Last week, the Mainstream Media was talking up a story that Iran was backing down on its threat to retaliate against Israel with a major strike-- afraid of a major war with the US. Based on “informed” sources, of course. Informed by anonymous.
As you know, my opinion is different. I have argued that Iran has no choice but to strike Israel and strike very hard doing enough damage to not only Israel but the US. That means that Iran will take time to build up its indigenous air defense system – and also is very advanced Russian supplied air defense system, Iskanders and EW resources. My informed source is my cat Ichi.
The retaliation the media were predicting was supposed to have happened a week ago It hasn't. So now there's a lot of war talk! War, as in lots of dead people. Their people— not ours, of course.
“I pledge allegiance to the rag”.
Maybe it used to be a flag but the US has not faced a real pure level adversary since World War II-- certainly not in the air and on the sea. Not in Korea. Nor inVietnam. Nor in Iraq.
But the Mainstream Media continue their jingoistic song.
“Oh say can you see”. Naaah….
The point is NOT to “see”, what is right before your eyes.
This is journalistic pathology. Also a national pathology.
In 2022, Russia made clear what it would do if the Ukraine and NATO crossed its red lines. The Mainstream Media insisted it was all hollow threats, and, anyway, if push came to shove the Russians would be easily defeated by the US backed forces—NATO’s biggest and best equipped army. Anyway, Putin was dying of cancer.
So now Russia has destroyed three—or is it four — NATO armies, and seems on course to deal a death blow to Western Ukraine — which has no future anymore —except as part of the Russian Federation.
Yet, the Mainstream Media mostly continues to insist that the Kursk Incursion is a major victory for the West rather than military suicide.
Naturally the Mainstream Media tout US military assets in the Middle East, which appear impressive— if you don't look too closely
The number of troops is not impressive, and not all the host countries might allow the US to use their bases to attack a third country like Iran. Turkey is a good example.
In the case of airbases and port facilities, the Iranians would immediately take out runways and hangers and weapons depots and port facilities they considered a threat.
F22s need runways… They also need jet fuel. ‘Nuff said.
The Oil States where these bases might claim to be “outraged”—but as long as there is no damage done to their cities and industries they would probably be relieved to get out from under the US’s neocolonial thumb.
Iraqis, for one, would love to see the Americans gone.
After all, those bases are not there for their defense. They are there to launch attacks on other countries. Or in the case of Syria to steal their oil.
The US might also try to launch strikes from its aircraft carrier (the Roosevelt) -- which then would be struck and put out of action— if not sunk. Despite its fleet defenses, a US fleet agglomeration would likely be overwhelmed by swarms of cheap cruise missiles, UAVs and decoys, followed up by hypersonic weapons with heavy warheads. Just like Ukrainian defenses, with modern NATO AD are overwhelmed by Russian strikes.
Looks impressive right? But look more closely. Only, the Roosevelt and its fleet in the Golf of Oman are relevant. Juicy target.
As for Israel, and initial Iranian targets should include ballistic missile sites, with Hezbollah, the IRI and the Houthis saturating Israeli air defenses attacking hitting intelligence's sites communications centers in major cities.—and most likely crucial industries—$150 billion worth of assets.
The Israeli public is not used to major casualties as would be inevitable in this case— even though Iran and its allies will not be targeting civilians.
The smart thing for the US to do in the event of such a major strike would be to avoid getting involved militarily itself but to offer to mediate a cease-fire – which would necessitate an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.This time it would have to be an honest broker.
If the US could do this, it would win back some international credibility— and maybe avoid the economic blowback that a war with Iran would cause – along with the inevitable military humiliation.
If the US goes to war with Iran, Kamala Harris is toast— or whatever it is that Iranians have for breakfast . Take that DNP Neocons!
Trump on the other hand has been talking about doing a “deal ” with Iran-- negotiating— pointing to the undeniable fact that he is the only president in recent history that did not start a war. Of course, one has to ignore his assassination of General Soleimani— which he now blames on his then Secretary of State, the odiously pompous Pompeo.
The Iranians should be ready for war by mid September just before the BRICS summit. A fortuitous accident? Good planning? Russian advice?
The Israelis probably can’t wait that long — and might try a pre-emptive strike—or at least a major provocation equivalent to a casus belli.
That will make it even more difficult for the US to support them.
Chappy’s New Hom
This what your coffees bought. This will be Chappy’s new home until he makes friends with Ichi. Toilet. Scratching board inside. And hammock. Chappy likes sleeping in hammocks! It will take a while. There is also a cat tree, which you cannot see. So Chappy thanks you, Ichi thanks you. I thank you too although I am just the Servant.
I will pick up Chappy on Saturday. Four hours travel time and two hours at the Shelter.
Special Report Friday-ish.
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We lost to Vietnam
We lost to Afghanistan
We had to flee Iraq
Russia is not a peer adversary. America wouldn’t last two months in a conventional conflict. Heck, we’d be out of tanks and planes within days of deploying them. We ain’t close to being a peer adversary to them.
As always happens, we will learn this the hard way when we go in waving our dicks in the wrong faces, and get them cut off and fed to us.
Great analysis. Thank you. I especially like how you posted the American military forces in the region. A few dozen ships, at least half of them Coast Guard cutters(WTF is the Coast Guard doing overseas, anyway?) or support vessels.
Notice all those Arleigh Burke-class DDGs? They were brand-spanking new in the 1980s when I was in the Navy. Some ships are even older than that, with all of the maintenance issues one would expect. This is the reason they are shortening deployments and rotating things like carrier task forces more rapidly than they used to, and the Blinken & Sullivan Administration is using that to make it look like they are responding more forcefully than they actually are.
The Navy knows it would lose an aircraft carrier if the US attacks Iran. B&S know Iran would shut down the Straits of Hormuz and shut off 1/6th of the world's oil supply within hours. This is all smoke and mirrors, much like our election campaigns.