"So does the Iranian regime finally fall THIS TIME?" Topic

What an opportunity for US/Israeli air! One long line of Toyota Trucks. An A10 field day!

"Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!"

"A convoy of Iran-backed militia forces was spotted moving from Iraq toward Iran, according to a video circulating on social media. Some members were later seen in Khorramshahr in southwestern Iran on Saturday carrying flags of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces."

"You are all infidels in our eyes." 😳

"47 minutes ago
France sees ‘significant suspicion' of Iran link in foiled Paris attack

France sees ‘significant suspicion' of Iran link in foiled Paris attack
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Saturday there was a "significant suspicion" the foiled attack on a Bank of America branch in Paris was linked to Iran.

The minister cited similarities to recent incidents across Europe involving young recruits allegedly paid to carry out attacks.

"It is reminiscent of other really similar types of actions that have taken place in other countries… there is a significant suspicion of a link with Iran," Nunez said, describing what he called a coordinated pattern tied to the Middle East conflict.

The suspect in the Paris attack was arrested while trying to ignite an improvised device outside the Bank of America building."

How many Americans live in Iran and are persecuted? Hell, American isn't even a nationality)))

35thOVI, Russia isn't at war with Ukraine – Russia is at war with the West. And the West itself has admitted this many times through its leaders. Ukraine is just a proxy, a "biodron"… Putin first warned that such a war was possible back in 2007, in Munich. Although many Western experts warned about it even during the first phase of NATO's eastward expansion. If US interests are thousands of miles from US borders, then why are you denying Russia the same? Moreover, in close proximity to its borders?
My sympathies are unlikely to be with the US in such a conflict – Iran won't be safer when you turn it into another Libya… If you win, you'll simply revive a new iteration of ISIS… And then leave, leaving everyone else to deal with the consequences of your adventures.
In this thread, I don't care why the war is being fought… We're just looking at its progress…

The war against Iraq was "classic." Drones changed the battlefield. That's what I'm talking about…

Can Uganda unblock the Strait? It will be interesting to see.

SBminisguy, as soon as the West uses nuclear weapons, Russia will consider this a precedent, removing any moral restraints on their use in any other war.
And Iran will retaliate with "dirty bombs" against Israel.
Indeed, it's better not to let the genie out of the bottle – who knows how it might end…

I've already said that Islamic terrorists of all stripes will be revived all over the world—they managed without Iran before, and now they have this pretext… Furthermore, the crisis will lead to a sharp reduction in social support for Muslim migrants in Europe. I think the migrants will be very dissatisfied and will try to "thank" their hospitable hosts for the shelter they provided. We will see the full beauty of "multiculturalism," European style.

Caprum

Some straw arguments in some of those, so I won't respond to most.

Uganda unblock the strait? Can the Houthis hold it?

No. both are just allies of either party and will have as much impact. 😂

Fundamentalist Islam needs no revival. It has NEVER left the world, nor will it.

Like a wildfire in a wind, you put out the fire you can and wait for the wind to ignite the next one.

You try to stop the largest first. Try to prevent more breakouts, but knowing unless the wind ceases, there will always be more.

In this case, the wind has never ceased since the 600's.

Yes, all nations will regret allowing the large influx of Muslims into our countries.
…

"When Muslims have become the dominant population in countries, what has happened to the culture, governance and religion of those countries?

When a Muslim population becomes dominant in a country, history and modern data show a consistent shift toward the integration of Islamic law (Sharia) into governance, the marginalization of pre-existing religions, and a cultural realignment around Islamic social norms.

The following results indicate the common outcomes across culture, governance, and religion:

1. Governance: The Shift to Sharia and Authoritarianism

* Legal Transformation: As Muslim majorities grow, there is often increasing pressure for the application of an "Islamic template" to state and society. This frequently results in the implementation of Sharia-influenced laws governing family, marriage, and public conduct.

* Decline in Personal Freedom: Data from the Cato Institute shows that many Muslim-majority countries have seen "dramatic deteriorations" in personal freedom and a shift toward authoritarian regimes. Only a handful of Muslim-majority nations are classified as "free" by Freedom House.

* Political Identity: Islam often becomes a source of political legitimacy for rulers, who may use religious imperatives to unify the community or justify state policies. 
* Cato Institute


2. Religion: The Erosion of Minority Faiths

* Demographic Shrinking: Non-Muslim communities in Muslim-majority countries are systematically shrinking in both relative and absolute numbers.

* Legal Status of Minorities: Historically, non-Muslims (such as Christians and Jews) were classified as dhimmi—protected but legally second-class citizens who were required to pay a special tax (jizya) in exchange for maintaining their faith.

* Restricted Practice: In modern contexts, increased Islamic influence often leads to restrictions on church buildings, bans on proselytizing by other faiths, and strict blasphemy laws that penalize criticism of Islam. 
*

3. Culture: Social Conformity and Language

* Language and Education: Historically, the spread of Islam was tied to the spread of Arabic, which became the official language of government and education, displacing local languages or integrating Arabic terms into them.

* Social Norms: Dominant Muslim populations typically enforce stricter codes of conduct, including mandatory or culturally pressured veiling (hijab), the prohibition of alcohol and pork, and the segregation of genders in public life.

* Cultural Blending vs. Displacement: While some regions like Indonesia saw Islam blend with local traditions, other areas experienced the breakdown of pre-Islamic social structures, such as the Persian or Byzantine identities being entirely replaced by an Islamic one."

We already see the starts in some of cities. I have read of issues in multiple European nations as well.

Take Dearborn Michigan. I will put the sanitized web version, I have read a lot and heard worse.

"Dearborn, Michigan

Dearborn became the first Arab-majority city in the United States in 2023. While it remains under the U.S. Constitution, its governance and public life have seen notable changes: 

* Political Representation: The city is led by its first Arab American mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, and as of 2025, has an Arab-majority school board.

* Public Religious Practice: The Muslim call to prayer (adhan) is broadcast publicly up to five times daily, a change that has sparked both local support and frustration among long-time residents.

* Sharia Law Claims: While critics frequently claim the city is under Sharia law, city officials and legal experts state that Dearborn operates strictly under U.S. and Michigan law. Religious principles may inform personal contracts (like pre-nuptials), but they do not replace civil or criminal codes."

I have seen videos on holy days and Islamic holidays in Dearborn and you would swear it was downtown Tehran.

Legion 4, the same could be said about Vietnam or Afghanistan… A war is over when the last soldier killed in it is buried

Yeah … tell me something I don't already know. But again this is not Vietnam or A'stan …

OVI +1

SBm +1

"I eagerly await the landing of American troops. Let's see what the Americans are capable of in a modern war… In a ground war: eye to eye, face to face…"

I think we already have seen the US in action in modern warfare …

Starting in Desert Storm …

We're just looking at its progress…

Yes the US and IDF have destroyed most of Iran's weapons and many thousands of IRGC, Basji, etc.

As far as the IRGC and Basji … they act pretty tough … but so far, we have only seen them against unarmed non-combatants. But again as I said, US Forces will be used as needed in limited ways. No drive of Tehran, etc. The nation is very large. Regardless there is nothing to seize and hold … only destroy. The US & IDF are continuing to do that currently.

you win, you'll simply revive a new iteration of ISIS…

Unlikely much of ISIS is dead or in internment camps. And it seems that is where they will die … All of them males, females, children. They are going nowhere save for most ending up in Hell or some version of it.

The remains of ISIS in Syria, etc. generally keep a low profile. They raise their heads up … Many get killed … again. The US, etc. still on occasion kills of some. Here and there. And that trend will continue for a long as it is required.

as soon as the West uses nuclear weapons, Russia will consider this a precedent, removing any moral restraints on their use in any other war.

Again, the West has no reason to use nukes. They are only preemptive weapons to use when an enemy launcher their nukes. It is highly unlikely the US will use the in a first strike scenario. No one has forgotten about MAD …

I've been saying for a long time that Europe is actively engaged in self-destruction. It's a shame, but when God wants to punish someone, He simply takes away their reason…

Legion 4, "Desert Storm" – the last war of the last century…

ISIS – not literally… Just a new iteration. It will have a different name, its goals will sound different. But they will still be the same Islamic terrorists…
Look at Syria. It's also a new iteration of ISIS. Right now, they're "quietly" exterminating the non-Muslim population, but the time will come when they will gain strength…

God forbid that nuclear weapons are used. But, in my opinion, Trump, if cornered, is quite capable of it. He's an impulsive person.

I said it started with Desert Storm … other conflicts followed. And US tech and tactics evolved in each conflict.

And no matter what the new terrorists on the block are called. The US and Europe have a pretty good knowledge of fighting terrorism. The GWoT is not over. But it is evolving. Does one realize how many terrorist groups have been significantly reduced in numbers and effectiveness? Compared to what it was even 10 years ago or longer.

ISIS is just a good example of a terrorist group being so very damaged. They were no longer the threat they once were. And yes, we still keep killing them … Hamas is not looking to good. Nor is AQ. And Hezbollah is taking many more losses inflicted on the by the IDF.

And last reports I heard ISIS in Syria has not been killing off non-moslems as they once were. But there are places in Africa that AS, BH, etc. are still causing problems. But with US assistance they continue to kill off some of these islamists

And again the US and others are still actively hunting terrorists/jihadis. And now and then they kill off a few including a leader. Again as a new terrorist group shows up. they too will be targeted by the West. Primarily the US and IDF.

And the POTUS is not as impulsive as you mentioned. And the US will never initiate a nuclear exchange.

Syria is in the hands of jihadists, Libya is in the hands of disparate Muslim groups who are currently busy fighting among themselves (but that's for now), Afghanistan is once again in the hands of Muslim fanatics…

Just because they don't tell you something doesn't mean it doesn't exist:

link

Trump's 15-point Iran truce plan would let one terrifying threat slide

link

The Two Ways to Win in Iran

link

Winning in Iran Requires More Than Military Success

link

Epic Fury as It Is: A Look Inside

link

Armand

American E-3 Sentry reconnaissance aircraft destroyed in Iranian attack:

link

IRGC boasts after attack on radar and airport:

link

Iran attacked the Ukrainian contingent:

link

I remember the fun thread on TMP about making our fighting vehicles "green" and all those advocating for it. 🙄

Our currently dry docked carrier.

I'm sure this is not reported in their news sources, or if reported, not being reported as due to a "green agenda". 😏

"Systemic Failure: The vacuum sewage pipes on the Ford are too narrow for the crew of 4,600+ sailors, leading to chronic, daily plumbing failures and a "sewage crisis".

Massive Maintenance Costs: The specialized acidic cleaning process to unclog the pipes is described as a "$400,000 flush" by government auditors, a recurring expense, [Bloomberg.com ]link Bloomberg.com.
Operational Impact: Persistent malfunctions, alongside other issues, have plagued the ship's extended deployment, negatively impacting crew morale and sanitary conditions."

400,000 TAXPAYER dollars each time!! 🤬
…..

Many of us are familiar with these. 😏

"Those eco-friendly toilets are not pressurized in the same way — they don't flush through," naval expert Steve Wills told The Post."

"
"The Navy used a brand new toilet and sewage system . . . similar to what is on a commercial aircraft, but increased in scale for a crew of over 4,000 people," the report said.

"Prioritizing environmentally-friendly systems over combat effectiveness is a big mistake," said Bill Roggio, a senior fellow for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) wrote Navy Secretary John Phelan March 19 about the ship's "persistent sewage system failures and inoperable laundry facilities," saying he was "deeply concerned about the compounding mental and physical toll this long deployment and uncertainty is taking on our sailors."
"

Subject: Snafus sidelined USS Ford aircraft carrier


link

Yes "Go Green" and destroy the effectiveness of your military.

🤔 But maybe that has always been the ultimate goal.

Since this has made the news, I guess it's safe to place this information out.

Another ingenious plan and strategy sponsored by President "Evil" and his administration.

We could give credit to Dr. Evil, but we won't. 😈

When we started sinking narco boats off of Venezuela and elsewhere, the navy noticed a strange thing happening. The Navy noticed that sharks started trailing narco boats out of their home ports. Of course this was a dead giveaway to the US Navy as to what their next target should be. (See we didn't need expensive intel).

The sharks were "Jonesing for their next fix". Waiting for those boats to sink. Another advantage? No survivors left in the water. Brilliant right?! 😏

Well it only took a few steps to realize these sharks could be used for military purposes as well.

Voilà the Iranian Navy!!

So we shipped some really desperate sharks over. U.S. planes then fly over Iranian naval ships. Drop a bunch of white powder on the ships. No need for a missile, desperate sharks do the work for you it's amazing how far they can jump out of the water when they're desperate for their next fix.

Genius! "Weapons like you've never seen before!"

"Cocaine Sharks! Sharks with an attitude!"😉

Subject: 'Cocaine sharks' found cruising the Caribbean

link

@cuprum

"I eagerly await the landing of American troops. Let's see what the Americans are capable of in a modern war… In a ground war: eye to eye, face to face…"

No need to wonder -- we had that meeting during Trump's first admin. Battle of Kasham – a US FO base against Syrians backed by a company of Russian Wagner mercs. Result? The US base survived, about a batallion of Syrians and a platoon or so of Russians did not.

So -- what's your point? I mean, Russia at present is like 1940 Italy with nukes, ruled by a Mussolini like Putin. Larger than its neighbors, but as the Italians were unable to defeat smaller, poorer Greece in 1940 and needed Hitler's help -- Russia is incapable of defeating smaller, weaker Ukraine. It has even gotten massive amounts of Chinese and North Korean munitions, and thousands of foreign mercs from North Korea and elsewhere. And still isn't really winning. That doesn't mean Ukraine isn't in dire trouble, I don't know but suspect it's running on the edge -- but isn't Putin doing the same thing? And what happens inside Russia when Putin is gone since the whole power structure revolves around him? Could be years from now, or his next heartbeat -- then what?

Just because they don't tell you something doesn't mean it doesn't exist:

It is known that this happening. But nowhere in the numbers as before. Which does not make it OK. But it is going on thru out certain places in Syria and Africa. It is on the few news stations that report will it … Others it does not fit their narrative and agendas. You must know that by now … Or not …

BTW FOX just mentioned this atrocity going on in Iran. Guess you must have missed it … again …

American E-3 Sentry reconnaissance aircraft destroyed in Iranian attack:

Was not destroyed but damaged and can be repaired. I just heard that in the media. BTW … with the huge numbers of sorties flown in this conflict. Only maybe 2 US aircraft were damaged by enemy fire. With over 10,000 strikes, that is an amazing record. I know the Russian AF can't say the same.

IRGC boasts after attack on radar and airport:

Again any damage done to US/IDF assets is tiny compared to the destruct done to Iran's islamist assets.

However the US has suffered about 300 WIAs with a few seriously injured. 13 KIA with 7 from enemy actions is a pretty low number for a month of conflict.

Iran attacked the Ukrainian contingent:

And if they did have affected anything?

Or could all of this be CGI. Like sinking the US CVN Aberham Lincoln, etc. ?

BTW You know is a conflict both sides shoot at each other.

And frankly after seeing Iran's AI version of what their Geek Squad produces. I will have a hard time believing much that comes out of Iran's dying islamists regime.

Have you seen one of Iran's missiles hitting the US Statue of Liberty with a bull's head on top ? Both the Ayatollah and Suleimani are shown … too … but everyone knows they are dead/krisby kritters …

Only fools would think this would have any effect on anyone. Save for morons, useful dupes, etc. Just like Iran's dying regime …

Ok from most of you, with the exception of myself, Legion, SB and a few others, we get the "doom and gloom". US in desperate straits! Defeat looms close! Iran holds all the cards! And more of the like. 😏

Anyone

Never assume your opponent does not have major, major issues of their own.

In an earlier post, I said there were probably multiple groups actually controlling their own areas of Iran and the "central" government was not in control of them. Of course most, I'm sure are Republican Guard. Also that someone is negotiating with us, but that they fear for themselves not just from Israel, but their own.

You think our economy is taking hit? Well check theirs.

Iran International

"Serious disagreements have emerged between Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian and IRGC chief-commander Ahmad Vahidi over how to manage the war and its damaging impact on people's livelihoods and the economy, sources with knowledge of the matter told Iran International.

Pezeshkian has criticized the approach of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps regarding escalating tensions and continuing attacks on neighboring countries, warning about the economic consequences of the situation, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

He has stressed that without a ceasefire, Iran's economy could face total collapse within three weeks to one month, the sources said.

On March 7, Pezeshkian in a video message apologized for what he called "fire at will" attacks by the country's armed forces on neighboring countries and instructed them to stop such attacks.

However, the attacks continued shortly after the release of his message.

Call for restoration of executive power

Informed sources told Iran International that Pezeshkian has called for executive and managerial powers to be returned to the administration, a demand that has been firmly rejected by Vahidi.

In response to the criticism, the IRGC commander blamed the current situation on the government's failure to implement structural reforms before the conflict began, the sources said.

In recent days, Israeli media have also reported signs of divisions within Iran's ruling system. The Times of Israel, citing a senior Israeli official, wrote: "There are signs of cracks in the Iranian regime. We are now creating conditions for its overthrow, but ultimately everything depends on the Iranian people."

The Israeli outlet Ynet also reported similar internal divisions earlier this month.

Economic impacts

As the war enters its fifth week, its economic effects are increasingly visible. Reports from major cities indicate that many ATMs are out of cash, not functioning, or physically inaccessible, while online banking services for several major banks, including Bank Melli, are periodically disrupted.

Government employees have told Iran International that salaries and benefits for large segments of workers have not been paid regularly over the past three months.

In February, before the outbreak of the ongoing war, average inflation for basic necessities reached triple digits, estimated between 105% and 115%."

And this, same source

"Iran still depends on Hormuz despite years of workarounds
Dalga Khatinoglu
Dalga Khatinoglu
Oil, gas and Iran economic analyst
Mar 27, 2026, 01:45 GMT

Listen to this article
FILE PHOTO: Luojiashan tanker sits anchored in Muscat, as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 7, 2026
FILE PHOTO: Luojiashan tanker sits anchored in Muscat, as Iran vows to close the Strait of Hormuz, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 7, 2026
Iran's plans to reduce its reliance on the Strait of Hormuz appear to have delivered little practical change so far, according to tanker-tracking data from Kpler obtained by Iran International.

For more than a decade, Tehran has invested heavily in the Jask oil terminal, a project designed to shift part of its crude exports to the Gulf of Oman and create an alternative export route outside the Persian Gulf in times of crisis. Yet the data suggests the terminal has so far played only a marginal role in Iran's export system.

According to Kpler data, Iran loaded an average of about 1.84 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude during the first 25 days of March. The contribution of the Jask terminal remained minimal.

Average loadings from Jask stood at roughly 81,000 bpd during this period—less than 5% of Iran's total crude exports.

Historical patterns suggest this limitation may be structural. Iran first initiated exports from Jask in October 2024 amid heightened military tensions with Israel. Even then, volumes remained modest at around 77,000 bpd. In March 2025, exports from the terminal averaged roughly 54,000 bpd.

This is despite the fact that Jask is connected to Iran's main oil-producing regions through a pipeline stretching nearly 1,000 kilometers, an infrastructure investment intended to enable significant export capacity outside the Persian Gulf.

In practice, Iran's dependence on Kharg Island remains overwhelming.

Kpler data indicates that more than 84% of Iran's oil exports in March were loaded from Kharg, while Jask accounted for just 4.4%. Another roughly 10% originated from the Soroush and South Pars terminals in the Persian Gulf.

Such concentration creates a clear strategic vulnerability: any disruption at Kharg could severely cripple Iran's oil exports.

The question has gained renewed relevance as the war between Iran and the United States and Israel has intensified. The Strait of Hormuz—through which roughly a fifth of global oil trade passes—has become a central point of tension, with Tehran periodically restricting maritime traffic.

At the same time, reports have emerged of expanding US military operations in the region, including contingency planning involving strategic islands near the Strait of Hormuz that could be used to control access to the waterway.

In such a scenario, Iran's continued reliance on export infrastructure concentrated around Kharg would leave its oil trade exposed to disruption.

Overall, the export data underscores a fundamental reality: despite years of investment, Iran has not succeeded in meaningfully reducing its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz—or, more critically, on the Kharg export hub.

In a volatile regional environment, that dependence represents a significant structural weakness."

"IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️
@iaeaorg
Based on independent analysis of satellite imagery and knowledge of the installation, the IAEA has confirmed the heavy water production plant at Khondab, which Iran reported had been attacked on 27 March, has sustained severe damaged and is no longer operational. The installation contains no declared nuclear "

This could be a private message exchange between 2 interested readers rather than an attempt to beat the longest TMP thread record

Next time someone says that Iran is dangerous and they need to be stopped…here's some history to share.

1901: A British businessman secures exclusive rights to Iran's oil. Iran gets almost nothing from its own resource.

1908: Oil is struck. Anglo-Iranian Oil Company is formed. It later becomes BP. The British Royal Navy converts from coal to oil, making Iranian petroleum a strategic military asset for the British Empire.

For the next 50 years, Iran's oil is extracted by a foreign corporation. Iran receives a fraction of the profits. Saudi Arabia negotiates a 50-50 profit split with ARAMCO. Iran asks for the same terms. Britain refuses.

1951: Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, nationalizes Iran's oil through a unanimous vote in parliament. Completely legal. Completely constitutional. His argument was simple: this is our oil.

Britain responds with an international blockade. No negotiation. No compromise. They want their oil back.

1953: The CIA (Operation Ajax) and MI6 (Operation Boot) overthrow Mossadegh. They bribe politicians, clerics, journalists, and military officers. They fund fake protests. They run disinformation campaigns through newspapers they secretly own. MI6 operatives kidnap and murder Iran's chief of police and dump his body in public as a warning.

They reinstall the Shah — a monarch who serves Western oil interests. The CIA officially acknowledged its role in 2013.

After the coup, BP retains a 40% stake. American oil companies including Exxon and Mobil get significant shares. Iran's democratic government is gone. Its oil is back under foreign control.

1953-1979: The Shah rules for 26 years as a Western-backed authoritarian. His secret police, SAVAK, is trained by the CIA and Mossad. SAVAK tortures and kills political dissidents systematically. Iran becomes one of the largest purchasers of American weapons. The Shah lives in extraordinary luxury while much of the population remains poor.

During this entire period, Israel and Iran are close allies. SAVAK and Mossad share intelligence. Israel sells weapons to Iran. Nobody in the West calls Iran a "terrorist state" because the dictator is their dictator.

1979: The Iranian people overthrow the Shah in a popular revolution. This is where your list begins — as if the revolution appeared out of nowhere, motivated by nothing but religious fanaticism.

Now let's talk about the US embassy that was attacked.

The US news likes to paint the 1979 hostage crisis as an unprovoked attack on America. The revolutionaries seized the embassy because the last time there was a democratic movement in Iran, the CIA ran the coup to crush it from that same embassy. They weren't being paranoid. They were being historically accurate.

Now let's ask a couple more questions.

Why are there U.S. military bases in Iraq? Because the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003 on claims of weapons of mass destruction that turned out to be false. Over a million Iraqi civilians died. No American official was ever prosecuted.

Why is there conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon? Because Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 and occupied southern Lebanon for 18 years.

Why are Houthi rebels attacking ships? Because a U.S.-backed Saudi coalition bombed Yemen for years, creating what the UN called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Over 150,000 dead. Famine. Cholera outbreaks.

Why does Iran pursue nuclear capability? Possibly because Israel has an undeclared nuclear arsenal estimated at 80-400 warheads, has never signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, faces zero international inspections, and has never been sanctioned for it. Iran signed the NPT. Iran agreed to inspections. Iran signed the nuclear deal in 2015. The U.S. pulled out of that deal in 2018.

Every single item on your list is framed as Iranian aggression against "the West." But none of them exist without the West's 70-year campaign of overthrowing Iran's democracy, installing a dictator, extracting its oil, arming its neighbours, invading the countries on its borders, and maintaining military bases throughout the region.

Now trace who benefits.

The 1953 coup was about oil. BP and American oil companies got the oil.

The Shah's 26-year reign was about strategic positioning. The U.S. and Israel got a compliant ally on the Soviet border and in the Middle East.

The post-1979 framing of Iran as a "terrorist state" serves a specific function: it justifies permanent U.S. military presence in the Middle East, billions in annual arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Gulf states, and unconditional U.S. support for Israel's regional dominance.

Every "Iranian attack" on your list occurred in a country where the U.S. had no legal right to be in the first place — Iraq, Syria, Jordan. American troops are stationed across the Middle East not because those countries asked for protection from Iran, but because the U.S. positioned itself there to control the region's resources and protect its strategic architecture.

When someone punches you for 70 years — overthrows your government, installs a dictator, trains his secret police to torture your people, extracts your oil, invades the countries on your borders, surrounds you with military bases, and sanctions your economy into the ground — and then you punch back, the question isn't "why are you violent?"

The question is: who threw the first punch? And who's been profiting from the fight ever since?

That's not a defence of the Iranian regime. The theocracy that replaced the Shah has its own record of brutality against its own people, especially women. But that regime exists because the CIA destroyed Iran's democracy in 1953.

The West created the conditions for the very thing it now claims to oppose.

SBminisguy, yes, I remember that story. But the stupidity of some junior commander who committed unauthorized actions, without any necessary support, in a single clash, is no indicator of anything…
It's better to recall Operation Eagle Claw, especially since the players will be practically the same)))

Russia isn't at war with Ukraine – it's at war with the left-liberal West))) Even Western leaders openly admit this – you're the only one who doesn't know))) And they're fighting quite well, considering the circumstances.

What will happen after Putin? Nothing special – his next appointed successor. I think it will be Alexey Dyumin:
link
Do you remember how Putin gained power? Yeltsin simply handed it over to him… In Russia, people have a different attitude toward leadership. It's just a job… If a person does this job to the satisfaction of most people, then their personality and presidential terms are of little interest to anyone…

35thOVI, Iran, to win this war, simply needs to preserve the regime… But for the US, this is a much more serious problem. Especially for Donald Fredovich Trump ;)

🤔 Noggin so we all can blame the British. 📣

Seems fair.

But What's that?? 👂

"Before it was known as Iran, the region was the heart of the Persian Empire, which for over a millennium was the primary "Eastern" superpower clashing with "Western" civilizations like Greece and Rome.
The Greco-Persian Wars (499–449 BCE)

The first major "East vs. West" conflict occurred when the Achaemenid Empire (under Kings Darius and Xerxes) attempted to conquer the Greek city-states.
The Invasion of Europe: Persia expanded into Europe, conquering Thrace and Macedonia.

Key Battles: Legendary encounters occurred at Marathon (490 BCE), Thermopylae (the "300" Spartans, 480 BCE), and the naval battle of Salamis.

The Result: The Greeks eventually repelled the Persians, a victory often credited with allowing Western concepts of democracy and philosophy to survive and flourish"

So you are saying they STILL actually started it all under Darius! The Hel# you say!!

Yes we can play history games till the cows come home.

They still deserve what they are getting and no I don't suffer from the white colonialist guilt syndrome that many do. The dark oppressed minority did the same when they had the chance.

Ask Darius.
Or
The Prophet himself.
Jihad! Jihad!
😏

Caprum

What's this I read today about Russian treatment of the poor North Korean laborers? Say it so Joe! Say it ain't so… 😢

Exerts below

"Wake up before 6 a.m. to the Russian winter. Walk to the construction site as a group. Work from 7 a.m. until 10, 11 p.m., sometimes even midnight. Without breaks. There is no set end time. You finish when the target is met. Rain, snow, it does not matter. We worked with no gloves, no heating, no protective equipment. My hands cracked so badly I could not grip the tools. But you do not stop."

"This was the reality for "RT," identified by his initials to protect his identity, a former reported victim of North Korea's overseas forced labor, who described his experience

The man was one of the 100,000 workers sent overseas under North Korea's state-sponsored labor program.

"I was told I could earn money," he claimed. "That was all. Nobody mentioned a quota. Nobody told me that most of what I earn would be taken. I thought if I went to Russia and worked hard, I could save enough to build a better life for my family. When I arrived, I realized none of that was true. The money was not mine. It was never going to be mine."

A new report published by the international human rights organization Global Rights Compliance shares firsthand testimonies from North Koreans working in Russia.

The report found that Russian companies are employing North Korean workers in violation of United Nations sanctions, often obscuring their identities so laborers do not even know who they are working for. U.N. Security Council resolutions require member states to repatriate North Korean workers, making their continued presence in Russia a potential breach of international sanctions…….

…
The report identified what it said are all 11 International Labour Organization indicators of forced labor across 21 testimonies from workers in three Russian cities who did not know each other. These include debt bondage, restriction of movement, withholding of wages, excessive overtime, physical violence, surveillance, deception, isolation, abuse of vulnerability and abusive conditions.

Upon arrival in Russia, passports are immediately confiscated and retained by North Korean security officials, according to the report.

"My passport was taken the day I arrived," RT said. "I never held it again. I could not leave the worksite freely. The city was right there, beyond the fence, but we were sealed off from it. A few times a year, we were allowed out, but only in groups, heads counted, with a fixed time to return."

Physical violence was reported in several cases, including one instance in which a worker was beaten so severely he could not work for two weeks. Surveillance onsite was described as constant, with collective punishment used to force workers to monitor one another.

Workers described living in overcrowded containers infested with cockroaches and bedbugs, with access to only one or two showers per year and in some cases just a single day off annually.

One worker told investigators they were forced to "lead lives worse than cattle."
…..

The people who made it into the report are among the few who managed to escape the system. RT said he now feels an obligation to speak out.

"We are people just like you but working like a cow," he said. "We have families. We left home because we wanted to give our children something better, and what we found was a system that took everything from us."

He said thousands remain trapped.

"I want people to know that right now, today, there are men on construction sites in Russia working 16 hours a day, sleeping in containers, earning nothing, with no way to call home and no way to leave. Their names are not in any report. Nobody knows they are there. But they are there. And if I could say one thing to them, it would be — the world is starting to listen. Please hold on.""

OVI +1

SBm +1

CENTCOM CDR RET. – the US attacks on Iran's islamists if further along than expected …

link

The West created the conditions for the very thing it now claims to oppose.

Too simplistic and biased … regardless, the radical islamists over threw the Shah, a monarchy, a gov't like many in that region.

The islamists are threats to not only their own people but the West and Israel. With their apocalyptic goals using nukes to bring on the end times. Am I the only one to think how ridiculous that is.

And if you want to point fingers. After WWI the defeated Ottoman Turk empire was divided up primarily by long death politicians from the UK and France. One of the biggest errors was creating Iraq out of what was Mesopotamia/Babylon. With a bad division of Shia vs. Sunni.

The better move would have been making a Sunni dominated state. A Shia dominated state and then create a Kurdistan based on the ancient region, IIRC call Assyria.

The Kurds were spread out primarily in Syria, Iraq and Iran. Another ancient tribe that was divided up …

Throw in the Yazidis in primarily in Northern Iraq. Which were practicing Zoroastrianism. The same religion of the Persians in what became Iran. The jihadi Islamicist tried make the entire region into a fundamentalist Shia dominated caliphate. Which BTW is still their goal. Even if they have to kill everyone to do it.

Jump to WWII, the UK and Russia invaded Iran to shorten and make more protected supply lines from U-Boats attacks. For the Allies to assist the Russians in defeating the Nazis.

So a lot of blame to go around …

And yes the CIA and MI6 did assist the Shah in staying in power. To keep the Russians out of Iran. As the Russians and the US/UK were playing a big game of RISK.

So look at now … Iran's lunatic islamic regime wants to make nukes to bring on the "End Times". It does not matter much now why or how we got here. The mission is to stop them from nuking Israel, Europe and even the USA. After that the historians can decide how things happened. And how the West and Iran go to this point.

It seems some suffer from the inability to prioritize what the critical moves are to stop Iran's nuclear quest. That is the reality right now not what happened in the past. As we know what happened to get us here on the precipice. With islamic death cult lunatics.

Iran, to win this war, simply needs to preserve the regime… But for the US, this is a much more serious problem

And just like in Vietnam and A'stan we all know that. But the difference is 80% of "Persians" don't like this islamist regime. And much of Iran's C3, missiles, vessels, supply and manufacturing have been significantly attrited. As well as thousands of IRGC and Basji have been sent to paradise.

As I continue to say there are some things going on behind closed door we don't know about. Even if many in the media, Congress, and elsewhere, etc. say the US and IDF are losing. That flies in the face of reality.

Plus again the US is not going to fight in the mountains, desert and streets of Iran. But all the troops in the region now and the many more that are on their way. Will act more like the UK Commandos after the fall of France in WWII. There is nothing to really seize and hold only destroy.

As far as the nuclear material that Iran says it has. I think that will be taken care of after the islamists gov't and its minions are pretty much mostly gone. The US will not fight an insurgency in Iran. We will not nation build. We learned the hard way in Vietnam and A'stan. That won't happen again.

Plus the ball is still in play. The foolish biased claims that the US is losing is again greatly overstated. Based more on hatred of the POTUS, his admin, the US, etc. Then what is actually going on.

Legion +1

If you've read the WSJ story, it reads like a Tom Clancy novel.
Shhh ….. don't tell anyone, but I think the WSJ is hoping for this scenario, because they have already purchased film rights for it. 🎥 😉

Iran International:

"US weighing operation to seize Iran's enriched uranium — WSJ
17 hours ago

Listen to this article

US president Donald Trump is considering a military operation to seize Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium as part of efforts to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, the Wall Street Journal reported.

US president Donald Trump is considering a military operation to seize Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium as part of efforts to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, the Wall Street Journal reported.

According to the report, the plan under discussion would involve US forces entering Iran to secure and remove roughly 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium.

Officials told the newspaper the mission could require troops to operate inside the country for several days or longer.

Trump has not made a final decision, the report said, and is also pressing advisers to pursue a diplomatic option that would require Iran to hand over the uranium as part of a negotiated settlement.

The proposal highlights the extraordinary steps under consideration as the war continues, with Washington weighing both negotiations and direct action to eliminate Iran's enriched uranium stockpile."

"Inst for Science
@TheGoodISIS
NEW: High resolution Airbus satellite imagery taken on March 28, 2026, shows that the main processing building at Iran's uranium mill, the Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant (YPP) was destroyed along with its auxiliary processing building. Ardakan was receiving uranium ore from the Saghand uranium mine but could have also processed ore from other mines Iran was planning and building. Producing yellowcake, or U3O8, is the first step to convert the uranium into a form usable for enrichment. The IDF announced the strike on March 27, and reported, "The strikes were aimed at the central infrastructure used for the unique production processes at the site." Some ground photos are available from an AEOI video made for Iran's Nuclear Technology Day 2013.

OVI + 1

So many suffer from extreme TDS. A completely incurable disease. They still refuse to get it. The POTUS is always saying and doing things that rapidly change. Which is classic Sun Tzu. The remnants of Iran's gov't, IRGC, Basji, etc. are keep off guard. The don't know what to do. Just to keep firing their dwindling missile and drone assets. And the US and IDF just keeps blowing up Iranian targets. Both material and islamist fanatics, e.g. IRGC and Basji …

Did anyone say this operation was going to be easy ?

I don't think anyone thought it would be … It is huge operation in a huge country. And yes there are many targets left to remove from the board. Which is ongoing …

Regardless of what some in Congress or the worldwide media repeatedly say. Most of the media suffers from extreme TDS. As do some in Congress.

When conducting this type of mission or any one for that matter. Do not understand as the situation on the ground/air/sea, etc. will develop and planning, etc. will be modified, etc. Even at my former low level of command, experiencing changes was almost a given. You train for this, your troops react quickly as you do. As you trained for this. SOPs, Battle Drill, etc. It is how you do business.

However, many high-ranking US Officers Ret. have said how well this op is going. It is ahead of the planned time table, etc. Of course, some will go deeper into detail in some cases. But not violating OPSEC, etc. They know their business. They are not waving the flag all the time. But their comments are from their vast experience and training. Generally, they are realistic, pragmatic, etc. when being interviewed.

There are a few detractors, there always will be …

But with the massive losses Iran's islamists have suffered to use foolishly the words the US and IDF are losing. Is beyond ridiculous. But with some suffering TDS, they just can't see it any other way …

Iran wipes out US-Israeli radars & sensors, changing course of war

link

The China-Russia-Iran Axis Threat

link

Armand

China is for China… it's at best and axis of convenience. I wonder if they are tracking US ordnance expenditures and thinking about Taiwan these days. We are going though a lot of
expensive materiel.

This seems to be the Modus operandi of ALL radical fundamentalist Islam. Then of course blaming their adversaries for hitting these targets. Targets of course, they themselves attack with reckless abandon. As they did so recently in Michigan.

Subject: Iran's military uses schools and civilian sites during US-Israeli war | Iran International


link

Tort I thought of this in the first week. So if we did, I'm sure they have.

Taiwan is a conversation for another time.

35thOVI, of course, this isn't enemy propaganda, but the honest truth… But who's funding these truthful people?

"As of 2025, Global Rights Compliance (GRC) received funding from the following institutions:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands (MFA Netherlands);
Foreign Office (FCDO);
European Union (EU);
Swedish Development and Cooperation Agency (SIDA);
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
United States Department of Foreign Affairs (US DoS);
Council of Europe (CoE);
Swedish Educational and Cultural Service (SDC)."

Am I supposed to believe those paid by the enemy? Sorry))) If this were an independent organization, I might listen, but these are just soldiers of the information war…
All sources of information are anonymous, the information itself is unverifiable. You just have to believe)))

You know what's funny? When organizations like these, funded by Trump's enemies, make such statements about your president, you won't believe them… Typical Western double standards…

For now…
US is Running Out of Ammo Against Iran:

link

Caprum I did not say if I believed it or not. 😏

I was just grabbing ONE anti Russian source, like you and others grab anti Trump/Us sources and link them as "truth" about the Iran conflict.

You really DON'T think I could bombard the Ukrainian threads with information that would make Putin and the Russians look like Hitler and the SS in 42… if I was so inclined?

Portray the Russian soldiers on the Ukrainian front as like those at the front in 1917? 😏

So all this doom and gloom, world ending, never ending MSM and China/Russia stuff, when we are in just week 5….. come on. 😏

If the Ukraine had been this successful, you would be drinking Vodka on the streets of Kyiv years ago. 😉

Probably explains the large number of explosions reported and recorded last night in multiple areas of Iran. If we are using them, Iran air defenses are 💥☠️.

Some nice explosion videos on Iran International and of course the one of the ammo dump? Factory? Storage bunker? Whatever, Going up was especially good.

Iran International:

"The U.S. has deployed B-52 Stratofortress bombers to the skies over Iran for the first time since Operation Epic Fury began, Pentagon officials say.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine made the announcement Tuesday morning during a press conference alongside War Secretary Pete Hegseth. Caine said the U.S. and Israel have dismantled Iran's air fighting capability to such an extent that the lumbering bombers can now operate safely in the region.

"Given the increase in air superiority, we've successfully started to conduct the first overland B-52 missions, which allow us, as we've said before, to continue to get on top of the enemy," Caine said.

U.S. forces have hitherto relied on speed and stealth to carry out strikes within Iranian airspace, deploying more sophisticated weapons like the B-2 and B-1 bombers."

Hmm… I'd like to see how the US would fight if Iran received aid like this:

According to calculations by the Kiel Institute for World Economics, from the beginning of the military operation until August 31, 2025, Brussels allocated $79.34 USD billion to Ukraine. Funds allocated by EU institutions (including the European Commission and the European Investment Bank) were counted separately from the financial support provided to Kyiv directly by EU member states.

The European Union ranks second in terms of aid to Ukraine. The US remains the largest donor, with approximately $130.65 USD billion, of which about two-thirds are military supplies.

The top three individual donor countries also include Germany ($25.64 billion, $20 USD billion of which is military aid) and the United Kingdom ($21.24 billion, $15.7 USD billion of which is military aid).

The Kiel Institute for World Economics calculates foreign aid to Ukraine as part of the Ukraine Support Tracker project. It only records intergovernmental commitments and tranches from 41 donor countries (G7 states, EU members, as well as Australia, New Zealand, a number of Asian and other countries), without taking into account private donations and assistance from international organizations."

And this is despite the fact that Ukraine is the largest country in Europe (after Russia), with an army that is larger than all European troops combined and has inherited from the USSR its best weapons in huge quantities.

You're fighting under preferential conditions. And I haven't even mentioned the unprecedented sanctions against Russia yet…

Again, don't read headlines, don't read other people's opinions – read the facts… Confirmed facts. They can't lie.

Another interesting fact – draw your own conclusions about what it means:
"The US plans to remove one of Poland's Patriot PAC-3 air defense missile batteries and move it to the Persian Gulf region."

link

Caprum

1) you should be ecstatic. The President has made the Ukraine or EU pay for any support militarily from the U.S. now.
2) We need our weapons to fight our wars and protect our troops and combat allies currently.
3) if Poland did not purchase them from us, than they are ours to use as we please.

I'm sure Iran isn't sending drones and missiles to Russia any longer. 😉

By the way, we heard the same argument about Iraq and their armed forces back in the day. 5th largest back then? US would bog down, Republican Guard Waffen SS like, well entrenched, WW1 etc. etc.

I will give the Iraqis credit for digging their own graves with those trenches. 😉

The Poles have 2 PAC-3 batteries with a combined 16 launchers and 200 Missiles.
In addition there are two US batteries in Poland.
The US asked the Poles to deploy one of the Polish batteries to the Middle East.

The Poles have ordered an additional 6 batteries of PAC-3 with another 600 missiles with deliveries to start in 2027.

An estimate of the number of PAC3 missiles fired by the US in the Iran conflict is estimated to be more than 1300 to date.
The current production capacity of PAC-3 missiles is around 600 a year with some going to export sales. It is hoped to increase this quantity to around 2000 a year by 2030.
Current expenditure during the conflict is in excess of two year's production capacity. However, in addition to replacing missiles fired by the US, missiles fired by other countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait will also need to be replaced. There is also the obligation to fill existing contracts such as the Polish contract. There is certainly going to be a hole in PAC-3 coverage, the question becomes, for how long and where?

One question that I have and I can't seem to find the answer is why the US is asking for NATO members to send their PAC-3 batteries rather than just move US batteries deployed in Europe to the Middle East. Could it be that many of the missiles associated with the US batteries in Poland have already made their way to the Middle East?

Caprum

1) you should be ecstatic…

Indeed he should be, since the European Left is busy destroying NATO! What Russia could not do militarily, Leftist leaders in Europe will do just to spite Trump and prove how "tough" they are against the US.

OVI +1

SBm +1

.
"@SECWAR
"If Iran is wise, they will cut a deal.

President Trump does not bluff and does not back down—you can ask Khamenei about that. The new Iranian regime should know that by now.

This new regime—because regime change has occurred—should be wiser than the last.

President Trump will make a deal; he is willing. And the terms of the deal are known to them.

If Iran is not willing, then the United States War Department will continue—with even more intensity."
"

Seems the Prez says he is willing to leave the Straits an open issue if it impedes his timeline. (So much again for a forever war).

Up to those who really need what comes down it, to escort their own, or treat whatever Iranian Guard is left, like they did the pirates of Tripoli and pay them tribute to go through.

""All of those countries that can't get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT. You'll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!" Trump wrote on social media.

Minutes later, in a separate post, Trump lashed out at France, saying it had been 'very unhelpful' in the US-Israel war on Iran.
"The Country of France wouldn't let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the 'Butcher of Iran, who has been successfully eliminated!" Trump posted on his Truth Social platform."

I'd cancel my visit, if I were King Charles. 😏

Wait!!

Will all those weird weird people in weird, weird costumes, waving Palestinian, Iranian, communist, rainbow, Mexican and a plethora of others, in our streets last weekend (at least in very blue cities) storm the streets again if Charles comes here? 😳

Screaming: "No Kings! No Kings!"

What did those costumes have to do with no Kings? 🤔

Frog costumes, inflatable unicorns, T-Rex dinosaurs, hippos in tutus, chickens, lobsters, pigs, pandas, handmaids tail, drag queens on stilt…

"In one notable incident, a protestor was seen in a bizarre costume involving a McDonald's bag, a diaper, and money in their mouth, interpreted as a critique of greed."

It's all so confusing!

And why wouldn't this "Tyrant King", not just have a bunch of quad 50's mounted on half tracks, take care of these miscreants? A true King would do it!!

At least a little Hanging, drawing, and quartering? 😏

35thOVI, we would be delighted if NATO were dissolved, as was the Warsaw Pact that opposed it. Or at least if it remained within its former borders at the end of the Cold War.

You decide what to do with your weapons—I published this here to illustrate the situation with the Gulf War.

Poland paid for these systems and missiles. That's why the US is now forced to ask for them…

Iran provided Russia with technology. It hasn't sent drones for a long time—Russia produces hundreds of them a day itself. Iran has never sent missiles to Russia. You're confusing it with North Korea—the Koreans produce ammunition compatible with Soviet weapons. So why shouldn't we use their production capacity to increase production?

Any analogies are false))) Why are you mentioning Iraq and not Vietnam or Afghanistan? That's a war of a different generation and is being waged using different methods. My opinion is that Trump made a huge mistake. The same one Russia made in 2022. He underestimated the enemy.

35thOVI, before the US attacked Iran, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz was perfectly fine)))

SBminisguy, sad as it is, you, not we, created these leftist leaders in Europe. And we are allies in the fight against them, not adversaries. But now your "tail" is wagging you… Did you believe that Russia is planning to occupy Europe? Sad… Although, without maintaining the myth of such a threat, the left-liberals in Europe will simply collapse – they will be replaced by sensible politicians like Orbán, Fizzo, Lepen, and others… Those who care not about their own delusional utopian ideas, but about the prosperity of their own countries and peoples.

Iran has mastered asymmetrical warfare…

US Aircraft Losses Against Iran Are Getting Worse:
link

I love reading about the Russian "double standard"…

"…the Koreans produce ammunition compatible with Soviet weapons. So why shouldn't we use their production capacity to increase production?…

But if NATO supplies weapons to Ukraine… that's despicable, aggressive, and treacherous… it implies that NATO is participating in the war against Russia as if it were on the front lines… well, the Korean rats don't just supply weapons… they actively participate in the war as if they had been attacked by the Ukrainians. Of course… they are "Loyal Allies," something that if any French, German, or Finnish military unit does it, it's because they want to conquer sacred Russia.

"…before the US attacked Iran, shipping in the Strait of Hormuz was perfectly fine)))…"

No… it wasn't you forget the conflict in the Strait in 1984. Iran unilaterally attack neutral merchant ships, much of those via Kuwait at the northern end of the Persian Gulf.
In November 1986, Kuwait – tired of seeing its flagged ships hit – asked for foreign help to protect them.

The Soviet Union lent aid first, escorting tankers through the Gulf.

By the summer of 1987, US Navy and Coast Guard ships had moved into the Gulf in numbers to escort the former Kuwaiti tankers.

On July 22, two reflagged tankers left the United Arab Emirates headed for Kuwait under the protection of five US ships, a destroyer, two frigates and two Coast Guard cutters.

But Iran had good intelligence on the convoy and laid mines across a key channel in the Gulf that a massive tanker, the Bridgeton, would have to transit.

On 24 July, Bridgeton struck an Iranian moored contact mine. The massive ship absorbed the power of the mine, which, despite the size of the hole, did not significantly impact the tanker… but the frigate USS Samuel B Roberts, saw that luck run out on April 14, 1988.

While heading for resupply before its next escort mission, the frigate encountered a minefield laid by Iran the night before…The warship struck a contact mine, and an estimated 500-pound explosive broke the Roberts' keel and left a 15-foot hole in its hull.

"…Did you believe that Russia is planning to occupy Europe? …"

That's as silly as asking if China wants to occupy their own continent, or India, or Brazil… all great countries… but what distinguishes Russia is that, like good vultures, they're always on the lookout to try and occupy any neighbor they consider weak… it's like when sharks smell blood… they can't avoid the attack…

"… by sensible politicians like Orbán, Fizzo, Lepen, and others…"

I can think of thousands of epithets or adjectives to describe people like Orban… but never "sensitive"… to what?… to bribes?…

Is this the kind of people they want for Ukraine, by any chance?

Armand

Yeah like we'll believe anything you post or say. So far most of it is …

Caprum

Not looking back, my referencing to Iraq, was to counter yours of the Ukraine and its power. Iraq was ranked 5th at the time we fought them.

As to weapons from Iran to Russia.

"Iran has sent a significant volume of drones and other military equipment to Russia, a partnership that has deepened since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While Iran initially denied these transfers, it later admitted to sending a "small number" of drones prior to the war"

Yes you have copied them.

the Shahed-131 and Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drones, which Russia has rebranded as Geran-1 and Geran-2.

In addition:

"Volume of Supplies: Russia has reportedly used over 57,000 Shahed-type drones since the conflict began.

Domestic Production: Iran provided the technology and expertise for Russia to establish its own manufacturing facility at the Alabuga Special Economic Zone in Tatarstan. By early 2026, Russia was estimated to be producing nearly 5,500 modified drones per month.

Advanced Models: Iran has also shared blueprints for jet-powered variants like the Shahed-238 (Geran-3) and newer generations like the Geran-4 and Geran-5"

Other weapons?

"Beyond drones, Iran has provided various lethal aid to support Russia's ground and air operations:

Missiles: Russia has purchased approximately $2.7 USD billion worth of Iranian missiles, including hundreds of Fath-360 and other short-range ballistic missiles (CRBMs).

Ammunition: Iran has shipped an estimated 300,000 artillery shells and 1 million rounds of ammunition via the Caspian Sea.

Combat Gear: Supplies have included helmets, flak jackets, and firearms.
Training: Iranian specialists, including members of the IRGC, were reportedly deployed to Crimea and other occupied areas to train Russian troops on operating these systems."

I'm sure all that did not come cheap.

We know some "SU"'s went to them.
Satellite location information for them, as in Saudi Arabia. Radar locations?
Then of course gold and whatever other "useful" currency the radical fundamentalist wanted.

I understand, you say we have done the same for the Ukraine. Which is true.

I know you may not believe it (as others don't), but Radical Fundamentalist Islam is the enemy of all who do not adhere to it. It not matter of if they will view you as a target, only when.

Russia has dealt with it before. But it only waits until time presents it the next opportunity.

TUNE IN: Tomorrow night at 9PM ET, President Trump will give an Address to the Nation to provide an important update on Iran.

Tango01, what's the double standard? Russia and North Korea have an agreement to help defend each other's territories… Ukraine has no such agreements… Go ahead, sign agreements and come fight—we'll be happy to see you.

Europe and the US have long been buying up weapons from all over the world and supplying them to Ukraine. South Korea, for example, has been Ukraine's main producer of artillery shells since 2022. Why can't Russia do the same?

I'm referring to the current situation. On the eve of the US and Israel attack on Iran, shipping was free. It won't be like that anymore…

Russia didn't attack anyone until those countries began to pose a threat to Russia. If the West can have interests thousands of kilometers from their borders (which they can easily resolve with armed force), why can't Russia do the same close to its own? That's a real double standard.

Bribes? Who in Europe doesn't take bribes? Where's the money for the COVID vaccine stolen by von der Leynen? Hungary has no maritime borders and would simply suffocate without oil and gas supplies from Russia—that's Orban's whole secret. And the Ukrainians have never been friends with the Hungarians. Why would he pay them? To preserve the power of the Brussels bureaucrats?

35thOVI, Russia didn't develop the kamikaze drone concept before the war. Faced with similar weapons in Ukraine, the Russians took the most rational route—they purchased the technology from Iran… Naturally, as part of establishing production, they received a batch of Iranian drones… What's wrong?
Why don't you mention, for example, the Rys armored vehicle? It's an Italian Iveco.

link

I saw Iranian drones on the front lines, but I didn't see any Iranian missiles, ammunition, or equipment there. Why? Now, every soldier and local resident has a smartphone and internet access. It would be impossible to hide. I think it's just propaganda. At least until proven otherwise.

Yes, Russia is a country where 30% of the indigenous population is Muslim. They've lived here for thousands of years, and we know how to coexist and live normally with them. And we know very well what radical Islam is and will always work to destroy it (we just have different approaches and methods than Israel). We would hardly have ever entered into an alliance with fundamentalists if you hadn't simply forced it on us through your pressure. And now we have only one goal: to survive as a state and a nation. When the question is posed this way, there's no point in calling us to morality. We participated in sanctions against Iran and North Korea, we invested in the Western economy, not China's… And what did we get in return? NATO's eastward expansion and an attempt to contain or destroy us. To strangle us with a ring of hostile states on our borders. To destroy our allies (secular regimes in Muslim countries) and replace them with Islamic radicals…
What more do you want from us? We're defending ourselves as best we can.

Strippers say, "Boots on the ground by Easter!"
They would know.

What will be ready? Will the Iranian regime change to a pro-Western one? Will the Strait of Hormuz once again be open to free movement? Will oil prices return to pre-war levels? Will the region become more secure? Will China become weaker?
What will change for the better?

Btw, on the subject of NATO ally… lack of support… this was NOT A NATO request. The US did NOT invoke Article 5 or ask for formal NATO organization engagement.

This was an ALLY to ALLY request.

The US is doing the fight everyone knew was needed but would not or could not do to prevent a genocidal islamist theocracy from getting nuclear weapons and IRBMs.

Trump has been clear that the chief US war aim is to defang Iran, and regime change would be welcomed but not necessary. Trump seems fine blasting our way down the leadership roster until someone is more interested in life than a "martyr's death."

And the US did not even ask for MILITARY support from allies -- just normal support. It made formal requests that probably seemed mostly pro forma to use US PAID FOR bases in Europe. Sure, the bases in Spain are on Spanish soveriegn soil, but other than that the US pays for everything.

No. Not, "No we won't send military assets," but "No, we won't let you use the bases YOU BUILT and PAY FOR after almost 80 years of heavy, sustained US commitment to European allies."

So US aircrews and soldiers have to incur extra hazard and risk, increasing the chance of mishap and casualty. And on top of that leftist European leaders rushed to the cameras to denounce Trump and America's "illegal war" and to, perhaps, reassure their large unassimilated muslim populations that they essentially support Iran. Even though all the Gulf States support defaning Iran…

So then Trump put European allies to the next test. Will you respond to calls for a joint international patrol to maintain the Straights of Hormuz in a purely defensive operation? No.

No. Not our fight, not our war.

Test failed. OK then – not really allies, just dependent nations angry at being asked to share the security load and who mostly will NOT be there for the US…

What will be ready? Will the Iranian regime change to a pro-Western one? Will the Strait of Hormuz once again be open to free movement? Will oil prices return to pre-war levels? Will the region become more secure? Will China become weaker?
What will change for the better?

Iran defanged and set back by a decade or more on its quest to get nuclear missiles. Possibly regime change, that would be a nice extra but not necessary to be successful. Will the Straights be opened? Dunno, seems Trump's answer is -- we don't care. You want to keep you ships safe, you figure it out. Will oil prices drop? Of course they will -- AND we'll keep grabbing Russian "shadow tankers" and maybe Ukraine will keep blowing up Russian oil industry assets. Will the region become more secure? Yes -- the looming threat of a nuclear Iran dominating the region will be ended, and with much of its defense-industrial complex destroyed it cannot sustain the same level of support for Houthis-Hamas-Hezbollah. Not to mentioned Israel has smacked both Hezbollah and Hamas pretty hard.

Say -- would you like a new pager? Just kidding! What an amazing op that was, eh? And the Houthis have lost a lot of munitions support and there's an outside chance the Arab League will move against them again. We will see.

Will China be weaker? Well, they are so far since they have had up to 80% of their oil supplies impacted. The lost Venezuela, they have lost Iran as a military ally they can use to destabilize the Middle East in pursuit of its own goals, and rising fuel costs are impacting their economy. Certainly the CCP is engaged in a quiet Civil War right now between Xi and other factions that has impacted their civil AND military leadership pretty deeply.

Xi Jinping's PLA purge has gutted China's military leadership.

*101 senior officers (generals & lt. generals) confirmed or potentially removed

*~52% of all top PLA leadership positions affected (CSIS data). The entire Central Military Commission has been effectively hollowed out — now down to Xi + 1 loyalist

Reports also point to thousands more junior and mid-level officers impacted, down to battalion/squadron commanders and ship captains. GONE. The effects on PLA cohesion and readiness remain a major question. If Xi wants to invade Taiwan -- can he?