On Friday I blew out my knee walking at the track. I usually do little for it but suffer through.
Tonight, Sunday, I had gone to bed about ten. I just woke up. It is shortly after midnight. The knee is throbbing in pain. I have no choice but to take a couple of ibuprofen tablets. I do that and pick up my smart phone. I see this tweet:
It was from the twitter account of @realdonaldtrump.
It was written an hour or so before.
To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!
Are you happy that the president after a long day of golf is sitting in bed threatening nuclear devastation on another country using twitter? Do you think that is how diplomacy should be done? Do you think this makes Trump looks like a very sick person? Do you wonder what particularly set him off?
As best I can tell from newspaper reports earlier Sunday that Rouhani through his newspapers had this to say” “Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday offered a stern warning to President Trump, saying U.S. attempts to “incite the Iranian nation against Iran’s security and interests” would only backfire for Washington. “America should know that peace with Iran is the mother of all peace, and war with Iran is the mother of all wars,” Rouhani said in comments reported by state news agency IRNA. “Mr Trump, don’t play with the lion’s tail, this would only lead to regret,”
As I read Rouhani he was suggesting the United States stay out of the internal affairs of Iran. He said he would like peace but if war comes then it will be a bloody battle. It’s not that Rouhani was saying something new; the reports from Iran over the years often contain people marching through the streets saying “death to America” or one ayatollah or another making nonsense threats.
In fact Rouhani’s statement was hardly a threat. What then caused the lonely man to lash out like he did? Obviously in his lashing out any chance he had of a Nobel Peace Prize which he covets disappeared with the lash.
Are you happy your president lowers himself into screwball land on Twitter? Do you think he has the first idea of nuclear carnage? Is it all right with you that he tweets without thinking?
I’ve said before that Trump’s disgraceful meeting with Putin was for the purpose of getting Putin’s okay for Trump’s attack on Tehran. Because Iran is an ally of Russia he cannot do it without Putin’s permission. Trump has made no secret of his desire to accommodate Netanyahu’s earnest wish that the United States do this. At Netanyahu’s urging Trump pulled the United States out of the Iran deal and presently threatens anyone doing business with Iran. Reports are we have been actively working to cause dissension in that country urging the people to overthrow its rulers. One said we have threatened to prevent Iran from exporting any oil to which Iran responding saying it would close Straight of Hormuz.
Trump’s threats hearken us back to an earlier day in his administration where he foolishly engaged in threats with Kim Jong Un. He managed to back away from them because he scared the beegeezus out of South Korea. He met with Kim, proclaimed Kim a great and intelligent leader, and is slowly learning a leopard doesn’t change its spots. He never recognized Kim can no more give up his nukes than he can stop breathing. Without them he would be Kim Nobody Un.
I would like to think this was another Kim episode where the contestants yell and scream at each other from their bedrooms; they agree to meet; and they come out with a joint statement of joy and happiness. Here I have my doubts because Netanyahu would stop it. But I’d hope someone would tell Trump that millions of little boys like the one above will die if he ever uses a nuke.
There may be the hope he blew his knee out and felt like I did when I woke up and needed to get it out of his system. His pain drove him momentarily insane. My pain has subsided. I think I can get back to sleep. I’m sure the nation sleeps soundly knowing whose finger is on the nuke button.
The Crypto Custodian chooses not to be reached for commas !!!
Guy hears two stout ladies talking and from the accent he can’t figure out what part of the UK they come from.
“Excuse me. Are you ladies from Scotland?”
“Wales!” one snaps back.
“I apologize. Are you two whales from Scotland?”
“The sea was angry that day my friends ….As I approached the great beast I put a hand on it … and said …. Whoaaaaa big fellaaaa !!! … I plunged my arm down its blowhole as it gave a great shudder … And … produced this …..” GEORGE COSTANZA , MARINE BIOLOGIST
*” The sea was angry that day my friends. Like an old man sending back soup in a deli …… “
George: As I approached the great fish…..
Jerry: Mammal.
George: Whatever.
The Crypto-Custodian chooses not to be reached for comment.
And we will continue to deactivate them !!!
We are all just walking each other home
http://aimhappy.com/walking-home-an-inspiring-poem/
Matt has yet to watch the doc Sirius
Have you?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrMSpBeSU84
in other news
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4t8zxNB5ypI
If you want to see how hard the Iranians can fight, google the Iran/Iraq War. The IRGC, and, Basiji militia, can be depended on to fight to the death. Does the average Iranian want war? No, of course not, but, they will defend their country from invasion by the US. The first thing they’ll do is fire everything they’ve got at Israel, and, US bases in the Mideast, and, South Asia. That means lot’s of American casualties, and, casualties are the measure of the game. How many US dead would be acceptable to the public? Ten thousand? Twenty? A war against Iran would get unpopular, fast. War with Iran is, also, an unpalatable prospect to the Israeli public. Only Bibi, and, his crowd, want war.
People who believe US technical superiority would defeat Iran have forgotten all about Vietnam. Trump, and, Bibi, are nuts. The battle with Iran would be a terrible fight.
No one listened. If maritime insurers refuse to write policy for shipping in the gulf, commerce will halt without a shot being fired. The Iranians could close the Gulf with a public statement of militant intent. American pledges to keep the Straits open, mean nothing to maritime insurers.
I have no problem when I come to the point where I should shut up and listen to shut up and listen. Maybe learn something. This is one of those times.
My next door neighbor, I have mentioned him before, is Lebanese. A Christian. Back in the early 70’s he was only a teen when the militia grabbed him and his cousin, gave them sniper rifles and put them on a hilltop overlooking part of a harbor. His life is the Middle East. All he does is study and learn and learn and study. I figured if he was home I would go talk to him. I just spent an hour in his kitchen, asked a few questions and let him do all the talking. If I could retain a tenth of what he told me it would improve my knowledge of the area we are talking about by a lot.
One thing he strongly believes is that Iran will never close The Straights Of Hormuz. They could do it but it would probably cost them everything and they can’t afford that. He also believes that the more pressure we put on Iran the more terrorism becomes an option for them. They seem to have a lot of groups that will do their wishes.
The history of the Middle East is so complicated it makes my head spin a bit. Maybe a lot.
Wa-llahi!
If, or, perhaps, when, the Iranians close the Straights of Hormuz the price of oil will increase, exponentially. The world economy will go into a spin. No one knows how things would turn out. The stock market, which abhors uncertainty, could take a calamitous plunge. The world to which we are accustomed might be no more.
The Iranians need not fear Glorious Leader’s bombastic threats. People in Venezuela should worry. Trump will bluster, but, never, openly, strike at Iran. The prospect of putting the economic order into a turmoil, and, the political risks of getting a bloody nose from the IRGC, will keep Trump from military action. Invading Venezuela, on the other hand, would be the winnable “little war” GL needs to kick-start the totalitarian police state he envisions. Anyone in the streets protesting could be swept up, and, put into the facilities, presently, used to warehouse illegal immigrants. The construction of Trump’s projected concentration camp system proceeds at full speed. From a psych stand point, GL is a bully, and, won’t pick a fight, if he thinks he could lose, or, get hurt. Poor, Venezuela.
All this recent twitter saber rattling is just a distraction from Trump’s Mueller problem. Lucian Truscott (Salon) believes GL is hardening his base to accept the simultaneous triple firing of Sessions, Rosenstein, and, Mueller. Truscott figures a lot of Americans will take to the streets to object. They’ll be met by Trump’s neo-Nazi fan clubs. The police will arrest only the brawlers they judge to be leftist (antifa/BLM.) If Truscot’s even close to right, that makes for an ominous future.
All praise to the Red and the Black. All power to the dialectic!
Elmer: How’s the Trump/Putin friendship going to work out for Ukraine?
I’m going to a DSA function in Madtown. Got to keep up on the Revolution. There’s a new generation of young socialists leading the movement these days. I’m a relic to these kids, just, as, the Spanish Civil War veterans, who had survived the McCarthy era, were icons to us. Revered them, but, never heeded their earnest advice. Young folks from my time could be politically willful. It’s, probably, the same, now. In any event, I look forward to meeting them. The UW (Red) Madison Rathskeller has birthed many conspiracies. Free Karl!
The Iranians could not close The Straights. If they could it would have no effect on the US. Some countries would profit by it.
Why do you say that? If there’s hostilities, Lloyd’s won’t insure shipping in the Gulf. The Iranians don’t have to sink a single tanker. Just the declaration of hostilities would send insurers packing. No shipping in the Gulf. It would be an economic catastrophe. About a third of the energy products of the world would be locked up for the duration. Ten dollar a gallon gas, over night.
As far as whipping the Iranians goes. Sure, the USA could militarily defeat Iran, but, at what cost? Don’t believe any nonsense about Iranians wanting to be ruled by MEK. Iranians would fight with the fanaticism, and, tenacity, of the WWII Japanese. Prevailing, militarily, in the Gulf would cost a lot of American lives. The Iranians have a smart torpedo that does a couple hundred knots under water. They have the launchers set into hardened underground sites all along the eastern shore of the gulf, especially, on their share of the Straits.
Who would profit from such a state of affairs?
I think your numbers are off.
I know a hell of a lot of Iranians both here and abroad in Iran. No banzai there.
Other oil producers would profit. And why would our gas go up in price? Only a fraction of it comes from the Middle East. Maybe 10%. We get most of our oil right here.
A. Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz. It could not keep it closed if the United States decided to force an opening which would be very costly in blood, treasure and time to maintain.
B. The resulting spike in the price of oil would have a massive effect on the world economy which includes America’s. While we would not be hurt as much as others, we would suffer greatly. Domestic oil producers would do very well. Everyone else, not so much.
C. The countries that would benefit most are Russia, Nigeria, Venezuela and Mexico.
How much of the world’s oil comes through that straight?
“A. Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz. It could not keep it closed if the United States decided to force an opening which would be very costly in blood, treasure and time to maintain.”
I bet this would appeal to a number of people.
A lot of whom would want others to do the fighting, bleeding and dying. One could wait until Hell freezes and still not see a rush of enlistments from either the warmongers or their military aged sons.
How Mark Rich is that ?
Trump’s modus operandi is as evident to the Iranian elite as it is to the readers of this blog. His loud words match and exceed the loud words of the mobs in Tehran. Ho-hum. It is a matter of style. Both interlocutors are crude. But what Trump is saying is no different than “all options are on the table” from past chief executives. It is just more bombastic.
That Trump is following cues from Kushner and others committed to having the United States promote the Racist genocide of the indigenous Christian and Muslim population of Palestine is a longstanding outrage. In this he is no different than all presidents since Eisenhower and Kennedy.
The problem here is not the presidents, it is a lack of loyalty to America by the bulk of a very prosperous and politically and strategically powerful minority ethnic group – Jews. Until the Jewish Question, a perennial wherever they latch themselves onto a successful nation, can be addressed and they are reined in the unnecessary involvement of our country in the Middle East will continue. The wars fomented by this minority are fought with a military in which they underwhelming serve.
There was hope for better from America First Trump, but it was not expected. My disappointment is slight.
An off topic note. While the media has gone ballistic over nitpicking Trump’s meaning of ‘would’ or ‘ would not’ it remains silent about the bombshell Putin lodged. In case you missed it he said, “For instance, we can bring up Mr. Browder in this particular case. Business associates of Mr. Browder have earned over $1.5 billion in Russia. They never paid any taxes. Neither in Russia nor in the United States. Yet, the money escapes the country. They were transferred to the United States. They sent huge amount of money, $400 million as a contribution to the campaign of Hillary Clinton. Well, that’s their personal case. It might have been legal, the contribution itself. But the way the money was earned was illegal. We have solid reason to believe that some intelligence officers, guided these transactions. So we have an interest of questioning them. That could be a first step. We can extend also it. Options abound. They all can be found in an appropriate legal framework.” Being the recipient of intelligence from an extensive network he alleges that US government agents assisted in criminal money laundering to support the Clinton campaign. And yet the press does not pick up on it. No partisan bias there. On to the next story.
On a further note it is suggested that you do a quick bit of research into Browder’s family, status and career. Very much a swamp denizen. A swamp that needs to be drained.
Well, when Israel fights a war there are a lot of Jews on the front lines.
But seriously, folks. My father flew B 17’s in WWII, my brother served from 67-69 in Vietnam, my neighbor Mr. Grunin carried a BAR around France for two years shooting Krauts until he took a round through his knee, my best friend’s father was at Guadalcanal, Mr. Kopple across the street fought in the Philippines. All Jews, sir, and except for my brother, volunteers.
I know you’re talking about a different breed of pickled herring, but they are not chopped liver, these people, so I thought I would point them out. For the readers. Now, how’s that knish?
Btw…. Try to avoid these knee jerk reactions. Rouhani is a bearded theological gangster. Iran is going to be a problem. Houston !!!
Matt Connolly in a half-lotus .
WORK ON IT !!!
The IT or Iliotibial band is a complex of muscles and ligaments in your hip . Try this simple test : Walk naturally twenty or thirty feet in a straight path and notice the way your feet are falling. If they are falling 45 degrees and more out of plumb then your hips probably are not really open. The IT band is tight and the tight IT complex is pulling against your knee because there is not proper alignment with an open , and centered, hip joint, and all this imbalance … Torques …. your knee as you are walking .
Additionally, a lot of trauma and tension throughout your life gets … Stored …. in the hips. Any serious daily discipline and exercise to open the hips involves realizing that you have to allow this tension to … Leave !!!
Lotta good yoga hip openers you can easily YouTube. It is a serious deal . Quality of life restored by open hips and a aligned and flowing walk is a good track to be on . Check it out !!!
I remember that guy in Iraq, Sadam Hussein, talking about the “mother of this” and the “mother of that” – he and Baghdad Bob found out differently.
I also remember “her” – you know, the “her” in “I’m with her” – engineering that thing in Libya – “we came, we saw, he died” – cackle, cackle, cackle, cackle.
Great how that turned out.
And Clinton sending armchair missiles to try to get bin Laden.
Trump’s tweet hardly portends a nuclear attack.
Apparently, Assad has sent missiles into Israel and Israel has activated its missile defense system. I’d be more focused on that.
One more thing – it is a great relief to finally have Osama Obama’s worldwide “I am a Muslim” apology tour over with.
Nuclear War? Hardly. The threat has no nuclear component. War with Iran would be a nightmare. Thousands of troops in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan would be at risk, The presidency would be at risk. It makes no sense from a practical point of view to engage in foreign policy misadventures. 2. Part of the Trump coalition is non intervention. It would fracture the Trump support. The neo cons would be happy but it would be the death knell to Trump. Hope your Knee is better.
I remember one fine afternoon over in Wolcott Square, Hyde Park when someone said to my buddy, menacingly, “Do you know what I’m going to do to you? Do you have any idea how badly I’m…..” The speaker was then unconscious. As Mister Linnehan said to me afterwards, “I hate the thought of being talked to death.”
Talk is cheap.
Yep .
Yes, it bothers me very much how OUR President sometimes thoughtlessly Twitters. In this case, it’s especially terrifying . . . .and it is justifiable to use the photo of a dead child in this context, not in prior contexts regarding US immigration policies, because Trump seems to be saying we will initiate Nuclear War killing millions of innocents, mostly children and women non-combats, if Iran continues to “TALK” (threateningly), to talk tough, to use heated rhetoric. . . . .this is insanity . . . the next wrong word triggers nuclear war?
The Iranian Dictators and N. Korean Dictator’s way may be to bluster, but US leaders should always follow Teddy R’s “Speak softly and carry a big stick.”
Use the stick defensively proportionate to the attack . . .don’t nuke the loud mouth bully . . .softly tell him to shut up, and if he throws the first punch, deck him, but don’t stomp on him while he’s down, and stomp on his family, and his neighbors and all his countrymen, because the bully boy authoritarian dictator has a big mouth . .
Proportionality . . .
Stimulus and response . . .
Defense, defense, defense . . .