The Pretender

The American Way-- Faking it.

Trump is a fake person, a fake president, leading what has become a fake country. The game is called, “Let’s pretend”. You can blame the Donald, or the Billionaires, or the “Swamp/ Blob/ Deep State”. But in the end, the buck stops on your kitchen table. The game stops. Pay up — or e Glse

Trump figures he never has to pay.

Yes, oil prices fell when he called off the Sunday attack and he and his family made millions, I guess. Guess that’s why Trump is smiling. George looks pissed.

Trump as usual claimed to be finalizing “deal” with the Iranians, who of course, as usual desperate for American love.

In the meantime, the US is evacuating the 2000 troops in Kurdistan that I mentioned in my last post – in unceremonious haste, having lost the protection of its Patriot batteries in July as confirmed by satellite imagery.

The hasty and unplanned withdrawal of American occupation forces from Iraq’s Kurdistan region has taken place amid a series of Iranian retaliatory strikes that have reshaped the security environment and military calculations in Iraq and across the region.Media reports indicate that US military convoys have been moving from Erbil toward neighboring countries in recent days, with a significant portion of American troops and heavy equipment already withdrawn from the military compound near Erbil International Airport.,The official explanation, promoted by regional officials and reflected in Western reporting, presents the move as a routine redeployment consistent with Washington’s obligation to remove all US forces from Iraq by the September 30 deadline agreed upon with Baghdad.However, this account does not address a key factor behind the reported withdrawal: the large-scale destruction of Patriot air-defense systems that had served as a central element of US force protection in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. Satellite imagery dated July 16 and July 24 provide clinching evidence that Iranian drone and missile strikes targeted and destroyed Patriot launchers at Erbil International Airport. Despite this, the imagery has received limited coverage in mainstream Western media.

CENTCOM of course says this is just routine. Routine what? Who knows? Does what CENTCOM says matter anymore? “Liar, liar, pants on fire”….. Aren’t you tired of looking at CENTCOM’s burnt ass?

The Abe Lincoln appears to have moved closer to Iran as you can see.

“Appears to” means this is not confirmed. I got it from X….But if this is so, the carrier could be positioning itself for a strike on central Iraq. “Could be”?

Probably not —since that would put the Abe within range of Iranian missiles if it does something it shouldn’t.

More likely, it may indicate that attacks on southern Iran have been called off since they yielded nothing. CENTCOM blames a lack of targets. Those damned Iranians! No oil. No targets.

Or Fraidy Abe could be positioned to threaten traffic exiting Hormuz. But notice that is still far enough out to retreat quickly.

Israel has continued its attacks on Lebanon,. More war crimes including phosphorus munitions. More atrocities in Gaza. Now this nation of murderers is pushing north into Syria, which will not endear it with the locals.

So how long will Trump’s “ceasefire”remain just smoldering. This is Wildfire Season.

No Negotiations

The Iranians have made clear they are NOT negotiating. They did that already. No more talks unless the US shows good faith by acting on fulfilling the previous MoU.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, and their allies in the current war, by signing this MoU, declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other, and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final Deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph.

Now, who are the allies of the US? Israel, of course, and the GCC and Jordan.Not to mention NATO, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan and the rest of the family mafia kingdoms.

Note that an “ally” does not have to be a real nation state

Who are the allies of Iran? Hamas and Hezbollah, Yemen, and the “Axis of Resistance”. To terminate military operations on all fronts, should mean Israel withdrawing from both Lebanon and Gaza insofar as it has not honored previous ceasefires .

So, if the US really wants to talk, it has to start by honoring its signature on the previous agreement, not just the letter of what it pledged but its spirit.

That obviously isn’t going to happen. And Iran isn’t going to take the US at its word.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts

The assembly of top clerics issued a statement on Monday, after Donald Trump, the US president, announced the cancellation of his planned aggression against Iran and later claimed that officials from Washington and Tehran will meet for talks. Iran has rejected the latter. “The confrontation between the Islamic Revolution and the arrogant front is fundamental. It will not end unless arrogant powers abandon their aggressive behavior and accept the legitimate demands of the noble people of Iran, as reflected in the messages of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution,” the assembly stated. “Based on undeniable evidence, the current war is a decisive conflict in this arena, and any underestimation at this critical juncture could result in irreparable historical losses. “The assembly also warned against trusting the United States given its repeated violations of the war-termination memorandum of understanding with Iran. Recent developments, it added, have demonstrated that the US president’s signature is unreliable and that placing trust in the arrogant government is nothing more than an illusion. “Hope for understanding and agreement with this bullying regime will lead nowhere.

Any effort to uphold the rights of the Iranian nation must be carried out within the framework of the views, guidance, and directives of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei. “Meanwhile, the assembly called on Iranians to preserve their sacred unity and adhere to the wise directives of the Leader, saying it is both a rational and religious duty for all officials to remain committed to Ayatollah Khamenei’s decisions. It urged all the free people of the world to “keep aloft the banner of revenge and retribution” for Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, whom the United States and Israel assassinated on February 28.

The Assembly of Experts now has the upper hand in Iran

The President of Iran says the MoU has to be the “center of gravity”, implying that the US must honor its commitments.

But when Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei says . “Hope for understanding and agreement with this bullying regime will lead nowhere.” he means this is war, and in in war, “center of gravity” or CoG is the unity of the nation, identifying the enemy’s weakness and destroying its ability to fight.

Diplomacy rarely ends wars. If it works at all, there must be guarantees and justice.

The Assembly of Experts conditions include most of the MoU, but they go beyond and are non-negotiable. The US signed the MoU. Then broke it and resumed its illegal war, including war crimes.

Iran will demand:

Total Cessation of Hostilities

An immediate, complete halt to all external military aggression, air strikes, and targeted assassinations. That would require withdrawing military assets, posing threats.

Phosphorous bomb over Gaza

Concrete Non-Recurrence Mechanisms

Establishing firm, legally binding international guarantees to ensure the war cannot be reimposed on Iran. *There would have to be an international treaty guaranteed by other powers with nuclear weapons, such as China and Russia.

War Reparations

Guaranteed and clearly defined financial compensation by the United States for infrastructure damage and reconstruction efforts. *That would require upfront payment, possibly in Iran’s designated currency or gold.

Sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz:

Unconditional international recognition of Iran’s natural and legal right to exercise full authority over the Strait. *A UN resolution binding on the US.

Sanctions and Blockade Relief:

The permanent lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, unfreezing of all Iranian assets, and the termination of unilateral sanctions. *The US would have to withdraw all naval forces, which mean withdrawing from bases in the Gulf.

Comprehensive Regional Scope:

The conclusion of the war across all fronts, encompassing all allied regional resistance groups. * “All allied regional resistance groups” includes Hamas, Hezbollah, the Iraqi Resistance and the Houthis. Most likely, suspension of US military aid for Israel| and other American allies would have to be agreed to.

Ultimately, the US must admit it was wrong.

Now, do you think the US can do any of that ?

That’s not in the script.

The war will continue.

Friends from the sea

Back when I worked at the zoo, I used to sneak into the aquarium to visit the dolphins and the beluga. I would whistle at them and they would whistle back. We talked . I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say, it was a feeling thing. I was lonely I guess. I guess they were too, especially the beluga.

I felt sorry for my friends confined to that pool. I could understand because I felt confined also.

My life was a small pool and I was swimming in circles — whistling. So we — my friends in the aquarium and I - talked.

I have always hated to see my friends in “captivity”. Then, a lot of people are in captivity and don’t know it.

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