Bye-Bye Bondi and General George, Hello to the Trump Oath

 You can say many things about Donald Trump, but one does have to admit the man certainly knows how to change the subject in a hurry. On Wednesday night--April Fool's Day--the President pre-empted prime time TV across the land to address the nation on the war with Iran. What followed was a rambling, overly repetitive, 19-minute rehash of excuses, promises, lies, and bellicose threats we've all heard before, along with dashes of campaign rhetoric thrown in for good measure. In short, the President delivered a big, semi-coherent, nothing burger.

Then came Thursday morning when he sacked Attorney General Pam Bondi. In a social media message, Trump thanked her for her service, congratulated her on her successes, while telling the world she would be pursuing a new career in the private sector, "to be announced at a later date." What he didn't say was why he canned her. He left that up to media speculation. 

So, speculate the media did. Most concluded it wasn't because of Ms. Bondi's lack of loyalty to the President. No, her firing was because of her failure to execute that loyalty to Donald Trump's satisfaction. Sure, she got rid of everyone in the DOJ who ever investigated Trump, for whatever reason, but she failed to bring the main players in those investigations to trial. Not that she didn't try, but grand juries and judges kept demanding some sort of viable legal reasons and proof of guilt to indict or proceed. You know, reasons other than her boss was pissed off at those people. Unfortunately for her, in every instance she didn't have any. None of that mattered to Donald Trump. He doesn't give a rat's ass about the Constitution, or any of that innocent until proven guilty shit--unless he's the one on trial. By God, he wanted those people in jail, and Pam Bondi wasn't putting them there.

Then of course, there is the elephant in the room. Almost from the moment she was confirmed she began to screw the pooch when it came to the Epstein files. Her trip to the unemployment line probably began as soon as she told the media she had a list of Epstein's, "clients," on her desk. She was just waiting, she said, for the President to let her know what their disposition should be.  Not long after that came the Mrs. O'Leary's cow moment. She told everyone she wouldn't be releasing the files at all because there was nothing in them worth seeing.   

It started a firestorm no one, including Trump, could put out. What followed was an endless parade of delays, confused excuses, and the outright violation of a Congressional statute. All in the name of protecting her boss and his buddies. (Also known as his donors send partners in crime.) 

Now Todd Blanche, the former Deputy AG will take over as Acting Attorney General. He, unlike Bondi, has personally represented Donald Trump in court. He is everything the President wants as an Attorney General and head of the Department of Justice, a man who has been on the Trump payroll for years. He's also the guy who convinced Ghislaine Maxwell to say she never saw Donald Trump do anything inappropriate with Epstein's victims, then paid her off with new, let's say, more comfortable, federal digs.

Meanwhile, back to the war.

Nearly lost in the Bondi hysteria, there was more military news. Yesterday, Secretary of Defense/War, Pete Hegseth fired the U.S. Army's highest-ranking officer, General Randy George. Some sources report Hegseth showed him the door because he wanted someone there who would, "implement President Trump and the Secretary's vision for the army." Other sources noted General George had served as senior military advisor to Joe Biden's Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin. Having done so, he was suspected of not being a Hegseth loyalist. 

The truth is it's likely that both observations are correct. It could also be the General either dissented or at least seemed reluctant when it came to initiating the war in Iran. Or, more darkly, what Trump and Hegseth are planning to do with ground troops there in the near future. 

In any event, some might say firing the Army's Chief of Staff during the middle of a war that the Commander in Chief says we are winning, "like no one has ever seen before," does feel a tad suspicious, if not downright contradictory.  Politico notes that since Hegseth has taken over the Pentagon more than a dozen senior military officers have been purged. That includes former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair, C.Q. Brown, Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti, and Air Force Chief of Staff, General James Slife. That's a lot of career military people who wouldn't "implement," Trump and Hegseth's "vision," for the armed forces of the United States. 

It's probably that damned Constitution again. The fucking thing just keeps getting in the way of everything. 

Obviously, the next step is for the President to compose and administer a new federal oath--a Trumpian version of pre-WWII Germany's Hitler oath. After all, at least in his dementia infested mind, Donald John Trump is the country and the country is Trump. 

Hey, just ask him.

4-3-26

No Kings III Hits the Streets and CPAC 2026 Hits the Rocks

 Before the latest No Kings Day protests some giddy optimists were predicting as many as 13 million Americans would take to the streets to protest Donald Trump's policies. That didn't happen, although current estimates are over eight million souls took to the streets from sea to shining sea. Of course, all estimates, rather like all historical events are in the eye of beholder, not to mention the promoter. 

For instance, there was Sean Spicer's declaration that the crowd at Trump's first inauguration was the largest in the history of presidential inaugurations. He said that even though everyone with a brain and eyes could see it wasn't. In fact, Spicer's claim was such obvious bullshit it caused another Presidential advisor, Kellyanne Conway to invent the term, "alternative facts," to explain it.

One needs to look no further than at the No Kings Day III demonstration in Oklahoma City to see how wildly, "estimates," can vary. The daily newspaper, The Oklahoman, reported the crowd to be in the, "hundreds." KGOU, an NPR outlet, said it was in the, "thousands." The Oklahoma City Free Press quoted organizers when it said 8,000 people showed up in downtown. At the same time, the outlet, Oklahoma Voice reported that the crowd was, "over 1,000." 

While the exact sizes of various No Kings crowds might be debatable, no one will argue the participants weren't unified in their desire to oppose Donald Trump and the crude toadies he has hired to praise and abet him. On the other hand, this weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) seemed at times a tad rocky and let's say confusing. 

This year's get together was held in Grapevine, TX which is a smallish town nearly lost in a vast concrete tangle of freeways and toll roads north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The conference, which is part pep rally, part candidate platform, and part overpriced MAGA souvenir extravaganza had its first awkward moment early on. Organizer, Matt Schlapp stood before the crowd and asked them if they wanted the President to face impeachment hearings. They responded with cheers. 

Oops. 

Schlapp, assuming he had been misunderstood, asked the question again. Although the response was weaker, to his horror, there were still cheers. It was a moment so stunning it moved him to briefly lecture attendees on how wrong they were. Later when he implored them to boo Joe Biden's name, he was met with what is being described as an uneasy silence. 

And some of us actually thought Trump was too busy playing golf to show up. It now looks like the dirty old man realized too many people were onto his grift and didn't want to face his marks.  

Yes, cracks in the MAGA wall are beginning to show. The war in Iran is a stress point. It appears a lot of people who actually believed in that isolationist, America First stuff now thinks Trump betrayed them. After all he told them he'd fix the economy and not get us involved in any prolonged wars. He hasn't done either. They know now Donald Trump flat out lied to them and more than one said they could no longer support him. 

The feeling runs deep enough, conservative activist, Brandon Straka spoke to the gathering about the dangers of, "leader worship." According to Straka, "patriotism should not mean unquestioning praise for the President." He also condemned MAGA types for trying to impose "ideological purity tests," on republican candidates. Such heresy was unimageable at CPAC even a year ago.

While democrats might celebrate what happed nationwide and in Grapevine this past weekend, they should not count on any mass defections out of the GOP. That isn't going to happen. Let's face the truth, the only people CPAC attendees hate more than each other are liberals.  The annual CPAC presidential preference straw poll held at the end of the festivities proved it. Despite all the Trump-2028 merchandise being hawked in the bizarre bazaar--including red sequined leather jackets--J.D. Vance was the conference's choice to be the 2028 candidate. The Vice President won 53% of the vote while Secretary of State Marco Rubio got 35%. Both Don Jr. and Ron DeSantis received 2%. 

It is a long, long way to 2028, but the 2026 primary season is, in some cases, already upon us. No one can know for sure, but all the indications are Mr. Trump and his GOP are in deep trouble. The people at CPAC could feel it this weekend and so could those crowds on the streets at over 3,000 different locations. Trump knows it too. It is why he is howling to get his voter restriction bill in place. He isn't the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but he understands it is easier to stop everyone from voting beforehand than it is to prove millions of votes cast and counted are fraudulent. He learned that lesson the hard way in 2020. (Or maybe not, given Tulsi Gabbard's last trip to Atlanta.)

That's right, democrats go ahead and celebrate the weekend to your heart's content. Just keep in mind one fact. There might have been eight million people demonstrating against Donald Trump and his policies on Saturday. But even if each and every one of them there was a registered voter, that still leaves over 170 million voters who weren't. 

3-30-26

A Firm Grip on Insanity

 So I'm tying homeland security into voter identifications with pictures and proof of citizenship to in order to vote. Don't worry about Easter, going home. Make this one for Jesus, ok?

Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, speaking about his proposed bill to restrict voting. 

Actually Mr. Trump was asking congress to do it for him but given the season and his delusions of divine approval he, no doubt, considers his name and that of Jesus Christ to be sort of interchangeable. Let's face it, the world hasn't seen a man this powerful holding such a firm grip on insanity since Herr Hitler and Comrade Stalin roamed the planet. Before Donald Trump, the nation's craziest President was Richard M. Nixon. However, compared to Trump, Nixon was a two-bit shoplifter with only a hint of paranoia and penis envy.  

Tragically for the republic, it looks like Trump's growing instability and mental deterioration is contagious. 

Sunday, on FOX News, South Carolina Senator Lindsy Graham was asked about a grim prediction in Atlantic Magazine that speculated the war with Iran could turn into a prolonged war of attrition. Graham told the interviewer that the President should go all in by capturing Kharg Island. It's located 20 miles offshore from Iran's mainland and is where almost all of the nation's oil processing is based. Graham claimed if we seized it the Iranian regime would then quickly die on the vine.  Finally, he added, "I trust the Marines, not that guy. I trust the DOD. We've got two Marine expeditionary area units sailing to this island. We did Iwo Jima, we can do this. The Marines, my money's always on the Marines."

For those who, like Senator Graham, are unfamiliar with history, it took the Marines and United States Navy a little over a month to, "do," Iwo Jima. By the time it was over the Marines had suffered nearly 7,000 dead and right at 20,000 wounded. In addition, another 2,600 plus were so traumatized by the intensity of the fighting they were diagnosed with what was then called, combat fatigue. The island ended up being the only place in the WWII Pacific Theater where American casualties outnumbered Japanese casualties.  

It would appear the Senator is a tad fuzzy about the phrase, "war of attrition."

However, let's get back to our man in the White House, Donald Trump. After the death of former FBI Director, Robert Mueller, Brother Don wrote on social media, "Robert Mueller just died. Good, I'm glad he's dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people! President DONALD J. TRUMP." 

Mueller, served in those Marines that Lindsey Graham trusts during the Vietnam War. He was awarded a Bronze Star for heroism and a Purple Heart for being wounded during combat. He also served in the administrations of both Presidents Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. All of which probably irritated the shit out of Donald Trump. What really tripped his trigger though was that Mueller was the special investigator looking into possible Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election that Trump won. 

Trump's post was described as, "disgusting and despicable," by more than a few. Vice President J.D. Vance on the other hand had very little to say about it. Vance was the guy who told the media employers should fire anyone who made jokes about Charlie Kirk after he was killed. He applauded the suspension of late night TV host, Jimmy Kimmel after he said something questionable about Kirk. 

Unlike Vance, Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent had plenty to say. On "Meet the Press," Bessent told Kristen Welker, "Neither one of us can understand what has been done to the President and his family. Given what has been done to President Trump and his family, it is impossible for either of us to understand what he's been through. We should have empathy for what's been done to the President and his family." 

Later, the Secretary described Trump's reaction when FBI agents searched Mar a Lago for documents taken by Trump after his first term ended. He told Welker they watched a security video of the agents rummaging through Melania Trump's wardrobe. The obvious hint was Trump was traumatized and enraged by the search. Maybe so, but Bessent's knowledge of history is about as astute as Lindsey Graham's. While Robert Mueller investigated Russian collusion in the 2016 election, he had nothing to do with that Mar a Lago search warrant. The special investigator on the documents case was Jack Smith. 

See. The insanity is contagious. Well, either that, or a job requirement to work for this President. 

The other day, when the Prime Minister of Japan said something about not being consulted before the Iran war began, the President told her, "The Japanese know plenty about surprises," then brought up the attack on Pearl Harbor. At this point maybe we should just be thankful he didn't start talking to her about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Or maybe Iwo Jima. 

Oh wait--he left that to Lindsey Graham.

Yes, from top to bottom and front to back, a really firm grip. 

3-24-26

Markwayne Mullin is In, but the Polls Say a Train is Headed Straight at Trump

 The day before yesterday during Markwayne Mullin's Senate hearing meeting, there was a moment when it looked more than possible the Oklahoma Senator would come over the table at fellow republican Senator, Rand Paul. Paul, from Kentucky, chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee which was charged with clearing Mullin's nomination to head the Department of Homeland Security for a vote on the Senate floor. In other words, if the Oklahoma Senator couldn't get the approval of the committee his nomination as Secretary of the DHS was a dead duck. 

Saying there is bad blood between the two Senators is a bit of an understatement. It's like saying Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton had a slight disagreement. (For those unfamiliar with American history, or the musical, Burr killed Hamilton during a duel.) In the past Mr. Mullin has publicly called Senator Paul a, "freaking snake." He also once said he understood why Paul's neighbor physically attacked him. Something which Mullin reminded Paul of during the hearing. "I didn't say I approved of the attack, Senator. I said I understood it." It was at that moment the odds of Mullin going all Terminator seemed highest. 

Mullin maintained control, however barely, as Paul and democrats peppered him with accusatory questions like, "Senator, you do know dueling has been outlawed for over 175 years, don't you?" Some questioned a top-secret flight into Afghanistan Mullin claims to have taken. According to the plumber turned Senator it is where he learned what war smells like. Democratic Senator Gary Peters told the nominee he had checked with all the national security agencies and none of their reports mentioned Mullin's name in connection to a trip smelling of war, or anything else. "I don't know how that reconciles, " Peters said. 

Mullin did admit to, "misspeaking," after DHS officers shot and killed Alex Pretti on a Minneapolis street--the Senator initially called Pretti a domestic terrorist. However, he refused to apologize to Pretti's family just like he refused to apologize to Paul. He also told the committee that under his command DHS agents would be required to obtain judicial warrants before kicking in the doors of suspected illegal immigrants. Democrats noted that while his promise seemed sincere, he still had to get it approved by Trump and his version of Lavrentiy Beria, Stephen Miller. Their doubt was such they said they wouldn't believe it until it was enacted into a law passed by Congress. 

At one point, Mullin explained that his reason for calling Rand Paul a, "snake," was Paul's occasional habit of voting with democrats on issues republicans had endorsed. The statement took an ironic turn yesterday when the committee voted 8-7 to advance his nomination. Paul, who apparently like Mullin isn't much for all the forgive and forget stuff, voted against his confirmation. Normally that would have doomed the nomination. However, his vote was offset by Pennsylvania democratic Senator John Fetterman's. Despite Mullin's lack of immigration, or law enforcement experience--despite his lack of administrative expertise, well, other than running his dad's plumbing company, and despite his lack of a four-year college degree and his taste for physical violence--Fetterman voted to advance the nomination to the Senate floor. 

Explaining his vote, Fetterman cited his, "constructive working relationship," with Mullin. (Hey, who knows? Maybe the gentleman from Pennsylvania owns a heating and air business on the side.)

Now the nomination is headed to the floor where it will almost certainly pass. Or rather it will take a miracle not to pass. It doesn't matter if Markwayne Mullin is, as one democrat described, "uniquely unqualified," for the job. For reasons that are increasingly hard to explain, when it comes to republicans, whatever Donald Trump wants, Donald Trump gets.

Which brings us to the latest round of polls. Something called, List Wire compiled different poll numbers and published the results online yesterday. Overall, they found the President's overall approval rating running somewhere between 40% and 44%. Then they ran a state-by-state list. Some results were as we'd expect, others, not so much. 

In Mullin's Oklahoma Trump's approval rating is 57%. In Fetterman's Pennsylvania it's 39%. In Idaho the President's approval rating is 55%, but in Hawaii it is a mere 18%. Where it gets interesting though is in the south. The presidential approval rating in Alabama is 52%. In Arkansas 55% and in Tennessee 51% In Louisiana however he dips to 49%. In Mississippi he has dropped to 48%. Then in Georgia the approval rating is down to 38% and in Florida 44%. In North Carolina it's 43% and Texas 44%. Hell's bells, he's even under water in South Carolina with a 47% approval rating. Ronald Reagan this guy ain't. 

No wonder Donald Trump doesn't want anyone to be able to vote this year. He's getting his ass kicked and he won't even be on the ballot.  

All of which drags us to the next question.  Why is everyone in the republican party still scared of this gruesome old caricature of corruption? Why are they willing to confirm a Secretary of Homeland Security who has the very real potential of being more brutally violent and incompetent than the last one? one who is quite capable of showing up on the Senate floor with cane in hand, ready to beat the living shit out of anyone who says something critical about him? 

For God's sake, they all can't be in the Epstein file, can they? 

 Obviously, members of the U.S. Senate and House don't see the train that is coming straight at them. After over ten years of chaos, cons, bald faced lies, run amok ego, and unwarranted braggadocio the American public is turning on Donald Trump. 

And when he finally does go down, so will everyone who stood with him. You can make book on it in all those prediction markets.

3-20-26

We Don't Need Help, So Why Aren't You Helping?

 Help me if you can, I'm feeling down. And I do appreciate you being 'round. Help me get my feet back on the ground. Won't you please, please help me?

Paul McCartney and John Lennon

Bullies and tough guys have an inherent problem. It's called arrogance. A scant few months ago, Donald J. Trump was asked by an interviewer, if there were any limits to his global power. His response was, "Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It's the only thing that can stop me." Then he added, "I don't need international law." Finally, there was the inevitable lie. "I'm not looking to hurt people." 

That's right baby. Help? We don't need no stinking help.

Of course, many immediately saw the problems with Trump's original statement to the reporter from the New York Times. The man who said he was only limited by his own morality has never had any morality. Rapists and those who commit felony fraud don't. Plus, the limits imposed by his mind are few and far between since he lost his around the same time he lost the 2020 election. The whole, "I don't need international law," thing was a given. He's never needed domestic law, why would he worry about international ones. 

Then came the war with, Iran, (It's still unclear if the Israelis jumped in with us, or we jumped in with them.) and a 24-mile-wide waterway called the Strait of Hormuz became more important than his wandering mind ever dreamed.  According to Wikipedia, in 2018 more than 21 million barrels of oil per day passed through the strait. It is unknown how many barrels are making it through at the moment, but it's fairly easy to guess the number is a lot closer to zero than it is 21 million. It doesn't matter that the vast majority of it is headed to Asia, turning off the oil faucet to anywhere screws petroleum prices everywhere. 

When the U.S. and Israel struck a little over two weeks ago, the President appeared to think the violence would end quickly and shipping through the strait would proceed as usual. The whole strategy seemed to be kill the Ayatollah, the people would immediately rise up, the army, including the Revolutionary Guard would roll over, then Donald Trump would install a new leader who would do whatever he wanted. In other words, wham, bam, thank you Iran. 

Yeah, well that didn't happen. 

A few days after the 86-year-old Ayatollah Khamenei was offed, Iran replaced him with a 56-year-old Ayatollah Khamenei. Any uprising was small and immediately snuffed out. And, while the Iranian navy and air force are gone, or in hiding, the Revolutionary Guard and army are still intact and fighting with whatever they have left. As a result, almost all shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has stopped. Donald Trump can tell those shipping companies and crews to grow some balls and make the trip through all he wants, but the corporations and crews know it's their asses on the line, not his. 

It's reported Trump and his advisors didn't think the Iranians would close the strait. Trump denies it, of course, because he is incapable of admitting he made a mistake. However, if they did think that Trump and his staff just proved themselves the worst strategic planners since Herr Hitler decided it would be a good idea to invade the Soviet Union. Since the Iranians don't have nukes, their only option is to choke off the shipping through the strait. It is the only route to survival the newly minted Ayatollah and the military leaders have. They must create enough economic chaos throughout the world to force Donald and Bibi Netanyahu to hit the exit button. 

Suddenly, with gas prices at home rising and the cost of practically everything else soon to follow, it has downed on Donald Trump he needs help winding up this war. He told the media, "We're always there for NATO. We're helping them with Ukraine. Doesn't affect us, but we've helped them. It'd be interesting to see what country wouldn't help us with a very small endeavor, which is just keeping the strait open." 

In order to solicit that help, Trump, never the diplomat, told The Financial Times on Sunday, "If there's no response (to his demand for assistance) or if it's a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO." Ah yes, nothing like strongarm threats to grease the wheels of cooperation. He also told the publication China, Japan, and South Korea should send warships to the strait, conveniently ignoring two of those three nations have to contend with a wildly unpredictable North Korea on a daily basis. 

The international response to the President's bellicose, yet whiney demands so far has pretty much been, "You started this war on your own, Donnie, now you fucking finish it on your own." 

Earlier today the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Joe Kent announced his resignation on social media. In part he wrote, " I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear we have started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby." 

While Kent blames the Jews and others blame Trump for taking the whole Epstein distraction act too far, it is clear the final responsibility for this war rests entirely with the President of the United States. His unbridled arrogance and strategic incompetence have brought us to the brink of a ground war in the middle east. You know, the exact place he once promised us all we would never be if he was elected President. 

Not to mention that for a guy, "not looking to hurt people," he's sure doing a lousy job of it. 

3-17-26

A New Core Slogan for Donald Trump's War

 In George Orwell's novel, "1984," the ruling party of the superstate, Oceania has three core slogans. The first is, "Freedom is slavery. " The second reads, "Ignorance is strength. The third and my personal favorite is, "War is peace." The leader of the party and therefore the country is a guy known only as, "Big Brother." Unlike Donald Trump, it is unclear if Big Brother really exists, might have existed at one time, or is simply a fictional persona manufactured by the same people who came up with the whole, "Freedom is slavery," thing. 

For those out there about to accuse me of having, "Trump Derangement Syndrome--which I deny, although I do like to think of myself as a carrier--no, I'm not saying we are at the point, "Ignorance is strength," yet. However, it does feel like we are coming uncomfortably close to that terrible and irreversible moment.

On Monday, one of Donald Trump's worker bees, GOP Congressman Andy Ogles wrote on social media, "Muslims don't belong in American society." While utterly vile, we've come to expect this sort of Islamophobic bullshit from republican congressmen representing Tennessee--"Greenest state in the land of the free," according to the lyric. Then, Ogles added another brief sentence. He posted, "Pluralism is a lie." That's the ticket Congressman. It is a proto-Big Brother proclamation if there ever was one. 

Yesterday, as oil prices continued to rise and his poll numbers floundered like the Titanic after the iceberg was struck, Donald Trump posted this: "The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the world, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money." (The italics are mine, everything else is his.)

It isn't, "War is Peace," but it is, in Trump's own roundabout way, "War means more wealth."

Luckily, not everyone has bought into the, "Ignorance is strength," deal yet and many recognize Trump's we, isn't us. 

We aren't the independent truckers, or truck companies hauling products across the country. We aren't the police and fire departments from coast to coast. The President's we certainly aren't cab and rideshare drivers, the delivery drivers or just people who have to fill up their cars once, or twice a week. And his we aren't the farmers who are going to have to pay more to get their crops planted, fertilized, harvested, and shipped to markets.   

In fact, when it comes down to it, Donald Trump's we are the precious few who own the oil-based energy industry. The rest of us are going to financially take the cost of this war in the ass. 

Trump seemed to immediately realize his post might have been, as Lawrence O'Donnell put it, "The stupidest thing ever said by an American President." His mantra, which is being parroted by scores of his toadies on TV, quickly turned into the phrase, "Short term pain, for long term gain." The problem being he still won't or can't adequately explain to us just exactly what the fuck it is we're gaining.

Freedom from Iran's nukes? Freedom from their ballistic missile threat? Neither of which actually exist yet. Is it freedom from radical Islamic theology? Is it freedom from foreign oil dependency? Or, is the real aim here total American control of Iran's oil industry? You know, get someone in power who will do exactly what Donald Trump wants him, or her to do, like in Venezuela. 

These and other questions caused one talking to head to say, "This isn't a war of choice. The word choice indicates there is some plan in place. This is a war of whim."

Meanwhile, in a press conference earlier today, Secretary of Defense/War, Pete Hegseth announced the deaths of at least four more service members--and possibly another two--when their tanker plane went down in Iraq. He also criticized the media for reporting the war was, "intensifying." Mere moments later he told the same crowd, "We will be intensifying our attacks," (to further cripple Iran's capabilities.) 

That's what I like about this administration, there is confusion and incompetence from top to bottom. Maybe while we wait until that awful time when, war becomes peace, Donald J. Trump's core slogan can be one some of us remember well. 

It is "What, me worry?"

3-13-26

Donald Trump's War and the Plot of a Movie

 The last time a President of the United States demanded and got an unconditional surrender from anybody was in August, 1945. His name was Harry S. Truman. The only way he got it was to drop nuclear weapons on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki--although the Russians have always insisted their belated declaration of war against Japan was a big part of it also. Since we know the Russians aren't going to declare war on Iran, in fact there is evidence they are now helping the Iranians identify American targets, it pretty much limits President Donald Trump's options to force Iran into complete capitulation. 

All of which makes his recent ultimatum to Iran seem a tad empty. Trump himself apparently realized it and shortly after he told the world the war in Iran would only end when they unconditionally surrendered, he turned around, saying the war would be over soon. Of course, then he sort of reversed field again by saying we needed to be ready for a prolonged conflict--or something to that effect. Apparently, Trump's demands and war timeline estimates depends on his audience. 

Add that to the ever-shifting excuses of why the United States began bombing along with the Israelis in the first place and it becomes fair to ask, Does anyone, except the pros conducting the strikes, actually know what the fuck they are doing?

From here it certainly doesn't look like they do. Not Rubio, not Hegseth, not Vance, and especially not Donald J. Trump. 

It has, or rather is, becoming painfully apparent Mr. Trump, flushed with his success in Venezuela, actually thought by killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei--even Big Don knew U.S. Special Forces wouldn't be able to kidnap him like they did Nicolas Maduro--the Iranians would just roll over. His hubris was such that at one point after the hit, the President demanded he have a say in the picking of a new Iranian Supreme Leader. 

The Iranians immediately said screw that, then named the Ayatollah's son, Mojtaba Khamenei the new Supreme Leader. He is reportedly 30 years younger than his late father and just as bat shit crazy. In many ways perhaps even more so. Trump declared the choice, "unacceptable," then seemed befuddled as the Iranians attacked nearly everyone in the region and fuel prices worldwide soared. 

According to the President rising fuel prices are, "a small price to pay." Which immediately begs another question. How would he know? Donald Trump doesn't buy gas. In all reality he has probably never pumped a gallon of it himself in the 79 years he has been on this planet.  That response was at least not as cold as the one he offered to the growing numbers of American families who have lost a loved one in the war. It was along the lines of, "it's war, it happens." Actually, Trump's Secretary of Defense/War, Pete Hegseth wins the prize for coldest. In a press conference he told the media they were putting the names of America's war dead in the headlines, just to make President Trump, "look bad." 

That count has now risen to seven, although it pales in comparison to the estimated 175 young Iranian girls who were killed when an American Tomahawk missile hit their school building by mistake. (Trump still claims it was an Iranian missile. He also told the press a lot of countries have Tomahawks--a complete lie.)

Of course, the President also told the world, Iran's nuclear aspirations had been, "obliterated," months ago by American bombers. That was another case of grotesque oversell the administration has had to back away from these days. Even though they still won't come right out and admit Donald Trump was either mistaken when he said it, or lying outright. Doing something like that makes for a quick trip out the door and onto a list none of them wants to be on.  

To sum up then. We don't know for sure why Donald Trump started this war when he did. We also don't know what he is ultimately trying to accomplish by waging it. Third, we don't have any idea what will replace the current regime in Iran if it does fall. And finally, it looks as if Donald Trump and his band of sycophants, don't have a clue about any of it either.  

In fact, it is all so out of skew it has become weirdly reminiscent of a movie released in 1997 titled, "Wag the Dog." It featured Robert DiNiro, Dustin Hoffman, and Anne Heche among others.  It is a wildly surreal satire. The IMDb plot summary reads, "Shortly before an election, a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to fabricate a war in order to cover up a Presidential sex scandal." 

Oops, maybe not so wildly surreal.

 And maybe not so much satire. Right now, that plotline makes as much sense as anything this administration has told us so far about the war with Iran. Or worse--it might make even more sense.   

3-10-26