But...but....Trump is the peace candidate! I wonder how much of this is being driven by Netanyahu. He wanted Saddam Hussein taken out but they couldn't do it so they got the big dumb guy to do it. They've wanted to crush Iran for a long time but can't do it themselves. "Let's get the big dumb guy to do it." This is all very dangerous.
Thank you for covering this, and with the right tone (e.g. the B-2s are a very aggressive signal, but don't actually mean war is imminent or even decided on). Other developments that worry me are the movement of air defense missiles to Israel and the Middle East, particularly a deployment of a second THAAD system to Israel. That would mean that 30% of THAAD systems are now in Israel; that isn't sustainable, and suggests that the US needs to achieve something in the near future. Additionally, it's worth noting that there are almost no US warships directly in the Persian Gulf (where they would be vulnerable to Iranian retaliation), but they are generally deployed in the region but farther away where they can protect themselves.
The buildup is serious. It doesn't indicate that we are a yet at a crisis, but all the conditions are right for a spark to set things off.
Exactly. This is the provocation phase. We will have either a big "terrorist" incident - likely not in the US like 9/11 - or a Gulf of Tonkin like occurrence soon. An excuse has to be generated. If I had to make a guess as to when? Late summer, early autumn if the markets haven't recovered or are in even worse shape. The "anti-war" president who some say is feeling out a third term can't simply bomb Iran without a pretext.
Ditto, thank you for this "heads up!" I too read about the THAAD deployment from Haaretz; the NYT had mention of similar deployments including Patriot systems to "a few Arab nations that are worried about escalation by the Houthis in the region." Not to be overlooked is that the sociopath Netanyahu met with IQ47 on Monday, put all this together you start wondering what they're up to playing Stratego.
Any odds that we could be seeing early 4th of July fireworks?
Thanks for reporting on this. There’s not much coverage in mainstream media, but even if these stories were front and center, most Americans wouldn’t care. Over the past couple decades, we have stopped seeing Iranians as human beings and are treated as fodder for the war machine. Most Americans can barely bring themselves to care. Even worse, they’re rarely given the chance to question whether any of this is the right course of action. By ignoring it entirely, especially with the risk of pushing Iran toward nuclear armament, it’s a narcissist vs the world.
I can’t say enough but thank you for this coverage. You seem to have your eye on the ball while some much old school coverage is just getting out-juked and focusing on the wrong stuff. Thank you.
In my opinion this is more than just a show of force or saber rattling. There is a plan and they will need justification to bomb Iran. Generally the population is amped up and prepped for military actions as big as this through the media, over the span of a few to several months. So far, as Ken has pointed out, the media is mostly quiet. I expect either a slew of small stories about alleged Iranian-backed "terror" attacks over the next 6 months or a big "terror attack" along the lines of 9/11 but not that big. Of course it could be a "leaked" or clandestinely obtained piece of intel (likely cooked up by Mossad or CIA) that Iran is DAYS, DAYS I TELL YOU from having a nuclear weapon.
Either way. Get your popcorn ready and prepare for the deadly 🤡 show.
This single article is more than worth the annual subscription to the Ken Klippenstein Substack. THANK YOU! You're a gem to provide clear-eyed and relevant context instead of just parroting the "some say, others say" echo chamber comments.
This in particular kinda blew my mind:
"When Trump spews, even his tone influences the military “posture,” as those who are out “in the field” seek to gauge what the White House is planning so that they can anticipate what’s coming."
^^^It makes sense, but I had never considered that presidential posturing and bluster (no matter who holds the office) has actual monetary costs for the military. Costs! The Pentagon has to do things like this - fly super expensive aircraft to the middle of the Indian Ocean and spend the associated cash for fuel and personnel - based on off-the-cuff rhetorical comments. What expensive whims! The current president seems to improvise more than other presidents, and you are helping me to realize just how EXPENSIVE that improvising truly is for all of us. I wonder how many other federal expenditures we could have have funded if we didn't send these six B-2s halfway around the world to, most likely, just be photographed. Any idea of the dollar amount needed for this operation?
Thanks for this important heads up. The insane march towards Armageddon seems to go on unimpeded with those who should be monitoring and countering busy looking the other way, or working in concert with these vile aims.
If the international institutions have any meaning, and it is questionable for how long, we cannot allow Israel to escape the legal consequences of their war crimes. The Hind Rajab Foundation has, among other things, filed a case with the ICC against 1,000 Israeli soldiers for war crimes in Gaza.
They have taken further steps in recent days, and vacations are becoming a lot more difficult for IDF soldiers, worldwide. The Hind Rajab Foundation can use our help. Please join me in making a contribution.
I am not sure we should overlook just which other countries are as close or closer to Diego Garcia, than Iran. Are any of them countries USA claims are enemies? Regardless of whether Iran, which has never attacked the US, or any other country in that vicinity, which have also never attacked the USA, is the supposed target, we cannot know what the leaders of those countries might well think about US intentions. After all, once you are in that location, who's to say, or stop you from doing whatever the spur of the moment brings to mind.
And just to round out the discussion, we must not forget that Diego Garcia is another place of ethnic cleansing, where the British colonialists, in 1971, at the behest of the US government, removed the indigenous populace in total.
But...but....Trump is the peace candidate! I wonder how much of this is being driven by Netanyahu. He wanted Saddam Hussein taken out but they couldn't do it so they got the big dumb guy to do it. They've wanted to crush Iran for a long time but can't do it themselves. "Let's get the big dumb guy to do it." This is all very dangerous.
Thank you for covering this, and with the right tone (e.g. the B-2s are a very aggressive signal, but don't actually mean war is imminent or even decided on). Other developments that worry me are the movement of air defense missiles to Israel and the Middle East, particularly a deployment of a second THAAD system to Israel. That would mean that 30% of THAAD systems are now in Israel; that isn't sustainable, and suggests that the US needs to achieve something in the near future. Additionally, it's worth noting that there are almost no US warships directly in the Persian Gulf (where they would be vulnerable to Iranian retaliation), but they are generally deployed in the region but farther away where they can protect themselves.
The buildup is serious. It doesn't indicate that we are a yet at a crisis, but all the conditions are right for a spark to set things off.
Exactly. This is the provocation phase. We will have either a big "terrorist" incident - likely not in the US like 9/11 - or a Gulf of Tonkin like occurrence soon. An excuse has to be generated. If I had to make a guess as to when? Late summer, early autumn if the markets haven't recovered or are in even worse shape. The "anti-war" president who some say is feeling out a third term can't simply bomb Iran without a pretext.
In case the pattern isn't clear to anyone, the NYTimes today has the headline: An Explosive Clock Is Ticking on Iran and Its Nuclear Program (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/08/world/europe/iran-nuclear-sanctions-trump.html)
Here's the unpaywalled version: https://archive.ph/SXGGb
Just like clockwork. Buckle up, here we go.
The New York Times has never met a war plan it didn't immediately love. Looks like they're cranking up the Mighty Wurlitzer.
Ditto, thank you for this "heads up!" I too read about the THAAD deployment from Haaretz; the NYT had mention of similar deployments including Patriot systems to "a few Arab nations that are worried about escalation by the Houthis in the region." Not to be overlooked is that the sociopath Netanyahu met with IQ47 on Monday, put all this together you start wondering what they're up to playing Stratego.
Any odds that we could be seeing early 4th of July fireworks?
Thanks for reporting on this. There’s not much coverage in mainstream media, but even if these stories were front and center, most Americans wouldn’t care. Over the past couple decades, we have stopped seeing Iranians as human beings and are treated as fodder for the war machine. Most Americans can barely bring themselves to care. Even worse, they’re rarely given the chance to question whether any of this is the right course of action. By ignoring it entirely, especially with the risk of pushing Iran toward nuclear armament, it’s a narcissist vs the world.
Do the pilots and crew realize they have to pay a 10 percent tariff?
I can’t say enough but thank you for this coverage. You seem to have your eye on the ball while some much old school coverage is just getting out-juked and focusing on the wrong stuff. Thank you.
In my opinion this is more than just a show of force or saber rattling. There is a plan and they will need justification to bomb Iran. Generally the population is amped up and prepped for military actions as big as this through the media, over the span of a few to several months. So far, as Ken has pointed out, the media is mostly quiet. I expect either a slew of small stories about alleged Iranian-backed "terror" attacks over the next 6 months or a big "terror attack" along the lines of 9/11 but not that big. Of course it could be a "leaked" or clandestinely obtained piece of intel (likely cooked up by Mossad or CIA) that Iran is DAYS, DAYS I TELL YOU from having a nuclear weapon.
Either way. Get your popcorn ready and prepare for the deadly 🤡 show.
DO NOT take your eyes off Gaza.
This single article is more than worth the annual subscription to the Ken Klippenstein Substack. THANK YOU! You're a gem to provide clear-eyed and relevant context instead of just parroting the "some say, others say" echo chamber comments.
This in particular kinda blew my mind:
"When Trump spews, even his tone influences the military “posture,” as those who are out “in the field” seek to gauge what the White House is planning so that they can anticipate what’s coming."
^^^It makes sense, but I had never considered that presidential posturing and bluster (no matter who holds the office) has actual monetary costs for the military. Costs! The Pentagon has to do things like this - fly super expensive aircraft to the middle of the Indian Ocean and spend the associated cash for fuel and personnel - based on off-the-cuff rhetorical comments. What expensive whims! The current president seems to improvise more than other presidents, and you are helping me to realize just how EXPENSIVE that improvising truly is for all of us. I wonder how many other federal expenditures we could have have funded if we didn't send these six B-2s halfway around the world to, most likely, just be photographed. Any idea of the dollar amount needed for this operation?
Really psyched to hear you found this helpful, Madeline!
Thanks for this important heads up. The insane march towards Armageddon seems to go on unimpeded with those who should be monitoring and countering busy looking the other way, or working in concert with these vile aims.
If the international institutions have any meaning, and it is questionable for how long, we cannot allow Israel to escape the legal consequences of their war crimes. The Hind Rajab Foundation has, among other things, filed a case with the ICC against 1,000 Israeli soldiers for war crimes in Gaza.
https://www.hindrajabfoundation.org/perpetrators/hind-rajab-foundation-files-historic-icc-complaint-against-1000-israeli-soldiers-for-war-crimes-in-gaza
They have taken further steps in recent days, and vacations are becoming a lot more difficult for IDF soldiers, worldwide. The Hind Rajab Foundation can use our help. Please join me in making a contribution.
https://buy.stripe.com/cN228hbY5g7jaM84gg
I am not sure we should overlook just which other countries are as close or closer to Diego Garcia, than Iran. Are any of them countries USA claims are enemies? Regardless of whether Iran, which has never attacked the US, or any other country in that vicinity, which have also never attacked the USA, is the supposed target, we cannot know what the leaders of those countries might well think about US intentions. After all, once you are in that location, who's to say, or stop you from doing whatever the spur of the moment brings to mind.
And just to round out the discussion, we must not forget that Diego Garcia is another place of ethnic cleansing, where the British colonialists, in 1971, at the behest of the US government, removed the indigenous populace in total.