Netanyahu is not only a genocidal maniac, but he’s also suicidal. I put the over/under for the first time Jerusalem is hit with a nuke at 2055.Meanwhile, Israel planning for an extended stay in Lebanon.
The area they are talking about has nearly half a million residents, and includes the historically famous city of Tyre.
82nd Airborne now deploying.
Whatever Trump says, I still think this smells like we are planning on invading Kharg Island.
Will certainly be a very low risk operation.
https://twitter.com/i/status/2036554916727025823
NYT: “if past generations could see how well this war has gone compared with the ones they were compelled to fight at a frightening cost, they would marvel at their posterity’s comparative good fortune. They would marvel, too, at our inability to appreciate the advantages we now possess.”
What good is the patriot missile if they are already running out them after such a short time.
There are 10 types of people in this world, those who know binary and those who don't.
Pretty sure that was the Ayatollah’s thinking process also. Problem is, It’s harder to build drones after your country has been sent back tothe Stone Age.What good is the patriot missile if they are already running out them after such a short time.
NYT: “if past generations could see how well this war has gone compared with the ones they were compelled to fight at a frightening cost, they would marvel at their posterity’s comparative good fortune. They would marvel, too, at our inability to appreciate the advantages we now possess.”
Also NYT: "I tell people about this war, if you like this war, enjoy this first part, because this is the best part. Because everything after this will be harder, because it will be more equal, even though we will have bombed them." - Stanley McChrystal
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
Their list of demands was interesting. Removal of all US bases in the Persian Gulf region. The ability to charge ships for passage through the strait. No limitations on its missile programs. etc...
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
I'd feel terrible but logically know it wasn't my fault or my crew's fault who created the Tomahawk mission package or fired the missile on my orders. I'd explain this to the crew. The mission successfully destroyed all its targets but one of the targets we were provided shouldn't have been included.If you had been that CO, what would’ve gone through your mind after you found out about it?Final assessment will come but at this point it looks like a Tomahawk hit the school as part of a simultaneous strike package against otherwise legitimate military targets. Appears the school was mistakenly identified as one of those legitimate targets. If true, and I think it’s very likely true, it’s a tragedy of war and it happens. It’s usually best to get the truth out as soon as possible and to acknowledge and apologize for the mistaken targeting and tragic loss of innocent life ASAP.I wonder how that "investigation" regarding the bombing of the girls school is going?
If true, the missile was fired by a the Navy. That’ll be a guilt borne by the CO unfortunately, but not the kind he would be fired for. The mission was planned on intelligence provided.
It's pretty much accepted now that it was a Tomahawk strike though not admitted to officially by the DoD - and they should do so as soon as all uncertainty is resolved. The targeting is different now than when I retired. AI wasn't involved. Apparently, it's pretty heavily involved now and probably had a part to play in this mistake.
Deadly Iran school strike casts shadow over Pentagon’s AI targeting push
Some reading for today if interested:
This probably makes some of you eligible to join the Army. Army ups enlistment age to 42, eases marijuana restrictions
We're going to need them. Air Force Going Fast to Develop ‘New Class’ of Low-Cost Munitions
Israel's military to occupy swathe of southern Lebanon, defence minister says | Reuters
The ‘simple maneuver’ of opening Hormuz strait carries great risks, analysts say
US 15-point plan vs. Iran's 5-point plan. The idea of Iran getting sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz is absolutely never going to happen.
Iran dismisses US ceasefire plan, as attacks persist across Mideast | AP News
NYT: “if past generations could see how well this war has gone compared with the ones they were compelled to fight at a frightening cost, they would marvel at their posterity’s comparative good fortune. They would marvel, too, at our inability to appreciate the advantages we now possess.”
Also NYT: "I tell people about this war, if you like this war, enjoy this first part, because this is the best part. Because everything after this will be harder, because it will be more equal, even though we will have bombed them." - Stanley McChrystal
McChrystal is spot on. This is an asymmetric war. Iran's military is/was no match for ours (particularly when combined with Israel's intelligence and military capabilities), and that was never in doubt. But Trump apparently never learned that raw power isn't always enough, particularly in this part of the world.
What are Trump's objectives? Hard to tell because they change from day to day. Some major goals that he and other administration officials have articulated since the war began include A) "unconditional surrender," B) an overthrow of the government by protestors and/or members of the Iranian military, C) regime change, and D) destruction of Iran's nuclear capabilities. "E" would be reopening the Strait of Hormuz. That wasn't an objective going in but has become one by virtue of the war itself and Iran's retaliation for our attack.
"A" clearly isn't happening. Neither is "B."
"C" hasn't happened. The new "Supreme Leader," if he's still alive, is at least as much of a hard-liner as his dead father. If the new supreme leader isn't calling the shots, who is? Trump says he knows the identity of new leadership because of a gift they sent him, worth "a tremendous amount of money," which Trump has alternately called a "present" and a "prize." Barring additional detail about the gift and the sender(s), I'm calling bullshit. Finally, as General Mattis said earlier this week, "Never in history has air power alone changed a regime." It's still unclear if Trump is willing to commit to ground troops.
"D" would require a massive ground operation to get the 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium buried in the mountains. Again, who knows if Trump is willing to commit to that but, as of now, that key objective has not been achieved.
"E," the Strait, is Iran's best card, their biggest strength, their greatest leverage. They're not giving that up without concessions from us.
There's no way we can credibly declare victory unless and until at least some of these objectives are achieved.
Trump's (and his puppet Mike Johnson's) declarations that the war is over, or "wrapping up," are nonsense.
A Clausewitz quote that seems appropriate.
No one starts a war—or rather, no one in his senses ought to do so—without first being clear in his mind what he intends to achieve by the war and how he intends to conduct it.
Trump needs to stand up to this bloodthirsty maniac. Not holding my breath.
https://twitter.com/i/status/2036886938980950345
NYT: “if past generations could see how well this war has gone compared with the ones they were compelled to fight at a frightening cost, they would marvel at their posterity’s comparative good fortune. They would marvel, too, at our inability to appreciate the advantages we now possess.”
Also NYT: "I tell people about this war, if you like this war, enjoy this first part, because this is the best part. Because everything after this will be harder, because it will be more equal, even though we will have bombed them." - Stanley McChrystal
McChrystal is spot on. This is an asymmetric war. Iran's military is/was no match for ours (particularly when combined with Israel's intelligence and military capabilities), and that was never in doubt. But Trump apparently never learned that raw power isn't always enough, particularly in this part of the world.
What are Trump's objectives? Hard to tell because they change from day to day. Some major goals that he and other administration officials have articulated since the war began include A) "unconditional surrender," B) an overthrow of the government by protestors and/or members of the Iranian military, C) regime change, and D) destruction of Iran's nuclear capabilities. "E" would be reopening the Strait of Hormuz. That wasn't an objective going in but has become one by virtue of the war itself and Iran's retaliation for our attack.
"A" clearly isn't happening. Neither is "B."
"C" hasn't happened. The new "Supreme Leader," if he's still alive, is at least as much of a hard-liner as his dead father. If the new supreme leader isn't calling the shots, who is? Trump says he knows the identity of new leadership because of a gift they sent him, worth "a tremendous amount of money," which Trump has alternately called a "present" and a "prize." Barring additional detail about the gift and the sender(s), I'm calling bullshit. Finally, as General Mattis said earlier this week, "Never in history has air power alone changed a regime." It's still unclear if Trump is willing to commit to ground troops.
"D" would require a massive ground operation to get the 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium buried in the mountains. Again, who knows if Trump is willing to commit to that but, as of now, that key objective has not been achieved.
"E," the Strait, is Iran's best card, their biggest strength, their greatest leverage. They're not giving that up without concessions from us.
There's no way we can credibly declare victory unless and until at least some of these objectives are achieved.
Trump's (and his puppet Mike Johnson's) declarations that the war is over, or "wrapping up," are nonsense.
Unconditional surrender is really the only feasible solution to denuke Iran. Doesn’t require ground troops. Hormuz is the barbed-wire enema that creates worldwide urgency. Theoretically Iran will eventually surrender if we keep aerial bombing the living bejesus out of them. Time is in Iran’s favor creating world pressure to end the conflict and open up Hormuz.
Trump’s plan to stone-age their power grid is an inhumane (to them but not to our soldiers) but probably the quickest viable solution. It wouldn’t be the first time Persians survived the Stone Age. If their leaders are insane enough to martyr their nation, so be it. Iran shouldn’t have DOWed us in 1979. Play with fire, you get burned.
Are you planning to escape from the cult? They’ll come after you. Run fast!Trump needs to stand up to this bloodthirsty maniac. Not holding my breath.