Donald Trump’s Imaginary Iranian Friends

Let me begin by offering my apology to all who posted comments that were then put in moderation — by the software, not by me. I just returned home from Calgary and am in the process of cleaning up the pending folder. I have not deleted any comments… They all are now posted.

The reason for my inability to get the pending folder cleaned out is because I attended and spoke to the Shaun Newman Podcast conference that also featured Martin Armstrong, Alex Krainer, Karen Kwiatkowski and Matt Ehret. There were over 750 people in attendance and I met and interacted with the nicest people you could imagine. I did catch some grief — all good natured — from several of you who attended and chastised me for not wearing my traditional Florida shirts. It was -2 Celsius when I arrived in Calgary and I confess… I’m a wimp. Florida shirts don’t do well in the snow.

A good portion of the crowd was from Alberta, the Canadian province, and they are keen on creating an independent Republic. They are justifiably angry at the bullying they have received from the central Canadian government. But they are not violent or aggressive. Nope. Very kind, very sincere and very intent on protecting their freedoms.

Ok. Down to business. Despite Donald Trump’s claim that he — or someone in his administration — is talking with the Iranians is pure hokum. Pakistani diplomats have volunteered to pass messages back-and-forth between the US and Iran, but Iran’s demands are anathema to Trump and vice versa. Iran is not going to surrender or agree to a ceasefire until its core demands are met: reparations, the removal of all sanctions and the elimination of US military bases in the Persian Gulf. The murder of the 175 school girls, along with the assassinations of key Iranian officials, as a result of the US and Israeli war of aggression on the people of Iran will not be forgiven and swept under the rug.

Despite Trump’s insistence that Iran is eager to negotiate, he is lying. Iran continues to methodically attack US and Israeli military assets and has succeeded in destroying billions of dollars in advanced radars, refueling airplanes, drones and, in the most recent strike, an AWACS plane. The AWACS plane was being used to provide warning intelligence that was previously supplied by the now defunct radars the US had scattered among the Gulf Arab countries.

Trump’s claim that Iran is running out of missiles also is not true. As I am writing this, Iran has launched three waves of launches to the Negev in under an hour.

In response to Donald Trump’s various threats, a spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya HQ recently said:

➡The U.S. president has threatened that if Iran doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. forces will target Iranian power plants.

➡Tehran insists the Strait is only restricted to hostile traffic and remains under Iran’s control; safe passage continues under strict rules.

➡If the U.S. strikes Iranian power plants, Iran will:

1. Fully close the Strait of Hormuz until damaged facilities are rebuilt.

2. Target all Israeli energy, ICT, and infrastructure assets.

3. Destroy regional companies with U.S. shareholders.

4. Target power plants in countries hosting U.S. bases.

➡Iran says it is ready for a major campaign to eliminate all U.S. economic interests in West Asia.

➡While Tehran did not start this conflict, any attack on Iranian infrastructure will trigger relentless retaliation against U.S. and allied energy, oil, and industrial targets in the region.

The US and Israel ignored Iran’s warning and attacked… and, as promised, Iran responded forcefully. On Sunday, according to a statement from Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, an Indian worker was killed and significant damage was caused to a service building at a power and desalination plant, as a result of an Iranian attack against the State of Kuwait. Satellite data from NASA has reportedly detected an active fire at the Doha West Power and Water Desalination Station, the country’s largest combined power and water plant.

Imagery shows burn marks and smoke across the central section, with heat signals extending toward coastal storage tanks. The facility produces 2,400MW of power and around 110 million gallons of water per day, making up about 38.5% of Kuwait’s desalination output. With around 90% of Kuwait’s drinking water coming from desalination, this damage will quickly put pressure on the country’s water supply.

New satellite images also show damage following Iranian missile strikes on a US airbase in Sheikh Isa, Bahrain:

— US Army Air Base Radar Maintenance Shed Hit

— Destroying the spy plane hangars.

— Destruction of the drone hangar.

— Destruction of the equipment depot.

Despite continued bombing of targets in Iran, the Iranians are showing no signs of weakening… In fact, they are intensifying their attacks, inspired by the continued slaughter of Iranian children. Here are three of the latest victims of US and Israeli strikes in Iran:

According to Haaretz, the success rate of Iranian missiles in Israel has reached 80%, and the missiles are not being intercepted.

Iran is not alone. Hezbollah also is fully engaged in fighting Israel. Hezbollah announced 70 operations on 29 March against Israeli forces, sites, settlements, and military infrastructure. These included:

Border clashes
Heavy fighting spread across Aitaroun, Ainata, Qantara, Bayyada, Deir Siryan, Houla, Shamaa, Maroun al-Ras, and Beit Lif, including close-range engagements and ambushes targeting advancing Israeli forces. A major infiltration attempt toward Ainata was repelled with explosives and direct fire, followed by strikes on Merkava tanks and armored units. Multiple clashes resulted in destroyed tanks, with over a dozen Merkava tanks targeted, including engagements at zero distance, and forced evacuation operations under heavy fire.

Drone attacks
Attack drones targeted key Israeli positions and assets, including Biriya air defense base, Rawiya base in the occupied Syrian Golan, and Gilaa barracks, as well as troop concentrations and armored vehicles across Bayyada, Qantara, Alma al-Shaab, Deir Siryan, and Houla. Drones also struck Hummers, D9 bulldozers, and armored units, while one Israeli armed drone was shot down over Mansouri.

Rocket/missile strikes
Rocket barrages hit Israeli troop concentrations and positions across Malikiya, Aitaroun, Qantara, Deir Siryan, Ainata, and the Khiam axis, alongside strikes on settlements including Metula, Shtula, Yir’on, Avivim, and Nahariya. Sustained fire also targeted gatherings near schools, infrastructure points, and frontline staging areas throughout the day.

Strategic military targets
Strikes targeted major Israeli military infrastructure, including Ein Shemer air defense base east of Hadera, Raghavim base south of Haifa, Biriya base and Michve Allon base near Safad, Giv’a drone command base east of Safad, Ein Zeitim base, and Kela barracks in the occupied Golan. Additional strikes hit infrastructure in Katzrin and Kfar Vradim, as well as artillery positions and newly established military sites, alongside repeated targeting of communications and operational nodes.

The upcoming week — March 30 to April4 — marks the fifth week of the war with no sign of an end in sight. The economic effects on the world economy are going to hit with greater force and will increase pressure on the US and Israel to stop the war. However, I fully anticipate that Donald Trump will follow thru on his threats to try to capture some Iranian territory by deploying US military forces on the ground. If Trump does this, it will only expand the war and will dramatically increase the number of US casualties. This will not calm the financial markets… I expect it will have the exact opposite effect. The global economy is in a recession… Western economists are just now beginning to understand that reality.