Iran is a total clusterfrack today

The Iranian government appears deeply divided and weakened with power struggles.

Reports indicate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has gained significant influence to the point that the situation can be considered to be a coup, sometimes overriding civilian officials like the Foreign Minister. There's indications that IRGC commanders are controlling military decisions and even isolating parts of the leadership. 

President Masoud Pezeshkian’s administration seems sidelined in key areas and he is even less of a figurehead than ever before.

The current ceasefire is nearing its end (or extension deadline) but it looks like President Trump is going to hold off attacking the regime . Iran has sent mixed signals, some officials announced the Strait of Hormuz was "open," but the IRGC contradicted this and attacked vessels, so it's as if the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. 

The situation is highly volatile,

Iran has stated it has "no plans" for further peace talks (e.g., in Islamabad, Pakistan), accusing the US of bad faith [because we refuse to allow them to continue with their nuclear ambitions]. The Trump administration has threatened to resume strikes on infrastructure if no deal is reached, while also signaling a possible short extension tied to Iran's internal fractures.

Meanwhile, the regime continues executions, torture of detainees, and crackdowns on dissent, including against protesters from earlier this year. Opposition groups like the PMOI (Mujahedin-e Khalq) report ongoing anti-regime activities despite the risks.

Pro-regime rallies in Tehran supporting the government, showing some remaining base of support amid the chaos. However, these Islamists are significantly fewer in number than the Iranian people who are attempting to replace the current government with non-terrorist people.

Broader ContextThe regime survived the immediate aftermath of the strikes and Khamenei's death without collapsing, but it is "seriously fractured," as Trump has noted. Economic damage from sanctions, protests, and the war has compounded long-standing issues. The IRGC's hardline stance seems to be driving more aggressive or inconsistent policies compared to the Foreign Ministry.

No one knows exactly "who’s in charge" at every moment, with the IRGC appearing to hold significant de facto power. The situation remains fluid--talks could resume, the ceasefire could extend (or break), or escalation could return quickly. 

It's a veritable clusterfrack.

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Islamists shoot and kill 6 at US-run Bagram Airfield

Kabul, Afghanistan -- The peace talks are not very peaceful in their outcomes, it seems as six Afghan workers were killed outside Bagram Airfield on Thursday. [H/T Geller Report]

The attack came as the workers were about 500 yards from the base and were driving home in a motorized rickshaw. At around 2200, an unidentified terrorist began shooting, according to Wahida Shahkar, a spokeswoman for the governor of Parwan province.

“These people were ordinary workers at Bagram, like cleaners and others,” Shahkar said. She added that three others were injured in the attack.

The Taliban, who probably did it, denied responsibility for the shooting in a statement Friday. Afghan workers on foreign bases and embassies are considered fair game for the Taliban. No other group immediately claimed responsibility.

The terrorism comes as the U.S. works toward a full withdrawal of foreign forces by mid-2021, but only if the Taliban doesn't screw up the February 29th agreement which obligates them to keep terrorists from operating in Afghanistan. 

The attacks have come as the U.S. works toward a full withdrawal of foreign forces by mid-2021, if the Taliban abides by conditions outlined in a Feb. 29 agreement. The Taliban must help keep terrorists from operating in Afghanistan and hold talks with the Kabul government, among other terms of the agreement made public.

Meanwhile, Taliban attacks on Afghan forces, disagreements over prisoner exchanges and political infighting have eluded the peace process.

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Russia-Turkey talk turkey about a cease-fire in Syria

Beirut -- Russia and Turkey are talking about a broader cease-fire in Syria after they brokered a deal that allowed rebel-held eastern Aleppo to peacefully evacuate the town. However, there are a number of rebel groups that say they won't agree to any deal until they get more details.

Previous cease-fire attempts in Syria have failed, much like the Democrats this election go-around. The recent cuddling between Russia and Turkey however, may be a game changer--but it won't be easy.

Turkey, Russia and Iranian foreign ministers met in Moscow last week for talks on Syria, ironically, without any Syrians involved in the talks. The reason they gave for the absence of those being directly effected was that they preferred to pursue a grand bargain among great powers with stakes in the conflict rather than a domestic settlement between the government and the opposition.

One wonders if Bashar "The Chin" Assad was upset.

An anonymous official with one faction confirmed that Russian and Turkish officials were discussing a cease-fire proposal that would encompass all of Syria. 

Russia's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that its embassy in Syria was hit by mortar fire. He blamed the attack on "extremists" who are opposed to a peaceful settlement. These people are also known as Muslim extremists and mujaheddin.

Turkey's Anadolu Agency said that Ankara and Moscow reached an agreement Wednesday and had reached an agreement. 

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that a lasting cease-fire and political solution in Syria are "close." But no details were given.

The way things look, however, Russia, Turkey and Iran are getting quite cozy and our so-called president played golf.




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Why MSNBC has no viewership

There used to be standards when it came to journalism but they went for a walk and never came back. Two so-called correspondents for MSNBC Middle East who have been exposed for misreporting the news from Israel over the past year are at it again. They blamed the Israeli government for Wednesday's terrorist attack in Tel Aviv.

The liars in question are Ayman Mohyeldin and Martin Fletcher. They claimed in a Wednesday broadcast that the terori attack carried out by the two Muslim cousins was a reaction to Israeli policies. 

Mohyeldin spoke about the "bigger picture," in terms of what's been happening between the Palestinians and Israel. The MSNBC idiot described the frustration felt by the Palestinians over the "shift of Israeli politics including the current Israeli government's shift to the right, to what has been described by Israelis as an even more extreme right-wing government, some of the measures that have taken place in the West Bank, the siege that continues in Gaza, all of those continue to fester."

Somehow this anti-Zionist Mohyeldin dolt forgot to mention that Hamas actually blamed Wednesday's attack on Israel's alleged desecration of the al-Awsa Mosque, which is a lie in order to justify killing Jews over. Hamassholes have vowed never to recognize Israel and have constantly encouraged the killing of Jews. 

They even teach kindergarten kids how to cut the throats of Jews.

Of course, the Israeli government vehemently rejects the charge, and non-Muslim presence in the Temple Mount complex is highly restricted. In spite of that,  Palestinian leaders constantly make the claim that the al-Aqsa Mosque is in danger, a lie that predates the founding of Israel.

Mohyeldin also didn't speak of the multiple Palestinian celebrations that broke out in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and eastern Jerusalem after the news of the Tel Aviv murders came out, nor did the scumcrumpet place them in context of the Palestinian incitement to violence over the al-Aqsa Mosque balderdash.

After Mohyeldin made his claim, Fletcher added, "Every few years we say this is the most right-wing government in Israel's history and it just keeps getting more right-wing."

Neither Mohyeldin nor "Idiot Number Two" were able to explain the term "right-wing," which they used to criticize the Israeli government. If the basis for the criticism is about Israel's commitment to a two-state solution, they're wrong.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2009 committed himself to a two-state solution and recommitted himself to seeking a two-state solution many times thereafter. Even newly appointed Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman stated publicly that he would leave his own home in the West Bank in order to achieve peace, and both men recently endorsed various parts of the Arab Peace Initiative. 

But the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas (the "Abb" is silent) ruined American-led peace talks in 2014 by refusing to accept a framework laid out by the Obama administration.

Late last year, Abbas admitted that he rejected Ehud Olmert's 2008 peace offer. In March, he rejected an offer from Joe Biden to restart peace talks with Israel. And finally, last month, the PA turned down an offer to negotiation one-on-one with Benjamin Netanyahu.

So please, MSNBC, stop the claptrap and the lies. Who do you think you are anyway? Hillary Clinton?


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