The US war strategy is still cloaked in confusion. But we think we know what Iran had up its sleeve. With only a tiny, largely dysfunctional military the country had almost no way to protect itself..
I hate to admit it but I think Bill is right on his point today. Bombing Iran into submission will not work. Nothing short of ground troops will “win” this war and achieve the victory that would “end” the war. Byron King has written an excellent essay this morning discussing the war and his observations are accurate IMO. He mentions something that isn’t discusses in the MSM: Iran declared to Steve Witcoff that they have sufficient fuel to make 11 nuclear bombs! Assuming this is true, there may have been little reason to delay this conflict. However, I see an eerily familiar discussion coming out of the fog of this war. That is the nuclear bomb threat from Iran sounds like the WMD “threat” of the Iraq war.
Steve Witkoff is a NYC real estate speculator who strongly supports Israel.Plus, his partner Jared Kushner already has business interests in Gaza. . Don't believe anything these guys say about the negotiations.
It is interesting that Iran did NOT have near weapons grade nuclear material (60%) under the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal) from 2016-2018 and only obtained these threatening levels of refinement AFTER Trump withdrew us from the treaty in 2019, and particularly after we assassinated General Soleimani in 2020. Instead of addressing the flaws in the JCPOA treaty, Trump abandoned the efforts that were working, and replaced these restraints with…nothing. Destroy shit first, then come up with a half-ass plan that never reaches completion, the Trump Way. You could see this war coming from a mile away.
BS: The Iranians had prevented UN Inspectors from full access for many years during Bush II, Obama and Biden. We were all flying blind although we also knew that the Pakistani scientist Khan had been heavily involved for years assisting their nuclear weapons development. Hope is never a strategy.
Having said that, I don't disagree that ground troops on Iranian soil will be required to secure Hormuz. If so, Trump would be wise to enlist other ME nations (Sunni or Shiite or both), such as is been negotiated with our ME partners in Gaza, to man this force. Minimize visible American and Israeli forces.
Shah Pahlavi, as the inheritor of the Iranian monarchy, has indicated that his return to the throne would presage free elections for civilian government control. He would need to be held to that commitment.
The Americans and the Israeli's need to provide arms and organization to Iranians that want to wrest control away from their nihilist religious leadership. and then stand back as the Iranian people handle their own affairs - as long as it doesn't threaten the rest of us.in doing so.
This certainly won't be a cakewalk, but neither is having a bunch of religious nuts of what is essentially a 7th century death cult, armed with nuclear weapons in 2026, blackmailing you with threats of annihilation.
I suggest that if boots on the ground are necessary Barron Von Trump and his brothers be first in line. But speaking of religious zealots Netanyahu recently told a press conference that they must remember the Amaleks a mythical tribe from their book. "Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
Pure genocide. This gives the Zionist the authority to kill women and children and animals which they do in Gaza.
Wouldn't we be better off listening to Washington's advice to avoid foreign entanglements? Let Israel and Iran fight it out.
Washingtons advice only worked in Washington day. A day when an invading force might take many weeks to sail to our shores. These days, a hypersonic missile covers that same distance in less than twenty minutes - so, why don't we just agree that our CIC of the 18th century would probably agree that these sorts of decisions are the sole domain of the CIC of today?
I've also had Progressive insist that the second amendment only pertained to flintlock long guns. All of it is simply preposterous.
I do enjoy comparing notes with Progressives however as it will probably get a few voters off the fence, if only to support common sense decisions.
I sure as hell don't feel safe that the Zionists have nukes? Do you? But North Korea has nukes. Are we fighting them next? Maybe this will force Iran to acquire nukes to prevent further attacks.
Mr. Burns: I agree with you about boots on the ground to--PERMANENTLY-- secure the Strait of Hormuz; and thus get the price of oil down dramatically. But from the blogs I'm reading from former military strategists, it should not require these troops to go into Tehran to do this. I don't know where these guys get their info, but one said that he thinks Sec. Hegseth's plan is to clean out, via the air, the most distant Iranian drone and missile launcher sites aimed at the Strait; then methodically work their way down in the cleanup process to the Southwest Iranian coast at the Strait. That Tehran is about 750 air miles from the Strait, so drones attacking the Strait are probably nearer the SW coast, not in and around Tehran. This cleanout will take time, but can be accomplished by the U.S. military. But when the phrase "troops on the ground" is thrown around, he said that most Americans think of house-to-house fighting in a dense urban area, facing enemy snipers and roadside bombs (like in Baghdad). But the Iranian cities near the Strait are much smaller and spread out, and could have lots of Iranian resistance supporters who would provide help of various kinds to U.S. troops.
I just hope and pray that Sec. Hegseth--HAS--a plan. Or that he HAD a plan in advance to protect and secure the Strait before he told the POTUS his guys and gals were ready to attack Iran. If not, this could drag on into May or June.
So I guess from a practical standpoint, the U.S. military would have to create some kind of cone in SW Iran along the coast, with a permanent U.S. military presence. I don't know: fencing or barriers like the U.S. southern border. I guess we will see.
But one thing that irritates me about Bill is that he seems to be saying that Iran can INDEFINITELY keep the Strait of Hormuz hostage, and the price of oil above $100 per barrel. How does he know this? Where is he getting this info? And his colleague Dan already pointed out, as well as other analysts I have read, that the U.S. would be the least affected by this embargo. (If Bill is concerned with "the world," then, of course as a globalist, he would be more upset over this than if it mostly affected the U.S.) And from my reading, the U.S. could always pull barrels of oil out of the strategic reserve, if necessary, until the U.S. military can break the embargo and secure the Strait.
Mr. O'Brien, I might have asked that Q prematurely. I just read a column by retired Col. Kurt Schlichter in "Townhall" about this matter, and he said they definitely had a plan going into this conflict to address the Strait of Hormuz. So you and the colonel are together here. So that's good to know, and a big relief.
Now that we’re bombing Kahrgh Island, threatening the family jewels, the play may involve getting the Chinese to press Iran for an agreement on Hormuz shipping that doesn’t cost them access to the 20% of oil that they need from Iran.
And I wonder if the Iranian regime could get hurt by keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed? I don't know. Maybe they don't care about the loss of revenue.
Who told you? Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner both NYC Jewish real estate speculators. They wouldn't lie, would they? How about the Omani Foreign Minister? hours before the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, the lead mediator, stated that negotiations had reached a breakthrough and that peace was "within our reach"! Now, Marco Rubio said we attacked because we knew Israel was going to attack. Now, no chance that Netanyahu decided to attack because his goal is to do to Iran what they did to Syria, Libya, and Iraq and he didn't want a settlement?
23 years? Since Bush and Cheney's illegal invasion of Iraq killing or displacing millions? But at least one negotiator, Jared Kushner, is making money. Did you see where the NYC real estate speculator was trying to raise billions from the Gulf States? Where the hell did Donnie get these two guys? Kushner's father is a convicted felon but now Ambassador to France. Surprised the MAGA fanboys think Donnie is one of them.
Of course they lied and obfuscated. As did DJT when he claimed the spectacular military success of the 2025 bombings that completely and totally obliterated key nuclear enrichment facilities....
One of the IEA guys was on TV saying that they knew the Iranians were hiding the enriched uranium and both sides knew and there was nothing they could do about it.
Im pretty sure most of our Middle Eastern "allies" are enjoying the spectacle of America sowing the seeds of its own destruction while it destroys Iran.
I'm no Iranian sympathiser, but either do the job properly, or don't do it at all.
Or perhaps bomb the crap out of their repressive orthodox Islamic governing body while attempting to keep infra structure in-tact so Iran can continue global petroleum supply.
Or wait for them to obtain nukes and the means to deliver?
....then bomb the crap out of them and their infrastructure?
And here is former Reagan OMB director, David Stockman, conveying his very candid thoughts today:
"In the most unhinged and belligerent public utterance of any POTUS in our lifetime, if ever, Trumpy informed the world that he’s getting his rocks off killing Iranians as punishment for their five decades of alleged terror:
Trump says: 'Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today. They’ve been killing innocent people for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so!'
There you have it—the very words of a madman going to town on the Big Lie.
Moreover, it’s a tissue of falsehoods, spin and fabrications that have been spoon-fed to the Donald by Bibi Netanyahu and his fifth column ensconced in the Washington Swamp from end to end, including his own son-in-law, Jared Kushner."
And Stockman and you are exactly correct. The Big Man with the Big Lies is a hopeless psychopath at this point. Just witnessing this start of a major war (at the request of an even worse psycho-led pariah state, no less) with his beauty-queen/talk-rabbit Secretary of War, who has zero support from his professionals (with their 75-year record of war disasters, leaving tens of millions of dead foreigners and $37 trillion debt in their wake), would be final proof that our vote was a huge mistake--except that the Dems could have been even worse! Can someone in our nation of super-armchair machos please come forward with an actual plan for peace and prosperity before Iran puts itself together and gives the Israelis a dose of their own medicine while reclaiming all the lands and rescuing all the human beings thrown into chaos supposedly on the orders of an outdated god? Peace combined with prosperity for all sides is not just a possibility, but a reality in the 2026 of many people. It just can's be recognized by those walking (stumbling?) around with their superiority complex.
If Iran wasn’t pursuing their policy of Nuclear Armageddon and openly bragging about it, the voiced opposition to this move by Trump might make sense. But that’s fantasy. A sort of hubris actually. One where we’re being counseled that a peaceful settlement is an option. It’s not. Never was. I always remember the TV images of the yearly festivities in Iran for “Martyrs Day”. Especially the parade of guys in white shirts whipping themselves bloody in some weird choreographed march as they chant in unison. These religious nut folks are Effed-up. Now, I’d be fine if they would just stay in their own lane but the threats they issue to the U.S. are over the top and knowing, as I do, that their culture perceives ours as weak, corrupt and in need of “their attention”, I think for us to act preemptively is, unfortunately, for the best.
Ah... more slurs from Bill as he seeks to conflate raw war casualty statistics with American strategy and tactics - and somehow finds the Americans wanting - in spite of the positive end of WWII for the allies. In spite of the casualties and risks underwritten by those WWII Bombardiers like my own father in order to minimize collateral civilian casualties - as though it never happened.
For everyone reading this, know that the American Heavy Bomber forces, targeted only industrial sites. Full stop. Were their casualties, regardless? Surely. Munitions factories, Refineries & Chemical plants and Railyards had military defenses if not simply night watchmen.
My father was repeatedly returning to the Rumanian Refineries in Ploesti. I encourage everyone to read about that particular campaign. That was where the Nazi's were converting coal into jet fuel using what is known (and being contemplated with a new facility in Arizona today) as the Fisher-Tropshe process.
Now, imagine having to fly your lumbering B24 Liberator heavy Bomber straight thorough a "black rectangular cloud" of blinding smoke and Flak, coming up from the ground directly over these facilities, on a clear blue day, simply to target correctly. You can read first-hand accounts in the book "The Wild Blue Yonder".
The Bombardiers using the Norden bombsight had to simultaneously fly the plane while delivering their bombs and ignore all the chaos occurring around them. These men were obviously made of tougher stuff than is often found today. They knew the odds of their survival spanned a period of time of approximately three weeks yet did it anyway, and repeatedly as well.
The movie "Catch 22"attempted to capture the psychodrama involved. Joseph Heller, the author actually completed this novel in my Uncle Don Clark's NYC illustrator studio. I remember Don relating the story to my father as they both reminisced sharing the own WWII Army Air Corp. stories (a quick aside: both Heller and Don served in the same unit yet were never deployed in theater).
But also understand what Bill seems to be unaware of or is purposely papering over - it was the British, after having absorbed the merciless Nazi V2 rocket campaign, aimed at its own citizens, that chose to respond in kind. I have no criticism of the Brits for this. Fire with Fire and Goose & Gander... But I will always challenge those that seek to misrepresent truth and seek to misrepresent the historic heroism of "better men than themselves" the American Heavy Bomber forces- whether out of their own ignorance or abject malice.
Stalin killed, one way or another, 30 million; quite an accomplishment for one man. Good citizens and fellow neighbors helped him, believed the dream and did their jobs. He also killed the best people.
I know the Japanese killed Chinese, and the Nationalist Chinese too. I am not aware that the present government killed quantities of its own citizens. There was a mass purge during The Cultural Revolution.
China, in the last 60 years transformed itself. No government could accomplish what they accomplished without enlightened government. That is not what you read in fake news.
The US has destroyed itself with stupid government and the war machine.
So we only rank second on the list of mass killers. What kind of perspective were you aiming for?
Clem: Starved because of Mao's grossly misplaced penchant for first world industrial development (every home a steel mill) by the poorest country in the world. Further, this occurred after the rural population had been pushed by Japan into the mountains which cover much of China, which to start has only 7% of the world's arable land and 20% of its population. Read "The Good Earth" for a very graphic description of a pre-war famine scenario. Mao wasn't completely crazy, however, since China produces 70% of the world's steel, thanks in part to US tariffs by Trump and his hopelessly stupid advisor Peter Navarro who was so fixated on destroying China that he wrote several books predicting just that. Besides his term and mayor of San Diego, Peter had(has?) no other qualifications and we know how Trump wants to show he's better than China or its leaders. Trump and Navarro make Mao, the peasant leader, look like a genius.
You’re too much. LOL. They kill over 50 million people but wind up as a manufacturing economy so it’s good? Hopefully, as we reshore our own manufacturing we don’t have to incur these sort of casualties…
Don’t you love those critics that seem to always portray Americans as bloodthirsty? Never provide the provocations or the wanton slaughter of the other side.
Please tell us how many American were killed by invasions, "government-change". or "wanton slaughter" operations from Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Brazil, Chile, Argentina--just to name a few of the countries in our hemisphere alone where US intervention has killed well beyond a million persons. I don't know that Americans in general are as bloodthirsty as you seem to be, but there's no question that the US Department of War has been since breaking the "Good Neighbor Policy" of 1933 by invading Guatemala on behalf of United Fruit Company (now Chiquita) in 1952. That policy enabled us to win WWII, primarily with the help of Chile alone as a direct result of providing the US war effort with copper for three (?) cents per pound--despite the relatively large German population in that country which had to be outvoted. Notice, we never did win over Argentina, which was not essential to the War effort anyway. Only Japan (in China) and Germany (in Europe) during WWII have worse records of slaughtering inhabitants of other countries. Prior to 1933 from 1899 (when our imperialist wars began) and since 1952 until today, YES, our Department of War can only be considered blood-thirsty. And that doesn't even count the slaughterhouse we fomented with Israel in Gaza or the words emanating from the filthy mouths of Trump and his number one advisor, Netanyahu. And besides protecting your hero, Trump, from the legal scrutiny of his Epstein activities and creating a greater Israel in the Middle East, what benefits have you or anyone else gained?
Trump had every intent of maximizing suffering (after complaining about the "30 thousand protesters killed", that he would have surely protected. Yuk, yuk. We are not imitating the heroes your father fought with. We (and Israel) and fabricating every possible excuse in order to imitate the Nazis. And, oh yeah, the girl students were studying in a war factory.
The satellite pictures are available for all of us to see. The school was built adjacent to military facilities. Had been closed for construction recently. But here’s the larger issue. I’ll never deny that there will be unintentional collateral death in any war. But what you and others of your ilk try to do is implicate our forces in targeting civilians. I have no interest in your moral equivalence that seeks to make us as bad as your Islamist friends. People that exalt in strapping pipe bombs on their own children. You can’t go any lower than that. I see your attempt to equivocate as entirely disingenuous. Dishonest in the extreme.
Actually Ed the school was actually attached to the military installation. Also all schools were closed in Iran when the bombing started (except this one particular one). Want to read an enlightening article read coffee and Covid by Jeff Childers. https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/mrs-magoo-friday-march-13-2026-c It lays it out. He writes an amazing article daily. I can't afford the subscription but he has free daily articles that are witty and factual. He seems to have lots of connections for a lawyer.
Attached, part of or adjacent to. Regardless of the terminology employed, the Iranians were using civilians as human shields - which, in accordance to Geneva Conventions, is a War Crime. Thanks for the link. Good to read honest reporting, stripped of TDS.
The further clarification that all schools across Iran had been closed once the bombing began - except for this one - may, one day, be used to put some IRGC bastard on the business end of a knotted rope. In the meantime, let us all take notes as to who among our fellow "Americans" immediately blame our government and our military in alleging purposeful targeting of children. They are either completely ignorant of the rules of warfare we follow to avoid civilian casualties or are abject liars.
There's an inquiry into the circumstances that is ongoing. I wrote in a previous comment (above) that those seeking always to trash the US will never cite the "other guys" casualties or provocations - and then use language such as "murdered" to characterize enemy casualties at the hands of our troops. Their kneejerk hatred of our nation is obvious..
Lets go a bit deeper: Most will remember the Mei Lai incident and the prosecution of Lt. William Calley for war crimes during Vietnam.
So, I challenge any critics of our US military to cite a comparable situation where any government other than the US prosecuted their own for war crimes.
SecWar Hegseth has announced an inquiry over the allegation of US forces purposely targeting children in a school. Lets see how that pans out and, lets also speak to the sort of mindset that attaches a military target to a Grammar school.
For all those still on the Trump bandwagon you can be happy with this news. Eric and Don Jr aren't enlisting in the military but they are investing in a drone company that will be seeking Pentagon contacts. Like General Smedley Butler said "War is a Racket". Or George Carlin -It's a big club and you ain't in it.
Bill once again you have distorted the facts in an effort mislead your readers. This kind of legacy media misdirection is akin to the misleading CNN and New York Times. You state "And Iran has its hands on the main valve". The suggestion here is that Iran has the power, by virtue of it's vast vast oil production, to control the price of oil on the world stage. Bill, Iran only produces only 3 to 5 percent of the world's oil production. The US, Saudi Arabia and Russia, in that order, produce most of the world's oil. Moreover, the US will be escorting oil tankers through the Straights of Hormuz, if not now, very soon. Your readers are old, educated and wise. They expect you to honor the faith they have put in you to provide accurate and honest commentary. You would do well to put your ideological lens aside and reports facts and then report your perspective on such facts and let your readers come to their own conclusions.
Escorting tankers very soon? Then why did Scott Bessent just say this: My belief is that as soon as it is militarily possible, the US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will be escorting vessels through."
Why is an international coalition needed to escort tankers when Whiskey Pete Hegseth just bragged about the strength of the US military?
...the U.S. could simply drop a few tactical nukes in and around Tehran and shut it down for years, in so crippling the available electrical generation Iran requires to engage.
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My understanding is they want to keep the lights on to enable the peoples of Iran to quickly rebuild.
An international coalition is precisely what is needed...
Then sign up to fight. Barron Von Trump and his brothers were at the recruiters today. They will lead us into battle. Sure. Just drop a few nukes. What could possibly go wrong? Maybe Nuttyyahoo will do just that. The Zionists do have the Samson Option. Read up on it. Then read about the USS Liberty.
Those 2 weapons were used so that my dad and hundreds of thousands of our gis would not be left rotting on a jap beach You know what you can do with that comment. You people really trip my trigger.
Regardless, sufficient for the informed among his readers is his remark, "Dear Readers certainly shouldn’t put too much faith in our geo-political insights."
"Dear Readers certainly shouldn’t put too much faith in our geo-political insights. But we will give them to you anyway. " On second thought don't, and go back to telling us about that old building that you are restoring on your property in Ireland.
Concerning the image at the top of this piece. I have already run into more than one case of people posting still images and video from previous conflicts and even severe industrial accidents and attributing them to the recent events in the gulf. There is an old saying that truth is the first victim of war. People need to be aware that they know virtually nothing as to what is really going on. There are people on both sides with a vested interest in confusing, gaslighting, misinforming, BSing and downright lying to you. Anything you can't verify should be taken with a bulk shipper's load of salt...
Yesterday I was asked by a reader if I thought everyone whom criticizes the government should leave the U.S. My answer, no, absolutely not. If only it were the case that these jackasses with TDS would open their minds and eyes to criticizing the government.
They won't.
They have an irreconcilable hard on for our President Donald Trump. It is as if they have consumed a bottle of viagra and DJT is their mistress. They talk as if he should be taken out, they don't like him. period. Starting with the inconsolable Billy Bonner who daily writes his diatribes, as Trump lives rent free in his brain.
If for example they would widen their scope to include the government it would lend creditability to their TDS inspired stance. What am I talking about? How about the (D)'s inability to look beyond the body politic and fund everyday Americans standing on the front lines of airport security for example. They (the (D's)) got 80% of their asks (Noem gone, body cameras in etc) yet they persist. Where is the criticism? Even if you do not agree with the assessment that 80% of the ask has been fulfilled, when do you put (as Fetterman has) country over party.
How about passing the Save America act which requires citizenship and a photo ID to vote. After all only 87% of the American population (including Democrats) are in favor of this but no, the (D)'s whom are apparently there as our representatives say no, F the voting public.
But not a word from Billy and those that bend a knee to him. He claims it is imperative to speculate on the President in order to understand stock market moves, but never ties the two together
What about the asshat schumer, who gives two shits only about political power and his ability to milk it for all the money he can get? Or Thune who flip flops like a fish on a beach? There are so many targets to be critical of, but no, in BB's and those who bend a knee on this board, it is all DJT's fault, full stop.
No they are not critical of the government, they are obsessed with the down fall of the US and putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of DJT, despite all the BS that has been performed by past Presidents. They offer no solutions, no financial impacts nor suggestions despite this "supposedly" being a financial newsletter.
AS for me, I think DJT in his 2nd term has made some good decisions and he has also made some bad. Personally, I (as almost all of you, including you Billy) only see his public persona and knowing what we know of that I would not want to have dinner with that buffoon.
However, insiders have said the public persona is nothing like the real DJT. Which apparently is quite a sociable, well spoken man. Just ask Bill Maher. So where does this leave us? Well as a paid up subscriber you are in until your renewal. No prorating, it is as if Billy knew he would be losing readers, so either continue reading his dribble and get caught up in the sometimes heated bs in response to his garbage or simply stay in the shadows. The choice is yours.
"so either continue reading his dribble and get caught up in the sometimes heated bs in response to his garbage or simply stay in the shadows. The choice is yours". ......... Yes Mr Working Stiff - Yes it is! What I see is BB making a few mild comments about matters of interest and his "readers" going bananas because they disagree - essentially with his right of free speech. Why do you get so upset. It is just one mans opinion. I really enjoy the comments section - but some of you "responders" need to calm down AND disclose your vested interest. What vested interest are you pushing?
Hey ,Stiff ,This is the most perfidious, detestable, and debased (piece of shit) bloviation I have seen in comments in some time. Here, I thought Bill, had got rid of bloviators like U.
BTW do U have a real name U are ashamed to use. I am a blue-collar working man and resent someone like U, who probably never did a day's work in Ur life using this moniker.
Bill, you're right about one thing. "Dear Readers, certainly shouldn’t put too much faith in our geo-political insights. " I couldn't agree more. Hopefully, sometime soon, you will pivot back to BPR's mission.
So Washington only said it because it was difficult to maintain foreign entanglements! He actually said "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world".
Imagine all the money we would have saved if we avoided all the Mideast wars.
But, Ed, you decry the religious nuts in Iran but no response to Netanyahu and the Amaleks? Remember the genocide we did to them!
But if you and Trump back this war would you like to see Baron Von Trump's enlistment in the military?
Liberal? No way, José. I detest both parties. But why not return to pre 1953 Iran before the venerable CIA couped the democratically elected president there and installed a brutal corrupt dictator. I'm sure Americans like you wouldn't hold a grudge against a country that overthrew our government, installed a dictator and tortured and imprisoned the opposition.
Survival of whom? Is this war going to make the US a better place to live? Is more debt going to help future generations? But if this is about survival why is no one in the Trump family participating? Why aren't Trump's kids and grandkids running down to the local recruiters instead of trying to make money off the war? But speaking of Islamist extremists Donnie just had the new Syrian president Al-Jolani as a guest at the White House. Al-Jolani recently had a $10 million price tag on his head because he was the lead headchopper of ISIS. But Donnie looked on him affectionately, almost as if he was his lover. You must be angry at that. Oh, just to add, Netanyahu provided medical aid to ISIS fighters wounded during the Syrian war and provide funded to Hamas in order to keep the Palestinians divided. Wouldn't you like to see him taken out too?
The "Air Wars" always ended when "Boots on the ground" were needed. Invasions in "the Middle East" should always remember the fiasco of "Gallipoli" !-Walter Oakes-annoakes4@aol.com
Iran should have been dealt with years ago. The taking of the American Embassy and the holding of American citizens as hostages was an act of war and should have been handled as such. They have been responsible for numerous aggressions, threats and sponsored terrorism over the years. By now they have developed and obtained effective military capabilities and have bought many years of preparation. What would have been a cake walk in 1979 won't be so easy in 2026.
Bill is right about the US wars/invasions. How many has Iran done or any other country for that matter? US-800 or so military bases/facilities globally. Next closest? Russia-13 or so. Who's the problem?
As an American citizen I am very comforted knowing our military is strong.
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As a Russian I would be very concerned a small insignificant shit country with a contingent proxy provider can surmount a formidable defense, enough to drain Russia's coffers and make life complicated for her citizens.
In the 20th century, the UK engaged in the most military conflicts.
Iran could have protected itself very easily Bill. They could have stopped financing their proxy terrorist mobs, stopped attacking Israel, slowed up on their religious rhetoric, maybe apologized for the hostage drama and got on with building a country that has the resources to become a model ME country.
To Talmudic jews Tikkun olam means repairing and improving the world on their terms, which is bad news for us non-jews (or goy or "cattle" to them).
Islam is concerning and should be dealt with in due time, but the near term existential threat to the world are Zionist/Talmudic jews and their illegal, apartheid ethno-state called "Israel".
The only way to be sure a snake can't bite ...is to cut off it's head! As a member of the Vietnam class mid sixties, I know the "political class" wouldn't allow our bombers to finish the job and as a result, we left in the job unfinished. 50,000 of our guys killed, about 250,000 wounded. There's always a lot of talkers but very few do'ers.
I hate to admit it but I think Bill is right on his point today. Bombing Iran into submission will not work. Nothing short of ground troops will “win” this war and achieve the victory that would “end” the war. Byron King has written an excellent essay this morning discussing the war and his observations are accurate IMO. He mentions something that isn’t discusses in the MSM: Iran declared to Steve Witcoff that they have sufficient fuel to make 11 nuclear bombs! Assuming this is true, there may have been little reason to delay this conflict. However, I see an eerily familiar discussion coming out of the fog of this war. That is the nuclear bomb threat from Iran sounds like the WMD “threat” of the Iraq war.
Steve Witkoff is a NYC real estate speculator who strongly supports Israel.Plus, his partner Jared Kushner already has business interests in Gaza. . Don't believe anything these guys say about the negotiations.
...and you are right to do so.
However it seems you tend to believe others that might also be wise to question...
It is interesting that Iran did NOT have near weapons grade nuclear material (60%) under the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal) from 2016-2018 and only obtained these threatening levels of refinement AFTER Trump withdrew us from the treaty in 2019, and particularly after we assassinated General Soleimani in 2020. Instead of addressing the flaws in the JCPOA treaty, Trump abandoned the efforts that were working, and replaced these restraints with…nothing. Destroy shit first, then come up with a half-ass plan that never reaches completion, the Trump Way. You could see this war coming from a mile away.
BS: The Iranians had prevented UN Inspectors from full access for many years during Bush II, Obama and Biden. We were all flying blind although we also knew that the Pakistani scientist Khan had been heavily involved for years assisting their nuclear weapons development. Hope is never a strategy.
Having said that, I don't disagree that ground troops on Iranian soil will be required to secure Hormuz. If so, Trump would be wise to enlist other ME nations (Sunni or Shiite or both), such as is been negotiated with our ME partners in Gaza, to man this force. Minimize visible American and Israeli forces.
Shah Pahlavi, as the inheritor of the Iranian monarchy, has indicated that his return to the throne would presage free elections for civilian government control. He would need to be held to that commitment.
The Americans and the Israeli's need to provide arms and organization to Iranians that want to wrest control away from their nihilist religious leadership. and then stand back as the Iranian people handle their own affairs - as long as it doesn't threaten the rest of us.in doing so.
This certainly won't be a cakewalk, but neither is having a bunch of religious nuts of what is essentially a 7th century death cult, armed with nuclear weapons in 2026, blackmailing you with threats of annihilation.
They had to be dealt with and they had to go.
I suggest that if boots on the ground are necessary Barron Von Trump and his brothers be first in line. But speaking of religious zealots Netanyahu recently told a press conference that they must remember the Amaleks a mythical tribe from their book. "Now go and attack the Amalekites and completely destroy everything they have. Do not spare them. Kill men and women, infants and nursing babies, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
Pure genocide. This gives the Zionist the authority to kill women and children and animals which they do in Gaza.
Wouldn't we be better off listening to Washington's advice to avoid foreign entanglements? Let Israel and Iran fight it out.
Washingtons advice only worked in Washington day. A day when an invading force might take many weeks to sail to our shores. These days, a hypersonic missile covers that same distance in less than twenty minutes - so, why don't we just agree that our CIC of the 18th century would probably agree that these sorts of decisions are the sole domain of the CIC of today?
I've also had Progressive insist that the second amendment only pertained to flintlock long guns. All of it is simply preposterous.
I do enjoy comparing notes with Progressives however as it will probably get a few voters off the fence, if only to support common sense decisions.
...certainly "we" would be better off... for the moment.
What if Iran won and obtained nukes?
Would you feel safer?
I sure as hell don't feel safe that the Zionists have nukes? Do you? But North Korea has nukes. Are we fighting them next? Maybe this will force Iran to acquire nukes to prevent further attacks.
I worry not that the Zionists have nukes.
They've had them for decades and never once even admitted it.
Never ever threatened the U.S.
Likely this also influences the Abraham Accords positively.
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NK?
I have lamented here several times.
Kim Jun Un is more of a threat if he loads a rocket (or three) full of BB's and launches them into LEO...
Once detonated, he could wipe out all earth-satellite communications for years.
Mr. Burns: I agree with you about boots on the ground to--PERMANENTLY-- secure the Strait of Hormuz; and thus get the price of oil down dramatically. But from the blogs I'm reading from former military strategists, it should not require these troops to go into Tehran to do this. I don't know where these guys get their info, but one said that he thinks Sec. Hegseth's plan is to clean out, via the air, the most distant Iranian drone and missile launcher sites aimed at the Strait; then methodically work their way down in the cleanup process to the Southwest Iranian coast at the Strait. That Tehran is about 750 air miles from the Strait, so drones attacking the Strait are probably nearer the SW coast, not in and around Tehran. This cleanout will take time, but can be accomplished by the U.S. military. But when the phrase "troops on the ground" is thrown around, he said that most Americans think of house-to-house fighting in a dense urban area, facing enemy snipers and roadside bombs (like in Baghdad). But the Iranian cities near the Strait are much smaller and spread out, and could have lots of Iranian resistance supporters who would provide help of various kinds to U.S. troops.
I just hope and pray that Sec. Hegseth--HAS--a plan. Or that he HAD a plan in advance to protect and secure the Strait before he told the POTUS his guys and gals were ready to attack Iran. If not, this could drag on into May or June.
So I guess from a practical standpoint, the U.S. military would have to create some kind of cone in SW Iran along the coast, with a permanent U.S. military presence. I don't know: fencing or barriers like the U.S. southern border. I guess we will see.
But one thing that irritates me about Bill is that he seems to be saying that Iran can INDEFINITELY keep the Strait of Hormuz hostage, and the price of oil above $100 per barrel. How does he know this? Where is he getting this info? And his colleague Dan already pointed out, as well as other analysts I have read, that the U.S. would be the least affected by this embargo. (If Bill is concerned with "the world," then, of course as a globalist, he would be more upset over this than if it mostly affected the U.S.) And from my reading, the U.S. could always pull barrels of oil out of the strategic reserve, if necessary, until the U.S. military can break the embargo and secure the Strait.
Frank, youcan be sure, they have a plan.
Mr. O'Brien, I might have asked that Q prematurely. I just read a column by retired Col. Kurt Schlichter in "Townhall" about this matter, and he said they definitely had a plan going into this conflict to address the Strait of Hormuz. So you and the colonel are together here. So that's good to know, and a big relief.
Now that we’re bombing Kahrgh Island, threatening the family jewels, the play may involve getting the Chinese to press Iran for an agreement on Hormuz shipping that doesn’t cost them access to the 20% of oil that they need from Iran.
And I wonder if the Iranian regime could get hurt by keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed? I don't know. Maybe they don't care about the loss of revenue.
From my armchair I have been told the Iranians procrastinated whenever possible, lied about, obfuscated and hid nuclear installations and progress.
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Iran makes no secret they want to eliminate both little and big satans.
Iran's nuclear development has been an open controversy over 23 years!
It's very telling when Iran claims they only want nuclear for peaceful purposes but are willing to die to retain their uranium enrichment capacities.
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The JCPOA was a joke that apparently only the Iranians understood.
Liberal gov'ts engaged in grand attempts of desperation to get Iran to sign.
Most conservatives understood the JCPOA treaty would be as effective as Chamberland's Munich Agreement.
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Observing other Islamic country's reaction, it seems they are not terribly upset about the current Iranian regime's demise.
I believe most understand a nuclear armed Iran would not be good for the globe...
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If not now, when then would anyone eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat?
After they attain the bomb?
Who told you? Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner both NYC Jewish real estate speculators. They wouldn't lie, would they? How about the Omani Foreign Minister? hours before the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026, Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi, the lead mediator, stated that negotiations had reached a breakthrough and that peace was "within our reach"! Now, Marco Rubio said we attacked because we knew Israel was going to attack. Now, no chance that Netanyahu decided to attack because his goal is to do to Iran what they did to Syria, Libya, and Iraq and he didn't want a settlement?
Iran has been "negotiating" over 23 years...
23 years? Since Bush and Cheney's illegal invasion of Iraq killing or displacing millions? But at least one negotiator, Jared Kushner, is making money. Did you see where the NYC real estate speculator was trying to raise billions from the Gulf States? Where the hell did Donnie get these two guys? Kushner's father is a convicted felon but now Ambassador to France. Surprised the MAGA fanboys think Donnie is one of them.
...this is why and how the political world turns.
You continue to lambast the Trump's as if they were the only political hacks seeking revenue.
Please reference the Administration that was not engaged in skullduggery...
Of course they lied and obfuscated. As did DJT when he claimed the spectacular military success of the 2025 bombings that completely and totally obliterated key nuclear enrichment facilities....
...from my understanding DJT did bomb and obliterate the nuke enhancement sites.
Iran beat Trump by removing most/some of the uranium prior to the U.S. assault.
Iran then engaged in the process of developing a newer hardened site.
Which I understand since has also been neutralized...
One of the IEA guys was on TV saying that they knew the Iranians were hiding the enriched uranium and both sides knew and there was nothing they could do about it.
Im pretty sure most of our Middle Eastern "allies" are enjoying the spectacle of America sowing the seeds of its own destruction while it destroys Iran.
I'm no Iranian sympathiser, but either do the job properly, or don't do it at all.
Do the job properly?
...and precisely what is that?
Continue "negotiating" for another 23 years.
Or perhaps bomb the crap out of their repressive orthodox Islamic governing body while attempting to keep infra structure in-tact so Iran can continue global petroleum supply.
Or wait for them to obtain nukes and the means to deliver?
....then bomb the crap out of them and their infrastructure?
...and you believe the Iranian propagation?
The "taskmasters" in Iran have deferred critical public infrastructure even for water!
In exchange for decades of extraordinary relentless pious dictates enriching uranium.
And here you suggest they actually considered compliance?
And here is former Reagan OMB director, David Stockman, conveying his very candid thoughts today:
"In the most unhinged and belligerent public utterance of any POTUS in our lifetime, if ever, Trumpy informed the world that he’s getting his rocks off killing Iranians as punishment for their five decades of alleged terror:
Trump says: 'Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today. They’ve been killing innocent people for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so!'
There you have it—the very words of a madman going to town on the Big Lie.
Moreover, it’s a tissue of falsehoods, spin and fabrications that have been spoon-fed to the Donald by Bibi Netanyahu and his fifth column ensconced in the Washington Swamp from end to end, including his own son-in-law, Jared Kushner."
And Stockman and you are exactly correct. The Big Man with the Big Lies is a hopeless psychopath at this point. Just witnessing this start of a major war (at the request of an even worse psycho-led pariah state, no less) with his beauty-queen/talk-rabbit Secretary of War, who has zero support from his professionals (with their 75-year record of war disasters, leaving tens of millions of dead foreigners and $37 trillion debt in their wake), would be final proof that our vote was a huge mistake--except that the Dems could have been even worse! Can someone in our nation of super-armchair machos please come forward with an actual plan for peace and prosperity before Iran puts itself together and gives the Israelis a dose of their own medicine while reclaiming all the lands and rescuing all the human beings thrown into chaos supposedly on the orders of an outdated god? Peace combined with prosperity for all sides is not just a possibility, but a reality in the 2026 of many people. It just can's be recognized by those walking (stumbling?) around with their superiority complex.
A wish all sane and sensible people share: Peace and Prosperity
If Iran wasn’t pursuing their policy of Nuclear Armageddon and openly bragging about it, the voiced opposition to this move by Trump might make sense. But that’s fantasy. A sort of hubris actually. One where we’re being counseled that a peaceful settlement is an option. It’s not. Never was. I always remember the TV images of the yearly festivities in Iran for “Martyrs Day”. Especially the parade of guys in white shirts whipping themselves bloody in some weird choreographed march as they chant in unison. These religious nut folks are Effed-up. Now, I’d be fine if they would just stay in their own lane but the threats they issue to the U.S. are over the top and knowing, as I do, that their culture perceives ours as weak, corrupt and in need of “their attention”, I think for us to act preemptively is, unfortunately, for the best.
Ah... more slurs from Bill as he seeks to conflate raw war casualty statistics with American strategy and tactics - and somehow finds the Americans wanting - in spite of the positive end of WWII for the allies. In spite of the casualties and risks underwritten by those WWII Bombardiers like my own father in order to minimize collateral civilian casualties - as though it never happened.
For everyone reading this, know that the American Heavy Bomber forces, targeted only industrial sites. Full stop. Were their casualties, regardless? Surely. Munitions factories, Refineries & Chemical plants and Railyards had military defenses if not simply night watchmen.
My father was repeatedly returning to the Rumanian Refineries in Ploesti. I encourage everyone to read about that particular campaign. That was where the Nazi's were converting coal into jet fuel using what is known (and being contemplated with a new facility in Arizona today) as the Fisher-Tropshe process.
Now, imagine having to fly your lumbering B24 Liberator heavy Bomber straight thorough a "black rectangular cloud" of blinding smoke and Flak, coming up from the ground directly over these facilities, on a clear blue day, simply to target correctly. You can read first-hand accounts in the book "The Wild Blue Yonder".
The Bombardiers using the Norden bombsight had to simultaneously fly the plane while delivering their bombs and ignore all the chaos occurring around them. These men were obviously made of tougher stuff than is often found today. They knew the odds of their survival spanned a period of time of approximately three weeks yet did it anyway, and repeatedly as well.
The movie "Catch 22"attempted to capture the psychodrama involved. Joseph Heller, the author actually completed this novel in my Uncle Don Clark's NYC illustrator studio. I remember Don relating the story to my father as they both reminisced sharing the own WWII Army Air Corp. stories (a quick aside: both Heller and Don served in the same unit yet were never deployed in theater).
But also understand what Bill seems to be unaware of or is purposely papering over - it was the British, after having absorbed the merciless Nazi V2 rocket campaign, aimed at its own citizens, that chose to respond in kind. I have no criticism of the Brits for this. Fire with Fire and Goose & Gander... But I will always challenge those that seek to misrepresent truth and seek to misrepresent the historic heroism of "better men than themselves" the American Heavy Bomber forces- whether out of their own ignorance or abject malice.
Those damn British, they firebombed Tokyo and dropped two nuclear bombs.
We dropped more tonnage on Vietnamese villagers than all of WW2.
What is the death toll of the American shock and awe, war after war, on the defenseless, in 70 years. I read as high as 30 million.
Not even a drop in the bucket of those Soviet/Chinese citizens killed and starved by their own leaders.
Doesn't excuse the US but puts it in perspective.
Stalin killed, one way or another, 30 million; quite an accomplishment for one man. Good citizens and fellow neighbors helped him, believed the dream and did their jobs. He also killed the best people.
I know the Japanese killed Chinese, and the Nationalist Chinese too. I am not aware that the present government killed quantities of its own citizens. There was a mass purge during The Cultural Revolution.
China, in the last 60 years transformed itself. No government could accomplish what they accomplished without enlightened government. That is not what you read in fake news.
The US has destroyed itself with stupid government and the war machine.
So we only rank second on the list of mass killers. What kind of perspective were you aiming for?
Mao's great leap forward starved up to 55 million chinese.
Clem: Starved because of Mao's grossly misplaced penchant for first world industrial development (every home a steel mill) by the poorest country in the world. Further, this occurred after the rural population had been pushed by Japan into the mountains which cover much of China, which to start has only 7% of the world's arable land and 20% of its population. Read "The Good Earth" for a very graphic description of a pre-war famine scenario. Mao wasn't completely crazy, however, since China produces 70% of the world's steel, thanks in part to US tariffs by Trump and his hopelessly stupid advisor Peter Navarro who was so fixated on destroying China that he wrote several books predicting just that. Besides his term and mayor of San Diego, Peter had(has?) no other qualifications and we know how Trump wants to show he's better than China or its leaders. Trump and Navarro make Mao, the peasant leader, look like a genius.
You’re too much. LOL. They kill over 50 million people but wind up as a manufacturing economy so it’s good? Hopefully, as we reshore our own manufacturing we don’t have to incur these sort of casualties…
what about the #1 murderer in all recorded history? Ghengis kan?
Not to mention spreading his DNA far & wide probably more kids than any other man once alive & now dust?
USA military has murdered 27,000,000 foreigners in their own homelands.
Don’t you love those critics that seem to always portray Americans as bloodthirsty? Never provide the provocations or the wanton slaughter of the other side.
Please tell us how many American were killed by invasions, "government-change". or "wanton slaughter" operations from Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Panama, Brazil, Chile, Argentina--just to name a few of the countries in our hemisphere alone where US intervention has killed well beyond a million persons. I don't know that Americans in general are as bloodthirsty as you seem to be, but there's no question that the US Department of War has been since breaking the "Good Neighbor Policy" of 1933 by invading Guatemala on behalf of United Fruit Company (now Chiquita) in 1952. That policy enabled us to win WWII, primarily with the help of Chile alone as a direct result of providing the US war effort with copper for three (?) cents per pound--despite the relatively large German population in that country which had to be outvoted. Notice, we never did win over Argentina, which was not essential to the War effort anyway. Only Japan (in China) and Germany (in Europe) during WWII have worse records of slaughtering inhabitants of other countries. Prior to 1933 from 1899 (when our imperialist wars began) and since 1952 until today, YES, our Department of War can only be considered blood-thirsty. And that doesn't even count the slaughterhouse we fomented with Israel in Gaza or the words emanating from the filthy mouths of Trump and his number one advisor, Netanyahu. And besides protecting your hero, Trump, from the legal scrutiny of his Epstein activities and creating a greater Israel in the Middle East, what benefits have you or anyone else gained?
So the millions killed by Mao and before him, Stalin, don’t even get dishonorable mention? someone perhaps had torn pages out of your history book?
Trump had every intent of maximizing suffering (after complaining about the "30 thousand protesters killed", that he would have surely protected. Yuk, yuk. We are not imitating the heroes your father fought with. We (and Israel) and fabricating every possible excuse in order to imitate the Nazis. And, oh yeah, the girl students were studying in a war factory.
Ed if you want some facts before you talk trash check out this https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/mrs-magoo-friday-march-13-2026-c
I don’t talk trash. Never have. But I am a believer in straight talk. I’m a serious person.
The satellite pictures are available for all of us to see. The school was built adjacent to military facilities. Had been closed for construction recently. But here’s the larger issue. I’ll never deny that there will be unintentional collateral death in any war. But what you and others of your ilk try to do is implicate our forces in targeting civilians. I have no interest in your moral equivalence that seeks to make us as bad as your Islamist friends. People that exalt in strapping pipe bombs on their own children. You can’t go any lower than that. I see your attempt to equivocate as entirely disingenuous. Dishonest in the extreme.
Actually Ed the school was actually attached to the military installation. Also all schools were closed in Iran when the bombing started (except this one particular one). Want to read an enlightening article read coffee and Covid by Jeff Childers. https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/mrs-magoo-friday-march-13-2026-c It lays it out. He writes an amazing article daily. I can't afford the subscription but he has free daily articles that are witty and factual. He seems to have lots of connections for a lawyer.
Attached, part of or adjacent to. Regardless of the terminology employed, the Iranians were using civilians as human shields - which, in accordance to Geneva Conventions, is a War Crime. Thanks for the link. Good to read honest reporting, stripped of TDS.
The further clarification that all schools across Iran had been closed once the bombing began - except for this one - may, one day, be used to put some IRGC bastard on the business end of a knotted rope. In the meantime, let us all take notes as to who among our fellow "Americans" immediately blame our government and our military in alleging purposeful targeting of children. They are either completely ignorant of the rules of warfare we follow to avoid civilian casualties or are abject liars.
What do you mean “we” Kimosabe? I’m an American and a patriotic one at that. Not even sure where you reside or where your own loyalties lie.
Could have been a false flag? Iran fid it for propaganda?
There's an inquiry into the circumstances that is ongoing. I wrote in a previous comment (above) that those seeking always to trash the US will never cite the "other guys" casualties or provocations - and then use language such as "murdered" to characterize enemy casualties at the hands of our troops. Their kneejerk hatred of our nation is obvious..
Lets go a bit deeper: Most will remember the Mei Lai incident and the prosecution of Lt. William Calley for war crimes during Vietnam.
So, I challenge any critics of our US military to cite a comparable situation where any government other than the US prosecuted their own for war crimes.
SecWar Hegseth has announced an inquiry over the allegation of US forces purposely targeting children in a school. Lets see how that pans out and, lets also speak to the sort of mindset that attaches a military target to a Grammar school.
OMG, what will the Trump worshippers dream of next?
One doesn’t have to be a Trump worshiper to despise enemies of the nation.
For all those still on the Trump bandwagon you can be happy with this news. Eric and Don Jr aren't enlisting in the military but they are investing in a drone company that will be seeking Pentagon contacts. Like General Smedley Butler said "War is a Racket". Or George Carlin -It's a big club and you ain't in it.
So true, Cartero.
Bill once again you have distorted the facts in an effort mislead your readers. This kind of legacy media misdirection is akin to the misleading CNN and New York Times. You state "And Iran has its hands on the main valve". The suggestion here is that Iran has the power, by virtue of it's vast vast oil production, to control the price of oil on the world stage. Bill, Iran only produces only 3 to 5 percent of the world's oil production. The US, Saudi Arabia and Russia, in that order, produce most of the world's oil. Moreover, the US will be escorting oil tankers through the Straights of Hormuz, if not now, very soon. Your readers are old, educated and wise. They expect you to honor the faith they have put in you to provide accurate and honest commentary. You would do well to put your ideological lens aside and reports facts and then report your perspective on such facts and let your readers come to their own conclusions.
Escorting tankers very soon? Then why did Scott Bessent just say this: My belief is that as soon as it is militarily possible, the US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will be escorting vessels through."
Why is an international coalition needed to escort tankers when Whiskey Pete Hegseth just bragged about the strength of the US military?
...the U.S. could simply drop a few tactical nukes in and around Tehran and shut it down for years, in so crippling the available electrical generation Iran requires to engage.
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My understanding is they want to keep the lights on to enable the peoples of Iran to quickly rebuild.
An international coalition is precisely what is needed...
Then sign up to fight. Barron Von Trump and his brothers were at the recruiters today. They will lead us into battle. Sure. Just drop a few nukes. What could possibly go wrong? Maybe Nuttyyahoo will do just that. The Zionists do have the Samson Option. Read up on it. Then read about the USS Liberty.
...every nuclear country has the option.
The two most likely are Iran and NK.
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An international coalition would confirm to the masses and the medias that the global consensus agrees the current regime in Iran needs to go away...
MAD will negate the horrendous option you are endorsing, I hope
...not sure Mr. Un cares, particularly if he gets sick.
To Iran it's a religious omen "Mahdism".
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MAD only works when the leaders aren't.
“Just drop a few tactical nukes.”
Because the best way to keep nuclear weapons limited is to start using them again?
Remember that the United States is the only country ever to have used nuclear weapons in war.
Those 2 weapons were used so that my dad and hundreds of thousands of our gis would not be left rotting on a jap beach You know what you can do with that comment. You people really trip my trigger.
... read my posting again.
There are many very sound reasons not to engage in nuclear warfare.
I was answering Cartero as to why the U.S. needs international support.
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Regarding your quip about U.S. dropping the A-bomb...
Arguably the fire-bombing of Tokyo alone killed more citizens than Hiroshima.
It was a different era; patriots were still in Congress.
Almost 4 years of war, over a million casualties /deaths...
And 2 billion spent developing the bombs (28 billion today) the decision was imminent for many a reason.
Despite dropping two A-bombs, 67 large Japanese city fire-bombings and the Russian threat of ground troops entering mainland Japan.
The hard-liner faction of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy remained steadfast and refused to surrender.
They had to be killed in a coup.
What facts did Bill distort?
Regardless, sufficient for the informed among his readers is his remark, "Dear Readers certainly shouldn’t put too much faith in our geo-political insights."
"Dear Readers certainly shouldn’t put too much faith in our geo-political insights. But we will give them to you anyway. " On second thought don't, and go back to telling us about that old building that you are restoring on your property in Ireland.
Too cleaver
...that's Beaver's last name.
I like your response better than my own. I hadn't seen yours when I wrote something similar. gRichard
Concerning the image at the top of this piece. I have already run into more than one case of people posting still images and video from previous conflicts and even severe industrial accidents and attributing them to the recent events in the gulf. There is an old saying that truth is the first victim of war. People need to be aware that they know virtually nothing as to what is really going on. There are people on both sides with a vested interest in confusing, gaslighting, misinforming, BSing and downright lying to you. Anything you can't verify should be taken with a bulk shipper's load of salt...
excellent.
Yesterday I was asked by a reader if I thought everyone whom criticizes the government should leave the U.S. My answer, no, absolutely not. If only it were the case that these jackasses with TDS would open their minds and eyes to criticizing the government.
They won't.
They have an irreconcilable hard on for our President Donald Trump. It is as if they have consumed a bottle of viagra and DJT is their mistress. They talk as if he should be taken out, they don't like him. period. Starting with the inconsolable Billy Bonner who daily writes his diatribes, as Trump lives rent free in his brain.
If for example they would widen their scope to include the government it would lend creditability to their TDS inspired stance. What am I talking about? How about the (D)'s inability to look beyond the body politic and fund everyday Americans standing on the front lines of airport security for example. They (the (D's)) got 80% of their asks (Noem gone, body cameras in etc) yet they persist. Where is the criticism? Even if you do not agree with the assessment that 80% of the ask has been fulfilled, when do you put (as Fetterman has) country over party.
How about passing the Save America act which requires citizenship and a photo ID to vote. After all only 87% of the American population (including Democrats) are in favor of this but no, the (D)'s whom are apparently there as our representatives say no, F the voting public.
But not a word from Billy and those that bend a knee to him. He claims it is imperative to speculate on the President in order to understand stock market moves, but never ties the two together
What about the asshat schumer, who gives two shits only about political power and his ability to milk it for all the money he can get? Or Thune who flip flops like a fish on a beach? There are so many targets to be critical of, but no, in BB's and those who bend a knee on this board, it is all DJT's fault, full stop.
No they are not critical of the government, they are obsessed with the down fall of the US and putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of DJT, despite all the BS that has been performed by past Presidents. They offer no solutions, no financial impacts nor suggestions despite this "supposedly" being a financial newsletter.
AS for me, I think DJT in his 2nd term has made some good decisions and he has also made some bad. Personally, I (as almost all of you, including you Billy) only see his public persona and knowing what we know of that I would not want to have dinner with that buffoon.
However, insiders have said the public persona is nothing like the real DJT. Which apparently is quite a sociable, well spoken man. Just ask Bill Maher. So where does this leave us? Well as a paid up subscriber you are in until your renewal. No prorating, it is as if Billy knew he would be losing readers, so either continue reading his dribble and get caught up in the sometimes heated bs in response to his garbage or simply stay in the shadows. The choice is yours.
"so either continue reading his dribble and get caught up in the sometimes heated bs in response to his garbage or simply stay in the shadows. The choice is yours". ......... Yes Mr Working Stiff - Yes it is! What I see is BB making a few mild comments about matters of interest and his "readers" going bananas because they disagree - essentially with his right of free speech. Why do you get so upset. It is just one mans opinion. I really enjoy the comments section - but some of you "responders" need to calm down AND disclose your vested interest. What vested interest are you pushing?
Hey ,Stiff ,This is the most perfidious, detestable, and debased (piece of shit) bloviation I have seen in comments in some time. Here, I thought Bill, had got rid of bloviators like U.
BTW do U have a real name U are ashamed to use. I am a blue-collar working man and resent someone like U, who probably never did a day's work in Ur life using this moniker.
Bill, you're right about one thing. "Dear Readers, certainly shouldn’t put too much faith in our geo-political insights. " I couldn't agree more. Hopefully, sometime soon, you will pivot back to BPR's mission.
So Washington only said it because it was difficult to maintain foreign entanglements! He actually said "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world".
Imagine all the money we would have saved if we avoided all the Mideast wars.
But, Ed, you decry the religious nuts in Iran but no response to Netanyahu and the Amaleks? Remember the genocide we did to them!
But if you and Trump back this war would you like to see Baron Von Trump's enlistment in the military?
John Lennon?
Is that you?
... I ask most liberals this same question, and I believe it applies here:
What happens when your pursuit of happiness interferes with my pursuit of happiness?
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Imagine all the money we all could make if Iran were a country that instead chose to work with the U.S.?
Oh... that's right... it was... and to all I have witnessed..
Everyone wants to return to pre-1979 Iran.
Liberal? No way, José. I detest both parties. But why not return to pre 1953 Iran before the venerable CIA couped the democratically elected president there and installed a brutal corrupt dictator. I'm sure Americans like you wouldn't hold a grudge against a country that overthrew our government, installed a dictator and tortured and imprisoned the opposition.
Cartero, you are correct, I would likely be very angry.
Unless it were my enemies the brutal and corrupt dictator was eliminating.
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I have little understanding of Islam.
But from what I see...
If I were forced to abide by some of the dictums, I would be upset too....
For one I appreciate pretty women.
I will never understand the black bags...
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You refer to "like" and "feel" again.
Do you "like" seeing the lion rip the guts out of the baby gazelle?
It's survival!
Survival of whom? Is this war going to make the US a better place to live? Is more debt going to help future generations? But if this is about survival why is no one in the Trump family participating? Why aren't Trump's kids and grandkids running down to the local recruiters instead of trying to make money off the war? But speaking of Islamist extremists Donnie just had the new Syrian president Al-Jolani as a guest at the White House. Al-Jolani recently had a $10 million price tag on his head because he was the lead headchopper of ISIS. But Donnie looked on him affectionately, almost as if he was his lover. You must be angry at that. Oh, just to add, Netanyahu provided medical aid to ISIS fighters wounded during the Syrian war and provide funded to Hamas in order to keep the Palestinians divided. Wouldn't you like to see him taken out too?
... I do not want to see anyone "taken out" unless that person is a threat to the U.S.
We are in a sense debating whether it would have been wise to eliminate Hitler in 1939...
It seems you would rather wait until Iran had a nuke and the means to deliver.
To your standards at what point would it be appropriate eliminate Iran's ability to wage nuclear war?
Bombing Iran may increase the price of oil. It probably won’t cause Iran to surrender
We'll soon know if you are right
The "Air Wars" always ended when "Boots on the ground" were needed. Invasions in "the Middle East" should always remember the fiasco of "Gallipoli" !-Walter Oakes-annoakes4@aol.com
You cannot win a war without boots on the ground. That is basic to war fighting.
...the question today is "who's" boots?
Iran should have been dealt with years ago. The taking of the American Embassy and the holding of American citizens as hostages was an act of war and should have been handled as such. They have been responsible for numerous aggressions, threats and sponsored terrorism over the years. By now they have developed and obtained effective military capabilities and have bought many years of preparation. What would have been a cake walk in 1979 won't be so easy in 2026.
Bill is right about the US wars/invasions. How many has Iran done or any other country for that matter? US-800 or so military bases/facilities globally. Next closest? Russia-13 or so. Who's the problem?
...depends upon your POV.
As an American citizen I am very comforted knowing our military is strong.
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As a Russian I would be very concerned a small insignificant shit country with a contingent proxy provider can surmount a formidable defense, enough to drain Russia's coffers and make life complicated for her citizens.
In the 20th century, the UK engaged in the most military conflicts.
And still the only country to use nuclear weapons against an enemy....
Iran could have protected itself very easily Bill. They could have stopped financing their proxy terrorist mobs, stopped attacking Israel, slowed up on their religious rhetoric, maybe apologized for the hostage drama and got on with building a country that has the resources to become a model ME country.
Well your information is as good as mine, at best, incomplete.
Lay siege to Israel, arrest Bibi, his henchmen, and the Mossad apparatchiks, and let the healing of the world begin.
In other words, Tikkun olam!
Tikkun olam is a religious concept in Judaism.
Which refers to various forms of action intended to repair and improve the world.
I learn something here every day...
I noticed you referred to the Jewish concept.
Why not the Islamic one?
Would it be because they have none?
I was being ironical.
To Talmudic jews Tikkun olam means repairing and improving the world on their terms, which is bad news for us non-jews (or goy or "cattle" to them).
Islam is concerning and should be dealt with in due time, but the near term existential threat to the world are Zionist/Talmudic jews and their illegal, apartheid ethno-state called "Israel".
...I may have this all wrong, but to simplify my very limited understanding:
Jews and Muslims share many "replicated" traditions.
Strikingly more than any other competing religions...
And both value the Old Testament.
What Charlamagne did to and for Christianity, Mohammod did to Islam.
The only way to be sure a snake can't bite ...is to cut off it's head! As a member of the Vietnam class mid sixties, I know the "political class" wouldn't allow our bombers to finish the job and as a result, we left in the job unfinished. 50,000 of our guys killed, about 250,000 wounded. There's always a lot of talkers but very few do'ers.
Let the military finish the job.
Jim Marshall