Global South

The Imaginary Peace President

“During his first term, Trump became the ultimate causal agent for every one of the current conflicts with Russia, China, Iran, and Venezuela.”

By William Schryver at imetatronink.

One of the most common claims about the Trump 45 administration is that “He didn’t start any new wars.”

This is demonstrably FALSE.

During his first term, Trump became the ultimate causal agent for every one of the current conflicts with Russia, China, Iran, and Venezuela.

He not only maintained the trajectory of these conflicts as established by previous US administrations, but he dramatically raised the stakes and quickened the pace of the march to war.

Ukraine

“I was the one that gave the Javelins. Remember the famous Javelins? That was me. It wasn’t Obama. It wasn’t Biden. It wasn’t anybody else. It was me. And they wiped out a lot of tanks with those Javelins. The expression was, ‘Obama gave sheets’. And I gave Javelins. That was a big deal at the time. That was at the beginning, when people said, ‘Wow, that’s something!’ Well, that was American equipment. Without American equipment, this war would have been over very quickly.”

President Donald J. Trump, Oval Office News Conference, February 26, 2025

Here is the full video clip from which the quote above is taken:

This is the irrefutable fact: the Trump 45 administration both hastened and made inevitable the war whose final fuse was lit in early February 2022 when the Ukrainians commenced a broad-front artillery escalation against what they claimed to be Donbass militia positions, but which were indistinguishable from random civilian targets.

All of these factors combined compelled the Russians to move decisively (and sooner than they wanted) to extend their strategic depth in the region.

All those who claim Trump has no culpability for the war in Ukraine are either ignorant of the abundant objective facts, or in denial thereof.

Several prominent geopolitical voices were raising the alarm about war in Ukraine even before Victoria Nuland, John McCain, Lindsey Graham et al. goose-stepped through the streets of conquered Kiev in 2014.

And all during the civil war that then ensued, until the Russians intervened in late February 2022, US/NATO intelligence and special forces operatives were active in Ukraine, in support of the Kiev government’s military movements in the Donbass.

The crisis became increasingly acute over the course of the first Trump administration, even as the twin objectives of subduing the Donbass and retaking Crimea became increasingly apparent.

As I posted on Twitter in April of 2021:

Ukraine has two options: accept its role as a buffer state, or be dismembered. If the US goads them into an attempt to subjugate the Donbass, Russia will slice away eastern Ukraine and assimilate it — and there is *nothing* the US can do to prevent it.

Fact is, the big geostrategic nation-state wars are always decades in the making. So it was in the case of the war in Ukraine.

But the unavoidable trajectory of war was set in stone during Donald Trump’s FIRST rodeo in the White House. Trump owns the Ukraine War more than Joe Biden’s Autopen. At least Trump laid claim to a modest degree of cogency in his first term.

The apparition of Joe Biden, dazed and confused, simply watched dumbfounded as long-fated events flashed before his empty eyes.

China

And, in what is arguably his most strategically ill-advised move of all, Trump 45 started the trade and rhetoric war with China that continues to the present day.

There are now even widespread rumors that the US Department of War is preparing a naval blockade of energy imports into China — an act of utter madness.

IRAN

In what I consider to have been the most brazen act of war in his first administration, Trump ordered the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, on January 3, 2020, at the Baghdad airport.

Soleimani was on a diplomatic mission to Baghdad at the invitation of Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, who had been acting as the intermediary between the Saudis and the Iranians, who were working to de-escalate drone and missile attacks by Iraqi militias against American bases in Iraq, and the Green Zone in Baghdad.

Soleimani was traveling to deliver Iran’s official response to a Saudi Arabian mediation proposal.

On December 31, 2019, ostensibly in support of these Saudi-Iranian moves to defuse the situation in Iraq, President Trump made a personal call to Iraqi Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi. The Iraqi leader then called Soleimani to arrange a meeting in the Green Zone in Baghdad, scheduled for the morning of January 3, 2020.

Soleimani and his small entourage traveled openly on a commercial flight, and were met at the airport by Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and a few other Iraqis. As Soleimani, al-Muhandis, and eight others were traveling from the airport to the Green Zone in two vehicles, an American MQ-9 Reaper drone fired Hellfire missiles and blew them all to smithereens.

President Trump directly ordered the attack, and afterwards publicly gloried in his perfidy.

Soleimani was considered a national hero in Iran, and was arguably the second-most powerful and influential political figure in Iran at the time, behind only the Ayatollah Khamenei.

The Iranians were justifiably outraged.

On January 8, 2020, Iran launched a ballistic missile attack against the American Ayn al-Asad airbase in Iraq. About 15 Iranian ballistic missiles targeted the base with shockingly impressive accuracy, although it was clear the strike was mostly demonstrative in nature, and the Iranians deliberately avoided killing US troops.

Even so, the potency of the strike clearly astounded both the Americans and the Israelis, and resulted in a diminution of both US and Israeli strikes against Iranian targets until April 1, 2024, when the Israelis killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers in a missile strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

Two weeks later (April 13-14, 2024), the Iranians launched a massive and unprecedented missile strike against Israel. This then led directly to the series of exchanges between Israel and Iran which took place over the course of the ensuing months, culminating in the so-called 12-Day War between the US/Israel and Iran from June 13-24, 2025.

Of course, it must be understood that this war between the US/Israel and Iran is NOT over yet. It is just on a brief hiatus, and there are indications in recent days that Israel is planning new strikes against Iran.

But make no mistake, the catalyzing event for this greatly escalated war with Iran was Trump’s treacherous murder of Qasem Soleimani on January 3, 2020.

VENEZUELA

Trump is quoted as saying:

“I don’t understand why we’re not looking at Venezuela. Why are we not at war with Venezuela?”

“That’s the country we should be going to war with. They have all that oil and they’re right on our back door.”

Trump’s bellicose language towards Venezuela continued all through his first term, and as a result, Venezuela’s longstanding friends Russia, China, and Iran began to more aggressively strengthen Venezuela’s military capabilities in anticipation of an eventual US attack and potential invasion of the South American country that holds the largest proven oil reserves in the world.

Now, as I write here on Thanksgiving Day 2025, the United States has positioned a massive naval fleet and Marine landing force off the coast of Venezuela, and it appears almost certain that military operations against the Maduro regime will commence imminently, with the overt aim of installing a new puppet government whose putative leader, CIA-groomed Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, has explicitly called for an American invasion of the Bolivarian Republic, and pledged to permit the US to take control of Venezuela’s oil, gold, and other mineral wealth.

SOUTHCOM has even provided a slick promotional video for the upcoming war against Venezuela:

Peace through strength:
Carrier Strike Group Twelve is making a powerful impact in the #SOUTHCOM region—standing strong to deter illicit networks, disrupt transnational threats, protect the Caribbean, and defend our homeland with purpose and presence. @CVN78_GRFord @USNavy pic.twitter.com/LTEt3iFB1v

— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) November 17, 2025

The Imaginary Peace President

Global South

The Delicate Exit

“Now let them seek a delicate exit from the mess they’ve gotten themselves into — but we will achieve our objectives.” — VVP

By William Schryver at imetatronink.

My coalescing sense of the underwhelming Alaska Chats is that Russia has not materially varied from its longstanding terms.

Trump rolled into town with his “stealth” flyover, imagining he was the one giving an audience to Putin.

From start to finish it was perfectly evident to any discerning observer that it was just the opposite, and that Putin was there to repeat and to emphasize Russia’s apparently inviolable terms.

As I understand it, the Russians have said they will implement a conditional temporary ceasefire in the south while NATO/AFU forces withdraw from Donetsk.

No one has said anything about ending the Special Military Operation, nor of the disposition of territories.

In essence, the Russians are saying:

“We’ll temporarily stop destroying you on the southern part of the line of contact while you retreat from the northern part, and then we’ll demand you also withdraw from the southern part, and lay down your arms.”

I cannot understand how so many people seem to doubt the resolve of the Russians to continue fighting western forces for years to come pursuant to their clearly enunciated objectives.

In each successive year of this war, Russian strength has augmented across the spectrum. Russia is not only outproducing the combined west by several multiples, but their military hardware is now indisputably superior in most key categories.

The only exit route for the US/NATO is capitulation, which in this instance entails withdrawing NATO military presence to the 1997 borders, as stipulated in the NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997.

How they opt to frame that capitulation is up to them.

As I noted in my February 2024 analysis of the Tucker Carlson interview of Vladimir Putin:

Tucker Carlson: “Do you think it is too humiliating at this point for NATO to accept Russian control of what was two years ago Ukrainian territory?

Vladimir Putin: I said let them think how to do it with dignity. There are options if there is a will.

Up until now there has been the uproar and screaming about inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield. Now they are apparently coming to realize that it is difficult to achieve, if possible at all. In my opinion, it is impossible by definition. It is never going to happen.

It seems to me that now those who are in power in the West have come to realize this as well. If so, if the realization has set in, they have to think what to do next. We are ready for this dialogue.”

That both Tucker Carlson and others have failed to correctly interpret Putin’s words is incomprehensible to me. So permit me to paraphrase them in language that is perhaps more understandable to the dimwitted and disingenuous people in the West who continue to misrepresent them:

“We offered them an early out, and they rejected it in favor of an appeal to arms in order to inflict what they imagined would be a severe strategic defeat against Russia on the field of battle. But their reach greatly exceeded their grasp. They cannot defeat us. Now let them seek a delicate exit from the mess they’ve gotten themselves into — but we will achieve our objectives.”

No matter how the would-be masters of empire try to spin defeat into victory, most everyone around the world will still know the score. And it is this disabused illusion of imperial military supremacy that will rapidly accelerate its inexorable decline.

Global South

Iran’s Parliament Speaker on the 12-Day War against Israel: Unity, Resistance, and Missile Retaliation

Resistance News Unfiltered

By lecridespeuples

Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Iran’s Parliament) Mr. Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf, in an interview with IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting), addressed various dimensions of the Zionist regime’s imposed war against Iran. He outlined the pivotal role of the Commander-in-Chief Sayed Ali Khamenei, the importance of national unity, and the emergence of a resilient 90-million-strong core among the Iranian people in defense of the nation. He also revealed new details regarding Iran’s missile operations during this battle.

Source: Enemy Watch

Key points from the interview:

– Our dispute with the Zionist regime and with the United States is longstanding and complex. Some believe Iran’s problems with America began only after the Revolution, but in truth, over the past hundred years, we can see the clear footprint of the U.S. working continuously to weaken Iran.

– This means that, in their view, Iran’s sovereignty must lie in American hands—because the U.S. does not accept an independent Iran. A clear example of this is the nationalization of Iran’s oil industry.

– The Zionist regime acts as the gendarme of the United States in the region. There is a fundamental ideological and strategic conflict between us and this regime, and this clash has intensified under Netanyahu’s leadership.

– I believe that Netanyahu, as the Prime Minister of this regime, places hostility toward Iran, Iranians, and their beliefs as his primary focus even above the issue of Palestine. He believes that the Palestinian issue has either been resolved or is being resolved. Of course, he opposes the two-state solution and does not recognize the right of the Palestinian people to a second state, nor their right to self-defense, an army, or security institutions. In other words, he denies the Palestinians the status of a state and refuses to acknowledge them as the rightful owners of their land.”

– Netanyahu has always had differences with all American presidents on these matters. While they focused more on the Palestinian issue, he consistently focused on Iran. He believes that a strong, united Iran with its beliefs, civilization, and historical depth stands firmly against their ideology and expansionist ambitions.

– The Zionist regime’s strategic vision is rooted in the concept of the ‘Promised Land’ stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates. This idea is deeply tied to global arrogance and supremacist ideologies held by those who believe themselves to be superior to all of humanity and fundamentally different from the rest of human society.

– The war initiated by the Zionist regime was undoubtedly coordinated with the United States, because no military, political, regional, or international action by this regime takes place without Washington’s approval. The real root of the aggression is the U.S.

– Netanyahu publicly outlined three goals for this attack: to change Iran’s political system, to strike at the foundations of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, and to target Iran’s missile program.

– Today, the global media industry is in the hands of the Zionists. They spread whatever message they want, loudly and through various methods and platforms, shaping public perception. A review of analyses from American, Western, European, and Eastern think tanks clearly reveals this pattern.

– The Zionist regime was defeated in the 12-day war and failed to achieve any of its declared objectives. That is not to say we were unharmed war inevitably brings casualties. We lost over a thousand martyrs, many of whom were women, children, and ordinary civilians. However, by the end of this conflict, we secured significant achievements. One major success was that we prevented the enemy from reaching any of its three strategic goals, and in the process, we created new opportunities for ourselves.

But when faced with external aggression, particularly an attack by the Zionist regime, followed by direct American involvement, the entire Iranian nation stood united. The civilizational legacy, shared beliefs, and national identity all rallied around the central leadership of the Supreme Leader. In that moment, one unified voice rose. And this is precisely the power the Zionist regime has always feared.

– If we look again at history, at the Iranian plateau, we’ll see that it once stretched from the north to the south, covering nearly twice the land area of today’s Iran. But due to weak political systems and wars over the past 200 to 300 years, parts of it were lost. The last of these losses was Bahrain in 1971. These concessions all occurred under various political regimes. But the Iranian people always questioned and resisted these losses.

– Back then, it was the ruling systems that made those concessions. But later, during the imposed war, Imam Khomeini showed that one can stand firm in the face of aggression.

– During that war, Saddam and the Ba’ath regime weren’t acting alone. The entire East and West stood behind him. The Soviet Union provided military designs and tanks, the U.S. and its regional allies funded the war, France supplied Mirage jets, and troops from various countries joined the effort. Despite this, the system of Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist) and the political structure of the Islamic Republic managed to defend Iran’s land and Islam.

– I remember clearly, in the early months of the war, the Supreme Leader, who at the time was Imam Khomeini’s representative on the Supreme Defense Council, was on the frontlines. There, someone asked him, ‘Are we fighting for Islam or for Iran and the homeland?’ And he responded, ‘That is the wrong question, here, Islam and the homeland are intertwined. They are inseparable, one is the container, the other is the content.

– On the night of the attack, Martyr Salami and Martyr Hajizadeh were in the command bunker

In response to the program host’s question, “One of the main questions is whether Iran was caught off guard by the Israeli attack or not,” Mr. Ghalibaf said:

“The incident that happened on the first night was very huge and significant. Within the first two and a half hours, two major events occurred. I do not say that we were completely surprised by the war itself. That same night, Martyr Salami was in the command room and Martyr Hajizadeh was at his command post in the command room. Even if Martyr Salami was sitting in his own room and not in the bunker, Martyr Hajizadeh was in his command bunker.”

He added:

“They knew there was a possibility of enemy attack on those nights. Especially in recent weeks it was clear that things were happening, so we were not surprised by the fact that this war was about to take place or that it was imminent.”

Answering whether the first major strike was more of a terrorist attack than a war, he said:

“It was both terrorism and war. What surprised us was the method of operation that the Zionist regime used, and this is purely the nature of this regime. The essence of the Zionist regime is terrorism and they eliminate anyone who stands in their way, whether individuals, groups, organizations, or countries, without any limits. They do not recognize human rights, international laws, or any red lines.”

He continued:

“We were surprised by their method of operation. They started their work that way. At around 3 a.m. they began by targeting our commanders the Chief of Staff, commander of Khatam headquarters, commander of Aerospace, the commander of the IRGC, and subsequent levels, as well as the country’s scientists. My interpretation is that at first they targeted our brains who planned and should have led the designs. Next, they hit our ‘eyes’ — our radars. They used F-35s, F-16s, F-15s, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles launched from the air. These aircraft attacked based on information from interceptions, satellites, and definitely insiders. Therefore, their operation shocked us and we must admit it was a surprise to all.”

– Here, the Commander-in-Chief, the Supreme Leader Imam Khamenei, was the most unique figure who prioritized the armed forces and within hours appointed replacements to pull them out of shock. All new commanders were appointed within 3 or 4 hours. Don’t think these appointments were just formal orders read on the radio that was only for public information. We saw the Commander-in-Chief again, just like in 1980, in the war command room during the Sacred Defense in Ahvaz, personally issuing orders, briefing the commanders, and sending them to the front.

He added:

“Despite the blow we suffered in radar and losing commanders who were the brains behind the planning, commanders from that same generation with the same training and experience came forward — I know them personally. Within 17 to 18 hours, by Friday night, we launched nearly 150 missiles and 350 drones at the enemy. This was our military power and action.”

– In response to whether Israel did not expect Iran to recover so fast, he said:

“They thought they had hit our brain (commanders) and eyes (radars), and they even released a recorded video claiming their job was done and now it was Iran’s people’s turn to come to the streets. Meanwhile, the Supreme Leader has repeatedly said that the American and Zionist regime’s calculations about Iran, Iranians, and Iranian culture are completely ignorant.”

– Israel sought to destroy the sources of power in Iran because they consider us their number one enemy. When we say they aimed for overthrowing us, it was not just overthrow but an overthrow that would lead to the fragmentation of Iran. They do not want a united Iran with this geography because it is always a threat to them, and the Iranian nation understands this well.

– They aimed for an overthrow that would result in fragmentation, like the current situation in Syria and what they seek for other countries. Another important point is that our missile industry is our most important power. In all negotiations with the U.S., three topics were always raised: nuclear, missile, and regional issues, but we never agreed to discuss anything but the nuclear issue, and on that, we insisted on following it within the framework of the IAEA and NPT, without accepting any more restrictions.”

– According to the NPT, we have the right to enrichment. We have always told the people of the world, international organizations, our friends, and everyone that we never seek nuclear weapons, but enrichment is our right. They think that by targeting our scientists, they can end enrichment in the country, but enrichment is the result of our scientific activity, culture, and the scientific capability of our society, and it cannot be destroyed by bombing or killing individuals. On the contrary, the more of our scientists are martyred, the more powerful the path is pursued by increasing the number of scientists.

– The skies of Iraq belong to the U.S. and the skies of Syria belong to the Zionist regime

He added:

“We have never allowed and will never allow any negotiation on missiles. This issue, like enrichment, is one of our red lines. The Zionist regime, by its actions in the missile field, sought to destroy our missile power, but on the very first night, we fired 150 missiles. They have the U.S. behind them; the skies of Iraq are under U.S. control, and the skies of Syria are under the Zionist regime’s control. So, they have no limitations in the air domain, and they have many facilities and equipment and no limits to approaching our borders, nor do they get permission from any government. When we say the Zionist regime seeks territorial expansion, it includes land and air, and they do not tolerate any international law.”

He added:

“Ultimately, we responded seriously in the missile domain. Previously, during the ‘Promised True 1’ operation, they said these missiles were inaccurate and not serious, like water heaters. But you saw the firepower demonstrated that very first night. Over these 12 days, we became more accurate each day. They sought to destroy each of our missile bases by firing missiles from drones, collecting intelligence, and sending aircraft. But we performed well in both air defense against missile offensives and in maneuvering.”

– Our victory was not only that the enemy failed to reach its goals, but we also imposed military objectives on the enemy and emerged victorious. The land and sky of the Zionist regime were in our hands; from north to south and east to west, we targeted the regime’s research centers, military bases, airports, intelligence and operations centers, Mossad, important economic centers, and industries with pinpoint precision, becoming more accurate every day.

– The social resilience of the Zionist regime ended when they saw the precision of our launches. Their military doctrine always claimed that the occupied lands were their promised land and the safest place to live in the world. They said the Iron Dome would not allow any bomb or missile to land there unless it was destroyed at the source (launch point) or in the sky before reaching the Zionist regime. However, not only did they fail to achieve their goals, but our precise strikes and missile power increased to the point that their resilience ended. We had missile tests in the desert.

– To put it simply, it was as if we had opened a Shahid Hemmat highway from Iran to the Zionist regime, and missiles were regularly fired on it, but they could not destroy it. They said Iran confused them radar-wise, which was part of our design.

– There was even a day when we fired only one missile, but it hit the most sensitive point in Be’er Sheva, causing the greatest casualties. I want to say that during this war, we also conducted missile tests for future design; targets were known, the plan was known, missiles were known, and we hit the points. As we say, with our combat experience, we had excellent tuning in missile usage, missile firing, and disabling their radars to the extent that their defense system would kneel, become helpless, and they were pushed to a point where they tried to stop the war.

– They started the attack, and when they announced they had stopped, we said we should fire the last missiles and we did. This was our missile power and capacity. Every day until the last day, they became more vulnerable, and not only did they fail to reach their goals, but with our defensive power, we questioned their resilience. The result of a fake government, a usurped land, and an imported people is exactly this.

– We all saw what they did in Tajrish and how they targeted our people, forcing them to leave Tehran. But our people went to their own cities in other parts of Iran, while the Zionists were forced to return to the countries they came from. This social resilience weakness is because they have no land, no government, and no nation.

– This war also showed that if the Zionist regime were only itself, it would not last even a week militarily against the Islamic Republic of Iran, but it is the U.S. that supports them in all fields. So, in fact, we fought against the U.S., NATO, the West, and the Zionist regime on their behalf.”

– Israel means the U.S., the rebellious child of the U.S., the 51st state of America, which they direct and command, and nothing else.

– The outcome of the war for us means the Zionist regime’s security, defense, and intelligence doctrine has failed and can no longer promote itself as a safe place for investors. Their economy depends on tourism, but now they cannot fund their budget from this source. All their 80-year-old foundational plans have been disrupted; their entire investment security, especially in tourism, economy, and development, was damaged, and they became militarily vulnerable.

– The Zionist regime structurally collapsed. They invited others to come to Israel, promoted their economy and technology, but when the war began, they were sure they would win and nothing would happen to them. Yet, not only did they fail to reach their three goals, but this brought gains for us. We will see reverse immigration from the Zionist regime, with people returning to their own countries.

– During the war, when their airports were closed, Zionists traveled by ship to other countries, which means they suffered serious blows. They oppressed the innocent people of Gaza and destroyed the city, but now the images of destruction from Israel during the 12-day war have changed the situation completely.

– In response to a question about why Israel proposed a ceasefire, the Speaker said:

“This was due to our successes; Israel did not reach its goals, and our control over their land and air was effective. They claimed to destroy 70% of missiles and drones before they reached Israel, but you saw how we operated after 12 days of war. During ‘Vadeh Sadegh 1 and 2’ operations, we fired missiles once or twice per night, which was not a war but merely a response. However, in ‘Wada Sadiq 3,’ we were in a real battlefield, firing missiles continuously at them, gaining experience. We optimized and updated daily and finally reached a point in the last days where over 90% of our missiles hit their targets.”

– By disabling the air defenses of the Zionist regime’s military centers, we continued our military operations. The regime’s research center announced 3,520 wounded, but their leaders claimed only 28 deaths, which is a lie. Statistically, the ratio of deaths to wounded is about 6 or 7 per 100 wounded, so from 3,520 wounded, there should be at least 500 deaths. For example, when a bus crashes and has 100 wounded, about 10 deaths occur. These are scientific standards. Therefore, they suffered damage in all aspects; they are stalled in development and growth, and tactically and technically deficient, failing to meet their goals.”

– Today, the hard core of the Islamic Republic of Iran is 90 million people, which is important for us. The enemy’s miscalculations caused the saying ‘the enemy becomes the cause of good, if God wills.’ The sincerity, zeal, and oppression of the Iranian people alongside their power and affection shown are some of the great events that happened overnight in the country. God created this heart transformation, and the entire nation united. This great capital was not only for the Iranian community but extended to the Islamic Ummah and even to humanity at large.”

– American and Iranian universities in the U.S., Canada, and Western countries entered the scene, carrying the Iranian flag and standing firmly against a few traitors, who were disgraced. During this war, Sheikh Al-Azhar and the Imam of the Haram Mosque defended Iran; the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt supported us; Shia authorities in Iran, Iraq, and elsewhere, as well as Sunni scholars, also supported Iran. It was as if a new Tobacco Movement had been declared. All these are our gains. The song ‘Boom Boom Tel Aviv’ had one billion viewers. We never had such media work and public diplomacy inside Iran. Also, we saw how Iranians treated those who claimed freedom. People composed songs and music in support of the country. A singer who chanted ‘Death to the Israeli Army’ was banned from entering the U.S. In the UK, opponents of the Zionist regime were also banned.

– Iran is not alone, and this is a great asset nationally, regionally, and globally. Anyone who opposes the Zionist regime’s brutality came forward. These are the same assets considered as great and lasting victories and spiritual capital for our country.”

– Today, the question is whether negotiations with the U.S. will happen or not. I ask people and youth to pay close attention. The question used to be why you don’t negotiate with the U.S. The JCPOA, regardless of good or bad, weak or strong, merits or flaws, was approved, but in 2016 when Trump came to power, he tore it up and destroyed it. Still, this year, we came back to the negotiation table indirectly and had scheduled the sixth round. Meanwhile, Israel attacked us, and the U.S. cannot say they had no connection because Israel does nothing without U.S. permission. Ultimately, the U.S. also directly entered the war and later stopped it.

– When we talk about American ‘honesty,’ this is what we mean. Of course, this doesn’t mean not talking at all. We believe diplomacy itself is a form of struggle, just like missiles are a method of fighting. We are dealing with an enemy, and trusting them is reckless—but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t speak. We saw that even in the JCPOA talks we spoke, yet they eventually tore it up.”

– Currently, if talks are raised, know this: just as we do not accept imposed war, we will not accept imposed peace. Today, the whole nation supports us and the world backs us because they know that if we talk, we have solid arguments. For the Americans, negotiation means obeying everything they say—this is unilateralism, which we reject.”

– Years ago, I said negotiation is a way to show the world America is not sincere about peace or talks. Wherever their one-sided interests are met, they accept it. They neither respect international law nor know humanity or honor they only care about their unilateral demands, no matter who it’s against.

– Nuclear issues will definitely come up again, and our stance is clear. Nuclear technology is our right, not just a red line but beyond red lines, because it is based on the NPT and all countries have the right to enrich uranium. They want to deny us enrichment, which is absurd. If negotiation happens, first the Americans must clearly answer why they attacked us while we were at the table. They must guarantee they will not attack again which they will not do. If they are honest, they must compensate for their violations of international law. At minimum, negotiations must produce a logical answer to global public opinion—this is necessary.

– They may continue their actions. That’s why the world and people (except their accomplices) admire us and condemn them. Recently, the German Chancellor admitted Israel carries out all the West’s dirty work. So the trash bin is here doing all the dirty jobs. That’s who we are dealing with.”

– But human conscience thinks differently. Not all countries follow them. The Global South countries united and supported us. So talking is necessary but there is no reason to accept their bullying, pay bribes, give up rights, or cross our red lines.”

He emphasized two key points for negotiation:

1. Establishing stable security in the region

2. Ensuring Iran’s economic benefit lifting all U.S. sanctions (human rights, terrorism, nuclear excuses) so Iran can have real economic growth and free trade. Our central bank, oil, and economic capacities must be freed. These are strategic topics on the table.

– We have made great gains despite material and spiritual losses, including the martyrdom of precious individuals. We couldn’t have reached the capabilities we gained in the 12 days of war by testing hundreds of missiles in drills. This is an invaluable experience that money cannot buy. We will strengthen our power elements even more.

– If they could continue, they wouldn’t stop for a moment. They couldn’t and didn’t, so we won. This war brought technical, military, social, and spiritual gains for Iran.

A Regarding criticisms that the war should have continued longer to break Israel: Some think we could have destroyed or toppled the Zionist regime with military power alone or by firing more missiles until they ran out. I believe our power is not just military. We have other capacities that can put them in their place, and they must see that day, just as they saw Iran’s achievements in the 12-day war.

– Today, America, which expels Iranian and Palestinian supporters from Columbia University, must know if this injustice continues, if America supports Israel and continues down this path, including military actions like this war, it will receive a strong response. These achievements are the main strategic reason why the entire Islamic Ummah and humanity stand against them. They cannot stand against the will of nations and peoples. This is the strategic outlook.

– Today, the measure of judgment by our people, as it is known, is the “Iran Check”, who is with Iran and who is not. Look at Iranians abroad; we may disagree fundamentally, but it reached the point where someone who was interviewed by Iran International said no one should give interviews to Iran International. This itself is a major achievement.

– Before this, you would see people who never came to national media, like Mr. Shams al-Wa’izin. Some athletes too. On the early morning of that Friday, when our volleyball players had a world competition, they entered the field with a “military salute.” Who told them? No one told them; it was inside them the core strategic advantage against enemies. Everyone got involved. Recently, over 450 people inside and outside the country signed a letter defending Iran.

– Look at Iranian rappers; they may say a lot, but today Iranian rappers stood up and pushed all opposing rappers out of the field in defense of Iran. These are all capacities that emerged. Even unveiled women stood to defend Iran. This is the reality of the words of Martyr Soleimani, who said “This unveiled girl is also my daughter.” These days, we saw an unveiled girl putting the Iranian flag on her story to defend her homeland.

– Today, I tell my martyred friends, Martyr Kazemi and Martyr Bagheri, I wish you were here to see all of Iran rising stronger than in 1980, when all East and West, led by the Ba’ath party, attacked us. Our youth of the 2000s are much stronger and more sincerely committed than the youth of the 1980s, of which we were part and fought in the Sacred Defense. Iran is alive; servitude and manliness are the history, culture, and belief of this country. I salute the honor, generosity, manliness, courage, and love of this people.

– During this period, we saw a baker who, despite his brother being martyred, stood at the oven and did not leave because people needed bread. We saw a child offering cool water and syrup to people waiting in line for gasoline. People who consumed less electricity and water. This brotherhood, fraternity, and dignity are important, and individuals’ tastes and religions do not matter. What matters is the homeland and Islam are intertwined. What matters is humanity standing against oppression and tyranny. What matters is the Iranian and Islamic courage and determination standing against the enemy. There is no greater victory than this. We proudly sacrifice ourselves for such a nation.

Global South

A Bird’s Eye View of the Ukraine War

The whole world is watching these developments with great interest. 

By William Schryver at imetatronink.

They will endeavor to talk tough and “keep up appearances” for a while yet, but as a credible and capable military/political alliance, NATO is irreparably broken.

I’ve watched a LOT of drone footage from this war. I’ve seen, from a bird’s eye view, as it were, the design of the field fortifications Ukraine constructed, with NATO guidance, over the course of eight years.

The logic of these miles and miles of fortifications harkens back to the 1864-65 Battle of Petersburg (US Civil War), with a few World War I innovations thrown in for good measure.

It is a logic where victory largely depends on you not running out of men, heavy weaponry, and ammunition — and the enemy being comparatively stupid.

In many ways, the revealed logic of Ukraine’s long-prepared strategy for this war is a reflection of American military delusions and vanities, which multiplied and solidified over the course of the brief and fleeting “unipolar moment”.

Despite not having won a war since 1945, the US military is consumed with the vanity that it has always dominated opposing forces in every conflict.

There is a measure of truth in this perspective. But it is irrelevant. Because, since no later than the Korean War, the US has not faced a peer or near-peer adversary in a high-intensity conflict. The US military has not been, for almost three-quarters of a century, truly tested “under-fire”.

The US has measured its battlefield mettle, for decades, against brave sandal-shod men with AK-47s, RPGs, and a certain savoir faire for constructing IEDs.

But they have never faced anything like Russian artillery or missiles – not even in Hollywood movies or video games.

Consequently, the Pentagon’s self-perception of unquestioned supremacy has served to disinform and corrupt its doctrinal and procurement decisions for multiple generations of its officer corps. For most US generals and admirals, all putative opponents are underestimated.

That said, I believe a great many have now been awakened from their intellectual slumber by the manner in which the Russian armed forces quickly assessed the Ukrainian order of battle, and then professionally adapted their strengths and tactics to decisively defeat it.

The Battle of the Donbass

Here is a brief summation of the Russian tactical approach to the Battle of the Donbass:

Step #1: Advance reconnaissance units (often in force, with dozens or hundreds of drones overhead) to assess the situation; draw fire; relay to commanders raw video and geo-coordinates.

Step #2: With target-correcting drone swarms overhead, relaying real-time strike video, proceed to savage the fortifications with towed and mobile artillery, Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (in gradations of strength and precision), and even horrific thermobaric munitions for particularly suitable targets.

Let smoke clear.

Repeat Step #1.

Still something moving there?

Repeat Step #2.

Repeat Step #1.

Dead bodies everywhere?

Step #3: Send in tanks and infantry to mop up.

Move to next series of fortifications.

And so on and so forth …

This is why Ukraine now suffers hundreds of battle deaths every single day. And why, for months, the Russians have suffered very few casualties — likely as low as a 1:8 ratio, and quite possibly even lower.

Artillery, airstrikes, and precision guided munitions are doing almost all the fighting.

The Fatal Hubris of NATO War Strategy in Ukraine

But back to Ukraine’s apparent strategy for this war, and the apparent US influence on that strategy.

I will preface my commentary on this issue by stating that Ukraine’s fatal blunder was buying into NATO’s over-confident delusion that they (the Armed Forces of Ukraine) actually had a reasonable opportunity to defeat the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in a high-intensity conflict.

I initially believed NATO military leaders must have had a sober view, far in advance, that their half-million-strong, well-armed, trained-to-NATO-standards Ukrainian proxy army had almost no chance of prevailing on the field of battle against Russia.

But watching drone video of Ukrainian fortifications has convinced me the US military brain trust, in the course of their eight-year-long preparation of the eastern Ukrainian battlefield, effectively disdained the Russian military and its commanders.

Their vanity persuaded them the Russians would mindlessly smash themselves to pieces against an entrenched well-armed force.

Indeed, they were so confident of the genius of their plan that they persuasively encouraged many hundreds of now-killed or captured NATO veterans to “share in the glory” of humiliating the Russians and bringing down the Putin regime once and for all.

They deluded themselves into believing the Russians lacked strategic and logistical acumen, a sufficiently well-trained force, and – arguably the biggest miscalculation of all – sufficient stockpiles of ammo to conduct a protracted high-intensity conflict.

In short, I have come to believe US/NATO commanders actually persuaded themselves that this “Mother of All Proxy Armies” had an excellent chance to soundly whip the Russians in a battle situated in their own back yard.

In other words, they disregarded centuries of European history that they somehow convinced themselves had no relevance to their 21st century aspirations to defeat Russia militarily and take a great spoil of its resources.

But, as is now readily apparent to all objective, knowledgeable military analysts around the globe, the Ukrainian proxy army has been pulverized by a patient, methodical, and significantly outnumbered Russian force, using long-established Russian doctrines and tactics.

Even more revealing is that once-vaunted and universally feared US/UK weaponry – almost all of it actually rather antiquated – has proven to be far less “game-changing” than the pea-brained strategists in Washington and Whitehall mistakenly believed.

Javelins, NLAWs, and Stingers have been exposed as mostly ineffective against their intended targets (tanks, helicopters, and low-flying jets). M-777 howitzers break down after just a few fires. GPS-guided “precision” munitions are routinely jammed by Russian electronic warfare counter-measures.

Worse yet, the inculcation of NATO field doctrines in the minds of the Ukrainian officer cadre has resulted in pervasively inflexible responses to battlefield events that develop contrary to expectations. Consequently, discipline has disintegrated, and improvisation has been paralyzed.

To be sure, if one were to go by the laughable assessments of western think-tank propagandists and their dutiful lackeys in the media, “Ukraine is winning” and “the inept Russian military has been humiliated”.

But more discerning observers around the world know better.

Sober military men in potential adversary countries across the globe see with clarity that Russia has, with one hand tied behind its back, eviscerated the massive, relatively well-armed and well-trained Ukrainian military. The US/NATO intimidation factor has been forever compromised.

More geopolitically significant, at least in the near future, is that European NATO members can also read the scorecard of this war: they now understand as they never could previously that standing on the NATO side of the field is hardly a guarantee of security.

I am convinced NATO will not survive the results of this war in Ukraine. Sure, they’ll “keep up appearances” for the time being, but there can be no doubt most now understand that siding with a rapidly declining empire is fraught with great risk and minimal gain.

More concerningly, the Chinese have been watching all of these developments with great interest. They are almost certain to be emboldened to act decisively to secure their sphere of influence in the emerging multipolar world.

Great dangers now await in east Asia …

Global South

The United States Cannot Defeat Iran

Those whose calculus of a US/Iran war assumes overwhelming American air superiority will abruptly find the parameters of their equations altered.

By William Schryver at imetatronink.

How soon people have forgotten that, earlier this year, the US dispatched two carrier strike groups and a half-dozen B-2s (and other USAF assets) to disarm the Yemeni and open the selectively blockaded Red Sea.

They failed. Abysmally. For the second time!

First of all, in 2024, the USS Brave Sir Robin (CVN-69), USS Teddy Bear (CVN-71), and USS Fraidy Abe (CVN-72) gave it a try, only to eventually run away with their tail between their legs. The Brave Sir Robin left behind an F/A-18 at the bottom of the sea.

They were followed up by the USS Trembling Puppy (CVN-75) and the USS Timid Vinny (CVN-70). But they fared no better, with the Trembling Puppy losing two additional F/A-18 fighters over the course of its traumatic tour of the northern Red Sea.

And, not only did the Yemeni increase their score of MQ-9 Reaper drones to 23, they also targeted and credibly threatened both F-35s and B-2s, such that both platforms were summarily withdrawn from the fight for fear of one getting shot down.

Remember, Yemen is absolutely the bottom rung on the escalatory ladder of formidable adversaries.

Anyone who seriously believes the US Navy can operate in Iranian waters is just plain delusional.

Even if no ships got damaged or sunk, they’d still run out of munitions in a couple weeks or less — and they sure as hell won’t be able to reload in Bahrain.

As for an air campaign … well, I have yet to see any persuasive evidence that US/Israeli aircraft penetrated Iranian airspace to any appreciable extent in Act I of this war. Consequently, I am dubious that Iranian medium- and long-range air defenses were even used.

There is also zero credible evidence of top-shelf Iranian air defenses being destroyed.

From all indications, the Iranians were shooting down Israel’s big strike drones with short-range AD. And they shot down several.

The Israeli long-range air-launched ballistic missiles were apparently effective, but they simply don’t have very many of them, and as the war progressed into its second week, we saw fewer and fewer of them with each passing day.

In any case, when Act II of this war gets started (and it won’t be long), it will almost certainly entail penetration of Iranian airspace. And we will see not only the emergence of Iranian long-range AD, but I strongly suspect Russian and/or Chinese mobile air defense systems will suddenly appear on the battlefield.

Those whose calculus of a US/Iran war assumes overwhelming American air superiority will abruptly find the parameters of their equations altered.

The Russians and Chinese are not going to stand idly by and watch the US smash up their important southwest Asia ally in the rapidly emerging multipolar world.

And keep in mind: the US simply cannot logistically sustain a high-intensity air campaign for more than 2-3 weeks. And if even a dozen or so manned US aircraft are shot down, and a couple ships severely damaged … well, that will cause such overwhelming consternation in Washington that it might even result in a coup d’état, or something closely approximating one.

Global South

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

The inexorable decline of the American Empire has arrived at an Imperial Paradox. It must either fight a war and die, or not fight a war and die.

By William Schryver at imetatronink.

The inexorable decline of the American Empire has arrived at an Imperial Paradox. It must either fight a war and die, or not fight a war and die.

Here are the options:

Neither South Korea nor Japan want anything to do with a war against China, leaving only the Philippines dumb enough to play along.

The US apparently pulled another brigade out of South Korea. They’ll pull out more in the future. They know damn well the North Koreans could easily conquer the entire peninsula if they chose to do so.

China and its local seas are a vast ocean away from America, and its capacity to defend its local seas is enormous and growing.

The Pentagon must understand it cannot sustain logistics in a war against China in the western Pacific. It simply cannot be done. Anyone who thinks otherwise must upgrade their proficiency in basic arithmetic.

In the context of a war against Iran, all the geography is against the US.

Iran is an exceedingly mountainous country that has, over the course of millennia, learned to use those mountains to defend itself against would-be conquerors.

They can field a satisfactorily well-equipped million-man army.

They have learned in the 21st century to burrow deep heavily fortified tunnels into their mountains.

Iran is also much more technologically advanced than most people understand. They have become impressively capable in terms of both offensive and defensive missiles. They pose a far greater challenge than the Yemeni have been over the past year and a half.

Indeed, they pose a “near-peer” challenge against US overseas power projection.

The US Navy could only operate at extreme risk in the southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Persian Gulf.

Every US base in the region is well within range of Iranian missile strikes.

The US Navy very demonstrably cannot secure seaborne logistics into the Persian Gulf. They lack both the sealift ships, and the ability to protect them.

They cannot even open the Bab-el-Mandeb!

From a geographic and logistical standpoint, the only remotely conceivable war is one in Ukraine against Russia.

The US at least has bases and forces already in place in the UK, Germany, Poland, Romania, Finland, and in Baltic chihuahua fantasy-land — and what has served until now as a reasonably secure logistics pathway into all those places.

Of course, whether or not such a condition persists long in a war scenario is another question altogether.

Because, you see, the Russians are now unquestionably the most formidable and battle-hardened military on the planet — at least in the context of a war fought on their doorstep.

So if you’re an empire that thinks it needs a war to reaffirm at least its short-term relevance and fading glory … well, these are your choices.

Sic transit gloria mundi.