nullagentThere's a handy website to view live estimates of the cost to US taxes payers for the war in Iran.
It's updated as facilities are damaged, planes shot down and ammunition spent.
It's almost morning time in Tel Aviv and by all accounts the night went horribly for Israelis as has become routine.
Iranian missiles were seen sailing right past air defense to strike targets on the ground.
In Bahrain drones were seen continuing to strike hotels suspected of hosting American troops.
In Dubai drones were seen targetting the US consulate. Throughout the night the building was seen with large flames leaping from the roof.
The next escalation many expect to come from the US and Israel proxy groups.
According to reports from DC tonight it appears the US is planning to heavily arm Kurdish separatist fighters and is pushing high quality propaganda to build support for the move.
Had the recent Iranian migrants waited a few more weeks it seems to me that they could easily have a completely different opinion had they watched the US bomb the very same people they wish to save.
I'm not the only person who questions the type of "freedom fighter" who aligns with the US at a time like this.
The US literally this week has blind sided pretty much all of it's world partners, you saw what we did in Afghanistan etc, why on earth would anyone think partnering with the US is a wise move?
Hasan Piker has similar thoughts...
There a diverse perspectives among Iranians in the diaspora, a common refrain is that regime change in this way is completely untenable.
Many Iranians feel that the US has put their families in far greater risk than existed before.
This clip brought to you by Mastodon's own @ChuckModi1
A Black American interviewed by @ChuckModi1 does an amazing job arguing Iran is NOT a distraction from the Epstein files.
In her view the Epstein files is nothing new. She asks, "what do you think they were doing during slavery?" connecting that sex trafficking and horrible crimes against children is an American legacy dating back to slavery & genocide of the Indians.
The leaders don't give a fuck that we know they're monsters, it's all business as usual.
So anyways, a lot of people are seeing through this Kurdish angle and are urging the diaspora to weigh their options more carefully.
CNN points out that many Iraqi Kurdish forces actually have normalized economic relations with Turkey and Iran which likely places large numbers of Kurds whom the US hope will support the war effort in an impossible situation.
CNN predicts that the Kurds will launch a ground attack before the end of the week.
US Senators leaving a closed door military briefing appeared upset and shaken at the apparent news that the US may be planning to a land invasion of Iran involving US troops (not just Kurdish separatist).
Multiple congress people voiced their concerns much like Blumenthal
#Blumenthal #DC #USPol #Iran #US #EpicFury #KhameneiAssassination
Rhode Island congressman Seth Magaziner had this to say about tonight's breifing
#RI #RhodeIsland #SethMagaziner #DC #EpicFury #EpicFailure #Iran #KhameneiAssassination
The strategy of having the Iraqi Kurds lead the charge, figuratively and seemingly physically, has some enourmous hurdles.
I think this CNN segment hits the nail on the head.
The Kurds are at best 10% of Iran's population. When the US last exploited them in Syria we had to provide them constant air patrols and special forces support for two years and the US ultimately betrayed the Syrian Kurds.
It's hard to imagine Iraqi Kurds having a different go of it
The US military's CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper gave an update on "Epic Fury" (more like epic failure).
There's so much wrong with his assessment I don't know where to start. Earlier in the thread I linked a blog post and video from Prof Robert Pape literally taught targeting strategy classes at US AirForce schools explains most of what the establishment is getting wrong right now 👇🏿
https://partyon.xyz/@nullagent/116166498265422657
#CENTCOM #BradCooper #EpicFury #EpicFailure #US #Iran #KhameneiAssassination
CW: Military SA occurs the most during deployments
So anyways, fuck that CENTCOM imperialst crusader shithead.
A lot of people are about to be seriously harmed by the US military and that doesn't stop at the enemy or civilizians. This sadly includes the US solders themselves.
The address which Ali Khamemei made on June 4th 2020, shortly after the death of George Floyd, is making the rounds again today.
In his remarks Khamemei says the knee on George Floyd's neck is the same one which has been on Iran's neck and many other countries around the world.
Folks may not know but this but Ali Khamemei's predecessor, Ruhollah Khomeini, showed solidarity with Black Americans and especially Black South Africans.
During the Iranian Revolution Ali Khamemei personally saw to it that all but one of the Black American hostages taken during the crisis were released first.
He specifically cited the history of oppression of Black Americans as his reason for commuting their sentences.
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/732139
https://english.khamenei.ir/news/7744/When-did-Imam-Khomeini-let-out-the-cry-of-Black-Lives-Matter
There's so much to be said about the course of battle, but I think most of us hardly know the guy whose death is really sparking this all off.
Despite the internal accusations and reality of the Iranian regime, their spokespeople moved through the leadership class in a way that Americans have clearly forgotten how to do.
In 2017 Ali Khamemei say that Malcolm X was a martyr and took the time in the UN to pay his respects.
One of Ali Khamemei's final remarks to his followers shows how steadfast his belief in the Iranian Revolution remained to the end.
The crowd cries as he states:
"My life has little value. I have a disabled body. I have a little bit of dignity, which you yourself have given me.
I put all of this on the line.
I am ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of this revolution and for Islam
May all this be sacrificed for you."
"You are the owner of this revolution"
Collective mourning for Khamemei continues, social life in Iran continues despite the intense bombing campaign all around this religious spaces.
A crowd was seen crying at the mention of "May Allah protect the Leader" during a sermon. The common refrain, no longer needed reminded the followers of their steadfast leader's brutal assassination.
And because my comments have been full of this Hijab commentary for the past year I wanna remind folks where Khamemei stood on the issue.
According to Ali Khamemei wearing a Hajib or not, or wearing it well vs badly was NOT a sign of being Anti-Revolutionary or against the state.
It was a simple personal choice to him, he reminded his followers that they are talking about their daughters and sisters and that they should respect this simple fashion choices.
The more I read about Ali Khamemei the more it really seems like regardless of his politics earlier in life he seems like a moderate who many westerners would expect leaders to be able to negotiate with.
He's a revolutionary, no doubt, and after seeing how the US elites felt after Luigi I can well see why they were terrified of Khamemei and the extremely militarily diligent regime he oversaw.
But at this point, he's just giving Luigi in old age grandpa vibes you know.
I keep looking at Iranian media and am just in shock with how organized their government is despite an assassination and thousands of US bombings in only a few days.
Meanwhile the Americans government is a total clusterfuck.
There is NO support right now for US citizens stranded in West Asia.
Many commercial airports are closed and the US really should be operating its own flights to get stranded citizens out.
While I rag on the Trump admin I know for a fact Democrats would have started this war too, they just would have kept the government customer service office open while doing so.
How do I know Dems would attack Iran?
Bc Hillary Clinton repeatedly said she WOULD no matter the stage of development be willing to attack Iran if she were in power.
There's been debate if that remark is out of context but I think she meant it.
https://www.factcheck.org/2020/01/video-of-clinton-on-iran-taken-out-of-context/
Iranians are continuing to take to the internet to explain how the regime under both Ali Khamemei & Ruhollah Khomeini resisted the urge for Iran to develop its own chemical weapons during the war with Iraq.
Iraq, with the backing of the West, committed countless war crimes gassing civilians.
EVEN during those conditions Khomeini & Khamemei remained steadfast AGAINST developing and deploying weapons of mass destruction.
Followers of Ali Khamemei (PBUH) are posting clips of his final address.
Khamemei urges his follows to not surrender to America and to stay focus on defeating Zionism.
He knew he would not live past the start of the war but he says I wishes he could see the day when the Zionist occupation has been defeated.
#KhameneiAssassination #MartyrKhamemei #Khamenei #Iran #Israel #Zionism
Iranian media published these images of the destruction in Tehran.
In this video you can see extensive damage to residential structures with some completely flattened.
First responders gear up to search the rubble for survivors.
Professor of Middle Studies Narges Bajoghli warns that we could be seeing Israel enacting their "Dahiya doctrine" upon Tehran.
The is "Dahiya doctrine" just a fancy name carpet bombing civilians.
#Dahiyadoctrine #Tehran #Iran #Israel #NargesBajoghli #WarCrimes #netanyahu
DEVELOPING - Overnight Iranians posted this video of what they claim is an F15 of F35 shortly after it was hit by antiair fire. Two pilots can -just- be seen parachuting into the mountains near Tehran.
The problem for Israel+US with enacting the "Dahiya doctrine" is that they simply do not have air superiority yet.
According to Iranina reports they claim to have shot down around 30 US+Israeli attack drones like the MQ-9 Predator in addition to this manned jet.
Israeli OSINT accounts are already accepting the report as likely true but are claiming it was an American pilot shotdown and not an Israeli.
We don't have solid confirmation either way just yet, to my eyes it doesn't look like any jet Iran operates but there's still a chance it could turn out to be an Iranian jet which was shotdown.
Will update as I hear more.
In Lebanon Hezbollah has started releasing a stream of professionally edited videos depicting precision strikes on invading Israeli troops.
This video shows the defenders of Lebanon hitting an Israeli Merkava tank with a missile from position kilometers away.
#hezbollah #lebanon #ResistanceAxis #Israel #KhameneiAssassination
Hezbollah has been releasing extensive drone footage from their planning of strikes.
They regularly fly drones over Israeli installations to collect intelligence for missile strikes and videos like this from years ago still seem to be providing Hezbollah critical intelligence.
Israel and the US down play the fact that decapitating Hezbollah's leadership and even invading Lebanon has had little to no effect on the combat readiness.
While Iranians & the rest of the resistance axis is eager to show the civilian toll along side the military reality Israel is responding with censorship.
CNN anchors have begun noting what they can and can't show on air.
In this segment a CNN anchor says they can film incoming missile strikes because it could give away air defense positions which is well and good I suppose but that's just the tip of the iceberg of Israeli censor ship....
When CNN's Turkish langauge anchor Emrah Çakmak and cameraman Halil Kahraman were doing a live report from the streets of Tel Aviv they were detained by authorities while on air.
After the run in with Israeli cops CNN anchor Emrah Çakmak showed how the authorities covered all of his phone cameras with tamper-evident stickers.
Israeli officials have reportedly stopped MANY journalist and onlookers from filming scenes of Iranian strikes.
Even filming the aftermath the next day in civilian areas can land journalist in hot water with Israeli police.
When cenorship and bombing civilians doesn't work the US and Israel resort to directly threatening Iranian dignitaries.
This morning U.S. envoy to the UN Mike Waltz threatened Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations Amir-Saeid Iravani:
“He should be careful with his words sitting on American so"
Protect that man!
#Iran #NYC #UN #MikeWaltz #AmirSaeidIravani #US #KhameneiAssassination
In other news I'd been wondering about @alissaazar perspective on the new regional conflict and am saddened to hear that the conflict is impacting people in our local journalism community.
Please be sure to follow and support Alissa Azar their on mastodon and other platforms
Alissa Azar (@[email protected])
Israel issued evacuation orders for ALL of southern Lebanon. They continue to forcefully displace large amounts of people, destroying the land, and carry on endless murders. Israel never even stopped bombing Jnoub/ southern Lebanon since the supposed "ceasefire" and now they are attempting to destroy as much of the country as they can. Meanwhile the da3esh forces that many "leftists" in the west cheered on despite what many Syrians and SWANA minorities were saying and explaining are supporting Israel against Lebanon.
In the past 72 hours Iran has continued to pound targets throughout the middle east including within Israel.
Numerous reports over the weekend prove that Iran has been using ballastic missiles with cluster warheads which have been basically impossible for close in anti-aircraft weapons to shootdown once they split apart.
Important to note, Israel never signed the weapons ban on cluster munitions nor did Iran.
As strikes have intensified on Iran, the Iranians in-turn have continued to up their attacks on Israel. They've been clocking at least a dozen missile or drone strikes on Israeli targets most days.
Tonight Iran promised 3 hours of continuous ballistic missile strikes and delivered on that promise.
Tonight more missiles were equipped with cluster munitions. Strikes landed in Haifi, Tel Aviv & mil bases across the occupation.
#TelAviv #Haifa #Israel #Zionist #Iran #KhameneiAssassination #OilWar
The Iranians have been pushing their propaganda on multiple fronts.
On the sabre rattling side of the house Iran has been circulating this video of their under ground naval equipment.
A claim the US has been running with is that Iran can't possibly pose a threat to the straight of Hormuz if most of their large military ships are sunk.
But bru... they got thousands of missile boats, drones, ROVs & mines.
All in underground cities.
On the defense side, Iran has been showing a lot more about how they take down American MQ-9 Reaper drones.
The Iranians have built a "loitering munition", a drone that automatically flies a search pattern and manually or automatically finds and destroys US drones.
They claim dozens of MQ-9 downings now.
Overall Iran has an extremely impressive line up of missile technology and I'm not sure it's wise to think their missile boats and underground missile cities are out of commission.
Meanwhile the Israeli border war with Lebanon has seen continued precise drone and missile strikes launched by Hezbollah hitting valuable targets in Israel.
Today footage came out showing a missile striking an IOF comms station and first responders picking over the scrap
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine spoke to the press today and said Iran has made him respect their ability to fight.
He clear states that Iran's strategy is working and that the US military is working hard to "adapt" he of course claims that the Occupation Axis (Israel+US) can out adapt Iran... which remains to be seen.
The US has been forced to admit that as many as 150 US soldiers are currently counted as casualties with seven confirmed dead thus far.
Iran claims the US casualty number is closer to 500. They also have alluded to possibly taking some US personnel hostage a few days ago but have not yet provided proof.
Regardless, the US media currently has a LOT of questions about the deaths and injuries of American crusaders.
So if you listen to all the US officials they all say that the troops who didn't die are all doing just swell.
But judging by the interviews mentally and physically scarred US military members are giving from hospitals in the US I for one don't think those injured troops seem too fit for duty rn.
Dude man got hit on the 1st day of the war and STILL has shrapnel in his head.
That man is gonna be PTSD'd as motherfucker once(if) he's physically healed.
The Iranians have clearly laid out their plan. They WANT this to be a long term war.
General Masoud Akhtari of the IRGC explains their plan is to collapse the world economy until regional and worldwide support for the US' warmongering president evaporates.
The General predicts that point comes after a few weeks of oil being over $150 / barrel.
Iran is also notably very organized and thoughtful in their latest round of communications.
Iran's Foreign Policy Advisor Kamal Kharazi reinforced the message, that the US needs to be taught a lesson and to loose support.
CNN recently got reporter Frederik Pleitgen otg in Tehran and that team has been doing so really critical reporting directly speaking with Iranians.
#Kamal Kharazi #Tehran #Iran #FrederikPleitgen #CNN #KhameneiAssassination
Back on the home front... you know it's clear that Iran could be serious about escalating the situation with oil shipping should tankers attempt to run the blockade.
The typical military play is Iran sending mines. The US would counter with mine sweepers, a strategy that worked well in WWII.
Oh what's that? The US slated the middle east minesweepers for decomissioning AND they just made it back to a US port this week to get taken out of service?
https://www.slashgear.com/2096935/why-us-navy-avenger-class-minesweeper-pulled-middle-east/
So there might be a mine warfare situation in DAYS not weeks or months and the US tried and true mine sweepers are on the wrong side of the globe right now.
The US Navy is not without a solution.
Enter the littoral combat ship, the biggest boondoggle of weapons program run by the Navy in recent memory.
An untested ship that is best known for having a haul that spontaneously cracks apart.
https://www.propublica.org/article/how-navy-spent-billions-littoral-combat-ship
#MineSweeper #Iran #StraitOfHormuz #USNavy #LittoralCombatShip
The Inside Story of How the Navy Spent Billions on the “Little Crappy Ship”
Littoral combat ships were supposed to launch the Navy into the future. Instead they broke down across the globe and many of their weapons never worked. Now the Navy is getting rid of them. One is less than five years old.
So right about now.... I'm thinking the US really just does not have the cards for all the hell Iran is raising and will continue to raise.
BREAKING: An entire US KC-135 "Stratotanker" has crashed over Iraq
The entire six member crew is feared dead. This marks the fourth loss of a US plane.
This plane costs about $11k per hour to operate and the purchase price was $26M to $50M per aircraft.
#EpicFail - Yesterday Trump encouraged tankers to run the Iranian blockade.
This morning we were greeted by videos shot by the first tanker crew to take Trump's advice... showing the crew clinging to life rafts watching the smoking wreck of their ship.
Three ships have been struck by Iran in the past 36ish hours.
Iran says they're doing IR monitoring of engine heat for signs if any movement without their permission.
#Iran #StraitOfHormuz #Shipping #Oil #KhameneiAssassination #US #trump
The US base in Fujairah, UAE was seen being struck around 1am on March 11th, which has become routine.
Video filmed by sailors showed 4-6 US missile interceptors missing the incoming Iranian missile before it struck the base.
Costing a minimum of $16M in failed interceptors.
Rumours of THAAD missile defense systems being withdrawn from South Korea were confirmed this week by both South Korean and US media.
These billion dollar systems are being moved to better protect US assets near Iran to replace the depleted / destroyed systems originally tasked to the US Middle East strategy.
Back to what popped shit off... killing Khamenei.
I keep feeling as if the Khamenei who was sold to us in the western media isn't an accurate picture of the man.
I've found myself digging deeper to verify claims in Iranian propoganda and I keep finding it all to be true and well supported.
Ali Khamenei was naunaced & well read and. He had deep objections to America's treatment of Black ppl.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/23527515
#BlackMastodon #Khamenei #KhameneiAssassination #Iran #Writing #Novels #books
Ali Khamenei regularly talked about his favorite western books, Les Misérables, The Grapes of Wrath and Uncle Tom's cabin.
He told tactical thinkers in the Iranian regime to read Uncle Tom's cabin in particular to fully grasp how evil the US is.
When Khamenei said "this book [Uncle tom's cabin] still lives"... I don't think he meant that figuratily.
From all oh Khamenei's statements on Black Americans he clearly means it literally.
Another aspect of Khamenei is the "Death to America" chant which has been around since he was a child.
Khamenei frequently explained that even an a country like America exists and is likely continue existing. The part of America he wants to die is the arrogant imperialism and systematic racism applied inside and out of the country.
Khamenei's beef's were squarely with our leaders who oppressed his country and the people pulling the triggers, not avg citizens.
When listening to Ali Khamenei over the years his version of the concept of سیاست صدور انقلاب اسلامی ایران or Exporting the Islamic Revolution comes into contrast with his predecessor Khomeini.
From my read, Ali Khamenei, defined the revolution as opposing foreign control of governments like the Shah.
The Iranians young and old remember how the Shah got to and remained in power and see parallels all over the world with the same enemy. Namely the US and Zionist-Israel
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exporting_the_Islamic_Revolution
From Gaza & Lebanon to Sudan & Yemen militant revolutionaries are finding that the genocidal forces they EACH face have been massively weakened by the US+Israel attacking Iran.
In Gaza, Hamas was seen above ground holding a large military parade for recent recruits.
In Sudan the government reports that genocidal RSF troops have weakened due to missed supply drops from Israel and the UAE.
In Lebanon Hezbollah hit TWENTY plus IOF targets this week.
crouton@nullagent If the US regime was serious about stamping out human right abuses internationally, it should be tasking its military to decapitate DHS and ICE leadership. Then it can start planning and figure what to do from there
La Dame d'Azur@nullagent This is fairly consistent with most figures/movements we're taught to demonize.
Rarely were they ever the mad lunatic tyrants we're told; most often they're highly intelligent, highly literate, reasonable people with genuine grievances against US foreign & domestic policy.
This is especially true for anti-imperialist figures/movwments whether in Latam, Africa, or Asia and includes historical figures/movements as well.
In 99% of conflicts it's the USA who are the real bad guys.
mariababy@nullagent
Killing Khamenei was akin to killing the Pope on Good Friday during Easter. This is a very serious war.
Killing Khamenei was akin to killing the Pope on Good Friday during Easter. This is a very serious war.
LukefromDC@mariababy @nullagent Killing the Pope on Easter would start a very literal crusade. In the Muslim world this reaction to a top leader being killed during Ramadan has another name.
Trump may have just gotten the crusade vs jihad war GW Bush dreamed of.
Laura "Tegan" Gjovaag ⛈ 🐸@nullagent
Literally watching American taxpayers' money go up in smoke, courtesy of the pedophile-in-chief trying to avoid prison for his crimes.
Literally watching American taxpayers' money go up in smoke, courtesy of the pedophile-in-chief trying to avoid prison for his crimes.
Dustin D. Wind@nullagent And destroyed who knows how many expensive murdertoys on the ground, not to mention the lives of people who have been put in harm's way for a rich men's war. 😔
But that suits the war profiteers just fine. It means they get to sell more to replace the ones that failed and/or were destroyed.
MidgePhoto@[email protected] Sub-optimal.
☆ ANARCORAXA ☆@nullagent I hope many more will rain down from the sky!
@nullagent On the bright side, at least they didn't go with their first idea: Send them floating down the Strait of Hormuz to take out mines one by one… by running into them. Then the admin could order some more, and make the war profiteers even more obscenely rich. 😒
(AND have even more of an excuse for continuing the war for 'vengeance'. Kinda like how the W admin gave Iraqi insurgents hundreds of tons of HMX and RDX, then acted surprised about all the IEDs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Qa%27qaa_high_explosives_controversy#Impact_of_the_looting )
@nullagent Real dumbasses pulling their minesweepers out of a war with a major naval element concerning a strait that is most easily closed by laying mines.
Cassandrich@nullagent Don't threaten us with a good time.
@nullagent Trump is HATED, this should not be too hard. If gas is selling for $5 a gallon in November, the GOP will get a furious beating in the polls. That of course is assuming Trump doesn't use the war as an excuse to attempt to cancel the election outright.
lp0 on fire 
@LukefromDC @nullagent, gas isn't sold by the gallon (and its price will affect electricity prices), and petrol has been over £4/gallon for many years now.
(I know, I know… and that's proper gallons, not your short-by-⅕ American ones.)
@lp0_on_fire @nullagent In the US, the word "gas" most commonly refers to a liquid in defiance of all science. Same as "football" refers to a game where the balls is handled in the hands and the other team gets it if it is kicked.
@LukefromDC @nullagent, do I really have to point out that I was playing on – and, indeed, that I (indirectly) acknowledged – that fact?
@lp0_on_fire @nullagent Note that I am autistic and don't see some things
Frigid Crystal Tormented Wrath@nullagent ....they think the US has ANY support left?
🇵🇸 Álvaro González@nullagent In 10 to 15 years we'll have lots of Hollywood movies explaining how much suffering the Iran war caused... to the aggressors.
SnoopJ@nullagent "entrepreneurial warfighters" is an absolutely RANK combination of words 🤢
@SnoopJ @nullagent Fancy name for "mercenaries"
mahadevank@nullagent no amount of his win/lose posturing can save the US from moral bankruptcy in this war
Bruce Mirken@mahadevank @nullagent And Trump asks, "What is this 'moral' of which you speak?" 🤣
@BruceMirken @nullagent doesn't matter does it - don't really care what happens internally in the US
@nullagent Hezbollah hits enemy comms antennas, while Isra-Hell and the US bomb schools...