e-commentary

. . .

K          “Israel clearly breached the sweeping ceasefire.  Neither Israel nor the U.S. is ‘agreement capable’ and thus all negotiations are a charade.” 

J          “TACO Tuesday was a red letter day.  Trump capitulated.  Trump lost.  Trump lost big time.  The U.S. lost international prestige that it can never regain.”

. . .

K          “Iran gave Trump a chance to retreat from his psycho comments to blow up the world.  He was given an off-ramp and drove into a guardrail.”  

J          “He drove into a telephone pole.  And now he is still talking stupidly and dangerously again.”

. . .

K          “Witkoff, Kushner and Vance would be dismissed from a high school Model U.N. team.  They do not have the talent or horsepower to mediate a residential property dispute.  And recall that Vance went to an American law school.”

J          “They are the ‘D’ team, but Trump does not care.  They are there to hustle business not to conclude hostilities.”

. . .

K          “The parties are all preparing for the next phase of war.  What is the current Iranian inventory?  What are Iran’s manufacturing capabilities in the next two weeks?  What will China, Russia, North Korea, or other countries give, sell or exchange to the Iranians?  What are the current U.S. and Israeli inventories?  What are the U.S. manufacturing capabilities in the next two weeks?  What will Europe or other countries give, sell or exchange to the U.S.?  The U.S. seems to be amassing troops for what is likely to be a desperate and futile ground invasion.”

J          “The war rages.  I hear occasional comments and conjecture that the U.S. has vast inventories of secret weapons.  The future of war is laser technology guided by AI.  The U.S.A. may be ahead in the race.  We shall see.”

. . .

K          “Russia, China and North Korea realize that this war is existential.”

J          “The U.S. has lost the war and is losing Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and other countries.  The U.S. may lose Australia, Japan, Singapore, Philippines and other countries.  The U.S.’s losses are subtle.”

. . .

K          “The thing described by some as ‘Mr. Market’ usually front runs developments before they even happen.  I am surprised that the amoral, indifferent, and disinterested market does not see what is happening and what is coming.”

J          “Another great irony.  If a person, even a plebe, could predict the future, he or she could make a fortune.  I have some definite thoughts about future developments.  I suspect that the U.S. goes into a recession and the world goes into a depression by Labor Day.”

 . . .

K          “The blockade is illegal under international law and likely challenging to enforce without quickly escalating events.  The Iranian Ghadir submarines may be a surprise factor.  The dangerous charade playing out at sea may result in unintended consequences.”

J          “Lloyd effectively shut down the Strait.  Iran opted to assess a toll.  The U.S. decided to shut it down.  We shall see.”

. . .

K          “Look at Iran’s situation clinically, dispassionately, and unemotionally.  If Iran signs a treaty, Israel and the U.S. will undoubtedly disregard it and undertake another illegal, immoral, unprovoked and cowardly attack on Iran.  Israel and the U.S. want to exterminate Iranians and extinguish Iran.  Iran may never have a better hand.  Iran may have little choice.  The leaders must make a fundamentally moral, military and strategic decision.  This may be the hill they must die on.” 

J          “With so many players ready to go nuclear, this may be the hill we all die on.”

. . . 

Bumper stickers of the week:

“We’re going to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq, and then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and finishing off Iran.”  Retired U.S. General Wesley Clark stated shortly after the September 11 attacks after a Pentagon officer told him about a proposed U.S. military plan to remove governments in seven countries within five years. 

“The Iranian Red Crescent Society, the country’s primary humanitarian relief organization, said on April 2 that at least 763 schools and 316 health care facilities had been damaged or destroyed in the war.”  “Iran’s Schools and Hospitals in Ruins, Times Analysis Shows” written by multiple authors in “The New York Times” dated April 9, 2026.