Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine hold a press briefing from the Pentagon with updates on Operation Epic Fury. “The First Ten Days” recapped.
General Dan Caine noted CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper will continue delivering intermediate updates. Caine also outlined how targeting of the Iranian missile systems continues as a priority along with the systematic destruction of the Iranian navy assets. Both aspects of the operation continue having maximum success and impact.
General Caine also noted how the third objective of dismantling Iran’s infrastructure systems to mechanize war are intensifying. “We are moving deeper into Iran’s industrial base,” General Caine noted. Missile attack launches from inside Iran have dropped 90%, and one-way drone launches have dropped more than 80%. 50 Iranian vessels have been destroyed by U.S. targeting.
As Iran’s treat capacity to target vessels continues to be degraded, the Strait of Hormuz begins to open.
US West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil Futures with April 2026 Expiry, traded at $89.89 per barrel, down by 5.2%. This oil benchmark touched an intraday low of 84.45 and recorded an overall decline of 29.3% from $119.43 per barrel level that was touched on March 9th. Yesterday, US WTI plunged nearly 18%.
Brent Crude Oil Price: Brent crude has nosedived by nearly 26.2% and touched an intraday low of $88.10 per barrel. This is compared to $119.50 per barrel mark it hit on March 9. Yesterday, the price dropped nearly 9%. {SOURCE}
White House: Navy didn’t escort oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz
Not sure if Sec. Wright jumped the gun or spilled some beans, but White House is denying naval escorts took a tanker on through.
It’s the world we live in.
It would put another halt in traversal of the strait if every tanker decided to stop and demand an escort. Not even sure if we have enough destroyers in the area for that.
Could always escort them like a convoy – 10-20 tankers to one or two of our highly armed vessels.
This is how it is done.
bingo
Appears that is what happened….🤷♀️
Fog of War.
Fact-Check: Did the US Navy Escort an Oil Tanker Through the Strait of Hormuz? | Times Now
US official: ‘Not true’ Navy successfully escorted oil tanker through Strait of Hormuz
Middle East war live: Oil swings as traders parse mixed messages on Strait of Hormuz
“Truth is the first casualty of war.”
Crossed wires will happen, and timing will play its part.
But I expect bad actors…DS Washington Post and NYT et al and those ever reliable “Unnamed Sources”…will be doing their darnedest to muddy the waters.
Know who the enemies are…both foreign and domestic.
First reports are always incorrect. You have to wait for the dust to settle, and then its a crap shoot. Today it is even harder to discern the truth. But we all know there is only ONE truth He speaks it every day.
Oh boy I totally disagree, seems to me the first report is almost always right and the later stories “after the dust settles” are the “stories”…..
Imagine if that drop in price made the left happy. Ya know, for the common good of the poor downtrodden population they claim to represent.
The left profits from destruction.
Open the borders, hordes of illegals flood in. Destructiion and chaos ensues, the left is happy. PDJT closes the borders, works to deport illegals. Left screams how awful that is, encourages riots and causes destruction. Blames PDJT. Left is happy.
They will be happy to “reign over the ashes” after they have burned it all down.
Exactly. Glad you agree with my sarcasm.
When I hear a news story that I’ve yet to process but the left is ripping their purple hair out then I’m gearing up to do the yippie skippy dance.
The only real loser here is Russia who was making major revenue from the Straight be closed
Russia is getting to sell oil to India from their “shadow fleet” tankers.
PRAISES!
Continued BLESSINGS of Wisdom and Protection!
Thank You, Sundance!
Really Good News
You made my husband’s day with the 15% oil reduction. He drives 75 miles/day for work and the gasoline price increases make him grumpy.
I drive 63 miles to work in Baltimore from NOVA, and 63 miles home back to NOVA. I too am happy. But I also had realistic expectations of what was going to happen to the cost of gas for a short period.
<…gasoline price increases make him grumpy.>
Sometimes I wake up grumpy….
Other times I let her sleep in. 🙂
This one made me LOL……
Me as well!
Avio, Precious “found” sheepdog wakes me so with him, we’re not ever grumpy!
BLESSINGS Everyone!
We serve an Awesome GOD!
Yeah that almost made those of us in Texas start to feel like we woke up in a different state. Now if they want to make us happy with some kinda change ….. help us dump Cornyn
well since this morning a glut of ships went east in the straight out into the gulf, https://www.marinetraffic.org/HORMUZ%20STRAIT/ship-traffic-tracker now it’s full on both ways
That map really illustrates what a massive land mass Iran encompasses and why anyone thinking this was an exercise that would take a weekend was sorely mistaken.
4x larger than Iraq
Nearly the size of Alaska
More than twice the size of Texas
93 million population
Most of the east and northeast is pretty inhospital desert. It can get to 160 F in the Lut desert
Uh no. The highest officially recognized air temperature on Earth is 134°F (), recorded at Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley, California, on July 10, 1913. This measurement is certified by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), despite some historical scrutiny.
Drove through there at night once and even then it was no picnic. Makes ya worry “What if we broke down here at night and were stuck when the sun comes up?” On a lighter note, just off Interstate 15 between LA and Vegas right near the road to the southern entrance to Death Valley they have what’s claimed to be the worlds tallest thermometer. There’s a little Greek very casual restaurant across from it that has great milk shakes. Don’t take ’em outside.
Surface temps in the Lut can reach 160F; should have had that in there.
https://www.science.org/content/article/move-over-death-valley-these-are-two-hottest-spots-earth
You’re talking air temperature and he’s talking surface temperature. The sand in that desert does reach 159 degrees Fahrenheit.
Appreciate this map and detail.
DELETED. The nuclear site(s) I thought was missing is just obscured.
Bucknut – yes, Iran is large but if you don’t think the US and Israel already don’t know the most strategic places to hit…we’ve known these for decades. 👍🏼
Last evening via Alyosha commodity trader:
All quotes:
WTI had a $38 range in the last 24 hours, falling from 119.48 to a low of $81.19—eerily like silver in January (May silver fell from 119.29 to $74.77). It’s not a conspiracy but it is uncanny 2 markets might behave so closely alike within weeks of one another.
According to Grok: Even allowing for fat tails and volatility clustering during crises, the joint occurrence of these two specific mega-moves just weeks apart remains a once-in-the-history-of-financial-markets statistical anomaly—effective probability << 10⁻¹⁰ under any realistic model.
Silver (Jan 30, 2026): 31% settlement drop → 8 sigma (crisis-adjusted vol ~4%; historical baseline pushes it higher to 15–20+ sigma, but realistic tail-adjusted ~8).
Oil (March 8, 2026): 20–25% intraday/peak gain (largest ever daily %) → 6 sigma (elevated vol ~4%; normal baseline ~8–10 sigma).An 8 sigma event translates to an expected recurrence of once every 806 trillion occurrences (or roughly 1 in 8 × 10¹⁴ trials).
The combined occurrence of two major exchange-traded commodities falling 40% in a 24-hour period twice in the same quarter is beyond Grok’s ability to measure. That means the amount of money that has been made and lost in the last 10 days as a repeatable occurrence… from the infinite beginning of time to the infinite future… is beyond the capability of artificial intelligence to calculate. Random?
I don’t know anything about the oil business other than what I learned from Landman. According to Tommy Norris “you want oil to live above 60 but below 90.” So there you go.
50 gets u to about $2.00/gal. They claim 60 is required for the high tech methods of extraction from the harder to access reserves is necessary to keep them profitable.
So it looks like 2/gal is the best we can ever hope to see ever again.
I remember in the late 90’s an oil collapse and seeing 80cents a gallon for quite a while !
If Only……..
But that $.80 is worth about $1.73 today. (1995).
Those good old days in 1970 with the seemingly cheap gas at $.36 a gallon translate to $3.09 today.
$2.00 a gallon today would be a steal.
Perspective changes things.
via Doomberg:
90% of the Law
As the war with Iran takes hold, the energy dominoes are beginning to fall.
Around this time last week, the war in Iran was impacting markets roughly as we suspected it would. The entire hydrocarbon complex was bid higher—including coal and, especially, liquefied natural gas (LNG)—and the spread between Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) expanded by some 40%. Something changed mid-week, however, and as the conflict continued to escalate, that spread suddenly began to narrow. By Sunday’s wild futures opening, the two grades reached parity, but have since widened again.
Although it is hard to pinpoint precise cause and effect in chaotic markets like these, we suspect a story that broke last Wednesday had something to do with these gyrations:
China going full turtle so early is a stark reminder of our friend Sir JJ’s wise quip that oil is worthless until it gets to a refinery. Should the Strait of Hormuz remain closed for much longer, we expect that national protectionism will ultimately open up wide regional disparities in the price of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined products. Whatever crude China gets its hands on from here—including from its massive stockpiles of emergency reserves—will be directed toward satisfying internal demand, thank you very much.
The US, on the other hand, is not only the world’s largest oil producer by a wide margin, it is also a net exporter of refined products, selling significant quantities of gasoline and diesel in international markets. (It also imports a fair bit, and you can probably guess to where and why.) Price spikes and empty refineries overseas will motivate domestic refineries to run full speed, increasing demand for WTI. Combine this with the fact that US companies also export various grades of crude and import others to optimize refinery runs, and that President Donald Trump has not yet limited exports or implemented price controls to stabilize prices for US consumers, and the drive back to parity between Brent and WTI makes sense.
Whatever the basis for the temporary Brent/WTI convergence—and others have put forward alternative explanations—oil price spikes of this magnitude usually lead to sharp economic contractions in the short term and significant long-term increases in crude supply. There is little reason to expect a different outcome now. However, China’s move does signal the likely sequence of how events will unfold in the short and medium term, making a straightforward exercise of identifying the nations that will suffer first. In a global, every-country-for-itself fragmentation of energy markets, who will feel the hurt? Let’s tour the world and assess the risks.
The rest is behind a paywall>
https://newsletter.doomberg.com/p/90-of-the-law-00d
strong interview. informative and actually very assuring
Better rein in Bibi’s girls from blowing up the refineries or this excursion with be COVID II; sucking us further into the obis of forever bad feelings.
Our California military basis need jet fuel:
In 2024 and 2025, reports indicated that a significant portion—in some months, the majority—of the jet fuel imported through the Port of Los Angeles originated from Chinese refiners.
https://www.energyindepth.org/report-shows-newsom-prioritizes-beijing-over-bakersfield-as-california-drifts-toward-full-blown-energy-crisis/
A big reason why Bakersfield votes red
Trump should order them online, against Gavin Screwsome, but for military jet fuel only.
Do the bases can get the fuel and Screwsome can take the blame for the gasoline shortage
President Trump promises — President Trump delivers!!
A world-view based on continuous lies may be comforting.
Lies work because people want to hear them and deeply want to believe.
In this Sundance &Co home of facts and critical thinking skills, reality can only be avoided for so long.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15633191/Staggering-number-US-troops-wounded-Trumps-Iran-war.html
If one lies all the time, even because his people want-to-hear/cheer those lies, when the truth becomes obvious people will never know when you are stating facts/truths. When a compulsive liar tells a truth, does anyone know?
Reality can only be avoided for so long.
This post is really vague. I’ll believe our military over the Daily Mail. Thank you.
Here’s the headline of the article you post: STAGGERING number wounded
Fact in the article (requires one to read) is 140 wounded, 108 of them are back to work.
So, 32 wounded is considered staggering?
More people get murdered in a weekend in Chicago than suffered more than minor wounds. Being in the US military engaged with Iran is safer than the streets of Chicago.
Yes, the whole “staggering” spin is laughable. Considering the documented damage at US facilities in the region, 140 injured sounds reasonable.
The more pressing question is the status of missile warning radar sites like the TPY-2 sites. But the press seems only interested if a school was or wasn’t targeted or hit.
To the media 32 Americans still in hospital is “staggering” but 35,000 casualties per month in Ukraine are not worth mentioning.
All that being true, why would you take to heart something spewed by a British propaganda tool like the Mail?
Competent liars vs incompetent liars………..they are all liars. Brits live the lie too.
Ok, listen to Americans about the lies. Here is a hole episode by Americans about the endless lies.
The Judge and Captian Matt Hoh on the complex liars web that is weaved for the believers.
Please also remember “The Fog Of War,” and the inevitable reality of PROPAGANDA. (From both sides.) You must use your best “suspicious cat,” and treat EVERYTHING that you hear or see right now as “suspect.”
Particularly in “times of war,” that’s very simply “just the way it is.” Think accordingly.
Every side is doing it. Including yours. It’s been this way since war was first invented.
Wise words Mike. I’m sceptical of reports claiming traffic is moving through the Strait of Hormuz or that it will soon be the case. Based on historical events of similar situations with similar geographic and threat capabilities, I’ll continue to believe Iran can continue to be a gatekeeper, allowing tankers headed to friendly ports—Chinese predominately—and preventing any other transits. Today’s price drop could just be a result of artificial market interventions. It’s the kind of situation where it will only become clear once considerable time passes.
If the Houthis can cause havoc in the Bab-el Mandeb for Red Sea shipping, and with rudimentary weapons, Iran should have little difficulty defending the Strait.
You mean like Iran propaganda in sitting on an ocean of oil (208.6 billion barrels of proven oil reserves) while lying to the world that they need nuclear while secretly enriching uranium and building ballistic missiles.
And *hit posters get fact checked here immediately. Nice try.
Runaway back to politico.
At some point, when the Iranian ability to launch military attacks has been all but eliminated, attention will need to turn to the human intel necessary to begin a surgical removal of the individual embeds that would inhibit a takeover by non-jihadis and the formation of a sane government. The first indication that such a takeover has occurred must be a “we surrender” communication from whomever is initially in charge of an interim government. I intially said this would all take two weeks tops. Now I put it at three.
The entire world is watching a display of what the US is capable of, the speed with which we wipe out our adversary’s ability to launch against us. It is also watching for the way we form a new relationship with the new government. The smarter ones of those who have historically opposed the US will be looking for ways for themselves to eliminate the military phase and simply proceed straight to the deal formation phase.
Sacrifice some truly evil lunatics who have been waging war against the US for 47 years in order to display our capabilities to deter anyone else who might harbor any similar ideas. Looking at YOU, ……..
Per Fortified City’s post above: Iran has 94 million population. Even IF (a big if) 90% support regime change, that would leave 9.4MM hard core lunatics who are committed to Jihad, martyrdom and bringing in the new, glorious Caliphate. In addition to the various tribal/ethnic factions that will want their own say.
President Trump staying away from the regime change piece is the only sane strategy. It will be a long, ugly and deadly slog.
It may go faster than we think. Long memories among those the regime has been murdering for generations.
For the sake of the innocent, I truly hope you are correct, Trapper.
They are indeed an ANCIENT people. And tribal. With very long memories. Guess it’s a living in the desert thing.
Plus they are facist government clerics, owning 40 percent of the entire economic production (GDP) of Iran.
I think the Iranians will soon to be down to trying to use their enriched uranium to raise Godzilla and position him into the Persian Gulf but even if they manage it they are likely to discover that “history shows again and again how nature points up the folly of man.”
You’re assuming there are many “non-jihadi” citizens and that they are so motivated. Like saying non-Christians in the US could throw out the Christians. I get the theory that “well, the Kurds, Aziris, Buluchs, etc hate the Persians” but that may be wishful thinking, especially if you think that they will automatically embrace Israel.
Twelver Shia doesn’t strike me as a movement or religion that easily throws in the towel.
True, yet much of the ME is supporting the US here. Violent dark age Islamists jihadhist are not welcome.
The only way to eradicate terrorist totalitarian regimes is what was required in Germany, Japan WW2. Unfortunately.
Italy cane back without a lifelong occupation
Except that large numbers of at least nominal “Nazis” were kept in place. Not so sure about the Japanese side. And favorite around here Gen Patton is the one who considered the Nazi issue to be like Democrat vs Republican.
Oil prices are falling despite Iran’s push to drive them as high as possible. So today Iran threatened to mine the SoH. It doesn’t seem to matter that Iran has very little (or no) capability to do this. Oil prices spiked. Anyone with a brain should be able to see that this can’t happen because the Iranians have no sea power left. The spike will go down but it seems that the Iranians are throwing spaghetti at the wall.
Fundamentally: After 47 years of causing Pure Hell, the “Mullahs” and everything they represent must be irrevocably removed, and the threat neutered. If you do not decisively do that, you have accomplished nothing.
Regime change will be left to the Israelis and Muslim allies in the region per President Trump. The scope of our military action is limited to disabling Iran’s rocket, missile, drone, naval and nuke capabilities.
The last Mullah is currently a floor sweep
bagdad bob announcement, ships moving freely
https://www.marinetraffic.org/HORMUZ%20STRAIT/ship-traffic-tracker
Iran at least had tremendous capability to mine. That’s why CJCS Caine in his brief spelled out that targetting mine laying capability was a key target. Also why we have three mine hunting ships in the Gulf. I don’t know how effective that targeting has been. You don’t need sophisticated “sea power” to lay mines.
Establish a “No Go” Zone within 10 miles of the commercial shipping lanes and sink any vessel from an Iranian Port that violates the ban! We have the ability to do that! 🤔
Iran has an all submarine navy now. All ships are resting on the bottom.
One thing is clear: the next Leader cannot be “an old Mullah, just like the last one.” If this were to be allowed to occur, in quick time the same people will go right back, assemble their bombs, and set them off – toasting every “Sunni” in sight and the two “Satans” along with them.
Then, as nuclear fallout caused their skin to melt away, these people would await Virgins and their Messiah. Allah will be so proud of them for having destroyed his planet . . . and for causing(!) the apocalyptic “End of Days!”
If you start this, you must finish it. You must remove the threat such that it cannot come back.
I believe that President Trump already has a plan to prevent Iran from doing the old “meet the new boss, same as the old boss” routine.
Perhaps the new Board of Peace will be the mechanism for implementing the plan. Certainly President Trump, along with Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff, will have maximum impact and influence over that process.
Based on President Trump’s already known “way of doing business,” I’m confident that our President will put ironclad safeguards (economic and military) into his plan to govern the process even after his term expires.
“47 years of Hell” is more than enough suffering for a nation that used to be the shining star. And can be so again.
Check this early today and traffic moving both sides in and out. https://www.marinetraffic.org/HORMUZ%20STRAIT/ship-traffic-tracker
We can’t indefinitely escort oil tankers through the SoH, going to risk lives and $15b carriers to $20k drones. We can be successful 5000 times, they only have to get lucky once. This will take total eradication, and that means something that hasn’t had to be done in over 80 years.
President Trump is a winner. Google him (to paraphrase Curt Cignetti).
Winning in this case means total eradication of Iran’s military/industrial complex and their system of governance under the mullahs-defined as worldwide terrorism.
President Trump will win and the terrorist mullahs will lose (die).
I never get tired of winning!
We can shoot down drones with laser beams … already deployed and in use.
Democrats: “Oil producing states are going to lose their jobs!!”
That was desired outcome during the Biden years.
“Oil is dirty”
Joe Biden
AMERICA First.
LOL
Bray while you may was that a personal attack?
I read they made the son of the deceased Iranian Supreme Commander the new Iranian Supreme Commander but a bomb landed on him and he’s now in a coma.
Perfect for their very own Autopen Commander.
The next leadership in Iran is not going to be “another old Mullah just like the last old one.” Their reign is going to be shattered. Iran will break free at last.
They’re going to be down to looking for a goat herder to be their Supreme Commander if they keep it up.
Oil prices are transitory.. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.
Need some tissue?
I’ve driven about 24,800 miles in the past 66 months. I’ll survive the oil swing thing.
We’re dooooooomed!!!
Somewhere out on that horizon, out beyond the neon lights, I know there must be something better, but there’s nowhere else in sight. It’s survival in the city, when we live from day to day, city streets don’t have much pity…
Hahahahaha!
That dog dont hunt here, slim…..
Sec Pete and Joint Chief Dan.
I believe the phrase you are all looking for to sum up the President’s displeasure with the IRGC’s influence in the choice of Moftaba is,
“Continuation of Cultural Intransigence.”
Flipping just not going to happen.
The bottom line is going to be very simple: “Iran” will survive and prosper, but “the Mullahs” will not. In the end, they will be decisively removed from power, and no one will miss them at all. “47 years” is much too long enough. Iran will awaken from its nightmare.
As for impediment of transit of the Straight.
I think it is fairly clear Risk Management has superceded any action by Iran.
Not privy to the USANavy eyeballs on the Straight, “Yes it is safe to assume that Iran has made limited effort to block the Straight with kinetic actions, or is holding back on really testing the resolve of the Straight’s cat and mouse game.
Suffice to say right now the prudence of Risk Management in the International shipping industry is doing more the close the Straight than anything Iran has deployed.
Not saying the response is misguided or cynical.
Just saying, “Resolution of opening the Straight without any Stockholm Syndrome hostage taken through up-heaving the International Energy Market.
Is a game this administration is not going play.”
How that is achieved is fairly clear.
Upping the pressure on the Theocracy and IRGC.
1. By opening the diplomatic channel with US and even more precisely re-engaging with the regional Nations to join the Abraham Accords.
Thus signaling massively that the Theocracy has gave up the ghost on regional destructive goals.
2. Or, continue with their Cultural Intransigent behavior within the the region.
Basically FAFO.
If this is forced, then the aim should be clear.
The dust settling result is that any and all territory to secure safe passage of Straight will become an economic exclusion zone for a period of not less than hundred years.
The Gulf Nations and the US will administer this economic exclusionary zone under a Panama Chanel transit model.
With emphasis on being revenue net neutral. Iran will pay a premium on their energy exports into a fund to rebuild Gaza and Syria under the assumption that Iranian Intransigence is the prime factor that drove the destruction of Gaza and Syria.
How is that for not whistling the tune of Qom.
This is a great press conference.
Just posted a security dashboard of Iran’s current security posture as of this afternoon ET.
And linked to this CTH article for the presser. It’s a must listen.
Iranian Defense Analysis 3/10/26: “Toast”
https://open.substack.com/pub/directorblue/p/iranian-defense-analysis-31026-toast?r=ch1ue&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
This photograph is an AI lie.
BE CAREFUL TO NOT SPREAD FALSE PROPAGANDA ON CTH. Be better than this.
Obama bowed to the Saudi King Abdullah in 2009. NOT the Ayatollah!
All this sloppy posting does is undercut the credibility of the Treehouse.
I am disappointed. Be better.
It’s jolly simple, Old Boy. Declare victory in Iran and leave! Lt Ardendorf, Natal Native Contingent. 😉
Russian leaders denied in a call with President Donald Trump on Monday allegations that they are sharing intelligence with Iran during the war, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff told CNBC.
“We can take them at their word,” Witkoff said. “Let’s hope that they’re not sharing.”
Trump spoke with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday.
Trump lashed out at a Fox News reporter last week who asked about Russia sharing intelligence with Iran.
Steve Witkoff: Russians told Trump they have not shared intelligence with Iran during the war.
Steve Witkoff: Russians told Trump they have not shared intelligence with Iran during the war
Russian leaders in a call with President Donald Trump on Monday denied allegations that they are sharing intelligence with Iran during the war, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said.
“So, you know, we can take them at their word,” Witkoff told CNBC’s “Money Movers” during an interview on Tuesday. “Let’s hope that they’re not sharing.”
Want the real scoop on marine traffic through the Straits of Hormuz? I encourage all to watch Sal Mercogliano, a true expert of the marine/shipping world, not some Phd of wokeness explaining how to tie your shoes to save world. I offer this:
Something is amiss…probably the lack of truth from our masters. No more foreign wars or entanglements. Hmmm….
But no worries the war will be over this weekend, the next few weeks, September, oops, my calendar doesn’t go that far.
Where is AI when I need to obfuscate the truth?
The distinction between preventive war and preemptive war lies primarily in the timing and immediacy of the perceived threat. A preemptive war is a first strike conducted in response to an imminent attack, where intelligence indicates that an adversary is about to strike. In contrast, a preventive war is launched against a potential future threat, based on strategic calculations that an enemy may become too powerful if not confronted early.
While both involve initiating hostilities, preemptive actions are generally viewed as more legally and ethically defensible under international law as a form of self-defense. Preventive wars, however, often face criticism for being based on speculation and are frequently seen as acts of aggression..
Dwight D. Eisenhower (President and 5 Star General) firmly rejected the concept of preventive war. His views were consistently expressed in speeches and news conferences, notably in August 1954, and were formally enshrined in U.S. national security policy, which rejected preventive war as a legitimate strategy.
In the case at bar, I agree with the recognition that he is FINISHING a 47-year old war.
Preemptive, Preventive… If you win, you can call it anything you like. If you lose it doesn’t matter.
Suggesting that the sheer size of a country is, in itself, an inhibitor for a quick victory is following a line of argument that is severely dated in its reasoning. The US, has for 23 years never launched a major aerial offensive, and in those intervening years the capabilities of its platforms, the weapons they deploy and the ISR network that they contribute and access have so massively increased the lethality of such a force, that any previous operation, whatever it’s surface similarities, should only be used as a comparative indicator with extreme caution.
The moment the US decided to launch Operation Epic Fury Iran was defeated because her strategic plan was completely incapable of even comprehending the multi-spectrum power the US could unleash, let alone seriously contest the operational or strategic intent of its tormentor. The greatest weapon they possessed, before obtaining nuclear weapons, was a coterie of world leaders who deliberately, or inadvertently, created the impression that tackling Iran was a military impossibility, often citing redundant comparisons from the past, to justify their inaction. Once that bluff was called it was simply a question of how long the regime might survive, not could they.
Similarly, predictions about the resilience of the regime might also suffer from a similar reliance on historical precedent and a failure to grasp the effect of the capabilities that are being directed towards it. Time will tell, but the systematic destruction of Iran’s ability to project any meaningful power, or even mount a localised defence, in such a shockingly short space of time, should perhaps alert certain analysts and commentators that this isn’t’ simply a question of a percentage increase in effect and impact, but something utterly transformational. Again, Team Trump seems to be executing a series of targeted paradigm shifts, preparing, perhaps, for the big one.
President Trump, the U.S. military, and the State Department has been trying to get their attention to avoid the big one; but fanatical heretics are always hard to reach. If they don’t come around, then they get the big one. They’re being decimated; however, at a rapid clip. Sometimes, as many as 900 carefully selected strikes have occurred every 12 hours. A lot of Iranian leadership is dead or hanging on in medical facilities. We are bombing the Islam out of them so bad that they actually may come around in a few weeks. Well, whoever over there is left standing with any pull by then that is. Before the 7th century AD, that whole area was Zoroastrian and warred extensively with the Christianized Byzantine Empire (i.e., Eastern Roman Empire).
If only the Navy had not f_cked up the design of the Littoral Combat Ship 20 years ago, they would have the right ship for the Job right now in the Persian Gulf for escort duty and clearing the narrow waters of the Persian Gulf as well as working close to the shores of the Arabian Sea.
It was the the numerous “crises” in the Persian Gulf that actually inspired the requirements for the Littoral Combat Ship … the Navy went Swiss Army Knife with requirements creep and screwed the pooch.
As it is they need to get the fast attack, counter mine craft and patrol craft of their Gulf Allies deployed .. backing them up with US Mine Warfare asset, Aircraft, Drones and Destroyers in “overwatch”.
The USN assuming control of and manning a few Coast Guard Patrol vessels needs to be studied.
There are three Independence-class LCS — USS Canberra (LCS-30), USS Tulsa (LCS-16) and USS Santa Barbara (LCS-32) with the US Navy 5th Fleet based in Bahrain. All three are configured for mine countermeasure missions.
Thanks … Nice to know that at least these 3 exist .. thought they had cancelled the program all together.
There were also supposed be “close escort versions or modules” as well to support escorting vessels through areas like the Persian Gulf.
Thanks
Keep up the pummeling of these Stone Age morons. Break the theocracy!
I remember when the US Navy escorted Reflagged Kuwaiti tankers last century because of some threat. Why is this such a blockhead moment? Keep shipping moving and smoke anybody that tries to stop us. We certainly have the assets there for this. I am hoping that we smoke the Houthis there while we are in theater too.