Here we go again - 2026 Iran Attacks

To post in this sub-forum you must have made 100 posts or have Trust status or have completed our ID Verification

Forums › Politics › Here we go again - 2026 Iran Attacks

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ... | 34

11991 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12880

Subscriber

#3468069 9-Mar-2026 11:04

In case you're wondering the Operation Epic Furry reference, a first‑draft operation order inside the U.S. ~~Defense~~ War Department accidentally used the codename “Operation Epic Furry.”

Corporal Seth Powers saw the draft, didn’t read the full text. He believed it was a psy‑op or online influence mission.

This internal typo is what sparked the meme and the humorous coverage.

Trump continues to attract the brightest and best 🙄

Operation Epic Furry Is Heading to Lebanon?

Brett Cooper

Sideface

9650 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15602

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3468082 9-Mar-2026 11:41

The Guardian - ‘A very dangerous person’: alarm as Pete Hegseth revels in carnage of Iran war

08 March 2026

Critics say the brash, bombastic Fox News host is out of his depth ...

Brash and bellicose, he sounded more like a cartoon bully than a sombre statesman. “Death and destruction from the sky all day long,” Pete Hegseth bragged to reporters at the Pentagon near Washington. “This was never meant to be a fair fight, and it is not a fair fight. We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be.”

Hegseth, 45, a former Fox News TV host who now commands the world’s most powerful military, has this week become the face of Donald Trump’s war in Iran.

That has set off alarm bells for critics who warn that the Secretary of Defense - pointedly rebranded “Secretary of War” - has rapidly transformed the Pentagon into the staging ground for an ideological and religious crusade.

With machismo, Christian nationalism and callousness toward the lives of US troops, they say, Hegseth’s puerile displays on TV are aimed at sating Trump’s desire for a warmonger worthy of the manosphere.

This was reinforced by a lurid social media video that intersperses clips from Hollywood blockbusters such as Braveheart, Gladiator, Superman and Top Gun with Hegseth and real kill-shot footage of the attacks in Iran. ...

Sideface

wellygary

8813 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5293

#3468103 9-Mar-2026 13:47

"This was reinforced by a lurid social media video that intersperses clips from Hollywood blockbusters such as Braveheart, Gladiator, Superman and Top Gun with Hegseth and real kill-shot footage of the attacks in Iran. ..."

While it looked like it had been put together by a couple of 12 year olds, it was still light years ahead of what the UK PM put up later, which was just cringe...

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/starmer-mocked-copying-trump-posting-131641731.html

kingdragonfly

11991 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12880

Subscriber

#3468104 9-Mar-2026 13:48

Pete Hegseth's comment, "We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be” reminds me of either a school yard bully, or a deranged Middle Ages royal, abusing power with no moral restraint.

It sounds less like responsible leadership and more like someone reveling in dominating a weakened opponent.

He's celebrating overwhelming force, showing no interest in fairness or restraint, and treating war like a spectacle.

The Department of ~~Defense~~ War tone shifts to glee and sport is unsettling.

kingdragonfly

11991 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12880

Subscriber

#3468109 9-Mar-2026 13:55

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Bible, Book of Proverbs (16:18)

or simplified, when someone becomes too proud or arrogant, it often leads to their own downfall.

SaltyNZ

8867 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9550

Trusted

2degrees

Lifetime subscriber

#3468114 9-Mar-2026 14:57

kingdragonfly: Pete Hegseth's comment, "We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be” reminds me of either a school yard bully, or a deranged Middle Ages royal, abusing power with no moral restraint.

It sounds less like responsible leadership and more like someone reveling in dominating a weakened opponent.

He's celebrating overwhelming force, showing no interest in fairness or restraint, and treating war like a spectacle.

The Department of ~~Defense~~ War tone shifts to glee and sport is unsettling.

Also:

Hegseth said surrender can look a lot of different ways, including person-to-person, but that Trump is the one who will ultimately set the terms, not the Iranians, CNN reported.

“Whether they want to admit it or not, whether their pride lets them say it out loud or not — it’s President Trump who will set the terms of that,” Hegseth said.

Whether their pride lets them say it out loud or not - the US does not have a great track record against angry locals with AK47s.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

New World

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

Sideface

9650 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15602

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3468116 9-Mar-2026 15:05

Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei [correct image]

Reuters - Iran names Khamenei's hardline son Mojtaba as new supreme leader

breaking

Leadership of Iranian armed forces pledge allegiance
U.S. crude futures surge more than 20%
Trump insisted on US having say in selection of new leader
Israel attacks major fuel storage facilities near Tehran

The position gives Mojtaba the final say in all matters of state in the Islamic Republic. Hardliner 🤬

EDIT Image revised.

Sideface

gzt

18685 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 7826

Lifetime subscriber

#3468123 9-Mar-2026 15:19

~~The picture above is captioned incorrectly. The picture above is not an Ayatollah. The picture above is a very tired and stressed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.~~

Edit: Picture above now updated by poster after Reuters post error

Sideface

9650 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15602

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3468126 9-Mar-2026 15:33

gzt: The picture above is captioned incorrectly. The picture above is not an Ayatollah. The picture above is a very tired and stressed Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Agreed. Now fixed (see above). The wrong image was briefly posted by Reuters - an unusual error.

Sideface

roobarb

705 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 657

Trusted

#3468133 9-Mar-2026 15:57

kingdragonfly: Pete Hegseth's comment, "We are punching them while they’re down, which is exactly how it should be” reminds me of either a school yard bully, or a deranged Middle Ages royal, abusing power with no moral restraint.

Trump said exactly that , he did not need international laws and his only constraint was his morals.

If you count Peter Hegseth, Steven Miller and most of the republican party then the US joins India, Pakistan and Israel as nuclear armed nations with dangerous theocrats in charge.

SaltyNZ

8867 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9550

Trusted

2degrees

Lifetime subscriber

#3468149 9-Mar-2026 16:23

His *morals*. The morals of a convicted felon, adjudicated rapist, multiple convicted fraud, serial marital cheater and best friend of a convicted pedophile?

Should be all good then eh.

iPad Pro 11" + iPhone 15 Pro Max + 2degrees 4tw!

These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

kingdragonfly

11991 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12880

Subscriber

#3468154 9-Mar-2026 16:50

Sideface: Iran names Khamenei's hardline son Mojtaba as new supreme leader
...
U.S. crude futures surge more than 20%
...

Likely U.S. oil futures surged because a hardliner likely means a sudden, severe increase in geopolitical risk to Middle Eastern oil supply.

Iran naming Mojtaba seen as escalation (if that's possible). It likely increases the risk of a prolonged war.

Israel’s strikes on major fuel infrastructure raise fears of retaliatory action that could target oil shipping routes and production facilities.

Markets react immediately to any threat that could disrupt oil flows from the region. The risk of disruption tends to push futures sharply higher.

The Strait of Hormuz, is the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, at ~20% of world's supply.

Brent is the world’s most widely used benchmark for pricing crude oil, and it plays a central role in how fuel prices are set in New Zealand and most of the world.

NZ buys refined fuel from Asian refineries, which price off Brent. When Brent jumps, the wholesale price NZ importers pay rises.

New Zealand is particularly sensitive because it imports most refined fuels after the closure of the Marsden Point refinery.

kingdragonfly

11991 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12880

Subscriber

#3468156 9-Mar-2026 17:00

Summary of this paywalled article:

About three-quarters of the oil going through the Strait of Hormuz goes to China, India, Japan and South Korea.

These are the very countries NZ sources refined fuel from. NZ is exposed indirectly even beyond direct supply chains.

Iran conflict oil shock: How big is the risk to the New Zealand economy?: NZ Herald

tdgeek

30048 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9455

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3468164 9-Mar-2026 17:08

kingdragonfly: Summary of this paywalled article:

About three-quarters of the oil going through the Strait of Hormuz goes to China, India, Japan and South Korea.

These are the very countries NZ sources refined fuel from. NZ is exposed indirectly even beyond direct supply chains.

Iran conflict oil shock: How big is the risk to the New Zealand economy?: NZ Herald

Read this morning they hot US$100 per barrel

Now, US$116

https://oilprice.com/

ezbee

2656 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3097

#3468166 9-Mar-2026 18:04

Looks like our foreign exchange earnings will be under pressure to pay for fuel.

So encouraging electric, hybrid or even fuel-efficient vehicles to reduce drain on our foreign exchange from unstable fuel costs.
Public transport and capability to move freight by other than road, ( Trains ) using electricity even moreso

Yeh Nah, not worth it,
Cancel Onslow, fuel efficiency incentives, public mass transit spend, where is that LNG contract.

Who knew such a small waterway could be such a global catastrophe? MAGA its always 'who knew'.
Though I am more worried for how people of Gulf will get food, and necessities that come in that way.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | ... | 34