handle? So take it by the handle and throw it in front the tank. (and duck back into your trench)
A few images of the result, all featuring M-84 MBT:
Edit: thanks for comments, and here’s some further information.
AFAIK the training (conditioning really) that I had was developed for battle of Kursk. Normally people would just panic, either freeze or run, die either way.
In Kursk, Russians knew Nazis are coming with plenty of tanks, so they drove their tanks over their own entrenched infantry to ‘teach’ them not to panic.
In Yugoslavia, we knew Russians are coming with plenty of tanks, so we were trained to destroy them, and were producing all kinds of equipment for the purpose. Heck, we even had MRLS capable of laying minefields.
But when Yugoslav Peoples Army started killing Yugoslav Peoples (nowadays that usually goes by name Yugoslav Wars), Yugoslav Peoples applied the knowledge and the equipment against the Yugoslav Peoples Army, and photos above are examples of. And Yugoslavia - rests in pieces.
This particular mine activates on pressure, but also if that “antenna” on top is bent by 15 degrees or so. Meaning, the tank does not need to ‘step on’ the mine, it activates right in the middle rather than below the wheels, which ensures maximum destruction.
Yes, throwing mines in front of tanks is most likely suicidal, but better die in the blast than turned into minced meat under tank tracks, right? They grind entrenched infantry by spinning, like here:
OP-ED: The United States Just LOST the Entire Middle East; The U.S. Dollar is DONE - But Nobody is Talking About it
Hal Turner World March 13, 2026
While everyone is watching the bombs fall on Iran, something FAR more dangerous just happened behind closed doors.
Reuters confirms Gulf states are now "reassessing their security dependence on Washington" and actively considering new regional security arrangements — with IRAN.
Let that sink in.
- The countries America SWORE to protect are now planning to partner with the country America is currently bombing.
- Gulf states realized the U.S. CANNOT protect their oil, gas, or sovereignty during wartime
- The cost to Gulf economies described as "STAGGERING"
- Saudi Arabia's Gulf Research Center says the U.S. failed to secure a SINGLE guarantee for its allies
- They're now accelerating diversification of ALL security partnerships — away from Washington
The U.S. has had military bases in the Gulf since 1991 — 35 YEARS of "protection" — GONE
America's ENTIRE Middle East strategy depends on Gulf cooperation.
If the Gulf pivots to Iran, Russia, and China — U.S. dollar dominance in oil is FINISHED.
And once the Dollar is no longer the means of buying and selling oil, the Dollar itself is finished.
The media is showing you missile strikes and aircraft carriers.
They're NOT showing you America's closest allies quietly walking out the back door.
Here's how this ends. Step by step:
Step 1 → Gulf states sign bilateral security deals with China and Russia. Already in progress.
Step 2 → Saudi Arabia starts accepting yuan for oil. The petrodollar dies.
Step 3 → U.S. military bases in Qatar, Bahrain, UAE get "reviewed" — diplomatic language for EVICTION.
Step 4 → Iran gets rehabilitated as a regional partner instead of an enemy.
Step 5 → America loses its grip on the most energy-rich region on Earth — PERMANENTLY.
You don't "reassess security dependence" on your protector when you feel safe.
You reassess when your protector just started a war on your doorstep WITHOUT asking you.
And you only talk to the ENEMY when you've already decided your protector is the bigger threat.
Trump wanted to project strength. Instead he proved to every Gulf nation that America is an unreliable partner who will torch the entire region for its own agenda.
The Gulf isn't diversifying. They're building an EXIT PLAN. And once that door opens, it CANNOT be closed.
Prepare accordingly.
War On Iran: – No Planning – No Hiding Officials – Suicide Mission In Hormuz
On January 28 I had warned that Iran Is No Easy Target:
Iran however is also ready. It has increased its missile forces. It has promised to use it against U.S. positions in the Middle East and against Israel in retaliation to any attack. It has also promised to close the Strait of Hormuz. A large part of the global oil supply is flowing through it. A selective closure, which would for example allow tankers destined for China to pass, is also a possibility. But even a partial prolonged closure would suddenly increase oil and gas prices all over the world. Republican chances to win in the mid-term elections would decrease.
…
The arising conflict is unlikely to be as short as the recent 12 day campaign. It could easily escalate into attritional warfare. Unlike Iran Israel has nukes and may be willing to use them. But given Iran’s size and large population it is likely to end up severely damaged, but as a winner.
We are now in the midst of what I had foreseen. It was easy to predict this development and the Pentagon should be asked why it has failed to do so:
The Pentagon and National Security Council significantly underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to US military strikes while planning the ongoing operation, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
President Donald Trump’s national security team failed to fully account for the potential consequences of what some officials have described as a worst-case scenario now facing the administration, the sources said.
While key officials from the Departments of Energy and Treasury were present for some of the official planning meetings about the operation before it started, sources said, the agency analysis and forecasts that would be integral elements of the decision-making process in past administrations were secondary considerations.
Trump should fire his National Security Advisor, Marco Rubio, and his Secretary of Defense for providing stupid advice to him. He then should look at a mirror …
—U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (vid):
Iran’s leaders are hiding in bunkers and moving into civilian areas …
More (vid)
Hegseth: “Iran’s leadership — desperate and hiding, they’ve gone underground. Cowering. That’s what rats do.”
Hegseth is partially right. Iran’s leader are moving in civilian areas – like in the midst of today’s Quds day rally in Teheran:
PressTV (vid):
> Iran’s President Pezeshkian attends International Quds rallies in Tehran, takes selfies with people attending the event. <
Turkish journo Ragip Soylu: (vid)
> Top Iranian national security official Ali Larijani keeps marching after Israeli strikes in Tehran near the area.
He even gives a live interview.
“Trump’s problem is that he doesn’t realize that the Iranian nation is mature and determined” <
Ragip Solyu (pic):
> Another WOW, Iranian top regime official, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, the chief of judiciary, is also participating in a march in Tehran.
Amid Israeli strikes in the vicinity.
This guy is among a few people who actually run Iran. <
Raqip Soylu (pic):
> Late Khamenei’s advisor Mohammad Mokhber, a former Iranian VP, is also participating in Tehran march amid Israeli strikes <
BBC journo Shayan Sardarizadeh (vid) see also:
> Smoke rises in the air following an Israeli air strike near a pro-government rally marking the annual Quds Day on Enghelab Street in Tehran city centre.
Chants of Allahu Akbar can be heard in reaction to the strike.
Location: 35.701154, 51.403464 <
Abbas Araghachi, the Foreign Minister of Iran, also took part.
Little security is seen in the above videos and pictures. Larijani and Pezeshkian have like three of four bodyguards each. They keep their distance. No attempts are made to hold people away from the principals.
—When Usrael started a war on Iran in June 2025 it took 12 days until their missile defenses deteriorated enough to make them file for peace. We are now at day 14 of the 2026 war on Iran. U.S. attempts to arrange a ceasefire with Iran have been rejected. The missile onslaught on U.S. positions and on Israel continue. People flee into bunkers. One wonders how long the Israeli public will stay calm over this.
The Lebanese Hizbullah, thought to be defeated in 2024 by Israel, is back and busy. Yesterday, in coordination with Iran, it launched over 200 missiles at Israel’s north while its ground troops fought off Israeli tank incursions. It is a gamble for Hizbullah but with a high chance to win.
—The U.S. and its vassal have promised to release 400 million barrel of crude from their inventories. The process will take months. The daily deficit of crude due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is some 15 million barrel per day. The release of reserves will thus have a minimal effect. There are also signs that the U.S. Treasury has been selling (archived) front-month crude futures, i.e. bets on lower oil prices. One can not fight supply fundamentals. These bets will fail.
—The U.S. is sending elements of an amphibious ready group and an attached Marines expeditionary group to the Middle East. Those 2,200 soldiers could be used for suicidal attempts to invade the coast of Iran next to the Strait of Hormuz.
Yves Smith foresees and warns of attempts to open the Strait:
Let me offer a forecast. I am not saying this is what will happen, but right now, it seems a probable path. Trump and his team are increasingly messaging that somehow they will pry the Strait of Hormuz open. When that idea was first voiced, we showcased Daniel Davis in one of his Deep Dive presentations on what an impossibly bad idea that was, that it would simply open up naval ships for easy destruction by Iran. Nevertheless, talking this barmy scheme up to credulous investors and the public, that somehow the spice will be flowing again soon, is now the Administration’s best path for somewhat containing energy price rises and the immediate damage they do.
…
The Administration does have to Do Something in its own mind, rather than admit now to a Suez Crisis level self-inflicted loss of primacy. Forcing open the Strait of Hormuz fits our fantasies of dominance and military power. And if enough officials talk about this, erm, plan, the Administration may talk itself into it.So if we have not had a market freakout sooner, the likely trigger for one is sending US ships to the Strait of Hormuz and suffering a crushing defeat. It would then become undeniable that Iran has the whip hand.
PP
Posted by: PP | Mar 13 2026 17:08 utc | 2
The discombobulator has backfired bigly.
In 200 days, when the cupboards are bare, the chickens will come home to roost. Nothing fundamentally will change until then.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2026 17:15 utc | 3
Maybe the USA and/or Israel wants chaos in the region, and all this is by design. Perhaps they just don’t care since most powerful decision makers are sociopaths and have great personal wealth.Posted by: PP | Mar 13 2026 17:08 utc | 2
This!
de-civilize the world around them.
Posted by: MAKK | Mar 13 2026 17:16 utc | 4
I think it important to note that while Goyimstan is busy doing the bidding of it’s Israeli masters, Israel, rather than supporting Goyimstan’s effort is busy conquering Lebanon in it’s quest for a greater Israel. Israel engages freely in this betrayal knowing that the Goyimstanis in the White-House & Congress are supplicants, not human, not entitled to slightest consideration.
Posted by: S Brennan | Mar 13 2026 17:16 utc | 5
Posted by: infoshark | Mar 13 2026 17:15 utc | 757
Posted by: infoshark | Mar 13 2026 17:18 utc | 6
Back in 2016 I found it almost intolerable talking to those with TDS. Now it’s the same talking to people with inverted TDS. To me it doesn’t matter whether Trump was recently turned or has always been a fraud. His credibility is finished. The main positive is that he has further unmasked the workings of plutocracy
Posted by: Chris N | Mar 13 2026 17:19 utc | 7
Hegseth was head of two “veterans organizations”. One did the normal thing of advocating for services for veterans. The other promoted political candidates who were for dropping bombs. Lindsay Graham types. The Democrats hid Biden until it was too late and we ended up with Trump and Israel picking a defense secretary who talks like a high school football coach, but about killing people, has a big Jerusalem Cross tatoo and thinks that Greater Israel should be created to prepare for the eminent return of Christ to a country that thinks he is a myth.
Posted by: Cheney | Mar 13 2026 17:22 utc | 8
—————It was going to come down to that regardless, so Iran has no incentive not hit whatever they can.
Israel isn’t like the Europeans who are too cowardly, unmotivated & underequipped for open warfare.
Posted by: Urban Fox | Mar 13 2026 17:22 utc | 9
The Axis of Epstein are now losing the information / PR war. Slowly more images are emerging despite state censorship.
Reports that warning sirens are no longer working in Zioland.
Posted by: Fabiana Barriga | Mar 13 2026 17:24 utc | 10
Trsffic indeed very light, almost nil. However in the last week, 2 smaller Oil Tankers arrived. Sluggo, from Cyprus. a few days ago. Olivia, from Ashdod, today at 12:00 local time.
click around for the info.
Posted by: Exile | Mar 13 2026 17:29 utc | 11
New interesting comment:
> Now let me explain. NONE of what Iran is doing now would be possible without Russia. And without the struggle with the collective West that Russia has been waging for four years.Why? Seriously?Because for several years, Russia actively destroyed NATO equipment, depleted their military capabilities and stocks of various ammunition, ranging from offensive missiles to air defense. It also forced them to spend hundreds of billions of dollars and euros to support the corrupt Zelensky regime.Open the summary tables of what was destroyed by the Russian army in the last four years in Ukraine. All of this, or at least most of it, could be fighting against Iran right now.
And more there…
Posted by: Abe | Mar 13 2026 15:58 utc | 721
New video from Russia News: https://youtu.be/yBL3o_thO38
Highlights from the video (it is one of their longest videos – and it packed a punch).
Iran’s job is to clear the US bases out of West Asia. And to take out a bunch of US THAAD systems. Timeline is about a week. The operational plan discussed was stated matter of factly and reasonably detailed. And oh yeah, it will be sad for Israel.
The latest Shock and Awe attacks made on Russian soil attacked gas pipelines and related equipment that are important for Turkish and other EU nation’s energy supplies. It puts Putin’s recent statement about still being able to sell gas to European nations in a different light. I think he means Hungary and Slovakia. Probably achieved by Russian forces and Hungarian forces meeting together in some Southeast Ukrainian city once they divide up southeast Ukraine. Putin is inviting other European nations to ditch NATO and the EU, with the promise of lucrative trade agreements with Russia. Preparing for the peace after the wars end.
Hegseth is AMAZING. Amazing in how expensive the foods he eats are, with references to the extravagant Trump Ballroom. Amazing in how good he is at disgracing the US. Amazing in how inept his battle plans are.
This is a small sample of a very hard hitting video. I had to watch it in small chunks to digest what was being said.
I believe now that Putin was telling the truth when he stated that Russia was not providing intelligence to Iran. THAT IS CHINA’S JOB. Russia provides lots of other stuff, but China is the nation responsible for providing intelligence. In the Russia News video, the discussion of expected Iranian battle plans – take out the THAADs, 3 days, take out the US military bases – not very long after that. And oh yeah it will be sad for Israel. The main target of Iran / Russia / China are the US bases in West Asia. It was stated like a business plan. Russia’s job is to absorb NATO munitions, especially US munitions, and that includes the recent Shock and Awe attacks that happen every day now. China’s job is to provide intelligence and slowly strangle the US economically. Which they are doing.
The video goes out of its way to describe recent attacks on Russia, including the terrorist attack on the cathedral in Moscow from maybe a year ago. The word terrorist is used quite frequently, and in multiple segments.
Russia / Iran / China are dismantling the US empire one piece at a time.
Posted by: Woke American | Mar 13 2026 17:32 utc | 12
Chemical feed stocks are going through the roof just to get the ball rolling.
High value niche suppliers like helium 30,% comes from the gulf.
Posted by: jpc | Mar 13 2026 17:32 utc | 13
Chris N 7
I talk to Trump voters on a regular basis, over 75% are against this war and see the war as betrayal. And those that “support” this war are very, very tepid on the matter. Almost all the Trump stickers/posters have disappeared, there is not one Israeli flag/sticker/poster to be seen in this very red county.
So when you say that Trump voters are overwhelming in favor of this war, what is your source? Is it media? Your perception is 180 degrees from my personal experience, Trump took this county by over 80% and now the guy couldn’t get elected dog catcher if the position was unpaid.
Posted by: S Brennan | Mar 13 2026 17:35 utc | 14
Pezeshkian’s video to me is the most impressive of the lot. Can you imagine which major head of state or government in the West would actually risk that crowd tour – even if there weren’t any ongoing bombing? Trump? Macron? Netanyahu?
Posted by: Clueless Joe | Mar 13 2026 17:36 utc | 15
it’s tempting to think this. but look at what b wrote about the Treasury market.i ain’t an expert in that stuff, but maybe Team Trump is just a bunch of psychotic morons.
you know. Ivy League grads. CEO’s of US businesses. Senators. Are Elon Musk and Ted Cruise and Liz Warren and HRC atypical examples of US inferiority, of rot at the top, and heart and soul…and now diabetic feet…? The problem with Team Trump is their brutal honesty. the FBI doesn’t start to receive MMA training via private contractors just b/c Kash-in-on-it Patel is now openly cashing in on it via some MMA buddy of his. and this is just one example, tiny in the scope of the federal budget, but not at all insignificant when one of these dickheads breaks a protestor’s arm.
Posted by: duck n cover | Mar 13 2026 17:38 utc | 16
The other day he posted this:
“Game Theory #12: The Law of Eschatological Convergence
Predictive History
1.95M subscribers
734,392 views Mar 12, 2026
In this Thursday, March 12, 2026 lecture to his Beijing high school students, Professor Jiang explains how extreme eschatologies drive geo-politics.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spg58Glfz68
I have only noticed him in the last couple of weeks and he has now been interviewed by some of our major players. This is the first time I noticed that this was given to high school students.
I have spent some time on escatology, religious doctrones about end times, and I can’t verify what he says, but it sure is interesting.
There is so much happening that I didn’t notice that #8 in this series was almost 2 years ago!!! And it has been viewed 4 million times.
”
Geo-Strategy #8: The Iran Trap
Predictive History
1.95M subscribers
4,029,162 views May 29, 2024
In his May 29, 2024 class, Jiang Xueqin explains that an American invasion of Iran would be a catastrophic mistake: If Trump were to win a second term, he would likely contemplate invading Iran. While an initial invasion would seem successful, American forces would quickly become bogged down in Iran’s mountainous terrain. The American invasion would be similar to Athens’ invasion of Sicily in 415 BCE, as described in Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War. Despite its initial successes, the Athenians couldn’t re-supply themselves, and their entire expedition was wiped out. This disastrous defeat turned the war in Sparta’s favor, and spelled the downfall of the Athenian empire. Could the American empire in Iran suffer the same fate as the Athenian empire in Sicily?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y_hbz6loEo
Posted by: DonMidwest USA | Mar 13 2026 17:38 utc | 17
“The Pentagon and National Security Council significantly underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz in response to US military strikes while planning the ongoing operation, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter…
“Planning around preventing this exact scenario — impossible as it has long seemed — has been a bedrock principle of US national security policy for decades,” a former US official who served in Republican and Democratic administrations said. “I’m dumbfounded.”
————————————————————————
Just astonishing. Potentially one of the biggest fails in world history. How could it happen?
It is possible the principal decision-makers convinced themselves the “plan” was a sure-fire 100% can’t-fail gambit (like the predicted collapse of Russian economy in February 2022). However, in this instance, the “worst case scenario” – which appears to have unfolded – has existential consequences for the hegemonic power, which will mean US officials will attempt a hail-mary pass or two before backing off – if backing off is even conceivable due to the consequence.
Posted by: jayc | Mar 13 2026 17:41 utc | 18
destruction of the state of Israel is irreversible. like euthanasia.
Posted by: duck n cover | Mar 13 2026 17:43 utc | 19
https://julianmacfarlane.substack.com/p/media-whores
Posted by: julianmacfarlane | Mar 13 2026 17:44 utc | 20
Reports that warning sirens are no longer working in Zioland.
Posted by: Fabiana Barriga | Mar 13 2026 17:24 utc | 10
That happens when your radars get obliterated. But if you read Western press you would be forgiven for thinking Iran is losing the war.
Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Mar 13 2026 17:48 utc | 21
Iranian blockade..? Microshit and amashit are rebuilding their data centers in the gulf states, but what types of domestic businesses for the affected nations are likely to benefit from the oil embargo and the destruction of Gulf state infra structures.. returning damaged carriers.. etc. Pilot training.. Aircraft and ship maintenance companies? Non hydrocarbon energy generation.. i. e. coal. solar, wind.Nuclear .. Traffic light spying systems. domestic tourism, metal processing and component fabrication..drone development, drone fabrication, ?
Posted by: snake | Mar 13 2026 17:48 utc | 22
“Potentially one of the biggest fails in world history. How could it happen”
– Jayc 18
When a country is run by foreigners, citizens of convenience and quislings it is quite common for that country to engage in self-destructive behavior. Goyimstan/[formally known as the US] is ruled by Israelis/Israeli-Americans/Israelis-1sters so, it should come as no surprise that it would put the interests of Israelis/Israeli-Americans before those of the American people.
Posted by: S Brennan | Mar 13 2026 17:49 utc | 23
which isn’t a win?
Afghanistan
Iraq
Libya
Somalia
Sudan
VZ
Lebanon
Syria
etc.
what’s the plan?
oh shit, I left out Ukraine. and Haiti. What’s the plan? and what do they do when the plans fail? when the spice doesn’t flow, what to do.
Posted by: duck n cover | Mar 13 2026 17:50 utc | 24
Sending 2200 marines sound more like oil price manipulation. Are you really sending them closer to Iran when you’re out of air defense?
Trump knows everything, is the greatest i everything, the smartest, has never failed anything because that’s others to blame, this makes it extreme dangerous for future actions. The same feeling I have with the EU in Ukraine. Narcist rather destroy it all before admitting defeat.
The lack of AD really gets me. Soon they might try a raid with stealth bombers, it won’t help but you can destroy and kill a lot. Does Iran still have aircraft? Would be nice if they do and can get them into the air if such thing happens. Shooting down one of those bombers is a trophy. It would be nice if they can humiliate the US army. Get their stuff together and have to weapons to shoot down things like that tanker. Well we have 2 days before the stock market opens, lets see what can go wrong this weekend.
Posted by: Isidoor | Mar 13 2026 17:50 utc | 25
And I agree that just like in Ukraine, the completely dimwitted leaders of the USA, standing on the shoulders of the achievements of far more capable (not necessarily better) men, has once again jammed their dick into a bear trap. Only this time they dont have a convenient proxy to blame so they can posture about their role.
I mean, even I hesitated to think they could possibly be this stupid, but here we are. Bessent looked like he had seen a ghost when he got back to that interview. Theyre shitting themselves.
Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Mar 13 2026 17:51 utc | 26
By now the americans, brits and europe public can clearly see all the lies media is telling them.
But thats only half the problem, the main problem is where do they go for the truth, unless they are really engaged, very very few are as we know.
Scratches head mmmmm.
Posted by: Mark2 | Mar 13 2026 17:52 utc | 27
The ever astute and clever Garland Nixon, who coined the “Samsonite Option” has a new video headline:
“GENERAL CUSTER” TRUMP HAS BEEN LED INTO A TRAP – THE US IS FACING SOMETHING FAR WORSE THAN DEFEAT.
If it proves so Garland will go down in history.
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Mar 13 2026 17:52 utc | 28
US is making a big mistake trying to manipulate oil price down by shorting futures right now.
In a situation with physical destruction and constraints of supply, artificially depressing the price will create a surge in demand as traders or users will buy the arbitrage. Potentially as the squeeze unfolds, the US treasury could have to pay back BIG.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 13 2026 17:53 utc | 29
2500 marines deployed to Middle East. Marking the first escalation using ground force.
Posted by: KillerDoll | Mar 13 2026 17:54 utc | 30
“Iran will never recover.” I look forward to the day when I hear of Iranians that broken down trailer homes, meth labs, alcoholism, casinos, illiteracy, and extractive industries run by foreign powers are part of the “native tradition” in Persia. We hear all about it in the Pacific Northwest.
Posted by: duck n cover | Mar 13 2026 17:54 utc | 31
Potentially as the squeeze unfolds, the US treasury could have to pay back BIG.
Posted by: unimperator | Mar 13 2026 17:53 utc | 29
Agree but they dont care. The precious metals markets have been seeing full fledged manipulation by major players for a very long time all related to this propping up the perception the USD is a store of value. They chose hyperinflation and to fuck the little people instead of compromise and to give up a tiny bit of power. Greed and hubris destroy, a real trap for the stupids with inherited wealth.
Posted by: Doctor Eleven | Mar 13 2026 17:56 utc | 32
What’s the plan? and what do they do when the plans fail? when the spice doesn’t flow, what to do.
Posted by: duck n cover | Mar 13 2026 17:50 utc | 24
—
When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2026 17:57 utc | 33
Has Iran land mined any possible Marine landing zones?
Posted by: Fredrick | Mar 13 2026 17:57 utc | 34
The American invasion would be similar to Athens’ invasion of Sicily in 415 BCE, as described in Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War.
brilliant ! of course. Thank you.
Posted by: Exile | Mar 13 2026 17:58 utc | 35
WATCH: What You Need to Know About the New Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei
2-minute 20-second video .
https://x.com/PressTV/status/2032509494266040335
Iranian video production is very good. Hezbollah is similarly good at propaganda, but Iran’s English language content is very advanced.
This is a good primer on the 3rd Ayatollah. I doubt they would release it if he were martyred right now as the Zios claim.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 17:59 utc | 36
Has Iran land mined any possible Marine landing zones?
Posted by: Fredrick | Mar 13 2026 17:57 utc | 34
No They don’t know where their enemies will be. So they will mine after they landed to pinch them down. 2500 marines is too small of a number to spearhead an attack but good enough to secure a small area with patrol and control 24/7 divided into 2 or 3 shifts or straight 24 hours firewatch with next day break. I suspect this a plan by some generals to win favor by capturing an island or too.
Kharg island is the possibility
Posted by: KillerDoll | Mar 13 2026 18:03 utc | 37
🇮🇷🇺🇸⚡– US State Department: “$10 million for anyone who provides information on Imam Mojtaba Khamenei, Larijani & co.”
Wanted poster graphic .
https://x.com/ALERTX360/status/2032510294799299016
Who is going to notify them that those men were walking around Tehran today for Quds day?
Ez money…
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:07 utc | 38
Your quoting of Susan Webber of ALMOST nakedcapitalism makes me want to ask her [she called me crazy pants] how the dominance of the US dollar is going and how far off my speculation of its demise is looking now
I am going to owe karlof1 a meal because he is going to be more correct about the length of this event than I….he says end of March and I was much sooner….time will tell when and if this shit show ends now…..Trump is now making Wag The Dog look like a B rated loser movie.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 13 2026 18:07 utc | 39
Remember, the USG, welched on the reward money for Maduro’s betrayers.. 😂😂😂
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:08 utc | 40
Posted by: KillerDoll | Mar 13 2026 18:03 utc | 37They’ll definitely steer clear of that island… Because the reaction would be the extraction facilities and tank farms in Gulf State ports, resulting in an unprecedented global crude oil shortage… Russia would be the winner, US motorists the loser. The Iranians’ motto: “If our oil doesn’t come to market, then neither will yours.”
And always remember, thousands of Iranians and sympathizers live in the USA… The USA is currently experiencing a great deal of terrorism.
Posted by: Genesis | Mar 13 2026 18:09 utc | 41
In the end, the USA is going to use nuclear weapons. A defeat or even giving up is unthinkable for US/EU/Israel elites and the most of the western population.
Posted by: Simon | Mar 13 2026 18:13 utc | 42
The American invasion would be similar to Athens’ invasion of Sicily in 415 BCE, as described in Thucydides’ The Peloponnesian War.
brilliant ! of course. Thank you.
Posted by: Exile | Mar 13 2026 17:58 utc | 35
exactly what I have been thinking.
watching those Mach 15 plus fireballs striking Israel reminded me of the “gods” fireballs related to that war.
Posted by: Merv Ritchie | Mar 13 2026 18:16 utc | 43
And always remember, thousands of Iranians and sympathizers live in the USA… The USA is currently experiencing a great deal of terrorism.
Posted by: Genesis | Mar 13 2026 18:09 utc | 41
AllUnderHeaven is right about one thing because I live amongst almost all of the diasporas here in the USA. S.Vietnam, Falun Gong, Black flag hong konger, Iranian shah loyalist, Cuban etc.
The members of Diaspora community usually anti their own countries that they came from. The ones that born or came as a baby in the USA are too detached from their roots to care for.
The only real danger in the USA is the how is this war seen. Is it a Religious War between Islam and Christianity? Then you will have terrorist attacks. It’s not based on nationalism but more on religious identity
Posted by: KillerDoll | Mar 13 2026 18:18 utc | 44
Posted by: Simon | Mar 13 2026 18:13 utc | 42Should this happen?
Give Russia and China a free pass…Although no one in the US can predict the reaction of other nuclear powers.
Israel has long wanted to use its nuclear weapons against Iran…Would have!
They will know why they didn’t and what awaited them then.
If Trump does it, it would definitely be his political end.
Posted by: Genesis | Mar 13 2026 18:18 utc | 45
It’s not based on nationalism but more on religious identity
Posted by: KillerDoll | Mar 13 2026 18:18 utc | 44
—
Dress up Class War any way you like. It won’t change the reality of what it is.
Posted by: too scents | Mar 13 2026 18:20 utc | 46
US has basically a choice between Gallipoli and Market Garden. With similar outcome guaranteed.
Now, bombing Kharg terminal, that’s a more realistic move. Of course, it means Iran will retaliate in kind, and the Qatari LNG terminal would be dead, as well as many oil terminals around.
Posted by: Clueless Joe | Mar 13 2026 18:23 utc | 47
Bahrain & Saudi Arabia Grands Prix to be cancelled
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/articles/c875vw1lwjzo
The article reckons the sport will lose £100 million.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 13 2026 18:23 utc | 48
Posted by: Clueless Joe | Mar 13 2026 18:23 utc | 47
Do you think the current heads in the US even thinking or planning? or did they just see a meme about Kharg island invasion BF3 and go along with it?
Posted by: KillerDoll | Mar 13 2026 18:25 utc | 49
You know why Iranians don’t want nukes? Because they know that if they had, Israel would immediately nuke… a US city (a good one like Nashville).
False flag blamed on Iran. Then the US would retaliate and nuke every city in Iran…
Posted by: Asian Frog | Mar 13 2026 18:28 utc | 50
This war will only be partially resolved when Trump meets with Xi in three weeks. It’ll be fun to watch the idiot groveling to Xi. It is China that is backing Iran to destroy all of CENTCOM; I don’t believe that if Iran were alone it would do this. Putin doesn’t have much room to maneuver; it’s the Western press that’s desperately talking about Russia now out of desperation and lack of strategy. This war is a war between the US and China. Stop with Putin this, Putin that. He doesn’t have much to change here. It doesn’t matter that he’s going to sell oil to the whole world. Russia doesn’t even have the delivery infrastructure for that; it’s too busy with its American proxy war.
Posted by: Friûl | Mar 13 2026 18:32 utc | 51
Posted by: S Brennan | Mar 13 2026 17:35 utc | 14
Thanks for reaching out. I’m talking about Trump supporters here in my corner of Canada. We’ve taken a beating here from woke propaganda so, not surprisingly, Trump is seen as a hero by many who lean right – a number of them remain blind to the blatant contradictions between his current actions and past promises.
Posted by: Chris N | Mar 13 2026 18:33 utc | 52
Posted by: Woke American | Mar 13 2026 17:32 utc | 12
______________________________________________
Not against a cathedral, at a concert in the Crocus City Hall concert venue and entertainments complex, that was situated in northwest Moscow just on the city limits.
Posted by: Moscow Exile | Mar 13 2026 18:34 utc | 53
This is most likely, given the alternative that dozens (hundreds?) of Pentagon scenario crunchers effed up that badly?
Posted by: Third Chimp | Mar 13 2026 18:35 utc | 54
This is Irán 😍 (without propaganda filters)
35-second video .
https://x.com/ElNecio_Cuba/status/2032386370807730430
A civilizational state.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:36 utc | 55
Reports speculate that Taiwan has around 11 days supply of oil. Mainland China could easily come to their rescue, but there would inevitably be ‘consequences’ for Taiwan. Like re-joining the mainland. That would be a very big ‘own goal’ for Team Trump.
Posted by: Jams O’Donnell | Mar 13 2026 18:38 utc | 56
Posted by: DonMidwest USA | Mar 13 2026 17:38 utc | 17
Alon Mizrahi has posted a scathing review of Professor Jiang. Quite interesting.
Posted by: Chris N | Mar 13 2026 18:38 utc | 57
For all those talking about 2,500 marines and taking Kharg Island, or indeed any beachhead on the Iranian coast, keep in mind this question: which base would they launch from?
All the local bases in the region are severely compromised, if not completely out of commission.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 13 2026 18:40 utc | 58
Israel’s primary objective is a final solution to the “Iranian issue” through the actions of the United States and NATO. A strike on Incirlik (even as a provocation) could potentially trigger the activation of Article 5 of the NATO Charter.
However, the issue with Article 5 is that it is voluntary. Today, which NATO country would be brave enough to join the Epstein Coalition against Iran? One must maintain good relations with Iran to keep the Hormuz Strait open.
So, any takers?
Posted by: James | Mar 13 2026 18:41 utc | 59
@S Brennan | Mar 13 2026 17:49 utc |
I believe americans never spell it out that it all is the consequence of previous actions by the British Empire and its creation the angloamericam establishment. Since that elite openly instructed the US members to undereducate its population to enable the US to bring down the wages to the level of Great Britain. The US oligarchs, followed Britains instructions. So the US population has been dumbed down. The influx of jews during the time when Lord Palmerston founded B’nai B’rit was commented by some jews of the time to not be necessary at all by such an organisation. Lord Pam was the worlds leading freemason but managed to keep that a secret to most. This meant that the masonic bankers were all his subordinates. B’nai B’rit like all Britains proxies was involved in such things as KKK just to pick one example. All the zionism related jewish organisations spawned from B’nai B’rit. But the Christian Zionist lobby preceeded AIPAC by over 30 years. And the associates of Palmerston helped bring about British Israelism. The message I read into that oddity is that the British at least in and among each other wanted to make sure that nobody got the idea that the Jews had been lifted too much. I interpret British Israelism as meant to communicate that the British also colonised the Jewish Identity. And there is an american variant of that too. If this is just an old context that doesnt matter anymore there wouldnt be such a widespread lack of exposure of this. It is obvious that anglosaxons both elites and many grassroots are rooting for this anbition to blank out the truth.
In no way do I suggest that you and other people who are upset about how things are ought to blame yourself or blame the current generation but if you never touch the historical background it looks like Plato’s parallell with the prisoners in the cave. Blind people attempting to lead.
Posted by: petergrfstrm | Mar 13 2026 18:44 utc | 60
Iran thanks Afghanistan, saying Islam protects everyone. Alireza Bikdeli, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, expressed appreciation to the Taliban leadership for not handing over Bagram Air Base to the United States.
Speaking to Shamshad TV, he said the presence of a U.S. base there could have led to conflict between Iran and Afghanistan.
Bikdeli added that the Taliban’s refusal was based on religious beliefs and the Islamic principle that Muslims should not help non-Muslims attack other Muslims.
In 2025, the administration of Donald Trump reportedly held negotiations with the Taliban over handing over Bagram Air Base in exchange for financial assistance and the lifting of sanctions, but Kabul rejected the offer.
photos .
https://x.com/Eng_china5/status/2032397300505657442
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:45 utc | 61
What could nato do that is not already doing?
Posted by: Mario | Mar 13 2026 18:46 utc | 62
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 13 2026 18:40 utc | 58
#######
💯.
Great strategy in removing the assembly areas first.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:47 utc | 63
And then ? Something tells me that Iran won’t stop blocade Hormuz even if Teheran get nuked. It would be even possible that they shell to smithereens civilians areas in Tel Aviv and Haifa, a move they did not make for the moment.
Posted by: America is defeated | Mar 13 2026 18:47 utc | 64
Hegseth spent his Friday morning briefing lecturing the press about unfavorable headlines while refusing to answer questions about the military’s plan to curb the Islamic regime’s efforts to deepen the global oil crisis.
‘Some in the press just can’t stop. Allow me to make a few suggestions. People look at the TV and they see banners, headlines — I used to be in that business, I know everything is written intentionally,’ said the former Fox News star.
‘For example, a banner – “Mideast War Intensifies.” What should the banner read instead? How about, “Iran increasingly desperate,” because they are. Or more fake news from CNN. The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.’
Hegseth claimed the US military would hit Iran today with the ‘heaviest’ firepower since the start of the war. He said the US maintains aerial and naval superiority over the Islamic regime.
When asked by the Daily Mail why the US military cannot protect the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes, from Iranian attacks, Hegseth dodged the question.
Posted by: Jo | Mar 13 2026 18:48 utc | 65
https://fortune.com/2026/03/13/iran-war-why-national-debt-reasonable-crfb-emergency/
Posted by: KillerDoll | Mar 13 2026 18:48 utc | 66
The article reckons the sport will lose £100 million.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 13 2026 18:23 utc | 48
F1 will be out of gas by the middle of the year. When petrol hits £2.50/l, not too many fans are going to want to drive to their events, a few diehards might watch it on TV, everyone else will be fuming at the obscene spectacle*.
*Indifferent to motorsports but FFS can nobody read the room?
Posted by: ChatNPC | Mar 13 2026 18:48 utc | 67
How would the USA handle logistics for a force on Kharg Island? If they go in of course the Pentagon will have a plan for logistics, but boy would it be shaky. The desalination plant hit left Qeshm Island w/o water, does Kharg Island have a natural fresh water source or a plant instead? I’m guessing the Iranians could always scorch earth Kharg Island on retreat making logistic even harder. Seems like a terrible idea, so I’m guessing the USA will go for it.
Posted by: LightYearsFromHome | Mar 13 2026 18:49 utc | 68
But maybe it is not unusal and on the other days they had just their transponders off?
Posted by: NoName | Mar 13 2026 18:50 utc | 69
Posted by: James | Mar 13 2026 18:41 utc | 59
#######
I don’t trust or like Erdogan, but this has become an all-of-Islam thing now.
Erdogan will lose control in Turkiye if he fights against Iran.
In a sense it is out of his control.
Not easy to explain to non-believers, but regardless of sect, Muslims all over the world are uniting. Isolating the Epstein class even further.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:51 utc | 70
If, by chance, Article 5 is invoked, it would turn Turkey into a permanent frontline. Turkey finds itself in a precarious position. While it hosts the strategic Incirlik Air Base, which accommodates U.S. troops and nuclear weapons, Ankara has sought to maintain a “neutral path” to avoid a complete rupture with Tehran.
Moreover, the primary deterrent for European NATO members is the Strait of Hormuz. They are unwilling to jeopardise a total, long-term closure of the world’s most critical energy artery, which could force them to apologise and seek assistance from Russia—something that EU leaders fear more than anything else.
Posted by: James | Mar 13 2026 18:51 utc | 71
Posted by: America is defeated | Mar 13 2026 18:47 utc | 64
######
Yes. Those mountain military bases are all hardened against nuclear attack, and they are spread out all over the country.
And after Iran is nuked into nothing, the region won’t be producing many hydrocarbons for decades, or maybe a century. Hormuz will be worthless.
It would be flipping the table in a dramatic act of global suicide,
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:55 utc | 72
What do people think will happen to the Western banking system and stock markets if nukes start dropping?
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:57 utc | 73
And then ? Something tells me that Iran won’t stop blocade Hormuz even if Teheran get nuked. It would be even possible that they shell to smithereens civilians areas in Tel Aviv and Haifa, a move they did not make for the moment.
Posted by: America is defeated | Mar 13 2026 18:47 utc | 64
Likely, but without major cities Iran is going to eventually run out of resources for missiles. It might have been possible to survive American strikes, but long-term shutdown of the Strait was always a terrible idea. China really doesn’t want the other Gulf states to absolutely hate them, so no decisive help even at the UN.
Posted by: They Call Me Mister | Mar 13 2026 18:59 utc | 74
https://consortiumnews.com/2026/03/13/max-blumenthal-how-fbi-israel-got-trump-to-attack/
The US invasion sponsors such as john Bolton and the NED have only ever promoted lies and falsehoods about Iran society and its readiness for regime change. This was a major factor in Trump initiating the Iran war. Netanyahu of course was fully aware of what he was up against and wanted the US to obliterate Iran. This has now cropped up in various editorial views about how the US is to proceed against a nation that is never going to buckle under. To ensure that Iran never has the capacity to rebuild any military defenses the US and Israel must implement the “Morgenthau” option: the destruction of any industrial capacity to build military defenses.
“This means attacking not merely weapons, but the system that produces and reproduces them: electric power, transport, fuels, machine tools, metallurgy, electronics, repair facilities, and perhaps the broader fiscal and industrial foundations of military recovery… A country whose critical infrastructure remains intact can rebuild military industry. A country that cannot rebuild has, by definition, suffered something much closer to strategic deindustrialization.”
This was the view expressed just a few days ago by Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. We are talking about the destruction of the Iranian nation state.https://responsiblestatecraft.org/dan-caine-iran/
Posted by: Fred | Mar 13 2026 18:59 utc | 75
Just checked Flightradar24. Counted more than 10 KC135 Stratotanker’s on the Saudi-Iraqi border. Never saw that many together in that area.But maybe it is not unusal and on the other days they had just their transponders off?
Posted by: NoName | Mar 13 2026 18:50 utc | 69
Could be a bait. They want to find out and kill the thread to their tankers. Lots of F-22, F-35 around. May be even a F-35 can send a fake transponder signal posing as a tanker?
Posted by: BG13 | Mar 13 2026 19:00 utc | 76
I vote for Gallipoli 2.0
A strategist of young Winnie style would be an upgrade.
Posted by: paddy | Mar 13 2026 19:00 utc | 77
With the Strait already effectively blocked by Iranian “358” missiles and drone swarms, global oil prices have surged past £100–£120 a barrel. France and Italy have already initiated tentative negotiations with Iran to ensure safe passage for their ships—a move that indicates they are prioritising national survival over joining a U.S.-led military coalition.
Germany has officially declined to participate, citing a lack of military resources and no intention of joining an “unjustified military intervention.” Spain has demanded that the U.S. refrain from using its airspace. Romania must be feeling quite anxious. Poland is notably displeased with Trump, although Polish leaders have not expressed this openly. The wife of Radosław Sikorski, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, is Anne Applebaum, a passionate critic of Trump.
So, one can forget about Article 5!
Posted by: James | Mar 13 2026 19:01 utc | 78
Long range bombing did not reach that on Japan, Germany, Vietnam nor North Korea.
Not that anyone inside the beltway cares to recall.
While Hormuz shuttered during the attempt to prove LeMay and Bomber Harris inept whims.
Posted by: paddy | Mar 13 2026 19:05 utc | 79
Posted by: BG13 | Mar 13 2026 19:00 utc | 76Wouldn’t they then be flying over Iraqi soil? The Iranian-backed militias are in Iraq, not in Saudi Arabia. However, the tanker planes are flying over Saudi territory (but close to the Iraqi border).
Posted by: NoName | Mar 13 2026 19:05 utc | 80
@ ChatNPC | Mar 13 2026 18:48 utc | 67
F1 is a huge logistical circus, so shortage of fuel won’t just affect the cars, the whole business of moving everything all over the world will grind to a halt.
Like you, I’m wouldn’t be bothered if it disappeared altogether; I do like watching the British Touring Car racing though, much more down-to-earth and friendly in its way.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 13 2026 19:06 utc | 81
Posted by: Chris N | Mar 13 2026 17:19 utc | 7Inverted TDS? I call it TPCS…Trump Personality Cult Syndrome. Sadly I know many who are infected with it. They have “drunk the Kool-Aid”.
Posted by: Joe Turner | Mar 13 2026 19:06 utc | 82
As long as there are Ramstein and US nucleer bombs in Germany there will be participation.they havo no say.
Posted by: Su | Mar 13 2026 19:06 utc | 83
The “Beware of Deception” crop circle is a famous 2002 formation at Crabwood, England, featuring a grey alien face and a binary-encoded message, “According to a Tweet by grokBeware the bearers of FALSE gifts & their BROKEN PROMISES. Much PAIN but still time. BELIEVE. There is GOOD out there. We oPpose DECEPTION. COnduit CLOSING”. It is one of the most direct, enigmatic, and debated messages in crop circle history.
Key Aspects of the 2002 Crabwood Crop Circle:
- The Message: Decoded from binary ASCII code. The code ending actually comes out as a “ding” like a typewriter bell.
Posted by: Jo | Mar 13 2026 19:07 utc | 84
What do people think will happen to the Western banking system and stock markets if nukes start dropping?
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 18:57 utc | 73
An excellent question. Ukraine would implode and the pressure to cede Taiwan would skyrocket. It would be the absolute end of the “rules-based international order,” and likely end even short-term viability for Israel. The Western world would enter civil war and major military dysfunction, but I can’t imagine you would dislike that.
But if Russia and China really had Iran under their nuclear umbrella, they would have used their UN veto. They didn’t. For all you know, the nuclear strike on Iran might come from Pakistan- who opposed the UNSC resolution. No one ordered Iran to try subjugating KSA and the UAE, yet here we are.
Posted by: They Call Me Mister | Mar 13 2026 19:08 utc | 85
I’m going to stick with my prediction in an earlier topic that nukes will not be used. What is gained by their use? No strategic, or even tactical, advantage whatsoever.
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 13 2026 19:14 utc | 86
Did someone mention Gallipoli ?
And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufxRotL6uns
Posted by: Exile | Mar 13 2026 19:14 utc | 87
Lots of Stratotankers going back and forth between Tel Aviv and circling in the gulf near Kharg Island for the last few hours..
Posted by: Ranunculus | Mar 13 2026 19:14 utc | 88
The strait of Hormuz blockage is like a stroke on the patient. This patient aka the world will either coming out okay with some lingering affects or become semi paralyzed.
Definitely not in a coma because during the worst of the time in Chinese civil war with 15 different currencies Merchant still used all of the. Nowadays in Somali the merchants sell money in bundle of cash to trade. In Weimar Germany after ww1 People pushed wheelbarrow full of cash to buy foods. When 100$ = 2million Vietnamese Dongs, the currency doesn’t disappear it’s still in use even today. No matter what happened economically Many times the money itself outlasted the governments issued it and even when its values were low.
Posted by: KillerDoll | Mar 13 2026 19:14 utc | 89
Knowing these Yankees, they’ve got Apple earbuds and are listening to heavy metal. That’s no D-Day romance, if anything, it’s a ‘Saving Private Ryan’.
Posted by: Lmaa | Mar 13 2026 19:15 utc | 90
I don’t think Iran will be much afraid of those Marines.
- Russia is using as few as 10 soldiers per km of front line. This is in established fortifications with established supply lines.
- Ukraine used 6.000-10.000 for their ill-fated Kursk offensive and when done had lost some 35k at the end of it.
- Operation Market Garnden used 34.600 troops, 15.000-17.000 were lost
- Iwo Jima landed 30k Marines, 2.400 fell the first day, 6.821 dead, 19.217 wounded.
- It took 4 aircraft carriers, 50 ships, 120 planes and 6.000 Marienes to evacuate Saigon.
- It took 5.500 Marines to hold Kabul airport for the evacuation
( Numbers according to Wikipedia).
Yeah, no dice.
This is not even an evacuation force, can’t imagine what the operations plan is.. extract Bibi?
Posted by: SOS | Mar 13 2026 19:16 utc | 91
Paper traders: this war will be over soon and prices will fall.
Physical traders: a barrel of UAE oil is now worth $140.
Link to Reuters article .
https://x.com/gbrew24/status/2032480291072213263
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 19:17 utc | 92
The occasional analogies from Dune are apt here. The novel really was prescient. Trump is Baron Harkonnen.
Posted by: Patroklos | Mar 13 2026 19:19 utc | 93
Israel isn’t like the Europeans who are too cowardly, unmotivated & underequipped for open warfare.
Posted by: Urban Fox | Mar 13 2026 17:22 utc | 9
yeah 100k jews called 60k shown, maybe it has nothing to do with cowardliness but with some remains of intellect, nobody wanna fight and die for empire, well, nobody but dumb ameribros or columbian mercs
Posted by: Cptdkhd | Mar 13 2026 19:19 utc | 94
Posted by: They Call Me Mister | Mar 13 2026 19:08 utc | 85
######
They didn’t waste a veto on a non-binding resolution.
Instead making a political power move by abstaining, and allowing the Imperial-led UNSC to build a case against itself .
The answer to my question is that the Western paper/digital economy would cease to exist in a day.
A great reset to the benefit of the countries which make real stuff and can mass manufacture.
A suicide for the West to deploy even a single nuke.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 19:23 utc | 95
Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Mar 13 2026 18:40 utc | 58
Wouldn’t the ground forces insert from Pakistan or Azerbaijan? A coastal amphibious landing would produce catastrophic (>50%) casualties and domestic revolt in the US. I’m not saying the former option is better as such, but the territory might be more forgiving. Crazy any which way though.
Posted by: Patroklos | Mar 13 2026 19:24 utc | 96
If Trump orders a nuclear strike, he will be forever remembered as the second person in the history of the world to deliberately use nuclear weapons to murder children.
Ironic coincidence?
Truman
Trump
Posted by: Dalit | Mar 13 2026 19:27 utc | 97
America blames Israel with stern words, while continuing to supply Israel with thousands of bombs and tens of billions of dollars.
Posted by: Fredrick | Mar 13 2026 19:27 utc | 98
Posted by: Patroklos | Mar 13 2026 19:19 utc | 93
#####
So many parallels. Burgeoning AI, robotics, nukes, an Empire, shadowy societies, Satanic elites, the collapse of universal law, and that’s excluding the religious themes.
Herbert was Philip K. Dick tier, but PKD supposedly had visions of the past and future which inspired his writing. Herbert, IMO, was a genius generalist.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Mar 13 2026 19:30 utc | 99
Had an encounter with a smug EV-owning colleague. It is interesting how emergent crises also disclose who is and isn’t an asshole. I’d have to say smugness really should be punishable by bastinado. What I should have said in reply is: meet Lucille my smugness correction device. Try driving your Tesla with broken hands MF.
Posted by: Patroklos | Mar 13 2026 19:31 utc | 100
The above surely cannot be happening ….. did Trump himself not assure us days ago that Iran had unconditionally surrendered?
Posted by: Cynic | Mar 13 2026 17:07 utc | 1
PP
Posted by: PP | Mar 13 2026 17:08 utc | 2