Definitely Over Thirty

Can we please take a moment to appreciate the fact that Trump expects Iranian Kurds to join his war within a year of him hanging their brethren in Syria out to dry, and within living memory of the USA abandoning Iraqi Kurds - many of whom fled to Iran - to their fate in 1991.

Well given that his reputation is that of a hardliner who has no problem with Iran gaining nuclear weapons, even the orange dolt could be right on this one. I'd rather not end my life sucking fallout into my lungs if some future conflict leads to outright regional war in the Middle East, then WW3.

Best get Andrew safely into the Tower, then, eh?

Welcome back to the 1970s, folks.

But what if Trump then decides that, having Andrew in his hands, the ex-prince is the royal that he wants on the throne of the UK?

Follow? He blazed a trail for that war: Blair's "dodgy dossier" gave the US its excuse to invade, and he caused the death of the expert who contradicted that faked-up document.

The rise of ISIS, and all that followed, can be traced back to Anthony Blair's choice to lie for profit and vanity.

"Now what makes white people decide to write books about cultures that are not their own?" wrote someone, and then disabled quote posts and comments.

Hmm. I'll ask, "What makes anyone write books about cultures that are not their own?"

Some replies may disappoint me, but please state your truths.

He's quite wrong about the fishing gear: When the man goes off to die in Putin's war, the woman can then go fishing to feed herself (and the possible child).

That might explain why only US-based users can access the site. That's not the only possible reason, mind you, and one would have to learn whether the other sites are all non-US to get greater certainty...

instead of to achieve any actual geopolitical goal.

Sun Tzu's line about how an evil man will burn down his own country to rule over the ashes comes to mind here, although I think that Donald Trump's backers are the ones willing to light the fire rather than Mr Trump himself.

control of elections.
3. Persistent rumours about Mr. Trump's health indicate that he may not live out to the year.
4. Given failing health and an objective to seize control of voting in the USA, this military campaign was started prematurely in order to provide distraction from that objective,

@militaryanalyst.bsky.social I would like to see your feedback on this chain of reasoning:
1. The attack on Iran was carried out without full planning and resources.
2. Trump's political party is promulgating a document which is intended to give cause for the federal government of the USA to seize

The business models of companies like Rayethon appear to have fossilized, which will be unfortunate for them. Unfortunately for the rest of us, those companies poised to make money from the design and use of weaponised drones also seem to be the least moral.

Try setting your VPN to use a location in the USA if you're getting a 403 (Forbidden) response.

So good that it's forbidden outside the USA, eh?

Everybody who's been sending advanced munitions into the fight is getting technical data back as part of the deal, which unfortunately will give us more effective killing machines over time. I suppose that that fact wasn't part of team Trump's calculations.

It seems that Russians have been feeding back technical improvements to Iran, such as adding rocket motors rather than propellers. These refinements will make newer Shaheds more dangerous to Americans then they were before.

The best solution is "enough software", and anybody who's worked with enterprise computing knows how tricky it is to define that amount - especially as situations always keep changing.

One might ask how much funding she gets from groups that are backed by America's religious right-wingers, because those people are eager to bring about the Rapture, the End Times and the second coming of Christ. They'd get the same radioactive holocaust as the rest of us, but they think otherwise...

YouTube video by Monte Mader The link between conflict and Christian nationalism.

I wouldn't normally say this, but maybe it's time for an Inquisition? (Cue the Monty Python jokes, because I wouldn't have expected that.)

youtube.com/shorts/0rm1t...

Any military officer who utters the phrase, "President Donald Trump has been anointed by Jesus to light the signal fire in Iran to cause Armageddon and mark his return to Earth," should be relieved of their command. Especially so when their country has nuclear weapons.

Thank you, I really needed a laugh amidst the current insanity.

I had wondered about the relative level of preparations of the two sides, and it seems to me that although the US has a technological advantage (not necessarily an overwhelming one) the Iranians had planning on their side.

The 1970s had lifestyle advice on home decor, handcrafts and cooking; the 1980s, on fitness and career success; and in the 1990s, people advised us on diet and emotional intelligence. I can't honestly say that I'm a fan of the 2020s, but at least people are trying to meet the needs of the decade.

I had wondered about that possibility. One has to wonder what the response of the average American is going to be when faced with a war against a country that is much larger than Afghanistan or Iraq, and which can interdict a major shipping lane, but I doubt that Trump will stop any time soon.

If they're not combatants, and they're not politically active, and they're not hiding money for the regime, then they don't get touched. Europe has a long and needlessly bloody history to learn from, and a Christian tradition to follow - which doesn't mean that these people shouldn't be watched.

Take better care of your dog.

And now, the genie is out of its bottle: We have a world with paramilitary access to missile strikes through drone technology.

So what you're saying here is that Russia will be happy because it has a better chance to sell oil at a break-even price?

Thousands of guards, poised to meet an invasion that never quite happens as predicted, yet also - paradoxically - drains the money out of everyday life in the United States.

You'd think that people might adapt their system to that situation, but that's not where the money is for big business.