When we lived in Spain (not long after Generalissimo Franco died) in Zaragoza, if you asked the French about Spain the general comment was "Ah, that's part of Africa." Still true.

https://www.newsmax.com/politi...dkt_nbr=010502twhp74

Trump: Iran in 'State of Collapse'

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran has signaled it is in a "state of collapse."

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that Iranian officials have reached out seeking relief, particularly pushing for the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — a critical global shipping lane.

"Iran has just informed us that they are in a 'State of Collapse,'" Trump said. "They want us to 'Open the Hormuz Strait,' as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation."

The remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region following the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and ongoing disputes over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The blockade has sharply restricted Iran's oil exports, placing significant strain on its economy.

Recent reports indicate Iran has been seeking concessions tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz — a vital corridor through which a significant portion of the world's oil supply typically flows — while resisting U.S. demands to fully abandon its nuclear program.

At the same time, internal divisions within Iran's leadership and worsening economic conditions have complicated negotiations, with inflation soaring and growth contracting sharply.

Trump has maintained a hardline stance, insisting any agreement must include a complete halt to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Members of his national security team have also expressed skepticism about Tehran's intentions, warning that Iran may be seeking leverage rather than genuine compromise.

quote:

"Iran has just informed us that they are in a 'State of Collapse,'" Trump said. "They want us to 'Open the Hormuz Strait,' as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation."

The remarks come amid escalating tensions in the region following the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and ongoing disputes over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. The blockade has sharply restricted Iran's oil exports, placing significant strain on its economy.

Recent reports indicate Iran has been seeking concessions tied to reopening the Strait of Hormuz — a vital corridor through which a significant portion of the world's oil supply typically flows — while resisting U.S. demands to fully abandon its nuclear program.

At the same time, internal divisions within Iran's leadership and worsening economic conditions have complicated negotiations, with inflation soaring and growth contracting sharply.

Trump has maintained a hardline stance, insisting any agreement must include a complete halt to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

Members of his national security team have also expressed skepticism about Tehran's intentions, warning that Iran may be seeking leverage rather than genuine compromise.

Never. You could never trust these Iranians. They are liars and use the stall tactic very well.

quote:

Never. You could never trust these Iranians. They are liars and use the stall tactic very well.

Yeah, I think it's looking like it's going to have to get hot again before there's a resolution.

Do NOT re-open the Strait. Let the Iranian MF’ers collapse into internal turmoil.

quote:

Originally posted by Doc H.:

When we lived in Spain (not long after Generalissimo Franco died) in Zaragoza, if you asked the French about Spain the general comment was "Ah, that's part of Africa." Still true.

I worked in Barcelona on a Transfer Of Technology project, from May 1977 to October 1978. I mentioned to one of the Spanish engineers on our team, that the American company I worked for, was having problems collecting payment per contract.

He told me that while we thought we were dealing with Europeans, this was an illusion; the business practices were African, not European.

The Reconquista failed. Or...perhaps we just need another one.

Well, yeah

https://x.com/SenJohnKennedy/s.../2049899028129702174

I worry a bit about all this.

No war has ever been won, truly won, without men and women in country. Except V-J Day, which required such destruction that we now have MAD.

There appear to be two fronts in this war. Make it impossible for Iran to wage any type of war. Eliminate the Iranian control of the Strait.

If we do not destroy all warmaking plants, materiel, and existing armaments, we do not achieve one objective. I think the President is trying very hard to balance the practical physical control of the Strait with both alternate oil transport and the cost of oil worldwide. For now, though, we just don't have the alternate oil transportation.

To eliminate the landing of Russian, Korean, or Chinese troops by air transport we have to create a restricted airspace area now. CAP around the entire border of Iran. And, we have to gain control of all existing major airports, OR destroy all the runways. Now. We can't have any major axis of against the USA country troops in Iran.

With airspace control, and airport control, we can continue to operate with impunity. The minute "axis" equipment or troops enter Iran we are in WWIII, or WW eye eye eye if you do not know roman numerals.

Somehow, we have to erase the IRGC leadership. Now. I hope Israeli intel remains effective and after the cease fire suitably targeted strikes are made.

I still think we will need the IAEA and US troops as a surrounding protective force to go in and remove all enriched materials.

oil appears to be holding on to its decline despite rising geopolitical tensions. The UAE has urged its citizens in Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq to leave “immediately,” citing deteriorating regional conditions. At the same time, sources suggest the US is completing final pre-strike preparations, including intelligence gathering on Iranian oil infrastructure. In response, Iran is reportedly planning a “dual response”: missile strikes on Gulf energy assets and US-linked bases, alongside a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz using mines and missiles. Senior US military officials have briefed President Trump on updated options for possible action against Iran. In short, multiple warnings have been issued, and the situation remains highly fluid – meaning the landscape could shift markedly over the coming days. Warnings are out.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/final-warnings

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
I worry a bit about all this.

You'd have far more to worry about if US and Israeli armed forces weren't shit-stomping these goat-banging psychopaths.

Washington post reports Iran war as unpopular as Iraq and Vietnam!

I call Bullshit! That Leftwing rag slants everything to TDS! The only group with a lower confidence rating than Main Stream Media is the United States Congress itself! Gallup polling showed all Media at 28%, TV News at 10% and Congress at 10% approval ratings!

Neither ‘Nam nor Iraq threatened with nuclear weapons!

https://www.governing.com/asse...delibly-red-and-blue

Interesting that the Blue states are under the greatest threat,, being mostly coastal and subject to devices brought in with container ships. President Trump wisely demanded a halt to Iran developing such weapons!

President Trump listens to his civilian and military advisors, then reaches his decisions-I trust his judgment!

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
We're sneaking up on that 90 day War Powers window. If he's going to finish this he needs to finish it now because Congress will never approve of further hostilities.

Could this be the reason ??? Anyone confirm if this is true ??? God Bless

Trump Just Outsmarted Every Democrat Over ‘War Powers Act’

You have to hand it to President Trump. The man simply is three or four steps ahead of everyone when it comes to getting what he wants. And he’s like 10 or 11 steps ahead of every Democrat.

The Domestic Terrorism Party – and a few RINOs – were salivating on Friday over their belief they had finally stopped Trump’s Iran operations. The 60-day limit for combat operations under the War Powers Resolution had arrived, and if Trump wanted more time to finish the job, he’d have to go through them to get permission. And of course, since they’ve all been on Iran’s side the entire time, Democrats were in no mood to give Trump an inch.

So, did that stop Trump? Hardly. He outsmarted all of them. Again:

President Trump perfectly plays the War Power Act with a letter to the Senate saying:

“On Apr. 7 I ordered a ceasefire…There has been no exchange of fire since…The hostilities that began on Feb. 28 are terminated”

He reset the clock on the War Powers Act.

He then states he is keeping forces in the region in case they are needed reserving his right at Commander in Chief to use them as needed. He also said today he considers the War Powers Act unconstitutional but is complying with it to avoid a conflict over that.

He is absolutely correct as the WPA has never been to SCOTUS and does significantly infringe on the President’s Art. II powers. But until that is adjudicated it is best to play along with its requirements while not losing one bit of his freedom of maneuver as Commander in Chief.
Brilliant!

Calling for the ceasefire last month when Iran was clearly on the ropes now makes sense, doesn’t it?

There will come a time when the War Powers Act has to be challenged as unconstitutional, and frankly, I believe Trump will be the president who challenges it. But for now, it was sufficient to simply outplay Democrats, whose clown show tactics against this president continue to fail them miserably.

You don’t hear about it in recent days, but remember they were talking about ‘oil storage’ a week or so ago? An issue was you can’t just stop pumping, the well could get contaminated? Iran out of storage room?

I don’t doubt that the Iranians wouldn’t just dump the pumped oil on the ground, say it’s the only alternative. Kinda like Saddam did, blowing up the wells as he left.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
I don’t doubt that the Iranians wouldn’t just dump the pumped oil on the ground, say it’s the only alternative. Kinda like Saddam did, blowing up the wells as he left.

I've been in US facilities that have been oil & gas facilities since the 1890s to 1920s as well as seen quite a bit of aerial footage from the 1930s. Near as my coworkers and I can tell, there were crude oil ponds and canals. I could see Iran tasking some large strip mining equipment to make crude oil ponds and connect them with crude oil canals. It would take decades to clean up but the IRGC and Iranian leadership isn't likely to be thinking that long-term.

I'm wondering if there's anything, short of boots on the ground in Iran, that we could do to facilitate an uprising of Iranians against the IRGC and Iranian leadership?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/art...&bt_ts=1777915082204

UAE says Iran has resumed attacks as the US moves to reopen the Strait of Hormuz

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military said Monday it battled Iranian forces and sank six small boats as it moved to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates, a key American ally, said it had come under attack from Iran for the first time since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April.

The attacks appeared to be in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest efforts to reopen the strait, a critical waterway for global energy. They came after the U.S. military said two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the strait on Monday.

The UAE Defense Ministry said Iran had launched four cruise missiles, with three shot down and one falling into the sea. Authorities in the eastern emirate of Fujairah said an Iranian drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals. The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE.

Breaking Iran’s chokehold on the strait would ease global economic concerns and deny Tehran a major source of leverage. But such efforts also risk reigniting the full-scale fighting that erupted when the U.S. and Israel first attacked Iran on Feb. 28, prompting it to close the strait.

Iran's effective closure of the strait, which runs between Iran and Oman, has caused a spike in worldwide fuel prices and rattled the global economy. The U.S.-led Joint Maritime Information Center had advised ships Monday to cross the strait in Oman’s waters, saying it had set up an “enhanced security area.”

Reports of new attacks raised doubts as to whether shipping companies, and their insurers, would take such a risk given that Iran has fired on ships in the waterway and vowed to keep doing so. Iran has said the new U.S. effort is a violation of the fragile ceasefire that has held for more than three weeks.

US says it has reopened a lane through the strait

Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command, told reporters that American forces have successfully opened a passage through the strait that is free of Iranian mines. He said Iran launched multiple cruise missiles, drones and small boats at civilian ships under the U.S. military’s protection.

U.S. military helicopters sank six of the small boats, Cooper said, adding that “each and every” threat had been defeated.

“The U.S. commanders who are on the scene have all the authority necessary to defend their unit and to defend commercial shipping -- as we saw and demonstrated earlier today,” Cooper said.

Trump had warned Sunday that Iranian efforts to halt passage through the strait “will, unfortunately, have to be dealt with forcefully.”

He described “Project Freedom” in humanitarian terms, designed to aid stranded seafarers on hundreds of ships that have been stuck in the Persian Gulf since the war began. Crews have described to The Associated Press seeing drones and missiles explode over the waters earlier in the war as their vessels run low on drinking water, food and other supplies.

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency called the effort part of Trump's “delirium.”

Iran stands firm on its grip of the strait

Iran’s military command on Monday said ships passing through the strait must coordinate with them.

“We warn that any foreign military force — especially the aggressive U.S. military — that intends to approach or enter the Strait of Hormuz will be targeted,” Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi told state broadcaster IRIB.

The extent of the attack on Fujairah was unclear, but it is the terminus of a pipeline the UAE has used to avoid shipping some of its oil through the strait. The emirate on the Gulf of Oman is home to extensive oil storage facilities and is the UAE’s main sea access outside the strait.

The South Korean government said an explosion and fire had broken out aboard a South Korean-operated ship anchored in the strait off the UAE. No injuries were reported. It was not immediately known if the vessel was one of the burning ships reported by the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.

The UAE accused Iran of targeting a tanker linked to its main oil company with two drones as it navigated the strait. It did not say when the attack occurred. No injuries were reported.

The disruption of the waterway has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas, raising prices far beyond the region.

The U.S. has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions for paying Iran for transit of the strait.

The U.S. has meanwhile enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling at least 49 commercial ships to turn back, according to Central Command.

The blockade has deprived Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy. U.S. officials have expressed hope that the blockade forces Iran to make concessions in talks on its disputed nuclear program and other longstanding issues.

Little progress seen in negotiations

Iran’s latest proposal for ending the war calls for the U.S. lifting sanctions, ending the blockade, withdrawing forces from the region and ceasing all hostilities, including Israel’s operations in Lebanon, according to the semiofficial Nour News and Tasnim agencies, which have close ties to Iran’s security apparatus.

Iranian officials said they were reviewing the U.S. response, though Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters Monday that changing demands made diplomacy difficult. He did not give details.

Iran has claimed its proposal does not include issues related to its nuclear program and enriched uranium — long a driving force in tensions with the U.S. and Israel.

Iran wants other issues resolved within 30 days and aims to end the war rather than extend the ceasefire. Trump expressed doubt over the weekend that the proposal would lead to a deal.