The contrarian conservative writer Nick Cattogio thinks one result of the bombing campaign could be Iran’s greater determination to build a nuke now and hope to wind up like North Korea — too dangerous to mess with. It’s plausible. I hope he’s wrong.
Malcolm Nance stated on a podcast last week that he thinks they probably have enough enriched uranium to build at least one weapon and he thinks it's highly likely that they test one it the next six months. Only time will tell.
Thomas, you've missed an important aspect. What Trump did was illegal, maybe even treasonous. Only Congress can decide to bomb another country when we are not at war. Trump did as he always does - he did what he wanted to do and damn the rest of us. And then he was so presidential when he blasted Israel and Iran.
The other problem is that the setback was probably just for a few months, so all that did was to trigger Iran. It's not going to stop Iran.
Despite what Trump and Defense Sectary Hegseth claim an impartial thorough analysis of the damage is needed. I'm a practicing Jew and belong to one of Durham's synagogues. The majority of my fellow congregants would agree that Benjamin Netanayhu is Trumplike.
If all of this bluster about Iran being "weeks away" from a bomb sounds familiar, it's because you've heard it all before. It's the same schtick that Bush the Younger used to lie us into a disastrous war in Iraq, except that if you believe this version, then Iran has been "weeks away" from a bomb since about 1995. That's a helluva long "few weeks". Nobody actually believes it anymore, except maybe the mouth breathing-est MAGA true believers.
Fat Donny, at best, set back Iran's nuclear program by a matter of weeks. You can tell, because he's pissed as HELL that somebody let that news out of the barn. He did not -- no matter what he and his mouthpiece press secretary say -- "destroy it, end it". All he did was answer the question for the Iranian power structure about what his real intent was. Now they know -- without a doubt -- that he can[t be trusted, (as if there was ever any reason to think otherwise) and his negotiating position just went from untenable to non-existent. Why on earth would the mullahs come to the table with him knowing that his word is worthless? There's only one reason; they know for sure he can be played -- Bibi just did it, Putin's been doing it for years, and all you really have to do to get him to open the kimono is sing his favorite song -- Ode to Fat Donny.
Trump is a moron. He's utterly incompetent as a commander in chief, and even more useless as a political leader. Which is precisely why he's the darling of the moneyed elite who know how to play him. Unfortunately, a lot of people will have to get killed in the pursuit of their aims.
Calling anything Trump and his crew do “thinking” is an act of charity. His so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’—the infamous BBB—is less a policy and more a catchphrase in search of substance. And as for his claim that he don’t not screw up the bombing of Iran’s nuclear development sites, history would beg to differ. Honestly, Trump could find a way to derail a train wreck mid-crash! Please everybody remember this when the midterms’ role around.
As a retired Marine Corps colonel, I was always taught and believe we only use military force as the very last resort. I don't think we were close to that point. Diplomacy is hard but is the only way to solve these types of problems before deploying the military. This administration has amateurs working in the state department and trying to solve issues. Previous administrations had career diplomats working on peaceful solutions. DT doesn't have the patience for diplomacy. You are spot on Thomas about his instincts. It's the same with tariffs, there must be a winner and loser instead of what is best for both parties. Watching parts of the NATO press conference made me want to vomit. I can't believe its be only five months.
I don;t agree with you often but this time I do, putting their nuclear ambitions aside, there is still that terrorist state thing. It needs to be taken care of now.
Pretty much sums up my thinking.
The contrarian conservative writer Nick Cattogio thinks one result of the bombing campaign could be Iran’s greater determination to build a nuke now and hope to wind up like North Korea — too dangerous to mess with. It’s plausible. I hope he’s wrong.
Malcolm Nance stated on a podcast last week that he thinks they probably have enough enriched uranium to build at least one weapon and he thinks it's highly likely that they test one it the next six months. Only time will tell.
Thomas, you've missed an important aspect. What Trump did was illegal, maybe even treasonous. Only Congress can decide to bomb another country when we are not at war. Trump did as he always does - he did what he wanted to do and damn the rest of us. And then he was so presidential when he blasted Israel and Iran.
The other problem is that the setback was probably just for a few months, so all that did was to trigger Iran. It's not going to stop Iran.
Despite what Trump and Defense Sectary Hegseth claim an impartial thorough analysis of the damage is needed. I'm a practicing Jew and belong to one of Durham's synagogues. The majority of my fellow congregants would agree that Benjamin Netanayhu is Trumplike.
If all of this bluster about Iran being "weeks away" from a bomb sounds familiar, it's because you've heard it all before. It's the same schtick that Bush the Younger used to lie us into a disastrous war in Iraq, except that if you believe this version, then Iran has been "weeks away" from a bomb since about 1995. That's a helluva long "few weeks". Nobody actually believes it anymore, except maybe the mouth breathing-est MAGA true believers.
Fat Donny, at best, set back Iran's nuclear program by a matter of weeks. You can tell, because he's pissed as HELL that somebody let that news out of the barn. He did not -- no matter what he and his mouthpiece press secretary say -- "destroy it, end it". All he did was answer the question for the Iranian power structure about what his real intent was. Now they know -- without a doubt -- that he can[t be trusted, (as if there was ever any reason to think otherwise) and his negotiating position just went from untenable to non-existent. Why on earth would the mullahs come to the table with him knowing that his word is worthless? There's only one reason; they know for sure he can be played -- Bibi just did it, Putin's been doing it for years, and all you really have to do to get him to open the kimono is sing his favorite song -- Ode to Fat Donny.
Trump is a moron. He's utterly incompetent as a commander in chief, and even more useless as a political leader. Which is precisely why he's the darling of the moneyed elite who know how to play him. Unfortunately, a lot of people will have to get killed in the pursuit of their aims.
Calling anything Trump and his crew do “thinking” is an act of charity. His so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’—the infamous BBB—is less a policy and more a catchphrase in search of substance. And as for his claim that he don’t not screw up the bombing of Iran’s nuclear development sites, history would beg to differ. Honestly, Trump could find a way to derail a train wreck mid-crash! Please everybody remember this when the midterms’ role around.
As a retired Marine Corps colonel, I was always taught and believe we only use military force as the very last resort. I don't think we were close to that point. Diplomacy is hard but is the only way to solve these types of problems before deploying the military. This administration has amateurs working in the state department and trying to solve issues. Previous administrations had career diplomats working on peaceful solutions. DT doesn't have the patience for diplomacy. You are spot on Thomas about his instincts. It's the same with tariffs, there must be a winner and loser instead of what is best for both parties. Watching parts of the NATO press conference made me want to vomit. I can't believe its be only five months.
I don;t agree with you often but this time I do, putting their nuclear ambitions aside, there is still that terrorist state thing. It needs to be taken care of now.
Good review of the situation.