There are three groups who understand the best thing to do. Who are they?
Let’s Leave the Strait of Hormuz Alone
Please consider Let’s Leave the Strait of Hormuz Alone
President Trump was reportedly “shocked” to see many thousands of Iranians in the street mourning at the funeral of the country’s late leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, over the weekend. Khamenei was assassinated by the United States at the beginning of the February US surprise attack on Iran.
The US attack on Iran was sold to Trump by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and US neocons as an easy “cake walk” that would lead the Iranian government to fall and be replaced with a US-friendly regime.
“I thought they hated him,” Trump said of the murdered religious leader of Iran.
Not only did the Iranian people not rise up to replace their leadership with one friendly to Washington, but the society seems to have become even more cohesive and patriotic. This should surprise no one, as when similar tragedies occurred in the United States – assassinations, 9/11, etc – we also as a society came closer together.
The Iranians did not rise up and declare support for the US. American military bases throughout the region are so severely damaged by Iranian retaliation that most cannot be brought back online. Scores of US military equipment has been destroyed or damaged at a cost of tens of billions of dollars. Countries in the region are rethinking their decision to essentially become protectorates of the United States now that it is demonstrated that they cannot be protected by the United States. American military power suddenly looks less powerful.
But perhaps the most destructive “own-goal” of the US attack is the Iranian decision to establish control over the Strait of Hormuz. Even in the US/Israeli attacks of last June, the Strait was kept open by Iran. It is a vital trade route and in everyone’s best interest to keep open for business.
Now, however, progress toward peace with Iran continues to be thwarted by the stubborn insistence on the US side that the Strait of Hormuz must not be controlled by Iran and that a fee system for passage through the Strait cannot be instituted by Iran and Oman. Several skirmishes have already taken place in the area, threatening to take the US back to war.
It is in the best interest of the United States to abandon claims on Hormuz – which is thousands of miles away – and live with the consequences of Trump’s mistake. Another war cannot win what two previous wars have lost. Let Iran control the Strait and let international trade and commerce be re-established. Let’s leave the Strait alone!
Flashback June 2025
Let’s discuss what Trump has said about Iran’s nuclear capability following the joint attack with Israel in June of 2025.
Successful Attack
Truth Social: We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Jun 21, 2025, 5:50 PM
Historic Moment
Truth Social: I will be giving an Address to the Nation at 10:00 P.M., at the White House, regarding our very successful military operation in Iran. This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!
Jun 21, 2025, 6:13 PM
Monumental Damage
Truth Social: Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term! The white structure shown is deeply imbedded into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level, and completely shielded from flame. The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!
Jun 22, 2025, 7:55 PM
Total Destruction
Truth Social: The sites that we hit in Iran were totally destroyed, and everyone knows it. Only the Fake News would say anything different in order to try and demean, as much as possible — And even they say they were “pretty well destroyed!” Working especially hard on this falsehood is Allison Cooper of Fake News CNN, Dumb Brian L. Roberts, Chairman of “Con”cast, Jonny Karl of ABC Fake News, and always, the Losers of, again, Concast’s NBC Fake News. It never ends with the sleazebags in the Media, and that’s why their Ratings are at an ALL TIME LOW — ZERO CREDIBILITY!
Jun 23, 2025, 12:10 PM
Trump Proclaims Peace
Truth Social: Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, “PEACE!” I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real WINNERS! Both Nations will see tremendous LOVE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY in their futures. They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of RIGHTEOUSNESS & TRUTH. The future for Israel & Iran is UNLIMITED, & filled with great PROMISE. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!
Jun 23, 2025, 8:18 PM
Israel and Iran Agree to Peace, Trump Stops the War
Truth Social: Both Israel and Iran wanted to stop the War, equally! It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability, and then, STOP THE WAR!
Jun 24, 2025, 9:17 AM
Fake News
Truth Social: FAKE NEWS CNN, TOGETHER WITH THE FAILING NEW YORK TIMES, HAVE TEAMED UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO DEMEAN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MILITARY STRIKES IN HISTORY. THE NUCLEAR SITES IN IRAN ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED! BOTH THE TIMES AND CNN ARE GETTING SLAMMED BY THE PUBLIC!
Jun 24, 2025, 7:46 PM
Total Obliteration
Truth Social: Secretary Marco Rubio: “There’s no way Iran comes to the table if somehow nothing had happened—this was COMPLETE & TOTAL OBLITERATION, they’re in bad shape…”
More on Obliteration
Truth Social: Last weekend, the United States successfully carried out a massive precision strike on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, and it was very, very successful—It was called OBLITERATION. This incredible exercise of American strength has paved the way for peace, with a historic ceasefire agreement…
Israel Confirms Obliteration
Truth Social: Israel just stated that the Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED! Thank you to our great B-2 pilots, and all others involved!
Jun 25, 2025, 11:17 AM
Throw Natasha to the Dogs
Truth Social: Natasha Bertrand should be FIRED from CNN! I watched her for three days doing Fake News. She should be IMMEDIATELY reprimanded, and then thrown out “like a dog.” She lied on the Laptop from Hell Story, and now she lied on the Nuclear Sites Story, attempting to destroy our Patriot Pilots by making them look bad when, in fact, they did a GREAT job and hit “pay dirt” — TOTAL OBLITERATION! She should not be allowed to work at Fake News CNN. It’s people like her who destroyed the reputation of a once great Network. Her slant was so obviously negative, besides, she doesn’t have what it takes to be an on camera correspondent, not even close. FIRE NATASHA!
Jun 25, 2025, 12:25 PM
Total Obliteration Recap
Is there any question here about total obbliteration?
Those who disagree need to be thrown out like dogs.
So Why Are We Here?
- Supposedly, we need to stop Iran from getting a weapon despite the fact that anyone who makes that claim that Iran has capability should be thrown out like dogs.
- Alternatively, we need to open the strait that was open before we stupidly attacked Iran.
Congressional Approval?
Too late for that Porter. Ron Paul has this right and you know it.
Return to War Issues
Amusing Synopsis by MTG
We are back to bombing Iran during the ceasefire for the Iran war that is not a war because Iran bombed a vessel for crossing the Strait of Hormuz that they don’t control yet apparently control.
Not sure how they bombed the vessel because we have totally and completely obliterated their military and beat them in the war that is not a war like 40 times now.
I’m so glad that Trump ran for president to end forever foreign wars otherwise I might start thinking this war that is not a war that we won like 40 times is starting to turn into another forever foreign war in the Middle East.
Good thing Pete Hegseth, Secretary of the Department of Defense, I mean War, is headed to Israel to take orders from, I mean ask for advice, on how to totally wipe out Iran, I mean bring peace.
I’m totally sure no one in the executive branch or donors will do any sort of insider trading based on super duper secret military decisions.
You know the kind based on intelligence that Congress is going to fuse with Israel’s military after they all vote to pass the National Defense (war) Authorization Act.
Because this is exactly what we all voted for when we said Make America Great Again.
What Needs to Happen
Mish: What needs to happen is for the Trump to declare the war is won and leave.
What Three Groups Understand That?
- Libertarians
- Anti-war persons
- Isolationists
Libertarians are ate the top of the list. More broadly, anyone with an ounce of common sense wants to pull out.
Case Stated Brilliantly
Ron Paul stated the case brilliantly: “It is in the best interest of the United States to abandon claims on Hormuz – which is thousands of miles away – and live with the consequences of Trump’s mistake. Another war cannot win what two previous wars have lost. Let Iran control the Strait and let international trade and commerce be re-established. Let’s leave the Strait alone!“
If Iran charges too much alternative routes will develop.
The best estimates to date is about $1-$2 million per tanker, depending on size.
That’s only about $1 per barrel, paid by buyers, largely in Asia. That’s hardly a catastrophe. In Other News …
Retribution
Epstein Files
Can Trump Stay Awake?
Trump Refers to Japan as Islamic Republic of Iran
“There were 111 missiles shot by the Islamic Republic of Japan.”
“I call it the Obama nuclear waste deal.”
Pointing to Zelenkyy Trump asks “Do you have a question for president Putin?”
Question repeated: “Do you have a question for president Putin?”
Please Play This
Related Posts
July 7, 2026: The U.S. Launches Strikes on Iran So Iran Again Closes the Strait
Fees on safe passage are the heart of the matter.
July 8, 2026: Trump Warns Ceasefire with Iran Is Over, Calls Iran Scum, Oil Surges 8 Percent
I didn’t think Trump would be this foolish, but here we are.
July 8, 2026: Judge Orders Trump to Pay Jean Carroll $5 Million Damage Plus $800,000 Interest
The Supreme Court refuses to hear the case triggering the payout.
You didn’t think Dumb Dumb Donald would be this foolish? I assume that was sarcasm. I expect that the new updated Oxford dictionary will have a picture of Trump beside the definition of foolish ( also idiot).
They can have a USS America or USS Wasp class aircraft carrier with a couple of Arleigh Burke destroyers and one Virginia class submarine deployed south of Straight of Hormuz instead of relying on any bases in the area.
Bring in Military Sealift Command ships to replenish them.
Those aircraft carriers can support the attack helicopters as well as Marine Corps F-35’s.
“Deployment Reinforcements: The U.S. deployed the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship—which carries roughly twenty F-35B short-takeoff fighters—along with 2,200 Marines to the region to provide further close-air support and ground combat options”
i got an idea. voted for trump? you go fight the duckin ground war. i dont give a hoot even if you are 80. you aren’t yellow-bellied under that red hat are ye?
But who would stay home and do the work to pay for the social security for all you lefty types to live on then?
Now that I’ve seen the context of “Islamic Republic of Japan”, I no longer believe Trump said it as a thinly veiled threat of dropping a nuclear bomb on Iran.
The demented context?
Can’t wait for MIsh’s review of Tumps firings at the Election Assistance Commission.
Who will Fox News and the far right have trump install to interfere with elections?
The last thing Trump wants is free and fair elections under his dictatorship.
We are reminded of Putin elections in Russia?
had oligarchs as clients and friends in 1990s russia. been here, done this.
ICE
I would expect a Persian living in Iran to support the government whether they like them or not. We know what happens if they don’t.
The problem is, you don’t get to be recognized as one of history’s great dictators by tucking your tail & running away when challenged by a small county consisting primarily of desert & rocks.
We blunder further and further down this dark corridor of Trump’s ignorance and incompetence. A people so willing to be gaslit will get the severe costs and adverse outcomes it is blindly reaching for, and signing off on. We are self-sufficient in petroleum, allegedly, but can’t let the rest of the world handle anything. We must meddle and make everything worse. And this flies in the face of every election promise, and the whole thesis, of Trump.
Only if you omit the fact that trump is a pathological liar and nothing he says can be counted on if he is offered a financial incentive.
Trump is the best president that money can buy.
So, I’m an old school conservative (think Reaganite) who leaned Libertarian, and, since Bush junior have discontinued any support of those guys and, more recently, my libertarian leanings. I have been leaning towards global peace. If I had my way,I would have my leaders advance peace and cooperation that doesn’t just benefit us, but, rather works towards mutual cooperation that benefits each country that we make these treaties with.
While, in my era of living, I was taught that capitalism and free markets are the “only” way. But, approaching my 60’s, I have come to the conclusion that it’s the “powers that be” and the “behind the scenes” powerful people that keep us in this mode of tribalism and instructing us who to hate so that the system can continue to enrich these “powers that be”.
I never hear any political candidates talk about peace in any real way.
I hope the young people coming after me exert THEIR power, and vote, and actually change things so that we can live in a peaceful world, conserving (as in conservative!) the worlds riches, living efficiently and peacefully.
Remember that we’ve been living in an era of inflation. Keynes was right when he said that it was the best way of corrupting a society, and that “not one man in a thousand” would understand what was going on. You have a whole education system that is controlled by the government, and that makes damn certain that people will not have the information to understand this stuff.
And, in addition, for the whole of my life I bought the line of free market capitalism is bringing us the “best economy in the world”. Yet, here we are 45 years after the start of the Reagan admin, and all of this “free market capitalism” and “tax cuts will spur growth” that will “solve the deficit” has gotten us is 40 trillion in debt and high income inequality. While I’m not particularly a “tax the rich” kind of guy (although not opposed to some adjustment there), I think that taxing corporations (who have been doing great according to stock prices) and forcing them to pay a living wage at the bottom would both increase revenue to the government and make it so that less people require government assistance, thus lowering the burden to the government.
One thing for sure is that politicians who have been in office for the last 20 to 30 years, regardless of party, need to go. They have presided over this shitshow and it’s time for new thinking. Their prescriptions have not worked.
A “giant tarp” printed to resemble the columns it now covers has been quietly draped over an area of the White House one Trump appointee wants to redo so it will resemble Mar-a-Lago, witnesses reported on Thursday.
This is far funnier than the geriatric leadership of the late USSR.Wickedly, horribly, howl-at-the-moon funny.
Yes,Trump is up there with Boris Yeltsin!
Yeltsin drank, Trump is simply dotty.
Now, we are all the way around and back to BidenCO. Sleeping, not knowing, fibbing and covering for him.
You got that wrong, it’s the Beltway Co.
Gurney in Mitch McConnell in that scene also.
““I thought they hated him,” Trump said of the murdered religious leader of Iran. …”
Uh, never trust a US intelligence agency. They are inveterate liars. Truth is never their objective. Never.
Well, Trump learns by experience. It would help if you fellers could do the same.
There is no evidence that Trump has learned jack. It doesn’t take six years and how many investigations to figure out that the intelligence agencies are a law unto themselves.
I should imagine that Trump knows that. I should think that if he has been misled by anyone, it will have been the representatives of the military manufacturers, and his Jewish friends and inlaws.
Even Obama didn’t bother too much about intelligence briefings. You don’t have to be very smart to work out that people like that tell you what they want you to believe. They work for themselves, and think that the elected politicians work for them.
I only heard this once, but I seem to remember hearing at one time that Trump was continuing to use the security people he used as a billionaire, rather than rely on the Secret Service, who may very well have decided at some point to eliminate him.
I probably won’t look at this threat again, so if you do and decide to reply to me, do it on a later thread.
Does anyone on this board really believes that Trump runs this country (corporation)? In my opinion board of directors at any given time finds right CEO. None of previous CEOs would attack Iran. You must be Trump to do it!
Same with all previous and future CEOs!
Pardon my English!
Considering the 2025 book Chokepoints, I invite anyone, especially those not having read it, to take a wild guess what the ethnicity and cultural loyalty of most of the top Treasury sanctions enforcers (vis a vis Iran) have been, spanning George W. Bush’s admin to the present. Just a wild guess.
I find it disingenuous that Mish omits Democrats from those opposed to involvement in Iran. Over 90% feel that way, which makes it the largest bloc of voters in America opposed to the war.
Let’s be honest, libertarians are a tiny minority in us politics, and many of them are virtually indistinguishable from Republicans come election Day. That’s always been the elephant in the room on this blog. I respect Mish for being principled but he is part of a very small minority of Americans, and many of those who profess to be part of this group are really just Republicans in everything but name.
It’s disingenuous to claim libertarians are the #1 opposition group and to omit the actual largest group opposed.
What “Group” can I belong to: THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE the US SYSTEM has worked for 60 plus years?
Nobody cares what democrat voters think or like or want, especially not the DNC.
Individual democrats are undoubtedly against Trump’s war on Iran, but they get distracted by generalized hatred of Trump that diffuses any specific actions against the war. At the No Kings rallies, there is almost no mention of Iran. It’s mostly about Trump being an asshole (check) and how we shouldn’t enforce our immigration laws. You know, the laws that democrats could have changed during the first 2 years of Biden’s presidency, when they held both houses.
In my state of MN, two democrats are vying for a primary victory (August 11th) to run for the US Senate: “AIPAC Angie” Craig (current congresswoman) and Peggy Flanagan, current Lieutenant Governor. Craig acts like she’s running against Kristi Noem. That’s how they distract people. “Squirrel! ICE OUT!” Kristi Noem is off shooting dogs somewhere, never to be heard from again. Meanwhile, the Israel lobby is pouring tons of money into attack ads against Flanagan (who refused AIPAC money and is less enamored of Israel). Rank and file democrats will vote for Craig because she’s a lesbian and she kvetches about Kristi Noem. If she gets into the senate, she’ll vote with Tom Cotton, Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz on all things foreign policy.
I have a Peggy Flanagan sign in my yard. I’ll not vote for any zionist of either party.
Yes, we need all the anti-AIPAC candidates we can find.
At the last No Kings rally I attended, I was the only person carrying a “Stop the War” sign, except for a small group of young vets (Iraq/Afghanistan).
The rally was large, but lacked a focus.
Most Americans seemed to give Trump a pass on starting this war.
I think it’s because they’re not sure what to think of Iran.
That’s the trouble with attending rallies. It’s like voting for a political party. You find yourself being conscripted into supporting things you don’t want to support.
A rally against the war would have a focus and a demand. No Kings is just a collective primal scream.
For reference, the US charges for the use of the Soo Canal between Lake Superior and Huron and transit fees are charged for both the St Lawrence Seaway and Welland Canal. Panama charges for use and transit. Egypt charges for use of the Suez even tough it did not built it, (but does maintain it).
The above transit routes (canals) required substantial investment and have substantial maintenance costs.
Pilots are also required at a cost for all of the above.
Fees are quite standard for use of canals, ports, piloted and maintained waterways.
I did not find any fee structure for the Bab el-Mandib Strait or Strait of Gibraltar which have navigational aids. In the US, no fee is charged for use of the Strait of Mackinac between Lakes Huron and Michigan which also has navigational aids.
In general, canals have fees, straits do not.
Thanks for that.
If the US had a strait and could make money off it, we would be charging for passage. It’s purely a power play – like threatening economic sanctions against our Europeon vassals (Spain recently) if they don’t spend enough money on American weapons.
Ron Paul stated the case brilliantly:
– The Government realized as needed and appropriate for America, by Ron Paul (2007):
1. National Defense. (> For Peace)
2. A Court System in place.
3. A Criminal Justice System in place.
That’s what was and is the true roll of Government. Not much else is required, and certainly the current Behemoth of Personal and Power is absolutely out of control.
Do we even need or even require as many of the personal in Government today? If so, what for beyond the list above. Get rid of them!
What about Unions? Should there be even 1 person in Government, as part of a Union? They are supposed to be unbiased and work for the people, and not have the people work for them!
Ban ALL Unions that are part of anything other than “Private” and with no connection to American Taxpayer’s Money whatsoever. No Federal Money should ever be spent on a group that has different views than our own Government has in regards to Money, Benefits, Bonuses, Rules Etc. as their ruling source of decision making. Most of it is over the top to begin with, as they are a Party Class all to themselves, controlled by Government, For Government, and at Taxpayers expense, but with Absolutely Zero Say on or about any of it, as we just pay the bill, but have no knowledge why, or for what, and by whom, now do we… Get rid of them, or force them to go “Private”
Sounds just like a Trump speech! Congrats!
Nope, no Politics or Politicians involved in my outlook. They shouldn’t be should they? If so Why?
Here we go with more of your stupid, the clutter is relentless
Maybe the fact you voted for a rapist should be enough to make you humble and stfu
Well then, it sounds like the Government should support all Union’s, for all companies. Fare is fare right?
1.) Employee Opposes it. A) Fire them? Place them on Unemployment? What happens to them?
2.) Company Opposes it. A) Shut the company down? Fire everyone, and only rehire workers who want Unions?
3.) Such actions could create a hostile environment for workers, and then what?
A) Take sides? Fire which side? Can they even work together?
Q) Can we instead Fix our Weak Labor Laws?
Provide stronger Labor and Legal protections for workers, from the Companies that they work for? Hold those companies accountable?
Bonus: No Government / Taxpayer Money Involved. Government holds the companies accountable on the workers behalf. Companies pay what there unions support, and everyone is happy!
Except, like everything Ron Paul ever said or believed, it don’t work.
Never truly given a chance…
I agree with Mish and Ron Paul on the immediate point: the US should stop escalating and get out. But I am less convinced that libertarianism deserves quite such a privileged position as the philosophy of peace.
Libertarians are understandably suspicious of state violence and foreign intervention. However, reducing the power of the state does not necessarily reduce violence; it may simply transfer power to private security organisations, corporations, militias or wealthy individuals. The difficult question is who decides what constitutes aggression, legitimate ownership or proportionate self-defence when there is no widely accepted public authority to settle disputes.
Libertarianism provides a strong argument against this war. I am not sure it provides such a complete answer to violence more generally.
Mish – you are always pushing the case for Libertarianism without any articles explaining how to avoid its unavoidable consequences. Looking for conversion!
I was a big libertarian from the ’80’s to roughly early 2000’s. Then I grew up. Libertarianism relies on a simplistic understanding of human nature and economic theory. This comment in no way implies that our existing federal government has a clue about anything either.
If you were a libertarian for twenty years, and then you “grew up,” maybe you just got bored with your thoughts. People do that. The bright ones realize that getting bored with an idea doesn’t disprove it.
Libertarianism is a general philosophical principle. To know the best libertarian way out of the usual confused practical position, you have to know a great deal about that practical position. Most of us don’t.
“Augustine” below says that “money is power and power is violent.” That is the usual slipshod way of thinking. “Augustine” should read the Francisco D’Anconia speech on money in “Atlas Shrugged.” That was what sold me on Ayn Rand. Since then I have learned a great deal, including having learned about the Austrian school of economics, things I would never have heard of if I hadn’t been smart enough to suspect the lies I was told at school and in university.
To repeat something I have said many times before: government is successful organized crime. It is always made up essentially of soldiers, men who live by force and the threat of force; and priests, men who live by deception. The three priestly professions in modern Western society are the “educators,” the journalists, and the judiciary. “Education” is the living religion of the modern West. Christian clergy are entertainers, because they aren’t really fooling anyone. A lot of them are practically comedians.
There are other categories of people in and around modern governments. Politicians, lawyers representing private interests, and government-employed health care workers and social workers, also tax agents are all brokers, people who make their living by standing between the government and its prey.
Using force against its subjects and other governments, and using deception against them, are the two most important parts of government. The next two most important matters for government are collection of money and collection of information. Thus you have tax offices and various agencies for the collection of information, including secret police and statistical collection agencies.
What libertarians ignore is that money is power and power is violent. As they themselves read history, there once was a golden age of libertarianism, but somehow chieftains showed up and monopolized violence. It’s childish to not realize that the chieftains were just the wealthiest members of such a purported libertarian golden age.
I don’t know about any study, but, in my anecdotal observation, wealth and sociopathy grow hand in hand.
Power selects strongly for sociopathy.
The problem is, power also is What Get Shit Done. Not only that, even if you refuse the temptations of power, others will not, and once they get power, you may not like what they do with it.
Any system can be made to work tolerably well, if and to the extent it is run by non-sociopaths. This is why, after some 5,000 years of human history, we can find successful examples of every sort of state, and all eventually are overrun or collapse internally, as they attract sociopaths either from within or from without.
Libertarianism makes sense, but only if and to the extent the state and not individuals have power. As you indicate, if the state is weak, power simply flows elsewhere, and a private security force is arguably less responsive to the public than is a government-run police department.
Nobody ever loved the Pinkerton’s, which grew to seed what became the CIA.
This “psychopathy” and “sociopathy” business sounds to me like pop psychology, a pretense that those above us are qualitatively different from us. I think it would be better to see government as like a ship that grows barnacles. The English writer Northcote Parkinson wrote some entertaining stuff about how governments and governing committees grow and become less functional over time. Dull people seek to climb into these positions, and some of them have to be accommodated, so the committees expand, and because they don’t work any more, smaller committees have to be formed to make the actual decisions and make sure they get implemented. (That’s a bit simplistic of course. The English Parliament as we know it today was formed when an effective ruler, Simon de Montfort, added representatives of shires and towns to what had been a gathering of nobles advising the king. That means that smaller groups had to be formed to make sure that things got done, but I don’t think anyone suggests that it was a backward step.)
We all try to simplify, and I think libertarianism is a way of making sense of a wide variety of phenomena. I don’t think this “psychopathy” and “sociopathy” idea helps. It is just an excuse for not being able to think.
At its core, the basic premise of libertarianism is ‘don’t hurt people and don’t take their stuff’. A cousin of the Golden Rule. What would the world look like if people followed that principle?
Instead, the US seems to always be run by authoritarians who tell “their people” and the rest of the world what to do and imprison or kill those who don’t do as they say. All while not following the same rules themselves that are imposed on others.
Somewhere on this site is an article with unredacted Trump/Epstein files.
Perhaps that’s where this ‘foolish” stuff is coming from.
Marjorie Taylor Greene nailed it.
she’s hot
No, bro. She’s not.
She looks like my big toe, but more importantly she’s a moron.
But a useful moron at the moment, as one of the angry castoffs, versus the Supremely Anti-Useful One.
I wish Trump’s father would have pulled out…
In the past 13 months what was guessed at has now been made explicit. Bad Iran continues to exist and will toll traffic through the strait of Hormuz and continue supporting bad Hezbollah, bad Hamas and bad Houthis of Yemen, plus who knows what else. The Abraham Accords will come partly unraveled.
It all started when the always bad Israel : Gaza situation became explicitly bad Oct. 7th 2023. So Bibi Netanyahu had to declare his own ‘War Against Terror’. I don’t envy Israel the limited choices they have.
Over here, Good cop Bad cop hasn’t worked. Has anyone think-tanked depolicing the situation? And with four different bozos in the oval office, going back to 2001, do we need to call a Constitutional Convention to rewrite what we expect from presidents and foreign policy? “Avoid foreign entanglements” meant something very different when G. Washington retired in 1797, but we do need a discussion of that and our role in the world .
If we would have just stayed out of it, and not backed Israel no matter what genocide thing it did, the whole world would be better off.
Warmongers learned nothing from Vietnam, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Iran.
Sheesh stop the god damn meddling.
AIPAC, fanatical evangelicals and defense contractors ensured that “staying out” was never a political option.
Yes, you can’t combine one of the weathiest groups in America with great masses of the dumbest with a group whose total self-interest is based on killing, with the most corrupt elected officials on the planet and expect good things to happen.
Check names in top Treasury sanctions enforcement. Implants.
Ron Paul Also Gets Ukraine War Right.
There is a lot of people in this world who hate each other. Combined with greed of individuals and corporations. All are ok with sending other peoples children to war for their cause.
Let’s face it — Trump did the Iran hit in exchange for the real estate deals in Gaza negotiated through Kushner. I hope those deals all get voided the same day Trump is out of office.
Let face it – Israel has The Files.
Trump dances like a puppet on a string.
Trump has immunity from prosecution, for any acts done in the scope of the presidency, thanks to SCOTUS. How far that extends to others is a huge question.
Correct Peelo
Iran should call the fee a “tariff”…lolz
I think war mongers learned a lot that has been reinforced along the way: the American public don’t give a damn. Proof? These clowns are still around and getting rich off the spoils. More proof? Trump still has a lot of public support and his sycophants still get voted into office. You want more? Just look at the financial support the US provides to Israel by one means or another – how does that happen?
Americans are fat and lazy and like the way things are. Same for most of the rest of the modern democracies around the world.
The warmongers did just fine out of Vietnam, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Iran.
Sure, they all sucked for the normies, but why should the rulers care?
At the Khamenei funeral they were carrying a huge banner “We Will Kill Trump”.
Inshallah. Don’t forget Satanyahu.
Jojo: “I keep hearing this from leftists and USA haters but don’t see HOW Iran can do this (close the Strait)”
BBC: US-Iran strikes: Strait of Hormuz ship traffic falls steeply
Bloomberg: Hormuz Traffic Grinds to a Near Halt as Ceasefire Under Threat
I guess this will remain one of the unsolved mysteries of the universe.
Study up on geography and modern military equipment. You might find its not as mysterious as you think.
Politics rules over judgement and doing the right thing these days.
“Politics rules over judgement and doing the right thing these days.”
As it’s always been in the good old USA. I can’t think of one time good judgement overrode bad politics and policy, especially when it comes to use of force.
I must agree with you that Ron Paul has the right idea. Losing–and that’s what it is–is better than the chaos and incompetence on display now. Trump can go find some other way to get retribution and revenge.
The two times I voted for him were the only ones that weren’t for the lesser evil.
Evil won though.
He was the true anti-deep state, anti-establishment candidate, that is why he got no traction.
But the lying, racist, rapist, demagogue? Oh, Americans voted for him in droves.
America does not deserve Ron Paul. It deserves Trump.
Maybe it isn’t America’s job to keep the sea lanes open. I recall that in 1956, America stopped the British and French from preventing Egypt from seizing the Suez Canal, which Egypt hadn’t built. I believe Egypt has been making good money out of it ever since.
Some people may have heard of the romantic castles along the Rhine, in a mountainous area called the Rhine Gorge to be exact. These castles were built not by nobles defending their people, but by crooks who wanted to and did charge tolls on the waterway. Their game ended when Napoleon cleaned them all out. Not everything Napoleon did was bad.
I think in the end, there should be a bit of practical common sense about property rights on waterways and highways. I can understand that a company that built a road may be entitled to charge tolls on it. The Persians did not however build the Persian Gulf. What about the Bosporus? I don’t think Turkey gets away with charging tolls on that.
The Strait was open until something happened. Can anyone recall what happened that triggered the closure of the Strait?
Freakin’ crazypants Iranians just up and closed it up. Who knows why those nutbars do things?
Those horrible awful Iranians, they’re religious fanatics who want bring about the end of the world!
Unlike, of course, our eminently peaceful and non-violent evangelical End Times cultists.
I agree entirely. Trump is right to go after Iran on this issue. It’s in the whole world’s interest to support him on this. Or maybe people would prefer to see a proliferation of these gangster tactics along every major trade route.
If we would have just stayed out of it, and not backed Israel no matter what genocide thing it did, the whole world would be better off.
Warmongers learned nothing from Vietnam, Libya, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Iran.
Sheesh stop the god damn meddling.
Unfortunately War Mongers Need War. Maybe if our Military was a lot smaller, in regards to things other than “National Defense” We wouldn’t have the resources to cause such disruptions.
Iran is a perfect example of this. We bombed the Nuclear site, and said we destroyed everything but the dust. That somehow developed into an all out war afterwards. We should have just walked away with a job well done, but nope!
The War Mongers with Money and Power got involved, and added some Benjamin’s to the mix, with some ideas on how to spend it. Fight! The answer to everything for those in Power of an Elite Military. You must use it or lose it, when Government money is in play…
correct. all the stock holders and employees and suppliers of our MICC keep voting for never ending world wide imperialism. only the libertarians and greens vote against this. 2%
We should have done the same after 9/11: lobbed some cruise missiles into Afghanistan, declared victory, and hardened our ports and borders. Instead we are poorer for our lifetimes, even before this fiasco came along. When I say “we,” I don’t mean certain parties friendly with those administrations. Like KBR, involved in infrastructure contracts at Than Son Nhut in Nam, and then in Iraq big-time. They had ties to both of their presidents. Not sure who the parallel whisperer is for Trump.
So much went wrong in Afghanistan. Mostly due to the airport not being strongly held, for all sorts of reasons. I still question “The Plan” if there was one?
Iran did in Nuclear, but then after admitting success, they end up in a war. That crap has to stop. Define, approve, accomplish, Stop!
The Whisperer is a great question. One I also have no answer for. He may simply March to the beat of his own drum, but his overwhelming defeat insulates him from any furor from his own Party?
America is an empire, and has been since your Civil War. An empire must have an enemy and an excuse for fighting someone, or it will get soft. It gets soft eventually anyway, but you can postpone that a lot by keeping in trim militarily, just as an individual can postpone death by doing what he can to stay healthy.
Trump may have been led into this by his Jewish friends, but no doubt the military boys were in there, egging him on, as well. Maybe the military manufacturers would prefer that he not be able to turn his considerable practical ability to settling the Ukraine war. That is a great testing ground for weapons.
I think maybe you are confused about who the real gangster is.
see my comment above – Trumptard moron
when you discuss gangster tactics, what is your opinion on assassinating the people you are negotiating with?
Turkey does in fact charge a fee, and just raised it recently. The Panama Canal charges a fee. I am sure there are other places where a fee is charged as well.
Even the UNCLOS allows for charging of environmental fees, maintenance fees etc, so Iran can charge them if they want, if you don’t want ot pay, don’t use the Strait. The charge amounts to $1 per barrel of oil, which does not move the needle on the overall price.
Iran did not sign the UNCLOS Treaty, neither did the USA. So America lecturing Iran about how they are not conforming to a Treaty that neither has signed is the height of hypocrisy. Marco Rubio, a moron if I have ever seen one, expressed outrage that Iran should violate the UNCLOS, proving my point. What International Law does the USA adhere to, besides none?
Which only proves how clueless you are. You lack understanding of basic facts, proving you are so stupid that you must be a Trump supporter.
Thanks for the information about fees. I don’t, in fact, know all the facts. I am, in fact, a Trump supporter, as far as someone who is not a U.S. citizen can be. I don’t care if you think I’m stupid. I’ve been told that all my life.
I don’t think not knowing all the facts disqualifies me from taking part in a discussion. A lot of other people don’t know the facts either. If you are lying about the fees, someone who has more access to those particular facts than I do will jump in and expose you. Public knowledge will be enhanced.
Fubar is correct. Turkey charges fees for the Bosporus. Which is legal. They cannot charge a toll, because that is illegal.
The fees in this case are for Sanitary Inspection Services, Lighthouse Services, and Rescue Services. Though they could make up any number of Services to justify the Fees. Like Navigation Services, Coordination Services etc.
It is legal for Iran to do the same. Charge Fees for Services. And they will. Because they have now discovered how easy it is for them to control the strait by firing a missile or two, now and then, to disrupt traffic.
Ron Paul is correct. The best thing we can do is walk away and let traffic resume under Iranian control. The longer we stay and fight, the more damage we do to trade through the strait and the more it costs us.
I can understand when YOU SAY “ I don’t care if you think I’m stupid. I’ve been told that all my life.”
It explains a lot about your comments.
Which cult media sources do you follow to get all the misinformation you promote here?
Hey Papa, would this count in such a scenario? Just curious really…
The United States charges fees for customs clearance when bringing goods into the country through its ports.
Thanks for the compliments. The main “cult media source” I follow is Zerohedge. I was digging around once and read something on some site (it may have been RationalWiki – leftists always thing they’re rational) describing Zerohedge as “a batshit insane Austrian School site which has predicted 200 of the last two recession.” I get the joke: the boys who run Zerohedge were inclined to be a bit apocalyptic in their outlook in their younger days. But that confirmed for me that I was on the right track.
Can you tell me who you rely on?
https://mishtalk.com/economics/does-president-trump-have-any-idea-what-passports-are-for/#comment-449328
Do you think the “Persians” also want to seize a certain island?
You break it you own it. America attacked Iran, being very clearly warned the strait would close. They attacked anyway, without informing let alone involving allies in the process until after they realized the mess they made. Which means America has no one to blame but itself. And is solely responsible for the mess.
“You break it you own it.” I can’t wait to see the US taxpayer underwriting broken and broke Cuba, in the next wild distraction. Trump already was making promises to Venezuelans in the wake of their earthquake. Other people’s money is his favorite thing to throw around, along with what’s left of our prestige and deterrence power.
Trump like other modern politicians doesn’t understand the ethics of spending other people’s money. “You break it, you own it” is a very wise thought. I should think that self-protection should make it worth spending a bit on Cuba (and Greenland).
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the West Germans had to spend a lot of money bringing East Germany up to scratch. I doubt if they would say that it wasn’t worth it.
You seem in favor of the US government spending money to interfere in other countries. You should petition the Australian government to spend the money to rebuild Cuba.
We have enough problems with New Guinea and the Pacific island states. One of our (usually reasonably sensible) prime ministers once said that we (Australia) were America’s “deputy sheriff” in this part of the world.
quoted here bears repeating! The US is wasting time and resources in overseas conflicts, National security should be built on domestic strength, specifically by securing our power grid and reducing global oil dependence. We have the technology, tools, solar, wind, advanced battery storage, nuclear power to make this happen.
We have the wrong people in place to make this happen.
Had Reagan had not taken the solar panels off of the WH and not severely cut funding to the DOE, we might be the ones suppling the world with solar energy.
is DT hooked on Ambien? A personal friend of mine was hooked on Ambien (now deceased) and DJ is showing signs of similar addiction.
Trump’s Doctor Accused of Handing Out Ambien. D.E.A. Calls the Practice Illegal.By Gina Kolata April 26, 2018
regulators and medical experts were taken aback by allegations that Dr. Ronny Jackson, personal physician to President Obama and President Trump, handed out the pills to White House staff and to reporters on such trips
How many cokes per day is he at now? He could definitely be riding a rollercoaster of soft uppers and downers. That will take a toll on an 80 year old.
3-star Mishelin award, reasons should be self-evident.
The “Anti-war persons” are mostly left-wing independents and some (grassroots) members of the Democratic Party. The party leadership is, of course, all gung ho about war.
Most Democrats are all in on the pointless No Kings rallies. Rallies win no demands. No wonder some people think they’re a psy-op. Everybody is afraid of calling out the real problem: Zionism and the Israel lobby.
AntiSemite! Antisemite!
tons of anti zionist protests i attended in brooklyn and nyc past few years. i’m a libertarian. attended the protests with mostly 20 and 30 something jews and non believers.
What do you expect when the actual constituents are the corporations that make up the MIC? The “people” are just window dressing.
No, the US cannot just leave. The US is liable to pay reparations for the unprovoked war inflicted on Iran and on its citizens. Anything less would be what a gangster does. Alas.
I think that’s kind of what we’ve always done isn’t it?
“We” didn’t do it, ‘Lil Mr. The corrupt, cancerous organism that rules the US Empire did it. Our only part was forking over the taxes to pay for it.
You think people in other countries make any distinction between you and Washington? Why should they?
Amercians voted for this Government, and got the Government they deserve. Now you have to pay the consequences.
Stop whining. If Americans wanted another Government style, they would have it. Everybody votes UniParty, and gets John McCain as President, now serving his 10th Term, in spirit.
The world hates America, and for sound reasons.
“The 2026 World Cup has become a global love fest for the US – at a time when the rest of the world has plenty of reasons to dislike us,”
https://www.vox.com/culture/492507/world-cup-us-tourism-reactions-trump-america-soft-power
sports and entertainment is just panem et circenses. a distraction for the lumpenproles. i’ve enjoyed the world cup, the only sporting event i watch. but alas it’s just child’s games.
I have watched the seamless union of sports, militarism and Trump backside-kissing in media in recent times. A big car race actually on the soil of our local Naval Base this summer is typical. Wrestling at the WH, and all this other imbecilic stuff has a programmatic militaristic tone. Old wine in new bottles: this is the new marketing of the Warfare State.
The welfare state originated as the warfare state. Germany and Japan pioneered it, foreseeing the huge team sports of impending planetary wars, needing reasonably fed and educated working classes, for success in factories and front lines. Trump in angling for this, is a throwback.
Well, look at it from the media’s point of view. Trump was elected in the teeth of their propaganda. He may be rough-and-ready, but he isn’t complete filth like them. They have to live with him and his jubilant supporters for four years.
They have always supported the warfare state because the warfare state owns them. America’s most important industry from the viewpoint of its imperial government is military manufacturing and export. That was the lesson you learned from your Civil War: the side with the better military manufacturing wins. (You may have had a close shave with Germany in World War Two.)
Normally your media have a lot of fun seeing what they can put over on the public. They are like clergymen giving sermons, judging what people know and how they can be fooled. It must be a big ego boost if you can do it successfully. Now they have to live with a situation that is not quite what they planned or envisaged.
There is a lot of unlikely stuff being propagated in little meetings and gatherings these days. I go along to some of them. A friend of mine who is a bit more worldly likes to laugh at them, and I told him that however much they get wrong, they are right about the most important thing: the government is the enemy. He was kind enough to say that that made him stop and think.
I suppose your American secret police will be recording all this stuff, and no doubt feeding the bits of it that originate from Australia back to our secret police. I don’t seem to be important enough to have an accident arranged for me. Probably can’t write well enough.
What a bunch of hogwash, when the Orangutan called the organization responsible for the Cup to revert a referee decision and insulted him for being from a country whose sovereignty the dimwit dislikes, Brazil. Yet, the US took 4 to nought from Belgium. The whole world dislikes the US even more now.
Like the Belgian reaction when they beat the US After Trump pulled strings to get the American star re-instated?
Real love fest, that.
Is it whining to ask for some precision in speech? “I” am not part of that “we” and neither are you. Blurry words spread bad thinking like mosquitos spread malaria.
“If Americans wanted another Government style, they would have it.” That’s simply false. There are Ivy League studies showing it is false.
Leviathan is a cancer. The Mockingbird media and the Epstein class and CIA like it that way, and the voting thing is just part of the support apparatus they manipulate.
Whiner!
Did you pay your taxes? When your vote was ignored did you pick up the rifle? What actual action have you taken? Yeah I’m as guilty as everyone else that stands for the continued abuse of our government. At least the Iranians stood up and defended themselves as best they could.
Yes, it’s our government and our fault.
Until we do something about it we are guilty, we (the American people) murdered 150 school girls in Iran and that’s probably not the worst of it.
At some point we may have to ask ourselves “Can I live with this shame, without taking action?”
Don Corleone’s biggest fiasco is that he managed to make an unknown unknown, i.e. the US military’s power into a known known.
He is the Alonso de Guzman of the Spanish Armada (though probably less articulate).
No war. Can we start a national campaign to recall a shitload of politicians and impeach a narcissist? Oh, and retire Bibi…
The Gestapo, I mean, ICE is now well trained in dealing with recalcitrant citizens.
Getting guys in uniform and indoctrinated for domestic action is definitely part of the package. Thanks to democracy, never has a country so soundly deserved it.
Trump is a wart on the ass of society! Sad
A pimple on the ass of a dead Marine we used to say.
More like a boil on the ass of the world.