The blowback has begun
First, let’s begin by a quick summary of what has taken place (note: this info is still coming in, so there might be corrections once the official sources make their official statements).
- Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdl Mahdi has now officially revealed that the US had asked him to mediate between the US and Iran and that General Qassem Soleimani to come and talk to him and give him the answer to his mediation efforts. Thus, Soleimani was on an OFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC MISSION as part of a diplomatic initiative INITIATED BY THE USA.
- The Iraqi Parliament has now voted on a resolution requiring the government to press Washington and its allies to withdraw their troops from Iraq.
- Iraq’s caretaker PM Adil Abdul Mahdi said the American side notified the Iraqi military about the planned airstrike minutes before it was carried out. He stressed that his government denied Washington permission to continue with the operation.
- The Iraqi Parliament has also demanded that the Iraqi government must “work to end the presence of any foreign troops on Iraqi soil and prohibit them from using its land, airspace or water for any reason“
- The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said that Baghdad had turned to the UN Security Council with complaints about US violations of its sovereignty.
- Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said the parliamentary resolution to end foreign troop presence in the country did not go far enough, calling on local and foreign militia groups to unite. I also have confirmation that the Mehdi Army is being re-mobilized.
- The Pentagon brass is now laying the responsibility for this monumental disaster on Trump (see here). The are now slowly waking up to this immense clusterbleep and don’t want to be held responsible for what is coming next.
- For the first time in the history of Iran, a Red Flag was hoisted over the Holy Dome Of Jamkaran Mosque, Iran. This indicates that the blood of martyrs has been spilled and that a major battle will now happen. The text in the flag says “Oh Hussein we ask for your help” (unofficial translation 1) or “Rise up and avenge al-Husayn” (unofficial translation 2)
- The US has announced the deployment of 3’000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne to Kuwait.
- Finally, the Idiot-in-Chief tweeted the following message, probably to try to reassure his freaked out supporters: “The United States just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment. We are the biggest and by far the BEST in the World! If Iran attacks an American Base, or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way…and without hesitation!“. Apparently, he still thinks that criminally overspending for 2nd rate military hardware is going to yield victory…
Analysis
Well, my first though when reading these bullet points is that General Qasem Soleimani has already struck out at Uncle Shmuel from beyond his grave. What we see here is an immense political disaster unfolding like a slow motion train wreck. Make no mistake, this is not just a tactical “oopsie”, but a major STRATEGIC disaster. Why?
For one thing, the US will now become an official and totally illegal military presence in Iraq. This means that whatever SOFA (Status Of Forces Agreement) the US and Iraq had until now is void.
Second, the US now has two options:
- Fight and sink deep into a catastrophic quagmire or
- Withdraw from Iraq and lose any possibility to keep forces in Syria
Both of these are very bad because whatever option Uncle Shmuel chooses, he will lost whatever tiny level of credibility he has left, even amongst his putative “allies” (like the KSA which will now be left nose to nose with a much more powerful Iran than ever before).
The main problem with the current (and very provisional) outcome is that both the Israel Lobby and the Oil Lobby will now be absolutely outraged and will demand that the US try to use military power to regime change both Iraq and Iran.
Needless to say, that ain’t happening (only ignorant and incurable flag-wavers believe the silly claptrap about the US armed forces being “THE BEST”).
Furthermore, it is clear that by it’s latest terrorist action the USA has now declared war on BOTH Iraq and Iran.
This is so important that I need to repeat it again:
The USA is now at war, de-facto and de-jure, with BOTH Iraq and Iran.
I hasten to add that the US is also at war with most of the Muslim world (and most definitely all Shias, including Hezbollah and the Yemeni Houthis).
Next, I want to mention the increase in US troop numbers in the Middle-East. An additional 3’000 soldiers from the 82nd AB is what would be needed to support evacuations and to provide a reserve force for the Marines already sent in. This is NOWHERE NEAR the kind of troop numbers the US would need to fight a war with either Iraq or Iran.
Finally, there are some who think that the US will try to invade Iran. Well, with a commander in chief as narcissistically delusional as Trump, I would never say “never” but, frankly, I don’t think that anybody at the Pentagon would be willing to obey such an order. So no, a ground invasion is not in the cards and, if it ever becomes an realistic option we would first see a massive increase in the US troop levels, we are talking several tens of thousands, if not more (depending on the actual plan).
No, what the US will do if/when they attack Iran is what Israel did to Lebanon in 2006, but at a much larger scale. They will begin by a huge number of airstrikes (missiles and aircraft) to hit:
- Iranian air defenses
- Iranian command posts and Iranian civilian and military leaders
- Symbolic targets (like nuclear installations and high visibility units like the IRGC)
- Iranian navy and coastal defenses
- Crucial civilian infrastructure (power plants, bridges, hospitals, radio/TV stations, food storage, pharmaceutical installations, schools, historical monuments and, let’s not forget that one, foreign embassies of countries who support Iran). The way this will be justified will be the same as what was done to Serbia: a “destruction of critical regime infrastructure” (what else is new?!)
Then, within about 24-48 hours the US President will go on air an announce to the world that it is “mission accomplished” and that “THE BEST” military forces in the galaxy have taught a lesson to the “Mollahs”. There will be dances in the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (right until the moment the Iranian missiles will start dropping from the sky. At which point the dances will be replaced by screams about a “2nd Hitler” and the “Holocaust”).
Then all hell will break loose (I have discussed that so often in the past that I won’t go into details here).
In conclusion, I want to mention something more personal about the people of the US.
Roughly speaking, there are two main groups which I observed during my many years of life in the USA.
Group one: is the TV-watching imbeciles who think that the talking heads on the idiot box actually share real knowledge and expertise. As a result, their thinking goes along the following lines: “yeah, yeah, say what you want, but if the mollahs make a wrong move, we will simply nuke them; a few neutron bombs will take care of these sand niggers“. And if asked about the ethics of this stance, the usual answer is a “f**k them! they messed with the wrong guys, now they will get their asses kicked“.
Group two: is a much quieter group. It includes both people who see themselves as liberals and conservatives. They are totally horrified and they feel a silent rage against the US political elites. Friends, there are A LOT of US Americans out there who are truly horrified by what is done in their name and who feel absolutely powerless to do anything about it. I don’t know about the young soldiers who are now being sent to the Middle-East, but I know a lot of former servicemen who know the truth about war and about THE BEST military in the history of the galaxy and they are also absolutely horrified.
I can’t say which group is bigger, but my gut feeling is that Group Two is much bigger than Group One. I might be wrong.
I am now signing off but I will try to update you here as soon as any important info comes in.
The Saker
UPDATE1: according to the Russian website Colonel Cassad, Moqtada al-Sadr has officially made the following demands to the Iraqi government:
- Immediately break the cooperation agreement with the United States.
- Close the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
- Close all U.S. military bases in Iraq.
- Criminalize any cooperation with the United States.
- To ensure the protection of Iraqi embassies.
- Officially boycott American products.
Cassad (aka Boris Rozhin) also posted this excellent caricature:
UPDATE2: RT is reporting that “One US service member, two contractors killed in Al-Shabaab attack in Kenya, two DoD personnel injured“. Which just goes to prove my point that spontaneous attacks are what we will be seeing first and that the retaliation promised by Iran will only come later.
UPDATE3: al-Manar reports that two rockets have landed near the US embassy in Baghdad.
UPDATE4: Zerohedge is reporting that Iranian state TV broadcasted an appeal made during the funeral procession in which a speaker said that each Iranian ought to send one dollar per person (total 80’000’000 dollars) as a bounty for the killing of Donald Trump. I am trying to get a confirmation from Iran about this.
UPDATE5: Russian sources claim that all Iranian rocket forces have been put on combat alert.
UPDATE6: the Russian heavy rocket cruiser “Marshal Ustinov” has cross the Bosphorus and has entered the Mediterranean.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdl Mahdi has now officially revealed that the US had asked him to mediate between the US and Iran and that General Qassem Soleimani to come and talk to him and give him the answer to his mediation efforts. Thus, Soleimani was on an OFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC MISSION as part of a diplomatic initiative INITIATED BY THE USA.
If this is true, it makes America’s murder of General Soleimani even more outrageous. This would be like the USA sending an American regime official to some other country for a negotiation only to have him/her drone striked in the process!
America reveals its malign character as even more sick that even its opponents have thought possible.
Perhaps, Iran should request that Mike Pompeo come to Baghdad for a negotiation about General Soleimani ‘s murder and then “bug splat” Pompeo’s fat ass from a drone!
“For one thing, the US will now become an official and totally illegal military presence in Iraq. This means that whatever SOFA (Status Of Forces Agreement) the US and Iraq had until now is void.”
-I actually read somewhere that the Iraqi government is just a caretaker government and even thought it voted to remove foreign forces, it is not actually legally binding.
Anyone that can conform or deny?
I’m no lawyer. I don’t see why that would matter. If a caretaker government is presented with a crisis, why would it not have the authority to act?
That said, It could be the line the US government chooses to use to insist its presence is still legal. If course the MSM will repeat and repeat and make it seem real.
My understanding is that the Parliament has passed the resolution (law). It will now have to be implemented by the PM who still needs to be formalised into his position. The PM could be the current one or another person.
In any case these are formalities to be followed and does not materially affect the Parliament decision.
Not the entire government. Only the PM Mahdi as far as I understand. He resigned after some protests. The parliament approved his resignation on Dec 2019. He is the caretaker until they appoint another PM.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/29/iraq-pm-resign-protests-abdul-mahdi-al-sistani
Couldn’t agree more. When I read that my jaw dropped and I’m sure my eyes went huge. I just couldn’t believe they could be that stupid, or that immoral, that sunk in utter utter depravity. They truly are those who have not one shred of decency, and thus have no way of recognising or understanding what decency is. Pure psychopath – an inability to grasp the emotions, values, and world view of those who are normal. This truly is beyond the pale, and this above everything else will ensure the revenge the heartbroken people of Iran are seeking. May God bless them.
Pamela… Fully agree with your comment. They are pure psychopaths who are now endangering all our lives with their unbelievably reckless actions.
And Trump is even doubling down on his threats to strike Iran.
Absolutely mind boggling.
When you accept that, based on their behavior, governments are essentially criminal business syndicates, then it all makes perfect sense.
Pompeo is trained to lie cheat and steal.
American History: the US military often invited American Indian Chiefs to a “Pow Wow” to settle things peacefully with talk. They often killed the chief or imprisoned him and then exported him a thousand miles from his tribal lands to rot in prison. This is how America has always acted. Murder is policy.
So, if they baited the General by this ruse of diplomacy, it is SOP for the Hegemon.
Another point, on the troops the US now has available. Cassad has an article that delineates 110,000-120,000 troops in striking distance to Iraq-Iran. It’s a lot. But I would think they would need 2x-3x that number if real land war breaks out.
https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/5543349.html
Clearly, the US cannot cut and run from Iraq, then Syria. Trump will be JFK’d before that happens.
To leave the region will mean Israel is left alone with only its nukes in self-defense. And of course, if Israel used them, they will be obliterated by rockets and missiles and fires turning their cities to ashes, a true holocaust delivered by whatever means and from whatever sources necessary.
The stakes the US holds in Iraq-Syria (they are tied as if one) are the stakes they are bound to like a condemned man before a firing squad or a sacrifice to a bonfire. Unless they let go, they will perish, men and machines.
The US has miscalculated as always. All they can do now is add more blood to the mistake, and prepare to lose in an ignominious disaster. This the path they are on, Trump, Pompeo and the Generals.
Soleimani by his devotion to his religion and loyalty to his nation and the men who fought and died for him and alongside him has delivered a victory that is certain. His self-sacrifice has severed the head from the body of the Hegemon by its own hand, with its own weapon. Everyone now can watch the death throes.
Before taking his own life, Adolf Hitler appointed Admiral Karl Donitz to succeed him as Chancellor of Germany – it was Hitler’s duty as Chancellor to appoint his successor.
Donitz was surprised by his appointment but immediately set about forming a government. The Donitz government was recognised by the allied powers and the surrender of German forces on the Western and the Eastern fronts was negotiated with the Donitz government. Soon thereafter, Donitz and the ministers he had appointed – the last legitimate German government – were invited to a meeting on a US navy ship where they were kidnapped at gunpoint.
Donitz was sentenced to eleven years of imprisonment at the show trial in Nuremberg. Upon his release he passed he lived out his years in Hamburg.
Admiral Karl Donitz was a hugely respected military man. Naval protocol requires the senior officer of any naval ship entering a port to pay respect to the most senior sailor in the port and Donitz was duly visited by the most senior officers of naval ships sailing under every flag for the remainder of his life, much to the embarrassment of the puppet regime installed by the occupying powers.
By way of deception …
Nicely written. I have followed military history, yet missed what you speak of… it raises the healrt, to know there is respect still in force in the world.
Blows my mind that Americans believe their property is safe and their families could never experience the types of atrocities their own government engages in, overseas, here at home. They have a long record of so doing.
Who broke the Fort Laramie Treaty? Why, the United States Government, of course! And for what cause? Greed: gold was found in the Black Hills in Dakota Territory. And with that, the Sioux and the Cheyenne were slated for extermination.
Treaties, accords, and agreements made with the US Government are meaningless; they don’t even abide by their own laws.
I have a foreboding that Karmic Justice and Collective Karma are about the strike the united states of evil. Eye for eye, limb for limb, life for life. Karma is a bitch. The evil empire will be a wasteland with limbless torsos scattered.
Truly a knife-in-the-back perfidious act.
The act of creepy cowards.
Have the American people become so craven that they can no longer see that fundamental ethical boundaries must be acknowledged to maintain a person’s, a nation’s, honor?
Even Americans should be able to grasp this.
“The dirty little coward
Who shot Mr. Howard
Has laid Jesse James in his grave.”
Unfortunately, the exceptionalism idea for many means “no holds barred” for us.
TV-watching Americans must be made to understand that this act of “dirty little cowards” has openly and universally besmirched the nation’s honor. If they don’t see it, that is how the world sees it.
Why should any American now expect a shred of mercy of any kind?
Cackling at the brutal murder of Gaddafi was bad enough.
But this is far worse.
Carefully planned and schemed. .
A heinous—and ur-stupid—act carried out with malice aforethought.
Katherine
Which American people do you think made any decisions related to the current instability and dangerous times? The quickest way for you to lose any perceived moral high ground, justified or not, is to lump in the entire citizenry of a country with a politician whom the vast majority of them have been fighting to remove, or at the very least, rein in to civilized and reasonable behavior.
I am asking the very old question :
“cui prodest ? ” ( and the aswer is NOT Trump )
Anonymous
It would appear that General Soleimani was set up for assassination. The US obviously used that scene from the movie Godfather II, where Michael Corleone was set up for assassination, which he avoided. This mafia style execution will do immense damage to the US, not least in the eyes of American NATO allies. US foreign policy is going from bad to worse.
Exactly.
A mafia-type hit job.
But the Italians weren’t in charge of this hit.
The Israelis were.
The crime syndicate that is the Israeli state.
Of course the US media insists that he was just coming for the funeral of those who the Americans killed in their retaliatory air raids. Liars to the end.
Iran and honest Americans have a common enemy: the U.S. Government.
Well, this is going to be interesting for sure. I for one cannot see any way out for the Yankees, so I expect them to do their usual doubling down….
Assassinate some more people, airstrikes etc.
The US Armed Forces do not need to be ‘THE BEST”. All they need is mountains of second rate ordinance to re-bury Iraq bury Iran under rubble. They can then keep their forces in tightly fortified compounds and bomb the c**p out of any one who wants to ‘steal their oil’, or any one who wants to ‘steal the land promised by God to the Chosen People’. The U.S. has always previously been limited in their avarice for destruction by their desire to be viewed as the ‘good guy’. This limitation has now been stripped away. There is now nothing to stop the AngloZionist entity except naked force in return.
As the Saker says, ‘all hell will break loose ‘.
“realistic option we would first see a massive increase in the US troop levels, we are talking several tens of thousands, if not more (depending on the actual plan).”
-There is an interesting article on colonal cassad about this, USA actually has around 100k troops in ME spread out over various bases.
https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/5543349.html
Yes, but these are not part of a single force, many of these are more a target than a threat. Besides, they need to be concentrated into a a few single forces to actually participate in an invasion.
The Saker
To understand troop size and relevance think along these lines. For every US front line soldier there will be 5 others in support roles, logistics etc. So for every front line fighting Marine there will be 5 others who got him there and who support him in his work. 10,000 front line fighting troops means 50,000 troops shipping out to the borders of Iran. I think perhaps you would need 100,000 US front line troops for an invasion AND occupation (because we all know if they go in they aren’t going to leave quickly) We’re talking about half a million US troops, this simply isn’t going to happen for multiple reasons, not least they need to amass at some form of base (probably Iraq – yeah right) maybe Kuwait? They’d just be a constant sitting target. Saker is correct in that if this goes down it’s going to be an air campaign (will the Iranians use the S300s they have?) and possibly Navy supported. the Israelis will help out but in turn make themselves targets at home for rocket attacks. Again I can’t see it happening, it would take too long to arrange plus from the moment it kicks off every US base, individual is just a target to the majority of anti US forces spread across the whole middle east. I expect back door diplomacy, probably to little effect, and a ham fisted token blitz of cruise missiles and drone bombs at Iranian infrastructure, sadly this will not work for the Americans, we will have a long running campaign on ME ground but also mass terrorist activity across the US and some of its allies. Its a best guess scenario but if that plays out whatever happens to Iran this war will be another long running death by a 1000 cuts for the US and will guarantee Trump does not get re-elected.
Whoever sold this to Trump (Bolton via Pompeo? Bibi?) has really lit the touch paper of ruin. Yes it stinks of Netanyahoo but it also reaks of full strength neocon, Bolton style. Trump is dumb enough to fall for it and obviously did.
Noticed how bibi the bibi gun keeps saying all credit goes to trump?
I know these guys are cowards and rats but aren’t they all about tough guy optics?
The guy is loudly, hysterically saying it’s all trump.
Anybody know what’s happening at in Kremlin? The Presidents website usually posts updates everyday but it seems to be quiet.
1. To read the Colonel Cassad website in English or any other language, just go to https://translate.yandex.com/ and then paste in the Cassad URL, which is given above but again, it’s https://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/ The really nice thing is that when you click on links, Yandex Translate automatically translates those links. Two problems, though. 1. For some unknown reason, Yandex always first translates Cassad as English-to-Russian, and then you have to click on a little window near the top left, to again request Russian-to-English and then it translates everything fine. I do not experience this problem when using Yandex on any other website. 2. Unlike what Benders-Lee intended when he invented the web browser, the “back button” almost doesn’t work on Yandex Translate. So always right-click to open links in a new tab.
2. The US could probably carry out a large number of air attacks, but the Iranian response would be to destroy all the Gulf oil facilities AND everything worth bombing in Israel. This potential for offense is Iran’s best defense, and, I think, the main reason why there hasn’t been a war. Iran’s air defense missiles are probably more effective than the lying MSM will admit, and might shoot down a large percentage of the humans and aluminum the US would throw at Iran, but it’s a matter of attrition, and Iran would suffer grave damage. We can’t rule out that that might be the plan since the Empire is run by psychopaths. A US Army elite training manual, from 2012 in Kansas, implied that by 2020, Europe would not be a major power. Perhaps they were thinking that Europe would go out of business from a lack of Persian Gulf oil.
3. As for a ground war against Iran, I don’t think the US or even the US with the former NATO coalition, would have any hope and they know it. A real invasion force would require at least 250,000 troops, probably 500,000, maybe more. 80 million very determined and united Iranians, many of whom who don’t fear martyrdom, would make the Vietnam War look like a bad picnic with fire ants. Yes, Vietnam had jungle for guerillas to hide behind, but South Vietnamese society was divided and many supported the Americans. Iran has no such division. Even the Arab province of Khuzestan would stand united, knowing how the Shiite Arabs are mistreated in the Eastern Province and in Kuwait.
Easier to download the Yandex Browser and use it for foreign language news and blogs. It translates automatically and it is a very good Chrome-based browser. I’ve used it for years as my primary browser.
…just “copy and paste” in your favorite translator… ;)
Regards..!
If only they could “scatter” these mercenaries so they roamed the land, terrorising the peasants, they could do something!
“They can then keep their forces in tightly fortified compounds…”
…eating and drinking what? When no Iraqi will even speak to them, let alone do anything for them.
Count me in as part of group two. As a former U.S. Army service member I can assure anyone reading this that this action is an historic strategic mistake. What the Saker has outlined above is very likely. There is most probably no way to walk back now. Who in the ME would negotiate with the U.S. Government? Their perfidy is well known. Many citizen in this country feel like they are held hostage by a government that doesn’t represent their interests or feelings. I hope the people in the ME know this.
Since the folks in the ME know that the US is a “pretend democracy” they also realize that the people of the USA are just as oppressed by the AngloZionist regime as the people abroad. Frankly, I have traveled on a lot of countries and I have never come across anything like real hostility towards the US American people. The very same people who hate Uncle Shmuel very much enjoy US music, literature, movies, novel ideas, etc. I believe that the Empire is truly hated across the globe, but not the people of the USA.
Kind regards
The Saker
As long as people of the USA tolerate their government criminal activities around the world, and this is happening for last 70 years, I don’t agree with your comment. These crimes are commited in the name of people of the USA, who are doing nothing to prevent them. As for movies coming from US, most of them are propaganda about ‘exceptional nation’. No thanks.
There is nothing that can be done about the powers that be at this current time, in the future a fairy tales people pass naturally and the mechanism to proceed legally very well shall arrive.
The USA is an occupied country.
Setting aside the foaming-at-the-mouth nutbar chickenhawks stupid enough to actually _want_ war, good people of conscience have less than zero say in what happens, both here and abroad.
USD crash and/or loss of Reserve Currency status – or alternatively, kinetic military defeat abroad – are the only ways to stop this current, state of affairs that I can see.
Put a dollar on a gallon of “gas” and there would be a revolution. Murder a million in Iraqi and no one gives a dam. Thats all I need to know about the “nice” yanks and for that matter probably most people around the world.
Well over 95% of people only care about themselves. Where are the crowds on the streets of London in defence of Julian Assange, were are the crowds on the streets of the USA in defence of Chelsea Manning… Just a few lonely figures turned up but you get thousands for a football match.
People pretend to be nice but there not. They want to believe there nice but there not. Judge people by there actions not there words
“ … Where are the crowds on the streets of London … “
People are discouraged by previous unsuccessful attempts – in 2003, one million people showed up in London, trying to stop war on Iraq…
The United States of America is not a democracy, it is a constitutional republic. That being said, the fall elections are going to be of significant interest.
With kindest regards
Auslander
The u.s. CONstit. Was abolished in 1933 and the sheeple are under UCC-Universal Commercial Code. The president is a dictator. CONgress gave him tha power in 1933. So keep dreaming about Constit.Republic. The United States= D.C.!
Did “your Representative told you that?
No! Keep dreaming. The U.S./ D.C. is the 4th Reich (0of the rich) and not Const.Republic.
₩
Fall elections? I don’t think there will be any election. By then the evil empire will just be a wraith of its former self.
Couldn’t agree with you less Saker. They share the spoils of war, generation after generation. From the killing of indigenous population to neocolonial resource extraction today, they get their cut. You cannot have it both ways, enjoying the spoils of war and hiding behind invalid rationalizations, pretending you have no-thingz to do with that.
This is actually confirmed by Hassan Nasrallah who stipulated that no US civilians should be targets for reprisal in his speech today. Unfortunately, the sons and daughters of many US civilians are likely to suffer when military targets are hit.
Regarding the anti-war movement and marches against war, be assured that social media monitoring is in full flow and the establishment will know exactly how far they can push any given scenario.
The public should not be afraid to make some noise in support of peace, the truth needs no defence (unlike lies), it just needs a voice.
Keep up the great work Saker, blessed are the peacemakers.
Russian TV says that there were anti-war demonstrations in 80 (!) US cities.
I don’t have the time to check whether this is true, but it sure sounds credible to me.
The Saker
Greetings Mr. Saker,
This information is true. I personally took part in the march in Denver, Colorado. I would estimate we had about 500 people, which is a lot more than most anti-war protests have ever gotten in recent memory.
Do not count out the possibility of a sudden large and massive anti-war movement suddenly springing out of nowhere.
Unfortunately, I do not see how “peaceful” protests will accomplish anything on their own. Rioting may be necessary. The system needs to be shut down and commerce slow to a crawl so that nobody may ignore this.
Thank you for this precious confirmation!
And keep up the good fight!
Kind regards
The Saker
anonymous, fellow Coloradoan here, would appreciate some info on where I need to look for the next one,. I will be there
As I am aware, the people organizing these demonstrations are the people of @codepink and @answercoalition, who previosuly participated in keeping the Venezuelan Embassy from coupist intruders until they were ousted by force.
I saw the announcment in the Twitter account of Morgan Artyukhina, but, today she is reporting her Twitter account has been shut off. It seems that harsh censure along with kinda apartheid measures in the Canadian/US border against Iranian-Americans have started.
Take care and God bless you.
Anonymous-thanks for your comment. Years ago (around 07) my sweetie and I took part in a small but meaningful anti-war protest in Myrtle Beach SC (20-25 people). Interesting reactions from the drivers-by. Motorcycle weekend was in full roar, about half of the bikers yelled their gross stupid obscenities, and half of the bikers gave us clenched fist salutes and yelled Right On! Brave People! Thank You! etc. No riot was needed at that time, the anti war statement was duly noted. My main concern now would be about agent provocateurs. If you are going to join a protest find out real quick who exactly you are with, and if they try goading you into doing something that you don’t agree with, move on quick and go hang out with another bunch.
Let’s try to favor boycotts of different kinds over the riots. We have got to hit the dark lords in their pocketbooks.
For what it’s worth, this is my 27th day alcohol free. Pray for my continuing victory regarding this. Expensive habit!! Thank you!
I attended a peace demonstration in Binghamton, NY yesterday. It’s a small city, and only about 30 people came out.
Unfortunately, 2 of those who spoke via the open mic referred to Soleimani as a “terrorist.” WTF.
Others who spoke urged everyone to vote Democrat.
You can find the video on YouTube.
This is the sad state of the so-called left in the US…close to non-existent.
On a very short notice more than 100 demonstrations were held on Jan 4.
Big antiwar demonstrations are announced for Jan 25.
Follow:
USA: CodePink
UK: Stop the War Coalition
World: World BEYOND War Events Map
The Iranian officials have asured nobody will target US citizens, only military and officials.
Stay in peace, you are not dealing with uncivilized thugs here.
“There is most probably no way to walk back now. Who in the ME would negotiate with the U.S. Government? ”
Probably the only “walk-back” would be to accept Trump’s offer of a “proportionate” sacrificial offering such as a public beheading of, say, Pompeo or Pence. And if these men were heros, they would offer themselves to avoid a world conflagration.
I think that would work. But the Americans do not possess any such heros.
Martyrs.
Katherine
Yes. I am thinking about the Deagel.com numbers again. They’re starting to come into better focus.
http://www.deagel.com/country/forecast.aspx
I agree that there will first be a period of violent confusion, followed by — well, what sane person even wants to think about what possible horrors lie ahead?
The threat of one or more spectacular false flag attacks to further fan the flames would also appear to be a possibility.
Real evil has been unleashed, that is clear. The empire has decided to fight, and to fight very dirty.
Wasn’t the Saker working in the employ of the US or NATO when they attacked Srbija without cause? Because that was my understanding.
Actually, no. I was working at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research.
But thanks for showing everybody how ugly, petty and clueless ad hominem using trolls can be!
The Saker
Looks like our Nikolai is a Canvas Otpor Belgrade troll.
Or perhaps not Serbian at all…
This blog HAS been the target of Serbian (by passport if not by spirit) trolls in the past. Frankly, right now I am too busy with the Iran situation to clean up, but I will do it when things calm down (assuming they will, which they might not for a LONG while…).
Either way, there are trolls everywhere, including Serbians and Russians. We all have our black sheep, don’t we?
That is why I don’t judge a nation by a few individuals.
Kind regards
The Saker
Serbia has a big problem with the 5th Columnists. Nowadays many refer to them using the term ‘Second Serbia’ (Druga Srbija). These folks, Titoist by ideology, dominate the culture scene, NGO’s, a good chunk of the media and have their people in the government. Every now and then they threaten with Civil War and lament they didn’t kill enough people post 1945 and how the US didn’t bomb us enough.
Though I’m not sure if he’s Serbian at all, ‘Nikolai’ isn’t even a Serbian name.
@Mairon, sadly, all too true…
Well let’s hope it’s only one sheep and not an entire flock that turns up. Right now, there appears to be large number of trolls everywhere on social media, and they seem coordinated. South Front, Moon of Alabama, Unz (check out comments beneath the most recent Philip Giraldi article) twitter feeds of Magnier and Syrian girl…
Deleting comments may be required.
Be well Saker! Your coverage of this craziness has been fantastic!
“I can’t say which group is bigger, but my gut feeling is that Group Two is much bigger than Group One. I might be wrong.”
My personal observation is unfortunately the opposite. I think the population that is over 40 is probably leans 80% toward the TV-watching imbecile category with zero critical thinking abilities and exposure to four plus decades of propaganda. The population under 40 is largely too apathetic to have an opinion and unwilling to engage in research.
History will most likely play out in disaster resulting from a corrupt ruling class, systemic institutional rot, and brain-washed public not realizing what’s happened.
I will hazard a guess and say there are far more men than women in Group 1, and many more draft-age young adults of both sexes in Group 2.
But by and large a disturbing number of people in America regard world events as being akin to a football game, with Team A and Team B and a score to be kept. If things don’t appear to be going well for their “team,” they speak and behave irrationally, with crass statements like “nuke the whole place and turn it into a glass parking lot.” Impressive, isn’t it? Grown adults, comporting themselves like overindulged little children, always accustomed to getting their way – and displaying a terrifying willingness to set the whole house on fire when they don’t.
It is a spiritual illness which pollutes the USA. Terrible things will have to happen before the society can become well, again …
Most Americans ARE overindulged children.
Even if only 20% of the population join us, that will be enough. Because guess what? The TV-watching imbeciles are fat, lazy, and they won’t do anything to support the government either, and they definitely aren’t brave enough to get in the way of an angry mob…
About 50% of UK people opposed the UK intervention into Iraq….1 m people held marches on London and cities…..made no difference.
Its not just the US that’s braindead. This from a once reputable newspaper in the UK
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/05/boris-johnson-calls-de-escalation-iran-us-killing-ofgeneral/
Its behind a paywall so you only get the first few paragraphs – frankly all you need. BUT its the comments that tell the story!
It’s interesting to me, this comment of Sakers’. I have been thinking, with these revelations of the utter depravity and total lack of what was once called “honour ” and treating the enemy with respect, of a few instances which seemed to show me that not all of America was like this.
There is a scene in the much loved but short lived** TV series “Firefly” in which the rebel “outsider” spaceship Captain offers a doctor on the run a berth with them. The Doctor says “but you dont like me. You could kill me in my sleep” to which the Captain replies “Son, you dont know me yet, So let me tell you know, If i ever try to kill you, you will be awake, you will be facing me, and you will be armed”
Exactly I thought. There is a Code of Honour by which battles used to be fought. This latest by US has shown how low it’s Ruling Regime is, that is doesn’t not see that. But from examples like the above, I gathered that there are people in America who still hold to it closely – and that’s good to know.
** Short lived because it showed as it’s heroes a group of people who lived outside the Ruling Tyrannical Regime, who had fought for Independence and lost, and now lived “by their wits” and not always according to law. Not surprising that the rulers of US weren’t going to allow that to go to air!!
An excellent point.
I said my wife just this morning on the way to the airport, “it says a lot about America that they would kill an elderly man with a missile solely because he is true to his convictions.”
Wasn’t the Saker working in the employ of the US and NATO when they attacked and bombed Srbija without cause? Because that was my understanding.
Thanks, now we all know how good your “understanding” is!
The Saker :-P
Unfortunately I believe the largest group in the USA is the “nuke ‘em group”. All of my friends watch Fox and none have an understanding of the empire.
Sake thank you as always for your excellent work. What do you think Iran will attack first?
The double post by Nikolai and the entirely bogus comment is standard practice for trolls. Please give him the big boot.
He will probably disappear by himself since now is reputation here is roadkill.
Yes, he might use another alias, but we will give him the boot anyway :-)
After all, isn’t this blog “the most censured blog on the Internet”, at least according to the trolls which have been shown the door :-)
The Saker
Or, the Saker could e-mail me – since he has my e-mail – and we could dialogue with each other, and clear up any misunderstandings.
You know, people talking. It helps a lot.
The cavalier “nuke ‘em all” remark is something I commonly hear in American social settings – not just over the past few days but for many years. I struggle to comprehend it.
I suppose one way to look at it is that the aggregate of American adults can be viewed as arrogant, spoiled children who, despite their neighbors’ well-intentioned warnings, insist on experimenting with fire.
In the end, the only way they will learn not to do so, is by being burned.
I suspect that we’re drawing closer to that moment, right now …
Nikolai:
What is your point?
If you think the Saker is some kind of sleeper or criminal, why not just boycott his blog and spare the rest of us here your pot shots.
Katherine
Thanks Saker for this discussion/information space you provide when nothing is very trustworthy and on what is a holiday week end for you.
Two points:
Never underestimate the perfidy of the Kurds. They held back on the censure/withdrawal vote in the Iraqi\
parliament and are probably offering withdrawal airport space for US military.
And Agreed, about most Americans being absolutely horrified and ashamed.Even Alex Jones had to put Syrian Girl on and to post her on video.banned. One of his callers demanded that Alex apologize to his listening audience on “bended knee” for his support of Trump’s attack on Iran. When Alex tried to schmooze
the irate caller—The man started yelling—“Who cares, Alex, who cares about Iran…my neighbors have no jobs
and are dying from drug overdoses. who cares about Israel? Let them take care of themselves.”
Trump has sealed his own fate on many levels and ours her in looneylandia. It is said that a nation gets the leadership it deserves. We are about to become a nation of the yard-sale.
Whew, this is something to chew on and try to digest. That first point jumped right off the page. General Soleimani was on an official diplomatic mission, requested by the U.S.! They set him up and were waiting for him to get in his car at the airport and go onto the road.
The entire world will know there is no way to justify this. It is just as ugly as the public murder of JFK. They have zero credibility in all they say and do. It will be interesting to see who supports what is coming and who have gotten the message from this murder and have decided they cannot support this beast.
How many missiles does the us have in the middle east?
How many air defense missiles does have iran?
Does iran have the ability to destroy us airbases to prevent aircraft from attacking iranian territory? That would be my first move: destroying the ennemy s fighter jets while they are still on the ground.
How many missiles does iran can launch ? How far can they hit?
I think these are important questions if we want to make a good assessment of the situation
Exactly. Your list of questions (or something similar) is the only relevant one. I personally am saddened because, if the US chooses to, it can destroy Iran, just like it destroyed so many other countries. With all abandonment of common decency by the US and its people, the US is likely to destroy Iran by protracted missile and air campaigns. The US is pursuing a very cynical and evil – but effective – policy of retaining world rule by destroying country after country. Don’t call them crazy, or stupid, or a declining empire. It is the world that is stupid, and declining, and lacking in spine, that enables them to get away with it. People misunderstand things when they say that Russia and/or China will not allow this or that because then they could be next. The US does not have to war directly with either to keep expanding its control over the world. Control most of the global oil, minerals, sea routes, air corridors – and you have world mastery. I see the US as evil but highly successful as it pursues its cynical policies of spreading destruction around the world.
During the Vietnam era, there was significant moral opposition to US all over the world. Now, every two-three years the US turns to destroying yet another country. As for moral opposition? The average American cheerfully calls for “nuke them all”. No country raises a strong voice of condemnation. The Russian response was a very meek one; the Chinese response (as always) read like a fortune cookie (“all parties should exercise restraint”); and the EU tagged along with its master (as usual).
I couldn‘t agree more. Thank you!
Thank you for the continuing courageous, fact-based reporting.
All as-yet-unenslaved-minds of the oppressed people living under the auspices of the empire share the horror of what has happened, made worse so, for I personally, learning the evil duplicity of the ‘fake’ diplomacy of the masters of the U.S.A. administration.
If there had been any credibility whatsoever, left for the U.S.A. diplomatic integrity, it is now completely murdered.
I should like to point out, yet again, the perverse obviousness of the utter subordination of the utterly testiclesless american ‘leadership‘ by the affiliates, dually loyal extra-nationals, aligned to the quasi-nation of pychopathic hatred against humanity.
In spite of, and now increasingly because of, the absurd perception management/propaganda agencies, completely controlled by this aforementioned affiliation, and their ongoing absurd efforts, people are becoming aware of the ultimate source of the hatred and agenda we re witnessing in the ME, and indeed, in ever country under the auspices of the empire.
It is becoming impossible to cover, even for the most timid followers of the citizens of empire-controlled nation states.
The war continues against the non-subliminated citizens, and will certainly escalate as the traction of the perception-management techniques have been pushed way over their best-before date.
Even not wanting to know this, people are becoming aware of it.
I urge all those self-identifying with this affiliation of secretive hatred against humanity to disavow either publicly, or privately, this collective of hatred.
The recusement of the fifth-column will undermine these machinations.
It is now the time to realize that no promise of superior upward mobility, in exchange for activities supporting the affiliation, is worth the stark prospect of complete destruction of the biosphere.
Well said One Tribe!
Won’t people ever get it that war only serves the uppermost elite?? They make money on the weapons, fuels, technology, etc. The lay hold of any and all assets of every country they cripple. They use the 90% to fight and finance the wars, as we simultaneously depopulate ourselves and become increasingly easy to control, -since we goyim are only valued as their slaves: manually, financially, sexually- it doesn’t matter. We are the frogs in the kettle of water, and as long as we put up with it and “behave” all they have to do is keep turning up the heat!!
G’ma Joy
Saker: what makes you think it will just be a couple of days of bombing? I would have thought they would set up a no fly zone then fly over that country permanently blowing the shit out of any military thing on the ground until the gov collapses.
Iran doesn’t have the ability to prevent this & running a country under these conditions is impossible.
Set up a no-fly zone over Iran? Iran is well aware of American air-power. They have a multi-layer air defense. And I wouldn’t be surprised that the Iranian’s are capable of taking out U.S. satellites.
Iran knows their enemy. They have been preparing for conflict with the U.S. for 40 years. This is a sophisticated, and highly advanced nation, with brilliant leadership. They understand what their weaknesses are, and what their strengths are.
The wild cards are threefold: Russia. China. North Korea. If one wants to think about the possible asymmetrical capabilities of those three, let alone the pure power their militaries, it boggles the mind.
Prediction: The U.S. stands down on orders of their own military. People like John Bolton quietly pass away in their sleep.
The only no fly zone to be implemented will be on all american warplanes over Iran and Iraq. Do you remember the multimillion drone that went down? Multipliy it by hundreds of manned planes. God, how delusional can you be?!!!
You have a fighting force that is a disgrace composed by little girls that start screeming once they get bullets flying over their heads. You have aircraft battle groups that are sitting ducks waitng to go to the bottom of the sea. Wake up and get your pills, man!
Paul23, from where will the aircraft take off to implement your “no-fly zone”? Any air base within 2,000 km would be destroyed by a shower of cruise missiles and possibly drones.
Any aircraft carrier within 2,000 km likewise.
Tom, are you unaware of the number of US bases and airfields all over the globe? In this theater of war, have you forgotten that the US has large bases in Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Greece, Italy, etc., etc. ad infinitum. And where will that “shower of cruise missiles” to destroy all US airfields come from? I do believe in God and miracles but not to such an extent.
Nearly 50 years ago the North Vietnamese, using already outdated Soviet SAMs, shot down over 10,000 US aircraft and helicopters. The following passage is relevant (from “Kill Chain: The Rise of the High-Tech Assassins” by Andrew Cockburn).
“Rex Rivolo, the fighter pilot whose high-tech navigation aid had led him to bomb the American base at Da Nang, was assigned to fly escort on the first raid, December 18, 1972.
“’I wasn’t worried,’ he told me years later. ‘We were briefed that the B-52s would be using their most secret ‘war mode’ electronic countermeasures, previously reserved for WWIII with the Soviets, that would easily blind the Vietnamese SAM missiles. I knew the countermeasures in my plane didn’t work, but I believed the B-52s had secret, magic stuff that would make them invulnerable. So I thought everything would be OK. That was until three SAMs flew right by me and hit a B-52 high above. The magic boxes didn’t work’. Rivolo watched in amazement as the giant plane cracked open ‘like an egg’ and slowly turned over. Burning jet fuel streamed out in a wave that split into two and then four in vast cascading sheets of flame. ‘The sky,’ he told me, recalling the vivid scene in every detail after forty years, ‘was raining fire’. Fourteen more B-52s were to go down before the raids were called off eleven days later. By that time, Rivolo’s previously unquestioning faith in the promises of the technologists had disappeared forever. ‘I had really believed all that hype,’ he told me. ‘And then I realized it was all bullshit. None of it worked’. That searing moment of truth would cause a lot of trouble in Washington later on”.
I said that they would BEGIN by a couple of days bombing and then declare victory.
And THEN all hell with truly break loose.
Just look at the 2006 war in Lebanon
The Saker
sadly, you are right. I wonder why people can’t see the obvious. The US does not need to put any boots on the ground, It has to do nothing but to keep bombing Iran day after day till they destroy the whole country. Haven’t they done this before? Haven’t they succeeded? Who could stop them? It is a misfortune of our times that countries with the size and strength to call the US to order, to compel it to desist from war, to force it to comply with international law, choose to do nothing. Iran is truly facing an existential crisis at the hands of a merciless butcher.
That certainly appears to be the plan. It was not an opportunistic hit on Soleimani .
If “our interests” are your primary concern, the coincidence with ethical principles is just that: coincidental. IOW heads I win, tails you lose.
File this next article under “Just when you thought that things couldn’t get any crazier.”
Pompeo is slamming Europe for not being supportive of the American murders in the Middle East.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/europeans-havent-been-helpful-after-suleimani-killing-pompeo-slams-allies-not
It is Group 1 — loud, reactionary, extremely vulgar, militant parasites — which defines the US national character. Exceptional and indispensable simply mean ”entitled to other peoples’ natural resources and labour output”. Trying to reason with these lowlives is a waste of time. Putin understands this; hence the new Russian weapons. The latter will be needed very soon.
I am an American and I am not sure that is true.
Americans are a good people but America is one of the most heavily propagandized nations in the world. The media is corrupt. The educational systems teach a sanitized version of history. But that is only a part of it.
Pro-Military propaganda is everywhere. Even before the Superbowl, jet bombers fly over the stadium – as if Militarism constituted a basic American value. At Airports, “Military Personnel” are given preferential boarding. At retail stores customers are asked to make donations to “military families.” College football games are dedicated to “Military Appreciation Day.” High Schools work in unison with Military Recruiters to steer students into the Military. Even playground facilities for children that have video displays display pro military messages. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Most of this propaganda is paid for out of the obscene military budget. The average citizen doesn’t have a chance.
Americans are a good people, if they really knew what was being done in their name, they would put a stop to it.
Militant parasites do live in a world of total lies, deception, and delusion but never at the expense of their survival instincts. US imperial coercion, mayhem, and murder globally are absolutely crucial to the American way of life, and the 99% know it. Their living standards would drop enormously without the imperial loot. Thus, they dearly yearn for all the repression, war, and chauvinism they vote for and more.
Nussiminen,
I understand your anger. I am angry also. I am horrified – not by what has just happened – but by the things that have been going on a long time.
But please believe me, The American people are not evil. They have been deceived by relentless propaganda and disinformation.
Our government and media have been hijacked by evil, heartless people.
That is true.
But as an American, I extend to you my hand in friendship and sincerely hope that the evils being perpetrated against innocent people be promptly and peaceably brought to an end.
I second that (what Mike from Jersey) says… Americans aren’t bad people. They are hard working, family oriented. Sure they could be crude or vulgar seeming at times but believe me there are millions upon millions upon millions who are doing everything they can to provide for their families and their communities and are sick and tired of the lies and deceit coming at them from government/corporate entities. Unfortunately these people are helpless to actually change anything. That’s one reason so many voted for Trump, they really hoped he would be a dusturber of the starus quo.
US imperial coercion, mayhem, and murder globally are absolutely crucial to the American way of life, and the 99% know it. ”
The 99% do not know much about imperialism.
The 99%, by definition, are basically struggling to get by.
Unfortunately they also spend a lot of their time in front of the TV set.
I saw a female yesterday on MSNBC justifying the takeout of Solameini.
They are working hard to quell questions that may arise in the 99%’s minds.
Even Tucker Carlson called Sol. a bad man, etc.
But at least he did question: Can we really kill all bad people?
Now, I think this might be a very good time for Americans to drop all self-righteous judgments of Germans of the early and mid-20th C.
Katherine
“Americans are a good people” — yeah, only a small, wee handful (the hands belong to a newborn baby). There is this thing called the Internet, so there is absolutely, certainly, categorically no excuse to say that those americans do not know what is being done in their name. All americans are complicit in all the atrocious, egregious, deplorable crimes committed all over the world — in MENA, in Southeast Asia, everywhere. I waiting for Collective Karma to strike — strike down hard and let us see how Collective Karma will judge the USA and all of its people.
Nussiminen is right.
When push comes to shove, most Americans will support their Evil Empire and their war criminal military that enforces this empire’s tyranny over the planet.
Whether they are “good people,” family oriented, or friendly is irrelevant.
The American Way of Life is necessarily based upon America’s ability to exploit, loot, and rape the rest of the world. This is American “freedom and democracy” in its essence.
And the Good Americans are the modern day Good Germans.
Anonymous,
Overnight I thought about what Nussiminen said. There is truth in what he says. I am an American and I love America and I detest the murderous hypocrisy of the American ruling class. But I must admit Nussiminen has a point.
Some average Americans (though often exhausted from overwork and though bombarded by propaganda) do have some understanding of what is really going on. On the other hand, many don’t understand what is happening at all. It is not something that is either black or white.
I have lived all my life in America and I have met good Americans who would give their lives to help a stranger in need. I am sure that there are good Iranians who do the same. The point is, we won’t fix this mess by either hating America or hating Iran. People of good will should be working together to end tyranny no matter where we find it.
One thing is telling, at least for me. Who the f… in the right state of mind kills other state’s official and then admits of doing it?!? The common sense sense tells me that you do something and to avoid bigger consequences you stay quet and deny everything. Just like CIA is doing. Trump just put US military personnel in grave danger. We know how they accused Manning for showing the to the world US war crimes. They put him in the jail for what Trump just did. But, I cannot believe that they are that much stupid. If US does not want war, as Trump is saying, they could have done this and then blame someone else because now it has been shown that they wanted to “talk” to Iran, as Iraqis PM said. At least, US brought new meaning to the word “talk” …
” Who the f… in the right state of mind kills other state’s official and then admits of doing it?!?
Yep. Unbe-effing-lievable.
And notice who is keeping well away from the mess: Bibi.
Trump’s generals and advisers who suggested the third option and then let him go ahead with it just hung Trump out to dry. Trump just blew his presidency, just when he had the impeachment mess more or less where he wanted it.
Katherine
Russia will not allow this, and will put their foot down.
As tragic as this is, it is actually a opportunity for Putin to change the world for the better.
He can now go to European leaders and confront them with the hard truth:
Putin and Russia will likely do nothing. Had there been any possibility of a powerful country calling for the US to desist from war, the world would not have gone so far down this road.
I disagree. Saker also wrote two days ago that Russia and China will not get involved. But that is simply wrong. It is not possible that in 2020. two biggest Eurasian superpowers can allow the Americans to bomb and destroy such a big Eurasian country as Iran.
What happened on January 3rd 2020. is the same as Franz Ferdinand assassination on June 28th 1914…..if (but only if!) Iran responds.
Do not full yourselves.
This is the beginning of World War 3. America, Europe, Russia and China will destroy each other at the end of the conflict.
In many ways, I hope both of us turn out to be wrong. I will be delighted to be proven wrong if Russia starts drawing some lines in the sand and if the Chinese finally grow some balls. And I hope you are proven wrong in that there is no major war, no country gets destroyed, and that skilled but forceful diplomacy saves the day.
The Wend,
I think you might be right. The recent actions by Trump are so crazy that both Russia and China must, at the very least, re-evaluate their positions.
But I do not think that this means open warfare. And I think that other things could be done.
For instance, there has been talk about an oil pipeline connecting Iran with China, going through Pakistan.
Now, imagine if that was done with security guarantees by Pakistan, Russia and China.
The end result American “sanctions” on Iran mean nothing. China boosts it energy security. Pakistan’s transit fees help the Pakistani economy. Eurasian integration is vastly enhanced.
America is cut out of the action. This is especially significant since the “shale oil” revolution is about to go belly up in the United States.
I also – like you – expect a completely different attitude by Russia and China towards the US. Both countries will undoubtedly increase military procurement and – especially – increase security against preemptive assassination and preemptive attack. They will also supply nations in the middle east and Africa with assistance to expel American troops. And they will try – with some success – to woo individual European nations away from a clearly unstable and dangerous partner.
It is a totally different world now.
The most damaging, no most devestating, assymetrical attack on the US would be a ‘non violent’ attack.
Let me quickly explain.
It has been well known since the exposure of the man behind the curtain during the great financial crisis of 2007-08 that all Human operations – all Human life in fact – is financialised in some way.
Some ways being so sophisticated or ‘subtle’ that barely 1 person in 1000 is even aware, much less capable of understanding them, much less the financial control grid (and state / deepstate power base) which empoverishs them and enslaves them to an endless cycle of aquiring and spending ‘money’.
Look deeply and the wise will see how ‘Human resources’ (as opposed to Human Beings) are herded like cattle to be worked on the farm, ‘fleeced’, or slaughtered as appropriate to the money masters.
We have been programmed, trained, and conditioned to call ‘currency units’ (dollar/euro/pound/yuan, etc) ‘money’, when they are actually nothing of the sort, they are state or bank issued money substitutes.
In the middle east and north africa some leaders recognised this determined how to escape slavery and subjegation. They attempted to field this knowledge like an economic-nuke, but without the massive protection required, and they were destroyed by the empire – Sadam Hussain with his oil for Gold (and oil for Euros) program, and Col. Gadaffi of Libya with his North African ‘Gold Dinar’ and ‘Silver Durham’ Islamic money program.
To cut a very long story short – the evil empire depends upon all nations and peoples excepting thier pieces of paper currency units as ‘real’ money – which the empire print / create in unlimited quantities to fund thier war machine and global progrram of domination.
All financial markets are either denominated or settled in US Dollars (or are at least convertable).
All Nations Central Banks (except Irans I believe) are linked via various US Dollar exchange / liquidity mechanisms, and all ‘settle’ in US Dollars.
Currently all nations use US controlled electronic banking communications / exchange / tranfer systems (swift being the most well known).
Would it therefore not make sence to go for the very beating heart of the Beast – the US financial system?
The most powerful attack against the empire would therefore be against this power base – the global reserve currency – the US dollar – and the US ability to print any quantity of it (or create digits on a screen and call them ‘Dollar Units’).
It would be pointless trying to fight an emnemy capable of printing for free enough currency to buy every resource (including peoples lives) – unless that super ability was destroyed or disrupted.
Example of a massive nuclear equivilent attack on the beast would be an internal and major disrruption of interbank electronic communications (at all levels from cash machine operation and card payment readers up to interbank transfers and federal banking operations).
Shut down the US banking system and you shut down the US war machine.
Not only that you shut down the US ability to buy resources and bribe powerful leaders – which means they wont be able to recover from such a blow quickly.
Shutting down banking and electronic payments of all kinds would cause the US people – particularly those currently enjoying bread and circus distraction and pacification – to tear appart thier own communities, and each other, as the spoiled and gready fight for the remaining resources, including food and fuel.
The ‘grid’ has been studied in great depth by both Russia and China (and Israel as part of thier neo-sampson option) and we can therefore deduce that Iran has some knowledge of how it works and where the weak links are (and not just the undersea optical cables and wireless nodes).
I, and a thousand other people have always said, the best, perhaps only way to defeat the US and end its reign of terror on this Earth is to take away its ability to create out of thin air the Worlds global reserve currency – the US Dollar.
Reducing the US to an empoverished 3rd world state by taking its check book away would be a worthy and lasting revenge and humiliation.
” I, and a thousand other people have always said, the best, perhaps only way to defeat the US and end its reign of terror on this Earth is to take away its ability to create out of thin air the Worlds global reserve currency – the US Dollar. ”
No, the best way would be for each nation to ditch the intertwined, privately ( Rothschild ) controlled central banks, and to return to printing their own money. Anything, short of that will just perpetuate the same system from a different home base ( nation ), most likely China next. This virus can jump hosts and it will given a chance.
Amon Ra,
I respectfully disagree in part.
Is the western banking system a tool of oppression?
Absolutely.
However, almost all countries already print their own currency. That is fine for intranational transaction but when it comes to international transactions it is a problem.
Suppose, that companies in Cambodia and Argentina want to engage in trade. The Cambodians do want want to take payment in Argentine Pesos since it is an unstable currency. The Argentinians do not want to take Thai Bahts since it also is an unstable currency – so they agree to do the deal in dollars since it has, to date, been a relatively stable currency and everyone takes dollars.
Now, they could agree to take Swiss Francs which is also a stable currency, but Switzerland is a small nation and there are not that many Swiss Francs in circulation.
So what do they do. They could – and some countries do – exchange Euros. But the European Union is one god awful mess. The North of the EU is at odds with the south over finances. The West of the EU is at odds with the East over immigration. The elites of the West EU are at odds with their own citizens over income inequality in addition to immigration. There are factions in the Eastern EU (Poland and the Baltic States) that are rabidly anti Russian where other States (like Germany) want to normalize relation. On top of that the Italian banking system is on the verge of collapse and the British just left the fold.
Looking at that one can see nations shying away from the Euro.
The Japanese Yen has different problems in that Japan has an absurdly dangerous debt to GDP ratio. And the Chinese Yuan – as long as it is pegged to the dollar – cannot be used as a major international currency since printing more Yuan to supply international needs would break the “peg.”
Accordingly, right now we are stuck with the dollar. And I think that Hussan Carim is correct. The world first has to end the dollar’s status as a reserve currency. The United States would then have to find a way to balance its budget since there would no longer be a worldwide demand for more and more dollars for trade. And quite honestly, the US cannot balance its budget and still spend a trillion dollars a year making war.
End reserve currency status and the war machine breaks down.
However, due to the dynamics set forth above, it won’t be easy to end the dollars reserve currency status.
In principle, you need two things: A currency for long term trade contracts. This currency has to be stable. Take gold.
A currency for own reserves. Same thing – take gold.
Not enough gold on the world for all this? Gold too volitional? For long term contracts take some other standard prices which are relevant for the particular trade, like the oil price, the wheat price and so on. As reserves, use whatever is worth something. As far as they have to be liquid, a mix of currencies from all over the world will do the job.
From a purely objective point of view there is no need for a single reserve currency. Having many currencies with a permanent trade between them so that you can at every moment exchange a lot of them will do the same. Say, you have reserves in Yuan, have to pay in Yen, so what, exchange your Yuan to Yen at the actual exchange rate and fine. And if you gain Dollar and think it is not worth to use them as a reserve, sell them immediately into Rubles or Bitcoin or whatever you prefer. All what you need for this is that the exchange is fast and cheap for everybody.
China or…Brasil.
Both have traditions of not military interference in foreign countries.
Brazil biggest proud is to have his size without shooting a single bullet.
This is teached to kids in schools.
They will need a nuke to change that position.
I also do not see China doing USA job.
Very good comment Carim. You hit the nail squarely: US hegemonic power resides in the US$ and most of the world is caught in that massive scam plundering most countries through plain theft and bribery of their political elites. In fact the US power and dominance is fed by the misery inflicted on most of the world. We pay to be oppressed.
I’ve been wondering whether Iran has non-kinetic options available. There is a whole lot of US dirty laundry — 9/11 comes to mind — that could be exposed. Then there is the dollar, which given the recent gyrations of the Fed in order to contain the repo crisis, seems…how to put it…very much “fragile.”
The trouble with doing this is that the whole world is now connected financially, so that in taking down the US finance system, wouldn’t you be taking down the whole world’s financial system?
@Maiden PEI
Yes – but not totally.
It is a very complex subject that ordinary people such as you and I are not supposed to understand (in case we stop working for pieces of paper or digits on a screen and demand payment in real money).
Too complex for me to explain properly, but there are some great articles written on moving away from the US Dollar as the global reserve currency, and on what would happen / how it could be done.
Also interesting are articles on the subject of using traditional ‘real money’ (as was the case until suprisingly recently around the World) which is Gold and Silver as units of exchange.
Subjects such as ‘The Gold Standard’, and ‘History of Money’ are well worth looking at as they will illustrate how nations could move away from fiat currency and to money – if they wanted to.
Ironically the US Dollar is/ was exchangable at a bank for a measure of real Silver equivilent to the definition of a US Dollar by weight, approx value $17 in todays money.
The US Dollar was renamed ‘Dollar Fedral Reserve Note’ a long time ago to stop any in circulation from being exchanged for real money.
When the US recognised they could create paper dollars out ouf thin air, and force or bribe people to use it, they began buying up the World, spending Trillions upon Trillions of Dollars they created out of nothing.
To cut a long story short, it is possible for any nation to exit Dollar tyranny if they are also prepared to see thier printed pieces of paper become like Zimbawe Dollars – worthless.
In fact, all paper currency is worthless fundamentally, and only has value as long as someone else is willing to take it in exchange for goods and services. If faith and confidence of the US government (and any other nations government) was lost thier pieces of paper would plummet in value – as that is thier only value (ie the pyschology of beliving someone else will except them instead of money).
Pain and suffering of the masses whilst the old Dollar based system is collapsed and a new system set up to replace it may be the price we pay to avoid nuclear war – as only a nuclear war or a dollar collapse will stop the US war machine.
Who knows what will happen, but an actual boots on the ground invasion of Iran will not happen. Iran is not Irak and things have changed since that war.
US does not have 6 to 12 months to gather it’s forces and logistics for an invasion (remember, the election is coming), plus US no longer has the heavy lift assets to do this. Toss in the fact that Iran is now on a war footing and has allies in the general AO, hired RoRo’s and other logistics and supply assets will be targets before they get anywhere near the ports or beaches to off load. Plus, you can kiss oil goodbye, Iran will close the straights a nanosecond after the first bomb is in the air.
An air assault such as Serbia will be very expensive, Iran will fight back from the first bomb if not before, and Iran has a pretty viable air defense system and the missiles to make life miserable for any cluster of troops and logistics within roughly 300 kilometers of the borders if not longer. Look at a map. There is a long border between Iran and Irak, but as such and considering the terrain, any viable ground attack has to come from Irak territory. With millions of Iraki’s seething at what Uncle Sugar just did and millions of Iranians seething at what Uncle Sugar just did, any invading troops will not be greeted with showers spring blossoms. To paraphrase a quote, ‘You will be safe nowhere, our land will be your grave.’
Toss in the fact that an invasion of Irak, if even half successful, will put American troops on a war footing perilously close to Russian territory and possibly directly on the Russian Lake, aka Caspian Sea, and sovereign territory of Russia. Won’t happen, VVP will not allow it.
Ergo, in spite of all the bluster and chest beating, at best all Foggy Bottom can do is bomb, bomb some more and bomb again. The cost in airframes and captured pilots will be a disaster and if RoRo’s and other logistic heavy lift assets or bases are hit, the body bags coming back to Dover will be of numbers that can not be hidden as they are today with explanations that the dead are victims of training accidents or air accidents.
Foggy Bottom, and Five Points with Langley, have painted themselves in to a corner and unfortunately for them, (and it’s within the realm of possibility that Five Points egged Trump on for this deal regardless of their protestations of innocence and surprise) they are now in a case of put up or shut up. As a point of honor they will continue down the spiral path of open warfare and war is like a cow voiding it’s watery bowels, it splatters far beyond the intended target.
As my friend said a few years ago, damn you, damn your eyes, damn your souls, damn you back to Satan whose spawn you are. Go back to your fetid master and leave us in peace.
Auslander
Author http://rhauslander.com/
Never The Last One, paper back edition. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1521849056 A deep look in to Russia, her culture and her Armed Forces, in essence a look at the emergence of Russian Federation.
An Incident On Simonka. paperback edition. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1696160715 NATO Is Invited To Leave Sevastopol, One Way Or The Other.
“Toss in the fact that an invasion of Irak, if even half successful,” should read:
“Toss in the fact that an invasion of Iran, if even half successful,”
It’s late and this old man is tired. More tomorrow.
Auslander
“UPDATE2: RT is reporting that “One US service member, two contractors killed in Al-Shabaab attack in Kenya, two DoD personnel injured“. Which just goes to prove my point that spontaneous attacks are what we will be seeing first and that the retaliation promised by Iran will only come later.”
-Al-Shabaab is a salafist terror group
yes, it is.
So?
They feel that this is good time to strike, as will many others, Takfiri or not.
Only those closely run by Uncle Sam will behave.
For all others this is the “hunting season on the USA grand opening”
The Saker
Saker, Some of us might be curious to know what your experience with the UN Institute for Disarmament Research informs you about the imminent Virginia gun bans and confiscations planned for this year and next. Can Empire afford to fight an actual shooting war on two fronts, one externally against Iraq/Iran and the second internally against its own people, some of whom will paradoxically be called away to fight on the first front? Perhaps the two conflicts could become conjoined as Uncle Shmuel mislabels every peaceful gun owner who just wants to be left alone as a foreign enemy-sympathizer and combatant by default, thereby turning brother against brother in a bloody prolonged hell in the regions immediately around Washington DC? Could the Empire *truly* be that suicidal?
UNIDIR did not deal with internal US policies.
Only the use of arms in conflicts, mostly low-intensity counterinsurgency and peacekeeping.
This article was recently brought to my attention along with speculation that these UN assets could participate in a disarmament campaign within CONUS, starting with Virginia:
“The UN Is Hiring English-Speaking DISARMAMENT OFFICERS in New York”
Link: https://www.theorganicprepper.com/the-un-is-hiring-disarmament-officers-in-new-york/
Any additional reliable information would be very welcomed.
‘Mr. Trump, the Gambler!…Know that we are near you, in places that don’t come to your mind. We are near you in places that you can’t even imagine. We are a nation of martyrdom. We are the nation of Imam Hussein…You are well aware of our power and capabilities in the region. You know how powerful we are in asymmetrical warfare…You know that a war would mean the loss of all your capabilities. You may start the war, but we will be the ones to determine its end…’
Gen. Soleimani (2018)
Hello Saker,
I would like to ask you a question.
According to the Russian nuclear doctrine “The Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction against itself or its allies and also in response to large-scale aggression involving conventional weapons in situations that are critical for the national security of the Russian Federation and its allies.”
In your opinion does Russia consider Iran such an ally? Will Russia shield Iran against USAn / Israeli nuclear strikes? In case of an imminent nuclear strike on Iran is Russia (and possibly others) going to issue a nuclear ultimatum to the would-be aggressor? And in case an actual nuclear attack on Iran happens is Russia going to retaliate / deter further attacks with its own nukes?
What is your opinion?
One thing: please do not start explaining why the above scenario is completely unthinkable, unrealistic and why it would never ever happen. I need your opinion on the possible events if such an attack does take place or it is about to happen. I do not need reasons why it would not happen; I need your opinion what might take place if it does happen. If you cannot answer my question, have no opinion or simply do not want to answer it please let me know it.
In case there is a formal commitment by Russia – one I know not of – when, where was it made?
Thanks in advance.
2nd that, but be polite to the Saker. Ask nicely next time, like someone who is civilized.
Thanks you for your indispensable work, dear Saker!
English might not be this poster’s first language, in which case we should be cautious not infer tone from poor word choice and grammar.
I will second the kind comment: Thank you for your indispensable work, dear Saker!
The Kremlin has stated that there is no formal defense treaty between Russia and China, so I think we can expand that to say there is also no formal defense treaties between either of these two countries and Iran. But why are you so concerned with a few sheets of paper ?
Thanks to 30 years of threats and violent attacks from the Empire, these three nations are welded together for the forseable future. In case you think the Empire is well-managed, ask yourself how it could be so stupid as to apply enough pressure to create those strong welds. As they say, friends in need are friends indeed, and only the Empire created that need.
A little thought makes it obvious that Russia and China can’t afford to let Iran “be taken down”, so their response will be whatever it takes to protect Iran from major disaster. I’m sure all 3 countries have considered the whole question of mutual defense at length over the last 10 years, and especially since the start of hot wars in Libya and Syria in 2011 and Ukraine in 2014. Their mutual defense of whatever it takes is not something to lost sleep over, as long as the Empire is not completely bat***t crazy. But unfortunately, we can’t take the Empire’s sanity for granted.
Thank you for your opinion. My understanding is the same as yours regarding Russian defense commitments.
And I also agree with you that Russia, China and Iran should keep together so Iran definitely must be shielded against nuclear aggression. I just wanted to know the Saker’s opinion about Russian eagerness to do just that. Alas, it seems I may never get an answer.
My bad. It seems I have finally received an answer – and more, a whole article!
/short-intermission-of-sorts-with-a-few-apparently-needed-explanations/
So, although I am filled with sorrow reading it, thanks for the effort Saker!
I think USA still has nuclear option.
They will not hesitate to use it on Iran if Israel is in danger.
So, I think Iran shall be defeated anyway, as USA is much stronger.
Wrong. If the US uses nukes, then this will secure the total victory of Iran.
The Saker
How does this secure a total victory, dear Saker? Please help my to understand this: Nukes on every major city, industrial site, infrastructure with pos. millions dead – how is this a victory?
Nachtigall,
If the US did that, I think that even the Europeans would turn against the United States.
The rest of the world would most certainly turn on them.
The shock and horror worldwide reaction to the US using nuclear weapons on a non-nuclear nation would create an immense blow back on the US. Humanity would see the US as the mass murdering fascist rogue state that it is and would hate it. The American people would be shocked to their core. Even the couch potato CNN waters would be stunned. Europe (in spite of its being always willing to follow US orders) would turn away from the US. The Anglosphere vassal states would start walking in reverse away from the US.
People that think the US would get away with using nuclear weapons on Iran must be numb in their minds from too much supremacist attitude dosing.
Very good question, and I think there is a very good answer. US soft power would be evaporated with the first nuke on a city. The US – probably including the quiet American population – would become the enemy of the rest of the world, and the would-be Quislings around the world would tend to get mugged often enough to discourage them. The only way the American people could get out from under the hatred would be to throw off the leaders. The American people have partially pretended to sleep, but even that pretense would disappear if the domestic damage is not trivial. The US is extremely fragile and there’s no need to go into details. The US exists like any other nation, because of the goodwill of its neighbors and the acquiensce of its citizens. Without that, it’s toast.
The murder of Soleimani and the #2 leader of the PMU gives the concise answer. The inevitable happens faster. The US is getting booted out of Iraq after 170 out of 329 lawmakers voted for expulsion. That’s only a 51.6% margin. Without those murders, the vote to expel would not have succeeded and probably would not have even been proposed. The Kurds refused to vote, and that probably hastens the Kurdish demise.
However, the bigger picture is that minus the murders, the expulsion would only have been delayed. Iraq is in a serious crisis, with 400 protesters having been killed by police, because of the corruption and unemployment. The corrupt politicians are going to be swept out and more host patriots will replace them. So even if Soleimani were still alive, the vote to expel would have happened. So the martyrdom of these two outstanding men resulted in things moving forward faster, maybe a year sooner and the door is more certain to be slammed shut hard as US forces leave.
Actually, they do not need nukes on major cities and still achieve the goal of crippling Iran. Nor boots on the ground.
Just employ 50-60 tactical nukes to decapitate the Iranian government and military, then a sustained naval and air attack for a couple of weeks to finish the rest of the Iranian military, economy and infrastructure off.
My logic is quite simple: the US cannot afford to win a conventional war with Iran. So they are not going to fight one. Yet, they seemingly do everything to provoke a hot war (and I think they have just succeeded with that). Tactical nukes are the only feasible answer.
Yes, it is quite possible that for many decades not much natural gas and oil would leave the Middle East after this war. But is this such a high threat for the Empire? I think not. Such a situation would definitely destroy the economies of China, EU, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, while it would not prove to be especially harmful for USAn economy. They have oil, plenty of. Just that production is too expensive now to be really lucrative. Well, when oil price hits 3-4-500 dpb it won’t be anymore.
Just grab Venezuela – not a very complicated mission – after the looming Iran War and run home with the grand prize.
Actually, the United States doesn’t have plenty of oil. The stuff coming out of the shale oils fields is called oil but it is actually something called “condensate.” Condensate is a very light form of oil which can only be refined in special refineries. Most of those refineries are located in nations outside of the United States. Without imported, non-condensate oil, US refineries (since they can’t refine condensate) would have nothing to refine. And the US couldn’t import refined condensate from other countries since, without middle eastern oil, foreign countries would need all the refined oil that they could get. That would collapse the American economy.
Moreover, the collapse of middle eastern oil would collapse the economies of China, India and Europe. The entire world economy is interconnected. That means that they US economy would collapse with the rest of the world.
Finally, the entire world economic eco-system (so to speak) is patched together by financial instruments called derivatives. These are speculative financial instruments finely tuned to handle small variations in economic conditions. They cannot handle large financial disruptions and they are not designed to do so. A large financial disruption would “call in” massive amounts of those derivatives for payment – and the money to pay them isn’t there. Again, collapsing the world economy.
Accordingly, disruption of middle eastern oil would collapse the American economy.
I would be careful to say that America’s use of nukes will end American “soft power” propaganda or that the world would shun the USA after such use.
Firstly, there are not one but two examples that disprove this idea: Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Secondly, America would likely stage some outrageous False Flag attack on itself (or other soft target) to manufacture sympathy for itself and and justify the use of nuclear weapons.
Thirdly, the USA could resort to the use of low-yield “mini nukes” that do not have the same catastrophic destructive power in terms of what most people think of when talking about the use of nukes.
Finally, successive US Nuclear Posture Reviews (NPR) from George W. Bush to Barack Obama to Donald Trump have indeed opened up the Pandora’s Box for the American *pre-emptive* use of nuclear weapons–including against non-nuclear states.
Does America Plan to Use Nukes against Iran?
https://www.globalresearch.ca/chossudovsky-does-america-plan-to-use-nukes-against-iran/29980
Trump’s Nuclear Posture Review: Plan Makes Nuclear War More Likely
https://www.globalresearch.ca/global-zero-on-trumps-nuclear-posture-review-plan-makes-nuclear-war-more-likely/5628362
Secret Plan Outlines the Unthinkable
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-mar-10-op-arkin-story.html
So, how many hostages for Iran are in Iraq now?
I think that if Iran were to launch some devastating missiles into Israel, either a US ship/submarine or Israel will launch a nuclear bomb into Iran. The US knows there is nothing to be gained by a ground invasion. If we [the US] were to start launching missiles into Iran, Iran would rightfully be launching sophisticated arms back toward US ships and Israel and the US can’t stand for that. We are good at dishing it out, but lousy at receiving it.
I can only believe we assassinated Solieman [apologies] because it is the writhing of a dying petrodollar. The US is desperate. But I don’t understand how going to war is supposed to help?
Some short comments on the strategic blunder made by US.
Meantime, global ramifications are being felt. View from China, one of the biggest consumers of ME oil:
https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1175782.shtml
and some mind-reading from a HK based rag:
“Beijing’s ties with Tehran are crucial to its energy and geopolitical strategies, and with Moscow also in the mix, a broader conflagration is a real possibility”
https://www.asiatimes.com/2020/01/article/could-china-take-irans-side-in-a-war-with-us/
Japan had planned to send some military hardware to the ME just before the new year but Gen Soleimani’s murder may change the calculus.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/01/03/national/japan-sdf-assassination-iran-qassem-soleimani/#.XhJYxfLmjN4
Last but not least, Happy Nativity to all Orthodox Christians (thanks for the beautifully illustrated Orthodox calendar, The Saker.)
Let us all pray for peace.
“(thanks for the beautifully illustrated Orthodox calendar, The Saker.)”
Credits for the calendar(s) should go to one of our in house Artists and poets Ioan.
You obviously do not visit the Cafe’ very often, do you?
Regards
Kent
Hello Kent,
Truth be told, I’ve never been to the Cafe. But I’ll visit it today since I’ve a bit of time (7.00 am in my neck of the woods) before going to work.
::::::
To the very talented Ioan, please accept my apologies for my ignorance. Excellent work.
Cheers.
Trump is the King of the South. Killing under a flag of parley is a rare thing these days and is the reason why Trump will end up going to war with no allies by his side…just like the path mapped oit for him in Daniel.
Analysis sans eschatology is Onism.
It’s not a blunder.
Trump’s goals pre-assassination:
1) withdraw US troops from the ME (“Fortress America”) and
2) placate Israel
This is how it is done. Not a direct “hey guys, we have to bring the boys home.” Trump tried that and got smashed by the Deep State and Israel. Instead, he is going to force the Islamic world to do the talking for him by refusing to host our pariah army (that’s all they have to do, not destroy a major US base or two). Then even the Deep State will admit it’s a lost cause. He can say he did all he could while achieving his goals.
As The Saker pointed out, the troops being sent now are to evacuate, not to conquer Tehran. Next time this year the US will have its troops home and Trump will be reelected
I think that Americans will be lucky if they would be given enough time to evacuate.
For folks who think only the neo-Trumpet crowd crazy –
https://twitter.com/DabSquad_Slank/status/1213912581871677444
Group Two in the United States need to be out in the streets loudly protesting this drive to all out war.
No more sitting quietly.
The lines in the sand have well and truly been crossed. As you say Saker, this is one giant clusterf***.
Missile attacks this morning on the Green Zone and US Embassy in Baghdad. Trump is even doubling down on his threats.
Sheer madness.
In general terms the Russians are Irans allies.
Do they have any type of defense pact?
If so, what are the terms?
In strict terms they aren’t allies. There are no terms, only red lines but those are written out.
Perhaps the recent naval drill is cause to think that Russian red lines have become more prominent, but still no typical alliance. Same with China and Russia.
China did (no source) claim that a nuke on Iran is a nuke on China. I think that this is true and that this is a clear red line.
On the subject of the US leaving Iraq, I must disagree with the honorable Saker. First, on Axios (I don’t subscribe to their journalistic integrity), Jonathan Swift stated that, “A senior Iraqi government official told Axios’ Jonathan Swan that the actual expulsion of U.S. troops is far from a certain outcome.“ That is from his article. I don’t subscribe to his sources, but hopefully the honorable Saker can give us some insight. Second, in my opinion, Iraq is nothing more than a territory for the US, like Guam or Puerto Rico, or for that matter, Europe. I really don’t see them leaving any time soon, if ever, even if the Iraqi Parliament votes them out at 100%. And at the good website, Moon of Alabama, it is stated the US will just ramp up ISIS and Sunni terrorists to change things in their favor. And as for the assassination of Soleimani (I still have the highest respect for what he did), it was nothing more than State murder. What Trump did is a crime.
Operation: Inherent resolve
Operation: re here insolvent
I still cannot wrap my head around this. Stupid seems too mild a description. At first i thought:
Neocon Republicans: donald, we hold your presidency in our hands. What’s in it for us if we block impeachment?
Agent orange: they have no case.
Neocons: we decide that and your fate not the law. This is not a legal but political matter.
Agent Orange: what do you want?
Neocons: fill in the blanks
Obscure character asks: what about potential consequences?
Agent Orange: Naaah!! It will be fine.
The tree of rebellion against the empire is not just rooted in Iran but in every nation that has been the victim of its gunship diplomacy and financial terrorism.
It has jack booted over German sovereignty in interfering with their Nordstream pipeline.
They’ve tried to provoke China into a repeat of Tiananmen square brutality in quelling of C_A lead uprisings in Kong Kong.
Sanctions on China, Russia et al.
Will all these nations cower in the long grass like a frightened rabbit hoping that the big bad wolf will be distracted devouring other prey like they did with Lybia?
How many Iranian allies will step up? China? Russia?
North Korea is a wild card.
Odd is not is not, and not for anyone truly watching the global stage and not just the main actors, that North Korea resumed their missile program just before this assignation.
I would think that Iran has been outsourced it’s enrichment to NK and so is able to show clean hands to
inspectors. <- my own thoughts.
I expect that NK and Iran will develop closer bonds.
While all eyes are on Iran NK might make good on it's Christmas promise albeit a little later than planned.
“UPDATE5: Russian sources claim that all Iranian rocket forces have been put on combat alert.”
This report?
US Official Claims Iran Missile Forces Across Country Are On Heightened State of Alert – Report
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202001051077954127-us-official-claims-iran-missile-forces-across-country-are-on-heightened-state-of-alert—report/
“An unnamed US official claimed that Iranian missile forces across the country were on a “heightened state of alert”, noting that the US military have been closely watching for further moves by Tehran, Reuters reported.
According to the report, the official said that “it was unclear whether the higher readiness level was defensive in nature or not”.
“They’re clearly at a heightened state of alert. Is that heightened state of alert to be better prepared defensively or to be better prepared offensively? That can’t be determined at this point,” the official said, cited by Reuters.”
Sputnik is reporting on a story from reuters here.
The quiet Americans are so called humanitarian interventionists, they are hypocrites. The other group has more of a cowboy mentality and are more sincere about their savagery.
Exactly. Here in Canada, my uncle – an educated man – thinks Russia and Putin are the Devil. My mother dislikes Russia and Putin (although she knows nothing about them) and likes Obama and thinks he was a much better president than Trump.
The kool-aid is strong, even in vassal countries.
Thanks for this updated analysis Saker! as a fellow American who lands in Group 2 there are A LOT of us.
We hate what is going on in the middle east and strongly desire peace with our fellow humans.
I have an American Soldier friend in the army who feels the same way! A lot of soldiers don’t believe in American superiority.
God help us all for Mr. Magas insanity! I hope this deescalates but am not optimistic.
Don’t know if it is mere overreaction or serious concern. Eerily reminiscent of what, historically, takes place before a major conflict. NATO appears to… prepare to get the hell out of Dodge
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-nato-idUSKBN1Z30EX
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/nato-training-iraq-mission-suspended-1.5415166
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2020/01/04/nato-suspends-training-iraqi-soldiers-over-security-concerns/
https://dailynewshungary.com/nato-suspends-training-mission-in-iraq/
I am getting doubters telling me to give a source regarding General Soleimani’s scheduled meeting with the Iraqi P.M. the morning he was murdered. This is point 1 in Sakers comments. Saker didn’t give a source and while I believe him, there are a lot of people who say ‘duh’. I found this link. I had posted a twitter link posted by Syrian Girl and one woman said that was not good enough, LOL.
https://www.forexlive.com/news/%21/iraqi-pm-says-he-was-schedule-to-meet-with-soleimani-the-morning-he-was-killed-20200105
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security/iraq-wants-foreign-troops-out-after-air-strike-u-s-urges-leaders-to-reconsider-idUSKBN1Z409A
“Abdul Mahdi said that despite the “internal and external difficulties” the country might face, canceling its request for help from U.S.-led coalition military forces “remains best for Iraq on principle and practically.”
He said he had been scheduled to meet Soleimani the day he was killed, and that the general had been due to deliver an Iranian response to a message from Saudi Arabia that Abdul Mahdi had earlier passed to Tehran. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi’ite Iran had been about to “reach a breakthrough over the situation in Iraq and the region”, Abdul Mahdi said.”
General Soleimani’s scheduled meeting with the Iraqi P.M.
As I understood this, it was a meeting on “diplomatic” matters on the initiative of Saudi Arabia, acting on behalf of unknown “official” sources in the US and via Teheran.
Regards
Kent
If Point (1) is true then this assassination falls under the definition of “perfidy”, which is not only a serious violation of the Laws and Customs of War but is also prohibited under the US Military Code of Conduct.
I guess the only defence that the Trump administration can make is to ensure that this point never, ever shows up in any MSM report.
Looking… looking…. looking…. nup, nothing so far in the press, and next-to-nothing on Google.
Why am I not surprised?
There was once a Perfidious Albion. We all know how that ended… (or, at least, we’ll know, when Scotland secedes).
Since 1940, there is also a Shiningly Perfidious ‘City-on-the-Hill.’ We can certainly imagine how that will end, based on prior experience with empires. (Notice how empire and vampire rhyme.)
And about NATO suspending all training in Iraq… what of… Turkey, solidly implanted pretty much in Syria, Iraq and wherever? Does Turkey get a pass but must get out of NATO? Does NATO get a pass through Turkey? How does that work?
Surreal doesn’t even start describing it.
Saker, two questions:
-What are the chances that Iran will be able to secure some sort of deal with the Saudis so that they will stay out of the conflict as much as they can? As much as the Wahhabis despise Iran, they’re wily and have a strong desire for self-preservation. Unlike Trump, they at least understand the implications with the Shia world calling for martyrdom.
-Second, is it more likely that Iran will focus on the US alone or will it also target Israel? I don’t see why they need to divide their focus and have Israel retaliate when they can focus on a more strategic goal of expelling the US out of Iraq (and Syria as a consequence).
In Nasrallah’s speech, he said something like « we might not even have to fight Israel. »
It’s here on Saker’s website.
A comment i read somewhere:
“”This whole conflagoration could be due not to a contractor’s death but rather that Kataib Hebollah (PMU leader kiled with Soleiman was Kataib Hizbollah leader) captured the vital Qaim border crossing from Isis and in 30 September it opened after 8 years closure or being in hands os Isis.
This crossing is vital to Irans plans for the arc of influence and conduit for goods transportation from Iran through Iraq to Syria and down to Lebanon. This is why US acted now, Israel was very worried.
US bombed Kataib Hizbollah 29 December 2019 and then the Embassy siege followed by Suleimans assasination.
Maybe thats the real reason rather than an unamed contractors death.””
A Tweet:
“”@IntelCrab
The IRGC has closed the Qaim border crossing between #Syria and #Iraq until further notice.
Crossing is now only reserved for missile/UAV shipments between #Iran and #Syria/#Lebanon. “”
Trump threatens Iraq with ‘very big sanctions’ unless it pays BILLIONS back for an air base if US troops forced to withdraw
RT report
As expected, Trump refuses to leave Iraq.
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-says-us-will-not-leave-iraq-unless-billions-air-base-are-repaid
Trump s statement :
Iraq should brace itself for sanctions that’ll make the ones placed on Iran look pale in comparison if it kicks out the US troops without first covering the costs the US spent on its airbase there, US President Donald Trump said.
“We have a very extraordinarily expensive air base that’s there. It cost billions of dollars to build, long before my time. We’re not leaving unless they pay us back for it,” Trump told reporters on board of the Air Force One on Sunday.
The punitive measures that the US is ready to slap on its supposed ally in the fight against the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) will be even harsher than the crippling sanctions already in effect against Tehran, the US leader said.
End of the statement.
It is not time for any fantasy of WOT anymore.
Would sound laughable.
It ‘s rather time for the middle east nations to declare a decisive WOBS – war on the big Satan.
If the best option for Iran is to hit the empire financial, why not immediately take out the oil refineries and close the Strait? Didn’t Warren Buffett once say Iran held the final nuke option to close the Strait and collapse the financial derivative market?
UPDATE6: the Russian heavy rocket cruiser “Marshal Ustinov” has cross the Bosphorus and has entered the Mediterranean.
OMG. Russia wisely sees the perfect opportunity the US now has to bomb their air base in Syria. Something that would be politically popular because Russia has been demonized more than Iran. Yes, it has. Of course that’s WWIII, but I don’t think Trump cares. The impeachment is not supportable by his narcissism.
WOW
Thanks dear Saker for these interesting updates. I know its wrong of me to feel my heart swell with pride about the silly Iraq government’s statement and then that great PMU (I know its a different PMU) Sadr – telling them WHAT FOR.
And its awesome that Russia is active here…thank God…I would gladly die if Iran would live.
***Trump The Madman has just refused to leave Iraq until Iraq pay Billions of dollars for Balad Airbase.
Trump also threatened to impose such crippling sanctions on Iraq, that it will make the sanctions against Iran look tame in comparison.
Trump The Mafia Don.
Thank you for your informed and measure insights, Saker.
I’ve been around this country long enough to see how the U.S establishment has slowly but inexorably abandoned the people of America. My guess is young people, people under 30 or so can’t comprehend what has happened because the change has been too slow to observe. But I was a young man before Reagan’s election in ’80; prior to that time the American establishment payed at least a passing interest to the masses. Now, they don’t care, “at all, at all…” to quote the late, great George Carlin.
The U.S. establishment will retreat into fortified, gated communities while the nation dies; and to paraphrase both Dr. Jared Diamond and Chris Hedges: this is the way all empires die, by the hubris and stupidity of their elites.
When does the word “diplomatic mission” or “diplomats” bothers the US from doing whatever they want, when it suits them? One has to be really naive to keep that expectation in 2020.
Iran must have known this (when it’s already in a proxy war). The proverbial, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Sending Soleimani off into Iraq when they know there’s going to be high chance of an assasination seems like a foolhardy gamble. He survived many attempts but instead was handed to the US/Israel on a golden platter in Iraq.
Having Iraq to mediate with Iran was too obvious a ruse (plebeian quality scheming). It’s looks suspiciously like Iran sacrificed a valuable piece on the chessboard to gain a strategic shift. If this was truly their play, then well played. Well played indeed.
Item No. 1 (that the US arranged for Iran to mediate a dispute between the US and Iraq, and then the US murdered the mediator) seems TREACHERY worthy of Shakespeare. What could top it? My imagination fails me!
What about Group 3: The Christian Fundamentalists, Dominionists, Rapture fanatics + Right Wing All Sorts? Seems to me they are not part of the mindless Booyah Group 1, and definitely not the more or less awake Group 2. Pompeo is a good example of Group 3. This 3rd Group is a mix of said Christian Fundies/Rapture fanatics, White Supremacists, some Zionist some not, Muslim haters, US Mythology + Military worshipers, true Israel Firsters, Northern MAGA of the Nose in the Air Tea Party flavor, or simply Believers in the US System without any particular religious aspect and so on.
This group may not love Trump, but they hate everybody else more. Am I mistaken in thinking this is not a small group, all in all? This group have no problem going to war with Iran for various reasons.
Good,strong analysys and give more relevant the fact inside Iraq and Iran
https://phibetaiota.net/2020/01/tehran-times-special-issue-on-assassination/
Robert David Steele, a former Marine Corps infantry officer and CIA spy as well as an activist for Open Source Everything Engineering (OSEE), contributes regularly to Tehran Times.
President Donald Trump now understands that he was lied to by his Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Gina Haspel (a creature of the Deep State), by his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (a Christian Zionist), and by his Secretary of Defense Mark Esper (West Point Class of 1986, nakedly amoral and never held accountable for failures). He is furious. This is Zionist “strike three” during his Presidency, the first two being 9/11 (on 16 February 2016 he promised full disclosure if elected), and the Mossad-Epstein pedophilia entrapment network.
More on Page 11 of Tehran Times link above. Link below contains updates from drone hit. Who’s drone? CIA – DoD? Also 1/5/20 this article by The Saker.
https://phibetaiota.net/2020/01/robert-steele-world-war-iii-has-president-donald-trump-lost-his-mind-may-god-give-us-a-moment-to-reflect-for-peace/
https://phibetaiota.net/2020/01/the-saker-the-usa-is-now-at-war-de-facto-and-de-jure-with-both-iraq-and-iran-updated-6x/
And, people tend to focus on what the nations are going to do. But lets think just a bit about what might happen from forces not controlled by states.
A few years ago, the American trained and equiped Iraqi Army threw down their weapons and refused to fight and ISIS was left marching on Baghdad. It was of course the Iranian backed militias who stood between ISIS and Baghdad.
USA still can’t be really very popular in Iraq. Powerful enough to force toleration of their presence, at least up until now, but still, no people loves another nation that bombs them for decades, sanctions them, then invades them and occupies them and sets up a constitution and a government that already has masses of people in the streets saying that they finally need to go.
So, an unpopular invading and occupying power attacks and kills the people who had stood up and defended Baghdad just a few years before. That’s not going to go down well.
My prediction is that there will be lots of acts from people and groups in Iraq against US forces. Mortars and rockets fired at bases, convoys being ambushed. That sort of thing. The Trumper Thumpers will probably try to blame Iran for these, but it is highly likely that there will be a popular move towards such actions towards a hated invader without people needing orders from some James-Bond-villain HQ in Tehran masterminding anti-Great Satan actions.
If anything, Iran will probably be trying to keep such people and groups from going off half-cocked. Not out of any love for the Great Satan, but from the tactical consideration of not wanting wasteful attacks and preferring better planned and coordinated attacks.
But basically, Iraq will now likely explode, pretty much all on its own.
“Thus, Soleimani was on an OFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC MISSION as part of a diplomatic initiative INITIATED BY THE USA.”
If so, then this is a high crime and misdemeanour.
Tulsi Gabbard needs to start impeachment proceedings under this heading.
One thing to remember regarding the use of nukes is that many of the Neocons who wield power in the Empire don’t accept the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction. They believe a nuclear war can be won. They don’t see the use of nuclear weapons as a last resort option. To them, it is simply a normal part of operational doctrine. This has profound implications for the planet as long as these lunatics have influence. So yes, they will certainly use nukes if it suits their operational goals. Against anybody. They don’t care at all how the world views them. They see themselves as the makers of history, exceptional in every way. Sometimes I think the Saker underestimates the depravity of the Neocons who have influence over policy. I am a former soldier of the Empire. The Neocons are not rational actors in any normal sense of the word. They would destroy and/or enslave every person on this planet if they thought they could pull it off and it would be to their benefit.
Saker… не знаешь случайно, Трамп жив вообще?
Google translate,MOD: don’t you know by chance Trump is alive at all?
Probably one of the biggest funeral processions in the history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzldnUAHIXg
?!?
When a large group pf population believe for example that their army is invincible, as many US persons do. (Of course it’s not theirs, it’s a mercenary force under some control by various factions of a corrupt ruling class.) But when such a large group of delusional persons suddenly discover that they have been deceived, they tend to react badly.
Yes, the Empire is about to lose. It’s always thus sooner or later, and also generally accompanied with perversions and pederasty and looting – as we see,
What follows sudden large changes in reality and perception, as losing this war is liable to create?
Alas, like it or not, Revolution follows. Empire now has millions (? many anyway) of still vigorous combat vets. The similarities to Weimar may be my imagination…
Empires can “sink deep into a catastrophic quagmire”, often because they have nowhere else to step. There is an even bigger conflagration developing.
https://www.ghostsofhistory.wordpress.com/
This is even worse than I thought!!! Sort of like shooting an emissary operating under a flag OF TRUCE. (Out West we call this “bushwhacking.”) Executive sabotage of the national interest on behalf of a foreign power! A real impeachable offense.
Now, where have I seen an account of this type of behavior before? Oh yes, the war in Judea in 70 AD. Vespasian sent his son Titus to put down the rebellion in Judea. According to Josephus, Titus sent emissaries to the Jewish Zealots under a flag of truce and promised to only kill a few of the ringleaders of the rebellion if they would lay down their arms and cease hostilities. He would not destroy Jerusalem and everything could go back to normal. The maniac Zealots (forerunners of today’s Zionists) cut off their heads, tied them on their horses backwards, and sent them back to Titus. This was done to force a fight so God could intervene, which He did not.
The treacherous act did not have the desired effect. Titus then ordered the city razed and no prisoners to be taken. (The order was modified at the end of the fighting so 25,000 prisoners could be taken as slaves for his triumphal parade in Rome.) The Neocons and hard-line Zionists may ultimately find they have unleashed nothing but destruction with their current treachery.
I also note that the U.S. has disavowed the second round of drone attacks on Iraq. It’s my belief these were Israeli.
The trouble is that Iraq is two nations, Sunni Iraq – and that includes the Kurds (85% of whom are Sunni), and Shi’a Iraq, which is aligned with Iran which is 90% Shi’a. Taking out Saddam Hussein, a nominally Sunni but actually secular Arab, without dividing the country politically into Sunni and Shi’a nations, was a big, big mistake, a real screwup. The Sunnis and the Shi’a consider each other to be apostates, and in Islam, apostasy carries the death penalty. The Sunnis and Shi’a have been fighting each other for 1300 years. Hussein was indeed a brutal dictator, but he kept the two sects from engaging in open warfare. Without Hussein, that was ended, and the 66% of Iraq which was Shi’a effectively took power – with the help of the CIA installing al-Maliki, a confederate of Soleimani as Prime Minister – from the 30% Sunni population, and it’s been civil war ever since. ISIS are Wahhabi – a schism from Sunni Islam. Wahhabis treat everyone but themselves as apostates and have declared jihad against them, but they tend to form tenuous alliances with Sunnis and fight against Shi’a. ISIS is funded by the Wahhabi Saudis, who prefer to have groups like ISIS fighting for Saudis *outside* of the KSA.
Soleimani is allied with Shi’a Iraq, and the Shi’a basically control the government. The only reason that Iraq is a nation at all is because of the seriously ignorant and misguided British and French diplomats, Sykes and Picot, back in 1919, who drew pencil lines across the desert, ignoring tribal and sectarian boundaries, and creating a situation of conflict which has endured ever since. If the Iraqi government votes to expel all foreign troops, as it appears to have done, then there is no legitimate reason for US troops to stay – none at all.
President Trump’s mandate was – and I hope, still is – to extricate the US from its involvement in the longstanding sectarian conflicts in the Middle East – and this leads to the question of whether the US is ruled by elected governments – or by the Deep State – the unelected government, which is comprised of neoliberals and neoconservatives. I think that Israel and the Netanyahu government have an interest in ensuring that the US maintain a military presence there. The question then is whether the US is a vassal state of Israel’s, and is it legitimate that the US armed forces are effectively serving as mercenaries for Israel. I think the answer to that last question is no – but the Swamp remains undrained, and in fact still controls US policy, both foreign and domestic. I think we need to go back to Jefferson’s policy of “free trade with all, entangling alliances with none.”
And the Sunni vs Shi’a conflict will continue long after the US finally leaves, having wasted trillions of dollars and thousands of dead troops and tens of thousands of crippled troops. This is a mess that the US can’t clean up, we should leave both sides to their own devices. My suggestion is that the US withdraw its troops and let the people there decide their own affairs – and that’s what we should have done back in 1991.
Group 3. A very small collection of people who understand the false narrative that exists about different countries being in opposition. ALL LEADERS are CORRUPT! They also work FOR the bankers. They care NOTHING for their country or the people who live there. As far as they are concerned there is only one enemy, the people of the world. To that end they feel it necessary to play out a convoluted quagmire of political brinkmanship and real wars, all to convince the populations of the world of it’s inevitable outcome. One world government.
TIME SENSITIVE WAR PREVENTIVE
Mr. President,
Hopefully you now see that you are surrounded by liars and traitors committed to your failure. The Iranians are toying with you, between putting $80M on your head ( you are worth much more) and threatening your golf courses — I am even wondering if they have your Wrestlemania publicity playbook.
Here is the deal, as stated by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayed Hassan Nasrallah on January 5, 2020:
The fair retribution, the fair price of his blood is this, frankly and clearly: the American military presence in the region. (Ending) the American military presence in our region (is the only appropriate revenge for the death of Soleimani).
To that I would add the immediate firing or resignation of Esper, Pompeo (who royally screwed you), and Haspel.
Esper is a piss-ant and a poser. He undermined you even further today on leaving Iraq. Pompeo does not merit your support as a prospective Senator. Haspel is a female Brennan.
My sources in both Russia and Iran tell me that Iran will not seek blood revenge if you fire at least one Cabinet member and leave Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, which is what you promised all of us you would do.
The meme, “Soleimani died that Palestine might live” is picking up momentum. If you quietly confirm to Iran that the restoration of Palestine by 2022 is on the table, all of this is OVER.
I am not overlooking your being aware that Obama gave 40-45 nuclear weapons to 8 Sunni kingdoms as part of his and Biden’s and Clintons taking in $60B in bribes. There is risk.
More plus links: https://phibetaiota.net/2020/01/robert-steele-5th-wh-letter-make-the-deal-mr-president/#more-148283
I think the idea that there are two divisions in the USA is wrong–I’m not sure about the two but most people in the USA accept mainstream narratives about foreign policy without thinking even the so-called left. So category 1 is larger than category 2. But larger than both categories is a category of people who just don’t care one way or the other and don’t want to even look at current events. They will go along with anything that happens up until the time their child is killed in action–other than that a few hundred thousand Iranian dead won’t matter in the slightest but they will weep over an abandoned dog. Virtue, as such is almost unknown in my country.
Why is there not a global BDS action against the U.S.? I realize the U.S. controls a lot of the financial aspects of the world via the World Bank, the IMF, the BIS, the WTO, NATO, and dozens of “free trade” agreements around the world, but imagine if as much as possible everybody stopped buying U.S. products unless there is no alternative.
The US$ is the main strategic weakness of the U.S. It is supported by the above institutions but mostly by the U.S. military. If the dollar weakens so does the U.S., destroy the dollar as global reserve currency and the U.S. military is defeated – although it might decide on one last hurrah flaming Armageddon.
http://www.jim.secretcove.ca
Group 2 may be greater than Group 1 but it is NOT taking a stand. Group 1 is loud. They also are as a group willing to nuke Iran and let the Devil sort it out. This war is irrational as it stands. If Iran seriously attacks US personnel it will only grow more irrational. The unbelievable has already happened. The direction is toward more unbelievable acts.
Paul Craig Roberts made the point on your own website that Israel and the Neocons want this war. THEY will keep pushing. He has called for a Russian-Chinese-Iranian military alliance to secure the heartlands of Asia. Short of this the ambiguity remains that a sufficiently strong show of force will overawe the Iranians. The US will likely enter the quagmire and get hurt. So will ISRAEL. I submit that in that case the US will use nukes in desperation.
There is the argument offered in The Twilight’s last Gleaming by John Michael Greer that the US has supreme confidence in its own military capability and has never really suffered military defeat. If sufficiently humiliated it will up the ante all the way to Armageddon. In the novel the US did stick at global thermonuclear war. The US administration in the novel is presented as far more rational than Trump. In this case nuking Iran is on the surface less risky than global nuclear war. I would not count on rationality if the US is seriously hurt or humiliated. The vociferous public may well back Israel and the Neocons in a nuclear strike.
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