Trump can say completely conflicting things in the same breath and appear to mean both of them because, for him, there is no truth.
As a malignant narcissist, his relationship with reality is entirely transactional.
We must never lose sight of how absolutely fucking hallucinatorily batshit this is. The other guy says when you surrender now? That means *you* are the one suing for peace
NEW: A recently developed Defense Department program was meant to reduce civilian harm during military operations.
But months before the Iran war, the mission was dissolved as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made “lethality” a top priority.
By @hannahallam.bsky.social
Murphy: "Literally in my other ear I'm listening to Ted Cruz on another network explain why this mission is so essential to destroy the nuclear program. I may have to walk over there and tell him the admin is now briefing that getting rid of the nuclear program has nothing to do with this mission."
My deepest condolences, Anjali.
X.com @alilarijani ir • Translated from Persian by Grok The Ashura-loving nation of Iran does not fear your paper threats. Even those greater than you could not eliminate the Iranian nation. Watch out for yourself—lest you be eliminated! Rate this translation: Donald J. Trump @realDonald Trump If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far. Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them - But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen! This is a gift from the United States of America to China, and all of those Nations that heavily use the Hormuz Strait. Hopefully, it is a gesture that will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP 44 ReTruths 131 Likes 3/9/26, 5:30 PM 5:56 AM • 3/10/26 • 729K Views
⚠️ Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, threatens Trump with “elimination”:
Phil Stewart © @phildstewart X.com Statement from Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell: "Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, approximately 140 U.S. service members have been wounded over 10 days of sustained attacks. The vast majority of these injuries have been minor, and 108 service members have already returned to duty. Eight service members remain listed as severely injured and are receiving the highest level of medical care." Phil Stewart @ @phildstewart • 1h EXCLUSIVE-AS MANY AS 150 U.S. TROOPS WOUNDED SO FAR IN IRAN WAR, TWO SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE MATTER TELL REUTERS 2:06 PM • 3/10/26 • 2.3K Views
“As many as 150”
“About 140”
“Within the ballpark of” 150
Now we have from the Pentagon:
“Approximately 140”
C SPAN CSPAN @cspan X.com .@SenBlumenthal remarks after Iran briefing: "I emerged from this briefing dissatisfied and angry frankly that I have for any past briefing in my 15 years in the Senate.. We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran." 2:11 C-SPAN 11:30 AM • 3/10/26 • 198K Views
⚠️ “We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran,” Senator Blumenthal after Iran briefing.
Jennifer Jacobs © @JenniferJJacobs X.com NEWS via @CBSNews: U.S. intelligence assets have begun to see indications Iran is taking steps to deploy mines in Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Iran is using smaller crafts that can carry 2 to 3 mines each. While Iran's mine stock isn't publicly known, estimates over the years have ranged from roughly 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines of Iranian, Chinese and Russian-made variants, @JimLaPorta reports 1:13 PM • 3/10/26 • 79K Views
⚠️ Iran “taking steps” to mine Strait of Hormuz, per CBS News:
C SPAN CSPAN @cspan X.com .@SenBlumenthal remarks after Iran briefing: "I emerged from this briefing dissatisfied and angry frankly that I have for any past briefing in my 15 years in the Senate.. We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran." 2:11 C-SPAN 11:30 AM • 3/10/26 • 198K Views
⚠️ “We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran,” Senator Blumenthal after Iran briefing.
This mushy-mouthed language is sketchy af.
(It seems to me like the Pentagon should have *exact* numbers of US casualties.)
Michelle L. Price @michellelprice X.com WASHINGTON (AP) — About 140 US troops have been wounded in the Iran war, including 8 severely and 108 who returned to duty, Pentagon says. 1:32 PM • 3/10/26 • 5 Views
Pentagon confirms “about” 140 US troops have been wounded in Iran War, including eight severely, per AP:
Jennifer Jacobs © @JenniferJJacobs X.com NEWS via @CBSNews: U.S. intelligence assets have begun to see indications Iran is taking steps to deploy mines in Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Iran is using smaller crafts that can carry 2 to 3 mines each. While Iran's mine stock isn't publicly known, estimates over the years have ranged from roughly 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines of Iranian, Chinese and Russian-made variants, @JimLaPorta reports 1:13 PM • 3/10/26 • 79K Views
⚠️ Iran “taking steps” to mine Strait of Hormuz, per CBS News:
Phil Stewart ® @phildstewart X.com EXCLUSIVE-AS MANY AS 150 U.S. TROOPS WOUNDED SO FAR IN IRAN WAR, TWO SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE MATTER TELL REUTERS 1:00 PM • 3/10/26 • 82K Views
As many as 150 US troops wounded in Iran War, per Reuters:
Some experts worry the younger Khamenei could take the step that experts say his father never did, and race to build a nuclear bomb. "A war that was meant to prevent Iran from having a bomb could be the war that actually pushed Iran beyond the Rubicon to reach a bomb," said Danny Citrinowicz, an analyst at the Atlantic Council, a think tank, and former head of the Iran branch of Israel's military intelligence.
“A war that was meant to prevent Iran from having a bomb could be the war that actually pushed Iran beyond the Rubicon to reach a bomb.”
Danny Citrinowicz, analyst at the Atlantic Council and former head of the Iran branch of Israel's military intelligence
(www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/w...)
The health impact of this will play out over years, not days.
Buried bodies near a NM ranch? New evidence that Epstein may have been murdered? The bolstering of Trump's teen-sex accuser? The Epstein Files have gone wild, and there's one thing we can say for sure
Federal authorities are tied to a massive coverup
My new column www.inquirer.com/columnists/a...
Well then, that’s settled.
Among the many reasons why the poor state of discourse in DC on the US-Israel relationship matters is because it obscures the deep strategic divergences that actually exist on issues where they nominally agree (such as Iran).
Well then, that’s settled.
Below is one such analysis from January 12th. (Some of his commentary on X has been even more pointed.)
A number of people are responding to the quote saying this outcome was obvious. I agree.
I will also say that Danny Citrinowicz was sounding the alarm and publicly cautioning against going to war all along.
If you search for his name, you’ll find some of his earlier analyses that I posted on here.
In short, there is no apparent good end game here.
The only way to win was not to play.
If Trump decides to withdraw US support for the Iran War prior to annihilation of Iran’s capacity to function as a state, then Iran will be left with regime control not only intact but with greater popular support than before AND with its case for the need for nuclear weapons having been proven.
Israel’s goal seems to be to render Iran into a failed state, likely imagining that the resulting chaos would help rather than hinder its pursuit of territorial expansion and regional hegemony.
The US appears to have no goal—or not one grounded in reality—and to be deferential to Israel’s desires.
Some experts worry the younger Khamenei could take the step that experts say his father never did, and race to build a nuclear bomb. "A war that was meant to prevent Iran from having a bomb could be the war that actually pushed Iran beyond the Rubicon to reach a bomb," said Danny Citrinowicz, an analyst at the Atlantic Council, a think tank, and former head of the Iran branch of Israel's military intelligence.
“A war that was meant to prevent Iran from having a bomb could be the war that actually pushed Iran beyond the Rubicon to reach a bomb.”
Danny Citrinowicz, analyst at the Atlantic Council and former head of the Iran branch of Israel's military intelligence
(www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/w...)
💜
Two of the possible outcomes of the Iran War:
• An Iranian regime with greater popular support than before and a single-minded focus on obtaining nuclear weapons for the purpose of deterrence
or
• A failed state, which would be a humanitarian disaster and a destabilizing force for decades
The health impact of this will play out over years, not days.
