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Conflict in the Middle East

Trump is desperate. How can he resolve the Iran shitshow?

1000 replies

TooBigForMyBoots · 06/04/2026 00:32

He is flailing, desperate and increasingly unhinged. Weakening the USA, alienating allies and strengthening the enemies of democracy with every step.

How can he fix this?
Can he fix it at all?

  • [Title edited to correct typo]
OP posts:
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55
DuncinToffee · 16/04/2026 08:54

Trump has said the Israel/Lebanon talks are due to take place tomorrow, Lebanon has said they are not aware of any upcoming talks

The US and Iran are messaging but no date has been set for further talks

DuncinToffee · 16/04/2026 08:55

Hegseth is giving a press conference at 1pm UK time

Alexandra2001 · 16/04/2026 08:58

Twiglets1 · 16/04/2026 08:47

And as for the peace talks between Iran and the US, it's pretty obvious they both want to bring an end to the war now. And both sides will back down on some things and both will claim it's a victory because they both will get some of their original demands but not all of their demands.

Iran has little reason or desire to back down, they hold all the cards, they've survived a massive bombardment, control Hormuz, can easily stop trade in/out of the Red Sea.
Any further attacks by the US will be ineffective, risk destroying Iran's oil facilities, so far higher prices and then Iran launching attacks on its neighbours energy plants....

Iran wont be affected by a global recession and the pressure on the USA from pretty much the entire international community is immense.

Just watch.. IF there is a peace agreement, it will be because the USA walks back from demands on nuclear and ballistic missiles.

Twiglets1 · 16/04/2026 09:02

Alexandra2001 · 16/04/2026 08:51

Ha well, who took the land? who committed the Nakba? which started 6 months before the Arab nations took action?

Now, i'm not saying Israel shouldn't have a state, of course they should but what they did to the Palestinians was very wrong and went unpunished.

There was no justification for the expulsions, let alone the killings.

According to the BBC report I posted above, five Arab nations started the aggression by attacking Israel the day after it declared Independence in 1948.

This led to war and to the Nakba.

Twiglets1 · 16/04/2026 09:09

Alexandra2001 · 16/04/2026 08:58

Iran has little reason or desire to back down, they hold all the cards, they've survived a massive bombardment, control Hormuz, can easily stop trade in/out of the Red Sea.
Any further attacks by the US will be ineffective, risk destroying Iran's oil facilities, so far higher prices and then Iran launching attacks on its neighbours energy plants....

Iran wont be affected by a global recession and the pressure on the USA from pretty much the entire international community is immense.

Just watch.. IF there is a peace agreement, it will be because the USA walks back from demands on nuclear and ballistic missiles.

If Iran have "little reason or desire to back down, they hold all the cards" then why would they engage in peace talks with the US at all?

They have engaged in about 20 hours of face to face talks already (plus all the behind the scenes talks and messages via intermediaries) and more face to face talks being planned next week in Islamabad apparently.

I will be watching very closely what is agreed between Iran and the US. It won't all be about what the US backs away from. Iran will also back away from some of their demands at the beginning of the war. It's called negotiation and if Iran really held all the cards then they wouldn't have to negotiate but they do.

BerthaPotts · 16/04/2026 09:16

Twiglets1 · 16/04/2026 09:02

According to the BBC report I posted above, five Arab nations started the aggression by attacking Israel the day after it declared Independence in 1948.

This led to war and to the Nakba.

After Israel struck Egypt first. The first strike was from Israel.

Twiglets1 · 16/04/2026 09:23

BerthaPotts · 16/04/2026 09:16

After Israel struck Egypt first. The first strike was from Israel.

Not according to this source - perhaps you have a better one? I'm interested to read any reputable source

After Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948, the fighting intensified with other Arab forces joining the Palestinian Arabs in attacking territory in the former Palestinian mandate. On the eve of May 14, the Arabs launched an air attack on Tel Aviv, which the Israelis resisted. This action was followed by the invasion of the former Palestinian mandate by Arab armies from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt. Saudi Arabia sent a formation that fought under the Egyptian command. British trained forces from Transjordan eventually intervened in the conflict, but only in areas that had been designated as part of the Arab state under the United Nations Partition Plan and the corpus separatum of Jerusalem. After tense early fighting, Israeli forces, now under joint command, were able to gain the offensive.

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/arab-israeli-war

GentleSheep · 16/04/2026 09:24

logicisall · 16/04/2026 08:51

BACK ON TOPIC. (sorry for the shouting peeps)
Indeed, what measures can Trump use to resolve the situation. Going on what has happened lately, mine is don't take on the Pope. You will lose.

JD Vance warned the Pope to “be careful” when opining on matters of theology!

The mind boggles! Basically 'Trump is always right! Even when he's not!'

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/jd-vance-pope-iran-war-turning-point-b2958196.html

logicisall · 16/04/2026 09:40

This is taken from a link shared on another thread. I thought it is relevant to this thread as well.

Today, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon has begun approaching American automakers, including Ford and General Motors, along with other commercial manufacturers, about helping to produce weapons and military supplies.

The Journal itself described the move as reminiscent of a practice used during World War II. But not the version of World War II most Americans were taught in school. Not the clean narrative of Allied liberation. The earlier phase. The buildup. The part where governments quietly began converting civilian industry into war machines because they were preparing for something far larger than they were telling their people.

In the 1930s, Hitler didn’t militarize German industry because the country was under attack. He did it because expansion was the plan, and the factories had to be ready before the public understood what was coming.

Stalin followed a similar path with his industrial programs, shifting civilian production toward military capacity not in response to an immediate threat, but to build the infrastructure of centralized control. That is the pattern. Build the machine first. Justify it later.

And this didn’t happen overnight. It has been escalating in full view for weeks, and too many of us have chosen to ignore it. In early March, Trump summoned CEOs from Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, L3Harris, and Honeywell to the White House after Iran strikes had deeply depleted U.S. weapons stockpiles. He announced they had agreed to “quadruple production” of what he called “Exquisite Class Weaponry.” Days later, NBC reported that the administration was privately discussing invoking the Defense Production Act to force manufacturers to produce more munitions, a 1950s-era law designed for wartime emergencies.

By late March, the Pentagon had signed framework agreements with defense contractors to put the military on what it called a “wartime footing.” And now it isn’t just pressuring defense contractors. It’s reaching beyond the defense industry entirely, asking the companies that build our cars to start building our bombs. That is not what a country does when a war is almost over. That is what a country does when it is preparing for something much bigger.
Heather Delaney Reese 15.04.26

So is the so called 'ceasefire' a marking time ploy for Trump to get more troops and munitions into the ME?

Does the US need c.10,000 more troops and more vessels to enforce a SoH blockade in the Sea of Oman?

I guess an all out attack is one way for Trump to resolve this shitshow.

edited for formatting

SerendipityJane · 16/04/2026 09:41

GentleSheep · 16/04/2026 09:24

JD Vance warned the Pope to “be careful” when opining on matters of theology!

The mind boggles! Basically 'Trump is always right! Even when he's not!'

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/jd-vance-pope-iran-war-turning-point-b2958196.html

There is a theme in countries which allow themselves to be infected by a dictator where they start down a course so obviously batshit that it's clearly intended to induce the faithful to steep their hands in blood. Either literally in the classical Brutus sense, or symbolically as in attacking the Pope for interfering in religion.

Legssses · 16/04/2026 09:48

logicisall · 16/04/2026 09:40

This is taken from a link shared on another thread. I thought it is relevant to this thread as well.

Today, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pentagon has begun approaching American automakers, including Ford and General Motors, along with other commercial manufacturers, about helping to produce weapons and military supplies.

The Journal itself described the move as reminiscent of a practice used during World War II. But not the version of World War II most Americans were taught in school. Not the clean narrative of Allied liberation. The earlier phase. The buildup. The part where governments quietly began converting civilian industry into war machines because they were preparing for something far larger than they were telling their people.

In the 1930s, Hitler didn’t militarize German industry because the country was under attack. He did it because expansion was the plan, and the factories had to be ready before the public understood what was coming.

Stalin followed a similar path with his industrial programs, shifting civilian production toward military capacity not in response to an immediate threat, but to build the infrastructure of centralized control. That is the pattern. Build the machine first. Justify it later.

And this didn’t happen overnight. It has been escalating in full view for weeks, and too many of us have chosen to ignore it. In early March, Trump summoned CEOs from Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, L3Harris, and Honeywell to the White House after Iran strikes had deeply depleted U.S. weapons stockpiles. He announced they had agreed to “quadruple production” of what he called “Exquisite Class Weaponry.” Days later, NBC reported that the administration was privately discussing invoking the Defense Production Act to force manufacturers to produce more munitions, a 1950s-era law designed for wartime emergencies.

By late March, the Pentagon had signed framework agreements with defense contractors to put the military on what it called a “wartime footing.” And now it isn’t just pressuring defense contractors. It’s reaching beyond the defense industry entirely, asking the companies that build our cars to start building our bombs. That is not what a country does when a war is almost over. That is what a country does when it is preparing for something much bigger.
Heather Delaney Reese 15.04.26

So is the so called 'ceasefire' a marking time ploy for Trump to get more troops and munitions into the ME?

Does the US need c.10,000 more troops and more vessels to enforce a SoH blockade in the Sea of Oman?

I guess an all out attack is one way for Trump to resolve this shitshow.

edited for formatting

Edited

"So is the so called 'ceasefire' a marking time ploy for Trump to get more troops and munitions into the ME?Does the US need c.10,000 more troops and more vessels to enforce a SoH blockade in the Sea of Oman?"

I am very interested in the answer to this. If you're in the "watch what I do, not what I say" camp, which I am, Trump's actions during the ceasefire are very concerning. And we know he has form for using negotiations in this way.

SerendipityJane · 16/04/2026 09:54

Legssses · 16/04/2026 09:48

"So is the so called 'ceasefire' a marking time ploy for Trump to get more troops and munitions into the ME?Does the US need c.10,000 more troops and more vessels to enforce a SoH blockade in the Sea of Oman?"

I am very interested in the answer to this. If you're in the "watch what I do, not what I say" camp, which I am, Trump's actions during the ceasefire are very concerning. And we know he has form for using negotiations in this way.

Edited

If the Iranians could read, they might be so unethical as to find books about Vietnam and how the US behaved there.

Luckily, as savages, they only use books for fuel.

logicisall · 16/04/2026 09:59

Legssses · 16/04/2026 09:48

"So is the so called 'ceasefire' a marking time ploy for Trump to get more troops and munitions into the ME?Does the US need c.10,000 more troops and more vessels to enforce a SoH blockade in the Sea of Oman?"

I am very interested in the answer to this. If you're in the "watch what I do, not what I say" camp, which I am, Trump's actions during the ceasefire are very concerning. And we know he has form for using negotiations in this way.

Edited

So much of what Trump says makes no sense that it seems right to look instead to what he actually does. Perhaps he really is a not-so-stable genius, playing 19D chess, so no wonder we're all confused.

Nato/Greenland will be watching closely, but if Cuba's next, it doesn't stand a chance despite its President's rhetoric that Cubans will die defending their country.

Echobelly · 16/04/2026 10:43

DuncinToffee · 16/04/2026 08:54

Trump has said the Israel/Lebanon talks are due to take place tomorrow, Lebanon has said they are not aware of any upcoming talks

The US and Iran are messaging but no date has been set for further talks

I literally don't believe anything he says about this now. He's just saying what he wants people to hear without even consulting anyone on what's happening. Alarmingly it feels like Iran is more trustworthy on their account of what is going on, but obviously you shouldn't trust them either.

DuncinToffee · 16/04/2026 10:45

BBC Verify

Satellite images reveal scale of Israeli demolitions as Lebanese villages destroyed

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxkk1vnp57o

DuncinToffee · 16/04/2026 10:47

Echobelly · 16/04/2026 10:43

I literally don't believe anything he says about this now. He's just saying what he wants people to hear without even consulting anyone on what's happening. Alarmingly it feels like Iran is more trustworthy on their account of what is going on, but obviously you shouldn't trust them either.

BBC is reporting that

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak to the Lebanese President Joseph Aoun today, cabinet security member Galia Gamliel says on Israeli Army radio.

Guess it is wait and see

AgingLikeGazpacho · 16/04/2026 11:34

DuncinToffee · 16/04/2026 10:45

BBC Verify

Satellite images reveal scale of Israeli demolitions as Lebanese villages destroyed

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxkk1vnp57o

"The IDF said in response that "any suggestion that the IDF is acting to "cleanse" civilian populations, punish communities, or target civilians on the basis of religion or sect is categorically false."
"Such warnings are not intended to permanently displace civilians or prevent their lawful return," it added."

Not intended to permanently displace civilians 🙄 I wonder what their definition of a civilian is...

BerthaPotts · 16/04/2026 11:46

Twiglets1 · 16/04/2026 09:23

Not according to this source - perhaps you have a better one? I'm interested to read any reputable source

After Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948, the fighting intensified with other Arab forces joining the Palestinian Arabs in attacking territory in the former Palestinian mandate. On the eve of May 14, the Arabs launched an air attack on Tel Aviv, which the Israelis resisted. This action was followed by the invasion of the former Palestinian mandate by Arab armies from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt. Saudi Arabia sent a formation that fought under the Egyptian command. British trained forces from Transjordan eventually intervened in the conflict, but only in areas that had been designated as part of the Arab state under the United Nations Partition Plan and the corpus separatum of Jerusalem. After tense early fighting, Israeli forces, now under joint command, were able to gain the offensive.

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/arab-israeli-war

I am surprised you claim not to know that. It is common knowledge for those who know about the war. As usual, Israel argued that it was a 'pre-emptive strike'. That was the first strike, I don't know which of my sources you will trust, so if you just google it, you will find plenty of sources.

SerendipityJane · 16/04/2026 11:56

As usual, Israel argued that it was a 'pre-emptive strike'.

A preponse, as they would have the dictionary say.

RedTagAlan · 16/04/2026 12:28

SerendipityJane · 16/04/2026 11:56

As usual, Israel argued that it was a 'pre-emptive strike'.

A preponse, as they would have the dictionary say.

Here is another one of their excuses. This on CNN just now :

"The Israeli military demolished the final crossing over the Litani River, which bisects Lebanon, on Thursday, according to Lebanese state media, cutting off tens of thousands of residents in the south from crucial aid links.
Israeli forces launched “two consecutive airstrikes” on the Qasmiyeh Bridge connecting the coastal city of Sidon to the southern city of Tyre, “completely destroying it,” the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported.
“Prior to these airstrikes, a drone had also carried out two separate attacks near the same bridge,” NNA said.
A series of huge explosions lined the horizon near the bridge on Thursday, in footage from the aftermath, as huge clouds of smoke tumbled through green pastures.
The Israeli military claimed to CNN that forces “did not target” the bridge, but added that they did attack “in its vicinity.”"

Ahh right. So they were not trying to hit it. They were aiming at something else and accidentally destroyed it.

Stirabout · 16/04/2026 12:58

RedTagAlan · 16/04/2026 12:28

Here is another one of their excuses. This on CNN just now :

"The Israeli military demolished the final crossing over the Litani River, which bisects Lebanon, on Thursday, according to Lebanese state media, cutting off tens of thousands of residents in the south from crucial aid links.
Israeli forces launched “two consecutive airstrikes” on the Qasmiyeh Bridge connecting the coastal city of Sidon to the southern city of Tyre, “completely destroying it,” the Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported.
“Prior to these airstrikes, a drone had also carried out two separate attacks near the same bridge,” NNA said.
A series of huge explosions lined the horizon near the bridge on Thursday, in footage from the aftermath, as huge clouds of smoke tumbled through green pastures.
The Israeli military claimed to CNN that forces “did not target” the bridge, but added that they did attack “in its vicinity.”"

Ahh right. So they were not trying to hit it. They were aiming at something else and accidentally destroyed it.

When they so obviously lie it makes it so much simpler for us to call them out for what they really are

Alexandra2001 · 16/04/2026 13:16

Just listening to Hegseth, he is mental, comparing the US press core to the Jews who criticised Jesus.....

I thought the fundamentalists were on the other side......

oopsBSoD · 16/04/2026 13:50

Alexandra2001 · 16/04/2026 13:16

Just listening to Hegseth, he is mental, comparing the US press core to the Jews who criticised Jesus.....

I thought the fundamentalists were on the other side......

The other side of what?

RedTagAlan · 16/04/2026 14:00

oopsBSoD · 16/04/2026 13:50

The other side of what?

The Iranian side. They are a theocracy.

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