"War, huh, good God, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!" - Trump Thread #157

[Spandauer]

It ain't nothing but a heart-breaker
(War) Friend only to The Undertaker
(Edwin Starr 1970, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong)

Unless, of course, your name ends in Trump, when it ain't nothing but an opportunity to grift, deflect and destroy.

Previous thread:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5496818-beware-the-ides-of-march-trump-thread-156

I think it's backfiring bigly, though. That's the group that's deserting him the fastest. I guess it's a gamble that this will bring them back, but I'm not sure I see that.

Fake news.

Young males are also the group most likely to be conscripted, were that ever to happen.

I don't know how large that looms in most young men's minds, never having been one.

Mind you, I do know it's an element of the "men as victims" narrative pushed as part of the anti-DEI movement ("men get conscripted, women don't"). So perhaps MAGA messaging has actually increased young men's awareness of the risk of conscription.

https://bsky.app/profile/chadbourn.bsky.social/post/3mgzcpwefxk2t

Yemen’s Houthis have announced they’ll be joining the war in support of Iran shortly. Analysts expect them to shut down another strait, Bab El-Mandeb, which will close the Suez Canal. The global economy hangs by a thread.

Trumps antics up until now have been different things to different people at different times.

However every single person in the US, citizen or not. Republican or not. MAGA or not cannot fail to realise the price of gas has shot up. Making it impossible to play one group of winners off against one group of whiners.

And making EVs seem sensible isn't really on brand for MAGA.

Say what you will, but the British managed to spin these plates for well over a century.

Why didn't the white house see this coming?

It seems like a very obvious response to being bombed.

I mean even all us parents know this - if the kid is acting inappropriately confine them to their room and take away their treats until they've thought through the error of their ways.

Iran have used the oldest trick in the parenting book and America seem unable to either predict nor comprehend the position they've been put it. They're now just trying to get their younger siblings to sneak some sweets into them knowing full well Daddy is patrolling the upstairs hallway.

I think with this oil terminal on the island, there will be a whole new terminal being put together and packed in some Chinese dockside warehouse at this moment. Probably with Iranian Engineers too.

If Trump did destroy it all, I reckon it would be to the PRCs benefit.

In a way the RAF did Dresden a favour, as the Luftwaffe did Coventry ....

Trump in 1988.

“They’ve been beating us psychologically, making us look a bunch of fools,” Trump told The Guardian. “One bullet shot at one of our men or ships, and I’d do a number on Kharg Island. I’d go in and take it.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/1f1479dd0e13387d

Btw, I think the issue of Iran/Kharg island is much more complicated than stated in the article.

I think this has been done elsewhere, but it made me laugh wryly when I saw it today.

That's so interesting- he really reminds me of Putin in that article: the long game, the intentions of dominance, and the grudge bearing. Fascinating.
The whole world suffering because of the hubris and arrogance and greed and aggression of these men. I'm so fed up with it.

Seeing that the terminal is for storage and export, bombing the island will temporarily affect Iran but they will still have their O&G fields intact. China might throw in a CM-302 or two with any deal struck.

Bombing Kharg will further piss off all Iranians, and create a regional environmental disaster, not that Trump will care that will anger the Gulf States.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/14/anti-regime-iranians-turn-on-trump-us

This line in the article is odd.

"Not only might it allow him leverage over the mullahs from a distance, but snatching Kharg would also give America control of the world’s biggest maritime energy corridor, ensuring greater stability long-term."

Given that it's 300 miles from the island to the straight, that statement to me is like saying invading Lindisfarne gives control of the English Channel. Plus the island is at the top corner of the gulf. Most of the traffic appears to be below it.

@RedTagAlan , it was more the bit about T having an opinion on Kharg since 1988; ignore the rest!😎

I've been in touch with my source in Kuwait who says:

The general feeling I’ve had is people don’t really have an issue with Iran. But there are a lot of Iranians in kuwait.
Everyone is defo pissed off at the Americans and the Brits are outraged we are refueling 🇺🇸 jets

For sure. I was really just saying the writer thought that controlling that island means controlling the Gulf. And going by the comments, many agree.

They ain't ever seen "The guns of Navarone" perhaps ?

More likely a Party patsy.

It's becoming more and more obvious that he is easily manipulated by other 'heads of state' (ie Putin, Netanyahu) into taking stupid actions because they've manipulated him into thinking that their plans are his ideas. All it apparently takes is flattery and vows of undying friendship or loyalty.

@RedTagAlan 'Guns of Navarone" now on my watch list.

"In response to the US action, Tehran warned that any attack on its energy facilities would trigger retaliation against oil infrastructure in countries across the Gulf, including threats to set the region “on fire”.

https://www.thetimes.com/world/middle-east/article/what-is-kharg-island-iran-trump-qkg8hhtnv

Smoke reported at a UAE port now.

The desertion doesn't surprise me. After all it's a group largely composed of draft-age young men*. They may be stupid when it comes to choosing to whom they pledge their allegiance, but not when it comes to self-preservation.

*18-25 must register, but the actual law states that up to age 44 are subject to the draft if it's deemed necessary. The oldest men drafted in WWII were 44. Viet Nam (pre-lottery) they were 25.

Trump is now begging the UK and other countries ro send war ships to Hormuz to keep it open.

From Sky..... NOW he wants help. From the PRC amongst others.

"Trump says he hopes UK and China will send warships to Strait of Hormuz
Donald Trump claims "Many Countries" will send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz, in a post on Truth Social.
He says "hopefully" the UK, China, France, Japan, South Korea will be among them.
"In the meantime, the United States will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and continually shooting Iranian Boats and Ships out of the water.
"One way or the other, we will soon get the Hormuz Strait."
The UK has not indicated it will send ships to the waterway."

TBF, there was plenty of folk wondering why China never sent ships to the Red sea for the Houthi, to defend Chinese shipping. They do have a naval base at Djibouti. My thinking at the time was that claims and capabilities do not always match. That shooting down missiles is perhaps best done "in secret", before being announced in State media.

Still, I am sure Putin would be delighted if Uncle sent a few destroyers.

The Houthi were very specific that they were only targeting Israeli and then I think American flagged ships. Despite this obviously noone would want to send ships that way when America and the Houthis were firing stuff at each other. But if I was China I wouldn't have wanted to get involved in the shooting war at all that would just risk prolonging the conflict and making Chinese ships an intentional target. So I guess it makes more sense for them to try to wait it out. Right now no-one in the region has a specific grudge against them.

Plus like you say capabilities don't always match. And why would you want to publicly demonstrate your abilities either way. Either you are successful and then people can start dividing counter measures. Or you aren't and then people know you aren't as strong as you appear.

Trumps shit show. Let Trump deal with his own mess for a change and stay out of it.

We might then get to sail British ships through.

Trump has turned the world upside down and can fuck right off.

Trump says he has "destroyed 100% of Iran's military capability but its easy for them to send a drone, drop a mine or deliver a close range missile somewhere"