Thanks you as always for the clarity. An amphibious invasion of Kharg island would be a suicide mission whether its special ops or a conventional ground force. Happy to hear that insane discussion is rooted in fallacy and media sensationalism.
The last thing Trump needs going into the midterms is U.S. Marines coming home in bodybags. Iran has made it pretty clear what it has planned for the 82nd or any other American fighting force that arrives on its shores.
I appreciate this analysis. I think the US is both farther along on the deployment (particularly of airborne, ranger and special operators) than they have publicly admitted to, but also even if all the airborne and marines were in theater and positioned/prepped for an assault, it still wouldn't make sense. At least one possibility is this is all to convince the Kurds and Balochis that they should attack, since the US will join them. Once they attack, the US doesn't care if it ever gets around to actually invading.
This encouragement for the people of Iran's dissenting factions to rise up reminds me of the Bay of Pigs. The people on the ground were encouraged to rise against Castro, but when the time came, the American Government left them planted. (Not that many were ready to do an uprising anyway, I suspect just like Iranians)
What talking heads are not mentioning much on the airwaves and in the papers, is that a Theocracy is not something you can defeat with bombs. In Europe, they know: Christians went to war against Muslims for 200 years, until everyone went home.
Excellent analysis. No one knows for sure what comes next; least of all Trump! And with Netanyahu on his own mission into the abyss; it’s chaos theory.
Bottom line, Iran has is exactly where they want us; the ability to shut down the Straight of Hormuz, while drawing us into the invasion trap—you break it, you own it.
And did I mention, we’re buying drones from Don Jr.; I’m sure they’ll work exactly as to be expected! IMHO..:)
It's especially Israel that has us exactly where it wants us: In their corner, and enmeshed in a war that's impossible to get out of (especially with Trump in charge!)
The fact is, in this conflict, we have NEVER been honest brokers. We've always been on the side of Israel. Since 1948, we have funneled in some way shape or form billions and billions of dollars. We owe them NOTHING.
Muslims and Jews might get along a lot better if we were not always supporting Israel. Certainly, it would make Netanyahu a bit more reasonable vis a vis Palestinians and allow them to live in what used to be their land and with equal rights.
Agreed, and we can support Israel and other countries equally, when we don’t support them with impunity; which is the case of Israel.
That said, let’s not forget, it’s the messianic evangelical movement, along with the Israeli settler movement that is causing all this suffering and angst—they been supporting Israel for one purpose only: The Book of Revelations!
And we even have Heritage in charge, which is a religious organization, while commanders in Israel and the US telling soldiers it’s a holy war and Trump was sent from god as the messiah. You can’t make this sh*t up!
I totally agree:" That said, let’s not forget, it’s the messianic evangelical movement, along with the Israeli settler movement that is causing all this suffering and angst".
Pete Hegseth is precisely such a hot head in this Messianic Evangelical movement.
Netanyahu continues his illegal mission:
The West Bank is called "occupied" because Israel captured the territory from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War and has maintained military control over it ever since, violating international consensus on the transfer of populations. Under this military occupation, Israel manages security and administration, restricts Palestinian movement, and has built settlements considered illegal under international law.
WE are on the wrong side of the International Law.
I doubt very seriously that there’s any Iranians who are being scared by this jingoistic reporting. I’d say the public is the only target, and, rather than being scared, a mighty lot of us are just plain pissed.
"I doubt very seriously that there’s any Iranians who are being scared by this jingoistic reporting"?
Actually, you can count on the Mullahs and other religious extremists to repeat and emphasize to their own people that the US is the great Satan and keep them scared and obedient. there's a big difference between hating your Government and hating invaders.
(Invaders are a whole lot worse, and the most stupid thing we could do is invade them.)
Thank you, Ken, for clarity! And - our major media has been hijacked for over 70 years - when Operation Mockingbird was initiated by the CIA to ensure major newspapers only reported positive stories about the CIA. Prominent journalists were added to the CIA payroll - in the early 1950’s. This initiative with major newspapers was never removed nor reversed. Katherine Graham of WaPo was complicit, as were other owners and editors. No one ever mentions this decades-long hijacking of the “free press”. What is your perspective on this?
Diego Garcia, 4000 KM from Iran, is apparently as close as we wish to position major assets, given that it was the target of a couple of intermediate range missiles, (which did no significant damage) recently.
Ken, you're a terrific journalist. Thank you! I would be interested in your reporting on what I've read about successful Iranian drone attacks on US aircraft carriers. With the suggestion that the "laundry fire" was actually a drone. Is this all internet fantasy or is the US Navy deeply compromised by drones?
"It’s the White House’s prerogative to scare the shit out of the Iranian government."
It has been widely reported that both Russia and China are sharing highly sophisticated satellite intelligence with their Iranian partners so I think the Iranians are aware that much of this talk from Trump & Co. is just empty threats.
Presumably the actual audience for this bluster is Trump's base?
Aren't parachute drops from low and slow flying planes? With drones available in any quantity, wouldn't a drop be suicidal making it a thing of the past?
"With Trump in charge, one never knows." Even though ground attacks don't make any sense doesn't mean that Trump and his holy Warrior Hegseth won't do it. sigh
Thanks you as always for the clarity. An amphibious invasion of Kharg island would be a suicide mission whether its special ops or a conventional ground force. Happy to hear that insane discussion is rooted in fallacy and media sensationalism.
Thanks for this piece, Ken! Does your analysis also reflect the lack of merchant marine shipments to the Gulf, as reported by John Konrad?
didn't look at that angle but makes sense!
The last thing Trump needs going into the midterms is U.S. Marines coming home in bodybags. Iran has made it pretty clear what it has planned for the 82nd or any other American fighting force that arrives on its shores.
I appreciate this analysis. I think the US is both farther along on the deployment (particularly of airborne, ranger and special operators) than they have publicly admitted to, but also even if all the airborne and marines were in theater and positioned/prepped for an assault, it still wouldn't make sense. At least one possibility is this is all to convince the Kurds and Balochis that they should attack, since the US will join them. Once they attack, the US doesn't care if it ever gets around to actually invading.
This encouragement for the people of Iran's dissenting factions to rise up reminds me of the Bay of Pigs. The people on the ground were encouraged to rise against Castro, but when the time came, the American Government left them planted. (Not that many were ready to do an uprising anyway, I suspect just like Iranians)
What talking heads are not mentioning much on the airwaves and in the papers, is that a Theocracy is not something you can defeat with bombs. In Europe, they know: Christians went to war against Muslims for 200 years, until everyone went home.
Excellent analysis. No one knows for sure what comes next; least of all Trump! And with Netanyahu on his own mission into the abyss; it’s chaos theory.
Bottom line, Iran has is exactly where they want us; the ability to shut down the Straight of Hormuz, while drawing us into the invasion trap—you break it, you own it.
And did I mention, we’re buying drones from Don Jr.; I’m sure they’ll work exactly as to be expected! IMHO..:)
It's especially Israel that has us exactly where it wants us: In their corner, and enmeshed in a war that's impossible to get out of (especially with Trump in charge!)
The fact is, in this conflict, we have NEVER been honest brokers. We've always been on the side of Israel. Since 1948, we have funneled in some way shape or form billions and billions of dollars. We owe them NOTHING.
Muslims and Jews might get along a lot better if we were not always supporting Israel. Certainly, it would make Netanyahu a bit more reasonable vis a vis Palestinians and allow them to live in what used to be their land and with equal rights.
Agreed, and we can support Israel and other countries equally, when we don’t support them with impunity; which is the case of Israel.
That said, let’s not forget, it’s the messianic evangelical movement, along with the Israeli settler movement that is causing all this suffering and angst—they been supporting Israel for one purpose only: The Book of Revelations!
And we even have Heritage in charge, which is a religious organization, while commanders in Israel and the US telling soldiers it’s a holy war and Trump was sent from god as the messiah. You can’t make this sh*t up!
That said, I agree, it’s a holy war from HELL!…:)
I totally agree:" That said, let’s not forget, it’s the messianic evangelical movement, along with the Israeli settler movement that is causing all this suffering and angst".
Pete Hegseth is precisely such a hot head in this Messianic Evangelical movement.
Netanyahu continues his illegal mission:
The West Bank is called "occupied" because Israel captured the territory from Jordan during the 1967 Six-Day War and has maintained military control over it ever since, violating international consensus on the transfer of populations. Under this military occupation, Israel manages security and administration, restricts Palestinian movement, and has built settlements considered illegal under international law.
WE are on the wrong side of the International Law.
💯 agree 👍
Thats a relief! Thanks for the smart reporting
Amphibious invasion against a capable military…there would be staggering losses. And last thing we need is one step closer to hot world war.
I doubt very seriously that there’s any Iranians who are being scared by this jingoistic reporting. I’d say the public is the only target, and, rather than being scared, a mighty lot of us are just plain pissed.
"I doubt very seriously that there’s any Iranians who are being scared by this jingoistic reporting"?
Actually, you can count on the Mullahs and other religious extremists to repeat and emphasize to their own people that the US is the great Satan and keep them scared and obedient. there's a big difference between hating your Government and hating invaders.
(Invaders are a whole lot worse, and the most stupid thing we could do is invade them.)
Thank you, Ken, for clarity! And - our major media has been hijacked for over 70 years - when Operation Mockingbird was initiated by the CIA to ensure major newspapers only reported positive stories about the CIA. Prominent journalists were added to the CIA payroll - in the early 1950’s. This initiative with major newspapers was never removed nor reversed. Katherine Graham of WaPo was complicit, as were other owners and editors. No one ever mentions this decades-long hijacking of the “free press”. What is your perspective on this?
Diego Garcia, 4000 KM from Iran, is apparently as close as we wish to position major assets, given that it was the target of a couple of intermediate range missiles, (which did no significant damage) recently.
"The Circus" is rapidly falling apart.......send in the Iranians.
NPR? Defund that propaganda.
Thank you for the truth!!!! You are why I do not listen to corporate news.
Ken, you're a terrific journalist. Thank you! I would be interested in your reporting on what I've read about successful Iranian drone attacks on US aircraft carriers. With the suggestion that the "laundry fire" was actually a drone. Is this all internet fantasy or is the US Navy deeply compromised by drones?
I’m told it really was a laundry fire
"It’s the White House’s prerogative to scare the shit out of the Iranian government."
It has been widely reported that both Russia and China are sharing highly sophisticated satellite intelligence with their Iranian partners so I think the Iranians are aware that much of this talk from Trump & Co. is just empty threats.
Presumably the actual audience for this bluster is Trump's base?
Aren't parachute drops from low and slow flying planes? With drones available in any quantity, wouldn't a drop be suicidal making it a thing of the past?
"With Trump in charge, one never knows." Even though ground attacks don't make any sense doesn't mean that Trump and his holy Warrior Hegseth won't do it. sigh