Is there any indication that the people showing up at bridges and power plants as human shields are really being forced into that position, or that they are in fact the relatives and cronies of the IRGC business venues and have their own vested interest in foiling a major bombing? Or that this happened anywhere outside of Tehran? It is still hard to get my mind wrapped around the idea that 5 or 10% of the population are that die hard in favor of the regime, at the possible loss of their lives. But people don’t stop making a “death to America” chant when their hate is that high.

“Trump’s Iran ceasefire rocked within hours amid reported missile, drone attacks;
“Pete Hegseth says Pentagon is monitoring attacks that happened ‘in real time’ and warns Iran to stand down”—
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trumps-iran-ceasefire-rocked-within-hours-amid-reported-missile-drone-attacks

Neither have any of the other wars fought by the US since WWII. That’s the nature of modern warfare. In this case, the war was necessary and just in the nick of time– and not because of the risk of Iran assembling a few crude nuclear bombs.

Without the recent campaign, Iran would have been significantly closer to achieving a truly saturation-level missile threat against Israel and U.S. bases in the region, at which point the potential damage to gulf oil infrastructure would have made Iran functionally invincible.

President Trump is very cognizant of the effects high oil prices can/will have on the global economy. Conducting this operation right now, just as we’re seeing excellent economic indicators shows me how necessary stopping Iran now was necessary.

As to the cease fire, there are more than 2,000 commercial ships and 300 oil tankers trapped inside the Gulf. Around 20,000 crewmembers are on those ships. A few ships have begun moving. If we can force/threaten the Iran regime to allow even half of those ships to pass through the strait over the next two weeks, it will be a win.

“Unless the regime falls in the next few months, I can’t see how this war will have been anything other than a disaster for the US.” – Bauxite

Let’s see how the next few months unfold. Now is not the time to throw in the towel. As has been pointed out, the 15 point plan and the 10 point plan are in different universes.

The pause also allows Israel to concentrate on defeating Hezbollah in Lebanon. If reports are accurate, even Lebanon themselves are becoming emboldened.

How likely is it Iran will actually abide by the ceasefire? That might signal more than anything how weak the regime is if they actually allow movement through the Strait.

That’s a sure sign that The Great Orange Whale is swimming free in his noggin.

Nope, not at all.

Proof: Getting Tucker Carlson to work for him—and so indefatigably—was/is a stroke of pure genius!!

And kudos to Carlson: he didn’t have to do it; but that he DID decide to “sacrifice his soul” behind enemy lines (as it were) so that Trump can LIVE is the sign of an absolute Tzaddik (one of the Lamed-vavniks, no doubt).

Meanwhile, we must all continue to despise, disparage and demonize this righteous and intrepid man in sheer gratitude and to protect his cover….

M J R had used the wording, “perform an anatomically impossible act upon themselves”, and then Selfy pointed out, “I came across that expression in the science fiction I read as a kid, and had no idea what it meant. A nicer version of today’s crudity and vulgarity.”

M J R now writes,

I’ve used that expression over the decades, albeit sparingly. There is no way that I’d been so clever as to express that sentiment in that way on my own, and so I must assume that it was not original with me, but was undoubtedly borrowed from a more clever source — possibly such as Selfy’s childhood science fiction stash.

My diagnosis is that it’s similar to the George Harrison [of Beatles fame] situation, in which the tune of his #1 hit “My Sweet Lord” was so similar to The Chiffons’ earlier #1 hit “He’s So Fine” that he ended up in court (copyright infringement).

George could only say that it was certainly an unconscious borrowing; after all, as he was happy to point out, it wasn’t like he needed the money or the recognition! (In fact, George said he had used the out-of-copyright Christian hymn “Oh Happy Day” as his inspiration for the “My Sweet Lord” melody.)

Only if they have Ouija boards. Personnel is policy, and there’s been a lot of permanent personnel changes in Iran over the last six weeks, pour encourager les autres. They’ve had, I expect, all the encouragement they can stand, but if we’re mistaken about that I have no doubt we can apply a little more.

CC™-R

CC™-R will next predict that Trump will be forced to replace all of Iran’s HEU (highly enriched uranium) and be imprisoned in Iran until the 12th Imam returns.

Unless the regime falls in the next few months, I can’t see how this war will have been anything other than a disaster for the US. If a war is worth fighting, it’s worth winning. This ain’t it.

The morbid question now is this – if the regime doesn’t fall, will it go nuclear before the end of Trump’s term?