Michael Doran, Aaron MacLean, Michael Oren, and Elliott Abrams with latest on Iran. Also: Ted Gioia on why being human is cool again. And more in today's Front Page.
'ceasefire'??? nah. *THIS* war will be won, and if I was Mojtaba Khamenei, I'd be looking hard for A) a hidey-hole or B) a way to negotiate without putting my family in danger from my 'coworkers'.
Unlike the previous several incompetent Presidents, Trump does not under-perform. The war will end when Iran surrenders unconditionally. While "experts" like to imagine that diplomacy has a value, the fact is that the war between Iran and Israel (like all wars) will never end until one side is completely destroyed. I would not be surprised if on March 29, the largest military assault in history is unleashed on Iran.
The democrats in congress complain that the war in Iran doesn't have a reason, nor a goal, nor an end in sight. Bullshit. The war in Iran is to destroy Iran's ability to conduct war. The goal and the end of the war will occur when Iran cannot conduct war and will not be able to conduct war for years, or decades, or ever.
Land, sea, air, cyber, and proxy are the scenarios of Iran's war machine.
Sea... destroyed.
Land... head cut off and leaderless, so degraded.
Air... no antiaircraft sites remaining, no aircraft remaining, destroyed. All that is left of the air battle is rockets and drones. The destruction of factories has stopped any new production. The attrition due to bombing and the use of these weapons is diminishing their numbers. So air is partially destroyed and partially degraded.
Cyber... nobody is talking about what steps the Israelis and the Americans are doing to the cyber threat. And that is just how they like it. Shhh, we are blocking cyber warfare and don't want anybody to know about it.
Proxy... Hamas is dead. Hezbollah is degraded, and Iran has no money or equipment to supply to the proxies. Degraded, almost destroyed.
So each prong in the war is either degraded to a point of uselessness, or is on the path toward that goal. Or destroyed. When the last rocket and drone is destroyed or used, the war will be over. A coupla weeks and Iran will not be able to conduct war and will not be able to conduct war for years... maybe ever.
That's it, democrats. That is the answer to your stupid complaints about the war in Iran. It will be over in a few weeks, tops. Iran will no longer be a threat to the western liberal democracies.
And what of Iran? Well, it's their country. It is theirs to choose. We're outta here.
And many overlook Iran has been waging war against the US since 1979 (e.g. hostages; Beirut marine barracks; Iraq ide's) that has killed US soldiers and citizens. At no point have the carrots of diplomacy changed Iran off this course of "Death to America".
For those nervous Nellies wringing their hands over the current operation, you might read a little history.
In 1980 Carter's Operation Eagle Claw was an abortion that highlighted the incompetence and utter lack of preparedness of U.S. Forces.
Failure of that magnitude has serious short term and long term consequences.
It is reasonable and even American to question the President's actions but far too many Americans seem to be depressed every time a target in Iran is destroyed.
I was a Marine then and we were all saddened and embarrassed by Carter's lack of action after the hostages were taken and nearly a year later when he finally did act, he feared any one service getting all of the credit, so he ordered a joint operation at a time when were were not doing joint training. Democrats in Congress had defunded us after Vietnam and we were known as "the hollow forces." After that debacle, we started doing joint exercises to avoid another "abortion" as you correctly put it.
Reagan's buildup made us into a force that terrified dictators across the globe and it was a glorious time to be a Marine even though we all (or at least I) thought that we were all going to die in northern Norway defending the blockade of Soviet naval forces when the balloon finally went up. At least we knew we would acquit ourselves well.
After the Berlin Wall fell and Democrats took over Washington, we were again defunded under the so-called "peace dividend" and we once more became a hollow force. Funding is allocated on a quarterly basis and my maintenance crews could only keep the radars running for the first month of each quarter before going into "Short Funds" status and being deadlined for the rest of the quarter. As a result, training exercises were slashed and if we had been called to war, half of our gear would have had to be cannibalized to keep the other half running.
I retired in 1999 and became a contractor to the Corps for the next 23 years and watched a succession of presidents misuse our forces in George Bush's wars of choice. I hope and pray that this remains an air war and if ground forces are used, they only be used to destroy the IRGC and not be wasted in an occupation that will inevitably turn into a meat grinder.
“… the clerics responsible for choosing him had reservations about announcing the selection for fear that he would be targeted by the United States and Israel.”
“… for fear that he would be…”. How about, “for certainty he will be”? Do the “clerics” (a political designation, not a religious title) not understand what is going on here?
yeah, getting 'picked' to lead the country isn't the great joy they want to tell everyone it is... Unless he is *really* looking forward to those 72 virgins.
The situ w/ the Iran reaction is very fascinating. I think that two important things are being missed.
First, the IRGC’s response has really united the rest of the Muslim world against them. Which countries are firmly on their side. Which capitols are affirmatively saying, “yes, we’re good with the clerics’ activities abroad and at home?”
Second, the casualties are small compared to many historic conflicts. Yes, there have been a few accidents. Yes, there have been deaths on the coalition side. Now, compare that to Gaza so, so many years ago. I mean, the respected IRGC government has videos that make what happened on 10/7 look downright serene, right?
You stole my thunder! The kind of intelligence work that can pin point a room in a building in an out of the way spot that contains the Ayatollah and 49 of his closest people in broad daylight and then immediately fire without having to send the request up the chain of command is truly a marvel.
Hundreds dead in Iran, six U.S. service members killed, strikes on cities across the region, and major trade routes disrupted as oil prices skyrocket. As the war in the Middle East rages on, the whole world has the same questions: How long will it last—and what will come next?
Thank you for highlighting the 'penned by a human' initiative. As a writer whose work was scraped by various AI companies and who will be getting a pay out from Anthropic, it is important.
One thing I suspect that has gone under the radar for most is the way in which Mahmood, the British Home Secretary, has been quietly rewriting Britain's asylum laws to make them more align with Denmark's. She brought the changes forward at the weekend. She has suspended visas from four countries including Afghanistan and the Sudan. She is basically ignoring the Far Left of her party who are very unhappy with her for making these alterations, the biggest shake up since WW2. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/03/shabana-mahmood-suspends-student-visas-from-four-countries/ or https://archive.ph/dEWlC
Conflict, takeover, regime change, etc. the reason that we need to be technical is due to the technicalities that terms designate.
If wars are only designated by congress, calling this a war is implying that congress signed off on this — which we all know was not the case.
So it’s misleading to use that term as it has implications especially for history down the line as the masses will think “it’s a war,” when it never really wasn’t.
A state of armed hostility or active military operations between sovereign states, or, as a, Merriam-Webster defines it, a, "state of hostility, antagonism, or conflict".
Conflict, takeover, regime change, all pretty much Synonyms for War.
Technical dictionary definition vs a legal/government definition for the purpose of government responsibility and management that Franklin is referring to. Historically war was not declared by Congress, technically/dictionary definition we are at war.
Thom Tillis is a plague.
'ceasefire'??? nah. *THIS* war will be won, and if I was Mojtaba Khamenei, I'd be looking hard for A) a hidey-hole or B) a way to negotiate without putting my family in danger from my 'coworkers'.
Unlike the previous several incompetent Presidents, Trump does not under-perform. The war will end when Iran surrenders unconditionally. While "experts" like to imagine that diplomacy has a value, the fact is that the war between Iran and Israel (like all wars) will never end until one side is completely destroyed. I would not be surprised if on March 29, the largest military assault in history is unleashed on Iran.
The democrats in congress complain that the war in Iran doesn't have a reason, nor a goal, nor an end in sight. Bullshit. The war in Iran is to destroy Iran's ability to conduct war. The goal and the end of the war will occur when Iran cannot conduct war and will not be able to conduct war for years, or decades, or ever.
Land, sea, air, cyber, and proxy are the scenarios of Iran's war machine.
Sea... destroyed.
Land... head cut off and leaderless, so degraded.
Air... no antiaircraft sites remaining, no aircraft remaining, destroyed. All that is left of the air battle is rockets and drones. The destruction of factories has stopped any new production. The attrition due to bombing and the use of these weapons is diminishing their numbers. So air is partially destroyed and partially degraded.
Cyber... nobody is talking about what steps the Israelis and the Americans are doing to the cyber threat. And that is just how they like it. Shhh, we are blocking cyber warfare and don't want anybody to know about it.
Proxy... Hamas is dead. Hezbollah is degraded, and Iran has no money or equipment to supply to the proxies. Degraded, almost destroyed.
So each prong in the war is either degraded to a point of uselessness, or is on the path toward that goal. Or destroyed. When the last rocket and drone is destroyed or used, the war will be over. A coupla weeks and Iran will not be able to conduct war and will not be able to conduct war for years... maybe ever.
That's it, democrats. That is the answer to your stupid complaints about the war in Iran. It will be over in a few weeks, tops. Iran will no longer be a threat to the western liberal democracies.
And what of Iran? Well, it's their country. It is theirs to choose. We're outta here.
Don't forget that destroying Iran's weapons plants and ports and disrupting oil shipments deprive China of products it needs.
There's more to this blitzkrieg than Iran although liberating the Iranians would be enough.
And many overlook Iran has been waging war against the US since 1979 (e.g. hostages; Beirut marine barracks; Iraq ide's) that has killed US soldiers and citizens. At no point have the carrots of diplomacy changed Iran off this course of "Death to America".
Too many well-stated facts here for the Lib minds to process, I'm afraid.
"Iran knows this...."
Who is "Iran?" Is the whole country of 93 million one person named "Iran?"
Metonymy
It's a lazy way of saying nothing.
ABORTION in THE DESERT
For those nervous Nellies wringing their hands over the current operation, you might read a little history.
In 1980 Carter's Operation Eagle Claw was an abortion that highlighted the incompetence and utter lack of preparedness of U.S. Forces.
Failure of that magnitude has serious short term and long term consequences.
It is reasonable and even American to question the President's actions but far too many Americans seem to be depressed every time a target in Iran is destroyed.
I was a Marine then and we were all saddened and embarrassed by Carter's lack of action after the hostages were taken and nearly a year later when he finally did act, he feared any one service getting all of the credit, so he ordered a joint operation at a time when were were not doing joint training. Democrats in Congress had defunded us after Vietnam and we were known as "the hollow forces." After that debacle, we started doing joint exercises to avoid another "abortion" as you correctly put it.
Reagan's buildup made us into a force that terrified dictators across the globe and it was a glorious time to be a Marine even though we all (or at least I) thought that we were all going to die in northern Norway defending the blockade of Soviet naval forces when the balloon finally went up. At least we knew we would acquit ourselves well.
After the Berlin Wall fell and Democrats took over Washington, we were again defunded under the so-called "peace dividend" and we once more became a hollow force. Funding is allocated on a quarterly basis and my maintenance crews could only keep the radars running for the first month of each quarter before going into "Short Funds" status and being deadlined for the rest of the quarter. As a result, training exercises were slashed and if we had been called to war, half of our gear would have had to be cannibalized to keep the other half running.
I retired in 1999 and became a contractor to the Corps for the next 23 years and watched a succession of presidents misuse our forces in George Bush's wars of choice. I hope and pray that this remains an air war and if ground forces are used, they only be used to destroy the IRGC and not be wasted in an occupation that will inevitably turn into a meat grinder.
Thank you for your service.
My dad was a Marine in Korea. Out of everything in life (even us four kids) I believe Dad was most proud of his service as a United States Marine.
Semper Fi!
“… The New York Times reported yesterday. Officials familiar with the deliberations said … “
Oh, really? Who are these “officials familiar with”, other than the NYT hawking up another loogie. I’m not surprised.
I heard one Iranian lady declare: This is not a war, it's a humanitarian rescue.
And Code Pink likely wanted to kill her
“… the clerics responsible for choosing him had reservations about announcing the selection for fear that he would be targeted by the United States and Israel.”
“… for fear that he would be…”. How about, “for certainty he will be”? Do the “clerics” (a political designation, not a religious title) not understand what is going on here?
yeah, getting 'picked' to lead the country isn't the great joy they want to tell everyone it is... Unless he is *really* looking forward to those 72 virgins.
The situ w/ the Iran reaction is very fascinating. I think that two important things are being missed.
First, the IRGC’s response has really united the rest of the Muslim world against them. Which countries are firmly on their side. Which capitols are affirmatively saying, “yes, we’re good with the clerics’ activities abroad and at home?”
Second, the casualties are small compared to many historic conflicts. Yes, there have been a few accidents. Yes, there have been deaths on the coalition side. Now, compare that to Gaza so, so many years ago. I mean, the respected IRGC government has videos that make what happened on 10/7 look downright serene, right?
KUDOS CENTCOM
I served 34 years and even I am blown away by the lethality of these attacks.
CENTCOM has surpassed all expectations.
Regardless of how you feel about the mission, if you don't take pride in the professionalism displayed by your military your soul must be dead.
Shout-Out to our intelligence services as well.
WELL DONE!!!
You stole my thunder! The kind of intelligence work that can pin point a room in a building in an out of the way spot that contains the Ayatollah and 49 of his closest people in broad daylight and then immediately fire without having to send the request up the chain of command is truly a marvel.
Yep!
No LBJ wandering around in his bath robe at 2 in the morning demanding that he personally approve any and all strikes before they are made.
We now have a President who understands the delegation of authority.
But first: What is Trump’s endgame in Iran?
Hundreds dead in Iran, six U.S. service members killed, strikes on cities across the region, and major trade routes disrupted as oil prices skyrocket. As the war in the Middle East rages on, the whole world has the same questions: How long will it last—and what will come next?
And its gone on for FOUR Whole Days!!!
Isn't four days the equivalent of four years in Dem Doggie Days
Thank you for highlighting the 'penned by a human' initiative. As a writer whose work was scraped by various AI companies and who will be getting a pay out from Anthropic, it is important.
One thing I suspect that has gone under the radar for most is the way in which Mahmood, the British Home Secretary, has been quietly rewriting Britain's asylum laws to make them more align with Denmark's. She brought the changes forward at the weekend. She has suspended visas from four countries including Afghanistan and the Sudan. She is basically ignoring the Far Left of her party who are very unhappy with her for making these alterations, the biggest shake up since WW2. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/03/shabana-mahmood-suspends-student-visas-from-four-countries/ or https://archive.ph/dEWlC
🗣️🗣️🗣️ ITS NOT A WAR! This is how terms get used for propaganda purposes
What would you call it?
Conflict, takeover, regime change, etc. the reason that we need to be technical is due to the technicalities that terms designate.
If wars are only designated by congress, calling this a war is implying that congress signed off on this — which we all know was not the case.
So it’s misleading to use that term as it has implications especially for history down the line as the masses will think “it’s a war,” when it never really wasn’t.
hope that makes sense there
A state of armed hostility or active military operations between sovereign states, or, as a, Merriam-Webster defines it, a, "state of hostility, antagonism, or conflict".
Conflict, takeover, regime change, all pretty much Synonyms for War.
Technical dictionary definition vs a legal/government definition for the purpose of government responsibility and management that Franklin is referring to. Historically war was not declared by Congress, technically/dictionary definition we are at war.
“APRÈS MOI, LE DELUGE”
America’s Louis the XV Moment
As long as my cost of gas doesn’t go up….
As long as my 401K doesn’t take a hit.
A large # of Americans are fine with religious madmen getting the bomb.
After they are gone these Americans will be happy to let the world flood…
OR in this case burn.
Spot on.
Instant gratification in every aspect of life.
These are the same people who would love for the National Debt to be fixed….just so long as it doesn’t require any sacrifice on their part.
You are on a role this am.
What role is he playing? Wise seer would be my guess.