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https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2068629811971367258
New: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: The plan is for the talks to
last one day

=F0=9F=94=B9Iran said today=E2=80=99s talks in Switzerland will focus on th=
e U.S. failure to
implement the first clause of the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding,
which requires an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

=F0=9F=94=B9Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the =
Iranian
delegation will hold bilateral meetings Sunday morning with Pakistani and
Qatari mediators before a four-party meeting with U.S., Qatari, and
Pakistani delegations later in the day.

=F0=9F=94=B9Baghaei said Article 13 makes negotiations on a final agreement
conditional on implementing five provisions, including Article 1, which
calls for ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

=F0=9F=94=B9He said the United States has =E2=80=9Ceither been unable or un=
willing=E2=80=9D to
enforce that provision and Israel has continued to violate the agreement,
adding that the issue will be the central focus of Sunday=E2=80=99s talks.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=
=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr"><a href=3D"https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/=
2068629811971367258" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"backgrou=
nd-color:transparent">https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2068629811971367258=
</a></div>
New: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: The plan is for the talks to la=
st one day<br>
<br>
=F0=9F=94=B9Iran said today=E2=80=99s talks in Switzerland will focus on th=
e U.S. failure to implement the first clause of the Iran-U.S. memorandum of=
 understanding, which requires an end to the war on all fronts, including L=
ebanon.<br>
<br>
=F0=9F=94=B9Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the =
Iranian delegation will hold bilateral meetings Sunday morning with Pakista=
ni and Qatari mediators before a four-party meeting with U.S., Qatari, and =
Pakistani delegations later in the day.<br>
<br>
=F0=9F=94=B9Baghaei said Article 13 makes negotiations on a final agreement=
 conditional on implementing five provisions, including Article 1, which ca=
lls for ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.<br>
<br>
=F0=9F=94=B9He said the United States has =E2=80=9Ceither been unable or un=
willing=E2=80=9D to enforce that provision and Israel has continued to viol=
ate the agreement, adding that the issue will be the central focus of Sunda=
y=E2=80=99s talks.<br>
</div></div>

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Subject: [Salon] A Strong Leader for a Weakened Israel
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ttps://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-06-22/ty-article-opinion/.premium/a-str=
ong-leader-for-a-weakened-israel/0000019e-eb68-d4c5-a9fe-ff6a2e180000
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*"At the core of destructive narcissism, then, stands not only a stratagem
but an attraction to annihilation itself.* "

*A Strong Leader for a Weakened Israel *

*Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Jerusalem News Syndicate
International Policy Summit in Jerusalem, Sunday. Credit: Ronen
Zvulun/REUTERS*









































*Eran Rolnik,  22 June 2026Carolina Landsmann has offered an important key
to reading Benjamin Netanyahu's recent moves. The con artist whose fraud
has blown up does not seek a way forward, but rather to cover the tracks
that led to his great diplomatic failure: diverting Israel's political
agenda from the Palestinian question to the Iranian nuclear program.I wish
to follow this line inward: from the apocalyptic logic of a prime minister
who, by denying the reality of 1967, has dragged his nation and Diaspora
Jews back into the existential anxieties of 1948 and into the
psychopolitical structure that underlies that regression, and from there to
the challenge posed by the coming election.The 20th-century German-British
psychoanalyst Herbert Rosenfeld, working with patients with borderline
personality organization, described what unfolds in a mind ruled by
destructive narcissism. The destructive parts of the self organize
themselves into a kind of internal gang that seizes control of the
personality. The gang's power lies in the way it alternates between two
roles. First it seduces: It appeals to the dependent, needy part and
promises it supremacy =E2=80=93 "join us and you will be invincible." Then,=
 once
the ego has surrendered itself, the gang assumes the role of the mafioso
collecting protection money, branding every appeal for genuine outside help
as betrayal.The parallel at the national level is hard to miss. The gang's
two roles are precisely the two stages that Israeli society has passed
through during Netanyahu's years in power.First came the seduction.
Israelis were invited to join the Bibi-ist fantasy of unlimited power,
power that permits the denial of the most basic facts of their existence: a
state that need answer to no one =E2=80=93 not to a court, not to its allie=
s, not
to international norms and at times not even to facts. Anyone who mentioned
a limit of any kind =E2=80=93 a judge, a journalist, an officer or a public=
 servant
with a conscience =E2=80=93 was marked as an agent of the "deep state" or a=
s a
defeatist out to sabotage the great promise. The judicial overhaul was
meant not only to strengthen the gang's grip on power but also to entrench
its hold over Israelis' distorted picture of the world.Then came October 7.
The fantasy shattered against the wall of reality, and the gang switched
roles. Now it no longer promises power, but protection. Netanyahu steps
forward and says: All around you are nothing but enemies and dangers; even
those you took for allies proved to be a broken reed, and only I can
protect you. Israelis protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
outside his corruption trial at Tel Aviv's District Court, on Tuesday.
Credit: Tomer AppelbaumThis is the heart of the paradox. The very weakness
he helped to create becomes his most valuable political asset. The more
frightened the public, the greater =E2=80=93 ostensibly =E2=80=93 the need =
for the man who
promises to save it.Here the diagnosis must be completed. The destructive
appetite of a leader who sees reality closing in on him from every side
does not sufficiently explain Netanyahu's pull over broad audiences, even
in his present incarnation as a man whose failure echoes far and
wide.Alongside the appetite for destruction, two additional forces are at
work. The first is the fascination with the leader who has no conscience:
that primal human attraction to the leader who appears to be unbound by
moral restraint. The second is the fear of the collapse that would come
with acknowledging the catastrophe he brought upon his people. Large
segments of the public, and at times even his fiercest opponents, continue
to see in Netanyahu an exceptional figure: a clever, experienced man whose
very lack of inhibition appears, paradoxically, to be a source of strength
in difficult hard times.This is the gang's most profound success: not
merely to win the loyalty of its supporters, but to conquer the imagination
and the political horizons of society as a whole.At the core of destructive
narcissism, then, stands not only a stratagem but an attraction to
annihilation itself. Rosenfeld showed how this attraction cloaks itself in
the language of resilience and strength, until the life drive can no longer
be distinguished from the death drive. This admixture is plainly visible in
Israeli society and culture today. This is the real danger now. An
organization cornered does not retreat quietly; it seeks to take its entire
surroundings down with it. This characteristic may yet play a central role
in Netanyahu's efforts to evade justice and defer the moment of reckoning,
as he seeks once more to draw us all in =E2=80=93 supporters and opponents =
alike =E2=80=93
into a maelstrom that will swallow up the tracks.But Rosenfeld also pointed
to a way out. Recovery does not begin with a stronger leader but with
withdrawal: when the ego severs its pact with its own destructive parts and
returns to relying on good, realistic objects: boundaries, trust
relationships and a recognition of the limits of power.This, to my mind, is
the criterion by which the political alternatives in Israel should be
judged. Not who promises the strongest protection or some new cognitive
bypass around the Palestinian issue, but who offers Israeli society release
from the need for a savior; not who promises greater power, but who is
willing to acknowledge that a healthy society does not depend on one
person, however charismatic or decent.The test is not a simple one. Much of
the political system goes on speaking the language of power, control and
more efficient management. Even when the intentions are good and the values
entirely different, the basic promise remains the same: Choose the right
leader, and he will solve the problem for you. But Israel's crisis is too
deep to be resolved by swapping one savior for another.The unconscious pact
that the overwhelming majority of Israelis made with the "gang" is not the
only danger. In October, in a column on "the other Israel," I pointed to
the other face of that avoidance of moral reckoning: not the narcissistic
pact with power, but the melancholy of the opposing camp. Israeli society,
I wrote then, refuses to mourn. It processes the failure of October 7 in
military and technical terms while avoiding any moral reckoning. The camp
of Netanyahu's opponents may offer a conscience, but not always a reckoning
and a change. On the scale of the harm to innocents in Gaza, the magnitude
of the devastation Israel continues to wreak in Lebanon and the organized
destruction of Palestinian life in the occupied territories, the "anyone
but Bibi" camp also remains silent.It now becomes possible to see that the
two phenomena are one. The pact with the internal gang and the refusal to
mourn are two modes of the same avoidance: One seeks refuge in omnipotence;
the other in nostalgia. Both avoid confronting irreversible loss: the
painful acknowledgement that there is no savior, and that we ourselves must
bear the loss and the responsibility. The "other Israel" is no alternative
so long as it remains desperate for a "unity of the camps" that would
restore everything to how it was, as if by magic, instead of taking on the
hard work of separation.And from here the decisive distinction. A genuine
alternative is not one that promises to restore Israel to itself without
Netanyahu, but rather the one that is willing to convert the melancholic
conscience into a Jewish-Arab political force that would break the cycle of
nostalgia and victimhood and accept responsibility. The coming election is
not merely a choice between leaders or parties, but between continuing to
lean on the omnipotent promise =E2=80=93 in all its various, interchangeabl=
e guises
on the right and in the self-styled liberal center =E2=80=93 and taking the
difficult step of weaning ourselves off it.The real question is not who
will save us from the gang and its fantasies of power, but whether we can
once again become a society that recognizes its structural weaknesses and
its real challenges, that takes responsibility for its present and for its
future =E2=80=93 and has no need for a savior.---Eran Rolnik is a psychiatr=
ist,
psychoanalyst and historian whose books include "Freud in Zion:
Psychoanalysis and the Making of Modern Jewish Identity."*

--0000000000008d62250654d54e99
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=
=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><a=
 href=3D"https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-06-22/ty-article-opinion/.pre=
mium/a-strong-leader-for-a-weakened-israel/0000019e-eb68-d4c5-a9fe-ff6a2e18=
0000" target=3D"_blank">ttps://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-06-22/ty-articl=
e-opinion/.premium/a-strong-leader-for-a-weakened-israel/0000019e-eb68-d4c5=
-a9fe-ff6a2e180000</a><br><br><b>&quot;At the core of destructive narcissis=
m, then, stands not only a stratagem but an attraction to annihilation itse=
lf<span class=3D"gmail_default">.</span></b>=C2=A0&quot;<br><br><b><font si=
ze=3D"4"><i>A Strong Leader for a Weakened Israel </i></font></b><br><br><b=
>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the Jerusalem News Syndicate I=
nternational Policy Summit in Jerusalem, Sunday. Credit: Ronen Zvulun/REUTE=
RS</b></font></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><b><br></=
b></font></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><b>Eran Rolni=
k,=C2=A0 22 June 2026<br><br>Carolina Landsmann has offered an important ke=
y to reading Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s recent moves. The con artist whose fr=
aud has blown up does not seek a way forward, but rather to cover the track=
s that led to his great diplomatic failure: diverting Israel&#39;s politica=
l agenda from the Palestinian question to the Iranian nuclear program.<br><=
br>I wish to follow this line inward: from the apocalyptic logic of a prime=
 minister who, by denying the reality of 1967, has dragged his nation and D=
iaspora Jews back into the existential anxieties of 1948 and into the psych=
opolitical structure that underlies that regression, and from there to the =
challenge posed by the coming election.<br><br>The 20th-century German-Brit=
ish psychoanalyst Herbert Rosenfeld, working with patients with borderline =
personality organization, described what unfolds in a mind ruled by destruc=
tive narcissism. The destructive parts of the self organize themselves into=
 a kind of internal gang that seizes control of the personality. The gang&#=
39;s power lies in the way it alternates between two roles. First it seduce=
s: It appeals to the dependent, needy part and promises it supremacy =E2=80=
=93 &quot;join us and you will be invincible.&quot; Then, once the ego has =
surrendered itself, the gang assumes the role of the mafioso collecting pro=
tection money, branding every appeal for genuine outside help as betrayal.<=
br><br>The parallel at the national level is hard to miss. The gang&#39;s t=
wo roles are precisely the two stages that Israeli society has passed throu=
gh during Netanyahu&#39;s years in power.<br><br>First came the seduction. =
Israelis were invited to join the Bibi-ist fantasy of unlimited power, powe=
r that permits the denial of the most basic facts of their existence: a sta=
te that need answer to no one =E2=80=93 not to a court, not to its allies, =
not to international norms and at times not even to facts. Anyone who menti=
oned a limit of any kind =E2=80=93 a judge, a journalist, an officer or a p=
ublic servant with a conscience =E2=80=93 was marked as an agent of the &qu=
ot;deep state&quot; or as a defeatist out to sabotage the great promise. Th=
e judicial overhaul was meant not only to strengthen the gang&#39;s grip on=
 power but also to entrench its hold over Israelis&#39; distorted picture o=
f the world.<br><br>Then came October 7. The fantasy shattered against the =
wall of reality, and the gang switched roles. Now it no longer promises pow=
er, but protection. Netanyahu steps forward and says: All around you are no=
thing but enemies and dangers; even those you took for allies proved to be =
a broken reed, and only I can protect you. <br><br>Israelis protesting agai=
nst Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his corruption trial at Tel A=
viv&#39;s District Court, on Tuesday. Credit: Tomer Appelbaum<br><br>This i=
s the heart of the paradox. The very weakness he helped to create becomes h=
is most valuable political asset. The more frightened the public, the great=
er =E2=80=93 ostensibly =E2=80=93 the need for the man who promises to save=
 it.<br><br>Here the diagnosis must be completed. The destructive appetite =
of a leader who sees reality closing in on him from every side does not suf=
ficiently explain Netanyahu&#39;s pull over broad audiences, even in his pr=
esent incarnation as a man whose failure echoes far and wide.<br><br>Alongs=
ide the appetite for destruction, two additional forces are at work. The fi=
rst is the fascination with the leader who has no conscience: that primal h=
uman attraction to the leader who appears to be unbound by moral restraint.=
 The second is the fear of the collapse that would come with acknowledging =
the catastrophe he brought upon his people. Large segments of the public, a=
nd at times even his fiercest opponents, continue to see in Netanyahu an ex=
ceptional figure: a clever, experienced man whose very lack of inhibition a=
ppears, paradoxically, to be a source of strength in difficult hard times.<=
br><br>This is the gang&#39;s most profound success: not merely to win the =
loyalty of its supporters, but to conquer the imagination and the political=
 horizons of society as a whole.<br><br>At the core of destructive narcissi=
sm, then, stands not only a stratagem but an attraction to annihilation its=
elf. Rosenfeld showed how this attraction cloaks itself in the language of =
resilience and strength, until the life drive can no longer be distinguishe=
d from the death drive. This admixture is plainly visible in Israeli societ=
y and culture today. This is the real danger now. An organization cornered =
does not retreat quietly; it seeks to take its entire surroundings down wit=
h it. This characteristic may yet play a central role in Netanyahu&#39;s ef=
forts to evade justice and defer the moment of reckoning, as he seeks once =
more to draw us all in =E2=80=93 supporters and opponents alike =E2=80=93 i=
nto a maelstrom that will swallow up the tracks.<br><br>But Rosenfeld also =
pointed to a way out. Recovery does not begin with a stronger leader but wi=
th withdrawal: when the ego severs its pact with its own destructive parts =
and returns to relying on good, realistic objects: boundaries, trust relati=
onships and a recognition of the limits of power.<br><br>This, to my mind, =
is the criterion by which the political alternatives in Israel should be ju=
dged. Not who promises the strongest protection or some new cognitive bypas=
s around the Palestinian issue, but who offers Israeli society release from=
 the need for a savior; not who promises greater power, but who is willing =
to acknowledge that a healthy society does not depend on one person, howeve=
r charismatic or decent<span class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:g=
eorgia,serif;font-size:small">.</span><br><br>The test is not a simple one.=
 Much of the political system goes on speaking the language of power, contr=
ol and more efficient management. Even when the intentions are good and the=
 values entirely different, the basic promise remains the same: Choose the =
right leader, and he will solve the problem for you. But Israel&#39;s crisi=
s is too deep to be resolved by swapping one savior for another.<br><br>The=
 unconscious pact that the overwhelming majority of Israelis made with the =
&quot;gang&quot; is not the only danger. In October, in a column on &quot;t=
he other Israel,&quot; I pointed to the other face of that avoidance of mor=
al reckoning: not the narcissistic pact with power, but the melancholy of t=
he opposing camp. Israeli society, I wrote then, refuses to mourn. It proce=
sses the failure of October 7 in military and technical terms while avoidin=
g any moral reckoning. The camp of Netanyahu&#39;s opponents may offer a co=
nscience, but not always a reckoning and a change. On the scale of the harm=
 to innocents in Gaza, the magnitude of the devastation Israel continues to=
 wreak in Lebanon and the organized destruction of Palestinian life in the =
occupied territories, the &quot;anyone but Bibi&quot; camp also remains sil=
ent.<br><br>It now becomes possible to see that the two phenomena are one. =
The pact with the internal gang and the refusal to mourn are two modes of t=
he same avoidance: One seeks refuge in omnipotence; the other in nostalgia.=
 Both avoid confronting irreversible loss: the painful acknowledgement that=
 there is no savior, and that we ourselves must bear the loss and the respo=
nsibility. The &quot;other Israel&quot; is no alternative so long as it rem=
ains desperate for a &quot;unity of the camps&quot; that would restore ever=
ything to how it was, as if by magic, instead of taking on the hard work of=
 separation.<br><br>And from here the decisive distinction. A genuine alter=
native is not one that promises to restore Israel to itself without Netanya=
hu, but rather the one that is willing to convert the melancholic conscienc=
e into a Jewish-Arab political force that would break the cycle of nostalgi=
a and victimhood and accept responsibility. The coming election is not mere=
ly a choice between leaders or parties, but between continuing to lean on t=
he omnipotent promise =E2=80=93 in all its various, interchangeable guises =
on the right and in the self-styled liberal center =E2=80=93 and taking the=
 difficult step of weaning ourselves off it.<br><br>The real question is no=
t who will save us from the gang and its fantasies of power, but whether we=
 can once again become a society that recognizes its structural weaknesses =
and its real challenges, that takes responsibility for its present and for =
its future =E2=80=93 and has no need for a savior.<br><span class=3D"gmail_=
default" style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif;font-size:small">---</span><br>=
Eran Rolnik is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and historian whose books incl=
ude &quot;Freud in Zion: Psychoanalysis and the Making of Modern Jewish Ide=
ntity.&quot;</b></font></div>
</div>
</div>
</div></div>

--0000000000008d62250654d54e99--

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Subject: [Salon] Neutrality can aid diplomacy for peace internationally
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https://www.aol.com/articles/opinion-neutrality-aid-diplomacy-peace-0904270=
00.html?guccounter=3D1
Opinion: Neutrality can aid diplomacy for peace internationally
<https://www.citizen-times.com/>
Elizabeth =E2=80=9CLiz=E2=80=9D Colton, Guest Opinion
Sun, June 21, 2026

Pick a side. Don't hide on the sidelines. Don't stay in the middle. Being
neutral in a dispute is often disparaged. Children in fights and other
contests on playgrounds worldwide learn early to fear such taunts and often
take sides to avoid persecution by the crowd.

Yet we need to recognize the diplomatic value of neutrality for peaceful
conflict resolution.

*"We Algerians are completely focused on honorably fulfilling our nation's
voluntary diplomatic role to serve as the neutral intermediary, mediator
between the U.S. and Iran. We have good diplomatic relations with each
side. We are messengers and unbiased interpreters between two adversarial
nations. We wish only to bring an end to the dispute."*

Algerian diplomats described to me their role in then-ongoing U.S.-Iran
negotiations over American hostages held in Tehran since November 1979.
Flying across the Atlantic Ocean on two Concorde flights several days apart
in late December 1980, both Algerian ambassadors, one to the United States
and the other to Iran, agreed to talk with me, the surprise reporter on
board.

As an international journalist, I had been involved in coverage of that
dramatic international story from the first day. A year into the continuing
crisis, in November 1980, upon my initiating reporting the newly developing
Algerian diplomatic effort, I became ABCNews' so-called "Algerian
Connection" covering Algeria's role as intermediary.

Those Dec. 26 and 31, 1980, Concorde flights carried the Algerian envoys
enroute to and from diplomatic talks with senior Americans in Washington
before the two flew on to Tehran to convey messages the beginning of 1981.
Then, also early January, the top U.S. negotiators set up their final base
of operations at U.S Embassy-Algiers until the American hostages were
finally released from Iran to Algeria Jan. 20 for handing over to U.S.
officials and airplane waiting at Algiers Airport.

Today Pakistan is playing the delicate, chief intermediary role between the
same two adversarial nations. Pakistan is a friend of Iran and USA, sharing
multiple bonds with each, including a geographic border and religion with
the former, and also important, long-standing connections of varying
degrees with the latter.

A rare number of nations, like Switzerland, maintain a state of neutrality
worldwide. Others might claim neutrality in a particular conflict, war or
other dispute, while maintaining friendship with both sides. Sometimes such
countries with a strong desire to end conflict between their friends serve
as intermediary.

Opposition to neutrality comes from all sides, including the warmongers and
those opposing wars. Bullies deride neutrality and do all to force taking
their side. The threats against and lures to entice openly and subtly push
and pull others incessantly to give up any neutral inclination.

This year the American president threatened the Arab nation of Oman for
maintaining Iran ties along with its centuries-old U.S. relations,
including recent decades' serving as valued interlocutor between U.S. and
Iran. Oman continues standing its ground, on its ancient geographic
position over the Persian (also Arab) Gulf's Strait of Hormuz and long
Omani coastline on the Indian Ocean.

Qatar, though also an intermediary relaying messages between the U.S. and
Iran, houses some inherent obstacles to claiming true neutrality. That Arab
nation, also across the shared Gulf from Iran, hosts a major U.S. military
base while simultaneously offering refuge to Iranian-supported
international organizations deemed terrorists by the U.S. Yet Qatar still
operates as a key influencer-intermediary bearing messages, offering advice
as it wields enormous financial and strategic power over both warring
nations.

Historically, Algeria, though never truly credited by the antagonists or
global media, played the essential diplomatic role of neutral intermediary
in resolving that 444-days-long U.S.-Iran conflict finally in January 1981.

Let's hope Pakistan can now maintain its neutrality in this conflict to
become the successful intermediary between their friends, Iran and USA.
It's a difficult position to maintain as warring nations welcome scapegoats
to blame for any negotiating failure.

Long live peacemaking neutrality!

*Postscript:* Neutral intermediaries can help bring peace not only
internationally but also nationally and locally. I'm wondering whether
there's a neutral nation or domestic party courageous and caring enough to
serve as intermediary to bring peace in this conflicted United States of
America.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr" style=3D"color:rgb(38,40,42);font-family:=
&quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px"><a hr=
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mily:&quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px">=
<h1 style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:32px;margin:0px 0p=
x 0.4em;max-width:16em;line-height:44px">Opinion: Neutrality can aid diplom=
acy for peace internationally</h1><div style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,20=
1,210);margin-top:7px;width:779px;color:rgb(18,22,28);font-family:Matter,he=
lvetica,arial,sans-serif"><div style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210)">=
<a href=3D"https://www.citizen-times.com/" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blan=
k" style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);background-color:transparent"=
></a><div style=3D"border-width:0px 0px 0px 1px;border-style:solid;border-c=
olor:rgb(142,157,168);margin-left:10px;margin-right:0px"><div style=3D"bord=
er:0px solid rgb(194,201,210)"><div style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,2=
10);display:inline"><span style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-w=
eight:700;text-transform:uppercase;line-height:21px">Elizabeth =E2=80=9CLiz=
=E2=80=9D Colton, Guest Opinion</span></div></div><span style=3D"border:0px=
 solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:0.923em;font-weight:600;line-height:19px;=
color:rgb(128,128,128)">Sun, June 21, 2026=C2=A0</span></div></div><div sty=
le=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210)"><div style=3D"border:1px solid rgb=
(225,229,234);border-radius:9999px;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div id=3D"m=
_-1387011850392950951ydp3e897aaeyiv5286555428ydpaef65c9yiv4977105672ydpc05e=
a198social-share_R_1a8qllmaav5ubrb_" title=3D"Opinion: Neutrality can aid d=
iplomacy for peace internationally" style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,2=
10);display:inline-block;margin-right:0px;margin-left:16px"><div style=3D"b=
order:1px solid rgb(240,243,245);margin-top:3px;border-radius:9999px;paddin=
g-bottom:3px;padding-right:2px"></div></div></div></div><div style=3D"borde=
r:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);color:rgb(18,22,28);font-family:Matter,helveti=
ca,arial,sans-serif"></div><div style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);=
margin:13px auto;max-width:819px;color:rgb(18,22,28);font-family:Matter,hel=
vetica,arial,sans-serif"><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font=
-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px=
 auto 30px">Pick a side. Don&#39;t hide on the sidelines. Don&#39;t stay in=
 the middle. Being neutral in a dispute is often disparaged. Children in fi=
ghts and other contests on playgrounds worldwide learn early to fear such t=
aunts and often take sides to avoid persecution by the crowd.</p><p style=
=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em=
;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px auto 30px">Yet we need to recogn=
ize the diplomatic value of neutrality for peaceful conflict resolution.</p=
><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:1.2em;letter-spaci=
ng:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px auto 30px"><em style=3D=
"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210)">&quot;We Algerians are completely focus=
ed on honorably fulfilling our nation&#39;s voluntary diplomatic role to se=
rve as the neutral intermediary, mediator between the U.S. and Iran. We hav=
e good diplomatic relations with each side. We are messengers and unbiased =
interpreters between two adversarial nations. We wish only to bring an end =
to the dispute.&quot;</em></p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210)=
;font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margi=
n:0px auto 30px">Algerian diplomats described to me their role in then-ongo=
ing U.S.-Iran negotiations over American hostages held in Tehran since Nove=
mber 1979. Flying across the Atlantic Ocean on two Concorde flights several=
 days apart in late December 1980, both Algerian ambassadors, one to the Un=
ited States and the other to Iran, agreed to talk with me, the surprise rep=
orter on board.</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:=
1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px auto =
30px">As an international journalist, I had been involved in coverage of th=
at dramatic international story from the first day. A year into the continu=
ing crisis, in November 1980, upon my initiating reporting the newly develo=
ping Algerian diplomatic effort, I became ABCNews&#39; so-called &quot;Alge=
rian Connection&quot; covering Algeria&#39;s role as intermediary.</p><p st=
yle=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.0=
1em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px auto 30px">Those Dec. 26 and =
31, 1980, Concorde flights carried the Algerian envoys enroute to and from =
diplomatic talks with senior Americans in Washington before the two flew on=
 to Tehran to convey messages the beginning of 1981. Then, also early Janua=
ry, the top U.S. negotiators set up their final base of operations at U.S E=
mbassy-Algiers until the American hostages were finally released from Iran =
to Algeria Jan. 20 for handing over to U.S. officials and airplane waiting =
at Algiers Airport.=C2=A0</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);=
font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin=
:0px auto 30px">Today Pakistan is playing the delicate, chief intermediary =
role between the same two adversarial nations. Pakistan is a friend of Iran=
 and USA, sharing multiple bonds with each, including a geographic border a=
nd religion with the former, and also important, long-standing connections =
of varying degrees with the latter.</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194=
,201,210);font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:1=
00%;margin:0px auto 30px">A rare number of nations, like Switzerland, maint=
ain a state of neutrality worldwide. Others might claim neutrality in a par=
ticular conflict, war or other dispute, while maintaining friendship with b=
oth sides. Sometimes such countries with a strong desire to end conflict be=
tween their friends serve as intermediary.</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid =
rgb(194,201,210);font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-=
width:100%;margin:0px auto 30px">Opposition to neutrality comes from all si=
des, including the warmongers and those opposing wars. Bullies deride neutr=
ality and do all to force taking their side. The threats against and lures =
to entice openly and subtly push and pull others incessantly to give up any=
 neutral inclination.</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font=
-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px=
 auto 30px">This year the American president threatened the Arab nation of =
Oman for maintaining Iran ties along with its centuries-old U.S. relations,=
 including recent decades&#39; serving as valued interlocutor between U.S. =
and Iran. Oman continues standing its ground, on its ancient geographic pos=
ition over the Persian (also Arab) Gulf&#39;s Strait of Hormuz and long Oma=
ni coastline on the Indian Ocean.</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,2=
01,210);font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100=
%;margin:0px auto 30px">Qatar, though also an intermediary relaying message=
s between the U.S. and Iran, houses some inherent obstacles to claiming tru=
e neutrality. That Arab nation, also across the shared Gulf from Iran, host=
s a major U.S. military base while simultaneously offering refuge to Irania=
n-supported international organizations deemed terrorists by the U.S. Yet Q=
atar still operates as a key influencer-intermediary bearing messages, offe=
ring advice as it wields enormous financial and strategic power over both w=
arring nations.</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:=
1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px auto =
30px">Historically, Algeria, though never truly credited by the antagonists=
 or global media, played the essential diplomatic role of neutral intermedi=
ary in resolving that 444-days-long U.S.-Iran conflict finally in January 1=
981.</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:1.2em;lette=
r-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px auto 30px">Let&#=
39;s hope Pakistan can now maintain its neutrality in this conflict to beco=
me the successful intermediary between their friends, Iran and USA. It&#39;=
s a difficult position to maintain as warring nations welcome scapegoats to=
 blame for any negotiating failure.</p><p style=3D"border:0px solid rgb(194=
,201,210);font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;line-height:2em;max-width:1=
00%;margin:0px auto 30px">Long live peacemaking neutrality!</p><p style=3D"=
border:0px solid rgb(194,201,210);font-size:1.2em;letter-spacing:0.01em;lin=
e-height:2em;max-width:100%;margin:0px auto 30px"><em style=3D"border:0px s=
olid rgb(194,201,210)">Postscript:</em>=C2=A0Neutral intermediaries can hel=
p bring peace not only internationally but also nationally and locally. I&#=
39;m wondering whether there&#39;s a neutral nation or domestic party coura=
geous and caring enough to serve as intermediary to bring peace in this con=
flicted United States of America.</p></div></div></div>

--00000000000025397c0654d56301--

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Subject: [Salon] US-Iran talks continue despite hurdles
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US-Iran talks continue despite hurdles
[image: Delegation staff members meet in the lobby on the day of a
quadrilateral meeting between the U.S., Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar]
<https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#m_-8402809346791331912_>Delegation staff
members meet on the day of a quadrilateral meeting between the US, Iran,
Pakistan, and Qatar. Nathan Howard/Pool via Reuters

*US and Iranian negotiators, including Vice President JD Vance, concluded
high-level talks early this morning as a deal to curtail Tehran=E2=80=99s n=
uclear
program faces growing hurdles. *On Sunday, Trump threatened to =E2=80=9Chit=
 Iran
very hard again=E2=80=9D over Tehran=E2=80=99s support for Hezbollah in Leb=
anon. But both
sides made =E2=80=9Cencouraging progress
<https://semafor.com/s/Cwk42bvaed?email=3Dcwfresidence@gmail.com>,=E2=80=9D=
 mediators
Qatar and Pakistan said. Back in Washington, Trump faces rising Republican
skepticism about a deal. =E2=80=9CI think it=E2=80=99s going to fail,=E2=80=
=9D Sen. Lindsey Graham,
R-S.C., said, though he defended Trump
<https://semafor.com/s/Yq9pJHkk8Q?email=3Dcwfresidence@gmail.com> for tryin=
g
diplomacy even if the memorandum of understanding signed last week is
=E2=80=9Cproblematic.=E2=80=9D One reason Trump will be reluctant to restar=
t attacks on
Iran: falling oil and gas prices. Energy Secretary Chris Wright declined to
predict when they would reach their prewar levels
<https://semafor.com/s/nH4c807Qah?email=3Dcwfresidence@gmail.com> but told
ABC =E2=80=9Cthey will continue to head down.=E2=80=9D

--000000000000de13b70654d56b03
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<div dir=3D"ltr"><table align=3D"left" border=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" cells=
pacing=3D"0" valign=3D"top" width=3D"100%" style=3D"background-color:rgb(24=
8,245,215)"><tbody><tr><td align=3D"center" style=3D"padding:10px 0px 19px"=
><h2 style=3D"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;font-size:2rem;line-h=
eight:35.2px;font-weight:400;margin:0px 10px">US-Iran talks continue despit=
e hurdles</h2></td></tr></tbody></table><table align=3D"left" border=3D"0" =
cellpadding=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" valign=3D"top" style=3D"background-colo=
r:rgb(248,245,215)"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"padding:0px 10px"><a href=3D"ht=
tps://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#m_-8402809346791331912_" style=3D"display:b=
lock"><img alt=3D"Delegation staff members meet in the lobby on the day of =
a quadrilateral meeting between the U.S., Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar" height=
=3D"770" src=3D"https://img.semafor.com/1efd958a05b4167aeb25299ea8cf5a5a300=
290ce-4799x3206.jpg?rect=3D2,0,4797,3206&amp;w=3D1152&amp;h=3D770&amp;q=3D9=
5&amp;auto=3Dformat" width=3D"576" class=3D"gmail-CToWUd" style=3D"display:=
 block; width: 566.667px; height: auto; padding-bottom: 10px;"></a>Delegati=
on staff members meet on the day of a quadrilateral meeting between the US,=
 Iran, Pakistan, and Qatar. Nathan Howard/Pool via Reuters<p style=3D"margi=
n:0px 0px 20px;padding:0px;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;color:rg=
b(31,29,26);font-size:1.25rem;line-height:24px;letter-spacing:-0.02em"><str=
ong>US and Iranian negotiators, including Vice President JD Vance, conclude=
d high-level talks early this morning as a deal to curtail Tehran=E2=80=99s=
 nuclear program faces growing hurdles.=C2=A0</strong>On Sunday, Trump thre=
atened to =E2=80=9Chit Iran very hard again=E2=80=9D over Tehran=E2=80=99s =
support for Hezbollah in Lebanon. But both sides made =E2=80=9C<a href=3D"h=
ttps://semafor.com/s/Cwk42bvaed?email=3Dcwfresidence@gmail.com" target=3D"_=
blank" style=3D"color:rgb(14,41,181)">encouraging progress</a>,=E2=80=9D me=
diators Qatar and Pakistan said. Back in Washington, Trump faces rising Rep=
ublican skepticism about a deal. =E2=80=9CI think it=E2=80=99s going to fai=
l,=E2=80=9D Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said, though he=C2=A0<a href=3D"ht=
tps://semafor.com/s/Yq9pJHkk8Q?email=3Dcwfresidence@gmail.com" target=3D"_b=
lank" style=3D"color:rgb(14,41,181)">defended Trump</a>=C2=A0for trying dip=
lomacy even if the memorandum of understanding signed last week is =E2=80=
=9Cproblematic.=E2=80=9D One reason Trump will be reluctant to restart atta=
cks on Iran: falling oil and gas prices. Energy Secretary Chris Wright decl=
ined to predict when they would reach their=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://semafor=
.com/s/nH4c807Qah?email=3Dcwfresidence@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank" style=
=3D"color:rgb(14,41,181)">prewar levels</a>=C2=A0but told ABC =E2=80=9Cthey=
 will continue to head down.=E2=80=9D</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

--000000000000de13b70654d56b03--

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Subject: [Salon] Baghaei: Panel to oversee Lebanon, oil,
 sanctions provisions (6/22/26)
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*https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/baghaei--panel-to-oversee-leb=
anon--oil--sanctions-provisions
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/baghaei--panel-to-oversee-leb=
anon--oil--sanctions-provisions>*

*Baghaei: Panel to oversee Lebanon, oil, sanctions provisions*

*Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, a member of Iran's
negotiating delegation, told IRNA after the first round of Iran-US talks in
Switzerland concluded, that the two mediators issued a joint statement
drafted in consultation with both delegations, and that its contents carry
particular weight for the next phase of the process.*

*Baghaei said one of the statement's main provisions is the creation of a
high-level committee to oversee implementation of the memorandum of
understanding, alongside a separate mechanism specifically tasked with
monitoring implementation of the memorandum's first clause, which concerns
Lebanon
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/qatar--pakistan-say-progress-=
in-lebanon-talks--60-day-roadma>.*

*He said the statement also provides for the formation of technical working
groups to implement the memorandum under Clause 12, with the technical
delegations from both sides set to resume work today.*

*According to Baghaei, the formation of these groups, as well as the start
of any negotiations toward a final agreement, depends on prior
implementation of Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 of the memorandum, and all
of these mechanisms must be structured so that the other side cannot evade
its commitments.*

*On the economic track, Baghaei said detailed discussions covered the sale
of Iranian oil, the licenses required for oil exports, and the unfreezing
of Iranian assets
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us--qatar-move-to-unlock-froz=
en-iranian-assets-under-ceasefi>,
and that the necessary measures have been taken on these points, with
implementation expected soon.*
On the quadrilateral meeting, nuclear file

*Addressing the quadrilateral meeting, Baghaei said that after Iran's
delegation announced it would not take part, contact continued through the
mediators, which Iran used to press for the other side to follow through on
its obligations.*

*He described the governing principle as commitment for commitment, meaning
any step Iran takes or plans to take must be matched by the other side's
implementation of its own undertakings.*

*On the nuclear file, Baghaei said the US delegation briefly presented its
positions during the quadrilateral meeting, and Iran's delegation did the
same, characterizing the exchange as a presentation of positions rather
than a negotiation. He said Iran's positions were stated clearly and
explicitly, and that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the other side
against repeating expansionist and unreasonable demands on the nuclear
issue.*
The B=C3=BCrgenstock framework

*The media committee of Iran's negotiating delegation issued a statement on
Monday
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/first-round-of-swiss-hosted-i=
ran-us-talks-ends-with-5-key-ag>
outlining
the broader B=C3=BCrgenstock framework, which links security arrangements,
financial measures, and sanctions relief to conditional implementation
steps.*

*According to that statement, the Lebanon mechanism Baghaei referenced is
named the Conflict Control Unit, with Iran taking part and "Israel"
excluded. It follows sustained pressure from Iran's delegation since
Saturday afternoon that helped maintain a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/qaani-tells--israel---leave-s=
outh-lebanon-or-face-repeat-of>
ahead
of the talks.*

*The same round of talks produced a separate understanding on the Strait of
Hormuz
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-mp-azizi-says-hormuz-dec=
ision-rests-with-tehran>,
establishing a communication channel through which relevant parties can
contact Iran directly over maritime coordination and regional navigation,
part of broader discussions on managing and gradually reopening the strait.=
*

*On the financial side, Iran and Qatar
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/miscellaneous/qatar-ras-laffan-explosi=
on-injures-dozens-at-barzan-gas-facihttps://english.almayadeen.net/news/mis=
cellaneous/qatar-ras-laffan-explosion-injures-dozens-at-barzan-gas-faci>
signed
a memorandum of understanding on releasing Iran's frozen assets during the
same round of talks.*

*Separately, documents issued by the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets
Control during the negotiations provide for a 60-day suspension of
sanctions on oil, petrochemical, and related sectors, allowing Iran to
resume oil sales to its customers and receive payments through mechanisms
managed by its Central Bank.*

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=
=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr"><b style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif;backgro=
und-color:transparent"><a href=3D"https://english.almayadeen.net/news/polit=
ics/baghaei--panel-to-oversee-lebanon--oil--sanctions-provisions" target=3D=
"_blank">https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/baghaei--panel-to-ove=
rsee-lebanon--oil--sanctions-provisions</a></b></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div =
dir=3D"ltr"><div style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif"><b><br></b></div><div>=
<h1 style=3D"font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;line-height:1.2141em;m=
argin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><font=
 size=3D"4"><i>Baghaei: Panel to oversee Lebanon, oil, sanctions provisions=
</i></font></h1><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif=
" color=3D"#000000">Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, a=
 member of Iran&#39;s negotiating delegation, told<span>=C2=A0</span><em st=
yle=3D"max-width:100%">IRNA</em><span>=C2=A0</span>after the first round of=
 Iran-US talks in Switzerland concluded, that the two mediators issued a jo=
int statement drafted in consultation with both delegations, and that its c=
ontents carry particular weight for the next phase of the process.</font></=
b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D=
"#000000">Baghaei said one of the statement&#39;s main provisions is the cr=
eation of a high-level committee to oversee implementation of the memorandu=
m of understanding, alongside a separate mechanism specifically tasked with=
 monitoring implementation of the memorandum&#39;s first clause, which<span=
>=C2=A0</span><a href=3D"https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/qatar=
--pakistan-say-progress-in-lebanon-talks--60-day-roadma" style=3D"text-deco=
ration:none;max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank">concerns Lebanon</a>.</font><=
/b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=
=3D"#000000">He said the statement also provides for the formation of techn=
ical working groups to implement the memorandum under Clause 12, with the t=
echnical delegations from both sides set to resume work today.</font></b></=
p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#00=
0000">According to Baghaei, the formation of these groups, as well as the s=
tart of any negotiations toward a final agreement, depends on prior impleme=
ntation of Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 of the memorandum, and all of these=
 mechanisms must be structured so that the other side cannot evade its comm=
itments.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia=
, serif" color=3D"#000000">On the economic track, Baghaei said detailed dis=
cussions covered the sale of Iranian oil, the licenses required for oil exp=
orts, and the<span>=C2=A0</span><a href=3D"https://english.almayadeen.net/n=
ews/politics/us--qatar-move-to-unlock-frozen-iranian-assets-under-ceasefi" =
style=3D"text-decoration:none;max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank">unfreezing =
of Iranian assets</a>, and that the necessary measures have been taken on t=
hese points, with implementation expected soon.</font></b></p><h2 style=3D"=
max-width:100%"><font size=3D"2" face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">=
On the quadrilateral meeting, nuclear file</font></h2><p style=3D"max-width=
:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">Addressing the qu=
adrilateral meeting, Baghaei said that after Iran&#39;s delegation announce=
d it would not take part, contact continued through the mediators, which Ir=
an used to press for the other side to follow through on its obligations.</=
font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" c=
olor=3D"#000000">He described the governing principle as commitment for com=
mitment, meaning any step Iran takes or plans to take must be matched by th=
e other side&#39;s implementation of its own undertakings.</font></b></p><p=
 style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000=
">On the nuclear file, Baghaei said the US delegation briefly presented its=
 positions during the quadrilateral meeting, and Iran&#39;s delegation did =
the same, characterizing the exchange as a presentation of positions rather=
 than a negotiation. He said Iran&#39;s positions were stated clearly and e=
xplicitly, and that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned the other side a=
gainst repeating expansionist and unreasonable demands on the nuclear issue=
.</font></b></p><h2 style=3D"max-width:100%"><font size=3D"2" face=3D"georg=
ia, serif" color=3D"#000000">The B=C3=BCrgenstock framework</font></h2><p s=
tyle=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">=
The media committee of Iran&#39;s negotiating delegation<span>=C2=A0</span>=
<a href=3D"https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/first-round-of-swis=
s-hosted-iran-us-talks-ends-with-5-key-ag" style=3D"text-decoration:none;ma=
x-width:100%" target=3D"_blank">issued a statement on Monday</a><span>=C2=
=A0</span>outlining the broader B=C3=BCrgenstock framework, which links sec=
urity arrangements, financial measures, and sanctions relief to conditional=
 implementation steps.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font f=
ace=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">According to that statement, the L=
ebanon mechanism Baghaei referenced is named the Conflict Control Unit, wit=
h Iran taking part and &quot;Israel&quot; excluded. It follows sustained pr=
essure from Iran&#39;s delegation since Saturday afternoon that helped main=
tain a fragile<span>=C2=A0</span><a href=3D"https://english.almayadeen.net/=
news/politics/qaani-tells--israel---leave-south-lebanon-or-face-repeat-of" =
style=3D"text-decoration:none;max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank">ceasefire i=
n Lebanon</a><span>=C2=A0</span>ahead of the talks.</font></b></p><p style=
=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">The =
same round of talks produced a separate understanding on the<span>=C2=A0</s=
pan><a href=3D"https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/iran-mp-azizi-s=
ays-hormuz-decision-rests-with-tehran" style=3D"text-decoration:none;max-wi=
dth:100%" target=3D"_blank">Strait of Hormuz</a>, establishing a communicat=
ion channel through which relevant parties can contact Iran directly over m=
aritime coordination and regional navigation, part of broader discussions o=
n managing and gradually reopening the strait.</font></b></p><p style=3D"ma=
x-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">On the fin=
ancial side, Iran and<span>=C2=A0</span><a href=3D"https://english.almayade=
en.net/news/miscellaneous/qatar-ras-laffan-explosion-injures-dozens-at-barz=
an-gas-facihttps://english.almayadeen.net/news/miscellaneous/qatar-ras-laff=
an-explosion-injures-dozens-at-barzan-gas-faci" style=3D"text-decoration:no=
ne;max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank">Qatar</a><span>=C2=A0</span>signed a m=
emorandum of understanding on releasing Iran&#39;s frozen assets during the=
 same round of talks.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font fa=
ce=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">Separately, documents issued by the=
 US Treasury&#39;s Office of Foreign Assets Control during the negotiations=
 provide for a 60-day suspension of sanctions on oil, petrochemical, and re=
lated sectors, allowing Iran to resume oil sales to its customers and recei=
ve payments through mechanisms managed by its Central Bank.</font></b></p><=
/div></div>
</div>
</div></div>

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*https://larrycjohnson.substack.com/p/even-if-the-strait-of-hormuz-is-open?=
utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&publication_id=3D1225061&post_id=3D203046147&=
utm_campaign=3Demail-post-title&isFreemail=3Dfalse&r=3D210kv&triedRedirect=
=3Dtrue&utm_medium=3Demail*
<https://larrycjohnson.substack.com/p/even-if-the-strait-of-hormuz-is-open?=
utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&publication_id=3D1225061&post_id=3D203046147&=
utm_campaign=3Demail-post-title&isFreemail=3Dfalse&r=3D210kv&triedRedirect=
=3Dtrue&utm_medium=3Demail>

*Even If the Strait of Hormuz is Open, it Ain=E2=80=99t Open*
*Larry C Johnson* <https://substack.com/@larrycjohnson>  6/22/26
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_OeY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F4561cdf6-64e0-4c7a-99d6-4e8c7ecc98bf_610x695.png>

*It is open. Nope, it is closed. Wait=E2=80=A6 It is open. What? Closed aga=
in? If
you are following the media reports on the Strait of Hormuz you are
probably dizzy from hearing about the changing status of the Strait of
Hormuz. If you think that getting a firm agreement between Iran and the US
to open the Strait of Hormuz will result in an instant solution to
restoring global oil reserves, think again.*

*Even if Iran agrees to a 60-day moratorium on charging ships entering and
leaving the Persian Gulf a =E2=80=9Cusage fee=E2=80=9D (Trump calls it a =
=E2=80=9Ctoll=E2=80=9D), and the
moratorium starts this week, the world still faces some serious economic
shocks from the disruption of Crude Oil and LNG. Crude Oil and LNG
production will take time to ramp back up to the pre-Ramadan War levels. We
still do not have a full assessment of the damage to the Oil and LNG
infrastructure in the Gulf nations. Even if all those systems are intact
and functioning =E2=80=94 they are not =E2=80=94 there is still the problem=
 of having the
tankers that carry the Black Gold ready to take the shipments.*

*The tankers, aka ships, that have been sitting idle in the warm, salty
waters of the Persian Gulf for four months face months of the maintenance
recovery cycle before they will be ready to get back to the task of hauling
oil and LNG. An expert in this field explained it to me this way:*

*Oil tankers are likely to lose weeks to months depending on fouling,
coating condition, and drydock access. LNG carriers are likely to lose
longer because the hull problem is coupled to cargo-system and
gas-management reliability.*

*For planning, assume crude/product tankers lose 1-3 months in the median
case and 3-6 months in the heavy case. Assume newer LNG carriers lose 2-4
months and older/system-stressed LNG carriers lose 4-9+ months. Some
vessels will be faster, but the market should plan for a long tail of slow,
disputed, or yard-bound tonnage.*

*The global perspective is clear: physical movement will recover first;
commercial availability will recover second; fleet efficiency will recover
third. The market will separate clean, documented, charter-ready tonnage
from vessels that are merely moving. The maintenance backlog will be the
next bottleneck after Hormuz.*

*Besides the delay in getting tankers back on the high seas, there is the
problem of the Middle-Distillate Inflection Point. What the hell is that?
As you can see in the image at the top of this article, a barrel of oil is
not like a can of Coca Cola, i.e., a consistent liquid from the top to the
bottom of the can. A barrel of Oil consists of segments, with the
middle-distillate portion of the barrel providing the raw material from
which both diesel and jet fuel are derived. That segment is the critical
fuel for the real economy because diesel runs freight, rail, agriculture,
construction, and distribution, while jet fuel supports both civil aviation
and military air operations.*

*The structural constraint at the heart of the current energy crunch is the
refinery barrel itself. Military jet fuel (JP-8) and civilian diesel are
not refined from separate barrels =E2=80=94 they compete for the same disti=
llate
cut from every barrel processed. So if Trump orders the Pentagon to start
bombing Iran again, that will trigger draw downs on stocks =E2=80=94 assumi=
ng the
ops tempo in the Gulf is sustained =E2=80=94 and refiners will face pressur=
e to
tilt output toward JP-8, which directly squeezes the supply of diesel and
civil aviation fuel. In other words, there is no free barrel; every gallon
of military fuel is a gallon not available to a trucking company, a farmer,
or an airline.*

*Of all the downstream effects, diesel tightness is the most economically
dangerous and the fastest-moving. Unlike gasoline, which is a consumer
cost, diesel is an input cost =E2=80=94 embedded in every freight shipment,=
 every
food delivery, every industrial process. When diesel tightens, the price
increase doesn=E2=80=99t stop at the pump; it cascades through supply chain=
s and
lands simultaneously on freight rates, grocery prices, manufacturing
margins, and retail costs. That kind of broad-based input inflation is one
of the more reliable causes of recession, because it compresses margins
economy-wide while simultaneously suppressing consumer purchasing power.*

*This helps explain why Donald Trump pivoted so quick to support the MoU
with Iran. The real allocation question is not whether to release the SPR
or whether to jawbone OPEC into producing more =E2=80=94 it is how hard to =
run the
war. Every incremental increase in operational intensity consumes
distillate that the domestic economy cannot easily replace, tightening a
transmission belt that runs directly from the Strait of Hormuz into Main
Street prices. The tradeoff between war intensity and economic stability is
not an abstract strategic concern; it is a daily refinery scheduling
decision with macroeconomic consequences.*

*Here is the problem: currently, the US has approximately a 30-day supply
of diesel. It is estimated that somewhere between 8% (VLCC class alone) and
a figure approaching 15=E2=80=9320% of the broader crude and product tanker=
 fleet
is either stranded or effectively withdrawn from global circulation =E2=80=
=94 a
supply shock to shipping capacity that compounds the underlying oil supply
disruption. This means there is no ready, quick solution to fill that gap
in 30 days. In fact, the delay to restore the US supply of diesel could
last as long as 60 days. In short, oil is not going to flow fast enough
globally to meet existing demand, which probably accounts for Trump sudden
decision last week to sign the MoU with Iran. A knowledgeable expert who
provided me with this information believes that we will hit the wall of
diesel shortage in July.*

*How=E2=80=99s that for cheery news?*

------------------------------

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=
=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr"><a href=3D"https://larrycjohnson.substack.com=
/p/even-if-the-strait-of-hormuz-is-open?utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&amp;p=
ublication_id=3D1225061&amp;post_id=3D203046147&amp;utm_campaign=3Demail-po=
st-title&amp;isFreemail=3Dfalse&amp;r=3D210kv&amp;triedRedirect=3Dtrue&amp;=
utm_medium=3Demail" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif;ba=
ckground-color:transparent"><b>https://larrycjohnson.substack.com/p/even-if=
-the-strait-of-hormuz-is-open?utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&amp;publication=
_id=3D1225061&amp;post_id=3D203046147&amp;utm_campaign=3Demail-post-title&a=
mp;isFreemail=3Dfalse&amp;r=3D210kv&amp;triedRedirect=3Dtrue&amp;utm_medium=
=3Demail</b></a></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><b=
><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><br></font></b></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><h1 st=
yle=3D"line-height:1.2141em;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;max-width:10=
0%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><font face=3D"georgia, serif" size=3D"4"><i>Even If=
 the Strait of Hormuz is Open, it Ain=E2=80=99t Open</i></font></h1><div st=
yle=3D"margin-bottom:1.45em;max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><a href=3D"=
https://substack.com/@larrycjohnson" style=3D"text-decoration:none;margin:0=
px;color:rgb(27,27,27);max-width:100%;display:inline" target=3D"_blank"><b>=
<font face=3D"georgia, serif">Larry C Johnson</font></b></a>=C2=A0 6/22/26<=
/div><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><a href=3D"https://s=
ubstackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_OeY!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:stee=
p/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F45=
61cdf6-64e0-4c7a-99d6-4e8c7ecc98bf_610x695.png" style=3D"text-decoration:no=
ne;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"ma=
x-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, seri=
f"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_OeY!,w_1456,c_limit=
,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.=
s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4561cdf6-64e0-4c7a-99d6-4e8c7ecc98bf_6=
10x695.png" alt=3D"" title=3D"" style=3D"margin: 0.5em 0px 0.5em auto; disp=
lay: block;"></font></b></span></div></a></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;c=
olor:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">It is open. Nope, it i=
s closed. Wait=E2=80=A6 It is open. What? Closed again? If you are followin=
g the media reports on the Strait of Hormuz you are probably dizzy from hea=
ring about the changing status of the Strait of Hormuz. If you think that g=
etting a firm agreement between Iran and the US to open the Strait of Hormu=
z will result in an instant solution to restoring global oil reserves, thin=
k again.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><=
font face=3D"georgia, serif">Even if Iran agrees to a 60-day moratorium on =
charging ships entering and leaving the Persian Gulf a =E2=80=9Cusage fee=
=E2=80=9D (Trump calls it a =E2=80=9Ctoll=E2=80=9D), and the moratorium sta=
rts this week, the world still faces some serious economic shocks from the =
disruption of Crude Oil and LNG. Crude Oil and LNG production will take tim=
e to ramp back up to the pre-Ramadan War levels. We still do not have a ful=
l assessment of the damage to the Oil and LNG infrastructure in the Gulf na=
tions. Even if all those systems are intact and functioning =E2=80=94 they =
are not =E2=80=94 there is still the problem of having the tankers that car=
ry the Black Gold ready to take the shipments.</font></b></p><p style=3D"ma=
x-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">The tank=
ers, aka ships, that have been sitting idle in the warm, salty waters of th=
e Persian Gulf for four months face months of the maintenance recovery cycl=
e before they will be ready to get back to the task of hauling oil and LNG.=
 An expert in this field explained it to me this way:</font></b></p><blockq=
uote style=3D"color:rgba(0,0,0,0.65);margin-left:2px;margin-right:6px;paddi=
ng-left:16px;border-left-width:3px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-colo=
r:rgba(0,0,0,0.1);max-width:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=
=3D"georgia, serif">Oil tankers are likely to lose weeks to months dependin=
g on fouling, coating condition, and drydock access. LNG carriers are likel=
y to lose longer because the hull problem is coupled to cargo-system and ga=
s-management reliability.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><fon=
t face=3D"georgia, serif">For planning, assume crude/product tankers lose 1=
-3 months in the median case and 3-6 months in the heavy case. Assume newer=
 LNG carriers lose 2-4 months and older/system-stressed LNG carriers lose 4=
-9+ months. Some vessels will be faster, but the market should plan for a l=
ong tail of slow, disputed, or yard-bound tonnage.</font></b></p><p style=
=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">The global perspective=
 is clear: physical movement will recover first; commercial availability wi=
ll recover second; fleet efficiency will recover third. The market will sep=
arate clean, documented, charter-ready tonnage from vessels that are merely=
 moving. The maintenance backlog will be the next bottleneck after Hormuz.<=
/font></b></p></blockquote><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)">=
<b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><span style=3D"max-width:100%">Besides the=
 delay in getting tankers back on the high seas, there is the problem of th=
e<span>=C2=A0</span></span><span style=3D"max-width:100%">Middle-Distillate=
 Inflection Point</span><span style=3D"max-width:100%">. What the hell is t=
hat? As you can see in the image at the top of this article, a barrel of oi=
l is not like a can of Coca Cola, i.e., a consistent liquid from the top to=
 the bottom of the can. A barrel of Oil consists of segments, with the midd=
le-distillate portion of the barrel providing the raw material from which b=
oth diesel and jet fuel are derived. That segment is the critical fuel for =
the real economy because diesel runs freight, rail, agriculture, constructi=
on, and distribution, while jet fuel supports both civil aviation and milit=
ary air operations.</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:r=
gb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">The structural constraint at=
 the heart of the current energy crunch is the refinery barrel itself. Mili=
tary jet fuel (JP-8) and civilian diesel are not refined from separate barr=
els =E2=80=94 they compete for the same distillate cut from every barrel pr=
ocessed. So if Trump orders the Pentagon to start bombing Iran again, that =
will trigger draw downs on stocks =E2=80=94 assuming the ops tempo in the G=
ulf is sustained =E2=80=94 and refiners will face pressure to tilt output t=
oward JP-8, which directly squeezes the supply of diesel and civil aviation=
 fuel. In other words, there is no free barrel; every gallon of military fu=
el is a gallon not available to a trucking company, a farmer, or an airline=
.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font fa=
ce=3D"georgia, serif">Of all the downstream effects, diesel tightness is th=
e most economically dangerous and the fastest-moving. Unlike gasoline, whic=
h is a consumer cost, diesel is an input cost =E2=80=94 embedded in every f=
reight shipment, every food delivery, every industrial process. When diesel=
 tightens, the price increase doesn=E2=80=99t stop at the pump; it cascades=
 through supply chains and lands simultaneously on freight rates, grocery p=
rices, manufacturing margins, and retail costs. That kind of broad-based in=
put inflation is one of the more reliable causes of recession, because it c=
ompresses margins economy-wide while simultaneously suppressing consumer pu=
rchasing power.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27=
)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">This helps explain why Donald Trump piv=
oted so quick to support the MoU with Iran. The real allocation question is=
 not whether to release the SPR or whether to jawbone OPEC into producing m=
ore =E2=80=94 it is how hard to run the war. Every incremental increase in =
operational intensity consumes distillate that the domestic economy cannot =
easily replace, tightening a transmission belt that runs directly from the =
Strait of Hormuz into Main Street prices. The tradeoff between war intensit=
y and economic stability is not an abstract strategic concern; it is a dail=
y refinery scheduling decision with macroeconomic consequences.</font></b><=
/p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia=
, serif">Here is the problem: currently, the US has approximately a 30-day =
supply of diesel. It is estimated that somewhere between 8% (VLCC class alo=
ne) and a figure approaching 15=E2=80=9320% of the broader crude and produc=
t tanker fleet is either stranded or effectively withdrawn from global circ=
ulation =E2=80=94 a supply shock to shipping capacity that compounds the un=
derlying oil supply disruption. This means there is no ready, quick solutio=
n to fill that gap in 30 days. In fact, the delay to restore the US supply =
of diesel could last as long as 60 days. In short, oil is not going to flow=
 fast enough globally to meet existing demand, which probably accounts for =
Trump sudden decision last week to sign the MoU with Iran. A knowledgeable =
expert who provided me with this information believes that we will hit the =
wall of diesel shortage in July.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;c=
olor:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">How=E2=80=99s that for=
 cheery news?</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"=
></p><hr style=3D"height:0.5px;border:0px;max-width:100%"><p style=3D"color=
:rgb(0,0,0)"></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27);font-family=
:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;"><br></p></div>
</div>
</div>
</div></div>

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c3JhZWxzLXN1aWNpZGFsLXJ1cHR1cmUtd2l0aC10aGUmcj0xcGx3cnomdG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnl=
YMmxrSWpveE1ETTBOemc0TXpFc0ltbGhkQ0k2TVRjNE1qRXpORFV6TWl3aVpYaHdJam94TnpnME=
56STJOVE15TENKcGMzTWlPaUp3ZFdJdE56YzRPRFV4SWl3aWMzVmlJam9pWTJobFkydHZkWFFpZ=
lEuWEdhMU1MR3dPbGRjWVRZczlDclI1RlRDampwUVJMc3RUcmU1TGJYN2RKTSIsInAiOjIwMzA4=
NzkwNSwicyI6Nzc4ODUxLCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1IjoxMDM0Nzg4MzEsImlhdCI6MTc4MjEzNDUzMiw=
iZXhwIjoyMDk3NzEwNTMyLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.Ee1=
8pMOfbYWy9QxFFiVR0g1aFVIyZXi2VoEgsXiiU64?&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_source=3Ds=
ubscribe-widget&utm_content=3D203087905>

Israel is sabotaging the negotiations with Iran and alienating its last
important ally by refusing to halt its attacks
<https://substack.com/redirect/22073aaa-4258-42c5-af20-ec30a45165c4?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
on Lebanon and withdraw from its occupation of the south. It is determined
to reignite a regional conflagration that could see Iran perpetually close
the Strait of Hormuz and plunge
<https://substack.com/redirect/287bbd05-a365-4ce0-8212-125d7abf9e24?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
the global economy into a global depression
<https://substack.com/redirect/5bbb58d0-1aa4-4817-84cc-4b37e4b89dae?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>.
And it continues
<https://substack.com/redirect/cac4f835-2861-4cf5-a669-55afc1bae935?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
its genocide
<https://substack.com/redirect/b471e2f3-a455-4ee5-bacd-c5ec8b96fb5d?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
in Gaza.

Israel is contaminated by racism and genocidal violence. It is blinded by a
repugnant moral superiority. It is corrupted by a class of Zionist
billionaires in the U.S. who use their wealth to bend foreign policy to
serve Israeli interests. It is equipped
<https://substack.com/redirect/fd0ea0fb-b5f7-42d5-b10f-7afc911d2d5a?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
with a nuclear arsenal Israeli officials have repeatedly
<https://substack.com/redirect/738abffc-6468-482d-844d-b81891602ff3?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
threatened
<https://substack.com/redirect/3e53e6ed-b8cc-45fa-8713-4e4840100017?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
to use.

It is a menace to the region. It is a menace to itself. And it is a menace
to us.

The first round of a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran
and Pakistani and Qatari mediators in Switzerland on Sunday =E2=80=94 where=
 the
Iranian delegation refused
<https://substack.com/redirect/2b025ebc-1519-42b3-a4e0-99be90a99d54?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
to take part in a planned handshake and joint photo with its U.S.
counterparts =E2=80=94 focused on the U.S. implementing commitments set in =
the
Memorandum
of Understanding
<https://substack.com/redirect/947d5e82-86be-4792-8627-412f17dc371f?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
(MoU) for a preliminary 60-day period.

But the closure of the Strait of Hormuz =E2=80=94 following Israeli attacks=
 on
Lebanon =E2=80=94 disrupted the talks. The closure sent Trump into another =
one of
his habitual tantrums, when he reportedly told
<https://substack.com/redirect/9483f051-7d70-448b-93f3-8a519ff3b7d4?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
=E2=80=9CFox News=E2=80=9D correspondent Trey Yingst he had informed Irania=
n negotiators if
the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, =E2=80=9C[Y]ou won=E2=80=99t even make=
 it back to your
fucking country.=E2=80=9D

When told that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian continues to assert
Iran=E2=80=99s right to enrich uranium =E2=80=94 a right guaranteed
<https://substack.com/redirect/6be38da4-218c-48a6-8cbb-6edb7953f0fa?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons which the U.S.
co-founded =E2=80=94 Trump reportedly said =E2=80=9C[President Pezeshkian] =
better watch his
mouth. He better shape up or we=E2=80=99ll take over the rest of the countr=
y.=E2=80=9D

=E2=80=9CIran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon fr=
om
causing trouble,=E2=80=9D Trump added
<https://substack.com/redirect/2420855a-6751-4d64-891d-fcf437209aab?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
in a post on Truth Social, referring to Hezbollah. =E2=80=9CIf they don=E2=
=80=99t, we=E2=80=99ll
hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!=E2=80=
=9D

Trump=E2=80=99s threats prompted the Iranian delegation to depart the Swiss=
 venue,
while Ghalibaf dismissed
<https://substack.com/redirect/6c191515-b122-4fbc-a6f9-aa5cdf04016d?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
Trump=E2=80=99s tirades in a post
<https://substack.com/redirect/10120f5b-1a6f-40ba-97dd-a0ae015e4a18?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
on X. =E2=80=9CDon=E2=80=99t they ever stop to think that if their threats =
had worked, they
wouldn=E2=80=99t have reached today=E2=80=99s desperation? We give the Amer=
icans=E2=80=99 threats
no weight whatsoever,=E2=80=9D he said.

The meeting concluded with =E2=80=9Cagreeing on a 60-day roadmap toward a f=
inal
agreement and establishing mechanisms to advance technical negotiations=E2=
=80=9D
under the MoU, according to IRNA News Agency.

Israel=E2=80=99s vision
<https://substack.com/redirect/46560723-4bc4-4207-850f-c9577016a9e1?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
of a =E2=80=9CGreater Israel,=E2=80=9D designed to ensure Israel=E2=80=99s =
military dominance
throughout the Middle East, depends on harnessing the wealth and military
power of the U.S.

Over two-thirds of the major arms and munitions Israel imports =E2=80=94 wi=
thout
which it could not carry out its genocide of the Palestinians, turn
southern Lebanon into a moonscape and bomb Iran, Syria and Qatar =E2=80=94 =
are
manufactured
<https://substack.com/redirect/e605526a-520d-42f1-9eca-0d24b8183fc4?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
and provided
<https://substack.com/redirect/e605526a-520d-42f1-9eca-0d24b8183fc4?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
by the U.S. And because the Israel lobby, for decades, has owned
<https://substack.com/redirect/09ed6427-a937-4ec3-babd-f871750e055a?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
Congress, because its Zionist allies police
<https://substack.com/redirect/ec71f1b6-d4eb-4173-a66a-f1add9cfa693?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
and control
<https://substack.com/redirect/26d9f8ac-bc86-44f5-8cab-71f12ec4136e?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
the media, because it is able to siphon tens of billions of U.S. taxpayer
dollars to sustain its military adventurism, Israel is blind to its own
limitations. It is willing to inflict harm on its allies, including the
U.S., in service to itself.

And that is what it now intends to do. Even the obtuse administration of
Donald Trump =E2=80=94 which has spent over $34 billion on the war with Ira=
n and
which WarCosts estimates
<https://substack.com/redirect/01fe33c6-007b-470c-ac2b-cd0deea1c74b?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
at over $214 billion when wider economic costs are factored in =E2=80=94 ha=
s
figured this out.

Israel is apoplectic about the MoU, which was signed
<https://substack.com/redirect/0a255141-8193-4c87-a78f-a829c6a6bd27?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
virtually on Wednesday, that leaves the disposition of Iranian stockpiled
enriched nuclear materials to later negotiations, lifts the U.S. naval
blockade, releases frozen Iranian assets and issues waivers to allow
Iranian oil sales.

The MoU declares an =E2=80=9Cimmediate and permanent termination of militar=
y
operations on all fronts.=E2=80=9D It proposes a 60-day negotiation period =
before
reaching a final deal, a $300 billion Reconstruction and Development Fund,
the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iran=E2=80=99s periphery and the termina=
tion of
all international and unilateral sanctions.

The rhetoric unleashed by Israeli politicians and pundits about Trump and
those in his administration over the MoU =E2=80=94 reportedly
<https://substack.com/redirect/c52f0e6c-fbdb-4985-af10-ca89d82718d2?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
arranged without Israeli participation =E2=80=94 is venomous. No one in the=
 Trump
administration is immune. Trump=E2=80=99s hapless special envoys and unapol=
ogetic
Zionist assets, Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, were
castigated
<https://substack.com/redirect/8b190686-8d41-4298-80d6-cd1374154511?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
as =E2=80=9Ctwo little Jews=E2=80=9D by Yinon Magal, a former Knesset membe=
r-turned-pundit
who is close to Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump is a =E2=80=9Closer.=E2=80=9D Vic=
e President JD
Vance is
<https://substack.com/redirect/494b9e79-5a32-45ac-9350-4fb9d1fa0c7c?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
=E2=80=9Cscum.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CIsrael Hayom=E2=80=9D =E2=80=94 the Israel=
i newspaper owned by billionaire Miriam
Adelson, one of Trump=E2=80=99s biggest financial donors =E2=80=94 in an op=
-ed accused
<https://substack.com/redirect/85fe98c6-a0d1-4fb8-aaa0-e0205335a1b9?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
Trump of betraying Israel.

=E2=80=9CIf I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be
attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire
world,=E2=80=9D Vance retorted
<https://substack.com/redirect/f4863ee5-133d-420b-bc6b-3b15148a4e68?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
.

It is more than ironic that Israel would push Trump =E2=80=94 who gives the=
 word
bribery
<https://substack.com/redirect/4c4dbf09-b5b4-41b4-b976-32424fe354ed?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
a bad name =E2=80=94 into opposing Israel. But Israel has overplayed its ha=
nd. The
Arab and Muslim world and the Global South detests Washington for its
backing of the genocide and betrayal of the Palestinians. Israel and its
Zionist supporters goaded the U.S. into made-for-Israel wars in Iraq,
Libya, Syria and then, another war with Iran. The alliance and military
debacles have turned Israel and the U.S. into pariah states.

Now, Israel is turning on the only ally it has left.
Upgrade to paid
<https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9jaHJpc2hlZGdlcy5zdWJzdG=
Fjay5jb20vc3Vic2NyaWJlP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9cG9zdCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249ZW1haWwtY2hlY=
2tvdXQmbmV4dD1odHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmNocmlzaGVkZ2VzLnN1YnN0YWNrLmNvbSUyRnAlMkZp=
c3JhZWxzLXN1aWNpZGFsLXJ1cHR1cmUtd2l0aC10aGUmcj0xcGx3cnomdG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnl=
YMmxrSWpveE1ETTBOemc0TXpFc0ltbGhkQ0k2TVRjNE1qRXpORFV6TWl3aVpYaHdJam94TnpnME=
56STJOVE15TENKcGMzTWlPaUp3ZFdJdE56YzRPRFV4SWl3aWMzVmlJam9pWTJobFkydHZkWFFpZ=
lEuWEdhMU1MR3dPbGRjWVRZczlDclI1RlRDampwUVJMc3RUcmU1TGJYN2RKTSIsInAiOjIwMzA4=
NzkwNSwicyI6Nzc4ODUxLCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1IjoxMDM0Nzg4MzEsImlhdCI6MTc4MjEzNDUzMiw=
iZXhwIjoyMDk3NzEwNTMyLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.Ee1=
8pMOfbYWy9QxFFiVR0g1aFVIyZXi2VoEgsXiiU64?&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_source=3Ds=
ubscribe-widget&utm_content=3D203087905>

The failure by the U.S. to continue to subjugate its interests to those of
Israel, even at the cost of economic suicide, is, in the eyes of entitled
Zionists, unforgiveable. Israel expects the Zionist billionaire class and
the Israel lobby in the U.S., as in the past, to bend to its will.

The Obama White House signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2016 with
Israel pledging
<https://substack.com/redirect/50a14132-93ca-4fbb-9e6d-f38ed8b4880c?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
$3.8 billion per year in military aid from 2019-2028. Congress authorized
an additional $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel to sustain the
genocide.

Between 1946 and 2024, the U.S. is estimated
<https://substack.com/redirect/e605526a-520d-42f1-9eca-0d24b8183fc4?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
to have provided Israel with over $300 billion in military and economic
assistance, adjusted for inflation.

The cost of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone are estimated
<https://substack.com/redirect/c35a3fcf-0d66-4dbc-a456-eaa8093391d6?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>,
by Brown University, to be between $4 to $6 trillion, with much of that to
be paid in the coming decades in the form of medical and disability
payments to war veterans and their families.

This time the price is too high.

The defeat of Israel and the U.S. in the war on Iran has dealt a mortal
blow to the project of =E2=80=9CGreater Israel=E2=80=9D and the Abraham Acc=
ords
<https://substack.com/redirect/31d5d72b-f985-4916-a765-09e3a5ba3934?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>.
It has crippled the Trump presidency, driving up
<https://substack.com/redirect/50b1f64d-5079-4175-a9f0-f6ecbed36592?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
inflation, plunging
<https://substack.com/redirect/0ef7f2a0-26e3-4617-9d2e-a86b17d8f83a?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
Trump=E2=80=99s approval rating to dismal levels, paralyzing
<https://substack.com/redirect/57d83243-6318-43d5-aebe-4b1f4304cf12?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
the economies of Gulf allies and threatening
<https://substack.com/redirect/22a79e4c-2e34-43b0-b5ae-966d9fdc3fad?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
Republican control of the House and the Senate in the November elections.

Israel has no intention of catering to Trump. It could not care less what
happens to him, his administration or the effects of the looming economic
catastrophe. But Trump, who always has been and always will be out for
Trump alone, is not going to sacrifice himself for someone else=E2=80=99s b=
enefit
or airy ideals.

Israeli leaders are so out of touch with reality they are threatening to go
to war with Iran *without* the U.S. Avigdor Lieberman, the former defense
minister and current leader of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party, has
called
<https://substack.com/redirect/16f6b002-359a-4aa6-a078-5bc608253f90?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
for Israel to build a ballistic missile force and said
<https://substack.com/redirect/3e08df86-803a-4dd8-9036-7218c6d47406?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
that if he was in charge, he would direct the Mossad to overthrow the
Iranian government.

Israel has no intention
<https://substack.com/redirect/a4573afc-7d6d-4b3a-a412-f58c9876c9bc?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
of leaving
<https://substack.com/redirect/35aa4dff-53ad-4cf0-830c-f57cba6a5106?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
southern Lebanon, the Golan Heights
<https://substack.com/redirect/4d0e0de7-2de0-42a7-96ee-bad628964097?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
=E2=80=94 and other
<https://substack.com/redirect/a7397e37-61df-4e2a-9815-cb1af0b3fac0?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
areas
<https://substack.com/redirect/c50c73c7-9cc6-49f6-bc7c-4d936d104640?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
of Syria it began occupying following the overthrow of Assad =E2=80=94 Gaza=
 =E2=80=94 where
it occupies 70 percent of the land =E2=80=94 or halting its savage ethnic c=
leansing
<https://substack.com/redirect/b5d0fc29-420a-4f89-a461-24f179b215f5?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
in the West Bank. It intends to find some place on the globe to ship the
two million de facto prisoners of concentration camp
<https://substack.com/redirect/0afa2374-f4b0-4a1c-bc89-2518d1be6f20?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
Gaza. Palestinians in Gaza are still being slaughtered =E2=80=94 over 1,000=
 have
been killed
<https://substack.com/redirect/dd387a53-f5fe-4a71-91e6-1aa4105416a0?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
by Israel since the supposed ceasefire went into effect last October =E2=80=
=94 and
huddle in overcrowded
<https://substack.com/redirect/8135cba6-9f7e-486c-a510-93bb9c13bceb?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
tent cities without
<https://substack.com/redirect/603b1540-9c8a-4f73-805a-6cd485d67d49?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
adequate food, clean water or medical care.

These goals may be achievable in the short term, but in the long term they
signal the demise of the Zionist state. Democrats are increasingly shedding
<https://substack.com/redirect/c369accb-54ff-4e7d-9dff-ecda1333a6be?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
the albatross of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC),
which endorsed
<https://substack.com/redirect/20fd17d4-0056-4468-9fcf-b7be82031bf4?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
more than 100 Republicans who voted against certifying the results of the
2020 presidential election. =E2=80=9CAmerica First=E2=80=9D Republicans and=
 the right wing
are retreating into their traditional antisemitism.

The genocide
<https://substack.com/redirect/aabbe5e2-34cc-4a71-8ecf-8f147eadcc7f?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
ripped the veil off Israel and exposed its dark and murderous visage to the
global community. The war on Iran, which Netanyahu sold
<https://substack.com/redirect/03f6f087-6ef1-4473-809f-4a604f204a56?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
as an easy win, exposed Israel=E2=80=99s cynical manipulation of the U.S. t=
o the
Trump White House.

Israelis, intoxicated by the fantasy of being the chosen people, do not
have friends. They do not have allies. They have those they use and those
they slaughter.

=E2=80=9CNo more insane aid with no conditions, but a condition attached to=
 every
dollar and every missile,=E2=80=9D the Israeli journalist Gideon Levy write=
s
<https://substack.com/redirect/064907fc-f276-457c-81d3-7fb53b4c060a?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
.

Behave or pay the price. You can no longer do as you please: assassinate,
abuse, violate national sovereignty and international law with impunity. In
such an atmosphere, Israel will no longer be able to continue to thumb its
nose at the international community, for which there is no more unifying
issue than opposition to the occupation.

Whether it wants to or not, Israel will have to take this into
consideration. The first cracks have already appeared, and how: a deal made
with Iran while entirely disregarding Israel, which for years disregarded
the United States and the entire world. This is only the beginning: A world
that was horrified by what Israel did in the Gaza Strip will want a
reckoning. A genocidal state can no longer be the darling of the Western
world. A state whose citizens carry out pogroms daily, with the cooperation
of its military, will not be a part of the family of nations. The dream is
starting to come true. It will be a nightmare.

The game is up. The Israeli domination of the U.S. political system is
coming to an end. Israel=E2=80=99s inability to read U.S. and global opinio=
n =E2=80=94 or
its own population, where over 90 percent believe Israel lost
<https://substack.com/redirect/7603029b-618b-42dc-aa5f-ea419c538c3c?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs>
its war against Iran =E2=80=94 along with its stubborn belief that its old =
levers
of power can still work, illustrate a leadership that has rendered itself
deaf, dumb and blind. It can and will do a lot of damage. It can and will
inflict more death and suffering. But it is cannibalizing itself.

Share
<https://substack.com/app-link/post?publication_id=3D778851&post_id=3D20308=
7905&utm_source=3Dsubstack&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_content=3Dshare&utm_campa=
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IjoxNzgyMTM0NTMyLCJleHAiOjE3ODQ3MjY1MzIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi03Nzg4NTEiLCJzdWIiOiJ=
wb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.ue2DG3Q81gNJQEPbjDPzdrIf8NZcZ9sA7Hg3kJ8X9cA>

The Chris Hedges Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new
posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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:36px;font-size:32px"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/app-link/post?publica=
tion_id=3D778851&amp;post_id=3D203087905&amp;utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&=
amp;utm_campaign=3Demail-post-title&amp;isFreemail=3Dtrue&amp;r=3D1plwrz&am=
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cidal Rupture with the U.S.</a></h1><h3 dir=3D"auto" style=3D"text-align:st=
art;unicode-bidi:isolate;font-family:&quot;SF Pro Display&quot;,-apple-syst=
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e UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;font-weight:normal;margin:12px=
 0px 0px;color:rgb(119,119,119);line-height:24px;font-size:18px">Israel is =
turning on its last important ally in an act of suicidal hubris. </h3><tabl=
e role=3D"presentation" width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellp=
adding=3D"0" style=3D"margin:1em 0px;height:20px"><tbody><tr><td><table rol=
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nt-weight:500;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.2px;text-decoration=
:none" href=3D"https://substack.com/@chrishedges" target=3D"_blank">Chris H=
edges</a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td><table role=3D"p=
resentation" width=3D"auto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0=
"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"vertical-align:middle"><div style=3D"list-style:n=
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al,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quo=
t;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;font-weight:500;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spa=
cing:0.2px">Jun 22</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table=
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th:8px"><br></td><td style=3D"vertical-align:middle"><table role=3D"present=
ation" width=3D"38" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody=
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ttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!x1tS!,w_36,c_scale,f_png,q_auto:good=
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/table></td><td width=3D"8" style=3D"min-width:8px"><br></td><td style=3D"v=
ertical-align:middle"><table role=3D"presentation" width=3D"38" border=3D"0=
" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td align=3D"center"><a hr=
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xMDM0Nzg4MzEsInBvc3RfaWQiOjIwMzA4NzkwNSwiaWF0IjoxNzgyMTM0NTMyLCJleHAiOjE3OD=
Q3MjY1MzIsImlzcyI6InB1Yi03Nzg4NTEiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.ue2DG3Q81=
gNJQEPbjDPzdrIf8NZcZ9sA7Hg3kJ8X9cA" style=3D"font-family:system-ui,-apple-s=
ystem,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-s=
erif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe U=
I Symbol&quot;;display:inline-block;font-weight:500;border:1px solid rgba(0=
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idth:38px;box-sizing:border-box;width:38px" target=3D"_blank"><img src=3D"h=
ttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_L14!,w_36,c_scale,f_png,q_auto:good=
,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Ficon%2FLucideShare2%3Fv%=
3D4%26height%3D36%26fill%3Dnone%26stroke%3D%2523808080%26strokeWidth%3D2" w=
idth=3D"18" height=3D"18" style=3D"border: medium; vertical-align: middle; =
max-width: 18px;" alt=3D"" class=3D"gmail-CToWUd"></a></td></tr></tbody></t=
able></td><td width=3D"8" style=3D"min-width:8px"><br></td><td style=3D"ver=
tical-align:middle"><table role=3D"presentation" width=3D"38" border=3D"0" =
cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td align=3D"center"><a href=
=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9vcGVuLnN1YnN0YWNrLmN=
vbS9wdWIvY2hyaXNoZWRnZXMvcC9pc3JhZWxzLXN1aWNpZGFsLXJ1cHR1cmUtd2l0aC10aGU_dX=
RtX3NvdXJjZT1zdWJzdGFjayZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj1lbWFpbC1yZ=
XN0YWNrLWNvbW1lbnQmYWN0aW9uPXJlc3RhY2stY29tbWVudCZyPTFwbHdyeiZ0b2tlbj1leUox=
YzJWeVgybGtJam94TURNME56ZzRNekVzSW5CdmMzUmZhV1FpT2pJd016QTROemt3TlN3aWFXRjB=
Jam94TnpneU1UTTBOVE15TENKbGVIQWlPakUzT0RRM01qWTFNeklzSW1semN5STZJbkIxWWkwM0=
56ZzROVEVpTENKemRXSWlPaUp3YjNOMExYSmxZV04wYVc5dUluMC51ZTJERzNRODFnTkpRRVBia=
kRQemRySWY4TlpjWjlzQTdIZzNrSjhYOWNBIiwicCI6MjAzMDg3OTA1LCJzIjo3Nzg4NTEsImYi=
OnRydWUsInUiOjEwMzQ3ODgzMSwiaWF0IjoxNzgyMTM0NTMyLCJleHAiOjIwOTc3MTA1MzIsIml=
zcyI6InB1Yi0wIiwic3ViIjoibGluay1yZWRpcmVjdCJ9.kp92jp7rlKk8wzD5lMkxgFs8Vpv1L=
3KWRWx-fchW0ho?&amp;utm_source=3Dsubstack&amp;utm_medium=3Demail" style=3D"=
font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;=
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ht:500;border:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);border-radius:9999px;text-transform=
:uppercase;font-size:12px;line-height:1;padding:9px 0px;text-decoration:non=
e;color:rgb(119,119,119);min-width:38px;box-sizing:border-box;width:38px" t=
arget=3D"_blank"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ubXF!,=
w_36,c_scale,f_png,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.=
com%2Ficon%2Fnotes__NoteRestackIcon%3Fv%3D4%26height%3D36%26fill%3Dnone%26s=
troke%3D%2523808080%26strokeWidth%3D2%26strokeLinecap%3Dround%26strokeLinej=
oin%3Dround" width=3D"18" height=3D"18" alt=3D"" style=3D"max-width: 550px;=
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/tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td align=3D"right"><tab=
le role=3D"presentation" width=3D"auto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cell=
padding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"vertical-align:middle"><table role=3D=
"presentation" width=3D"auto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D=
"0"><tbody><tr><td align=3D"center"><a href=3D"https://open.substack.com/pu=
b/chrishedges/p/israels-suicidal-rupture-with-the?utm_source=3Demail&amp;re=
direct=3Dapp-store&amp;utm_campaign=3Demail-read-in-app" style=3D"font-fami=
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elvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoj=
i&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;display:inline-block;font-weight:500;bo=
rder:1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.1);border-radius:9999px;text-transform:uppercas=
e;font-size:12px;line-height:12px;padding:9px 14px;text-decoration:none;col=
or:rgb(119,119,119)" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"font-size:16px;line-he=
ight:26px;display:inline-block;vertical-align:middle;max-width:0px;min-heig=
ht:18px"></div><span style=3D"vertical-align:middle;margin-right:4px">READ =
IN APP</span><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ET-_!,w_36=
,c_scale,f_png,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%=
2Ficon%2FLucideArrowUpRight%3Fv%3D4%26height%3D36%26fill%3Dnone%26stroke%3D=
%2523808080%26strokeWidth%3D2" width=3D"18" height=3D"18" style=3D"min-widt=
h: 18px; min-height: 18px; border: medium; vertical-align: middle; margin-r=
ight: 0px; margin-left: 0px; max-width: 18px;" alt=3D"" class=3D"gmail-CToW=
Ud"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbo=
dy></table></td></tr><tr height=3D"16"><td height=3D"16" style=3D"font-size=
:0px;line-height:0">=C2=A0</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div dir=3D=
"auto" style=3D"padding:32px 0px 0px;font-size:16px;line-height:26px"><div =
dir=3D"auto" style=3D"text-align:initial;font-size:16px;line-height:26px;wi=
dth:100%;word-break:break-word;margin-bottom:16px"><p style=3D"margin:0px 0=
px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"></p><div style=
=3D"font-size:16px;line-height:26px;margin:32px auto"><table width=3D"100%"=
 border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"t=
ext-align:center"><br></td><td align=3D"left" width=3D"1456" style=3D"text-=
align:center"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/08f7717d-775a-44e3-a=
68d-ed2cbff49d9e?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WX=
yBreDz-fs" style=3D"padding:0px;width:auto;height:auto;border:medium;text-d=
ecoration:none;display:block;margin:0px" target=3D"_blank"><img alt=3D"" wi=
dth=3D"550" height=3D"528.0906593406594" src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/ima=
ge/fetch/$s_!zHu6!,w_1100,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/h=
ttps%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F50719=
325-5845-4c44-9f6d-0717f40368fe_4500x4321.jpeg" style=3D"border: medium; ve=
rtical-align: middle; display: block; height: auto; width: auto; max-width:=
 100%; margin: 0px auto;" class=3D"gmail-CToWUd"></a></td><td style=3D"text=
-align:center"><br></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p style=3D"margin:0px 0=
px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><strong><span =
style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">When Jewish Upon a Star - by Mr. Fish</span></st=
rong></p><div style=3D"margin:0px 0px 1em;direction:ltr;font-size:16px;line=
-height:26px"><div style=3D"text-decoration:unset;list-style:none;font-size=
:16px;line-height:26px;text-align:center;border-radius:4px"><a href=3D"http=
s://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9jaHJpc2hlZGdlcy5zdWJzdGFjay5=
jb20vc3Vic2NyaWJlP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9cG9zdCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249ZW1haWwtY2hlY2tvdX=
QmbmV4dD1odHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmNocmlzaGVkZ2VzLnN1YnN0YWNrLmNvbSUyRnAlMkZpc3JhZ=
WxzLXN1aWNpZGFsLXJ1cHR1cmUtd2l0aC10aGUmcj0xcGx3cnomdG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxr=
SWpveE1ETTBOemc0TXpFc0ltbGhkQ0k2TVRjNE1qRXpORFV6TWl3aVpYaHdJam94TnpnME56STJ=
OVE15TENKcGMzTWlPaUp3ZFdJdE56YzRPRFV4SWl3aWMzVmlJam9pWTJobFkydHZkWFFpZlEuWE=
dhMU1MR3dPbGRjWVRZczlDclI1RlRDampwUVJMc3RUcmU1TGJYN2RKTSIsInAiOjIwMzA4NzkwN=
SwicyI6Nzc4ODUxLCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1IjoxMDM0Nzg4MzEsImlhdCI6MTc4MjEzNDUzMiwiZXhw=
IjoyMDk3NzEwNTMyLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6ImxpbmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.Ee18pMOf=
bYWy9QxFFiVR0g1aFVIyZXi2VoEgsXiiU64?&amp;utm_medium=3Demail&amp;utm_source=
=3Dsubscribe-widget&amp;utm_content=3D203087905" style=3D"font-family:syste=
m-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica=
,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,=
&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;display:inline-block;box-sizing:border-box;bord=
er:medium;border-radius:8px;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;font-weight:600=
;text-align:center;opacity:1;outline:none;white-space:nowrap;text-decoratio=
n:none;margin:0px auto;background-color:rgb(1,17,69);color:rgb(255,255,255)=
;padding:12px 20px;height:auto" target=3D"_blank"><span style=3D"color:rgb(=
255,255,255);text-decoration:none">Upgrade to paid</span></a></div></div><p=
 style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-siz=
e:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Israel is sabotaging the negotiati=
ons with Iran and alienating its last important ally by refusing to halt it=
s </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/22073aaa-4258-42c5-af20-e=
c30a45165c4?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreD=
z-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_bl=
ank"><span>attacks</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 on Lebanon and withdraw from its occupation of the south. It is=20
determined to reignite a regional conflagration that could see Iran=20
perpetually close the Strait of Hormuz and </span><a href=3D"https://substa=
ck.com/redirect/287bbd05-a365-4ce0-8212-125d7abf9e24?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In=
0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55)=
;text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>plunge</span></a><span =
style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> the global economy into a global </span><a href=
=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/5bbb58d0-1aa4-4817-84cc-4b37e4b89dae?j=3D=
eyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"c=
olor:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>depre=
ssion</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">. And it </span><a href=3D=
"https://substack.com/redirect/cac4f835-2861-4cf5-a669-55afc1bae935?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"colo=
r:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>continue=
s</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> its </span><a href=3D"https:/=
/substack.com/redirect/b471e2f3-a455-4ee5-bacd-c5ec8b96fb5d?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXB=
sd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54=
,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>genocide</span><=
/a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> in Gaza.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:=
0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span sty=
le=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Israel
 is contaminated by racism and genocidal violence. It is blinded by a=20
repugnant moral superiority. It is corrupted by a class of Zionist=20
billionaires in the U.S. who use their wealth to bend foreign policy to=20
serve Israeli interests. It is </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redir=
ect/fd0ea0fb-b5f7-42d5-b10f-7afc911d2d5a?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1R=
Y0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decora=
tion:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>equipped</span></a><span style=3D"c=
olor:rgb(0,0,0)"> with a nuclear arsenal Israeli officials have </span><a h=
ref=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/738abffc-6468-482d-844d-b81891602ff3?j=
=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=
=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>=
repeatedly</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </span><a href=3D"ht=
tps://substack.com/redirect/3e53e6ed-b8cc-45fa-8713-4e4840100017?j=3DeyJ1Ij=
oiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:r=
gb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>threatened<=
/span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> to use.</span></p><p style=3D"m=
argin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><sp=
an style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">It is a menace to the region. It is a menace =
to itself. And it is a menace to us.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 2=
0px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"col=
or:rgb(0,0,0)">The
 first round of a quadrilateral meeting between the United States, Iran=20
and Pakistani and Qatari mediators in Switzerland on Sunday =E2=80=94 where=
 the=20
Iranian delegation </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/2b025ebc=
-1519-42b3-a4e0-99be90a99d54?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamyS=
meZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underli=
ne" target=3D"_blank"><span>refused</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,=
0)">
 to take part in a planned handshake and joint photo with its U.S.=20
counterparts =E2=80=94 focused on the U.S. implementing commitments set in =
the </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/947d5e82-86be-4792-8627=
-412f17dc371f?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBr=
eDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_=
blank"><span>Memorandum of Understanding</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb=
(0,0,0)"> (MoU) for a preliminary 60-day period.</span></p><p style=3D"marg=
in:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span =
style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">But
 the closure of the Strait of Hormuz =E2=80=94 following Israeli attacks on=
=20
Lebanon =E2=80=94 disrupted the talks. The closure sent Trump into another =
one=20
of his habitual tantrums, when he </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/re=
direct/9483f051-7d70-448b-93f3-8a519ff3b7d4?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNu=
X1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-dec=
oration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>reportedly told</span></a><span =
style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 =E2=80=9CFox News=E2=80=9D correspondent Trey Yingst he had informed Irani=
an=20
negotiators if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, =E2=80=9C[Y]ou won=E2=
=80=99t even=20
make it back to your fucking country.=E2=80=9D</span></p><p style=3D"margin=
:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span st=
yle=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">When told that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian=
 continues to assert Iran=E2=80=99s right to enrich uranium =E2=80=94 a rig=
ht </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/6be38da4-218c-48a6-8cbb-=
6edb7953f0fa?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBre=
Dz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_b=
lank"><span>guaranteed</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons which the=20
U.S. co-founded =E2=80=94 Trump reportedly said =E2=80=9C[President Pezeshk=
ian] better=20
watch his mouth. He better shape up or we=E2=80=99ll take over the rest of =
the=20
country.=E2=80=9D</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55=
,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">=E2=
=80=9CIran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from =
causing trouble,=E2=80=9D Trump </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redi=
rect/2420855a-6751-4d64-891d-fcf437209aab?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1=
RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decor=
ation:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>added</span></a><span style=3D"col=
or:rgb(0,0,0)">
 in a post on Truth Social, referring to Hezbollah. =E2=80=9CIf they don=E2=
=80=99t,=20
we=E2=80=99ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only=20
harder!!!=E2=80=9D</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,5=
5,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Tru=
mp=E2=80=99s threats prompted the Iranian delegation to depart the Swiss ve=
nue, while Ghalibaf </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/6c19151=
5-b122-4fbc-a6f9-aa5cdf04016d?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamy=
SmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underl=
ine" target=3D"_blank"><span>dismissed</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0=
,0,0)"> Trump=E2=80=99s tirades in a </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com=
/redirect/10120f5b-1a6f-40ba-97dd-a0ae015e4a18?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjR=
mNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-=
decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>post</span></a><span style=3D=
"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 on X. =E2=80=9CDon=E2=80=99t they ever stop to think that if their threats=
 had worked,=20
they wouldn=E2=80=99t have reached today=E2=80=99s desperation? We give the=
 Americans=E2=80=99=20
threats no weight whatsoever,=E2=80=9D he said.</span></p><p style=3D"margi=
n:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span s=
tyle=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">The
 meeting concluded with =E2=80=9Cagreeing on a 60-day roadmap toward a fina=
l=20
agreement and establishing mechanisms to advance technical negotiations=E2=
=80=9D
 under the MoU, according to IRNA News Agency.</span></p><p style=3D"margin=
:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span st=
yle=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Israel=E2=80=99s </span><a href=3D"https://substac=
k.com/redirect/46560723-4bc4-4207-850f-c9577016a9e1?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0=
.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);=
text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>vision</span></a><span s=
tyle=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 of a =E2=80=9CGreater Israel,=E2=80=9D designed to ensure Israel=E2=80=99s=
 military dominance=20
throughout the Middle East, depends on harnessing the wealth and=20
military power of the U.S.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:=
rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0=
,0)">Over
 two-thirds of the major arms and munitions Israel imports =E2=80=94 withou=
t=20
which it could not carry out its genocide of the Palestinians, turn=20
southern Lebanon into a moonscape and bomb Iran, Syria and Qatar =E2=80=94 =
are </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/e605526a-520d-42f1-9eca=
-0d24b8183fc4?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBr=
eDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_=
blank"><span>manufactured</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> and <=
/span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/e605526a-520d-42f1-9eca-0d24=
b8183fc4?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-f=
s" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank=
"><span>provided</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> by the U.S. An=
d because the Israel lobby, for decades, has </span><a href=3D"https://subs=
tack.com/redirect/09ed6427-a937-4ec3-babd-f871750e055a?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6=
In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,5=
5);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>owned</span></a><span=
 style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Congress, because its Zionist allies </span><a=
 href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/ec71f1b6-d4eb-4173-a66a-f1add9cfa693=
?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=
=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>=
police</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> and </span><a href=3D"ht=
tps://substack.com/redirect/26d9f8ac-bc86-44f5-8cab-71f12ec4136e?j=3DeyJ1Ij=
oiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:r=
gb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>control</sp=
an></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 the media, because it is able to siphon tens of billions of U.S.=20
taxpayer dollars to sustain its military adventurism, Israel is blind to
 its own limitations. It is willing to inflict harm on its allies,=20
including the U.S., in service to itself.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px =
0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=
=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">And
 that is what it now intends to do. Even the obtuse administration of=20
Donald Trump =E2=80=94 which has spent over $34 billion on the war with Ira=
n and
 which WarCosts </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/01fe33c6-00=
7b-470c-ac2b-cd0deea1c74b?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZ=
i1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline"=
 target=3D"_blank"><span>estimates</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0=
)"> at over $214 billion when wider economic costs are factored in =E2=80=
=94 has figured this out.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:r=
gb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,=
0)">Israel is apoplectic about the MoU, which was </span><a href=3D"https:/=
/substack.com/redirect/0a255141-8193-4c87-a78f-a829c6a6bd27?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXB=
sd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54=
,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>signed</span></a=
><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 virtually on Wednesday, that leaves the disposition of Iranian=20
stockpiled enriched nuclear materials to later negotiations, lifts the=20
U.S. naval blockade, releases frozen Iranian assets and issues waivers=20
to allow Iranian oil sales.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color=
:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,=
0,0)">The
 MoU declares an =E2=80=9Cimmediate and permanent termination of military=
=20
operations on all fronts.=E2=80=9D It proposes a 60-day negotiation period=
=20
before reaching a final deal, a $300 billion Reconstruction and=20
Development Fund, the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iran=E2=80=99s periphe=
ry=20
and the termination of all international and unilateral sanctions.</span></=
p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font=
-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">The rhetoric unleashed by Isra=
eli politicians and pundits about Trump and those in his administration ove=
r the MoU =E2=80=94 </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/c52f0e6=
c-fbdb-4985-af10-ca89d82718d2?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamy=
SmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underl=
ine" target=3D"_blank"><span>reportedly</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(=
0,0,0)">
 arranged without Israeli participation =E2=80=94 is venomous. No one in th=
e=20
Trump administration is immune. Trump=E2=80=99s hapless special envoys and=
=20
unapologetic Zionist assets, Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared=20
Kushner, were </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/8b190686-8d41=
-4298-80d6-cd1374154511?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1=
fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" t=
arget=3D"_blank"><span>castigated</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)=
">
 as =E2=80=9Ctwo little Jews=E2=80=9D by Yinon Magal, a former Knesset=20
member-turned-pundit who is close to Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump is a=20
=E2=80=9Closer.=E2=80=9D Vice President JD Vance </span><a href=3D"https://=
substack.com/redirect/494b9e79-5a32-45ac-9350-4fb9d1fa0c7c?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBs=
d3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,=
55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>is</span></a><spa=
n style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 =E2=80=9Cscum.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CIsrael Hayom=E2=80=9D =E2=80=94 the Israe=
li newspaper owned by billionaire=20
Miriam Adelson, one of Trump=E2=80=99s biggest financial donors =E2=80=94 i=
n an op-ed </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/85fe98c6-a0d1-4f=
b8-aaa0-e0205335a1b9?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4=
N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" targ=
et=3D"_blank"><span>accused</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Tru=
mp of betraying Israel.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb=
(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)=
">=E2=80=9CIf
 I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be=20
attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire
 world,=E2=80=9D Vance </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/f486=
3ee5-133d-420b-bc6b-3b15148a4e68?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaR=
amySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:und=
erline" target=3D"_blank"><span>retorted</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb=
(0,0,0)">.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);li=
ne-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">It is more =
than ironic that Israel would push Trump =E2=80=94 who gives the word </spa=
n><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/4c4dbf09-b5b4-41b4-b976-32424fe3=
54ed?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" s=
tyle=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><s=
pan>bribery</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 a bad name =E2=80=94 into opposing Israel. But Israel has overplayed its h=
and.=20
The Arab and Muslim world and the Global South detests Washington for=20
its backing of the genocide and betrayal of the Palestinians. Israel and
 its Zionist supporters goaded the U.S. into made-for-Israel wars in=20
Iraq, Libya, Syria and then, another war with Iran. The alliance and=20
military debacles have turned Israel and the U.S. into pariah states.</span=
></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;f=
ont-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Now, Israel is turning on t=
he only ally it has left.</span></p><div style=3D"margin:0px 0px 1em;direct=
ion:ltr;font-size:16px;line-height:26px"><div style=3D"text-decoration:unse=
t;list-style:none;font-size:16px;line-height:26px;text-align:center;border-=
radius:4px"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/2/eyJlIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9j=
aHJpc2hlZGdlcy5zdWJzdGFjay5jb20vc3Vic2NyaWJlP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9cG9zdCZ1dG1fY2F=
tcGFpZ249ZW1haWwtY2hlY2tvdXQmbmV4dD1odHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmNocmlzaGVkZ2VzLnN1Yn=
N0YWNrLmNvbSUyRnAlMkZpc3JhZWxzLXN1aWNpZGFsLXJ1cHR1cmUtd2l0aC10aGUmcj0xcGx3c=
nomdG9rZW49ZXlKMWMyVnlYMmxrSWpveE1ETTBOemc0TXpFc0ltbGhkQ0k2TVRjNE1qRXpORFV6=
TWl3aVpYaHdJam94TnpnME56STJOVE15TENKcGMzTWlPaUp3ZFdJdE56YzRPRFV4SWl3aWMzVml=
Jam9pWTJobFkydHZkWFFpZlEuWEdhMU1MR3dPbGRjWVRZczlDclI1RlRDampwUVJMc3RUcmU1TG=
JYN2RKTSIsInAiOjIwMzA4NzkwNSwicyI6Nzc4ODUxLCJmIjp0cnVlLCJ1IjoxMDM0Nzg4MzEsI=
mlhdCI6MTc4MjEzNDUzMiwiZXhwIjoyMDk3NzEwNTMyLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMCIsInN1YiI6Imxp=
bmstcmVkaXJlY3QifQ.Ee18pMOfbYWy9QxFFiVR0g1aFVIyZXi2VoEgsXiiU64?&amp;utm_med=
ium=3Demail&amp;utm_source=3Dsubscribe-widget&amp;utm_content=3D203087905" =
style=3D"font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe=
 UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&=
quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;display:inline-block;=
box-sizing:border-box;border:medium;border-radius:8px;font-size:14px;line-h=
eight:20px;font-weight:600;text-align:center;opacity:1;outline:none;white-s=
pace:nowrap;text-decoration:none;margin:0px auto;background-color:rgb(1,17,=
69);color:rgb(255,255,255);padding:12px 20px;height:auto" target=3D"_blank"=
><span style=3D"color:rgb(255,255,255);text-decoration:none">Upgrade to pai=
d</span></a></div></div><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55)=
;line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">The
 failure by the U.S. to continue to subjugate its interests to those of=20
Israel, even at the cost of economic suicide, is, in the eyes of=20
entitled Zionists, unforgiveable. Israel expects the Zionist billionaire
 class and the Israel lobby in the U.S., as in the past, to bend to its=20
will.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-he=
ight:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">The Obama White =
House signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2016 with Israel </span><a hr=
ef=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/50a14132-93ca-4fbb-9e6d-f38ed8b4880c?j=
=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=
=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>=
pledging</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 $3.8 billion per year in military aid from 2019-2028. Congress=20
authorized an additional $17.9 billion in military aid to Israel to=20
sustain the genocide.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(5=
4,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">=
Between 1946 and 2024, the U.S. is </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/r=
edirect/e605526a-520d-42f1-9eca-0d24b8183fc4?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmN=
uX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-de=
coration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>estimated</span></a><span style=
=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> to have provided Israel with over $300 billion in mi=
litary and economic assistance, adjusted for inflation.</span></p><p style=
=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px=
"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">The cost of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Af=
ghanistan alone are </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/c35a3fc=
f-0d66-4dbc-a456-eaa8093391d6?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamy=
SmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underl=
ine" target=3D"_blank"><span>estimated</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0=
,0,0)">,
 by Brown University, to be between $4 to $6 trillion, with much of that
 to be paid in the coming decades in the form of medical and disability=20
payments to war veterans and their families.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0=
px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span styl=
e=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">This time the price is too high.</span></p><p style=
=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px=
"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">The defeat of Israel and the U.S. in the=
 war on Iran has dealt a mortal blow to the project of =E2=80=9CGreater Isr=
ael=E2=80=9D and the </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/31d5d7=
2b-f985-4916-a765-09e3a5ba3934?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRam=
ySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:under=
line" target=3D"_blank"><span>Abraham Accords</span></a><span style=3D"colo=
r:rgb(0,0,0)">. It has crippled the Trump presidency, </span><a href=3D"htt=
ps://substack.com/redirect/50b1f64d-5079-4175-a9f0-f6ecbed36592?j=3DeyJ1Ijo=
iMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rg=
b(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>driving up</=
span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> inflation, </span><a href=3D"htt=
ps://substack.com/redirect/0ef7f2a0-26e3-4617-9d2e-a86b17d8f83a?j=3DeyJ1Ijo=
iMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rg=
b(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>plunging</sp=
an></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Trump=E2=80=99s approval rating to=
 dismal levels, </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/57d83243-63=
18-43d5-aebe-4b1f4304cf12?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZ=
i1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline"=
 target=3D"_blank"><span>paralyzing</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,=
0)"> the economies of Gulf allies and </span><a href=3D"https://substack.co=
m/redirect/22a79e4c-2e34-43b0-b5ae-966d9fdc3fad?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMj=
RmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text=
-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>threatening</span></a><span =
style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Republican control of the House and the Senate =
in the November elections.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:=
rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0=
,0)">Israel
 has no intention of catering to Trump. It could not care less what=20
happens to him, his administration or the effects of the looming=20
economic catastrophe. But Trump, who always has been and always will be=20
out for Trump alone, is not going to sacrifice himself for someone=20
else=E2=80=99s benefit or airy ideals.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px=
 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"c=
olor:rgb(0,0,0)">Israeli leaders are so out of touch with reality they are =
threatening to go to war with Iran </span><em><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,=
0)">without</span></em><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> the U.S. Avigdor L=
ieberman, the former defense minister and current leader of the far-right Y=
israel Beiteinu party, has </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/=
16f6b002-359a-4aa6-a078-5bc608253f90?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ=
1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration=
:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>called</span></a><span style=3D"color:r=
gb(0,0,0)"> for Israel to build a ballistic missile force and </span><a hre=
f=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/3e08df86-803a-4dd8-9036-7218c6d47406?j=
=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=
=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>=
said</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> that if he was in charge, =
he would direct the Mossad to overthrow the Iranian government.</span></p><=
p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-si=
ze:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Israel has </span><a href=3D"http=
s://substack.com/redirect/a4573afc-7d6d-4b3a-a412-f58c9876c9bc?j=3DeyJ1Ijoi=
MXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb=
(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>no intention<=
/span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> of </span><a href=3D"https://su=
bstack.com/redirect/35aa4dff-53ad-4cf0-830c-f57cba6a5106?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3=
J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55=
,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>leaving</span></a><=
span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> southern Lebanon, the </span><a href=3D"ht=
tps://substack.com/redirect/4d0e0de7-2de0-42a7-96ee-bad628964097?j=3DeyJ1Ij=
oiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:r=
gb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>Golan Heigh=
ts</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> =E2=80=94 and </span><a href=
=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/a7397e37-61df-4e2a-9815-cb1af0b3fac0?j=3D=
eyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"c=
olor:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>other=
</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> </span><a href=3D"https://subs=
tack.com/redirect/c50c73c7-9cc6-49f6-bc7c-4d936d104640?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6=
In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,5=
5);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>areas</span></a><span=
 style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 of Syria it began occupying following the overthrow of Assad =E2=80=94 Gaz=
a =E2=80=94=20
where it occupies 70 percent of the land =E2=80=94 or halting its savage </=
span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/b5d0fc29-420a-4f89-a461-24f17=
9b215f5?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs=
" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"=
><span>ethnic cleansing</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> in the =
West Bank. It intends to find some place on the globe to ship the two milli=
on de facto prisoners of </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/0a=
fa2374-f4b0-4a1c-bc89-2518d1be6f20?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1N=
aRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:u=
nderline" target=3D"_blank"><span>concentration camp</span></a><span style=
=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> Gaza. Palestinians in Gaza are still being slaughter=
ed =E2=80=94 over 1,000 have been </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/re=
direct/dd387a53-f5fe-4a71-91e6-1aa4105416a0?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNu=
X1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-dec=
oration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>killed</span></a><span style=3D"=
color:rgb(0,0,0)"> by Israel since the supposed ceasefire went into effect =
last October =E2=80=94 and huddle in </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com=
/redirect/8135cba6-9f7e-486c-a510-93bb9c13bceb?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjR=
mNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-=
decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>overcrowded</span></a><span s=
tyle=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> tent cities </span><a href=3D"https://substack.c=
om/redirect/603b1540-9c8a-4f73-805a-6cd485d67d49?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yM=
jRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);tex=
t-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>without</span></a><span sty=
le=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> adequate food, clean water or medical care.</span>=
</p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;fo=
nt-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">These
 goals may be achievable in the short term, but in the long term they=20
signal the demise of the Zionist state. Democrats are </span><a href=3D"htt=
ps://substack.com/redirect/c369accb-54ff-4e7d-9dff-ecda1333a6be?j=3DeyJ1Ijo=
iMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rg=
b(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>increasingly=
 shedding</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> the albatross of the =
American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which </span><a href=3D"h=
ttps://substack.com/redirect/20fd17d4-0056-4468-9fcf-b7be82031bf4?j=3DeyJ1I=
joiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:=
rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>endorsed</=
span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 more than 100 Republicans who voted against certifying the results of=20
the 2020 presidential election. =E2=80=9CAmerica First=E2=80=9D Republicans=
 and the=20
right wing are retreating into their traditional antisemitism.</span></p><p=
 style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-siz=
e:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">The </span><a href=3D"https://subs=
tack.com/redirect/aabbe5e2-34cc-4a71-8ecf-8f147eadcc7f?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6=
In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,5=
5);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>genocide</span></a><s=
pan style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> ripped the veil off Israel and exposed its =
dark and murderous visage to the global community. The war on Iran, which N=
etanyahu </span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/03f6f087-6ef1-4473=
-809f-4a604f204a56?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2=
WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=
=3D"_blank"><span>sold</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"> as an ea=
sy win, exposed Israel=E2=80=99s cynical manipulation of the U.S. to the Tr=
ump White House.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,=
55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Israe=
lis,
 intoxicated by the fantasy of being the chosen people, do not have=20
friends. They do not have allies. They have those they use and those=20
they slaughter.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,5=
5);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">=E2=80=
=9CNo
 more insane aid with no conditions, but a condition attached to every=20
dollar and every missile,=E2=80=9D the Israeli journalist Gideon Levy </spa=
n><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/064907fc-f276-457c-81d3-7fb53b4c=
060a?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" s=
tyle=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><s=
pan>writes</span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">.</span></p><blockquo=
te style=3D"border-left:4px solid rgb(1,17,69);margin:20px 0px;padding:0px"=
><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;=
font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Behave
 or pay the price. You can no longer do as you please: assassinate,=20
abuse, violate national sovereignty and international law with impunity.
 In such an atmosphere, Israel will no longer be able to continue to=20
thumb its nose at the international community, for which there is no=20
more unifying issue than opposition to the occupation.</span></p><p style=
=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size=
:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Whether
 it wants to or not, Israel will have to take this into consideration.=20
The first cracks have already appeared, and how: a deal made with Iran=20
while entirely disregarding Israel, which for years disregarded the=20
United States and the entire world. This is only the beginning: A world=20
that was horrified by what Israel did in the Gaza Strip will want a=20
reckoning. A genocidal state can no longer be the darling of the Western
 world. A state whose citizens carry out pogroms daily, with the=20
cooperation of its military, will not be a part of the family of=20
nations. The dream is starting to come true. It will be a nightmare.</span>=
</p></blockquote><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-h=
eight:26px;font-size:16px"><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">The
 game is up. The Israeli domination of the U.S. political system is=20
coming to an end. Israel=E2=80=99s inability to read U.S. and global opinio=
n =E2=80=94=20
or its own population, where over 90 percent believe Israel </span><a href=
=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/7603029b-618b-42dc-aa5f-ea419c538c3c?j=3D=
eyJ1IjoiMXBsd3J6In0.yMjRmNuX1RY0AZ1NaRamySmeZi1fZ4N2WXyBreDz-fs" style=3D"c=
olor:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank"><span>lost<=
/span></a><span style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">
 its war against Iran =E2=80=94 along with its stubborn belief that its old=
=20
levers of power can still work, illustrate a leadership that has=20
rendered itself deaf, dumb and blind. It can and will do a lot of=20
damage. It can and will inflict more death and suffering. But it is=20
cannibalizing itself.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(5=
4,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px;text-align:center;border-radius:4p=
x"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/app-link/post?publication_id=3D778851&am=
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Subject: [Salon] Trump Orders Rubio to Distract from Algae by Skinny-Dipping
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Trump Orders Rubio to Distract from Algae by Skinny-Dipping in Reflecting
Pool
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iM>

Andy Borowitz <https://substack.com/@borowitzreport>
Jun 22
<https://substack.com/@borowitzreport>

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READ IN APP
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WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report
<https://substack.com/redirect/065d973b-8b4a-4f91-9572-a4879a7283ae?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMWVvZ2IifQ.JilZISJaTbu7B2wLCo3fGMYZ8454lcFEiXYqlZtxvOc>)=E2=80=94Despe=
rate
to distract from the algae overwhelming the expensively-renovated
Reflecting Pool, on Monday Donald J. Trump ordered Marco Rubio to
skinny-dip in the green murk.

Reportedly, Rubio was taken aback by the extraordinary demand, but Trump
roared, =E2=80=9CLittle Marco, you=E2=80=99ve got to take one for the team.=
=E2=80=9D

By mid-morning, tourists gawking at the pool fiasco were stunned to see the
Secretary of State doing a backstroke entirely naked except for his
oversized Florsheims, which he appeared to be using as flippers.

Harland Dorrinson, who had traveled with his family from Akron, Ohio,
initially recoiled at the sight of the nude Rubio, but later noted, =E2=80=
=9CAt
least it wasn=E2=80=99t JD.=E2=80=9D

<https://substack.com/redirect/7b29a31e-ae14-4bfa-81c6-ddb289546381?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMWVvZ2IifQ.JilZISJaTbu7B2wLCo3fGMYZ8454lcFEiXYqlZtxvOc>
------------------------------

Art Images via Getty
TBR analyzes
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1IjoiMWVvZ2IifQ.JilZISJaTbu7B2wLCo3fGMYZ8454lcFEiXYqlZtxvOc>
how The Revolutionary War, World War I, and other US conflicts would have
gone if Trump had been at the helm. Get all the grisly details here.
<https://substack.com/redirect/39e1b4c2-8587-4468-a6a8-a8ab15fbf3e5?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMWVvZ2IifQ.JilZISJaTbu7B2wLCo3fGMYZ8454lcFEiXYqlZtxvOc>

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2px">Jun 22</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td><=
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width=3D"auto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr>=
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uto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td align=
=3D"center"><a href=3D"https://open.substack.com/pub/borowitzreport/p/trump=
-orders-rubio-to-distract-from?utm_source=3Demail&amp;redirect=3Dapp-store&=
amp;utm_campaign=3Demail-read-in-app" style=3D"font-family:system-ui,-apple=
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" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"font-size:16px;line-height:26px;display:i=
nline-block;vertical-align:middle;max-width:0px;min-height:18px"></div><spa=
n style=3D"vertical-align:middle;margin-right:4px">READ IN APP</span><img s=
rc=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ET-_!,w_36,c_scale,f_png,q_au=
to:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack.com%2Ficon%2FLucideArro=
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eft: 0px; max-width: 18px;" alt=3D"" class=3D"gmail-CToWUd"></a></td></tr><=
/tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></t=
r><tr height=3D"16"><td height=3D"16" style=3D"font-size:0px;line-height:0"=
>=C2=A0</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div dir=3D"auto" style=3D"pad=
ding:32px 0px 0px;font-size:16px;line-height:26px"><div dir=3D"auto" style=
=3D"text-align:initial;font-size:16px;line-height:26px;width:100%;word-brea=
k:break-word;margin-bottom:16px;font-family:&quot;SF Pro Display&quot;,-app=
le-system,system-ui,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Inter&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI&quo=
t;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Se=
goe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;font-weight:400"><div style=
=3D"width:100%;font-size:16px;line-height:26px;margin-top:0px"><img src=3D"=
https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!fC48!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:=
good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.co=
m%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fda63ce84-76c3-4936-af65-b367e0694c88_1456x720.png" al=
t=3D"" style=3D"border: medium; vertical-align: middle; display: block; max=
-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 0px auto;" class=3D"gmail-CToWUd gmail-=
a6T" tabindex=3D"0"><div style=3D"line-height:20px;color:rgb(119,119,119);f=
ont-weight:400;letter-spacing:-0.15px;text-align:center;margin-top:12px;mar=
gin-left:15%;margin-right:15%">Getty Images</div></div><p style=3D"margin:0=
px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px"><span>WASH=
INGTON (</span><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/065d973b-8b4a-4f91-=
9572-a4879a7283ae?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMWVvZ2IifQ.JilZISJaTbu7B2wLCo3fGMYZ8454lcFEiX=
YqlZtxvOc" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=
=3D"_blank">The Borowitz Report</a><span>)=E2=80=94Desperate
 to distract from the algae overwhelming the expensively-renovated=20
Reflecting Pool, on Monday Donald J. Trump ordered Marco Rubio to=20
skinny-dip in the green murk.</span></p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;col=
or:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">Reportedly,
 Rubio was taken aback by the extraordinary demand, but Trump roared,=20
=E2=80=9CLittle Marco, you=E2=80=99ve got to take one for the team.=E2=80=
=9D</p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px=
;font-size:16px">By
 mid-morning, tourists gawking at the pool fiasco were stunned to see=20
the Secretary of State doing a backstroke entirely naked except for his=20
oversized Florsheims, which he appeared to be using as flippers.</p><p styl=
e=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16p=
x">Harland
 Dorrinson, who had traveled with his family from Akron, Ohio, initially
 recoiled at the sight of the nude Rubio, but later noted, =E2=80=9CAt leas=
t it=20
wasn=E2=80=99t JD.=E2=80=9D </p><div style=3D"font-size:16px;line-height:26=
px;margin:32px auto"><table width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" c=
ellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"text-align:center"><br></td><td al=
ign=3D"left" width=3D"1456" style=3D"text-align:center"><a href=3D"https://=
substack.com/redirect/7b29a31e-ae14-4bfa-81c6-ddb289546381?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMWVv=
Z2IifQ.JilZISJaTbu7B2wLCo3fGMYZ8454lcFEiXYqlZtxvOc" style=3D"padding:0px;wi=
dth:auto;height:auto;border:medium;text-decoration:none;display:block;margi=
n:0px" target=3D"_blank"><img alt=3D"" width=3D"550" height=3D"62.328296703=
2967" src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Rkz8!,w_1100,c_limit,f=
_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3=
.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F66789a49-0d36-469a-aff9-a0b60d0daa4d_220=
0x250.png" style=3D"border: medium; vertical-align: middle; display: block;=
 height: auto; width: auto; max-width: 100%; margin: 0px auto;" class=3D"gm=
ail-CToWUd"></a></td><td style=3D"text-align:center"><br></td></tr></tbody>=
</table></div><div style=3D"font-size:16px;line-height:26px"><hr style=3D"m=
argin:32px 0px;padding:0px;height:1px;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.1);border:med=
ium"></div><div style=3D"font-size:16px;line-height:26px;margin:32px auto">=
<table width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbo=
dy><tr><td style=3D"text-align:center"></td><td align=3D"left" width=3D"145=
6" style=3D"text-align:center"></td><td style=3D"text-align:center"><br></t=
d></tr></tbody></table>Art Images via Getty</div><h3 style=3D"font-family:&=
quot;SF Pro Display&quot;,-apple-system-headline,system-ui,-apple-system,Bl=
inkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&qu=
ot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol=
&quot;;font-weight:bold;margin:1em 0px 0.625em;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-hei=
ght:1.16em"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/39e1b4c2-8587-4468-a6a=
8-a8ab15fbf3e5?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMWVvZ2IifQ.JilZISJaTbu7B2wLCo3fGMYZ8454lcFEiXYql=
ZtxvOc" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_=
blank">TBR analyzes</a><span>
 how The Revolutionary War, World War I, and other US conflicts would=20
have gone if Trump had been at the helm. Get all the grisly details </span>=
<a href=3D"https://substack.com/redirect/39e1b4c2-8587-4468-a6a8-a8ab15fbf3=
e5?j=3DeyJ1IjoiMWVvZ2IifQ.JilZISJaTbu7B2wLCo3fGMYZ8454lcFEiXYqlZtxvOc" styl=
e=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:underline" target=3D"_blank">here.=
</a></h3><div style=3D"font-size:16px;line-height:26px"><div style=3D"font-=
size:16px;direction:ltr;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;font-family:sy=
stem-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvet=
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t;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:1.5;max-widt=
h:560px;margin:24px auto;display:block;text-align:center;padding:0px 32px">=
<div style=3D"margin-top:16px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacS=
ystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Appl=
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font-size:18px;max-width:384px;width:fit-content;line-height:22px;display:f=
lex;text-align:center;font-weight:400;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"><=
p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-si=
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Subject: [Salon] Words Matter: What does "de-confliction" even Mean?
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Words Matter: What does "de-confliction" even Mean?
<https://substack.com/app-link/post?publication_id=3D2767872&post_id=3D2030=
47144&utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&utm_campaign=3Demail-post-title&isFreem=
ail=3Dtrue&r=3D390az&token=3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo1NDU5MTQ3LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoyMDMwND=
cxNDQsImlhdCI6MTc4MjEzNjMyNiwiZXhwIjoxNzg0NzI4MzI2LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMjc2Nzg3M=
iIsInN1YiI6InBvc3QtcmVhY3Rpb24ifQ.bUz31I1ft9IXhSZI3OZMLYm4D419VwbbJv5j8fdwR=
oo>Statement
out of initial Iran/U.S. meeting says a number of committees were set up
including the 'de-confliction' committee. What does that even mean?

Kathy Gannon <https://substack.com/@kathygannon>
Jun 22
<https://substack.com/@kathygannon>











<https://substack.com/redirect/d6f3d6ce-a826-4785-952a-b3b3ec2da84c?j=3DeyJ=
1IjoiMzkwYXoifQ.63a58n3zMjmmr0mkOuevC7O6Kp_vfHJv1Esns2iQXZc>

The statement that came out of the first day of meetings in Switzerland
between Iran and the United States announced a number of committees or
cells, including the =E2=80=9Cde-confliction=E2=80=9D cell.

What does that even mean?


Merriam-Webster offers up one definition: =E2=80=9CThe coordination of flig=
hts,
maneuvers, etc. between groups especially in areas where overlapping
operations are occurring in order to reduce the risk of accidents or
incidents.=E2=80=9D Or the same dictionary offered up as an example of how =
it would
be used: =E2=80=9CDeconfliction is how friendly forces keep out of each oth=
er's
way,=E2=80=9D John Bolton.

Now that=E2=80=99s even more confusing because according to the statement, =
this
cell is between the parties, presumably Iran and the United States, as well
as the Lebanese republic. Yet the statement went on to say this
Deconfliction cell will be =E2=80=9Cfacilitated by the mediators to ensure =
the
adherence of the termination of the military operations in Lebanon as per
the MoU.=E2=80=9D

Yet neither Israel nor Hezbollah is part of this =E2=80=9Cdeconfliction=E2=
=80=9D cell, even
though they are the ones carrying out military operations and as a result
would seem critical to any termination of those operations.

Presumably even as the statement avoids saying it, and until now the
reporting hasn=E2=80=99t cleared up the confusion, Iran would represent Hez=
bollah
and America, Israel.

Presumably Iran would rein in Hezbollah and the United States would rein in
Israel. That seems a big ask, likely more for Washington, than Tehran.
Until now the U.S. has failed to stop Israel=E2=80=99s bombing campaign. Th=
e
question then is: How is this cell that neither includes Israel or
Hezbollah, going to =E2=80=9Censure the adherence of the termination of the
military operations in Lebanon as per the MoU.=E2=80=9D

It is a bit of a mystery how the Merriam Webster dictionary use of
=E2=80=9Cdeconfliction=E2=80=9D applies to this conflict. Neither Israel no=
r Hezbollah fit
the definition of =E2=80=9Cfriendly forces.=E2=80=9D

It=E2=80=99s also disappointing that, until now, news reports covering the
statement have offered little to no understanding of this =E2=80=9Cdeconfli=
ction=E2=80=9D
cell, which is tasked with ending regional conflicts, a key component of
the MoU, which must be settled before any peace deal is reached.

Many of the news reports have put quotes around the word =E2=80=9Cdeconflic=
tion=E2=80=9D
presumably because its definition is difficult to explain, vague or not
understood, yet its official so it is used __ without explanation, but with
quotes.

*But Words Matter.*

Words have meaning and the increasing readiness to use words and terms
without explanation, or without calling out distortions makes us all less
informed. It also distorts our understanding of events, of progress or
failure.

It is no longer even clear who is responsible for success or failure and
that is problematic because it allows those who negotiate in poor faith to
deflect or avoid blame.

The blind acceptance of confusing words and terms we don=E2=80=99t understa=
nd also
dulls our thinking, dulls our reporting and plays into the hands of the
governments, who are involved in this negotiation process, and who want to
limit and control scrutiny. .

This MoU itself has often been defined by misleading, vague or confusing
terminology. In the initial stages it was referred to as a peace agreement
by mediators, who announced the MoU and repeated in news reports. It is
not. It is not even an agreement.

It is simply a 60-day pause in fighting, while the thorny issues that have,
until now, prevented a peace agreement are discussed with the hopes that it
will eventually lead to a peace agreement.

As the pause and negotiations begin, it seems a a new wave of confusing,
self-serving terminology is being used to obscure what work is being done,
who is doing it, and whether real progress is occurring.

.

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<div dir=3D"ltr">
<table width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbo=
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7872&amp;post_id=3D203047144&amp;utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&amp;utm_camp=
aign=3Demail-post-title&amp;isFreemail=3Dtrue&amp;r=3D390az&amp;token=3DeyJ=
1c2VyX2lkIjo1NDU5MTQ3LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoyMDMwNDcxNDQsImlhdCI6MTc4MjEzNjMyNiwiZX=
hwIjoxNzg0NzI4MzI2LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMjc2Nzg3MiIsInN1YiI6InBvc3QtcmVhY3Rpb24if=
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;text-decoration:none" rel=3D"noreferrer noopener" target=3D"_blank">Words =
Matter: What does &quot;de-confliction&quot; even Mean?</a></h1><h3 style=
=3D"font-family:&quot;SF Pro Display&quot;,-apple-system-headline,system-ui=
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t;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;font-weight:normal;margin:12px 0px 0px;color:rgb(11=
9,119,119);line-height:24px;font-size:18px">Statement
 out of initial Iran/U.S. meeting says a number of committees were set=20
up including the &#39;de-confliction&#39; committee. What does that even me=
an? </h3><table width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=
=3D"0" style=3D"margin:1em 0px;min-height:20px"><tbody><tr><td><table width=
=3D"auto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td><=
table width=3D"auto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbod=
y><tr><td style=3D"vertical-align:middle"><div style=3D"list-style:none;fon=
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);margin:0px;font-family:SF Compact,-apple-system,system-ui,-apple-system,B=
linkMacSystemFont,Segoe UI,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,Apple Color Em=
oji,Segoe UI Emoji,Segoe UI Symbol;font-weight:500;text-transform:uppercase=
;letter-spacing:0.2px"><a style=3D"list-style:none;color:rgb(54,55,55);marg=
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apple-system,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot=
;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Seg=
oe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;font-weight:500;text-transfor=
m:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.2px;text-decoration:none" href=3D"https://subs=
tack.com/@kathygannon" rel=3D"noreferrer noopener" target=3D"_blank">Kathy =
Gannon</a></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td><table width=3D=
"auto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td styl=
e=3D"vertical-align:middle"><div style=3D"list-style:none;font-size:11px;li=
ne-height:20px;text-decoration-color:unset;color:rgb(119,119,119);margin:0p=
x;font-family:SF Compact,-apple-system,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSyst=
emFont,Segoe UI,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe U=
I Emoji,Segoe UI Symbol;font-weight:500;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spa=
cing:0.2px"> Jun 22</div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></tabl=
e></td><td align=3D"right"><table width=3D"auto" border=3D"0" cellspacing=
=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"vertical-align:middle"><a =
href=3D"https://substack.com/@kathygannon" rel=3D"noreferrer noopener" targ=
et=3D"_blank"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!VUgb!,f_a=
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e; width: 40px; min-width: 40px; min-height: 40px; margin: 0px; display: in=
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d><td align=3D"left" width=3D"617" style=3D"text-align:center"><a href=3D"h=
ttps://substack.com/redirect/d6f3d6ce-a826-4785-952a-b3b3ec2da84c?j=3DeyJ1I=
joiMzkwYXoifQ.63a58n3zMjmmr0mkOuevC7O6Kp_vfHJv1Esns2iQXZc" style=3D"padding=
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k;margin:0px" rel=3D"noreferrer noopener" target=3D"_blank"><img alt=3D"" s=
rc=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!W3b4!,w_1100,c_limit,f_auto,q=
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0px; max-width: 617px;" class=3D"gmail-CToWUd"></a></td><td style=3D"text-a=
lign:center"><br></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px=
 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">The
 statement that came out of the first day of meetings in Switzerland=20
between Iran and the United States announced a number of committees or=20
cells, including the =E2=80=9Cde-confliction=E2=80=9D cell. </p><p style=3D=
"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">W=
hat does that even mean?</p><div style=3D"font-size:16px;line-height:26px">=
<div style=3D"font-size:16px;direction:ltr;font-weight:400;text-decoration:=
none;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&=
quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot=
;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-=
height:1.5;max-width:560px;margin:24px auto;display:block;text-align:center=
;padding:0px 32px"><div style=3D"margin-top:16px;font-family:system-ui,-app=
le-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Segoe UI,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,App=
le Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,Segoe UI Symbol;font-size:18px;max-width:384p=
x;line-height:22px;text-align:center;font-weight:400;margin-left:auto;margi=
n-right:auto"><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-heig=
ht:26px;font-size:16px"><br></p></div><div style=3D"margin:0px 0px 1em;dire=
ction:ltr;font-size:16px;line-height:26px"></div></div></div><p style=3D"ma=
rgin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">Merr=
iam-Webster
 offers up one definition: =E2=80=9CThe coordination of flights, maneuvers,=
 etc.
 between groups especially in areas where overlapping operations are=20
occurring in order to reduce the risk of accidents or incidents.=E2=80=9D O=
r the
 same dictionary offered up as an example of how it would be used:=20
=E2=80=9CDeconfliction is how friendly forces keep out of each other&#39;s =
way,=E2=80=9D=20
John Bolton.</p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-he=
ight:26px;font-size:16px">Now
 that=E2=80=99s even more confusing because according to the statement, thi=
s=20
cell is between the parties, presumably Iran and the United States, as=20
well as the Lebanese republic. Yet the statement went on to say this=20
Deconfliction cell will be  =E2=80=9Cfacilitated by the mediators to ensure=
 the=20
adherence of the termination of the military operations in Lebanon as=20
per the MoU.=E2=80=9D</p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55=
);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">Yet
 neither Israel nor Hezbollah is part of this =E2=80=9Cdeconfliction=E2=80=
=9D cell, even
 though they are the ones carrying out military operations and as a=20
result would seem critical to any termination of those operations. </p><p s=
tyle=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:=
16px">Presumably
 even as the statement avoids saying it, and until now the reporting=20
hasn=E2=80=99t cleared up the confusion, Iran would represent Hezbollah and=
=20
America, Israel.  </p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);l=
ine-height:26px;font-size:16px">Presumably
 Iran would rein in Hezbollah and the United States would rein in=20
Israel. That seems a big ask, likely more for Washington, than Tehran.=20
Until now the U.S. has failed to stop Israel=E2=80=99s bombing campaign. Th=
e=20
question then is: How is this cell that neither includes Israel or=20
Hezbollah, going to  =E2=80=9Censure the adherence of the termination of th=
e=20
military operations in Lebanon as per the MoU.=E2=80=9D </p><p style=3D"mar=
gin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">It
 is a bit of a mystery how the Merriam Webster dictionary use of=20
=E2=80=9Cdeconfliction=E2=80=9D applies to this conflict. Neither Israel no=
r Hezbollah=20
fit the definition of =E2=80=9Cfriendly forces.=E2=80=9D</p><p style=3D"mar=
gin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">It=E2=
=80=99s
 also disappointing that, until now, news reports covering the statement
 have offered little to no understanding of this =E2=80=9Cdeconfliction=E2=
=80=9D cell,=20
which is tasked with ending regional conflicts, a key component of the=20
MoU, which must be settled before any peace deal is reached.</p><p style=3D=
"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">M=
any
 of the news reports have put quotes around the word =E2=80=9Cdeconfliction=
=E2=80=9D=20
presumably because its definition is difficult to explain, vague or not=20
understood,  yet its official so it is used __ without explanation, but=20
with quotes.</p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-he=
ight:26px;font-size:16px"><strong>But Words Matter.</strong><span> </span><=
/p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;fon=
t-size:16px">Words
 have meaning and the increasing readiness to use words and terms=20
without explanation, or without calling out distortions makes us all=20
less informed. It also distorts our understanding of events, of progress
 or failure. </p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-h=
eight:26px;font-size:16px">It
 is no longer even clear who is responsible for success or failure and=20
that is problematic because it allows those who negotiate in poor faith=20
to deflect or avoid blame. </p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54=
,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">The
 blind acceptance of confusing words and terms we don=E2=80=99t understand =
also=20
 dulls our thinking, dulls our reporting and plays into the hands of the
 governments, who are involved in this negotiation process, and who want
 to limit and control scrutiny. .</p><p style=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:=
rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">This
 MoU itself has often been defined by misleading, vague or confusing=20
terminology. In the initial stages it was referred to as a peace=20
agreement by mediators, who announced the MoU and repeated in news=20
reports. It is not. It is not even an agreement. </p><p style=3D"margin:0px=
 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">It
 is simply a 60-day pause in fighting, while the thorny issues that=20
have, until now,  prevented a peace agreement are discussed with the=20
hopes that it will eventually lead to a peace agreement.</p><p style=3D"mar=
gin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px">As
 the pause and negotiations begin, it seems a a new wave of confusing,=20
self-serving terminology is being used to obscure what work is being=20
done, who is doing it, and whether real progress is occurring.</p><p style=
=3D"margin:0px 0px 20px;color:rgb(54,55,55);line-height:26px;font-size:16px=
"> .</p></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table>

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Subject: [Salon] Nighttime for the Neocons
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[image: True Blue Will Never Stain | The Martin Hutchinson Place]
The Bear's Lair: Nighttime for the Neocons
<https://newsletters.tbwns.com/td/c/eyJ2Ijoie1wiYVwiOjEyOTg0NSxcImxcIjoxOTA=
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The Iran peace deal is still a matter of =E2=80=9Cfingers crossed=E2=80=9D =
that it lasts
and is observed, but should it do so, the implications for U.S. politics
are profound. The =E2=80=9Cneocon=E2=80=9D faction that has been pushing th=
e United States
into Middle East wars for several decades may finally lose influence, and
if so, it is unlikely to regain it. That would be a relief; the wars are
horribly expensive, and the Middle East is now of no interest to the United
States, economically or otherwise.

Fifty years ago, the 1973 Arab oil crisis awakened the world to the
importance of the Middle East. Previously, colonial regimes had installed
puppet monarchies in the region, although even by 1973 those puppet
monarchies were in the process of being ousted by leftist or military
coups. Israel had been installed in 1948, arbitrarily for the Palestinians
already living there, and that had already caused a succession of wars,
notably in 1973 itself, but there seemed no reason why the West should get
involved, beyond supplying Israel with enough arms to defend itself.

This changed because U.S. oil production had gradually been declining, and
the environmentalists inserting glue in the works of Alaskan and other oil
development made the U.S. and the West in general dangerously dependent on
Middle East oil =E2=80=93 by 1979 less than half the oil consumed by the Un=
ited
States was produced there. Had the Middle East been a reliable supplier,
there would have been no need for oil prices to rise as much as they did,
but by 1980 the oil market only cleared at a dollar price roughly ten times
that of 1972 (though inflation and the dollar=E2=80=99s decline had eroded =
some of
that gain).

With their additional market leverage, the oil producing Middle Eastern
countries started asserting themselves, while the non-oil producing Middle
Eastern populations developed a resentment of the West that led many of
them into terrorist groups. The first and most damaging change was the
rebellion against the Shah of Iran=E2=80=99s rule =E2=80=93 the Iranian pop=
ulation thought
oil wealth was so automatic that even the rule of fanatic Islamist
mediaeval clerics could not stop it. How wrong they were! Those clerics
began by fighting an impoverishing eight-year war against an equally
oil-producing neighbor, Iraq, ruled by a secular despot and carried on
squandering oil money without the slightest regard to the welfare of the
people they ruled.

Meanwhile the neocons had been trending politically rightwards =E2=80=93 on=
ly a few
of them lived past 90, but the hereditary element in their leadership
allows us to treat them as one movement, despite its 80-year duration. The
1948 Progressive Presidential candidate Henry Wallace emerged from the same
American left milieu as many of the neocons' intellectual forebears; at
that time many of them were not merely socialist but Communist-adjacent.
Wallace himself was more interesting. Not so much politically =E2=80=93 he =
had
never really understood capitalism and as Agriculture Secretary was
responsible for the expensive and economically damaging agriculture subsidy
programs that still disfigure the U.S. economy and fiscal position. Then as
Vice President he had been seduced by a visit to the Soviet Union in 1944
into believing that Communism worked, a belief he foisted on the U.S.
public, whether it wanted it or not, for the next five years. As a
politician, he was both a failure and thoroughly pernicious, as is well
brought out by Benn Steil in his excellent 2024 biography =E2=80=9CThe Worl=
d That
Wasn=E2=80=99t.=E2=80=9D

Wallace, however, had a life beyond politics, as few politicians do. As a
young man, he had edited =E2=80=9CWallace=E2=80=99s Farmer=E2=80=9D a famil=
y-owned journal for the
agricultural community and had become interested in the possibilities of
breeding hybrid corn varieties. He founded a hybrid seeds company =E2=80=9C=
Pioneer
Hi-Bred=E2=80=9D which eventually became a Fortune 500 corporation. Then as=
 Vice
President he had visited Mexico in 1943, taking hybrid seeds with him and
explaining how Mexico could raise the yield of their maize crop using
hybrids. Since he was Vice President of their northern neighbor and a man
with whom the socialist Mexican government felt comfortable, they took his
advice and planted Wallace=E2=80=99s seeds widely. The following year Norma=
n
Borlaug arrived in Mexico, spent the next two decades spreading hybrid seed
technology there, and from the middle 1960s took it worldwide as the =E2=80=
=9CGreen
Revolution.=E2=80=9D Wallace meanwhile was not done; in retirement he
revolutionized the breeding of U.S. hybrid chickens.

The neocons, alas, did not follow Wallace into plant or chicken genetics.
Instead after the 1956 Hungarian uprising they turned against Communism and
became especially militant in pushing U.S. attempts to overthrow it,
calling themselves =E2=80=9Cneo-Conservatives=E2=80=9D -- to distinguish th=
emselves from
those lonely souls who had been Conservative all along -- and remaining
leftist Big Government supporters on domestic policy. President Reagan=E2=
=80=99s
U.N. Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick was a notable acolyte. Once Soviet
Communism fell in 1989-91 (almost completely independently of any neocon
efforts) they looked around for other wars to start and found the Middle
East.

Initially, the neocons had only moderate influence on U.S. policy, but the
9/11 attacks and George W. Bush=E2=80=99s hysterical over-reaction to them =
gave the
neocons essential control of much of the U.S. government, especially the
security services. Any attempt to reduce the size of the U.S. government
was abandoned, and instead legislation such as the Patriot Act was passed
to increase the neocons=E2=80=99 reach. Unsuccessful and very prolonged war=
s in
Iraq and Afghanistan, neither with a comprehensible casus belli, gave them
control of the U.S. government, whether Republican or Democrat, for the
next 15 years.

Two factors combined to dent their control. First, from around 2000
fracking became feasible to extract oil and gas, of which the U.S. became
an exporter in LNG form. The Left tried hard to forbid it (and succeeded in
some of their =E2=80=9Crotten borough=E2=80=9D jurisdictions such as New Yo=
rk state) but by
2020 it had made the U.S. self-sufficient in oil. The Biden administration
threw all the roadblocks in its way that it could think of, but once Trump
was re-elected in 2025, U.S. self-sufficiency in oil was assured and it was
able to supply LNG to the Europeans whose Russian supplies had been cut off=
.

Second, much to the neocons=E2=80=99 horror, a Republican maverick candidat=
e
appeared, Donald Trump, smashing the neocon favorites Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio
or in emergency Ted Cruz. Initially, this was not too much problem; the
neocons were able to control Trump=E2=80=99s cabinet appointments (since he=
 knew
nobody in Washington) and, aided by a great deal of chicanery, thereby
ensure that his first term made little dent in their overall control, even
if no new wars could be started.

With their two impeachments, the first materially aided by the new
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the neocons thought they had got
rid of Trump, aided by the Democrat shenanigans in the 2020 election. Then
a new playground opened up for them with Russia=E2=80=99s invasion of easte=
rn
Ukraine in 2022. Since their advent to power in 2001-02, the neocons had
demonized President Putin, treating him as if the Soviet Union had never
fallen and Russia was still Communist. During the Obama administration they
had expelled Russia from the G7 group of leading nations, while their
inexorable eastward expansion of NATO threatened Putin in the same way it
would have threatened Tsar Nicholas I, the previous Russian ruler whom
Putin most resembles. With their EU bureaucracy allies and the help of the
Castroite dictator Zelenskyy, the neocons have been able to prop up Ukraine
and prevent any kind of peace with Russia from being concluded.

The neocons=E2=80=99 latest stunt was to embroil the U.S. in war with Iran,=
 despite
President Trump=E2=80=99s base voters=E2=80=99 deep antipathy to yet anothe=
r futile war in
the Middle East. Israel=E2=80=99s Benjamin Netanyahu assisted with this, pr=
esumably
seeing it as a unique opportunity to remove Iran as a threat to Israel; I
would guess he now realizes his mistake. With no plan to restore the Shah,
the only possible genuine governmental improvement in Iran, there was no
upside to the war and very severe =E2=80=9Ctail risk=E2=80=9D downsides for=
 both the U.S.
and Israel -- one for Israel possibly being that U.S. public support of
Israel could deteriorate from unwavering to equivocal.

The United States was unable to defeat either Iraq or Afghanistan, though
it spent decades trying; Iran has a population larger than that of both
those countries put together and terrain with the difficulties of both.
Fortunately, President Trump and his advisors had the sense to realize that
a ground invasion of Iran for an attempted =E2=80=9Cregime change=E2=80=9D =
might very well
not succeed, even given a decade, and that the American public=E2=80=99s pa=
tience
would wear out years before victory was even conceivable.

The Middle East is now condemned to market a commodity that is in global
surplus, given the possibilities of fracking, and that a large political
faction in the West wants to taper out of using. They have wasted their
wealth on conspicuous consumption of flashy, pointless monstrosities like
the Burj Dubai, and have glutted their population with unwanted immigrants
of two types: Third World helots to do the actual work and the sillier type
of Brit, who think paying zero income tax and suffering through the
occasional Iranian drone attack will make them rich. While Europe needs
either the Middle East or Russia, the United States does not, and Vladimir
Putin=E2=80=99s Russia is in any case a great deal easier to deal with.

With a bit of luck, it will soon be not merely twilight for the neocons,
but the dead of night, and they can go back to being unheeded Communists, a
political direction in which many of them appear to be heading. For the
rest of us, long may President Trump and his rational advisors rule!

*-0-*

*(The Bear's Lair is a weekly column that is intended to appear each
Monday, an appropriately gloomy day of the week. Its rationale is that the
proportion of "sell" recommendations put out by Wall Street houses remains
far below that of =E2=80=9Cbuy=E2=80=9D recommendations. Accordingly, inves=
tors have an
excess of positive information and very little negative information. The
column thus takes the ursine view of life and the market, in the hope that
it may be usefully different from what investors see elsewhere.)*
[image: Martin Hutchinson]

Best Regards,
*Martin Hutchinson*

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lpadding=3D"0" style=3D"color:rgb(51,51,51);width:640px;min-width:640px;mar=
gin-bottom:0px"><tbody><tr><td height=3D"20" style=3D"line-height:20px;min-=
width:640px"></td></tr><tr><td style=3D"padding:0px 50px"><p style=3D"font-=
family:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px=
;margin-bottom:10px">The Iran peace deal is still a matter of =E2=80=9Cfing=
ers crossed=E2=80=9D that it lasts and is observed, but should it do so, th=
e implications for U.S. politics are profound. The =E2=80=9Cneocon=E2=80=9D=
 faction that has been pushing the United States into Middle East wars for =
several decades may finally lose influence, and if so, it is unlikely to re=
gain it. That would be a relief; the wars are horribly expensive, and the M=
iddle East is now of no interest to the United States, economically or othe=
rwise.</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-he=
ight:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">Fifty years ago, the 1973 A=
rab oil crisis awakened the world to the importance of the Middle East. Pre=
viously, colonial regimes had installed puppet monarchies in the region, al=
though even by 1973 those puppet monarchies were in the process of being ou=
sted by leftist or military coups. Israel had been installed in 1948, arbit=
rarily for the Palestinians already living there, and that had already caus=
ed a succession of wars, notably in 1973 itself, but there seemed no reason=
 why the West should get involved, beyond supplying Israel with enough arms=
 to defend itself.</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,serif;font-size:=
15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">This changed be=
cause U.S. oil production had gradually been declining, and the environment=
alists inserting glue in the works of Alaskan and other oil development mad=
e the U.S. and the West in general dangerously dependent on Middle East oil=
 =E2=80=93 by 1979 less than half the oil consumed by the United States was=
 produced there. Had the Middle East been a reliable supplier, there would =
have been no need for oil prices to rise as much as they did, but by 1980 t=
he oil market only cleared at a dollar price roughly ten times that of 1972=
 (though inflation and the dollar=E2=80=99s decline had eroded some of that=
 gain).</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-h=
eight:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">With their additional mark=
et leverage, the oil producing Middle Eastern countries started asserting t=
hemselves, while the non-oil producing Middle Eastern populations developed=
 a resentment of the West that led many of them into terrorist groups. The =
first and most damaging change was the rebellion against the Shah of Iran=
=E2=80=99s rule =E2=80=93 the Iranian population thought oil wealth was so =
automatic that even the rule of fanatic Islamist mediaeval clerics could no=
t stop it. How wrong they were! Those clerics began by fighting an impoveri=
shing eight-year war against an equally oil-producing neighbor, Iraq, ruled=
 by a secular despot and carried on squandering oil money without the sligh=
test regard to the welfare of the people they ruled.</p><p style=3D"font-fa=
mily:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;m=
argin-bottom:10px">Meanwhile the neocons had been trending politically righ=
twards =E2=80=93 only a few of them lived past 90, but the hereditary eleme=
nt in their leadership allows us to treat them as one movement, despite its=
 80-year duration. The 1948 Progressive Presidential candidate Henry Wallac=
e emerged from the same American left milieu as many of the neocons&#39; in=
tellectual forebears; at that time many of them were not merely socialist b=
ut Communist-adjacent. Wallace himself was more interesting. Not so much po=
litically =E2=80=93 he had never really understood capitalism and as Agricu=
lture Secretary was responsible for the expensive and economically damaging=
 agriculture subsidy programs that still disfigure the U.S. economy and fis=
cal position. Then as Vice President he had been seduced by a visit to the =
Soviet Union in 1944 into believing that Communism worked, a belief he fois=
ted on the U.S. public, whether it wanted it or not, for the next five year=
s. As a politician, he was both a failure and thoroughly pernicious, as is =
well brought out by Benn Steil in his excellent 2024 biography =E2=80=9CThe=
 World That Wasn=E2=80=99t.=E2=80=9D</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweathe=
r,serif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10p=
x">Wallace, however, had a life beyond politics, as few politicians do. As =
a young man, he had edited =E2=80=9CWallace=E2=80=99s Farmer=E2=80=9D a fam=
ily-owned journal for the agricultural community and had become interested =
in the possibilities of breeding hybrid corn varieties. He founded a hybrid=
 seeds company =E2=80=9CPioneer Hi-Bred=E2=80=9D which eventually became a =
Fortune 500 corporation. Then as Vice President he had visited Mexico in 19=
43, taking hybrid seeds with him and explaining how Mexico could raise the =
yield of their maize crop using hybrids. Since he was Vice President of the=
ir northern neighbor and a man with whom the socialist Mexican government f=
elt comfortable, they took his advice and planted Wallace=E2=80=99s seeds w=
idely. The following year Norman Borlaug arrived in Mexico, spent the next =
two decades spreading hybrid seed technology there, and from the middle 196=
0s took it worldwide as the =E2=80=9CGreen Revolution.=E2=80=9D Wallace mea=
nwhile was not done; in retirement he revolutionized the breeding of U.S. h=
ybrid chickens.</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15p=
x;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">The neocons, alas,=
 did not follow Wallace into plant or chicken genetics. Instead after the 1=
956 Hungarian uprising they turned against Communism and became especially =
militant in pushing U.S. attempts to overthrow it, calling themselves =E2=
=80=9Cneo-Conservatives=E2=80=9D -- to distinguish themselves from those lo=
nely souls who had been Conservative all along -- and remaining leftist Big=
 Government supporters on domestic policy. President Reagan=E2=80=99s U.N. =
Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick was a notable acolyte. Once Soviet Communism f=
ell in 1989-91 (almost completely independently of any neocon efforts) they=
 looked around for other wars to start and found the Middle East.</p><p sty=
le=3D"font-family:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;mar=
gin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">Initially, the neocons had only moderate in=
fluence on U.S. policy, but the 9/11 attacks and George W. Bush=E2=80=99s h=
ysterical over-reaction to them gave the neocons essential control of much =
of the U.S. government, especially the security services. Any attempt to re=
duce the size of the U.S. government was abandoned, and instead legislation=
 such as the Patriot Act was passed to increase the neocons=E2=80=99 reach.=
 Unsuccessful and very prolonged wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, neither with=
 a comprehensible casus belli, gave them control of the U.S. government, wh=
ether Republican or Democrat, for the next 15 years.</p><p style=3D"font-fa=
mily:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;m=
argin-bottom:10px">Two factors combined to dent their control. First, from =
around 2000 fracking became feasible to extract oil and gas, of which the U=
.S. became an exporter in LNG form. The Left tried hard to forbid it (and s=
ucceeded in some of their =E2=80=9Crotten borough=E2=80=9D jurisdictions su=
ch as New York state) but by 2020 it had made the U.S. self-sufficient in o=
il. The Biden administration threw all the roadblocks in its way that it co=
uld think of, but once Trump was re-elected in 2025, U.S. self-sufficiency =
in oil was assured and it was able to supply LNG to the Europeans whose Rus=
sian supplies had been cut off.</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,ser=
if;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">Se=
cond, much to the neocons=E2=80=99 horror, a Republican maverick candidate =
appeared, Donald Trump, smashing the neocon favorites Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio=
 or in emergency Ted Cruz. Initially, this was not too much problem; the ne=
ocons were able to control Trump=E2=80=99s cabinet appointments (since he k=
new nobody in Washington) and, aided by a great deal of chicanery, thereby =
ensure that his first term made little dent in their overall control, even =
if no new wars could be started.</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,se=
rif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">W=
ith their two impeachments, the first materially aided by the new Ukrainian=
 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the neocons thought they had got rid of Tru=
mp, aided by the Democrat shenanigans in the 2020 election. Then a new play=
ground opened up for them with Russia=E2=80=99s invasion of eastern Ukraine=
 in 2022. Since their advent to power in 2001-02, the neocons had demonized=
 President Putin, treating him as if the Soviet Union had never fallen and =
Russia was still Communist. During the Obama administration they had expell=
ed Russia from the G7 group of leading nations, while their inexorable east=
ward expansion of NATO threatened Putin in the same way it would have threa=
tened Tsar Nicholas I, the previous Russian ruler whom Putin most resembles=
. With their EU bureaucracy allies and the help of the Castroite dictator Z=
elenskyy, the neocons have been able to prop up Ukraine and prevent any kin=
d of peace with Russia from being concluded.</p><p style=3D"font-family:Mer=
riweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bo=
ttom:10px">The neocons=E2=80=99 latest stunt was to embroil the U.S. in war=
 with Iran, despite President Trump=E2=80=99s base voters=E2=80=99 deep ant=
ipathy to yet another futile war in the Middle East. Israel=E2=80=99s Benja=
min Netanyahu assisted with this, presumably seeing it as a unique opportun=
ity to remove Iran as a threat to Israel; I would guess he now realizes his=
 mistake. With no plan to restore the Shah, the only possible genuine gover=
nmental improvement in Iran, there was no upside to the war and very severe=
 =E2=80=9Ctail risk=E2=80=9D downsides for both the U.S. and Israel -- one =
for Israel possibly being that U.S. public support of Israel could deterior=
ate from unwavering to equivocal.</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,s=
erif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">=
The United States was unable to defeat either Iraq or Afghanistan, though i=
t spent decades trying; Iran has a population larger than that of both thos=
e countries put together and terrain with the difficulties of both. Fortuna=
tely, President Trump and his advisors had the sense to realize that a grou=
nd invasion of Iran for an attempted =E2=80=9Cregime change=E2=80=9D might =
very well not succeed, even given a decade, and that the American public=E2=
=80=99s patience would wear out years before victory was even conceivable.<=
/p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-height:24=
.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">The Middle East is now condemned t=
o market a commodity that is in global surplus, given the possibilities of =
fracking, and that a large political faction in the West wants to taper out=
 of using. They have wasted their wealth on conspicuous consumption of flas=
hy, pointless monstrosities like the Burj Dubai, and have glutted their pop=
ulation with unwanted immigrants of two types: Third World helots to do the=
 actual work and the sillier type of Brit, who think paying zero income tax=
 and suffering through the occasional Iranian drone attack will make them r=
ich. While Europe needs either the Middle East or Russia, the United States=
 does not, and Vladimir Putin=E2=80=99s Russia is in any case a great deal =
easier to deal with.</p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,serif;font-siz=
e:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:10px">With a bit of=
 luck, it will soon be not merely twilight for the neocons, but the dead of=
 night, and they can go back to being unheeded Communists, a political dire=
ction in which many of them appear to be heading. For the rest of us, long =
may President Trump and his rational advisors rule!</p><p style=3D"font-fam=
ily:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;ma=
rgin-bottom:10px"><em>-0-</em></p><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,seri=
f;font-size:15px;line-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><em>=
(The Bear&#39;s Lair is a weekly column that is intended to appear each Mon=
day, an appropriately gloomy day of the week. Its rationale is that the pro=
portion of &quot;sell&quot; recommendations put out by Wall Street houses r=
emains far below that of =E2=80=9Cbuy=E2=80=9D recommendations. Accordingly=
, investors have an excess of positive information and very little negative=
 information. The column thus takes the ursine view of life and the market,=
 in the hope that it may be usefully different from what investors see else=
where.)</em></p></td></tr><tr><td height=3D"20" style=3D"line-height:20px">=
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table width=3D"100%" b=
gcolor=3D"" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td=
><table width=3D"640" bgcolor=3D"#ffffff" align=3D"center" border=3D"0" cel=
lspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" style=3D"width:640px;min-width:640px;margi=
n-bottom:0px"><tbody><tr><td><table width=3D"100%" border=3D"0" cellspacing=
=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td align=3D"center" style=3D"padding:0=
px 50px"><table role=3D"presentation" cellpadding=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" b=
order=3D"0" align=3D"center" width=3D"100%"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"border-=
top:1px solid rgb(234,236,237)"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody=
></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table width=
=3D"100%" bgcolor=3D"" border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0"><tb=
ody><tr><td><table width=3D"640" bgcolor=3D"#ffffff" align=3D"center" borde=
r=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" style=3D"color:rgb(51,51,51);wi=
dth:640px;min-width:640px;margin-bottom:0px"><tbody><tr><td height=3D"30" s=
tyle=3D"line-height:30px;min-width:640px"></td></tr><tr><td align=3D"center=
" style=3D"padding:0px 50px"><table border=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" cellpadd=
ing=3D"0"><tbody><tr><td align=3D"center"><img src=3D"https://storage.mlcdn=
.com/account_image/129845/3e63bd09d7f27f1d5bc5d4ff7d1b4b9fcac7a711.png" bor=
der=3D"0" alt=3D"Martin Hutchinson" width=3D"115" class=3D"gmail-CToWUd" st=
yle=3D"display: inline-block; max-width: 115px; border-radius: 80px;"></td>=
</tr><tr><td height=3D"20" style=3D"line-height:20px"></td></tr><tr><td ali=
gn=3D"center"><p style=3D"font-family:Merriweather,serif;font-size:15px;lin=
e-height:24.75px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px">Best Regards,<strong><br=
>Martin Hutchinson</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td =
height=3D"30" style=3D"line-height:30px"></td></tr></tbody></table></td></t=
r></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br c=
lass=3D"gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div>

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Subject: [Salon] Fwd: Simplicius: "Major Rupture Between US-Israel as Trump
 Grows Exasperated With Netanyahu's Uncontrolled Bloodletting." (6/21/26)
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https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/major-rupture-between-us-israel-as?utm_=
source=3Dpost-email-title&publication_id=3D1351274&post_id=3D202614274&utm_=
campaign=3Demail-post-title&isFreemail=3Dfalse&r=3D210kv&triedRedirect=3Dtr=
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*Major Rupture Between US-Israel as Trump Grows Exasperated With
Netanyahu's Uncontrolled Bloodletting*
Simplicius <https://substack.com/@simplicius76>  6/21/26

*It seems to be the usual arc of any imperial propaganda drive that when a
conflict winds down, and the stakes are no longer at risk, the principles
begin to loosen their hold on the truth evident to us all along. *

*In this case after the disastrous defeat to Iran, Trump went on a
remarkable spree of honesty as pertains the =E2=80=9Ccards=E2=80=9D=E2=80=
=94or rather, lack
thereof=E2=80=94that the US had all along. A suddenly forthright Trump bega=
n
letting the cat out of the bag on the catastrophic consequences the Iranian
blockade had in store for us all.*

*Here he revealed that the world=E2=80=99s oil reserves would have run out =
in four
weeks, and =E2=80=9Cbedlam=E2=80=9D would have ensued: *

*In an even more eye-opening clip, Trump admits that the US would have gone
into a great depression, invoking his own image as a would-be Herbert
Hoover, who himself ill-fatedly presided over the Great Depression of 1929,
and whose legacy was thus forever ensconced by it:*

*It seems clear that our analyses here were correct: Trump knew all along
that the US was playing a dangerous game of Chicken with Iran, and all his
attempts to outlast his arch-rival were bluffs meant to paint Iran as the
one =E2=80=9Crunning out of time=E2=80=9D when in reality it was Trump=E2=
=80=99s own sclerotic
regime that was up against the hourglass. Now that the dust has settled, he
feels comfortable enough to reveal the stark reality of it all. *

*The Kobeissi Letter@KobeissiLetterUS commercial crude oil inventories are
reaching critical levels: Crude inventories at Cushing, Oklahoma, the
largest commercial storage hub in the US and the pricing point for WTI
Crude, dropped -1.6 million barrels last week, to 20 million barrels, the
lowest since 2014. This 4:33 PM =C2=B7 Jun 18, 2026 =C2=B7 419K Views*
<https://x.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2067707174646686194>

*Recall that Trump had already been gradually intimating the =E2=80=9Cunspo=
ken=E2=80=9D
realities of what it would take to truly cause Iran harm, much less
=E2=80=9Cdefeat=E2=80=9D the ancient civilization-state. Just a few reports=
 ago we wrote
about Trump=E2=80=99s mentioning of Americans lacking the =E2=80=9Cappetite=
=E2=80=9D for a
boots-on-ground-style invasion of Kharg Island. He had left it deliberately
vague to insinuate a meaning obvious to most: that Americans would not be
able to stomach the sheer casualtiesguaranteed by such an assault. *

*We can conclude that Trump is actually much more pragmatically intelligent
than he appears. Many had written him off as a dimwit due to all the
callous bravado he displayed against Iran, but this appeared to be a stint
of calculated scare tactics meant to cow the Iranians. In reality, Trump
seemed well aware of the dangers and consequences the whole time, and
merely hoped Iran would fold before it got to that point of untenable
blowback for the US. In some ways, despite the humiliating nature of the
US=E2=80=99s capitulation, we almost have to give Trump credit for having t=
he
=E2=80=9Cmaturity=E2=80=9D=E2=80=94if you=E2=80=99ll allow such a stretch=
=E2=80=94of at least accepting reality and
its attendant defeat. *

*But by far the most consequential result of this entire saga has been the
giant rift that has blown open between the US and Israeli political
leadership.*

*We=E2=80=99ve all seen how Trump had begun to demonstrate his exasperation=
 with
Bibi for the first time, stating openly that he had to curb him from
ruthlessly and disproportionately bombing Beirut for the sake of minor
drone activity from Hezbollah. *

*But now JD Vance and the US intelligence community have gone even farther,
putting unthinkable daylight between US and its rampaging Mideast
=E2=80=9Cpartner=E2=80=9D-colony. *

*You could say they were almost forced to do so, after a slew of Israeli
figures unleashed their most hate-filled fantasies by threatening the
Lebanese with various forms of killing and genocide. *

*The maniacal outbursts were led by notorious Israeli Minister of National
Security Ben Gvir:*
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!avYh!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F39384296-cec1-4365-a0d4-4a7f077e995c_909x1280.jpeg>

*His above screed was considered so egregious that X even had to flag it as
hate speech:*
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YmgV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F7c1504e3-de89-45da-98d8-9e6e65966011_737x450.png>

*It was so bad, even the worst people you know were outraged=E2=80=94at lea=
st
performatively so, to =E2=80=9Cdistance=E2=80=9D themselves from the truly =
indefensible
stuff in order to preserve their =E2=80=9Ccredibility=E2=80=9D for future u=
se as =E2=80=98useful
globalist stooges=E2=80=99:*
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Od_3!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F663b893a-a177-49d5-94b1-3cc7d6187c90_1120x483.png>

*JD Vance referenced Ben Gvir directly in his ongoing rebukes of Israel,
stating =E2=80=9CYou can=E2=80=99t just kill your way out of solving every =
national
security problem you have=E2=80=9D:*

*Vance went on to make what can almost be described as a veiled threat,
telling Israel that Trump is the =E2=80=9Conly world leader=E2=80=9D sympat=
hetic to
Israel=E2=80=99s cause, and that attacking him would be quite an own-goal f=
or
Israel. *

*He also reiterated Trump=E2=80=99s own complaints about the Israeli overki=
ll
against civilians, particularly at the precisely convenient moments when
the US and Iran stand to make some kind of deal breakthrough: *

*Here implying that the Israeli regime wants to turn Iran into another
failed state like Libya: *

*Perhaps it is mere token outrage from the Trump administration, a bit of
virtual virtue signaling to =E2=80=9Cdistance=E2=80=9D themselves from the =
inhumanly
bloodthirsty Israeli leadership because they know how repulsive the
statements look to the increasingly anti-Zionist American public. And it=E2=
=80=99s
clear these US officials are doing their best to remain =E2=80=9Cdiplomatic=
=E2=80=9D and in
essence =E2=80=98censure=E2=80=99 Israel in the most velvet-gloved way poss=
ible, without
kindling a true row between the two countries.*

*But this did not stop Israeli figures from taking it as a full-on attack
against them. Even the Miriam Adelson-owned paper Israel Hayom turned
against Trump, sending him a powerful message: *
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GruQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F0aa5116b-05c0-45d6-b00e-7cae3e8216fd_680x614.jpeg>
*https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/06/18/you-could-have-been-the-greatest-pr=
esident-of-all-but-you-failed/*
<https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/06/18/you-could-have-been-the-greatest-pr=
esident-of-all-but-you-failed/>

*Writing: *

*Mr. President, you have gravely harmed the human interests of the
enlightened world, and you may be remembered forever as the president who
brought about America=E2=80=99s humiliation. You betrayed us, the Israelis.=
 And in
a single moment, the contempt you once faced suddenly seems so justified
and logical. Danny Zaken writes to the US president.*

*The New Yorker followed suit, describing Trump=E2=80=99s latest actions as=
 an
American =E2=80=9Cstab in the back=E2=80=9D of Israel: *
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!W5X-!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F6cdd059c-4652-4d14-b697-3b15b060f20f_1942x831.png>
*https://www.newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/the-israeli-ultra-hawks-who-feel-be=
trayed-by-trumps-iran-deal*
<https://archive.ph/K0q3p>

*The above piece revealed a secret portion of Israel=E2=80=99s original pla=
n to
bring down Iran, as gathered from Israeli =E2=80=98intelligence sources=E2=
=80=99: *

*-I can tell you that I speak with people of a very high rank in Israeli
defense, and they speak of a seventy- or eighty-per-cent chance to replace
the Iranian regime if Trump allows the militias from Iraq to invade Iran.*

*-These are Kurdish militias you=E2=80=99re talking about?*

*-Not only. Israel can provide them with weapons. This was part of the
plan. And then, to our amazement, Trump said the Kurds didn=E2=80=99t want =
to
fight. But, really, Trump is the one who forbade them from fighting,
because Erdo=C4=9Fan put pressure on him not to do it. Israel had a brillia=
nt
plan and spent a lot of money, and shocked the Iranians in the beginning of
the war. But you prevented the militias from acting, and now you ask why
the regime didn=E2=80=99t fall. Because you didn=E2=80=99t give us the chan=
ce. In Gaza. In
Lebanon. In Syria. In Iran. Everything we wanted to do, you prevented us
from doing it. If you go to war, and you define the goal of the war, do it.
If not, don=E2=80=99t do it. It=E2=80=99s not only that you don=E2=80=99t d=
o it, but you falsely
blame the Kurds and the Israelis. And you give in to all the demands of
Iran. And they won=E2=80=99t stop. Tomorrow, they might say, If you don=E2=
=80=99t close the
Embassy in Jerusalem, we will close the strait. Then what do you do?*

*The =E2=80=9Cwell-connected=E2=80=9D insider who claims to have Netanyahu=
=E2=80=99s ear concluded
by revealing that Bibi was blind-sided by Trump=E2=80=99s so-called betraya=
l: *

*-What do you think Netanyahu will do now with an election coming up?*

*-I think he is in shock. In shock. In all the years that I have known him,
he has never been in shock like now. Not with Obama. No one has caused a
shock like Trump. And it=E2=80=99s because you couldn=E2=80=99t predict it.=
*

*-The unpredictable nature of Trump turning on you is what makes it so sad.=
*

*-True. You are right. In a few months, we have an election, and one of the
most important parts of his campaign was going to be his friendship with
Trump. Now what is he going to say? It=E2=80=99s a problem.*

*Even the Israeli opposition leader and ex-PM Yair Lapid warned that if
Israel didn=E2=80=99t rein in the current psychopaths in government, the na=
tion=E2=80=99s
foreign relations would be wiped out in their entirety: *
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!UQMx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F3ca9f508-0658-4a51-9a60-00563f2e2ec4_1122x551.png>

*There are even reports the Trump admin has =E2=80=9Cquietly=E2=80=9D opene=
d back-channels
with Netanyahu=E2=80=99s rivals, perhaps finally deciding to pull the plug =
on the
one-tracked genocidal pony once and for all: *

*BIG: Israeli Channel 12 reports Trump administration officials have
quietly opened backchannel contacts with opposition leaders Naftali Bennett
and Gadi Eisenkot, hedging against Netanyahu ahead of Israel's elections
(due by October 2026). Bennett and Eisenkot are seen as top 9:08 AM =C2=B7 =
Jun
20, 2026 =C2=B7 108K Views*
<https://x.com/clashreport/status/2068320088248188946>

*In light of this, the rupture went beyond merely the performative
pronouncements of Vance and co. Even the US intelligence community
apparently began a campaign to expose Israel by outing Israel=E2=80=99s pla=
n to
intentionally sabotage the peace deal=E2=80=94a veritable no-brainer if the=
re ever
was one:*
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cFeC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F2638702c-c1bf-4115-9293-ca3f2577877c_1080x921.jpeg>
*https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/19/us-intelligenc=
e-warns-israel-is-likely-undermine-iran-peace-deal-officials-say/*
<https://archive.ph/eVd7n>

*U.S. intelligence agencies have warned the Trump administration that
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to take steps that will
undermine President Donald Trump=E2=80=99s effort to reach a lasting peace =
deal
with Iran, as the Israeli premier faces intense political pressure to
continue waging his country=E2=80=99s war in Lebanon, current and former U.=
S.
officials said.*

*Israel appears intent on maintaining military operations against Iran=E2=
=80=99s
proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon, an aim that would flout a core element of the
fledgling agreement that calls for an end to hostilities in that country,
according to intelligence reports, including one circulated this week, said
the officials.*

*But, of course, it=E2=80=99s not about it being an obvious and self-eviden=
t low
hanging fruit=E2=80=94it=E2=80=99s the fact they released such a bit of =E2=
=80=9Cintel=E2=80=9D to begin
with. This clearly points to a behind-the-scenes seachange within the US
deep state, as even stalwart =E2=80=9Cglobalists=E2=80=9D like Hillary Clin=
ton have
suddenly turned on Israel in latest statements. *

*The NYT piece, by the way, makes a mockery of itself by implying
=E2=80=9Cdisplaced=E2=80=9D Israelis might justify the incursion into Leban=
on:*

*Tens of thousands of Israelis displaced from their homes in the country=E2=
=80=99s
north by dronesand missile strikes have demanded that Netanyahu decimate
Hezbollah, and he has come under withering criticism from across the
domestic political spectrum for failing to eliminate the militant threat.*

*As if Israel has the right to so much as utter a word when it comes to
displacement of people. Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz openly
bragged yesterday that Israel had ethnically cleansed 200,000 residents
from southern Lebanon after =E2=80=9Cflattening=E2=80=9D their villages: *

*He boasts that the situation differs from before because in previous
attempts Israel had allowed Lebanese to stay in their villages, but now
they simply remove them and destroy the villages, which makes Israel=E2=80=
=99s
border region =E2=80=9Csafer=E2=80=9D; the words of a genocidal psychopath.=
 *

*Now there=E2=80=99s fear that Iran has cancelled negotiations again after =
Trump
issued more of his recklessly craven threats. Contradictory reports also
abound about Israel allegedly being forced to =E2=80=9Ccompromise=E2=80=9D =
and withdraw
from parts of southern Lebanon:*
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!O__a!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F04a23920-ee9d-402f-84f6-130246f2f0ab_1110x640.jpeg>

*Trump, for his part, returned to the thing he knows best=E2=80=94embarrass=
ing
himself with more insecure whinging and high-flung fable-making: *
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yo0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F3de2f37d-de99-409a-bf5d-fd0f9d63a3b3_1200x778.jpeg>

*It seems he=E2=80=99s living in an entirely separate reality from the rest=
 of us
at this point. *

*The brilliant deal he=E2=80=99s so proud of: *
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DMx2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F9c579914-2224-4f94-a49e-992ad867bd46_1200x1174.jpeg>

*Well, what do you expect from a man whose moral and ethical compass allows
for close partnership and alliances with someone who needs constant
=E2=80=9Ccorrection=E2=80=9D toward sanity? *

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"lt=
r"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><h1 style=3D"lin=
e-height:1.2141em;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;max-width:100%;color:r=
gb(27,27,27)"><a href=3D"https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/major-rupture-=
between-us-israel-as?utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&amp;publication_id=3D135=
1274&amp;post_id=3D202614274&amp;utm_campaign=3Demail-post-title&amp;isFree=
mail=3Dfalse&amp;r=3D210kv&amp;triedRedirect=3Dtrue&amp;utm_medium=3Demail"=
 style=3D"font-size:small;font-family:georgia,serif;font-weight:normal" tar=
get=3D"_blank">https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/major-rupture-between-us=
-israel-as?utm_source=3Dpost-email-title&amp;publication_id=3D1351274&amp;p=
ost_id=3D202614274&amp;utm_campaign=3Demail-post-title&amp;isFreemail=3Dfal=
se&amp;r=3D210kv&amp;triedRedirect=3Dtrue&amp;utm_medium=3Demail</a><br></h=
1><h1 style=3D"line-height:1.2141em;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;max-=
width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><font size=3D"4" face=3D"georgia, serif"><i=
>Major Rupture Between US-Israel as Trump Grows Exasperated With Netanyahu&=
#39;s Uncontrolled Bloodletting</i></font></h1><div style=3D"margin-bottom:=
1.45em;max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/=
@simplicius76" style=3D"text-decoration:none;margin:0px;font-weight:bold;co=
lor:rgb(27,27,27);max-width:100%;display:inline" target=3D"_blank"><font fa=
ce=3D"georgia, serif">Simplicius</font></a><font face=3D"georgia, serif">=
=C2=A0 6/21/26</font></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)">=
<b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">It seems to be the usual arc of any imperi=
al propaganda drive that when a conflict winds down, and the stakes are no =
longer at risk, the principles begin to loosen their hold on the truth evid=
ent to us all along.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width=
:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">In this case af=
ter the disastrous defeat to Iran, Trump went on a remarkable spree of hone=
sty as pertains the =E2=80=9Ccards=E2=80=9D=E2=80=94or rather, lack thereof=
=E2=80=94that the US had all along. A suddenly forthright Trump began letti=
ng the cat out of the bag on the catastrophic consequences the Iranian bloc=
kade had in store for us all.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;colo=
r:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Here he revealed that the=
 world=E2=80=99s oil reserves would have run out in four weeks, and =E2=80=
=9Cbedlam=E2=80=9D would have ensued:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p s=
tyle=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif=
">In an even more eye-opening clip, Trump admits that the US would have gon=
e into a great depression, invoking his own image as a would-be Herbert Hoo=
ver, who himself ill-fatedly presided over the Great Depression of 1929, an=
d whose legacy was thus forever ensconced by it:</font></b></p><p style=3D"=
max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">It see=
ms clear that our analyses here were correct: Trump knew all along that the=
 US was playing a dangerous game of Chicken with Iran, and all his attempts=
 to outlast his arch-rival were bluffs meant to paint Iran as the one =E2=
=80=9Crunning out of time=E2=80=9D when in reality it was Trump=E2=80=99s o=
wn sclerotic regime that was up against the hourglass. Now that the dust ha=
s settled, he feels comfortable enough to reveal the stark reality of it al=
l.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><a href=3D"https://x.com/KobeissiLetter=
/status/2067707174646686194" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer" style=3D"text-deco=
ration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank"><div st=
yle=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><div style=3D"max-w=
idth:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%">The K=
obeissi Letter</span><span style=3D"max-width:100%">@KobeissiLetter</span><=
/p></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%">US commercial crude oil inventories ar=
e reaching critical levels: Crude inventories at Cushing, Oklahoma, the lar=
gest commercial storage hub in the US and the pricing point for WTI Crude, =
dropped -1.6 million barrels last week, to 20 million barrels, the lowest s=
ince 2014. This<span>=C2=A0</span></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><img sr=
c=3D"https://pbs.substack.com/media/HLH4t4MWAAAcKhc.jpg" style=3D"margin:0.=
5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block" width=3D"412" height=3D"218"></div><div s=
tyle=3D"max-width:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-widt=
h:100%">4:33 PM =C2=B7 Jun 18, 2026</span><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><s=
pan>=C2=A0</span>=C2=B7<span>=C2=A0</span></span><span style=3D"max-width:1=
00%">419K<span>=C2=A0</span>Views</span></p></div></font></b></div></a><p s=
tyle=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif=
"><span style=3D"max-width:100%">Recall that Trump had already been gradual=
ly intimating the =E2=80=9Cunspoken=E2=80=9D realities of what it would tak=
e to truly cause Iran harm, much less =E2=80=9Cdefeat=E2=80=9D the ancient =
civilization-state. Just a few reports ago we wrote about Trump=E2=80=99s m=
entioning of Americans lacking the =E2=80=9Cappetite=E2=80=9D for a boots-o=
n-ground-style invasion of Kharg Island. He had left it deliberately vague =
to insinuate a meaning obvious to most: that Americans would not be able to=
 stomach the sheer<span>=C2=A0</span></span><span style=3D"max-width:100%">=
casualties</span><span style=3D"max-width:100%">guaranteed by such an assau=
lt.<span>=C2=A0</span></span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;colo=
r:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">We can conclude that Trum=
p is actually much more pragmatically intelligent than he appears. Many had=
 written him off as a dimwit due to all the callous bravado he displayed ag=
ainst Iran, but this appeared to be a stint of calculated scare tactics mea=
nt to cow the Iranians. In reality, Trump seemed well aware of the dangers =
and consequences the whole time, and merely hoped Iran would fold before it=
 got to that point of untenable blowback for the US. In some ways, despite =
the humiliating nature of the US=E2=80=99s capitulation, we almost have to =
give Trump credit for having the =E2=80=9Cmaturity=E2=80=9D=E2=80=94if you=
=E2=80=99ll allow such a stretch=E2=80=94of at least accepting reality and =
its attendant defeat.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-widt=
h:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">But by far the=
 most consequential result of this entire saga has been the giant rift that=
 has blown open between the US and Israeli political leadership.</font></b>=
</p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgi=
a, serif">We=E2=80=99ve all seen how Trump had begun to demonstrate his exa=
speration with Bibi for the first time, stating openly that he had to curb =
him from ruthlessly and disproportionately bombing Beirut for the sake of m=
inor drone activity from Hezbollah.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p sty=
le=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">=
But now JD Vance and the US intelligence community have gone even farther, =
putting unthinkable daylight between US and its rampaging Mideast =E2=80=9C=
partner=E2=80=9D-colony.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-w=
idth:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">You could s=
ay they were almost forced to do so, after a slew of Israeli figures unleas=
hed their most hate-filled fantasies by threatening the Lebanese with vario=
us forms of killing and genocide.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=
=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Th=
e maniacal outbursts were led by notorious Israeli Minister of National Sec=
urity Ben Gvir:</font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,=
27)"><a href=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!avYh!,f_auto,q_auto=
:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.c=
om%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F39384296-cec1-4365-a0d4-4a7f077e995c_909x1280.jpeg" =
style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=
=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b=
><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fe=
tch/$s_!avYh!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%=
3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F39384296-c=
ec1-4365-a0d4-4a7f077e995c_909x1280.jpeg" width=3D"293" height=3D"412" alt=
=3D"" style=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></font></b></span=
></div></a></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font f=
ace=3D"georgia, serif">His above screed was considered so egregious that X =
even had to flag it as hate speech:</font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:1=
00%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><a href=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_=
!YmgV!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-=
media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7c1504e3-de89-45da-98d8-9e6e6596=
6011_737x450.png" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-w=
idth:100%" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"m=
ax-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substac=
kcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!YmgV!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progres=
sive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fim=
ages%2F7c1504e3-de89-45da-98d8-9e6e65966011_737x450.png" width=3D"412" heig=
ht=3D"252" alt=3D"" style=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></f=
ont></b></span></div></a></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,2=
7)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">It was so bad, even the worst people y=
ou know were outraged=E2=80=94at least performatively so, to =E2=80=9Cdista=
nce=E2=80=9D themselves from the truly indefensible stuff in order to prese=
rve their =E2=80=9Ccredibility=E2=80=9D for future use as =E2=80=98useful g=
lobalist stooges=E2=80=99:</font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color=
:rgb(27,27,27)"><a href=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Od_3!,f_=
auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.=
amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F663b893a-a177-49d5-94b1-3cc7d6187c90_1120=
x483.png" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100=
%" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width=
:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com=
/image/fetch/$s_!Od_3!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:ste=
ep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6=
63b893a-a177-49d5-94b1-3cc7d6187c90_1120x483.png" width=3D"412" height=3D"1=
78" alt=3D"" style=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></font></b=
></span></div></a></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b>=
<font face=3D"georgia, serif"><span style=3D"max-width:100%">JD Vance refer=
enced Ben Gvir directly in his ongoing rebukes of Israel, stating<span>=C2=
=A0</span></span><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:10=
0%">=E2=80=9CYou can=E2=80=99t just kill your way out of solving every nati=
onal security problem you have=E2=80=9D:</span></span></font></b></p><p sty=
le=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">=
Vance went on to make what can almost be described as a veiled threat, tell=
ing Israel that Trump is the =E2=80=9Conly world leader=E2=80=9D sympatheti=
c to Israel=E2=80=99s cause, and that attacking him would be quite an own-g=
oal for Israel.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%=
;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">He also reiterated T=
rump=E2=80=99s own complaints about the Israeli overkill against civilians,=
 particularly at the precisely convenient moments when the US and Iran stan=
d to make some kind of deal breakthrough:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p>=
<p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, s=
erif">Here implying that the Israeli regime wants to turn Iran into another=
 failed state like Libya:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-=
width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Perhaps it=
 is mere token outrage from the Trump administration, a bit of virtual virt=
ue signaling to =E2=80=9Cdistance=E2=80=9D themselves from the inhumanly bl=
oodthirsty Israeli leadership because they know how repulsive the statement=
s look to the increasingly anti-Zionist American public. And it=E2=80=99s c=
lear these US officials are doing their best to remain =E2=80=9Cdiplomatic=
=E2=80=9D and in essence =E2=80=98censure=E2=80=99 Israel in the most velve=
t-gloved way possible, without kindling a true row between the two countrie=
s.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font f=
ace=3D"georgia, serif">But this did not stop Israeli figures from taking it=
 as a full-on attack against them. Even the Miriam Adelson-owned paper Isra=
el Hayom turned against Trump, sending him a powerful message:<span>=C2=A0<=
/span></font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><a h=
ref=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!GruQ!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_=
progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpubl=
ic%2Fimages%2F0aa5116b-05c0-45d6-b00e-7cae3e8216fd_680x614.jpeg" style=3D"t=
ext-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank"=
><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=
=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gru=
Q!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsub=
stack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0aa5116b-05c0-45d6-b0=
0e-7cae3e8216fd_680x614.jpeg" width=3D"412" height=3D"372" alt=3D"" style=
=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></font></b></span></div></a>=
<a href=3D"https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/06/18/you-could-have-been-the-g=
reatest-president-of-all-but-you-failed/" style=3D"text-decoration:none;col=
or:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%;margin-top:0.25em;margin-bottom:0.25em" t=
arget=3D"_blank"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">https://www.israelhayom.c=
om/2026/06/18/you-could-have-been-the-greatest-president-of-all-but-you-fai=
led/</font></b></a></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b=
><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Writing:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><b=
lockquote style=3D"color:rgba(0,0,0,0.65);margin-left:2px;margin-right:6px;=
padding-left:16px;border-left-width:3px;border-left-style:solid;border-left=
-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.1);max-width:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span st=
yle=3D"max-width:100%"><b style=3D"max-width:100%"><font face=3D"georgia, s=
erif">Mr. President, you have gravely harmed the human interests of the enl=
ightened world, and you may be remembered forever as the president who brou=
ght about America=E2=80=99s humiliation. You betrayed us, the Israelis. And=
 in a single moment, the contempt you once faced suddenly seems so justifie=
d and logical. Danny Zaken writes to the US president.</font></b></span></p=
></blockquote><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=
=3D"georgia, serif">The New Yorker followed suit, describing Trump=E2=80=99=
s latest actions as an American =E2=80=9Cstab in the back=E2=80=9D of Israe=
l:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(=
27,27,27)"><a href=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!W5X-!,f_auto,=
q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazo=
naws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cdd059c-4652-4d14-b697-3b15b060f20f_1942x831.=
png" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" ta=
rget=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%=
"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/imag=
e/fetch/$s_!W5X-!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/ht=
tps%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6cdd05=
9c-4652-4d14-b697-3b15b060f20f_1942x831.png" width=3D"412" height=3D"176" a=
lt=3D"" style=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></font></b></sp=
an></div></a><a href=3D"https://archive.ph/K0q3p" style=3D"text-decoration:=
none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%;margin-top:0.25em;margin-bottom:0=
.25em" target=3D"_blank"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">https://www.newyo=
rker.com/news/q-and-a/the-israeli-ultra-hawks-who-feel-betrayed-by-trumps-i=
ran-deal</font></b></a></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)=
"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">The above piece revealed a secret portio=
n of Israel=E2=80=99s original plan to bring down Iran, as gathered from Is=
raeli =E2=80=98intelligence sources=E2=80=99:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b>=
</p><blockquote style=3D"color:rgba(0,0,0,0.65);margin-left:2px;margin-righ=
t:6px;padding-left:16px;border-left-width:3px;border-left-style:solid;borde=
r-left-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.1);max-width:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><s=
pan style=3D"max-width:100%"><b style=3D"max-width:100%"><font face=3D"geor=
gia, serif">-I can tell you that I speak with people of a very high rank in=
 Israeli defense, and they speak of a seventy- or eighty-per-cent chance to=
 replace the Iranian regime if Trump allows the militias from Iraq to invad=
e Iran.</font></b></span></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max=
-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">-These are Kurdish militias y=
ou=E2=80=99re talking about?</font></b></span></p><p style=3D"max-width:100=
%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">-Not onl=
y. Israel can provide them with weapons. This was part of the plan. And the=
n, to our amazement, Trump said the Kurds didn=E2=80=99t want to fight. But=
, really, Trump is the one who forbade them from fighting, because Erdo=C4=
=9Fan put pressure on him not to do it. Israel had a brilliant plan and spe=
nt a lot of money, and shocked the Iranians in the beginning of the war. Bu=
t you prevented the militias from acting, and now you ask why the regime di=
dn=E2=80=99t fall. Because you didn=E2=80=99t give us the chance. In Gaza. =
In Lebanon. In Syria. In Iran. Everything we wanted to do, you prevented us=
 from doing it. If you go to war, and you define the goal of the war, do it=
. If not, don=E2=80=99t do it. It=E2=80=99s not only that you don=E2=80=99t=
 do it, but you falsely blame the Kurds and the Israelis. And you give in t=
o all the demands of Iran. And they won=E2=80=99t stop. Tomorrow, they migh=
t say, If you don=E2=80=99t close the Embassy in Jerusalem, we will close t=
he strait. Then what do you do?</font></b></span></p></blockquote><p style=
=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Th=
e =E2=80=9Cwell-connected=E2=80=9D insider who claims to have Netanyahu=E2=
=80=99s ear concluded by revealing that Bibi was blind-sided by Trump=E2=80=
=99s so-called betrayal:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><blockquote style=
=3D"color:rgba(0,0,0,0.65);margin-left:2px;margin-right:6px;padding-left:16=
px;border-left-width:3px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgba(0,0=
,0,0.1);max-width:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-widt=
h:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">-What do you think Netanyahu will =
do now with an election coming up?</font></b></span></p><p style=3D"max-wid=
th:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b style=3D"max-width:100%"><font f=
ace=3D"georgia, serif">-I think he is in shock. In shock. In all the years =
that I have known him, he has never been in shock like now. Not with Obama.=
 No one has caused a shock like Trump. And it=E2=80=99s because you couldn=
=E2=80=99t predict it.</font></b></span></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><sp=
an style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">-The unpredict=
able nature of Trump turning on you is what makes it so sad.</font></b></sp=
an></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font =
face=3D"georgia, serif">-True. You are right. In a few months, we have an e=
lection, and one of the most important parts of his campaign was going to b=
e his friendship with Trump. Now what is he going to say? It=E2=80=99s a pr=
oblem.</font></b></span></p></blockquote><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:r=
gb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Even the Israeli opposition =
leader and ex-PM Yair Lapid warned that if Israel didn=E2=80=99t rein in th=
e current psychopaths in government, the nation=E2=80=99s foreign relations=
 would be wiped out in their entirety:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><di=
v style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><font face=3D"georgia, serif=
"><a href=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!UQMx!,f_auto,q_auto:go=
od,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%=
2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3ca9f508-0658-4a51-9a60-00563f2e2ec4_1122x551.png" styl=
e=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_=
blank"><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><img=
 src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!UQMx!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto=
,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amaz=
onaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3ca9f508-0658-4a51-9a60-00563f2e2ec4_1122x551=
.png" width=3D"412" height=3D"202" alt=3D"" style=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em=
 auto;display:block"></b></span></div></a><br></font></div><p style=3D"max-=
width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">There are =
even reports the Trump admin has =E2=80=9Cquietly=E2=80=9D opened back-chan=
nels with Netanyahu=E2=80=99s rivals, perhaps finally deciding to pull the =
plug on the one-tracked genocidal pony once and for all:<span>=C2=A0</span>=
</font></b></p><a href=3D"https://x.com/clashreport/status/2068320088248188=
946" rel=3D"noopener noreferrer" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(65=
,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><=
b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><p style=3D"max-width:100%">BIG: Israeli Ch=
annel 12 reports Trump administration officials have quietly opened backcha=
nnel contacts with opposition leaders Naftali Bennett and Gadi Eisenkot, he=
dging against Netanyahu ahead of Israel&#39;s elections (due by October 202=
6). Bennett and Eisenkot are seen as top<span>=C2=A0</span></p><div style=
=3D"max-width:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:10=
0%">9:08 AM =C2=B7 Jun 20, 2026</span><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><span>=
=C2=A0</span>=C2=B7<span>=C2=A0</span></span><span style=3D"max-width:100%"=
>108K<span>=C2=A0</span>Views</span></p></div></font></b></div></a><p style=
=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">In=
 light of this, the rupture went beyond merely the performative pronounceme=
nts of Vance and co. Even the US intelligence community apparently began a =
campaign to expose Israel by outing Israel=E2=80=99s plan to intentionally =
sabotage the peace deal=E2=80=94a veritable no-brainer if there ever was on=
e:</font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><a href=
=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cFeC!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_pro=
gressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%=
2Fimages%2F2638702c-c1bf-4115-9293-ca3f2577877c_1080x921.jpeg" style=3D"tex=
t-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank"><=
div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=
=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!cFe=
C!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsub=
stack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2638702c-c1bf-4115-92=
93-ca3f2577877c_1080x921.jpeg" width=3D"412" height=3D"351" alt=3D"" style=
=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></font></b></span></div></a>=
<a href=3D"https://archive.ph/eVd7n" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rg=
b(65,110,210);max-width:100%;margin-top:0.25em;margin-bottom:0.25em" target=
=3D"_blank"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">https://www.washingtonpost.com=
/national-security/2026/06/19/us-intelligence-warns-israel-is-likely-underm=
ine-iran-peace-deal-officials-say/</font></b></a></div><blockquote style=3D=
"color:rgba(0,0,0,0.65);margin-left:2px;margin-right:6px;padding-left:16px;=
border-left-width:3px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgba(0,0,0,=
0.1);max-width:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:1=
00%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><span style=3D"max-width:100%">U.S. i=
ntelligence agencies have warned the Trump administration that Israeli Prim=
e Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to take steps that will undermine P=
resident Donald Trump=E2=80=99s effort to reach a lasting peace deal with I=
ran</span><span style=3D"max-width:100%">, as the Israeli premier faces int=
ense political pressure to continue waging his country=E2=80=99s war in Leb=
anon, current and former U.S. officials said.</span></font></b></span></p><=
p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"=
georgia, serif">Israel appears intent on maintaining military operations ag=
ainst Iran=E2=80=99s proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon, an aim that would flout a =
core element of the fledgling agreement that calls for an end to hostilitie=
s in that country, according to intelligence reports, including one circula=
ted this week, said the officials.</font></b></span></p></blockquote><p sty=
le=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">=
But, of course, it=E2=80=99s not about it being an obvious and self-evident=
 low hanging fruit=E2=80=94it=E2=80=99s the fact they released such a bit o=
f =E2=80=9Cintel=E2=80=9D to begin with. This clearly points to a behind-th=
e-scenes seachange within the US deep state, as even stalwart =E2=80=9Cglob=
alists=E2=80=9D like Hillary Clinton have suddenly turned on Israel in late=
st statements.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;=
color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">The NYT piece, by the=
 way, makes a mockery of itself by implying =E2=80=9Cdisplaced=E2=80=9D Isr=
aelis might justify the incursion into Lebanon:</font></b></p><blockquote s=
tyle=3D"color:rgba(0,0,0,0.65);margin-left:2px;margin-right:6px;padding-lef=
t:16px;border-left-width:3px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgba=
(0,0,0,0.1);max-width:100%"><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-=
width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"=
><span style=3D"max-width:100%">Tens of thousands of Israelis displaced fro=
m their homes</span></span><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><span>=C2=A0</spa=
n>in the country=E2=80=99s north</span><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><span=
>=C2=A0</span></span><span style=3D"max-width:100%">by drones</span><span s=
tyle=3D"max-width:100%">and missile strikes have demanded that Netanyahu de=
cimate Hezbollah, and he has come under withering criticism from across the=
 domestic political spectrum for failing to eliminate the militant threat.<=
/span></font></b></span></p></blockquote><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:r=
gb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">As if Israel has the right t=
o so much as utter a word when it comes to displacement of people. Israeli =
Minister of Defense Israel Katz openly bragged yesterday that Israel had et=
hnically cleansed 200,000 residents from southern Lebanon after =E2=80=9Cfl=
attening=E2=80=9D their villages:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=
=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">He=
 boasts that the situation differs from before because in previous attempts=
 Israel had allowed Lebanese to stay in their villages, but now they simply=
 remove them and destroy the villages, which makes Israel=E2=80=99s border =
region =E2=80=9Csafer=E2=80=9D; the words of a genocidal psychopath.<span>=
=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"=
><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Now there=E2=80=99s fear that Iran has ca=
ncelled negotiations again after Trump issued more of his recklessly craven=
 threats. Contradictory reports also abound about Israel allegedly being fo=
rced to =E2=80=9Ccompromise=E2=80=9D and withdraw from parts of southern Le=
banon:</font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><a h=
ref=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!O__a!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_=
progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpubl=
ic%2Fimages%2F04a23920-ee9d-402f-84f6-130246f2f0ab_1110x640.jpeg" style=3D"=
text-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank=
"><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font fac=
e=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!O_=
_a!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsu=
bstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04a23920-ee9d-402f-8=
4f6-130246f2f0ab_1110x640.jpeg" width=3D"412" height=3D"238" alt=3D"" style=
=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></font></b></span></div></a>=
</div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"geor=
gia, serif">Trump, for his part, returned to the thing he knows best=E2=80=
=94embarrassing himself with more insecure whinging and high-flung fable-ma=
king:<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color:r=
gb(27,27,27)"><a href=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!3yo0!,f_au=
to,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.am=
azonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3de2f37d-de99-409a-bf5d-fd0f9d63a3b3_1200x7=
78.jpeg" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%=
" target=3D"_blank"><div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:=
100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/=
image/fetch/$s_!3yo0!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:stee=
p/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3d=
e2f37d-de99-409a-bf5d-fd0f9d63a3b3_1200x778.jpeg" width=3D"412" height=3D"2=
67" alt=3D"" style=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></font></b=
></span></div></a></div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b>=
<font face=3D"georgia, serif">It seems he=E2=80=99s living in an entirely s=
eparate reality from the rest of us at this point.<span>=C2=A0</span></font=
></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"g=
eorgia, serif">The brilliant deal he=E2=80=99s so proud of:<span>=C2=A0</sp=
an></font></b></p><div style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><a href=
=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DMx2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_pro=
gressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%=
2Fimages%2F9c579914-2224-4f94-a49e-992ad867bd46_1200x1174.jpeg" style=3D"te=
xt-decoration:none;color:rgb(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank">=
<div style=3D"max-width:100%"><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=
=3D"georgia, serif"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DMx=
2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsub=
stack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9c579914-2224-4f94-a4=
9e-992ad867bd46_1200x1174.jpeg" width=3D"412" height=3D"403" alt=3D"" style=
=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></font></b></span></div></a>=
</div><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"geor=
gia, serif">Well, what do you expect from a man whose moral and ethical com=
pass allows for close partnership and alliances with someone who needs cons=
tant =E2=80=9Ccorrection=E2=80=9D toward sanity?<span>=C2=A0</span></font><=
/b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"></p><hr style=3D"hei=
ght:0.5px;border:0px;max-width:100%"><p style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)"></p><p s=
tyle=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><br></p></div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></div>
</div>

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The Financial Times, June 21, 2026

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<div dir="ltr">The Financial Times, June 21, 2026</div>

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US diplomats depart Latin America-focused mission amid clashes with Trump
ally
By Gram Slattery <https://www.reuters.com/authors/gram-slattery/>  Reuters
June 18, 2026
Item 1 of 2 A person pulls a rolling suitcase as they walk by the
Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters in Washington, D.C.,
U.S., June 17, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee
[1/2]A person pulls a rolling suitcase as they walk by the Organization of
American States (OAS) headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 17,
2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
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   - Summary


   - Senior diplomats forced out of US mission to Organization of American
   States, sources say
   - Some State Dept officials butt heads with Leandro Rizzuto Jr., Trump
   confidante serving as US ambassador to the Latin America-focused
   organization
   - Purge comes as career State Dept officials have been broadly sidelined
   - Some diplomats saw Rizzuto as confrontational and erratic; Rizzuto
   denies characterization

WASHINGTON, June 18 (Reuters) - Several senior U.S. diplomats posted to the
Organization of American States have quit or been fired amid clashes with a
Trump-appointed ambassador, according to six sources familiar with the
matter, changes that have cut the institutional =E2=80=8Cexpertise availabl=
e to the
historically important U.S. mission.
Founded in 1948, the OAS is the Western Hemisphere's main multilateral
forum and focuses on regional security, human rights, democracy and
economic development. The Washington-based body has played a central role
in settling contested elections in Latin America in recent years and has
often brought together U.S. allies in condemning human rights violations in
authoritarian states like Cuba <https://www.reuters.com/world/cuba/> and
Nicaragua.
In recent months, however, the U.S. mission to the OAS has faced
significant staff turnover, with the deputy chief of mission, the chief of
staff, a senior political counselor and at least one more foreign service
officer departing, according to the sources, who were granted anonymity to
discuss personnel matters.
Those individuals comprised a significant chunk of the U.S. mission - which
typically hosts just a handful of full-time foreign service officers - and
essentially its =E2=81=A0entire senior staff, the sources said.
The departures are the latest example of how the Trump administration is
reshaping the diplomatic corps, in many cases by sidelining senior career
diplomats.
The changes also underline the administration's deep skepticism of
multilateral institutions even in strategically important regions like
Latin America, where it is devoting more attention and resources.
Some of the departing staff have clashed with the current ambassador,
Leandro Rizzuto Jr., a personal friend of U.S. President Donald Trump
<https://www.reuters.com/world/us/donald-trump/> whose management style has
struck many career officials as confrontational and erratic, the sources
said.
In one interaction earlier in the year, for instance, Rizzuto compared
staff who shared concerns about the mission directly with State Department
leadership to "rats," two of the sources said.
In an interview with Reuters, Rizzuto pushed back against criticisms of his
style, while acknowledging that several senior diplomats recently quit or
were fired. He said he is attempting to shift the OAS' focus from human
rights and democracy to economic issues, a change that he says has upset
some State Department staff. He did not respond to a follow-up email
inquiring specifically about the "rats" comment.
"I'm a business guy, so the bottom line is I want results, and without
making it personal, if you can't do the job, I'd rather you have another
job," Rizzuto said.
The State Department did not =E2=80=8Crespond to a =E2=81=A0detailed list o=
f questions. The
senior diplomats who were forced out either could not be reached for
comment, did not respond to requests for comment or declined to comment
when contacted by Reuters.
Rizzuto said those who have been fired or who resigned have been succeeded
by high-performing replacements.
A FOCUS ON THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
Trump officials have publicly questioned the OAS' continued relevance, as
they have of most multilateral institutions. But they have also suggested
the body could make reforms to prove its utility in the 21st century,
including by playing a more prominent role in hemispheric security and law
enforcement.
Since returning to office, Trump has strongly reasserted the U.S. role in
Latin America, most dramatically with a military raid that =E2=81=A0capture=
d the
president of Venezuela <https://www.reuters.com/world/venezuela/> and left
in place more U.S.-friendly leaders.
Rizzuto, the billionaire heir to a cosmetics fortune, was nominated to be
ambassador to Barbados and two other Caribbean nations during Trump's
2017-2021 term.
His nomination failed, however, amid revelations that he reposted
conspiracy theories on X, including a false claim that Republican Senator
Ted Cruz's wife was part of a secret effort to combine the governments of
the U.S., Mexico <https://www.reuters.com/world/mexico/> and Canada
<https://www.reuters.com/world/canada/>. He was instead appointed to the
top diplomatic post in Bermuda, a =E2=81=A0position that does not require S=
enate
approval.
Rizzuto secured an ambassadorial confirmation without significant incident
during Trump's second term and took office late last year.
After securing the post, Rizzuto had a large oil painting of himself placed
in the central vestibule of the U.S. mission to the OAS, three of the
sources said. Rizzuto did not respond to an email asking about the painting=
.
In the interview, Rizzuto said he forced out his deputy chief of =E2=81=A0m=
ission
and chief of staff, while his political counselor quit. Rizzuto described
himself as "the fairest guy," adding that he advocated for employees who
were giving their all.
The sources pushed back against the suggestion that State Department staff
were incompetent or disinterested.
Under the Trump administration, the State Department's workforce has been
radically transformed, which critics say has often been to the detriment of
career public servants. Several hundred officers were dismissed in mass
layoffs last year, and in December, the administration removed nearly 30
career ambassadors, largely leaving those posts vacant.

Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Don Durfee and Deepa Babington

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-link-module__suffix__ObiNY" style=3D"margin-inline-end: 20px;">=C2=A0Right=
s</span><span style=3D"border:0px;height:1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0px;wi=
dth:1px;white-space:nowrap">, opens new tab</span></a></div><div lang=3D"en=
"><button aria-label=3D"Scroll image backward" class=3D"gmail-button-module=
__button__Pqh0q gmail-button-module__flat__GYuix gmail-button-module__round=
__QDFgq gmail-button-module__w_auto__Sem-F gmail-button-module__disabled__J=
rv4E gmail-button-module__has-tooltip__3sOvX gmail-nav-buttons-module__butt=
on__fiegC" disabled type=3D"button" style=3D"border-width:medium;border-sty=
le:none;border-color:currentcolor;margin:2px;padding:0px;overflow:visible;b=
ackground-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial=
;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initia=
l;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:=
inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size-adjust:inherit;font=
-kerning:inherit;font-feature-settings:inherit;vertical-align:top;border-ra=
dius:8px;width:40px;height:40px"></button><button aria-label=3D"Scroll imag=
e forward" class=3D"gmail-button-module__button__Pqh0q gmail-button-module_=
_flat__GYuix gmail-button-module__round__QDFgq gmail-button-module__w_auto_=
_Sem-F gmail-button-module__has-tooltip__3sOvX gmail-nav-buttons-module__bu=
tton__fiegC" type=3D"button" style=3D"border-width:medium;border-style:none=
;border-color:currentcolor;margin:2px;padding:0px;overflow:visible;backgrou=
nd-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;backgr=
ound-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;font-=
style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-stretch:inherit=
;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-kernin=
g:inherit;font-feature-settings:inherit;vertical-align:top;border-radius:8p=
x;width:40px;height:40px"></button></div></div></div><div class=3D"gmail-ar=
ticle-body-module__content__bnXL1" style=3D"width:707.325px"><div class=3D"=
gmail-context-widget-module__container__b9mKr gmail-article-body-module__co=
ntext_widget__sq1EI" style=3D"background:rgb(248,248,248);padding:0px 12px =
12px;margin-bottom:24px"><div class=3D"gmail-context-widget-module__tabcont=
ainer__O1B-s" style=3D"border-bottom:1px solid rgb(208,208,208);width:683.3=
25px;overflow:auto hidden"><ul role=3D"tablist" class=3D"gmail-context-widg=
et-module__tabs__AIjL0" style=3D"list-style-type:none;padding:0px;margin:0p=
x;display:flex"><li role=3D"tab" aria-selected=3D"true" tabindex=3D"0" clas=
s=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gma=
il-text-module__medium__2Rl30 gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-mo=
dule__base__o--Cl gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-context-widget=
-module__tab__lRw-D gmail-context-widget-module__selected__Et295" style=3D"=
font-size:16px;padding:12px 8px 4px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;fon=
t-family:knowledge-medium,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:72=
0px;display:flex;border-bottom:4px solid rgb(64,64,64);white-space:nowrap">=
Summary</li></ul></div><div class=3D"gmail-context-widget-module__content__=
lI1uo" style=3D"padding:12px 0px 0px"><ul class=3D"gmail-summary-module__su=
mmary__QjADA" style=3D"padding:0px;margin:0px;list-style:none"><li class=3D=
"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-t=
ext-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-modul=
e__base__o--Cl gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-summary-module__p=
oint__UgXPz" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:=
0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:r=
gb(64,64,64);max-width:720px;display:flex">Senior diplomats forced out of U=
S mission to Organization of American States, sources say</li><li class=3D"=
gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-te=
xt-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module=
__base__o--Cl gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-summary-module__po=
int__UgXPz" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:4px 0px 0px;padding:0px;letter-s=
pacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;=
color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:720px;display:flex">Some State Dept officials=
 butt heads with Leandro Rizzuto Jr., Trump confidante serving as US ambass=
ador to the Latin America-focused organization</li><li class=3D"gmail-text-=
module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__=
regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__base__o--=
Cl gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-summary-module__point__UgXPz"=
 style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:4px 0px 0px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;=
line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(6=
4,64,64);max-width:720px;display:flex">Purge comes as career State Dept off=
icials have been broadly sidelined</li><li class=3D"gmail-text-module__text=
__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJ=
tA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__base__o--Cl gmail-bod=
y-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-summary-module__point__UgXPz" style=3D"fo=
nt-size:16px;margin:4px 0px 0px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:=
24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max=
-width:720px;display:flex">Some diplomats saw Rizzuto as confrontational an=
d erratic; Rizzuto denies characterization</li></ul></div></div><div class=
=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmai=
l-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-mo=
dule__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-=
body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;=
padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regul=
ar,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">WASHINGTON, June 18=
 (Reuters) - Several senior U.S. diplomats posted to the Organization of Am=
erican States have quit or been fired amid clashes with a Trump-appointed a=
mbassador, according to six sources familiar with the matter, changes that =
have cut the institutional =E2=80=8Cexpertise available to the historically=
 important U.S. mission.</div><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob =
gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail=
-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-=
module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" styl=
e=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line=
-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64=
,64);max-width:100%">Founded in 1948, the OAS is the Western Hemisphere&#39=
;s main multilateral forum and focuses on regional security, human rights, =
democracy and economic development. The Washington-based body has played a =
central role in settling contested elections in Latin America in recent yea=
rs and has often brought together U.S. allies in condemning human rights vi=
olations in authoritarian states like=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.reuters.c=
om/world/cuba/" class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__=
inherit-color__PhuPF gmail-text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv gmail-text-modu=
le__inherit-size__EyiQW gmail-link-module__link__INqxZ gmail-link-module__u=
nderline_default__-okuC" style=3D"font-size:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;=
letter-spacing:0px;text-transform:inherit;line-height:inherit;color:inherit=
;font-family:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit">Cuba</a>=C2=A0=
and Nicaragua.</div><div class=3D"gmail-article-body-module__element__5eCce=
" style=3D"width:707.325px;margin:0px 0px 24px"></div><div class=3D"gmail-t=
ext-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-modu=
le__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_=
width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module=
__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px=
;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sa=
ns-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">In recent months, however, the=
 U.S. mission to the OAS has faced significant staff turnover, with the dep=
uty chief of mission, the chief of staff, a senior political counselor and =
at least one more foreign service officer departing, according to the sourc=
es, who were granted anonymity to discuss personnel matters.</div><div clas=
s=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gma=
il-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-m=
odule__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article=
-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px=
;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regu=
lar,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">Those individuals =
comprised a significant chunk of the U.S. mission - which typically hosts j=
ust a handful of full-time foreign service officers - and essentially its =
=E2=81=A0entire senior staff, the sources said.</div><div class=3D"gmail-te=
xt-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-modul=
e__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_w=
idth__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module_=
_paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;=
letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,san=
s-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">The departures are the latest e=
xample of how the Trump administration is reshaping the diplomatic corps, i=
n many cases by sidelining senior career diplomats.</div><div class=3D"gmai=
l-article-body-module__element__5eCce" style=3D"width:707.325px;margin:24px=
 0px"></div><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module_=
_dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__smal=
l__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body=
__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16p=
x;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-=
family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100=
%">The changes also underline the administration&#39;s deep skepticism of m=
ultilateral institutions even in strategically important regions like Latin=
 America, where it is devoting more attention and resources.</div><div clas=
s=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gma=
il-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-m=
odule__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article=
-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px=
;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regu=
lar,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">Some of the depart=
ing staff have clashed with the current ambassador, Leandro Rizzuto Jr., a =
personal friend of U.S. President=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.reuters.com/w=
orld/us/donald-trump/" class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-m=
odule__inherit-color__PhuPF gmail-text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv gmail-te=
xt-module__inherit-size__EyiQW gmail-link-module__link__INqxZ gmail-link-mo=
dule__underline_default__-okuC" style=3D"font-size:inherit;margin:0px;paddi=
ng:0px;letter-spacing:0px;text-transform:inherit;line-height:inherit;color:=
inherit;font-family:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit">Donald =
Trump</a>=C2=A0whose management style has struck many career officials as c=
onfrontational and erratic, the sources said.</div><div class=3D"gmail-text=
-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module_=
_regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_wid=
th__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__p=
aragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;le=
tter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-=
serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">In one interaction earlier in the=
 year, for instance, Rizzuto compared staff who shared concerns about the m=
ission directly with State Department leadership to &quot;rats,&quot; two o=
f the sources said.</div><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail=
-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text=
-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-modul=
e__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"=
font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-heig=
ht:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);=
max-width:100%">In an interview with Reuters, Rizzuto pushed back against c=
riticisms of his style, while acknowledging that several senior diplomats r=
ecently quit or were fired. He said he is attempting to shift the OAS&#39; =
focus from human rights and democracy to economic issues, a change that he =
says has upset some State Department staff. He did not respond to a follow-=
up email inquiring specifically about the &quot;rats&quot; comment.</div><d=
iv class=3D"gmail-article-body-module__element__5eCce" style=3D"width:707.3=
25px;margin:24px 0px"></div><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gm=
ail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-t=
ext-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-mo=
dule__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=
=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-=
height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,=
64);max-width:100%">&quot;I&#39;m a business guy, so the bottom line is I w=
ant results, and without making it personal, if you can&#39;t do the job, I=
&#39;d rather you have another job,&quot; Rizzuto said.</div><div class=3D"=
gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-te=
xt-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module=
__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body=
-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padd=
ing:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,A=
rial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">The State Department di=
d not =E2=80=8Crespond to a =E2=81=A0detailed list of questions. The senior=
 diplomats who were forced out either could not be reached for comment, did=
 not respond to requests for comment or declined to comment when contacted =
by Reuters.</div><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-mo=
dule__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module_=
_small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small=
_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-siz=
e:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;=
font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-widt=
h:100%">Rizzuto said those who have been fired or who resigned have been su=
cceeded by high-performing replacements.</div><h2 class=3D"gmail-text-modul=
e__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__mediu=
m__2Rl30 gmail-text-module__heading_6__u1KdJ gmail-heading-module__base__p-=
zaD gmail-heading-module__heading_6__-zrtS gmail-article-body-module__headi=
ng__KTJKz" style=3D"font-size:18px;margin:24px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-=
spacing:0px;line-height:26px;font-family:knowledge-medium,Arial,sans-serif;=
font-weight:500;color:rgb(64,64,64)">A FOCUS ON THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE</h2>=
<div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__=
UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gma=
il-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmai=
l-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px=
 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowl=
edge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">Trump off=
icials have publicly questioned the OAS&#39; continued relevance, as they h=
ave of most multilateral institutions. But they have also suggested the bod=
y could make reforms to prove its utility in the 21st century, including by=
 playing a more prominent role in hemispheric security and law enforcement.=
</div><div class=3D"gmail-article-body-module__element__5eCce" style=3D"wid=
th:707.325px;margin:24px 0px"></div><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__=
0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA=
 gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail=
-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF=
" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0p=
x;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb=
(64,64,64);max-width:100%">Since returning to office, Trump has strongly re=
asserted the U.S. role in Latin America, most dramatically with a military =
raid that =E2=81=A0captured the president of=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.re=
uters.com/world/venezuela/" class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-t=
ext-module__inherit-color__PhuPF gmail-text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv gma=
il-text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW gmail-link-module__link__INqxZ gmail-li=
nk-module__underline_default__-okuC" style=3D"font-size:inherit;margin:0px;=
padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;text-transform:inherit;line-height:inherit;c=
olor:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit">Ve=
nezuela</a>=C2=A0and left in place more U.S.-friendly leaders.</div><div cl=
ass=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 g=
mail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body=
-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-artic=
le-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12=
px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-re=
gular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">Rizzuto, the bil=
lionaire heir to a cosmetics fortune, was nominated to be ambassador to Bar=
bados and two other Caribbean nations during Trump&#39;s 2017-2021 term.</d=
iv><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-gre=
y__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i =
gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf g=
mail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:=
0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:kn=
owledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">His no=
mination failed, however, amid revelations that he reposted conspiracy theo=
ries on X, including a false claim that Republican Senator Ted Cruz&#39;s w=
ife was part of a secret effort to combine the governments of the U.S.,=C2=
=A0<a href=3D"https://www.reuters.com/world/mexico/" class=3D"gmail-text-mo=
dule__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF gmail-text-module=
__inherit-font__1P1hv gmail-text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW gmail-link-mod=
ule__link__INqxZ gmail-link-module__underline_default__-okuC" style=3D"font=
-size:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;text-transform:inhe=
rit;line-height:inherit;color:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-weight:inher=
it;font-style:inherit">Mexico</a>=C2=A0and=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.reut=
ers.com/world/canada/" class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-m=
odule__inherit-color__PhuPF gmail-text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv gmail-te=
xt-module__inherit-size__EyiQW gmail-link-module__link__INqxZ gmail-link-mo=
dule__underline_default__-okuC" style=3D"font-size:inherit;margin:0px;paddi=
ng:0px;letter-spacing:0px;text-transform:inherit;line-height:inherit;color:=
inherit;font-family:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-style:inherit">Canada<=
/a>. He was instead appointed to the top diplomatic post in Bermuda, a =E2=
=81=A0position that does not require Senate approval.</div><div class=3D"gm=
ail-article-body-module__element__5eCce" style=3D"width:707.325px;margin:24=
px 0px"></div><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-modul=
e__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__sm=
all__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_bo=
dy__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:1=
6px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;fon=
t-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:1=
00%">Rizzuto secured an ambassadorial confirmation without significant inci=
dent during Trump&#39;s second term and took office late last year.</div><d=
iv class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UF=
C18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail=
-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-=
article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0=
px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowled=
ge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">After secur=
ing the post, Rizzuto had a large oil painting of himself placed in the cen=
tral vestibule of the U.S. mission to the OAS, three of the sources said. R=
izzuto did not respond to an email asking about the painting.</div><div cla=
ss=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gm=
ail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-=
module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-articl=
e-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12p=
x;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-reg=
ular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">In the interview,=
 Rizzuto said he forced out his deputy chief of =E2=81=A0mission and chief =
of staff, while his political counselor quit. Rizzuto described himself as =
&quot;the fairest guy,&quot; adding that he advocated for employees who wer=
e giving their all.</div><div class=3D"gmail-text-module__text__0GDob gmail=
-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-module__regular__qJJtA gmail-text=
-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-modul=
e__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-module__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"=
font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-heig=
ht:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);=
max-width:100%">The sources pushed back against the suggestion that State D=
epartment staff were incompetent or disinterested.</div><div class=3D"gmail=
-text-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-mo=
dule__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__small__sph8i gmail-body-module__ful=
l_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__small_body__gOmDf gmail-article-body-modu=
le__paragraph__Ts-yF" style=3D"font-size:16px;margin:0px 0px 12px;padding:0=
px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:24px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial,=
sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">Under the Trump administrati=
on, the State Department&#39;s workforce has been radically transformed, wh=
ich critics say has often been to the detriment of career public servants. =
Several hundred officers were dismissed in mass layoffs last year, and in D=
ecember, the administration removed nearly 30 career ambassadors, largely l=
eaving those posts vacant.</div><div class=3D"gmail-article-body-module__el=
ement__5eCce" style=3D"width:707.325px;margin:24px 0px"><p class=3D"gmail-t=
ext-module__text__0GDob gmail-text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 gmail-text-modu=
le__regular__qJJtA gmail-text-module__extra_small__8Buss gmail-body-module_=
_full_width__kCIGb gmail-body-module__extra_small_body__Bfz20 gmail-sign-of=
f-module__text__LQAMP" style=3D"font-size:14px;margin:12px 0px 0px;padding:=
0px;letter-spacing:0px;line-height:20px;font-family:knowledge-regular,Arial=
,sans-serif;color:rgb(64,64,64);max-width:100%">Reporting by Gram Slattery;=
 Editing by Don Durfee and Deepa Babington</p></div></div></div></div></div=
>

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The Financial Times, June 22, 2026

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https://www.counterpunch.org/2026/06/19/when-the-iran-war-is-over-why-the-w=
est-bank-may-be-netanyahus-next-front/

When the Iran War is Over: Why the West Bank May Be Netanyahu=E2=80=99s Nex=
t Front
Ramzy Baroud <https://www.counterpunch.org/author/ramzy-baroud/>  6/19/26

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing perhaps the most
precarious moment of his political career. He knows it. His allies know it.
And his rivals=E2=80=94both within his coalition and across Israel=E2=80=99=
s political
spectrum=E2=80=94are preparing to capitalize on his growing weakness.

Former Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon, who also served as deputy prime
minister between 2007 and 2009, is among the latest Israeli political
figures to join a growing chorus of criticism directed at Netanyahu.

=E2=80=9CIn the final result,=E2=80=9D Ramon said in an interview with Radi=
o Galey, cited
<https://www.srugim.co.il/101003958-%D7%94%D7%91%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%A8-%D7%9E%D=
7%A2%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9A-%D7%99%D7%A9-%D7%9C%D7%96%D7%94-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%9C%D=
7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%92%D=
7%95%D7%A8%D7%9C%D7%95-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%A0%D7%AA%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95>
by
the Israeli outlet Srugim, =E2=80=9Cwe did not win.=E2=80=9D He then broke =
down that
failure in blunt terms: =E2=80=9CWe did not win in Lebanon, we did not win =
in Iran,
and we did not win against Hamas.=E2=80=9D

Another prominent critic is former Israeli army chief Gadi Eisenkot, who
joined
<https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-gantz-agree-form-emerg=
ency-israel-government-statement-2023-10-11/>
Netanyahu=E2=80=99s
emergency war government following the events of October 7, 2023, before
resigning
<https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-centrist-minister-gantz-q=
uits-netanyahu-government-2024-06-09/>
with
Benny Gantz in June 2024.

Beyond accusing Netanyahu of failing to protect Israel on October 7,
Eisenkot argues
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-said-to-yell-at-netanyahu-youre-fking-=
crazy-youd-be-in-prison-if-not-for-me/>
that
the prime minister has effectively surrendered Israel=E2=80=99s political
decision-making to US President Donald Trump, thereby strategically
weakening Israel.

Ironically, Netanyahu=E2=80=99s coalition partners have often been even mor=
e
opportunistic than the opposition.

Since the formation of the current coalition government
<https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israel-swears-in-netanyahu-as-prime-min=
ister-most-right-wing-government-in-countrys-history>
on
December 29, 2022=E2=80=94widely regarded as the most right-wing government=
 in
Israel=E2=80=99s history=E2=80=94figures such as National Security Minister=
 Itamar Ben-Gvir
and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have repeatedly used Netanyahu=E2=80=
=99s
political vulnerability to expand their own influence. Whenever Netanyahu
needed political support to remain in power, they demanded concessions in
return.

For Israel=E2=80=99s far-right extremists, Netanyahu=E2=80=99s inability to=
 secure decisive
strategic victories has often translated into opportunities to advance
their own agendas. Every setback on the battlefield became an opening for
greater settlement expansion <https://peacenow.org.il/en>, harsher measures
against Palestinians, and deeper entrenchment of extremist policies.

Unable to deliver =E2=80=98victory=E2=80=99, Netanyahu turned perpetual war=
 into a
political strategy in its own right. The result has been a genocidal war
<https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genoc=
ide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds>
in
Gaza, widespread devastation in Lebanon, and a dangerous confrontation with
Iran that has repeatedly brought the region to the brink of a wider
catastrophe.

For a time, this formula proved politically sustainable. Netanyahu
successfully enlisted unwavering US support
<https://www.cfr.org/articles/us-aid-israel-four-charts> to keep the fires
of war burning. At the same time, the failure
<https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/pm-orban-says-he-will-invite-israeli-=
pm-netanyahu-hungary-after-icc-move-2024-11-22/>
of
Europe and much of the international community to hold a wanted war
criminal accountable provided him with the political space necessary to
continue his bloody calculations.

Yet that formula may be nearing its limits. While this possibility may
appear encouraging, it comes with a serious warning. If Netanyahu can no
longer sustain the wars that have prolonged his political life for nearly
three years, he may escalate where resistance is weakest: the occupied West
Bank.

Regarding Iran, there is growing recognition that the current confrontation
is unsustainable indefinitely and that some form of arrangement will
eventually emerge. Likewise, regardless of whether Lebanon is formally
included in any future agreement, Israel=E2=80=99s ambition of permanently
occupying parts of Lebanese territory remains untenable.

Historically, when Israel fails to secure a strategic breakthrough on one
front, it seeks compensation on another=E2=80=94typically where Palestinian=
s are
most vulnerable and where international scrutiny is weakest.

As Israeli elections approach, it is therefore reasonable to fear a further
escalation of the genocide in Gaza, pushing both the death toll and the
level of destruction to new heights. According to Gaza health authorities,
nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed
<https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2026/06/10/nearly-1-000-de=
ad-in-gaza-since-start-of-ceasefire-illusion_6754319_4.html>
since
the ceasefire agreement was announced in October, bringing the overall deat=
h
toll <https://apnews.com/article/b9a278a4cf523c412e54f29764ea9060> of
Israel=E2=80=99s genocide in Gaza to 73,000 Palestinians.

Though Israel=E2=80=99s war has already failed to break Palestinian steadfa=
stness,
the broader objective remains unchanged: the ethnic cleansing
<https://www.un.org/unispal/document/ethnic-cleansing-concerns-in-gaza-and-=
west-bank-amid-intensified-violence-and-forcible-transfers-by-israel-un-hum=
an-rights-office-report>
of
Palestinians from Gaza and the transformation of the Strip into a space
that can no longer sustain Palestinian life.

The West Bank, however, presents a different challenge.

There, Israel faces a fragmented political landscape and a Palestinian
Authority that refuses <https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/06/11/364770/=
> to
develop an effective strategy for confronting accelerating Israeli
violence, ethnic cleansing, home demolitions, land confiscation, and the
relentless expansion of illegal settlements.

This vulnerability has enabled Israel to move from discussing annexation to
implementing it in practice. The strategy rests on two interconnected
pillars: extreme violence and displacement on the one hand, and rapid
settlement expansion on the other.

According to an Oxfam International study
<https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/more-palestinians-killed-israeli-m=
ilitary-and-settlers-across-occupied-west-bank>
published
on June 12, Israel has killed 1,244 Palestinians, including 268 children,
in the occupied West Bank since 2023=E2=80=94more than the total number kil=
led
during the previous seventeen years combined.

This bloodshed has been accompanied by large-scale displacement that has
already uprooted nearly 46,000 Palestinians, many of them from refugee
camps and vulnerable communities across the northern West Bank.

An Amnesty International report published
<https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2026/06/israel-west-bank-ethnic=
-cleansing/>
on
June 10 documented the full or partial displacement of at least 117
Palestinian Bedouin and herding communities between January 2023 and April
2026.

Expectedly, the violence, displacement, settlement expansion, and land
seizures are not isolated developments but components of a coherent
political project. In September 2025, Smotrich openly proposed
<https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-plans-to-annex-82-of-occupied-=
west-bank-far-right-minister-says/3677332>
the
annexation of 82 percent of the occupied West Bank. What was once presented
as a political vision is now steadily being translated into facts on the
ground.

The era of Netanyahu may be nearing its end, but before this bloody
political chapter closes, countless more Palestinians may be forced to bear
the cost.

Arab and Muslim countries, along with their allies in the international
community, must not wait for Israel to launch a much larger assault on the
West Bank before responding.

The matter demands urgent attention and immediate action.

--000000000000a612b00654da67f4
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<div dir=3D"ltr"><blockquote type=3D"cite" style=3D"color:inherit;border-le=
ft-style:none;padding:inherit;margin:inherit"><div><div><a href=3D"https://=
www.counterpunch.org/2026/06/19/when-the-iran-war-is-over-why-the-west-bank=
-may-be-netanyahus-next-front/" target=3D"_blank">https://www.counterpunch.=
org/2026/06/19/when-the-iran-war-is-over-why-the-west-bank-may-be-netanyahu=
s-next-front/</a><br><br></div><div id=3D"m_-3128468953601178570article" ro=
le=3D"article"><div><h1>When the Iran War is Over: Why the West Bank May Be=
 Netanyahu=E2=80=99s Next Front</h1><div><a href=3D"https://www.counterpunc=
h.org/author/ramzy-baroud/" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank">Ramzy Baroud=
</a>=C2=A0 6/19/26</div><p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fac=
ing perhaps the most precarious moment of his political career. He knows it=
. His allies know it. And his rivals=E2=80=94both within his coalition and =
across Israel=E2=80=99s political spectrum=E2=80=94are preparing to capital=
ize on his growing weakness.</p><p>Former Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ram=
on, who also served as deputy prime minister between 2007 and 2009, is amon=
g the latest Israeli political figures to join a growing chorus of criticis=
m directed at Netanyahu.</p><p>=E2=80=9CIn the final result,=E2=80=9D Ramon=
 said in an interview with Radio Galey,=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.srugim.=
co.il/101003958-%D7%94%D7%91%D7%9B%D7%99%D7%A8-%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%=
9A-%D7%99%D7%A9-%D7%9C%D7%96%D7%94-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7=
%99%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%92%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%9C%D7%=
95-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%A0%D7%AA%D7%A0%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95" target=3D"_blank">cit=
ed</a>=C2=A0by the Israeli outlet Srugim, =E2=80=9Cwe did not win.=E2=80=9D=
 He then broke down that failure in blunt terms: =E2=80=9CWe did not win in=
 Lebanon, we did not win in Iran, and we did not win against Hamas.=E2=80=
=9D</p><p>Another prominent critic is former Israeli army chief Gadi Eisenk=
ot, who=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu=
-gantz-agree-form-emergency-israel-government-statement-2023-10-11/" target=
=3D"_blank">joined</a>=C2=A0Netanyahu=E2=80=99s emergency war government fo=
llowing the events of October 7, 2023, before=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.r=
euters.com/world/middle-east/israel-centrist-minister-gantz-quits-netanyahu=
-government-2024-06-09/" target=3D"_blank">resigning</a>=C2=A0with Benny Ga=
ntz in June 2024.</p><p>Beyond accusing Netanyahu of failing to protect Isr=
ael on October 7, Eisenkot=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.timesofisrael.com/tr=
ump-said-to-yell-at-netanyahu-youre-fking-crazy-youd-be-in-prison-if-not-fo=
r-me/" target=3D"_blank">argues</a>=C2=A0that the prime minister has effect=
ively surrendered Israel=E2=80=99s political decision-making to US Presiden=
t Donald Trump, thereby strategically weakening Israel.</p><p>Ironically, N=
etanyahu=E2=80=99s coalition partners have often been even more opportunist=
ic than the opposition.</p><p>Since the formation of the current coalition=
=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/israel-swears-in-netany=
ahu-as-prime-minister-most-right-wing-government-in-countrys-history" targe=
t=3D"_blank">government</a>=C2=A0on December 29, 2022=E2=80=94widely regard=
ed as the most right-wing government in Israel=E2=80=99s history=E2=80=94fi=
gures such as National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minist=
er Bezalel Smotrich have repeatedly used Netanyahu=E2=80=99s political vuln=
erability to expand their own influence. Whenever Netanyahu needed politica=
l support to remain in power, they demanded concessions in return.</p><p>Fo=
r Israel=E2=80=99s far-right extremists, Netanyahu=E2=80=99s inability to s=
ecure decisive strategic victories has often translated into opportunities =
to advance their own agendas. Every setback on the battlefield became an op=
ening for greater=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://peacenow.org.il/en" target=3D"_bl=
ank">settlement expansion</a>, harsher measures against Palestinians, and d=
eeper entrenchment of extremist policies.</p><p>Unable to deliver =E2=80=98=
victory=E2=80=99, Netanyahu turned perpetual war into a political strategy =
in its own right. The result has been a=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.ohchr.o=
rg/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-co=
mmission-finds" target=3D"_blank">genocidal war</a>=C2=A0in Gaza, widesprea=
d devastation in Lebanon, and a dangerous confrontation with Iran that has =
repeatedly brought the region to the brink of a wider catastrophe.</p><p>Fo=
r a time, this formula proved politically sustainable. Netanyahu successful=
ly enlisted unwavering=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.cfr.org/articles/us-aid-=
israel-four-charts" target=3D"_blank">US support</a>=C2=A0to keep the fires=
 of war burning. At the same time, the=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.reuters.=
com/world/europe/pm-orban-says-he-will-invite-israeli-pm-netanyahu-hungary-=
after-icc-move-2024-11-22/" target=3D"_blank">failure</a>=C2=A0of Europe an=
d much of the international community to hold a wanted war criminal account=
able provided him with the political space necessary to continue his bloody=
 calculations.</p><p>Yet that formula may be nearing its limits. While this=
 possibility may appear encouraging, it comes with a serious warning. If Ne=
tanyahu can no longer sustain the wars that have prolonged his political li=
fe for nearly three years, he may escalate where resistance is weakest: the=
 occupied West Bank.</p><p>Regarding Iran, there is growing recognition tha=
t the current confrontation is unsustainable indefinitely and that some for=
m of arrangement will eventually emerge. Likewise, regardless of whether Le=
banon is formally included in any future agreement, Israel=E2=80=99s ambiti=
on of permanently occupying parts of Lebanese territory remains untenable.<=
/p><p>Historically, when Israel fails to secure a strategic breakthrough on=
 one front, it seeks compensation on another=E2=80=94typically where Palest=
inians are most vulnerable and where international scrutiny is weakest.</p>=
<p>As Israeli elections approach, it is therefore reasonable to fear a furt=
her escalation of the genocide in Gaza, pushing both the death toll and the=
 level of destruction to new heights. According to Gaza health authorities,=
 nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.lemonde.fr=
/en/international/article/2026/06/10/nearly-1-000-dead-in-gaza-since-start-=
of-ceasefire-illusion_6754319_4.html" target=3D"_blank">killed</a>=C2=A0sin=
ce the ceasefire agreement was announced in October, bringing the overall=
=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://apnews.com/article/b9a278a4cf523c412e54f29764ea906=
0" target=3D"_blank">death toll</a>=C2=A0of Israel=E2=80=99s genocide in Ga=
za to 73,000 Palestinians.</p><p>Though Israel=E2=80=99s war has already fa=
iled to break Palestinian steadfastness, the broader objective remains unch=
anged: the=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.un.org/unispal/document/ethnic-clean=
sing-concerns-in-gaza-and-west-bank-amid-intensified-violence-and-forcible-=
transfers-by-israel-un-human-rights-office-report" target=3D"_blank">ethnic=
 cleansing</a>=C2=A0of Palestinians from Gaza and the transformation of the=
 Strip into a space that can no longer sustain Palestinian life.</p><p>The =
West Bank, however, presents a different challenge.</p><p>There, Israel fac=
es a fragmented political landscape and a Palestinian Authority that=C2=A0<=
a href=3D"https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/06/11/364770/" target=3D"_b=
lank">refuses</a>=C2=A0to develop an effective strategy for confronting acc=
elerating Israeli violence, ethnic cleansing, home demolitions, land confis=
cation, and the relentless expansion of illegal settlements.</p><p>This vul=
nerability has enabled Israel to move from discussing annexation to impleme=
nting it in practice. The strategy rests on two interconnected pillars: ext=
reme violence and displacement on the one hand, and rapid settlement expans=
ion on the other.</p><p>According to an Oxfam International=C2=A0<a href=3D=
"https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/more-palestinians-killed-israeli-m=
ilitary-and-settlers-across-occupied-west-bank" target=3D"_blank">study</a>=
=C2=A0published on June 12, Israel has killed 1,244 Palestinians, including=
 268 children, in the occupied West Bank since 2023=E2=80=94more than the t=
otal number killed during the previous seventeen years combined.</p><p>This=
 bloodshed has been accompanied by large-scale displacement that has alread=
y uprooted nearly 46,000 Palestinians, many of them from refugee camps and =
vulnerable communities across the northern West Bank.</p><p>An Amnesty Inte=
rnational report=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research=
/2026/06/israel-west-bank-ethnic-cleansing/" target=3D"_blank">published</a=
>=C2=A0on June 10 documented the full or partial displacement of at least 1=
17 Palestinian Bedouin and herding communities between January 2023 and Apr=
il 2026.</p><p>Expectedly, the violence, displacement, settlement expansion=
, and land seizures are not isolated developments but components of a coher=
ent political project. In September 2025, Smotrich openly=C2=A0<a href=3D"h=
ttps://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israel-plans-to-annex-82-of-occupied-we=
st-bank-far-right-minister-says/3677332" target=3D"_blank">proposed</a>=C2=
=A0the annexation of 82 percent of the occupied West Bank. What was once pr=
esented as a political vision is now steadily being translated into facts o=
n the ground.</p><p>The era of Netanyahu may be nearing its end, but before=
 this bloody political chapter closes, countless more Palestinians may be f=
orced to bear the cost.</p><p>Arab and Muslim countries, along with their a=
llies in the international community, must not wait for Israel to launch a =
much larger assault on the West Bank before responding.</p><p>The matter de=
mands urgent attention and immediate action.</p></div></div></div></blockqu=
ote></div>

--000000000000a612b00654da67f4--

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 <https://substack.com?utm_content=3Disland-substack-logo>
Daniel Levy <https://daniellevy2.substack.com/>
Israel, the U.S., and the region after the Iran MoU: What next
<https://substack.com/@daniellevy2>
Daniel Levy <https://substack.com/@daniellevy2>
Jun 19, 2026

The real meaning of the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding will
largely be determined by what happens in the 60 days (or perhaps much, much
longer) of negotiations in which the details will be fleshed out (or will
war be resumed?)

By most metrics, comparing this two-and-a-bit page MoU to the 159-page
(including annexes) JCPOA agreement of 2015 is meaningless. There are
strong tactical reasons for bigging up the deal as being good for the
U.S.=E2=80=94most importantly, it is the best alternative after the U.S. an=
d Israel
initiated military action 110 days ago.

Four war goals were, at various points, declared by Israel=E2=80=99s leader=
ship
and, mostly endorsed by the U.S. President or those around him: (i) more
definitive closure against any Iranian nuclear weapons program than was
achieved in the 2015 JCPOA; (ii) a final end to any Iranian missile threat;
(iii) no more Iranian support to its so-called regional =E2=80=9Cproxies=E2=
=80=9D; and
finally, (iv) regime change/collapse.

Recently, President Trump seemed to add an additional condition=E2=80=94the
expansion of the Abraham Accords normalization of regional states with
Israel to add Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Qatar, Kuwait (Trump also referenced
countries already in formal diplomatic relations with Israel).

In simple terms, none of these goals have been achieved and the 14-point
MoU addresses some of these in a realistic rather than delusionally
maximalist way. Only the two issues created by the war itself are resolved
by the MoU going into effect=E2=80=94namely ending the war and reopening th=
e Strait
of Hormuz.

Little surprise then that the deal is being pilloried across the Israeli
political spectrum and commentariat as a resounding failure and fiasco.

It has been clear for some time that Trump was looking for a way out of the
mess that Netanyahu initiated by banking on the president=E2=80=99s poor ju=
dgment
and on a hollowed-out U.S. governmental decision-making system. Following
39 days of active American-Israeli warfare, and bombastic claims of
overwhelming victory, it became sufficiently clear that the war plans had
tanked, and that the U.S. was heading for strategic defeat. A largely
functioning, albeit inchoate, ceasefire was pursued. That continued for 71
days as realism slowly coursed its way through the veins of U.S.
decision-making until the MoU was electronically signed on June 18th.

The next phase, 60 days (or more) of negotiations will be buffeted by
uncertainty=E2=80=94Trump will no doubt embellish his attempt at a victory
narrative, some of which Netanyahu will be forced to swing behind, but the
Israel premier no doubt has schemes up his sleeve.

The decades old Israeli assumption, now in tatters, was that if you pull
the U.S. into a war then defeat, capitulation or collapse of Iran would be
inevitable. Israel and the U.S., in their hubris, never considered that
Iran would be capable of offering yet another example of a lesson the West
stubbornly refuses to learn=E2=80=94the possibility of being undone by the
advantages of an asymmetric strategy predicated on outwitting an arrogant
adversary, strategic anticipation, and thorough preparation.

That is not to make light of the impact on Iran. Even given its experience
of sanctions and running a resilient economy, Iran will have to recover
<https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/inflation-unemployment-iran-trump-war> from
skyrocketing inflation, with several food staples doubling or tripling in
price since the start of the war; economic contraction of a predicted
further 6% of GDP for the coming year, and the massive loss of jobs that
comes with that; and the destruction of critical energy and other
infrastructure. It also lost a significant cohort of its leadership.

The U.S. is naturally better positioned to absorb economic costs of war,
although those are not trifling either, with Moody=E2=80=99s predicting
<https://www.npr.org/2026/06/17/nx-s1-5860739/iran-war-cost-oil-military-tr=
ade#:~:text=3DThe%20most%20visible%20piece%20of,cut%20off%2C%20according%20=
to%20AAA.>
a war cost to America of $132 billion. A more telling impact may be the
very significant depletion in stocks of key weaponry, and of exposing so
much of its current war-making modalities and tech, as well as the U.S.
inability to impose its will on a country bearing the burden of decades of
U.S. sanctions, and demonstrable American indifference to the interests of
its supposed close allies in the region and beyond. The reputational hit
will have a long tail indeed.

Perhaps the largest question looming is whether the U.S. will now make a
definitive break with decades of economic and threatened military pressure,
and a regime change orientation, towards Iran. Trump is acknowledging that
the U.S. has exaggerated in its weaponisation of the Treasury department in
how it can take the financial assets of other countries and that Iran will
not unilaterally divest itself of the ability to be secure (the U.S.
apparently dropping its missile demands vis-=C3=A0-vis Iran). But it is unc=
lear
whether the U.S. system can internalise the implications of these
realisations, nor should one prematurely write off Israeli influence. A
resumption of war cannot be discounted and Trump continues to issue threats=
.

In the meantime, the U.S. may simply focus on bullying Iran where that is
most easily accomplished, taking out its war failure by embittering the Wor=
ld
Cup experience and preparations
<https://x.com/tonykaron/status/2067276499384688831?s=3D63> of Iran=E2=80=
=99s
football team.

*The Israel-U.S. rupture*

President Trump has over the last days unloaded at the Israeli Prime
Minister in what are probably unprecedented ways=E2=80=94then again, there =
is
little about the Trump second administration that is not unprecedented.
Part of this should be understood as standard Trumpian MO of diverting
attention from his own failures and evading responsibility. After all, no
other president fell for Israel=E2=80=99s multi-decade effort of
best-case-scenarioing what a U.S. strike on Iran could achieve. Trump, no
less than Netanyahu, owns this.

While Trump is not directly blaming Netanyahu for the failures of the war
(he can neither admit to having been duped nor having failed) he is sending
the signal over who is to blame. And he is (correctly) relying on the
outrage in the pro-Israel echo chamber to do the rest of the work in
drilling home that message=E2=80=94inadvertently proving that Israel/the lo=
bby are
to blame.

That echo chamber is in uncharted waters when it comes to the extent of
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DCd1Zc9mzTOU> the meltdown
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DXnXCDxdY9gA>, the flailing, and the
self-harm that they continue to indulge in. Having aligned overwhelmingly
with the Israel First wing of MAGA, Trump has pulled the pendulum
significantly in the opposite direction=E2=80=94now currying favour with th=
e
America First faction.

For starters, Trump pushed Netanyahu to desist from bombing Beirut on June
1st. More significantly, the administration apparently and belatedly
realised that making Israel part of the negotiations guarantees no deal.
The prospect has tantalisingly come into view of a U.S.-Iran deal that
might reflect American interests rather than those of Israel=E2=80=99s lead=
ership.

It should not go unnoticed that Netanyahu secured seven in-person meetings
with Trump in the first 13 months of this second term. Subsequently, in the
four months of fighting a war together, there have been plenty of phone
calls but zero face-to-face encounters.

No doubt, Trump has been distancing himself. The praise he heaped on other
regional leaders rubbed salt in that wound. Iran can notch up another
success in having pursued a wartime strategy that intensified and deepened
this U.S.-Israel fissure. It played into an already existing and quite
dramatic shift in U.S. public opinion vis-=C3=A0-vis Israel that is now
traversing party lines and is most pronounced in younger generations. Given
the degree of Israeli dependence on the U.S., this could prove to be the
most consequential fallout from this made-in-Israel war.

*Can Israel contain the rupture?*

Donald J. Trump is not the first American President to let it be known that
he is frustrated with an Israeli premier and to use expletives in so doing.
The style may be unique, but the substance may end up being standard fare.
In other words, Israel is called to heel briefly, but the U.S. soon returns
to form in doing its bidding and giving it a free hand.

Make no mistake, Israel, its echo chamber and lobby are not about to roll
over=E2=80=94they know how to bounce back and play the long game, and the t=
ools at
their disposal remain formidable. It can be simultaneously true that the
U.S. both forces this deal on Israel and pivots to demonstrating that the
bond is still strong and acts as if the U.S. =E2=80=98owes=E2=80=99 Israel.

The Israel lobby=E2=80=99s deployment of its congressional network, support=
ive
media (now strengthened by the ultra-Zionist Ellison family purchase of
Warner Bros. and Paramount Global) and the ability to deploy staggering
sums in campaign finance (especially after the Citizens United ruling) in
an election year is still not something to be sniffed at.

While the U.S. does have the leverage to impose outcomes on Israel, the
question has always been whether it is ready to deploy that leverage and in
a sustained fashion. Even in the current dynamic, will the U.S. enforce on
Israel the clause it has signed in the MoU in respect to the territorial
integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon, or will it allow Israel to continue
to occupy part of that country?

While the reference to Syria managing affairs in Lebanon could be read as a
rebuke to Netanyahu, at the same time it demonstrates how divorced from
regional realities the U.S. administration still is.

Israel will use the 60 days (and possibly longer) to reintroduce its
positions into the negotiation equation and, from its perspective, for
hostilities to be resumed. It will try to create a situation where the U.S.
remains maximally deployed in the region and does not draw down its
previous basing arrangements. Netanyahu will emphasise that Trump now needs
to do something for him, for Israel=E2=80=94whether in reintroducing Abraha=
m
Accords expansion into the mix, or on the Lebanon front, or giving Israel
an even freer hand in Gaza and the West Bank, or perhaps for Trump to
personally embrace Netanyahu in his re-election campaign. None of that
should be ruled out.

To put things in perspective, President Obama was reviled and relentlessly
attacked by the pro-Israel lobby. In March 2015, Netanyahu even went as far
as addressing a joint session of Congress to argue against the President=E2=
=80=99s
Iran JCPOA deal. And yet, the Obama administration, just a year later,
signed a 10-year memorandum of military support worth $38 billion in
total=E2=80=94the largest aid package in U.S. history.

But this could also mark a qualitatively different phase in relations,
especially given the U.S. domestic political dynamics and perhaps more
importantly what the world has already witnessed in the U.S.-Israeli
failures in this war. The dressing down that Israel has received from the
President and Vice President will resonate far beyond the immediate news
cycle.

*Israel=E2=80=99s next moves*

Israel=E2=80=99s leadership has not yet found its groove following confirma=
tion of
the MoU and its contents. Political and media commentary is awash with
shock and disappointment, anointing the entire war a fiasco, with frequent
denouncements of the American President. Netanyahu himself offered
<https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2066601289501307208?s=3D20> a victory
narrative version 1.0 centred around this war having saved Israel from
annihilation. He will have to balance out an endorsement of Trump=E2=80=99s=
 victory
claims while seeking to simultaneously distance himself and set out
Israel=E2=80=99s terms.

The atmosphere is all the more febrile given that elections are just a few
short months away=E2=80=94due to be held in September or October. Netanyahu=
 trails
in the polls and is doubling down on presenting himself as the necessary
and experienced leader for what he continues to define as a permanent
wartime struggle for Israel=E2=80=99s very survival. There is something jar=
ring,
even in an electoral campaign, for a leader to tell his people that they we=
re
inches away
<https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2066601289501307208?s=3D48&t=3DvFua8I1G62NJ=
S4MYKdBk-w>
from mass death and total destruction when that leader has been at the helm
for more than 16 of the last 18 years (the claim=E2=80=94which attempts to =
snatch
victory from the jaws of defeat=E2=80=94is also patently untrue in exaggera=
ting the
threat Iran or any other actor posed to Israel).

But Netanyahu is accurately reflecting and endlessly feeding the
contemporary Israeli psychological disposition of constant trauma (often
manufactured, sometimes real as on October 7th). In other words, the
pressure to reject diplomacy and intensify military activity comes not just
from Netanyahu=E2=80=94but also from most of the Zionist parties due to cha=
llenge
him in the forthcoming election, the so-called =E2=80=9Copposition=E2=80=9D=
.

As Noa Landau notes in
<https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-06-18/ty-article-opinion/instead-of-r=
ealistic-discussion-on-the-iran-deal-israels-opposition-peddles-a-magic-sol=
ution/0000019e-d98f-dcae-a3ff-fbaf39e40000>*Haaretz
<https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-06-18/ty-article-opinion/instead-of-r=
ealistic-discussion-on-the-iran-deal-israels-opposition-peddles-a-magic-sol=
ution/0000019e-d98f-dcae-a3ff-fbaf39e40000>*,
the Israeli opposition is =E2=80=9Coutflanking him [Bibi] from the right =
=E2=80=A6Their
central argument doesn=E2=80=99t confront military objectives and their
limitations=E2=80=A6The Israeli opposition doesn=E2=80=99t want to encourag=
e this realistic
discussion; it prefers to peddle the idea that it has a better magic
solution.=E2=80=9D Netanyahu=E2=80=99s main opponent, Naftali Bennett, clai=
ms
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/assailing-netanyahus-historic=
-failure-bennett-says-iran-regime-will-only-be-replaced-after-israeli-leade=
rship-changes/>
he is the one who will deliver regime change in Iran while also threatening
<https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kaOWgujCHtA> that T=C3=BCrkiye will be next=
 in
Israel=E2=80=99s crosshairs after Iran.

But the immediate challenge facing Netanyahu is how he can transition from
the meltdown vis-a-vis the U.S. to getting his hands back on the steering
wheel driving U.S. policy. The first test case is, of course, Lebanon,
where Israel sought to intensify its attacks following the signing of the
U.S.-Iran MoU, and which momentarily delayed and threatened this week=E2=80=
=99s
B=C3=BCrgenstock talks.

Even as it agreed a new truce with Hezbollah on June 19th, Israel continues
to insist that it will maintain a military occupation in South Lebanon=E2=
=80=94in
violation of Lebanese sovereignty. As long as that presence remains, there
will be resistance, and that will serve as a justification for periodic
Israeli escalations (as just happened when four IDF soldiers were killed in
between large Israeli strikes, both prior and subsequent to those losses,
with over 100 Lebanese fatalities). The current tentative truce will
clearly not be the final word on that front. Iran may also see advantages
in maintaining a Lebanon situation of episodic confrontation, especially if
Israel=E2=80=99s disproportionate actions can be used to further fuel U.S.-=
Israel
tensions.

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work.

It is in the direct remit of the U.S. to end its blockade on Hormuz,
release frozen Iranian assets, suspend sanctions for enabling the export of
Iranian oil, and to begin relocating some of its military deployment from
the region=E2=80=94whereas a ceasefire and withdrawal of Israel=E2=80=99s o=
ccupying forces
in Lebanon requires sustained U.S. pressure on Israel. It is unequivocally
the case that the U.S. can deliver this=E2=80=94Israel is so dependent on t=
he U.S.

But if the state of play in Gaza, since the so-called ceasefire was
declared and the previous Lebanon =E2=80=9Cceasefire=E2=80=9D are anything =
to go by, then
the U.S. is perfectly capable of defining a ceasefire as a state of affairs
in which Israel maintains deadly daily military operations and occupation.
However, in this instance, the issue is ending a war in which America is
directly involved, and in which Iran has a say.

Netanyahu will work to convince the administration to hold to the separate
U.S.-led direct track between Israel and the government of Lebanon where
talks are due to resume on June 23rd, and in which Israel is trying to
impose conditions designed to reignite conflict in Lebanon=E2=80=94whether =
that
continues to be led by the Israeli military or by dragging the Lebanese
government into a renewed civil war.

So, Lebanon is where this festival of Israel-U.S. name calling will be
distilled down into the actual assertion of power and imposition of
decisions (one way or the other). And of course none of this bodes well for
the Palestinians=E2=80=94with Gaza still experiencing daily strikes and cas=
ualties,
and Israel preventing the entry of much-needed relief, while the West Bank
is under the most prolonged and relentless Israeli assault=E2=80=94settler =
and
military=E2=80=94since 1967.

It doesn=E2=80=99t take a crystal ball to anticipate that Israel will take =
its
frustration out on Palestinians and intensify the realization of its
long-term draconian plans. Part of the Washington quid-pro-quo may be to
create an even more enabling environment (true, if hard to imagine).
Israel=E2=80=99s government intends to go into this election having impleme=
nted and
paved the way to finalize its zero-sum agenda in the West Bank, East
Jerusalem, and Gaza.

In theory at least, there is an alternative scenario: that Trump=E2=80=99s =
warnings
and those of JD Vance for Israel
<https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZvKO6tj6DI/?igsh=3DMW95cHBwZ3B3cDl4Mw=3D=
=3D> to
=E2=80=9Cwake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in=
=E2=80=9D act as
a wake-up call. That Israel reconsiders its maximalist (overreach) Greater
Israel project of regional domination. That is sufficiently
counterintuitive to Israel=E2=80=99s inability to display pragmatism that i=
ts
chances, unfortunately, are vanishingly small.

*End thoughts*

There is an awful lot to unpack in translating the MoU into a sustainable
agreement=E2=80=94from Lebanon=E2=80=99s sovereignty to what constitutes pr=
oximity in the
removal of American forces, to the future administration of the Straits of
Hormuz, and of course, the arrangements regarding Iran=E2=80=99s nuclear pr=
ogram,
and the removal of sanctions/unfreezing of assets.

Not all of those points will need to be thrashed out if the return of war
is to be prevented. But two military confrontations in the space of a year,
combined with the reality of Israel=E2=80=99s hawkish maximalism, and the r=
esurgent
neoconservative camp in the U.S., mean that a return to war cannot be ruled
out.

Beyond that, the repercussions of this conflict will play out over a long
horizon, and some of that will be unpredictable and extends far beyond
U.S.-Israel dynamics.

The region has witnessed in very palpable terms the shortcomings of its
security relationship with the U.S. While it was Iran that launched
missiles into Gulf states, it was the U.S., at Israel=E2=80=99s urging, tha=
t
started this war, ignoring the counsel of its Gulf allies, listening only
to Israeli entreaties. A Saudi friend shared a local proverb with me:
=E2=80=9Cbetter wise enemies than crazy friends=E2=80=9D.

States in the region will look at how to manage their relations with Iran,
including possibly leaning into more economic integration as a security
measure=E2=80=94investments give a certain leverage. While they will contin=
ue close
relationship, including on the security and arms procurement front with the
U.S., expect simultaneously a far more significant hedging to take place in
the coming years.

Part of that will be in expanding other geopolitical relations, including
those with China and arms purchases from places such as South Korea, and
Europe if it can step up to be part of that mix. But there will also be a
much more intense exploration of cooperation among regional states.

One core question will be whether a meaningful third bloc emerges in the
region, counterbalancing the Israel axis (with UAE and others) and the Iran
axis. The closer ties between Saudi, T=C3=BCrkiye, Egypt and Pakistan (who =
met
<https://x.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/2068670706217533637?s=3D20> at the
Foreign Minister level on a fourth occasion on June 21st), as well as
Qatar, are a trend to watch. Any emerging bloc will have to address how it
contains Israel=E2=80=99s project of domination, radicalization, and
destabilization.

Other issues likely to be on the agenda include: how the future of U.S.
military bases is addressed, and what happens to those that have been
largely destroyed during this war; whether Israel=E2=80=99s nuclear weapons=
 become
an issue, and whether proliferation questions extend beyond Iran; the
routes where one sees the building of the future nodes of transportation
and connectivity, including energy pipelines; and even how resonant Iran=E2=
=80=99s
narrative of successful resistance becomes.

When JD said of Israel
<https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1PibzYBYiu/?mibextid=3DwwXIfr> that =E2=
=80=9Cyou=E2=80=99re
a country of 9 million people, you just can=E2=80=99t kill your way out of =
solving
every single national security problem that you have=E2=80=9D he was speaki=
ng to a
reality that politicians from across the Zionist political spectrum, pro-
and anti-Bibi camps alike, refuse to acknowledge.

The Trump administration has not applied that to the Palestinian question
and is hardwired not to do so. That, though, remains the crux=E2=80=94an Is=
rael
committed to a zero-sum project against the Palestinians is by definition
an Israel committed to a hostile posture in the region and to hard-power
domination. It is a project that has just been exposed, in very palpable
terms, as unrealizable.

How many more setbacks, over how extended a period of time, and with what
level of fallout for Israel and its neighbourhood, will it take for Israel
and its public to change course?

Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my
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<div id=3D"gmail-main" class=3D"gmail-main gmail-typography gmail-use-theme=
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></div><div style=3D"flex-grow: 0;" class=3D"gmail-titleContainer-DJYq5v"><=
h1 class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-font-pub-headings-FE5byy gm=
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k.com/" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-contents gmail-pc-reset">D=
aniel Levy</a></h1></div><div style=3D"flex-basis: 0px; flex-grow: 1;" clas=
s=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-justifyContent-flex-end =
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haN_w"><div class=3D"gmail-buttonsContainer-SJBuep"><div class=3D"gmail-pen=
craft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-gap-8 gmail-pc-justifyContent-flex-end=
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an></span><span></span><span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></d=
iv></div><div><div aria-label=3D"Post" role=3D"main" class=3D"gmail-single-=
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ost"><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-contents gmail-pc-reset =
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s=3D"gmail-post-header"><h1 dir=3D"auto" class=3D"gmail-post-title gmail-pu=
blished gmail-title-X77sOw">Israel, the U.S., and the region after the Iran=
 MoU: What next</h1><div aria-label=3D"Post UFI" role=3D"region" class=3D"g=
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-center gmail-pc-justifyContent-flex-start gmail-pc-reset"><div class=3D"gm=
ail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-flexDirection-row gmail-pc-alig=
nItems-center gmail-pc-justifyContent-flex-start gmail-pc-reset gmail-ltr-q=
DBmby"><span style=3D"min-width:0px"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/@danie=
llevy2" aria-label=3D"View Daniel Levy&#39;s profile" class=3D"gmail-pencra=
ft gmail-pc-display-contents gmail-pc-reset"></a></span></div></div></div><=
div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-flexDirection-co=
lumn gmail-pc-reset"><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-colo=
r-pub-primary-text-NyXPlw gmail-line-height-20-t4M0El gmail-font-meta-MWBum=
P gmail-size-11-NuY2Zx gmail-weight-medium-fw81nC gmail-transform-uppercase=
-yKDgcq gmail-reset-IxiVJZ gmail-meta-EgzBVA"><span style=3D"min-width:0px"=
><a href=3D"https://substack.com/@daniellevy2" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmai=
l-pc-reset gmail-decoration-hover-underline-ClDVRM gmail-reset-IxiVJZ">Dani=
el Levy</a></span></div><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex =
gmail-pc-gap-4 gmail-pc-reset"><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset =
gmail-color-pub-secondary-text-hGQ02T gmail-line-height-20-t4M0El gmail-fon=
t-meta-MWBumP gmail-size-11-NuY2Zx gmail-weight-medium-fw81nC gmail-transfo=
rm-uppercase-yKDgcq gmail-reset-IxiVJZ gmail-meta-EgzBVA">Jun 19, 2026</div=
></div></div></div></div><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex=
 gmail-pc-gap-16 gmail-pc-justifyContent-space-between gmail-pc-alignItems-=
center gmail-pc-reset gmail-flex-grow-rzmknG gmail-post-ufi"><div class=3D"=
gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-gap-8 gmail-pc-reset"></div><=
div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-gap-8 gmail-pc-r=
eset"></div></div></div></div><div class=3D"gmail-visibility-check"></div><=
div><div><div class=3D"gmail-available-content"><div dir=3D"auto" class=3D"=
gmail-body gmail-markup"><p>The
 real meaning of the 14-point Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding will
 largely be determined by what happens in the 60 days (or perhaps much,=20
much longer) of negotiations in which the details will be fleshed out=20
(or will war be resumed?)</p><p>By most metrics, comparing this=20
two-and-a-bit page MoU to the 159-page (including annexes) JCPOA=20
agreement of 2015 is meaningless. There are strong tactical reasons for=20
bigging up the deal as being good for the U.S.=E2=80=94most importantly, it=
 is=20
the best alternative after the U.S. and Israel initiated military action
 110 days ago.</p><p><span>Four war goals were, at various points,=20
declared by Israel=E2=80=99s leadership and, mostly endorsed by the U.S.=20
President or those around him: (i) more definitive closure against any=20
Iranian nuclear weapons program than was achieved in the 2015 JCPOA;=20
(ii) a final end to any Iranian missile threat; (iii) no more Iranian=20
support to its so-called regional =E2=80=9Cproxies=E2=80=9D; and finally, (=
iv) regime=20
change/collapse.</span></p><p><span>Recently, President Trump seemed to add=
 an additional condition=E2=80=94the expansion of t</span><span>he
 Abraham Accords normalization of regional states with Israel to add=20
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Qatar, Kuwait (Trump also referenced countries=20
already in formal diplomatic relations with Israel).</span></p><p><span>In
 simple terms, none of these goals have been achieved and the 14-point=20
MoU addresses some of these in a realistic rather than delusionally=20
maximalist way. Only the two issues created by the war itself are=20
resolved by the MoU going into effect</span><span>=E2=80=94namely ending th=
e war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.</span></p><p>Little
 surprise then that the deal is being pilloried across the Israeli=20
political spectrum and commentariat as a resounding failure and fiasco.</p>=
<p><span>It
 has been clear for some time that Trump was looking for a way out of=20
the mess that Netanyahu initiated by banking on the president=E2=80=99s poo=
r=20
judgment and on a hollowed-out U.S. governmental decision-making system.
 Following 39 days of active American-Israeli warfare, and bombastic=20
claims of overwhelming victory, it became sufficiently clear that the=20
war plans had tanked, and that the U.S. was heading for strategic=20
defeat. A largely functioning, albeit inchoate, ceasefire was pursued.=20
That continued for 71 days as realism slowly coursed its way through the
 veins of U.S. decision-making until the MoU was electronically signed=20
on June 18</span><sup>th</sup><span>.</span></p><p>The next phase, 60=20
days (or more) of negotiations will be buffeted by uncertainty=E2=80=94Trum=
p=20
will no doubt embellish his attempt at a victory narrative, some of=20
which Netanyahu will be forced to swing behind, but the Israel premier=20
no doubt has schemes up his sleeve.</p><p>The decades old Israeli=20
assumption, now in tatters, was that if you pull the U.S. into a war=20
then defeat, capitulation or collapse of Iran would be inevitable.=20
Israel and the U.S., in their hubris, never considered that Iran would=20
be capable of offering yet another example of a lesson the West=20
stubbornly refuses to learn=E2=80=94the possibility of being undone by the=
=20
advantages of an asymmetric strategy predicated on outwitting an=20
arrogant adversary, strategic anticipation, and thorough preparation.</p><p=
><span>That
 is not to make light of the impact on Iran. Even given its experience=20
of sanctions and running a resilient economy, Iran will have to </span><a h=
ref=3D"https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/inflation-unemployment-iran-trump-war=
">recover</a><span>
 from skyrocketing inflation, with several food staples doubling or=20
tripling in price since the start of the war; economic contraction of a=20
predicted further 6% of GDP for the coming year, and the massive loss of
 jobs that comes with that; and the destruction of critical energy and=20
other infrastructure. It also lost a significant cohort of its=20
leadership.</span></p><p><span>The U.S. is naturally better positioned to a=
bsorb economic costs of war, although those are not trifling either, with M=
oody=E2=80=99s </span><a href=3D"https://www.npr.org/2026/06/17/nx-s1-58607=
39/iran-war-cost-oil-military-trade#:~:text=3DThe%20most%20visible%20piece%=
20of,cut%20off%2C%20according%20to%20AAA.">predicting</a><span> a war cost =
to America of $132 billion. </span><span>A
 more telling impact may be the very significant depletion in stocks of=20
key weaponry, and of exposing so much of its current war-making=20
modalities and tech, as well as the U.S. inability to impose its will on
 a country bearing the burden of decades of U.S. sanctions, and=20
demonstrable American indifference to the interests of its supposed=20
close allies in the region and beyond. The reputational hit will have a=20
long tail indeed.</span></p><p><span>Perhaps the largest question=20
looming is whether the U.S. will now make a definitive break with=20
decades of economic and threatened military pressure, and a regime=20
change orientation, towards Iran. Trump is acknowledging that the U.S.=20
has exaggerated in its weaponisation of the Treasury department in how=20
it can take the financial assets of other countries and that Iran will=20
not unilaterally divest itself of the ability to be secure (the U.S.=20
apparently dropping its missile demands vis-=C3=A0-vis Iran). But it is=20
unclear whether the U.S. system can internalise the implications of=20
these realisations, nor should one prematurely write off Israeli=20
influence. A resumption of war cannot be discounted and Trump continues=20
to issue threats.</span></p><p><span>In the meantime, the U.S. may=20
simply focus on bullying Iran where that is most easily accomplished,=20
taking out its war failure by embittering the </span><a href=3D"https://x.c=
om/tonykaron/status/2067276499384688831?s=3D63"><span>World Cup experience =
and preparations</span></a><span> of Iran=E2=80=99s football team.</span></=
p><p><strong>The Israel-U.S. rupture</strong></p><blockquote></blockquote><=
p>President
 Trump has over the last days unloaded at the Israeli Prime Minister in=20
what are probably unprecedented ways=E2=80=94then again, there is little ab=
out=20
the Trump second administration that is not unprecedented. Part of this=20
should be understood as standard Trumpian MO of diverting attention from
 his own failures and evading responsibility. After all, no other=20
president fell for Israel=E2=80=99s multi-decade effort of best-case-scenar=
ioing
 what a U.S. strike on Iran could achieve. Trump, no less than=20
Netanyahu, owns this.</p><p>While Trump is not directly blaming=20
Netanyahu for the failures of the war (he can neither admit to having=20
been duped nor having failed) he is sending the signal over who is to=20
blame. And he is (correctly) relying on the outrage in the pro-Israel=20
echo chamber to do the rest of the work in drilling home that=20
message=E2=80=94inadvertently proving that Israel/the lobby are to blame.</=
p><p><span>That echo chamber is in uncharted waters when it comes to the </=
span><a href=3D"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DCd1Zc9mzTOU">extent of</a=
><span> </span><a href=3D"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DXnXCDxdY9gA">th=
e meltdown</a><span>, the flailing, and the self-harm that </span><span>the=
y
 continue to indulge in. Having aligned overwhelmingly with the Israel=20
First wing of MAGA, Trump has pulled the pendulum significantly in the=20
opposite direction=E2=80=94now currying favour with the America First facti=
on.</span></p><p><span>For
 starters, Trump pushed Netanyahu to desist from bombing Beirut on June=20
1st. More significantly, the administration apparently and belatedly=20
realised that making Israel part of the negotiations guarantees no deal.
 The prospect has tantalisingly come into view of a U.S.-Iran deal that=20
might reflect American interests rather than those of Israel=E2=80=99s=20
leadership.</span></p><p>It should not go unnoticed that Netanyahu=20
secured seven in-person meetings with Trump in the first 13 months of=20
this second term. Subsequently, in the four months of fighting a war=20
together, there have been plenty of phone calls but zero face-to-face=20
encounters.</p><p>No doubt, Trump has been distancing himself. The=20
praise he heaped on other regional leaders rubbed salt in that wound.=20
Iran can notch up another success in having pursued a wartime strategy=20
that intensified and deepened this U.S.-Israel fissure. It played into=20
an already existing and quite dramatic shift in U.S. public opinion=20
vis-=C3=A0-vis Israel that is now traversing party lines and is most=20
pronounced in younger generations. Given the degree of Israeli=20
dependence on the U.S., this could prove to be the most consequential=20
fallout from this made-in-Israel war.</p><p><strong>Can Israel contain the =
rupture?</strong></p><p><span>Donald
 J. Trump is not the first American President to let it be known that he
 is frustrated with an Israeli premier and to use expletives in so=20
doing. The style may be unique, but the substance may end up being=20
standard fare. In other </span><span>words, Israel is called to heel briefl=
y, but the U.S. soon returns to form in doing its bidding and giving it a f=
ree hand.</span></p><p><span>Make
 no mistake, Israel, its echo chamber and lobby are not about to roll=20
over=E2=80=94they know how to bounce back and play the long game, and the t=
ools=20
at their disposal remain formidable. It can be simultaneously true that=20
the U.S. both forces this deal on Israel and pivots to demonstrating=20
that the bond is still strong and acts as if the U.S. =E2=80=98owes=E2=80=
=99 Israel.</span></p><p><span>The
 Israel lobby=E2=80=99s deployment of its congressional network, supportive=
=20
media (now strengthened by the ultra-Zionist Ellison family purchase of=20
Warner Bros. and Paramount Global) and the ability to deploy staggering=20
sums in campaign finance (especially after the Citizens United ruling)=20
in an election year is still not something to be sniffed at.</span></p><p><=
span>While
 the U.S. does have the leverage to impose outcomes on Israel, the=20
question has always been whether it is ready to deploy that leverage and
 in a sustained fashion. Even in the current dynamic, will the U.S.=20
enforce on Israel the clause it has signed in the MoU in respect to the=20
territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon, or will it allow=20
Israel to continue to occupy part of that country?</span></p><p><span>While
 the reference to Syria managing affairs in Lebanon could be read as a=20
rebuke to Netanyahu, at the same time it demonstrates how divorced from=20
regional realities the U.S. administration still is.</span></p><p><span>Isr=
ael
 will use the 60 days (and possibly longer) to reintroduce its positions
 into the negotiation equation and, from its perspective, for=20
hostilities to be resumed. It will try to create a situation where the=20
U.S. remains maximally deployed in the region and does not draw down its
 previous basing arrangements. Netanyahu will emphasise that Trump now=20
needs to do something for him, for Israel=E2=80=94whether in reintroducing=
=20
Abraham Accords expansion into the mix, or on the Lebanon front, or=20
giving Israel an even freer hand in Gaza and the West Bank, or perhaps=20
for Trump to personally embrace Netanyahu in his re-election campaign.=20
None of that should be ruled out.</span></p><p><span>To put things in=20
perspective, President Obama was reviled and relentlessly attacked by=20
the pro-Israel lobby. In March 2015, Netanyahu even went as far as=20
addressing a joint session of Congress to argue against the President=E2=80=
=99s=20
Iran JCPOA deal. And yet, the Obama administration, just a year later,=20
signed a 10-year memorandum of military support worth $38 billion in=20
total=E2=80=94the largest aid package in U.S. history.</span></p><p><span>B=
ut=20
this could also mark a qualitatively different phase in relations,=20
especially given the U.S. domestic political dynamics and perhaps more=20
importantly what the world has already witnessed in the U.S.-Israeli=20
failures in this war. The dressing down that Israel has received from=20
the President and Vice President will resonate far beyond the immediate=20
news cycle.</span></p><p><strong><span>Israel=E2=80=99s next moves</span></=
strong></p><p><span>Israel=E2=80=99s
 leadership has not yet found its groove following confirmation of the=20
MoU and its contents. Political and media commentary is awash with shock
 and disappointment, anointing the entire war a fiasco, with frequent=20
denouncements of the American President. Netanyahu himself </span><a href=
=3D"https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2066601289501307208?s=3D20">offered</a><=
span>
 a victory narrative version 1.0 centred around this war having saved=20
Israel from annihilation. He will have to balance out an endorsement of=20
Trump=E2=80=99s victory claims while seeking to simultaneously distance him=
self=20
and set out Israel=E2=80=99s terms.</span></p><p><span>The atmosphere is al=
l the
 more febrile given that elections are just a few short months away=E2=80=
=94due=20
to be held in September or October. Netanyahu trails in the polls and is
 doubling down on presenting himself as the necessary and experienced=20
leader for what he continues to define as a permanent wartime struggle=20
for Israel=E2=80=99s very survival. There is something jarring, even in an=
=20
electoral campaign, for a leader to tell his people that they </span><a hre=
f=3D"https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2066601289501307208?s=3D48&amp;t=3DvFua=
8I1G62NJS4MYKdBk-w">were inches away</a><span>
 from mass death and total destruction when that leader has been at the=20
helm for more than 16 of the last 18 years (the claim=E2=80=94which attempt=
s to=20
snatch victory from the jaws of defeat=E2=80=94is also patently untrue in=
=20
exaggerating the threat Iran or any other actor posed to Israel).</span></p=
><p><span>But
 Netanyahu is accurately reflecting and endlessly feeding the=20
contemporary Israeli psychological disposition of constant trauma (often
 manufactured, sometimes real as on October 7</span><sup><span>th</span></s=
up><span>).
 In other words, the pressure to reject diplomacy and intensify military
 activity comes not just from Netanyahu=E2=80=94but also from most of the=
=20
Zionist parties due to challenge him in the forthcoming election, the=20
so-called =E2=80=9Copposition=E2=80=9D.</span></p><p><span>As Noa Landau </=
span><a href=3D"https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-06-18/ty-article-opini=
on/instead-of-realistic-discussion-on-the-iran-deal-israels-opposition-pedd=
les-a-magic-solution/0000019e-d98f-dcae-a3ff-fbaf39e40000">notes in </a><em=
><a href=3D"https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/2026-06-18/ty-article-opinion/i=
nstead-of-realistic-discussion-on-the-iran-deal-israels-opposition-peddles-=
a-magic-solution/0000019e-d98f-dcae-a3ff-fbaf39e40000">Haaretz</a></em><spa=
n>,
 the Israeli opposition is =E2=80=9Coutflanking him [Bibi] from the right =
=E2=80=A6Their
 central argument doesn=E2=80=99t confront military objectives and their=20
limitations=E2=80=A6The Israeli opposition doesn=E2=80=99t want to encourag=
e this=20
realistic discussion; it prefers to peddle the idea that it has a better
 magic solution.=E2=80=9D Netanyahu=E2=80=99s main opponent, Naftali Bennet=
t, </span><a href=3D"https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/assailing=
-netanyahus-historic-failure-bennett-says-iran-regime-will-only-be-replaced=
-after-israeli-leadership-changes/"><span>claims</span></a><span> he is the=
 one who will deliver regime change in Iran while also </span><a href=3D"ht=
tps://www.youtube.com/shorts/kaOWgujCHtA"><span>threatening</span></a><span=
> that T=C3=BCrkiye will be next in Israel=E2=80=99s crosshairs after Iran.=
</span></p><p><span>But
 the immediate challenge facing Netanyahu is how he can transition from=20
the meltdown vis-a-vis the U.S. to getting his hands back on the=20
steering wheel driving U.S. policy. The first test case is, of course,=20
Lebanon, where Israel sought to intensify its attacks following the=20
signing of the U.S.-Iran MoU, and which momentarily delayed and=20
threatened this week=E2=80=99s B=C3=BCrgenstock talks.</span></p><p><span>E=
ven as it agreed a new truce with Hezbollah on June 19</span><sup>th</sup><=
span>,
 Israel continues to insist that it will maintain a military occupation=20
in South Lebanon=E2=80=94in violation of Lebanese sovereignty. As long as t=
hat=20
presence remains, there will be resistance, and that will serve as a=20
justification for periodic Israeli escalations (as just happened when=20
four IDF soldiers were killed in between large Israeli strikes, both=20
prior and subsequent to those losses, with over 100 Lebanese=20
fatalities). The current tentative truce will clearly not be the final=20
word on that front. Iran may also see advantages in maintaining a=20
Lebanon situation of episodic confrontation, especially if Israel=E2=80=99s=
=20
disproportionate actions can be used to further fuel U.S.-Israel=20
tensions.</span></p><div class=3D"gmail-subscription-widget-wrap"><div clas=
s=3D"gmail-subscription-widget gmail-show-subscribe"><div class=3D"gmail-pr=
eamble"><p>Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and =
support my work.</p><p><span>It
 is in the direct remit of the U.S. to end its blockade on Hormuz,=20
release frozen Iranian assets, suspend sanctions for enabling the export
 of Iranian oil, and to begin relocating some of its military deployment
 from the region=E2=80=94whereas a ceasefire and withdrawal of Israel=E2=80=
=99s=20
occupying forces in Lebanon requires sustained U.S. pressure on Israel.=20
It is unequivocally the case that the U.S. can deliver this=E2=80=94Israel =
is so
 dependent on the U.S.</span></p></div></div></div><p><span>But if the stat=
e of play in=20
Gaza, since the so-called ceasefire was declared and the previous=20
Lebanon =E2=80=9Cceasefire=E2=80=9D are anything to go by, then the U.S. is=
 perfectly=20
capable of defining a ceasefire as a state of affairs in which Israel=20
maintains deadly daily military operations and occupation. However, in=20
this instance, the issue is ending a war in which America is directly=20
involved, and in which Iran has a say.</span></p><p><span>Netanyahu will
 work to convince the administration to hold to the separate U.S.-led=20
direct track between Israel and the government of Lebanon where talks=20
are due to resume on June 23rd, and in which Israel is trying to impose=20
conditions designed to reignite conflict in Lebanon=E2=80=94whether that=20
continues to be led by the Israeli military or by dragging the Lebanese=20
government into a renewed civil war.</span></p><p><span>So, Lebanon is=20
where this festival of Israel-U.S. name calling will be distilled down=20
into the actual assertion of power and imposition of decisions (one way=20
or the other). And of course none of this bodes well for the=20
Palestinians=E2=80=94with Gaza still experiencing daily strikes and casualt=
ies,=20
and Israel preventing the entry of much-needed relief, while the West=20
Bank is under the most prolonged and relentless Israeli assault=E2=80=94set=
tler=20
and military=E2=80=94since 1967.</span></p><p><span>It doesn=E2=80=99t take=
 a crystal=20
ball to anticipate that Israel will take its frustration out on=20
Palestinians and intensify the realization of its long-term draconian=20
plans. Part of the Washington quid-pro-quo may be to create an even more
 enabling environment (true, if hard to imagine). Israel=E2=80=99s governme=
nt=20
intends to go into this election having implemented and paved the way to
 finalize its zero-sum agenda in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and=20
Gaza.</span></p><p><span>In theory at least, there is an alternative scenar=
io: that Trump=E2=80=99s warnings and those of </span><a href=3D"https://ww=
w.instagram.com/reel/DZvKO6tj6DI/?igsh=3DMW95cHBwZ3B3cDl4Mw=3D=3D">JD Vance=
 for Israel</a><span> </span><span>to
 =E2=80=9Cwake up and smell the reality of the situation that country is in=
=E2=80=9D act
 as a wake-up call. That Israel reconsiders its maximalist (overreach)=20
Greater Israel project of regional domination. That is sufficiently=20
counterintuitive to Israel=E2=80=99s inability to display pragmatism that i=
ts=20
chances, unfortunately, are vanishingly small.</span></p><p><strong><span>E=
nd thoughts</span></strong></p><p><span>There
 is an awful lot to unpack in translating the MoU into a sustainable=20
agreement=E2=80=94from Lebanon=E2=80=99s sovereignty to what constitutes pr=
oximity in=20
the removal of American forces, to the future administration of the=20
Straits of Hormuz, and of course, the arrangements regarding Iran=E2=80=99s=
=20
nuclear program, and the removal of sanctions/unfreezing of assets.</span><=
/p><p><span>Not
 all of those points will need to be thrashed out if the return of war=20
is to be prevented. But two military confrontations in the space of a=20
year, combined with the reality of Israel=E2=80=99s hawkish maximalism, and=
 the=20
resurgent neoconservative camp in the U.S., mean that a return to war=20
cannot be ruled out.</span></p><p><span>Beyond that, the repercussions=20
of this conflict will play out over a long horizon, and some of that=20
will be unpredictable and extends far beyond U.S.-Israel dynamics.</span></=
p><p><span>The
 region has witnessed in very palpable terms the shortcomings of its=20
security relationship with the U.S. While it was Iran that launched=20
missiles into Gulf states, it was the U.S., at Israel=E2=80=99s urging, tha=
t=20
started this war, ignoring the counsel of its Gulf allies, listening=20
only to Israeli entreaties. A Saudi friend shared a local proverb with=20
me: =E2=80=9Cbetter wise enemies than crazy friends=E2=80=9D.</span></p><p>=
<span>States=20
in the region will look at how to manage their relations with Iran,=20
including possibly leaning into more economic integration as a security=20
measure=E2=80=94investments give a certain leverage. While they will contin=
ue=20
close relationship, including on the security and arms procurement front
 with the U.S., expect simultaneously a far more significant hedging to=20
take place in the coming years.</span></p><p><span>Part of that will be=20
in expanding other geopolitical relations, including those with China=20
and arms purchases from places such as South Korea, and Europe if it can
 step up to be part of that mix. But there will also be a much more=20
intense exploration of cooperation among regional states.</span></p><p><spa=
n>One
 core question will be whether a meaningful third bloc emerges in the=20
region, counterbalancing the Israel axis (with UAE and others) and the=20
Iran axis. The closer ties between Saudi, T=C3=BCrkiye, Egypt and Pakistan =
(</span><a href=3D"https://x.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/2068670706217533637=
?s=3D20"><span>who met</span></a><span>
 at the Foreign Minister level on a fourth occasion on June 21st), as=20
well as Qatar, are a trend to watch. Any emerging bloc will have to=20
address how it contains Israel=E2=80=99s project of domination, radicalizat=
ion,=20
and destabilization.</span></p><p><span>Other issues likely to be on the
 agenda include: how the future of U.S. military bases is addressed, and
 what happens to those that have been largely destroyed during this war;
 whether Israel=E2=80=99s nuclear weapons become an issue, and whether=20
proliferation questions extend beyond Iran; the routes where one sees=20
the building of the future nodes of transportation and connectivity,=20
including energy pipelines; and even how resonant Iran=E2=80=99s narrative =
of=20
successful resistance becomes.</span></p><p><span>When JD </span><a href=3D=
"https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1PibzYBYiu/?mibextid=3DwwXIfr">said of Is=
rael</a><span>
 that =E2=80=9Cyou=E2=80=99re a country of 9 million people, you just can=
=E2=80=99t kill your=20
way out of solving every single national security problem that you have=E2=
=80=9D
 he was speaking to a reality that politicians from across the Zionist=20
political spectrum, pro- and anti-Bibi camps alike, refuse to=20
acknowledge.</span></p><p><span>The Trump administration has not applied
 that to the Palestinian question and is hardwired not to do so. That,=20
though, remains the crux=E2=80=94an Israel committed to a zero-sum project=
=20
against the Palestinians is by definition an Israel committed to a=20
hostile posture in the region and to hard-power domination. It is a=20
project that has just been exposed, in very palpable terms, as=20
unrealizable.</span></p><p><span>How many more setbacks, over how=20
extended a period of time, and with what level of fallout for Israel and
 its neighbourhood, will it take for Israel and its public to change=20
course?</span></p><div class=3D"gmail-subscription-widget-wrap"><div class=
=3D"gmail-subscription-widget gmail-show-subscribe"><div class=3D"gmail-pre=
amble"><p>Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and s=
upport my work</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></d=
iv></div></div></div></div>

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Subject: [Salon] Reposting a must-see film: Bodies of Evidence,
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Bodies of Evidence | Al Jazeera Originals
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3pApprHfrY>

Bodies of Evidence | Al Jazeera Originals

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3pApprHfrY>

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div><div=
 style=3D"font-family:bookman old style,new york,times,serif;font-size:13px=
"><div dir=3D"ltr"><a href=3D"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3De3pApprHfrY=
" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank">Bodies of Evidence | Al Jazeera Origin=
als</a></div><div><br></div><div id=3D"m_3001832448010798221ydp59e03507enha=
ncr_card_2424285334" style=3D"max-width:400px;font-family:&quot;YahooSans V=
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youtube.com/watch?v=3De3pApprHfrY" style=3D"text-decoration:none!important;=
color:#000!important" rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank"><table border=3D"0=
" cellpadding=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" style=3D"max-width:400px"><tbody><tr>=
<td width=3D"400"><table border=3D"0" cellpadding=3D"0" cellspacing=3D"0" w=
idth=3D"100%" style=3D"max-width:400px;border-width:1px;border-style:solid;=
border-color:rgb(224,228,233);border-radius:2px"><tbody><tr><td background=
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<tr><td style=3D"text-align:left;padding:15px 0 0 15px;vertical-align:top">=
</td><td style=3D"text-align:right;padding:15px 15px 0 0;vertical-align:top=
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<tr><td><table border=3D"0" align=3D"center" cellpadding=3D"0" cellspacing=
=3D"0" style=3D"background:#fff;width:100%;max-width:400px;border-radius:0 =
0 2px 2px;border-top:1px solid rgb(224,228,233)"><tbody><tr><td style=3D"ba=
ckground-color:#ffffff;padding:16px 0 16px 12px;vertical-align:top;border-r=
adius:0 0 0 2px"><img src=3D"https://s.yimg.com/nq/storm/assets/enhancrV2/2=
3/logos/youtube.png" height=3D"36" style=3D"min-width:36px;margin-top:3px">=
</td><td style=3D"vertical-align:middle;padding:12px 24px 16px 12px;width:9=
9%;font-family:&quot;YahooSans VF&quot;,YahooSans,&quot;OpenSans VF&quot;,O=
penSans,&quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Helvetica,Arial,san=
s-serif;border-radius:0 0 2px 0"><h2 style=3D"font-size:14px;line-height:19=
px;margin:0px 0px 6px;font-family:&quot;YahooSans VF&quot;,YahooSans,&quot;=
OpenSans VF&quot;,OpenSans,&quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,=
Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(29,34,40);max-width:314px">Bodies of E=
vidence | Al Jazeera Originals</h2><p style=3D"font-size:12px;line-height:1=
6px;margin:0px;color:rgb(151,158,168)"></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td><=
/tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></a></div><div><br></div><div=
><br></div></div></div></div></div>

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Subject: [Salon] Jonathan Pie
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Off camera, delivers a devastating critique of the Trump administration.

https://x.com/mmpadellan/status/2068702981957079176?s=20

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Off camera, delivers a devastating critique of the Tr=
ump administration.</div><div><br></div><div><a href=3D"https://x.com/mmpad=
ellan/status/2068702981957079176?s=3D20">https://x.com/mmpadellan/status/20=
68702981957079176?s=3D20</a></div></div>

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Subject: [Salon] =?utf-8?q?Fwd=3A_Anadolu=3A_=22US_ends_authorization_for?=
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--00000000000093d60c0654ddde61
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
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*https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/us-ends-authorization-for-israel-to-o=
perate-without-restriction-in-lebanon-israeli-media/3974959
<https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/us-ends-authorization-for-israel-to-o=
perate-without-restriction-in-lebanon-israeli-media/3974959>*

*US ends authorization for Israel =E2=80=98to operate without restriction' =
in
Lebanon: Israeli media*Israel received message from US that =E2=80=98previo=
us
authorization for unrestricted action in Lebanon had expired,' Israeli
media cites senior official as saying
[image: Content media]

*The US informed Israel that an authorization allowing Tel Aviv "to operate
without restriction" in Lebanon had ended, Channel 13 reported Monday,
citing an unnamed senior Israeli official.*

*According to the source, Israel received a message from the US in recent
weeks that "the previous authorization for unrestricted action in Lebanon
had expired."*

*The channel said US President Donald Trump =E2=80=9Cis imposing restrictio=
ns on
Israel, not only in Lebanon but also in other arenas=E2=80=9D despite Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that Israeli forces in southern
Lebanon =E2=80=9Chave complete freedom of action.=E2=80=9D*

*According to the outlet, the Israeli political leadership has issued
official directives to the army outlining the scope of permissible and
prohibited movements in Lebanon.*

*=E2=80=9CThese directives prohibit operations in areas such as the capital=
,
Beirut, and the Tyre district in southern Lebanon,=E2=80=9D it added.*

*Earlier Monday, the Israeli daily Maariv reported differences in views
between Washington and Tel Aviv regarding the situation in Lebanon.*

*The newspaper said that Washington views southern Lebanon within a broader
regional context that includes the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices, the
Iranian nuclear issue, and the Trump administration's need to achieve a
diplomatic breakthrough.*

*In contrast, Israel believes that any premature withdrawal from southern
Lebanon could be interpreted as a =E2=80=9Csign of weakness=E2=80=9D and a =
reward for
Hezbollah, it added.*

*Israel=E2=80=99s military offensive in Lebanon has killed more than 4,000 =
people,
injured over 12,000 others, and displaced over 1 million residents since
March 2, according to Lebanese authorities.*

*Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, some held for
decades and others seized during the 2023=E2=80=932024 war. *

**Writing by Serdar Dincel*

--00000000000093d60c0654ddde61
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=
=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr"><b style=3D"background-color:transparent"><fo=
nt color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif"><a href=3D"https://www.aa.com.=
tr/en/middle-east/us-ends-authorization-for-israel-to-operate-without-restr=
iction-in-lebanon-israeli-media/3974959" target=3D"_blank">https://www.aa.c=
om.tr/en/middle-east/us-ends-authorization-for-israel-to-operate-without-re=
striction-in-lebanon-israeli-media/3974959</a></font></b></div><div dir=3D"=
ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div><b><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, seri=
f"><br></font></b></div><div><h1 style=3D"line-height:1.2141em;margin-top:0=
px;margin-bottom:0.5em;max-width:100%"><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"geor=
gia, serif" size=3D"4"><i>US ends authorization for Israel =E2=80=98to oper=
ate without restriction&#39; in Lebanon: Israeli media</i></font></h1><h2 s=
tyle=3D"line-height:1.27275em;max-width:100%"><font size=3D"2" color=3D"#00=
0000" face=3D"georgia, serif">Israel received message from US that =E2=80=
=98previous authorization for unrestricted action in Lebanon had expired,&#=
39; Israeli media cites senior official as saying</font></h2><div style=3D"=
max-width:100%;margin-bottom:1.15em;line-height:1.5em"><img alt=3D"Content =
media" src=3D"https://web-cdnprod.aa.com.tr/uploads/Contents/2026/06/22/thu=
mbs_b_c_cf245123862f8b2c9ce5ddfbfb370b32.jpg" style=3D"margin:auto 0px auto=
 auto;display:block;clear:both" width=3D"412" height=3D"232"></div><p style=
=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">The =
US informed Israel that an authorization allowing Tel Aviv &quot;to operate=
 without restriction&quot; in Lebanon had ended, Channel 13 reported Monday=
, citing an unnamed senior Israeli official.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-=
width:100%"><b><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">According to=
 the source, Israel received a message from the US in recent weeks that &qu=
ot;the previous authorization for unrestricted action in Lebanon had expire=
d.&quot;</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font color=3D"#00000=
0" face=3D"georgia, serif">The channel said US President Donald Trump =E2=
=80=9Cis imposing restrictions on Israel, not only in Lebanon but also in o=
ther arenas=E2=80=9D despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s assert=
ion that Israeli forces in southern Lebanon =E2=80=9Chave complete freedom =
of action.=E2=80=9D</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font colo=
r=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">According to the outlet, the Israeli =
political leadership has issued official directives to the army outlining t=
he scope of permissible and prohibited movements in Lebanon.</font></b></p>=
<p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, ser=
if">=E2=80=9CThese directives prohibit operations in areas such as the capi=
tal, Beirut, and the Tyre district in southern Lebanon,=E2=80=9D it added.<=
/font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font color=3D"#000000" face=
=3D"georgia, serif">Earlier Monday, the Israeli daily Maariv reported diffe=
rences in views between Washington and Tel Aviv regarding the situation in =
Lebanon.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font color=3D"#00000=
0" face=3D"georgia, serif">The newspaper said that Washington views souther=
n Lebanon within a broader regional context that includes the Strait of Hor=
muz, energy prices, the Iranian nuclear issue, and the Trump administration=
&#39;s need to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough.</font></b></p><p style=3D=
"max-width:100%"><b><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">In cont=
rast, Israel believes that any premature withdrawal from southern Lebanon c=
ould be interpreted as a =E2=80=9Csign of weakness=E2=80=9D and a reward fo=
r Hezbollah, it added.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font c=
olor=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">Israel=E2=80=99s military offensiv=
e in Lebanon has killed more than 4,000 people, injured over 12,000 others,=
 and displaced over 1 million residents since March 2, according to Lebanes=
e authorities.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font color=3D"=
#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">Israel continues to occupy areas in southe=
rn Lebanon, some held for decades and others seized during the 2023=E2=80=
=932024 war.<span>=C2=A0</span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><=
b><font color=3D"#000000" face=3D"georgia, serif">*Writing by Serdar Dincel=
</font></b></p></div></div>
</div>
</div></div>

--00000000000093d60c0654ddde61--

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The Kucinich Report
6
Congress Is Preparing to Surrender American Sovereignty on the Eve of
America=E2=80=99s 250th AnniversaryTake Action to Defeat a Dangerous Expans=
ion of
the National Security State, Military Power Over Civilian Government,
Foreign Policy Entrenchment, and the Erosion of Constitutional Self
Government
<https://substack.com/@denniskucinich>
<https://substack.com/@elizabethkucinich>
Dennis Kucinich <https://substack.com/@denniskucinich> and Elizabeth
Kucinich <https://substack.com/@elizabethkucinich>
Jun 22, 2026
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!R_w8!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2F06a87298-7e5d-4865-bca1-65bb5d8de9ea_1536x1024.heic>

The United States Congress, on the very eve of the 250th anniversary of our
Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, is preparing to formally
diminish American independence and sovereignty through a proposed merger
and long-term integration of executive functions throughout the government,
coordinated by the Department of Defense.

Treacherous provisions in the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA) mandate that the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Commerce
Department, and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and
agencies cooperate with their Israeli counterparts for the purpose of
consolidating U.S. and Israeli military activities in order to align
efforts and avoid duplication.

The greatest threat to American sovereignty rarely arrives wearing the
uniform of a foreign army. It often arrives through the complacency,
expediency, or poor judgment of elected officials who fail to recognize the
long-term consequences of the powers they surrender.

Whether motivated by political convenience, misplaced loyalty, or simple
inattention, such actions can erode constitutional self-government just as
surely as deliberate acts of betrayal.

No foreign nation, regardless of whether it is Israel, Britain, Canada,
France, or Japan, should be integrated into permanent executive, military,
technological, intelligence, and research structures in a manner that
diminishes American sovereignty and democratic accountability.

The Pentagon=E2=80=99s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently identifie=
d Israel
as a counterintelligence threat.

Under ordinary circumstances, such a finding would prompt heightened
scrutiny, caution, and congressional oversight. Instead, Congress has
continued advancing provisions in the 2027 National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA) that would deepen military, technological, and strategic
integration between the United States and Israel.

The legislation specifies Israel-U.S. coordination with America=E2=80=99s D=
efense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Missile Defense Agency,
including the Golden Dome initiative, the United States Space Command,
directed energy programs, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other
critical technologies that will shape the future distribution of power.

Of all the areas mentioned, artificial intelligence and biotechnology may
have the greatest long term implications. These technologies will shape
privacy, surveillance, predictive policing, digital identity systems,
biosecurity, human enhancement technologies, and information control.

The Founders could never have imagined artificial intelligence, autonomous
systems, or biotechnology directed by algorithms. Yet they understood a
timeless truth: power must remain accountable to the people. The danger of
our age is not merely that authority may concentrate in governments,
corporations, or military institutions. It is that decisions of profound
consequence may increasingly be delegated to technological systems that
operate beyond the understanding and oversight of those whom the
Constitution entrusts with governing.

The highly structured Israel-U.S. merger is included in the $1.5 trillion
NDAA, in Section 219, formerly Section 224, in the House version and
Section 1217 in the Senate version. It puts in place policies which will
bind future Administrations.

Democracy depends on elected officials being able to alter policy.
Permanent structures can make that increasingly difficult. Democracies
function because citizens can change policy through elections. When
military, intelligence, and technological institutions become permanently
integrated across governments and bureaucracies, decision making can drift
beyond the reach of voters.

The issue is not cooperation with perceived allies. The issue is whether
future Americans retain the practical ability to change course through
democratic means. The democratic question, regardless of the technology
involved, is simple: Who governs these technologies, and for what purpose?

Will decisions remain accountable to elected representatives and the
American people, or will authority increasingly reside within security
agencies, military institutions, and specialized technical bureaucracies
beyond meaningful democratic oversight?

The U.S.-Israel military-executive merger provisions in the NDAA advance
military influence across civilian government and create precisely the
conditions the Constitution was designed to prevent.

Our Declaration of Independence condemned King George III for having
rendered the military independent of and superior to the Civil power and
for having combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to
our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws.

The concern is not just military and executive integration with any foreign
nation. It is the gradual expansion of military institutions into civilian
domains including technology, biotechnology, commerce, communications, and
artificial intelligence and the effect on our Republic and our freedom.

As national security priorities become embedded throughout government,
civilian decision making becomes subordinate to military logic. Policies
that should be determined through democratic debate become the province of
security institutions, technical experts, and permanent bureaucracies.

The Founders repeatedly warned against permanent =E2=80=98s because they un=
derstood
the motivations of leaders of other countries may be inconsistent with
American ideals or interests. The Founders structured the government of the
United States so that future Administrations would not be locked into
foreign alliances which became vexatious.

If cooperation evolves into integration, future administrations will have
less freedom to pursue independent diplomatic, military, technological, and
economic policies. Decisions made in the name of efficiency today may limit
the choices available to Americans tomorrow.
Subscribe

Congress is constitutionally responsible for oversight of the executive
branch.

A key question is whether the military and executive merger provisions in
the 2027 NDAA create new arrangements that are sufficiently transparent and
reviewable by Congress. If significant military, intelligence,
technological, or strategic decisions become embedded within joint
frameworks, legislators may find themselves attempting to oversee systems
that have acquired their own institutional momentum.

*Ironclad collaborative provisions uniting Israel and the United States in
the 2027 NDAA are being advanced on the basis of current political
relationships and short-term strategic considerations rather than a careful
assessment of their long -term institutional consequences. Congress has
devoted remarkably little attention to how such an arrangement could affect
American sovereignty, constitutional accountability, civilian control of
the government of the United States, and the ability of future generations
to alter policy through democratic means.*

The question before Congress is not whether Israel is a friend today. The
question is whether the permanent integration of military, technological,
intelligence, research, and governmental functions with any foreign nation
serves the long-term interests of the United States.

The Declaration of Independence and our constitutional system has been
entrusted to our care. Aliances between nations may change. Governments
change. Political leaders come and go, friendships change. Yet the
structures established by law can endure for generations.

The Constitution was designed to preserve the sovereignty of the American
Republic through democratic accountability, separation of powers, and
civilian control of government. Any arrangement that permanently embeds
foreign influence within executive, military, intelligence, technological,
or research institutions will not stand once it receives the highest degree
of constitutional scrutiny.

Congress has already struggled to reclaim its constitutionally based war
powers. The military establishment has steadily accumulated influence
across multiple domains of public policy. These provisions move further in
that direction by embedding foreign military and security priorities.
throughout the machinery of government.

Members of Congress swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution of
the United States. That oath is a sacred trust and does not abide
treachery. Any measure that diminishes American sovereignty, weakens
constitutional self-government, or places the powers of this Republic in
alignment with a foreign authority violates both the spirit of that oath
and the duty owed to every American citizen.

As America approaches the 250th anniversary of our Independence, Congress
is poised to bind future generations through strategic commitments made to
a foreign power today. These provisions reflect a profound failure of
constitutional judgment. They elevate short term political and military
considerations above the enduring duty to preserve the sovereignty,
independence, and freedom of action of the United States.

The Founders warned repeatedly against arrangements that would entangle
future generations in obligations they neither chose nor approved. Yet
Congress now stands on the threshold of embracing precisely such an
arrangement, limiting the freedom of future American leaders to chart an
independent course in diplomacy, technology, security, and national defense=
.

Whether driven by political expediency, misplaced loyalties, institutional
inertia, or a failure to grasp the long-term consequences of their actions,
the result is the same: a diminished capacity for self-government and a
dangerous departure from the constitutional principles that have
safeguarded American independence for two and a half centuries.

On the eve of America 250th year, every citizen must decide whether
independence is merely a memory to celebrate or a responsibility to defend.

*TAKE ACTION*

The merger is timed to be voted on the week of June 29, just before the
Fourth of July.

Let us truly celebrate our independence by staying independent. Please help
spread the word and forward this article.

Find your member of Congress:

House <https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative>
Senate <https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm>

It is urgent that you call your congressional representative today at
202-224-3121 and tell them to *Strip Section 219 (House) or Section 1217
(Senate) from the 2027 NDAA.*

Congressmen Tom Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) will offer an amendment
in the House to remove Section 219. Please tell your U.S. Representative:
Support the Massie-Khanna Amendment to the NDAA.

*Optional telephone script for the House of Representatives:*

My name is ______ and I am a constituent. I am calling to urge
Representative ______ to support the Massie-Khanna Amendment and to remove
Section 219 from the NDAA. Congress should defend American sovereignty,
uphold the Constitution, and reject any measure that integrates the
executive and military functions of the United States with those of a
foreign government. Please pass my message to the Representative. Thank you=
.

Please now circulate this article to your friends and network and ask them
to take urgently action

Share
<https://kucinichreport.substack.com/p/congress-is-preparing-to-surrender?u=
tm_source=3Dsubstack&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_content=3Dshare&action=3Dshare&=
token=3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoyMzY0NDkxLCJwb3N0X2lkIjoyMDMwNzMwMjQsImlhdCI6MTc4MjE=
2MjAxOSwiZXhwIjoxNzg0NzU0MDE5LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMTQ0MTU4OCIsInN1YiI6InBvc3Qtcm=
VhY3Rpb24ifQ.5Wi_r8IHW1tHz2rH_Ba7jxD5d_mhBYKBmna3v1b5d8c>

*Dennis J. Kucinich served in the United States House of Representatives
from 1997 to 2013. He led efforts against wars in Serbia, Iraq, Iran,
Libya, and Syria under the banner of Strength Through Peace. He was a
Democratic presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008.*

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mbol&quot;;margin:0px;line-height:36px;font-size:32px">Congress Is Preparin=
g to Surrender American Sovereignty on the Eve of America=E2=80=99s 250th A=
nniversary</h1><h3 dir=3D"auto" class=3D"gmail-subtitle gmail-subtitle-HEEc=
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eight:24px;font-size:18px;color:rgb(134,135,135)">Take Action to Defeat a D=
angerous Expansion of the National Security State, Military Power Over Civi=
lian Government, Foreign Policy Entrenchment, and the Erosion of Constituti=
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ail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-paddingTop-16 gmail-pc-paddingBottom-16 gmail-=
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aft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-flexDirection-row gmail-pc-alignItems-ce=
nter gmail-pc-justifyContent-flex-start gmail-pc-reset gmail-ltr-qDBmby" st=
yle=3D"text-decoration:unset;list-style:none;display:flex"><span style=3D"m=
in-width:0px"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/@denniskucinich" aria-label=
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splay-contents gmail-pc-reset" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration=
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h:0px"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/@elizabethkucinich" aria-label=3D"Vi=
ew Elizabeth Kucinich&#39;s profile" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-displ=
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set;list-style:none;display:contents"></a></span></div></div></div><div cla=
ss=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-flexDirection-column gm=
ail-pc-reset" style=3D"text-decoration:unset;list-style:none;display:flex">=
<div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-color-pub-primary-text-Ny=
XPlw gmail-line-height-20-t4M0El gmail-font-meta-MWBumP gmail-size-11-NuY2Z=
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gin:0px;font-size:11px;line-height:20px;font-family:&quot;SF Compact&quot;,=
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t;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Se=
goe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;text-transform:uppercase;let=
ter-spacing:0.2px"><span style=3D"min-width:0px"><a href=3D"https://substac=
k.com/@denniskucinich" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-decorat=
ion-hover-underline-ClDVRM gmail-reset-IxiVJZ" style=3D"color:unset;text-de=
coration-line:unset;text-decoration-style:unset;text-decoration-color:unset=
;list-style:none;margin:0px">Dennis Kucinich</a></span>=C2=A0and=C2=A0<span=
 style=3D"min-width:0px"><a href=3D"https://substack.com/@elizabethkucinich=
" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-decoration-hover-underline-C=
lDVRM gmail-reset-IxiVJZ" style=3D"color:unset;text-decoration-line:unset;t=
ext-decoration-style:unset;text-decoration-color:unset;list-style:none;marg=
in:0px">Elizabeth Kucinich</a></span></div><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gma=
il-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-gap-4 gmail-pc-reset" style=3D"text-decoration:=
unset;list-style:none;display:flex"><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-r=
eset gmail-color-pub-secondary-text-hGQ02T gmail-line-height-20-t4M0El gmai=
l-font-meta-MWBumP gmail-size-11-NuY2Zx gmail-weight-medium-fw81nC gmail-tr=
ansform-uppercase-yKDgcq gmail-reset-IxiVJZ gmail-meta-EgzBVA" style=3D"tex=
t-decoration:unset;list-style:none;color:rgb(134,135,135);margin:0px;font-s=
ize:11px;line-height:20px;font-family:&quot;SF Compact&quot;,-apple-system,=
system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helv=
etica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&q=
uot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.=
2px">Jun 22, 2026</div></div></div></div></div><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft=
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:0px auto 32px"><a target=3D"_blank" href=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/=
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tyle=3D"display: block; max-width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 0px auto;"><=
div class=3D"gmail-image-link-expand" style=3D"display:flex;height:32px;opa=
city:0"><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-gap-8 g=
mail-pc-reset" style=3D"text-decoration:unset;list-style:none;display:flex"=
><button tabindex=3D"0" type=3D"button" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-re=
set gmail-pencraft gmail-icon-container gmail-restack-image" style=3D"displ=
ay:flex;width:32px;height:32px;background:none 0% 0%/auto repeat scroll pad=
ding-box border-box rgba(40,40,40,0.75);border-width:0px;border-style:none;=
border-color:currentcolor;outline:0px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:uns=
et;list-style:none"></button><button tabindex=3D"0" type=3D"button" class=
=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-pencraft gmail-icon-container gmail=
-view-image" style=3D"display:flex;width:32px;height:32px;background:none 0=
% 0%/auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(40,40,40,0.75);border-w=
idth:0px;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor;outline:0px;border-rad=
ius:8px;text-decoration:unset;list-style:none"></button></div></div></div><=
/a></div><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The United Stat=
es Congress, on the very eve of the 250th anniversary of our Declaration of=
 Independence from Great Britain, is preparing to formally diminish America=
n independence and sovereignty through a proposed merger and long-term inte=
gration of executive functions throughout the government, coordinated by th=
e Department of Defense.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20=
px">Treacherous provisions in the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (=
NDAA) mandate that the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Commerce Department,=
 and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies cooperate=
 with their Israeli counterparts for the purpose of consolidating U.S. and =
Israeli military activities in order to align efforts and avoid duplication=
.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The greatest threat=
 to American sovereignty rarely arrives wearing the uniform of a foreign ar=
my. It often arrives through the complacency, expediency, or poor judgment =
of elected officials who fail to recognize the long-term consequences of th=
e powers they surrender.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20=
px">Whether motivated by political convenience, misplaced loyalty, or simpl=
e inattention, such actions can erode constitutional self-government just a=
s surely as deliberate acts of betrayal.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;m=
argin:0px 0px 20px">No foreign nation, regardless of whether it is Israel, =
Britain, Canada, France, or Japan, should be integrated into permanent exec=
utive, military, technological, intelligence, and research structures in a =
manner that diminishes American sovereignty and democratic accountability.<=
/p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The Pentagon=E2=80=99=
s Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) recently identified Israel as a counter=
intelligence threat.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">=
Under ordinary circumstances, such a finding would prompt heightened scruti=
ny, caution, and congressional oversight. Instead, Congress has continued a=
dvancing provisions in the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) t=
hat would deepen military, technological, and strategic integration between=
 the United States and Israel.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px =
0px 20px">The legislation specifies Israel-U.S. coordination with America=
=E2=80=99s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Missile D=
efense Agency, including the Golden Dome initiative, the United States Spac=
e Command, directed energy programs, artificial intelligence, biotechnology=
, and other critical technologies that will shape the future distribution o=
f power.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">Of all the a=
reas mentioned, artificial intelligence and biotechnology may have the grea=
test long term implications. These technologies will shape privacy, surveil=
lance, predictive policing, digital identity systems, biosecurity, human en=
hancement technologies, and information control.</p><p style=3D"line-height=
:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The Founders could never have imagined artifici=
al intelligence, autonomous systems, or biotechnology directed by algorithm=
s. Yet they understood a timeless truth: power must remain accountable to t=
he people. The danger of our age is not merely that authority may concentra=
te in governments, corporations, or military institutions. It is that decis=
ions of profound consequence may increasingly be delegated to technological=
 systems that operate beyond the understanding and oversight of those whom =
the Constitution entrusts with governing.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;=
margin:0px 0px 20px">The highly structured Israel-U.S. merger is included i=
n the $1.5 trillion NDAA, in Section 219, formerly Section 224, in the Hous=
e version and Section 1217 in the Senate version. It puts in place policies=
 which will bind future Administrations.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;m=
argin:0px 0px 20px">Democracy depends on elected officials being able to al=
ter policy. Permanent structures can make that increasingly difficult. Demo=
cracies function because citizens can change policy through elections. When=
 military, intelligence, and technological institutions become permanently =
integrated across governments and bureaucracies, decision making can drift =
beyond the reach of voters.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px=
 20px">The issue is not cooperation with perceived allies. The issue is whe=
ther future Americans retain the practical ability to change course through=
 democratic means. The democratic question, regardless of the technology in=
volved, is simple: Who governs these technologies, and for what purpose?</p=
><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">Will decisions remain a=
ccountable to elected representatives and the American people, or will auth=
ority increasingly reside within security agencies, military institutions, =
and specialized technical bureaucracies beyond meaningful democratic oversi=
ght?</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The U.S.-Israel =
military-executive merger provisions in the NDAA advance military influence=
 across civilian government and create precisely the conditions the Constit=
ution was designed to prevent.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px =
0px 20px">Our Declaration of Independence condemned King George III for hav=
ing rendered the military independent of and superior to the Civil power an=
d for having combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign t=
o our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws.</p><p style=3D"line-hei=
ght:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The concern is not just military and executi=
ve integration with any foreign nation. It is the gradual expansion of mili=
tary institutions into civilian domains including technology, biotechnology=
, commerce, communications, and artificial intelligence and the effect on o=
ur Republic and our freedom.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0p=
x 20px">As national security priorities become embedded throughout governme=
nt, civilian decision making becomes subordinate to military logic. Policie=
s that should be determined through democratic debate become the province o=
f security institutions, technical experts, and permanent bureaucracies.</p=
><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The Founders repeatedly=
 warned against permanent =E2=80=98s because they understood the motivation=
s of leaders of other countries may be inconsistent with American ideals or=
 interests. The Founders structured the government of the United States so =
that future Administrations would not be locked into foreign alliances whic=
h became vexatious.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">I=
f cooperation evolves into integration, future administrations will have le=
ss freedom to pursue independent diplomatic, military, technological, and e=
conomic policies. Decisions made in the name of efficiency today may limit =
the choices available to Americans tomorrow.</p><div class=3D"gmail-subscri=
be-widget" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 1em;direction:ltr"><div class=3D"gmail-p=
encraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-justifyContent-center gmail-pc-reset=
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ion=3D"https://kucinichreport.substack.com/api/v1/free?nojs=3Dtrue" method=
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x;max-width:380px;display:flex"><input type=3D"email" name=3D"fake_email" a=
ria-hidden=3D"true" tabindex=3D"-1" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);padding:16=
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5,255);display:block;width:380px;font-size:16px;font-family:system-ui,-appl=
e-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,san=
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password" name=3D"fake_password" aria-hidden=3D"true" tabindex=3D"-1" style=
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der-style:solid;border-width:0.8px;background:none 0% 0%/auto repeat scroll=
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e:16px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe U=
I&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&qu=
ot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;border-radius:12px;box-=
sizing:border-box"><div class=3D"emailInputWrapper-QlA86j" style=3D"min-wid=
th:0px"><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-minWidt=
h-0 gmail-pc-position-relative gmail-pc-reset gmail-flex-auto-j3S2WA" style=
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t name=3D"email" value=3D"cwfresidence@gmail.com" type=3D"email" class=3D"g=
mail-pencraft emailInput-OkIMeB gmail-input-y4v6N4 gmail-inputText-pV_yWb g=
mail-readOnly-yVYuPy" readonly style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);min-width:0px;f=
ont-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,=
Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe=
 UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;font-size:15px;font-weight:400;=
line-height:20px;background:none 0% 0%/auto repeat scroll padding-box borde=
r-box rgb(240,240,240);padding:12px;min-height:40px;box-sizing:border-box;b=
order-color:rgb(83,101,208);border-style:solid;border-width:0.8px 0px 0.8px=
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px"></div></div><button type=3D"submit" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-re=
set gmail-pencraft gmail-rightButton gmail-primary gmail-subscribe-btn gmai=
l-button-VFSdkv gmail-buttonBase-GK1x3M" tabindex=3D"0" style=3D"color:rgb(=
255,255,255);white-space:nowrap;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMa=
cSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Ap=
ple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot=
;;font-size:14px;line-height:unset;text-decoration:unset;background:none 0%=
 0%/auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgb(83,101,208);border-width:=
0.8px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(83,101,208);outline:none;margin:0=
px;padding:0px 20px;list-style:none;height:40px;border-radius:0px 8px 8px 0=
px;font-weight:500"><span class=3D"gmail-button-text">Subscribe</span></but=
ton></div><div id=3D"error-container"></div></form><div class=3D"gmail-anim=
ationWrapper-QRL6aQ" style=3D"width:380px;height:0px;overflow:visible"></di=
v></div></div></div><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">Cong=
ress is constitutionally responsible for oversight of the executive branch.=
</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">A key question is wh=
ether the military and executive merger provisions in the 2027 NDAA create =
new arrangements that are sufficiently transparent and reviewable by Congre=
ss. If significant military, intelligence, technological, or strategic deci=
sions become embedded within joint frameworks, legislators may find themsel=
ves attempting to oversee systems that have acquired their own institutiona=
l momentum.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px"><strong>I=
ronclad collaborative provisions uniting Israel and the United States in th=
e 2027 NDAA are being advanced on the basis of current political relationsh=
ips and short-term strategic considerations rather than a careful assessmen=
t of their long -term institutional consequences. Congress has devoted rema=
rkably little attention to how such an arrangement could affect American so=
vereignty, constitutional accountability, civilian control of the governmen=
t of the United States, and the ability of future generations to alter poli=
cy through democratic means.</strong></p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;marg=
in:0px 0px 20px">The question before Congress is not whether Israel is a fr=
iend today. The question is whether the permanent integration of military, =
technological, intelligence, research, and governmental functions with any =
foreign nation serves the long-term interests of the United States.</p><p s=
tyle=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The Declaration of Independe=
nce and our constitutional system has been entrusted to our care. Aliances =
between nations may change. Governments change. Political leaders come and =
go, friendships change. Yet the structures established by law can endure fo=
r generations.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The Co=
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c through democratic accountability, separation of powers, and civilian con=
trol of government. Any arrangement that permanently embeds foreign influen=
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titutions will not stand once it receives the highest degree of constitutio=
nal scrutiny.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">Congres=
s has already struggled to reclaim its constitutionally based war powers. T=
he military establishment has steadily accumulated influence across multipl=
e domains of public policy. These provisions move further in that direction=
 by embedding foreign military and security priorities. throughout the mach=
inery of government.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">=
Members of Congress swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution of=
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 self-government, or places the powers of this Republic in alignment with a=
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to every American citizen.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px =
20px">As America approaches the 250th anniversary of our Independence, Cong=
ress is poised to bind future generations through strategic commitments mad=
e to a foreign power today. These provisions reflect a profound failure of =
constitutional judgment. They elevate short term political and military con=
siderations above the enduring duty to preserve the sovereignty, independen=
ce, and freedom of action of the United States.</p><p style=3D"line-height:=
1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">The Founders warned repeatedly against arrangeme=
nts that would entangle future generations in obligations they neither chos=
e nor approved. Yet Congress now stands on the threshold of embracing preci=
sely such an arrangement, limiting the freedom of future American leaders t=
o chart an independent course in diplomacy, technology, security, and natio=
nal defense.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">Whether =
driven by political expediency, misplaced loyalties, institutional inertia,=
 or a failure to grasp the long-term consequences of their actions, the res=
ult is the same: a diminished capacity for self-government and a dangerous =
departure from the constitutional principles that have safeguarded American=
 independence for two and a half centuries.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6e=
m;margin:0px 0px 20px">On the eve of America 250th year, every citizen must=
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ility to defend.</p><div class=3D"gmail-pullquote" style=3D"border-top:0.8p=
x solid rgb(230,230,230);border-bottom:0.8px solid rgb(230,230,230);margin:=
32px auto;text-align:center"><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:32px 0px;=
font-style:italic"><strong>TAKE ACTION</strong></p><p style=3D"line-height:=
1.6em;margin:32px 0px;font-style:italic">The merger is timed to be voted on=
 the week of June 29, just before the Fourth of July.</p><p style=3D"line-h=
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ndependence by staying independent. Please help spread the word and forward=
 this article.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:32px 0px;font-style:=
italic">Find your member of Congress:</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;marg=
in:32px 0px;font-style:italic"><a href=3D"https://www.house.gov/representat=
ives/find-your-representative" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55)">House</a>=C2=
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=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55)">Senate</a></p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin=
:32px 0px;font-style:italic">It is urgent that you call your congressional =
representative today at 202-224-3121 and tell them to=C2=A0<strong>Strip Se=
ction 219 (House) or Section 1217 (Senate) from the 2027 NDAA.</strong></p>=
<p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:32px 0px;font-style:italic">Congressme=
n Tom Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) will offer an amendment in the Hou=
se to remove Section 219. Please tell your U.S. Representative: Support the=
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in:32px 0px;font-style:italic"><em><strong>Optional telephone script for th=
e House of Representatives:</strong></em></p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;=
margin:32px 0px;font-style:italic">My name is ______ and I am a constituent=
. I am calling to urge Representative ______ to support the Massie-Khanna A=
mendment and to remove Section 219 from the NDAA. Congress should defend Am=
erican sovereignty, uphold the Constitution, and reject any measure that in=
tegrates the executive and military functions of the United States with tho=
se of a foreign government. Please pass my message to the Representative. T=
hank you.</p></div><div class=3D"gmail-captioned-button-wrap"><div class=3D=
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ass=3D"gmail-cta-caption" style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">P=
lease now circulate this article to your friends and network and ask them t=
o take urgently action</p></div><p class=3D"gmail-button-wrapper" style=3D"=
line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px;text-align:center;border-radius:4px">=
<a href=3D"https://kucinichreport.substack.com/p/congress-is-preparing-to-s=
urrender?utm_source=3Dsubstack&amp;utm_medium=3Demail&amp;utm_content=3Dsha=
re&amp;action=3Dshare&amp;token=3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoyMzY0NDkxLCJwb3N0X2lkIjoyM=
DMwNzMwMjQsImlhdCI6MTc4MjE2MjAxOSwiZXhwIjoxNzg0NzU0MDE5LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMTQ0=
MTU4OCIsInN1YiI6InBvc3QtcmVhY3Rpb24ifQ.5Wi_r8IHW1tHz2rH_Ba7jxD5d_mhBYKBmna3=
v1b5d8c" class=3D"gmail-button gmail-primary" style=3D"text-decoration:none=
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;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Seg=
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ng:border-box;border:0px;height:auto;border-radius:8px;font-size:14px;line-=
height:20px;font-weight:600;padding:12px 20px;margin:0px;background-color:r=
gb(83,101,208);opacity:1;outline:0px;white-space:nowrap;color:rgb(255,255,2=
55)">Share</a></p></div><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">=
<strong>Dennis J. Kucinich served in the United States House of Representat=
ives from 1997 to 2013. He led efforts against wars in Serbia, Iraq, Iran, =
Libya, and Syria under the banner of Strength Through Peace. He was a Democ=
ratic presidential candidate in 2004 and 2008.</strong></p></div></div></di=
v></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

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https://bracingviews.substack.com/p/thou-shalt-not-kill?publication_id=3D11=
56402&post_id=3D203070385&isFreemail=3Dtrue&r=3D1y80w&triedRedirect=3Dtrue

Thou Shalt Not KillMaking War No More
<https://substack.com/@bracingviews>
Bill Astore <https://substack.com/@bracingviews>
Jun 22, 2026

An argument the Trump administration is using to justify massive increases
in war spending is that the U.S. military is short on munitions. What a
surprise! After the Iran War, attacks on Yemen and Somalia, supplying
Israel with all sorts of air defense missiles as well as bombs and who
knows what else (some of it is classified), the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War,
and so on, it=E2=80=99s no wonder munitions are in short supply.

Bottles of nips may be in short supply after an alcoholic raids a hotel
minibar. Is it wise to resupply it while the drinker is still there,
intoxicated, begging for more?

Fascinating to me are the lack of moral arguments against America=E2=80=99s=
 orgy of
murderous weapons. The Bible says "Thou shalt not kill." Killing is immoral
and a crime unless as a last resort in self-defense. When our nation goes
to war, it is also supposed to be in self-defense to uphold our
Constitution and our highest ideals.
<https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FsL5!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progre=
ssive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fi=
mages%2Fa262dffc-5a7f-41b0-887e-b48dd04a881f_646x473.jpeg>

We always hear about a shared Judeo-Christian tradition=E2=80=94there=E2=80=
=99s a moral
imperative here that demands fewer swords and more ploughshares. A
God-given mandate to make war no more. To be peacemakers, not warfighters.

America, the shining city on a hill, should celebrate the sanctity of life
rather than building more weapons to destroy life. But today=E2=80=99s Amer=
ica is
much more akin to a heavily armed garrison-state, bristling with weapons,
with satellite garrisons around the world.

Anyhow, Professor David Vine served as point man for a point paper on the
unwisdom of using a shortage of munitions as leverage to justify more
orgiastic Pentagon spending. It=E2=80=99s available online
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u44myYR1Kd1tUxQSqbYRyB2nNbXFMFDwaK46PR=
-0z_0/edit?tab=3Dt.0>
and
I=E2=80=99ve pasted it below:

*****

*Not Another Nickel for Bombs and War: Why the =E2=80=9CMunitions Shortfall=
=E2=80=9D Is No
Reason to Boost the Pentagon Budget*

=E2=98=85 *Buying more weapons now would reward Trump* for using tens of th=
ousands
of missiles, bombs, and interceptors in his reckless, illegal war of choice
in Iran and would encourage more endless war and more out-of-control
Pentagon spending.

=E2=98=85 *The Pentagon is sitting on nearly $118 billion in unobligated
reconciliation funds, *including more than $44 billion for procurement, as
of April, according to the Senate Budget Committee. Before Congress
provides another dollar for munitions, it should ensure the Pentagon spends
what it already has.

=E2=98=85 *The Pentagon=E2=80=99s current budget is already far too large. =
*It could easily buy
additional bombs and missiles by canceling unnecessary weapons contracts,
including Trump=E2=80=99s Golden Dome, the Trump-class destroyer, the Senti=
nel
ICBM, and the F-35.

=E2=98=85 *Even without replacing a single weapon, the U.S. military remain=
s the
world=E2=80=99s most powerful and fully capable of defending the country. *=
We
shouldn=E2=80=99t be preparing for war with China or any other nation. We s=
hould be
pursuing diplomacy, arms control, and international cooperation to end
endless wars and avoid new ones.

=E2=98=85 *The wars in Iran and Ukraine show that the U.S. should prioritiz=
e
inexpensive drones and remote technologies, not costly legacy systems that
pad contractor profits.*

=E2=98=85 *Voting for a $1.15 trillion Pentagon budget is a vote for Trump=
=E2=80=99s full
$1.5 trillion war budget* since Republicans can pass the additional $350
billion in reconciliation funds on their own.

=E2=98=85 *A $1.15 trillion Pentagon budget, alone, is a 28% increase over =
last
year.* A $1.5 trillion budget would be the largest in U.S. history.

=E2=98=85 *Enough is enough.* Congress should reject demands for a bigger P=
entagon
budget, including to buy more bombs and missiles. We should be cutting the
Pentagon budget, not fueling more endless war.

*More Background: *For two decades or more, the U.S. has faced a persistent
munitions shortfall. The services have long favored costly platforms like
F-35s and destroyers over munitions, which are routinely placed at the
bottom of funding priority lists. This was well=E2=80=91known before Trump =
launched
his illegal war of choice against Iran. Trump=E2=80=99s own advisors warned=
 him
that going to war with Iran while the U.S. had low munitions stockpiles
would be reckless. In other words, today=E2=80=99s shortfall is not a
surprise=E2=80=94rather it=E2=80=99s the direct result of long=E2=80=91stan=
ding U.S. policy choices.
------------------------------
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sFreemail=3Dtrue&amp;r=3D1y80w&amp;triedRedirect=3Dtrue</a></div><div dir=
=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr"><br></div><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_att=
r"><div role=3D"region" aria-label=3D"Post header" class=3D"gmail-post-head=
er" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);font-family:Spectral,serif,system-ui,-appl=
e-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,san=
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e gmail-published gmail-title-X77sOw" style=3D"font-family:&quot;SF Pro Dis=
play&quot;,-apple-system-headline,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFon=
t,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color =
Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;margin:0=
px;line-height:36px;font-size:32px">Thou Shalt Not Kill</h1><h3 dir=3D"auto=
" class=3D"gmail-subtitle gmail-subtitle-HEEcLo" style=3D"font-family:&quot=
;SF Pro Display&quot;,-apple-system-headline,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkM=
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t;;font-weight:400;margin:12px 0px 0px;line-height:24px;font-size:18px;colo=
r:rgb(134,135,135)">Making War No More</h3><div aria-label=3D"Post UFI" rol=
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ection-column gmail-pc-paddingBottom-16 gmail-pc-reset" style=3D"text-decor=
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isplay:flex"><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-color-pub-pr=
imary-text-NyXPlw gmail-line-height-20-t4M0El gmail-font-meta-MWBumP gmail-=
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gmail-reset-IxiVJZ gmail-meta-EgzBVA" style=3D"text-decoration:unset;list-s=
tyle:none;margin:0px;font-size:11px;line-height:20px;font-family:&quot;SF C=
ompact&quot;,-apple-system,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot=
;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&q=
uot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;text-transform:=
uppercase;letter-spacing:0.2px"><span style=3D"min-width:0px"><a href=3D"ht=
tps://substack.com/@bracingviews" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gm=
ail-decoration-hover-underline-ClDVRM gmail-reset-IxiVJZ" style=3D"color:un=
set;text-decoration-line:unset;text-decoration-style:unset;text-decoration-=
color:unset;list-style:none;margin:0px">Bill Astore</a></span></div><div cl=
ass=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-gap-4 gmail-pc-reset" =
style=3D"text-decoration:unset;list-style:none;display:flex"><div class=3D"=
gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-color-pub-secondary-text-hGQ02T gmail-l=
ine-height-20-t4M0El gmail-font-meta-MWBumP gmail-size-11-NuY2Zx gmail-weig=
ht-medium-fw81nC gmail-transform-uppercase-yKDgcq gmail-reset-IxiVJZ gmail-=
meta-EgzBVA" style=3D"text-decoration:unset;list-style:none;color:rgb(134,1=
35,135);margin:0px;font-size:11px;line-height:20px;font-family:&quot;SF Com=
pact&quot;,-apple-system,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;S=
egoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quo=
t;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;text-transform:up=
percase;letter-spacing:0.2px">Jun 22, 2026</div></div></div></div></div><di=
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igin:initial;background-clip:initial;display:flex;outline:0px;border-width:=
0.8px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgb(230,230,230);font-family:system-u=
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</div></div></div></div><div class=3D"gmail-visibility-check" style=3D"colo=
r:rgb(54,55,55);font-family:Spectral,serif,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMac=
SystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;App=
le Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;=
;font-size:19px"></div><div style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);font-family:Spectr=
al,serif,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Ro=
boto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe U=
I Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;font-size:19px"><div class=3D"gma=
il-dropCap-hcUVpW"><div class=3D"gmail-available-content" style=3D"display:=
flex"><div dir=3D"auto" class=3D"gmail-body gmail-markup" style=3D"width:72=
8px;margin-bottom:16px;word-break:break-word"><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em=
;margin:0px 0px 20px;display:flow-root;overflow:clip">An argument the Trump=
 administration is using to justify massive increases in war spending is th=
at the U.S. military is short on munitions. What a surprise! After the Iran=
 War, attacks on Yemen and Somalia, supplying Israel with all sorts of air =
defense missiles as well as bombs and who knows what else (some of it is cl=
assified), the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, and so on, it=E2=80=99s no wonde=
r munitions are in short supply.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0p=
x 0px 20px">Bottles of nips may be in short supply after an alcoholic raids=
 a hotel minibar. Is it wise to resupply it while the drinker is still ther=
e, intoxicated, begging for more?</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0=
px 0px 20px">Fascinating to me are the lack of moral arguments against Amer=
ica=E2=80=99s orgy of murderous weapons. The Bible says &quot;Thou shalt no=
t kill.&quot; Killing is immoral and a crime unless as a last resort in sel=
f-defense. When our nation goes to war, it is also supposed to be in self-d=
efense to uphold our Constitution and our highest ideals.</p><div class=3D"=
gmail-captioned-image-container" style=3D"margin:32px auto"><a target=3D"_b=
lank" href=3D"https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FsL5!,f_auto,q_auto:g=
ood,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com=
%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa262dffc-5a7f-41b0-887e-b48dd04a881f_646x473.jpeg" cla=
ss=3D"gmail-image-link gmail-image2 gmail-is-viewable-img gmail-can-restack=
" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55);text-decoration:none;display:flex;padding:0p=
x;margin:0px auto;width:auto;height:auto;border:0px"><div class=3D"gmail-im=
age2-inset" style=3D"display:flex"><img src=3D"https://substackcdn.com/imag=
e/fetch/$s_!FsL5!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/ht=
tps%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa262df=
fc-5a7f-41b0-887e-b48dd04a881f_646x473.jpeg" width=3D"646" height=3D"473" a=
lt=3D"" class=3D"gmail-sizing-normal" style=3D"display: block; max-width: 1=
00%; height: auto; margin: 0px auto;"><div class=3D"gmail-image-link-expand=
" style=3D"display:flex;height:32px;opacity:0"><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft=
 gmail-pc-display-flex gmail-pc-gap-8 gmail-pc-reset" style=3D"text-decorat=
ion:unset;list-style:none;display:flex"><button tabindex=3D"0" type=3D"butt=
on" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-pencraft gmail-icon-contai=
ner gmail-restack-image" style=3D"display:flex;width:32px;height:32px;backg=
round:none 0% 0%/auto repeat scroll padding-box border-box rgba(40,40,40,0.=
75);border-width:0px;border-style:none;border-color:currentcolor;outline:0p=
x;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:unset;list-style:none"></button><button=
 tabindex=3D"0" type=3D"button" class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmai=
l-pencraft gmail-icon-container gmail-view-image" style=3D"display:flex;wid=
th:32px;height:32px;background:none 0% 0%/auto repeat scroll padding-box bo=
rder-box rgba(40,40,40,0.75);border-width:0px;border-style:none;border-colo=
r:currentcolor;outline:0px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:unset;list-sty=
le:none"></button></div></div></div></a></div><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em=
;margin:0px 0px 20px">We always hear about a shared Judeo-Christian traditi=
on=E2=80=94there=E2=80=99s a moral imperative here that demands fewer sword=
s and more ploughshares. A God-given mandate to make war no more. To be pea=
cemakers, not warfighters.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px =
20px">America, the shining city on a hill, should celebrate the sanctity of=
 life rather than building more weapons to destroy life. But today=E2=80=99=
s America is much more akin to a heavily armed garrison-state, bristling wi=
th weapons, with satellite garrisons around the world.</p><p style=3D"line-=
height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">Anyhow, Professor David Vine served as po=
int man for a point paper on the unwisdom of using a shortage of munitions =
as leverage to justify more orgiastic Pentagon spending. It=E2=80=99s avail=
able=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1u44myYR1Kd1tUxQSqb=
YRyB2nNbXFMFDwaK46PR-0z_0/edit?tab=3Dt.0" style=3D"color:rgb(54,55,55)">onl=
ine</a>=C2=A0and I=E2=80=99ve pasted it below:</p><p style=3D"line-height:1=
.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">*****</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px=
 0px 20px"><strong>Not Another Nickel for Bombs and War: Why the =E2=80=9CM=
unitions Shortfall=E2=80=9D Is No Reason to Boost the Pentagon Budget</stro=
ng></p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">=E2=98=85=C2=A0<s=
trong>Buying more weapons now would reward Trump</strong>=C2=A0for using te=
ns of thousands of missiles, bombs, and interceptors in his reckless, illeg=
al war of choice in Iran and would encourage more endless war and more out-=
of-control Pentagon spending.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0=
px 20px">=E2=98=85=C2=A0<strong>The Pentagon is sitting on nearly $118 bill=
ion in unobligated reconciliation funds,=C2=A0</strong>including more than =
$44 billion for procurement, as of April, according to the Senate Budget Co=
mmittee. Before Congress provides another dollar for munitions, it should e=
nsure the Pentagon spends what it already has.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1=
.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">=E2=98=85=C2=A0<strong>The Pentagon=E2=80=99s cur=
rent budget is already far too large.=C2=A0</strong>It could easily<strong>=
=C2=A0</strong>buy additional bombs and missiles by canceling unnecessary w=
eapons contracts, including Trump=E2=80=99s Golden Dome, the Trump-class de=
stroyer, the Sentinel ICBM, and the F-35.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;=
margin:0px 0px 20px">=E2=98=85=C2=A0<strong>Even without replacing a single=
 weapon, the U.S. military remains the world=E2=80=99s most powerful and fu=
lly capable of defending the country.=C2=A0</strong>We shouldn=E2=80=99t be=
 preparing for war with China or any other nation. We should be pursuing di=
plomacy, arms control, and international cooperation to end endless wars an=
d avoid new ones.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px 0px 20px">=E2=
=98=85=C2=A0<strong>The wars in Iran and Ukraine show that the U.S. should =
prioritize inexpensive drones and remote technologies, not costly legacy sy=
stems that pad contractor profits.</strong></p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6e=
m;margin:0px 0px 20px">=E2=98=85=C2=A0<strong>Voting for a $1.15 trillion P=
entagon budget is a vote for Trump=E2=80=99s full $1.5 trillion war budget<=
/strong>=C2=A0since Republicans can pass the additional $350 billion in rec=
onciliation funds on their own.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px=
 0px 20px">=E2=98=85=C2=A0<strong>A $1.15 trillion Pentagon budget, alone, =
is a 28% increase over last year.</strong>=C2=A0A $1.5 trillion budget woul=
d be the largest in U.S. history.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0=
px 0px 20px">=E2=98=85=C2=A0<strong>Enough is enough.</strong>=C2=A0Congres=
s should reject demands for a bigger Pentagon budget, including to buy more=
 bombs and missiles. We should be cutting the Pentagon budget, not fueling =
more endless war.</p><p style=3D"line-height:1.6em;margin:0px"><em><strong>=
More Background:=C2=A0</strong></em>For two decades or more, the U.S. has f=
aced a persistent munitions shortfall. The services have long favored costl=
y platforms like F-35s and destroyers over munitions, which are routinely p=
laced at the bottom of funding priority lists. This was well=E2=80=91known =
before Trump launched his illegal war of choice against Iran. Trump=E2=80=
=99s own advisors warned him that going to war with Iran while the U.S. had=
 low munitions stockpiles would be reckless. In other words, today=E2=80=99=
s shortfall is not a surprise=E2=80=94rather it=E2=80=99s the direct result=
 of long=E2=80=91standing U.S. policy choices.</p></div></div><div class=3D=
"gmail-visibility-check"></div></div><div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-=
display-flex gmail-pc-flexDirection-row gmail-pc-paddingTop-16 gmail-pc-res=
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t-24-jnGwiv gmail-font-display-nhmvtD gmail-size-20-P_cSRT gmail-weight-bol=
d-DmI9lw gmail-reset-IxiVJZ" style=3D"font-family:&quot;SF Pro Display&quot=
;,-apple-system-headline,system-ui,-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;S=
egoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif,&quot;Apple Color Emoji&quo=
t;,&quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;,&quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;;margin:0px;line-h=
eight:24px;font-size:20px;color:unset;text-decoration:unset;list-style:none=
;text-align:center">Subscribe to Bracing Views</h4><div class=3D"gmail-penc=
raft gmail-pc-reset gmail-flex-grow-rzmknG gmail-color-secondary-ls1g8s gma=
il-align-center-y7ZD4w gmail-line-height-20-t4M0El gmail-font-text-qe4AeH g=
mail-size-15-Psle70 gmail-weight-regular-mUq6Gb gmail-reset-IxiVJZ" style=
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pple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,&quot;Segoe UI&quot;,Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,=
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egoe UI Symbol&quot;">By Bill Astore=C2=A0=C2=B7=C2=A0Launched 4 years ago<=
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on-style:unset;text-decoration-color:unset;list-style:none;margin:0px">9 Li=
kes</a>=E2=88=99<div class=3D"gmail-pencraft gmail-pc-reset gmail-color-sec=
ondary-ls1g8s gmail-line-height-20-t4M0El gmail-font-text-qe4AeH gmail-size=
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coration:unset;list-style:none;margin:0px;line-height:20px"><a href=3D"http=
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*https://maritime-executive.com/editorials/op-ed-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-fr=
ee-transit-is-no-more
<https://maritime-executive.com/editorials/op-ed-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-fr=
ee-transit-is-no-more>*

6/21/26

Op-Ed: *In the Strait of Hormuz, Free Transit Is No More*[image: IRNA]*An
empty conference room awaits American and Iranian negotiators, June 21
(Courtesy IRNA)*

*Published Jun 21, 2026 6:32 PM by The Maritime Executive
<https://maritime-executive.com/author/marex>*

*The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the leaders of Iran and
the United States last week sets the agenda for further negotiations,
which, after some delays, have now commenced between the two parties, with
Pakistan and Qatar present as intermediaries. The talks are taking place in
the Qatari-owned mountainside resort of B=C3=BCrgenstock in Switzerland.*

*Political commentators have gone into overdrive, seeking to paint the MoU
as a victory or defeat for one side or another. Much remains to be
resolved, with plenty of evidence that there is very little meeting of
minds on a number of extremely contentious issues. The Iranian delegation
is absolutely in no mood for compromise, and is buoyed up by what it sees
as its political success so far.*

*There is a strong likelihood that the talks will break down, and that the
negotiations are in effect only an elongation of the pre-existing
ceasefire. President Trump clearly wants to walk away from the issue and
leave his Vice President to clear up the mess, an impression strengthened
by his description of the MoU negotiations in terms of their effect on
domestic gasoline prices and inflation rather than on the future of the
Middle East. But if President Trump is not engaged in the follow-through,
both Israel and the Gulf States most certainly are. Neither is likely to
want to allow Iranian hardline positions to prevail, and both have plenty
of capacity to sabotage the negotiations in Switzerland if the talks look
like threatening their future national security.*

*While there is a risk of a resumption of fighting, there are already
conclusions to be drawn about the outcome of the war =E2=80=94 practical re=
alities
that leaders and CEOs within the maritime community need to absorb as they
shape their business plans.*

*Free transit through the Strait of Hormuz is no more. Just possibly, a
deal will be done in the negotiations whereby fees described as navigation
dues will be charged at acceptable levels. Shipowners may not mind, because
these are costs that can be passed on; but ministers of business, economy
and finance are likely to be very wary of any charges that have the overall
effect of increasing prices and reducing the Gulf's competitive advantages.=
*

*Much more concerning, though, is the reality that, if current
circumstances prevail, Iran will in the future be able to close the Strait
again whenever it wants to, on a political whim, as it has demonstrated it
can do. It is already trying to ensure that traffic through the Strait uses
its own "Persian Gulf Strait Authority" route rather than the
internationally recognized Traffic Separation Scheme, so that it may
hereafter be able to exert political control over shipping transits. This
will force all the GCC states to radically redesign their logistics and
communications infrastructure, although some of the alternative routes out
of the Gulf carry risks of their own. Also badly affected will be the
confidence of foreign direct investors, particularly in Bahrain, Kuwait and
Qatar, which have no alternative routes out of the Gulf.*

*The Houthis have not succumbed to pressure from the IRGC to disrupt
traffic in the Red Sea, having their eye at present on the hope of a
life-saving financial deal with the Saudis to help rescue the economy of
northern Yemen. But the recent war has demonstrated that it would be easy
to close the Bab el-Mandeb, and the Houthis have shown themselves to be a
resilient enemy; hence the risk of closure, not so far realized, is very
real, and would probably have consequences on a similar scale to the
disruption caused in the Strait of Hormuz.*

*The question of the IRGC curbing its regional expansionist program is not
even on the agenda at B=C3=BCrgenstock. Moreover, in the discussions surrou=
nding
the negotiation of the MoU, the IRGC made it clear that it would press on
with this program. This is immediately evident in Lebanon, where the IRGC
has not given up on Hezbollah. But it is also evident in Iraq, where the
IRGC appears to be reorganizing to avoid coming under pressure from the new
Iraqi government =E2=80=93 which is itself under regional and American pres=
sure to
curb the obviously Iranian-controlled PMF militias. The IRGC's subversive
model, bringing disruption to political stability across the Middle East,
has been battered by Israel in particular over the last 12 months. But
although damaged, it is still intact; the IRGC's intent remains, and with
an influx of money released by the lifting of sanctions, it will flourish
again and take on new targets.*

*Another permanent threat to peace and stability is the survival of a
critical mass of the IRGC Aerospace Force's drone and missile capability. A
comparison of known drone and missile storage and launch sites against the
facilities known to have been attacked in 2025-26 suggests that very few of
these sites were left untouched; it is not as if the Iranians had
successfully kept their sites hidden. But they were built in expectation of
attack, well dispersed, with multiple exits. The speed with which some
sites have been repaired suggests that recovery plans and resources had
been pre-positioned for just such an eventuality. Moreover, if any funds
are released to the Iranians by way of sanctions relief, further repair and
enhancement of the more than 40 sites spread across the country will be
accorded high priority.*

*To a degree, the survival of the IRGC Aerospace Force's operational
capability can be countered by increased spending by GCC states on air
defenses; but the brutal fact is that the capability remains intact and is
a continuing threat that the IRGC has demonstrated it will have no
compunction about using, either directly or through its proxies. It is now
understood, moreover, that the Iranians have access to timely and accurate
information for targeting both US military and GCC infrastructure, supplied
courtesy of the joint Russian/Iranian Khayyam/Kanopus-V satellite
constellation. This makes the residual drone and missile threat even more
potent.*

*Finally, the mood of the GCC states must be considered. All, to a greater
or lesser degree, attempted to conciliate with Iran before the war. All,
even Oman, have been attacked by Iran nonetheless. There is now a stark
recognition that Iran is determined to achieve regional dominance, which
threatens the future of all the Gulf monarchies. The GCC countries may
still smile at the Iranians, but they all know they have an implacable
enemy, and will be looking for ways to get the better of Tehran.*

*In summary, if war does not resume and the negotiations in B=C3=BCrgenstoc=
k
continue in the same vein as they have so far, then the Middle East can
look forward to greater Iranian dominance, driven by the prevailing
IRGC-Paydari hardliners. Logistics in the Gulf will remain difficult and
threatened, alleviated only when major capital investment projects to
broaden contingency options come to fruition.*

*Even if these problems can be overcome, the Gulf region will for many
years be far less stable than it was when it enjoyed the benefits of Pax
Americana =E2=80=94 a product seemingly now being withdrawn.*

--000000000000e86d9d0654de5af9
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"lt=
r" class=3D"gmail_attr"><b style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif;background-co=
lor:transparent"><a href=3D"https://maritime-executive.com/editorials/op-ed=
-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-free-transit-is-no-more" target=3D"_blank">https:/=
/maritime-executive.com/editorials/op-ed-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-free-trans=
it-is-no-more</a></b></div><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr"><br></div>=
<div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">6/21/26</div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div di=
r=3D"ltr"><div style=3D"font-family:georgia,serif"><b><br></b></div><div><h=
1 style=3D"line-height:1.2141em;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0.5em;max-widt=
h:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><font size=3D"2" style=3D"font-family:&quot;Tim=
es New Roman&quot;">Op-Ed: </font><font size=3D"4" face=3D"georgia, serif">=
<i>In the Strait of Hormuz, Free Transit Is No More</i></font></h1><font fa=
ce=3D"-apple-system-font" style=3D"color:rgba(0,0,0,0.65)"><span style=3D"m=
argin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;margin-left:auto"><img src=3D"https://m=
aritime-executive.com/media/images/article/Conference-hall-negotiations-US-=
Iran-June-21-2026-IRNA-News.2bcc19.jfif" alt=3D"IRNA" width=3D"412" height=
=3D"231" style=3D"margin:0.5em 0px 0.5em auto;display:block"></span></font>=
<b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">An empty conference room=
 awaits American and Iranian negotiators, June 21 (Courtesy IRNA)</font></b=
><p style=3D"color:rgba(0,0,0,0.65);max-width:100%;margin-top:0.4em;margin-=
bottom:0.4em"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Published Jun 21, 2026 6:32 =
PM by<span>=C2=A0</span><span style=3D"max-width:100%"><a href=3D"https://m=
aritime-executive.com/author/marex" style=3D"text-decoration:none;color:rgb=
(65,110,210);max-width:100%" target=3D"_blank">The Maritime Executive<span>=
=C2=A0</span></a></span></font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb=
(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">The Memorandum of Understandin=
g (MoU) signed by the leaders of Iran and the United States last week sets =
the agenda for further negotiations, which, after some delays, have now com=
menced between the two parties, with Pakistan and Qatar present as intermed=
iaries. The talks are taking place in the Qatari-owned mountainside resort =
of B=C3=BCrgenstock in Switzerland.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100=
%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Political commentat=
ors have gone into overdrive, seeking to paint the MoU as a victory or defe=
at for one side or another. Much remains to be resolved, with plenty of evi=
dence that there is very little meeting of minds on a number of extremely c=
ontentious issues. The Iranian delegation is absolutely in no mood for comp=
romise, and is buoyed up by what it sees as its political success so far.</=
font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=
=3D"georgia, serif">There is a strong likelihood that the talks will break =
down, and that the negotiations are in effect only an elongation of the pre=
-existing ceasefire. President Trump clearly wants to walk away from the is=
sue and leave his Vice President to clear up the mess, an impression streng=
thened by his description of the MoU negotiations in terms of their effect =
on domestic gasoline prices and inflation rather than on the future of the =
Middle East. But if President Trump is not engaged in the follow-through, b=
oth Israel and the Gulf States most certainly are. Neither is likely to wan=
t to allow Iranian hardline positions to prevail, and both have plenty of c=
apacity to sabotage the negotiations in Switzerland if the talks look like =
threatening their future national security.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-w=
idth:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">While there=
 is a risk of a resumption of fighting, there are=C2=A0already conclusions =
to be drawn about the outcome of the war =E2=80=94 practical realities that=
 leaders and CEOs within the maritime community need to absorb as they shap=
e their business plans.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(=
27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Free transit through the Strait=
 of Hormuz is no more. Just possibly, a deal will be done in the negotiatio=
ns whereby fees described as navigation dues will be charged at acceptable =
levels. Shipowners may not mind, because these are costs that can be passed=
 on; but ministers of business, economy and finance are likely to be very w=
ary of any charges that have the overall effect of increasing prices and re=
ducing the Gulf&#39;s competitive advantages.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max=
-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Much more=
 concerning, though, is the reality that, if current circumstances prevail,=
 Iran will in the future be able to close the Strait again whenever it want=
s to, on a political whim, as it has demonstrated it can do. It is already =
trying to ensure that traffic through the Strait uses its own &quot;Persian=
 Gulf Strait Authority&quot; route rather than the internationally recogniz=
ed Traffic Separation Scheme, so that it may hereafter be able to exert pol=
itical control over shipping transits. This will force all the GCC states t=
o radically redesign their logistics and communications infrastructure, alt=
hough some of the alternative routes out of the Gulf carry risks of their o=
wn. Also badly affected will be the confidence of foreign direct investors,=
 particularly in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, which have no alternative route=
s out of the Gulf.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27=
,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">The Houthis have not succumbed to pr=
essure from the IRGC to disrupt traffic in the Red Sea, having their eye at=
 present on the hope of a life-saving financial deal with the Saudis to hel=
p rescue the economy of northern Yemen. But the recent war has demonstrated=
 that it would be easy to close the Bab el-Mandeb, and the Houthis have sho=
wn themselves to be a resilient enemy; hence the risk of closure, not so fa=
r realized, is very real, and would probably have consequences on a similar=
 scale to the disruption caused in the Strait of Hormuz.</font></b></p><p s=
tyle=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif=
">The question of the IRGC curbing its regional expansionist program is not=
 even on the agenda at B=C3=BCrgenstock. Moreover, in the discussions surro=
unding the negotiation of the MoU, the IRGC made it clear that it would pre=
ss on with this program. This is immediately evident in Lebanon, where the =
IRGC has not given up on Hezbollah. But it is also evident in Iraq, where t=
he IRGC appears to be reorganizing to avoid coming under pressure from the =
new Iraqi government =E2=80=93 which is itself under regional and American =
pressure to curb the obviously Iranian-controlled PMF militias. The IRGC&#3=
9;s subversive model, bringing disruption to political stability across the=
 Middle East, has been battered by Israel in particular over the last 12 mo=
nths. But although damaged, it is still intact; the IRGC&#39;s intent remai=
ns, and with an influx of money released by the lifting of sanctions, it wi=
ll flourish again and take on new targets.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-wi=
dth:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Another perm=
anent threat to peace and stability is the survival of a critical mass of t=
he IRGC Aerospace Force&#39;s drone and missile capability. A comparison of=
 known=C2=A0drone and missile storage and launch sites against the faciliti=
es known to have been attacked in 2025-26=C2=A0suggests that very few of th=
ese sites were left untouched; it is not as if the Iranians had successfull=
y kept their sites hidden. But they were built in expectation of attack, we=
ll dispersed, with multiple exits. The speed with which some sites have bee=
n repaired suggests that recovery plans and resources had been pre-position=
ed for just such an eventuality. Moreover, if any funds are released to the=
 Iranians by way of sanctions relief, further repair and enhancement of the=
 more than 40 sites spread across the country will be accorded high priorit=
y.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font f=
ace=3D"georgia, serif">To a degree, the survival of the IRGC Aerospace Forc=
e&#39;s operational capability can be countered by increased spending by GC=
C states on air defenses; but the brutal fact is that the capability remain=
s intact and is a continuing threat that the IRGC has demonstrated it will =
have no compunction about using, either directly or through its proxies. It=
 is now understood, moreover, that the Iranians have access to timely and a=
ccurate information for targeting both US military and GCC infrastructure, =
supplied courtesy of the joint Russian/Iranian Khayyam/Kanopus-V satellite =
constellation. This makes the residual drone and missile threat even more p=
otent.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><fo=
nt face=3D"georgia, serif">Finally, the mood of the GCC states must be cons=
idered. All, to a greater or lesser degree, attempted to conciliate with Ir=
an before the war. All, even Oman, have been attacked by Iran nonetheless. =
There is now a stark recognition that Iran is determined to achieve regiona=
l dominance, which threatens the future of all the Gulf monarchies. The GCC=
 countries may still smile at the Iranians, but they all know they have an =
implacable enemy, and will be looking for ways to get the better of Tehran.=
</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font fac=
e=3D"georgia, serif">In summary, if war does not resume and the negotiation=
s in B=C3=BCrgenstock continue in the same vein as they have so far, then t=
he Middle East can look forward to greater Iranian dominance, driven by the=
 prevailing IRGC-Paydari hardliners. Logistics in the Gulf will remain diff=
icult and threatened, alleviated only when major capital investment project=
s to broaden contingency options come to fruition.</font></b></p><p style=
=3D"max-width:100%;color:rgb(27,27,27)"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif">Ev=
en if these problems can be overcome, the Gulf region will for many years b=
e far less stable than it was when it enjoyed the benefits of Pax Americana=
 =E2=80=94 a product seemingly now being withdrawn.</font></b></p></div></d=
iv>
</div>
</div></div>
</div>

--000000000000e86d9d0654de5af9--

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https://www.wsj.com/opinion/chinas-ambitious-ai-blueprint-bba89ca2
China=E2=80=99s Ambitious AI Blueprint
Beijing identifies key sectors for creating a =E2=80=98people-vehicle-home=
=E2=80=99
ecosystem.
------------------------------
[image: Walter Russell Mead]
<https://www.wsj.com/news/author/walter-russell-mead>

By
Walter Russell Mead <https://www.wsj.com/news/author/walter-russell-mead>

June 22, 2026
[image: image]Robots at the X Square Robot facilities in Shenzhen, China,
May 22. Hector Retamal/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

Haggling in Switzerland=E2=80=99s B=C3=BCrgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne over=
 the
memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran has dominated
headlines, but the real news this month is coming out of China.

That news was easy to miss. Couched in the often impenetrable prose of
Chinese bureaucrats and prefaced with the ritual genuflections toward Xi
Jinping=E2=80=99s expressed vision for his country, =E2=80=9CImplementation=
 Opinions on
Accelerating the Development of =E2=80=98AI+Consumption=E2=80=99 =E2=80=9D =
doesn=E2=80=99t strike the
casual observer as a gripping read.

But as the Claude-enabled translation
<https://sinocism.notion.site/Implementation-Opinions-of-the-Ministry-of-Co=
mmerce-and-8-Other-Departments-on-Accelerating-the-Deve-38384ece41d781d5b4f=
de17458782cf9>
provided
by Bill Bishop=E2=80=99s invaluable Sinocism
<https://sinocism.com/p/ai-consumption-xi-jinping-thought> newsletter makes
clear, something important is happening. China is launching a full-scale
push to roll out artificial intelligence across its economy and make this
sector the foundation of its economic strategy. The text=E2=80=99s 17 point=
s
outline a plan to accelerate the rise of AI and reinvigorate the Chinese
economy by reorienting it around the new technologies.

As the bureaucrats put it, their goal is to =E2=80=9Cfully, accurately, and
comprehensively implement the new development concept, give full play to
China=E2=80=99s advantages of a super-large-scale market, broad consumption
scenarios, and abundant consumption-data resources, accelerate the
demonstration application of new AI products, services, and scenarios,
promote the entry of AI into tens of millions of households and tens of
millions of shops, cultivate and form new consumption growth points and new
momentum, drive the iterative upgrading of new AI technologies and
products, open up new AI industries and new tracks, and better meet the
people=E2=80=99s needs for a better life.=E2=80=9D

The bureaucrats identify key sectors where they will focus. AI-enabled
humanoid robots will transform industries like elder care. They envision a
=E2=80=9Cpeople-vehicle-home=E2=80=9D ecosystem that links smart cars, smar=
t roads and
smart homes. Brain-computer interfaces, AI-enabled smart glasses, wearables
and other consumer products will roll out across the domestic and,
increasingly, international markets. China will develop =E2=80=9Ca solid se=
curity
line of defense,=E2=80=9D which will protect its burgeoning ecosystem from
malicious (and foreign) penetration. The current document doesn=E2=80=99t e=
xist in
a vacuum. It=E2=80=99s aimed at implementing the August 2025 decree by the =
State
Council (China=E2=80=99s supreme administrative body) that lays out an ambi=
tious
10-year plan for advancing AI and creating a new kind of intelligent
society and economy that, the Communist Party hopes, will lead to the
realization of the socialist modernization of China.

Laying out a blueprint is one thing, transforming an economy another, but
Western observers would be unwise to scoff. China=E2=80=99s planned economy=
 has
enormous and growing problems, but its planners remain extremely effective
when it comes to directing investment into favored sectors and creating
regulatory structures that favor the kind of investment and development
that the party prefers.

Think of solar power and electric vehicles. When Western greens were trying
to sell their grandiose plans for the so-called energy transition, they
touted the jobs that the new industries would create. But China was able to
create markets for solar power and electric vehicles at home by providing
subsidized credit and shaping the regulatory climate to favor, for
instance, the production and purchase of electric vehicles over fossil-fuel
models. Intense competition among Chinese firms to take advantage of these
opportunities (plus perhaps the usual contribution of intellectual property
theft and reverse engineering), gave Chinese manufacturers a commanding
lead.

The plan is to repeat this strategy on a broader scale with AI. Unlike the
Stalinist Soviet planners who built centrally planned industries, the
Chinese planners are focusing on creating markets in designated sectors.
This sometimes ends badly (think of the massive Chinese real-estate bubble)
but often works well in the short to medium term.

China means business, closing more than 12,000 degree programs deemed
obsolete and opening more than 10,000 courses on AI, robotics and advanced
computing in recent years. If the Communist Party pursues its AI strategy
with the focus and total control it has brought to favored economic sectors
in the past, we should expect rapid improvements to the underlying
capabilities of AI models and the swift integration of technology into
consumer-facing industries.

Keeping up with China=E2=80=99s pace will test the U.S. In the Chinese syst=
em, Mr.
Xi and a few of his associates can impose policies on the entire country.
That isn=E2=80=99t how it works here. Developing public support for the nex=
t stages
of the information revolution so that the U.S. doesn=E2=80=99t fall behind =
is
harder than issuing top-down rules from Beijing.

Building a national consensus around supportive policies for these
strategically indispensable technologies will be hard. But the future of
human freedom may depend on our getting this done quickly and well.

Copyright =C2=A92026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Appeared in the June 23, 2026, print edition as 'China=E2=80=99s Ambitious =
AI
Blueprint'.

Walter Russell Mead
<https://www.wsj.com/news/author/walter-russell-mead?mod=3DWSJ_article_auth=
or> is
the Ravenel B. Curry III Distinguished Fellow in Strategy and Statesmanship
at Hudson Institute, the Global View Columnist at The Wall Street Journal
and the Alexander Hamilton Professor of Strategy and Statecraft with the
Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education at th

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div><a href=3D"https://www.wsj.com/opinion/chinas-ambitio=
us-ai-blueprint-bba89ca2">https://www.wsj.com/opinion/chinas-ambitious-ai-b=
lueprint-bba89ca2</a></div><div><div class=3D"gmail-article-header gmail-cs=
s-cnekfb e1opctqs5" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;margin-top:32px;margin-b=
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g:border-box"><div class=3D"gmail-css-l74hns-StyledBox e1vnmyci0" style=3D"=
box-sizing:border-box;margin-bottom:8px"><h1 class=3D"gmail-css-n4aeky-Styl=
edHeadline-Styled-Styled-Styled emwm06f0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;ma=
rgin:0px;font-size:40px;line-height:40px;font-weight:400;color:rgb(17,17,17=
);font-family:&quot;Escrow Compressed&quot;,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,ser=
if">China=E2=80=99s Ambitious AI Blueprint</h1></div><h2 class=3D"gmail-css=
-eq0jiq-NormalDek-NormalDek-Styled-Styled-Styled emwm06f0" style=3D"box-siz=
ing:border-box;margin:0px;color:rgb(85,85,85);direction:ltr;font-size:18px;=
line-height:1.25;font-weight:400">Beijing identifies key sectors for creati=
ng a =E2=80=98people-vehicle-home=E2=80=99 ecosystem.</h2></div></div></div=
><div id=3D"gmail-cx-articlecover" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box"></div><d=
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l3t-HedCut eh42cdm4" style=3D"box-sizing: border-box; border-radius: 50%; o=
bject-fit: cover; width: 48px; height: 48px;"></a></div><div class=3D"gmail=
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-box;width:156.225px"><div class=3D"gmail-css-10mmni2" style=3D"box-sizing:=
border-box;display:flex;height:auto"><div class=3D"gmail-css-11k10ko" style=
=3D"box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-flex"><div class=3D"epvx9354 gmail=
-css-oyxjif-BylineContainer" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;font=
-size:14px;line-height:20px;letter-spacing:0px;font-stretch:normal;padding:=
0.5px 0px;color:rgb(121,88,53)"><p class=3D"epvx9352 gmail-css-12sqtu2-Auth=
orPlaintext" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;display:inline">By=
=C2=A0</p><a href=3D"https://www.wsj.com/news/author/walter-russell-mead" t=
arget=3D"_self" aria-label=3D"Author page for Walter Russell Mead" class=3D=
"epvx9353 gmail-css-1j9vrop-AuthorLink" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;disp=
lay:inline-block;color:rgb(121,88,53)"><span class=3D"gmail-css-17x5lw" sty=
le=3D"box-sizing:border-box;display:flex;height:20px"><span class=3D"gmail-=
css-1wc2zh5" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;display:block">Walte=
r Russell Mead</span></span></a></div></div></div><div class=3D"gmail-css-1=
1paagg" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box"><div class=3D"gmail-css-125u1fj" st=
yle=3D"box-sizing:border-box;display:flex;height:10.8px"><div class=3D"gmai=
l-css-1o99qvy" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-flex"><div cla=
ss=3D"gmail-css-nr8oy5" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;display:flex;height:=
auto"><p class=3D"es486sg1 gmail-css-1s55o7t-TimeTag" style=3D"box-sizing:b=
order-box;margin:0px;color:rgb(111,111,111);font-size:14px;line-height:20px=
;letter-spacing:0px;font-stretch:normal;padding:0.5px 0px;display:inline-bl=
ock">June 22, 2026=C2=A0</p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div=
></div><div class=3D"gmail-media-layout gmail-css-13plya0-Layout-baseCss er=
tdlv30" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;background-image:none;background-pos=
ition:0% 0%;background-size:auto;background-repeat:repeat;background-origin=
:padding-box;background-clip:border-box;width:620px;margin:0px 32px 22px 0p=
x;clear:both"><span class=3D"gmail-css-u314cv" style=3D"box-sizing:border-b=
ox;display:block;padding-top:0px;height:auto;width:620px;border-radius:0px"=
><img alt=3D"image" width=3D"1280" height=3D"853" src=3D"https://opinion-im=
ages.wsj.net/im-36394192/?size=3D1.5" class=3D"gmail-css-1hzqsjo" style=3D"=
box-sizing: border-box; opacity: 1; display: block; border-radius: inherit;=
 margin-bottom: 8px; max-width: 100%; width: 620px; height: auto;"></span><=
span class=3D"e1m33gv80 gmail-css-426zcb-CaptionSpan e1m33gv81" style=3D"bo=
x-sizing:border-box;font-size:14px;line-height:1.42857;margin-bottom:4px;co=
lor:rgb(17,17,17);font-family:Retina,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;letter-spac=
ing:0px;font-stretch:normal">Robots at the X Square Robot facilities in She=
nzhen, China, May 22.=C2=A0</span><span class=3D"gmail-css-7jz429-Credit eq=
0esvu0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;direction:ltr;font-size:12px;line-he=
ight:1.42857;text-transform:uppercase;color:rgb(111,111,111);font-family:Re=
tina,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;letter-spacing:0px;font-stretch:normal">Hec=
tor Retamal/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images</span></div><p class=3D"gmail=
-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(34,34,34);d=
irection:ltr;font-family:Exchange,Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;margin:0px 0=
px 1em">Haggling in Switzerland=E2=80=99s B=C3=BCrgenstock Resort Lake Luce=
rne over the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran has domi=
nated headlines, but the real news this month is coming out of China.</p><p=
 class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color:=
rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exchange,Georgia,serif;font-size:18=
px;margin:0px 0px 1em">That news was easy to miss. Couched in the often imp=
enetrable prose of Chinese bureaucrats and prefaced with the ritual genufle=
ctions toward=C2=A0Xi Jinping=E2=80=99s expressed vision for his country, =
=E2=80=9CImplementation Opinions on Accelerating the Development of =E2=80=
=98AI+Consumption=E2=80=99=C2=A0=E2=80=9D doesn=E2=80=99t strike the casual=
 observer as a gripping read.</p><div class=3D"gmail-paywall gmail-css-1u1n=
l00-PaywalledContentContainer e1qcjy9n0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box"><p=
 class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color:=
rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exchange,Georgia,serif;font-size:18=
px;margin:0px 0px 1em">But as the Claude-enabled=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://si=
nocism.notion.site/Implementation-Opinions-of-the-Ministry-of-Commerce-and-=
8-Other-Departments-on-Accelerating-the-Deve-38384ece41d781d5b4fde17458782c=
f9" target=3D"_blank" class=3D"ekxajjj0 gmail-css-i0lbhy-OverridedLink" sty=
le=3D"box-sizing:border-box;display:inline;color:rgb(34,34,34);text-decorat=
ion:none;border-bottom:1px solid rgb(34,34,34)">translation</a>=C2=A0provid=
ed by=C2=A0Bill Bishop=E2=80=99s invaluable=C2=A0<a href=3D"https://sinocis=
m.com/p/ai-consumption-xi-jinping-thought" target=3D"_blank" class=3D"ekxaj=
jj0 gmail-css-i0lbhy-OverridedLink" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;display:=
inline;color:rgb(34,34,34);text-decoration:none;border-bottom:1px solid rgb=
(34,34,34)">Sinocism</a>=C2=A0newsletter makes clear, something important i=
s happening. China is launching a full-scale push to roll out artificial in=
telligence across its economy and make this sector the foundation of its ec=
onomic strategy. The text=E2=80=99s 17 points outline a plan to accelerate =
the rise of AI and reinvigorate the Chinese economy by reorienting it aroun=
d the new technologies.</p><p class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D=
"box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exchan=
ge,Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;margin:0px 0px 1em">As the bureaucrats put =
it, their goal is to =E2=80=9Cfully, accurately, and comprehensively implem=
ent the new development concept, give full play to China=E2=80=99s advantag=
es of a super-large-scale market, broad consumption scenarios, and abundant=
 consumption-data resources, accelerate the demonstration application of ne=
w AI products, services, and scenarios, promote the entry of AI into tens o=
f millions of households and tens of millions of shops, cultivate and form =
new consumption growth points and new momentum, drive the iterative upgradi=
ng of new AI technologies and products, open up new AI industries and new t=
racks, and better meet the people=E2=80=99s needs for a better life.=E2=80=
=9D</p><p class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-b=
ox;color:rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exchange,Georgia,serif;fon=
t-size:18px;margin:0px 0px 1em">The bureaucrats identify key sectors where =
they will focus. AI-enabled humanoid robots will transform industries like =
elder care. They envision a =E2=80=9Cpeople-vehicle-home=E2=80=9D ecosystem=
 that links smart cars, smart roads and smart homes. Brain-computer interfa=
ces, AI-enabled smart glasses, wearables and other consumer products will r=
oll out across the domestic and, increasingly, international markets. China=
 will develop =E2=80=9Ca solid security line of defense,=E2=80=9D which wil=
l protect its burgeoning ecosystem from malicious (and foreign) penetration=
. The current document doesn=E2=80=99t exist in a vacuum. It=E2=80=99s aime=
d at implementing the August 2025 decree by the State Council (China=E2=80=
=99s supreme administrative body) that lays out an ambitious 10-year plan f=
or advancing AI and creating a new kind of intelligent society and economy =
that, the Communist Party hopes, will lead to the realization of the social=
ist modernization of China.</p><p class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" styl=
e=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Ex=
change,Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;margin:0px 0px 1em">Laying out a bluepr=
int is one thing, transforming an economy another, but Western observers wo=
uld be unwise to scoff. China=E2=80=99s planned economy has enormous and gr=
owing problems, but its planners remain extremely effective when it comes t=
o directing investment into favored sectors and creating regulatory structu=
res that favor the kind of investment and development that the party prefer=
s.</p><p class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-bo=
x;color:rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exchange,Georgia,serif;font=
-size:18px;margin:0px 0px 1em">Think of solar power and electric vehicles. =
When Western greens were trying to sell their grandiose plans for the so-ca=
lled energy transition, they touted the jobs that the new industries would =
create. But China was able to create markets for solar power and electric v=
ehicles at home by providing subsidized credit and shaping the regulatory c=
limate to favor, for instance, the production and purchase of electric vehi=
cles over fossil-fuel models. Intense competition among Chinese firms to ta=
ke advantage of these opportunities (plus perhaps the usual contribution of=
 intellectual property theft and reverse engineering), gave Chinese manufac=
turers a commanding lead.</p><p class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=
=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exc=
hange,Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;margin:0px 0px 1em">The plan is to repea=
t this strategy on a broader scale with AI. Unlike the Stalinist Soviet pla=
nners who built centrally planned industries, the Chinese planners are focu=
sing on creating markets in designated sectors. This sometimes ends badly (=
think of the massive Chinese real-estate bubble) but often works well in th=
e short to medium term.</p><p class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D=
"box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exchan=
ge,Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;margin:0px 0px 1em">China means business, c=
losing more than 12,000 degree programs deemed obsolete and opening more th=
an 10,000 courses on AI, robotics and advanced computing in recent years. I=
f the Communist Party pursues its AI strategy with the focus and total cont=
rol it has brought to favored economic sectors in the past, we should expec=
t rapid improvements to the underlying capabilities of AI models and the sw=
ift integration of technology into consumer-facing industries.</p><p class=
=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(34=
,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exchange,Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;mar=
gin:0px 0px 1em">Keeping up with China=E2=80=99s pace will test the U.S. In=
 the Chinese system, Mr. Xi and a few of his associates can impose policies=
 on the entire country. That isn=E2=80=99t how it works here. Developing pu=
blic support for the next stages of the information revolution so that the =
U.S. doesn=E2=80=99t fall behind is harder than issuing top-down rules from=
 Beijing.</p><div class=3D"gmail-ad-portal" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box"=
></div><p class=3D"gmail-css-1qg6i2u eew040j0" style=3D"box-sizing:border-b=
ox;color:rgb(34,34,34);direction:ltr;font-family:Exchange,Georgia,serif;fon=
t-size:18px;margin:0px 0px 1em">Building a national consensus around suppor=
tive policies for these strategically indispensable technologies will be ha=
rd. But the future of human freedom may depend on our getting this done qui=
ckly and well.</p></div><p class=3D"gmail-css-16aepit e1jdulti0" style=3D"b=
ox-sizing:border-box">Copyright =C2=A92026=C2=A0Dow Jones &amp; Company, In=
c. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8</p><div class=3D"g=
mail-css-nyleem eew040j4" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;clear:left"></div>=
<p class=3D"gmail-css-xyk2wy-PrintheadlineBlurb e1bioyoo0" style=3D"box-siz=
ing:border-box;font-family:Exchange,Georgia,serif;font-size:14px;font-style=
:italic;color:rgb(51,51,51);line-height:22px">Appeared in the June 23, 2026=
, print edition as &#39;China=E2=80=99s Ambitious AI Blueprint&#39;.</p><di=
v class=3D"e1a01bjp0 gmail-css-qw5p5j" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;borde=
r-top:0.8px solid rgb(235,235,235);border-bottom:0.8px solid rgb(235,235,23=
5)"><div class=3D"gmail-css-1c2ypzx" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;display=
:flex;height:111.963px"><div class=3D"eg3lomo0 gmail-css-qipsyn-AuthorModul=
eBio" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-fa=
mily:Retina,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:1.42857;l=
etter-spacing:0px;font-stretch:normal;display:-webkit-box;overflow:hidden">=
<p style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px"><a href=3D"https://www.wsj.co=
m/news/author/walter-russell-mead?mod=3DWSJ_article_author" target=3D"_self=
" style=3D"box-sizing:border-box;color:inherit">Walter Russell Mead</a>=C2=
=A0is the Ravenel B. Curry III Distinguished Fellow in Strategy and Statesm=
anship at Hudson Institute, the Global View Columnist at The Wall Street Jo=
urnal and the Alexander Hamilton Professor of Strategy and Statecraft with =
the Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education at th</p></div></div>=
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Subject: [Salon] Fwd: Al Jazeera: "Iran war live: US waives oil sanctions,
 to release $12bn in frozen funds." (6/23/26)
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--000000000000d64f880654e2af1c
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*https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/6/23/iran-war-live-tehran-to-=
access-billions-in-frozen-funds
<https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/6/23/iran-war-live-tehran-to-=
access-billions-in-frozen-funds>*

*6/23/26*

*Iran war live: US waives oil sanctions, to release $12bn in frozen funds*

*Certainly, the US believe they have this agreement in place; that any
money the Iranians take in will be used on American food.*

*Now, what has happened, I=E2=80=99m told, is that a technical committee ha=
s been
set up to look into how Iranian money is spent.*

*One of the big US concerns is that that money is funnelled into helping
proxies around the Middle East, who then cause violence, and the US wants
to stop that at the source.*

*But it=E2=80=99s difficult to imagine there would be a deal done that woul=
d be
quite so comprehensive.*

*As for the oil money, beforehand, Iran could sell oil, but often they did
it at a discounted price to companies and to countries who were willing to
take the risk, because they could find themselves on the other side of
American sanctions. Lifting the sanctions the way the Americans have done
means that they could now sell at market price, so they will get a lot more
money for their projects.*

*The intention is that as the Iranians meet so-called benchmarks at various
points of this agreement, more money will be made available to them with
the unfreezing of more assets.*

*And then there is the potential of them being allowed more access to world
markets and the banking systems as well.*

*But the intention is that they will get there eventually through the
negotiations.*

*This is seen very much as just the first step.*

--000000000000d64f880654e2af1c
Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"lt=
r" class=3D"gmail_attr"><b style=3D"background-color:transparent"><font fac=
e=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000"><a href=3D"https://www.aljazeera.com=
/news/liveblog/2026/6/23/iran-war-live-tehran-to-access-billions-in-frozen-=
funds" target=3D"_blank">https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/6/23/=
iran-war-live-tehran-to-access-billions-in-frozen-funds</a></font></b></div=
><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr"><b style=3D"background-color:transpa=
rent"><br></b></div><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr"><b style=3D"backg=
round-color:transparent">6/23/26</b></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"=
><div><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000"><br></font></b></d=
iv><div><h1 style=3D"line-height:1.2141em;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0.5e=
m;max-width:100%"><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000" size=3D"4=
"><i>Iran war live: US waives oil sanctions, to release $12bn in frozen fun=
ds</i></font></h1><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, ser=
if" color=3D"#000000">Certainly, the US believe they have this agreement in=
 place; that any money the Iranians take in will be used on American food.<=
/font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" =
color=3D"#000000">Now, what has happened, I=E2=80=99m told, is that a techn=
ical committee has been set up to look into how Iranian money is spent.</fo=
nt></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" col=
or=3D"#000000">One of the big US concerns is that that money is funnelled i=
nto helping proxies around the Middle East, who then cause violence, and th=
e US wants to stop that at the source.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:=
100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">But it=E2=80=99s d=
ifficult to imagine there would be a deal done that would be quite so compr=
ehensive.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgi=
a, serif" color=3D"#000000">As for the oil money, beforehand, Iran could se=
ll oil, but often they did it at a discounted price to companies and to cou=
ntries who were willing to take the risk, because they could find themselve=
s on the other side of American sanctions. Lifting the sanctions the way th=
e Americans have done means that they could now sell at market price, so th=
ey will get a lot more money for their projects.</font></b></p><p style=3D"=
max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">The inte=
ntion is that as the Iranians meet so-called benchmarks at various points o=
f this agreement, more money will be made available to them with the unfree=
zing of more assets.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font fac=
e=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">And then there is the potential of t=
hem being allowed more access to world markets and the banking systems as w=
ell.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b><font face=3D"georgia, se=
rif" color=3D"#000000">But the intention is that they will get there eventu=
ally through the negotiations.</font></b></p><p style=3D"max-width:100%"><b=
><font face=3D"georgia, serif" color=3D"#000000">This is seen very much as =
just the first step.</font></b></p></div></div>
</div>
</div></div>
</div>

--000000000000d64f880654e2af1c--

