In another week, do we get a new "Agreement to hold Talks on Plans to Schedule a Meeting discussing Possible Negotiations" thread? 😜

The Bulwark is right on the money again: https://www.thebulwark.com/i/202424686/trump-is-on-the-side-of-the-iranian-regime

Yesterday at the G7 meeting in France, Trump went even further in the direction of sucking up to the murderers of the Iranian people: “We’re dealing with people that I think are very rational people. They are nice to deal with. They are strong people, smart people. . . . They’re, you know, looking to help their country.”

So Trump has not just lost a war to the Iranian regime. He has now become an apologist for it. He was defeated by terror-sponsoring murderous rulers, and now he is apologizing for them. His strategic collapse has been accompanied by moral collapse.

No surprises there!

quickymart:

 

 His strategic collapse has been accompanied by moral collapse.

 

Pffff, can't "collapse" something that was never higher than a cockroach's arse.

quickymart:

The Bulwark is right on the money again: https://www.thebulwark.com/i/202424686/trump-is-on-the-side-of-the-iranian-regime

Yesterday at the G7 meeting in France, Trump went even further in the direction of sucking up to the murderers of the Iranian people: “We’re dealing with people that I think are very rational people. They are nice to deal with. They are strong people, smart people. . . . They’re, you know, looking to help their country.”

So Trump has not just lost a war to the Iranian regime. He has now become an apologist for it. He was defeated by terror-sponsoring murderous rulers, and now he is apologizing for them. His strategic collapse has been accompanied by moral collapse.

So Trump and cabinet have to front up with a 'concept of a plan'. 

Anyhow Epstein is out of the news, its clear running to July 4th victory parade.

Dear leader can bask in adulation.

Seems Iran is jumpstarting rushing its tankers out in mass having confidence that a Trump contract always lasts.

There has not been such a victory since Caligula bested Neptune on the French coast, bringing tribute of seashells to Rome! 

tdgeek: I feel its time to create this thread, in what is a stage 2 of this Trump-Netanyahu fiasco. It will hopefully move on positively, and lots to discuss

gzt: 
William Kristol held near cabinet positions in the Reagan and Bush administrations and continues to support the Iraq War to this day. It does not surprise me that he wants a continuation of an Iran War. He certainly did advocate for starting it. Kristol is anti-Trump and pro-war almost any war for as long as it takes even if that is forever.

The Bulwark is not a Bulwark to defend anything if Kristol is going to be standing on it.

That's a very good point, a warmonger is not the best person to have around in a time like this, with a trigger-happy child president running the show.

Edit, although looking at his profile on Wikipedia, I see that he recently joined the Democratic party 🤔 Trump must have really pushed that guy away!

gzt:

tdgeek: I feel its time to create this thread, in what is a stage 2 of this Trump-Netanyahu fiasco. It will hopefully move on positively, and lots to discuss

Netanyahu has an election coming up October 27th at the latest. The Israeli parliament may well force it a month earlier.

In the meantime Netanyahu will bring every nearly pressure possible to wreck the MOU. Netanyahu's options are not unlimited. If Trump denies any significant armaments or even denies some future delivery then Netanyahu will be burnt toast in the elections.

On the other hand it seems Trump is under all kinds of pressures and really has few options to respond to Netanyahu. Denying arms does not seem to be one of them. Trump giving interviews to journalists where he rants about how he's this close to cutting Netanyahu off seem to be as far as it goes. Lebanon is starting to look like a three way game of chicken with Netanyahu doing all the driving.

Yes, you would think the Art of the Deal guy will tell Iran that he told Israel to stop, if they don't, USA cannot stop them so gimme a free pass on that one. Hang on till their elections

https://newsroom.co.nz/2026/06/18/the-first-airstrikes-on-iran-feel-like-a-lifetime-for-some-they-were/

A bloke from Newsroom has a look at the deal and how it's going to be much better for Iran as opposed to the US.

Bullies have a pecking order and always punch downwards, compare how he treats Western leaders compared to Putin and Kim Jong Un.

Based on the adoration he is heaping on the Iranians, Trump now realises where he sits in relation.

I don't think Trump really knows or cares about Israel except what his advisors tell him of his US supporters expectations.

roobarb: I don't think Trump really knows or cares about Israel except what his advisors tell him of his US supporters expectations.

Much as I dislike the Iranian regime, I understand the sequence of how it came about historically due to Western interference. I also strongly support the concept of self determination, and against armed aggression.

I hope this gets added to the list of failed military adventures such as

• Suez Crisis
• Bay of Pigs
• Vietnam
• Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
• United Nations invasion of Afghanistan
• etc

Alas every generation seems to have to learn for themselves that war is bad, but more senior and senile leaders, especially draft dodgers, have no excuse. They should know better and be accountable.

Hey, Steven Miller how is that might-is-right working out for you?

Is there a decent side-by-side, point-by-point comparison of this MOU with the original JCPOA?

WANA: In principle, I held a different view. Nevertheless, based on the commitment given to me by the respected President, in his capacity as Chairman of the Supreme National Security Council, on behalf of himself and the other members, to safeguard the rights of the Iranian nation and the Resistance Front—and having explicitly accepted responsibility for the matter—I authorized it.

Vance clearly having no clue how much oil goes through the Strait:

 

The vice president said more than 12.5 million barrels went through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night. That could further soothe oil prices that spiked during the war but have been falling since the US and Iran announced a tentative deal to end the conflict.

 

That's about 6 VLCCs. Compared to the 100+ ships a day it used to be. Problem solved!