James Stout

What a time to be alive

There was ab article published today that suggested Iran might try to attack California. It was rather poor and randomly vaulted from Iranian one way munitions to use of COTS drones in Mexico.

I think it is quite unlikely that we will see Shaheed impacts on the West Coast. Shaheeds are relatively unsophisticated and the US has the capacity to shoot them down. Where they work well is in large numbers, when some can slip through, or against a less well defended target.

on X, @theamargi.bsky.social and many other accounts have reported the death of the Syrian Kurdish Co-Chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), Saleh Muslim. This is a very sad day. I hope he can be buried in Kobane with his son, who died fighting ISIS.

Yeah, I don’t think any of us need permission to not shop at Target. It’s such a ludicrous construct that’s only really possible through access journalism and people being willing to speak on behalf of others who have not consented to them doing so.

I would be wary of self appointed leadership full stop.

In movements like this, which have no need for authority or even leadership, I would be extremely wary of anyone who calls themselves a leader and then ends the movement.

As we approach two weeks of this conflict it’s a good time to check in with your progressive outlets and see if they’ve taken the time to talk to anyone from Iran or the diaspora yet or if they’re just running opinion pieces from Americans who only understand solidarity when it’s with a state.

@jamesstout.bsky.social Local library just got copies! Have been enjoying it so far, and it's been dovetailing incredibly nicely with an interview of David Wengrow I just finished (on the Doomscroll podcast) where he reframes assumptions about the origins of inequality and social organization

Oh I’d love to listen, can you share a link?

The big wave also really isn’t up to the width of modern bars / cargo bike panniers and rear seats

Memorial to the International Brigaders from the Manchester area who against fascism in Spain. Manchester Central Library. With recently laid wreath to commemorate those who died fighting in the Jarama battle in February 1937.
Photo kindly sent to me by Tony Morris

Some rare good news.

At least in part I think this is because the cost of entry to be seen as “serious” in the US media and politics is a state. The Kurds are so often wrongly painted as acted upon, not acting, because so many people can’t understand actions on a large scale outside the frame of the state.

Almost every major outlet has run a piece entitled “who are the Kurds?” In the last week. Which other ethnic group, much less US ally for decades, would they write like this about? Why do Kurdish people have to be treated like some kind of oddity every time they’re relevant to a US audience?

We are aware of recent reports regarding targeted phishing attacks that have resulted in account takeovers of some Signal users, including government officials and journalists. We take this very seriously. 1/7

it would appear that Axios removed the claim that KDP and PUK leaders are Iranian, but did not issue a correction. More great journalism from the bullet point people.

Jesus. Revolution, liberating . Idk why but my phone is ”autocorrecting” the n out of revolution

Happy International Women‘s Day from The Myanmar women’s revolutio. They don’t get the coverage or the solidarity they merit, but that hasn’t stopped women in Myanmar liberate themselves

www.instagram.com/p/DVn_fuwiUU...

Thanks!

Gavin Newsom comes out swinging against California billionaire tax Ballot initiative, opposed by the ultra-wealthy, would levy one-time 5% tax on individuals worth more than $1bn

Psst! Your crown prince is aggressively fighting the California billionaire tax. He’s doesn’t care about you, pass it on! www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

At least Erbil has some SHORAD. But yeah, the whole region is getting it tonight.

They are really hitting water infrastructure

Erbil too.

Sulaymaniyah is getting hammered tonight, PUK and rojhelati organizations and even hotels. this is the direct consequence of all the speculative reporting on Kurdish intervention.

Or Israel!

IT'S HERE!!!

@jamesstout.bsky.social

Iran was in a critical situation before the bombing began, i had a piece I was gonna publish on this but obviously it’s delayed now.

Looks like my local library has ordered a book I'm looking forward to reading. "Against the State: Anarchists and Comrades at War in Spain, Myanmar, and Roja a, by James Stout" @jamesstout.bsky.social

If they are hitting water infrastructure in Iran, that’s a crime against humanity on an enormous scale. I planned to publish something on Iran’s water crisis this week but it obviously got bumped. Iran was already in a critical state pre war, destroying water infrastructure will kill innocent people