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Crude has doubled since this kicked off, so whoever made those bets did. And whoever stole a literal boatload of Venezuelan oil and stashed it in their own personal "executive" slush fund.

See you might think this is a damning sequence of incoherence and impulsiveness from our president that sums up the complete lack of strategy and maturity they’re approaching this with, but actually you just have TDS and don’t understand the 15-D chess going on in the background.

Who’s watching the insider trading based on this rhetoric?

The plan straight from the horses mouth: Mar 3: "We won the war." Mar 7: "We defeated Iran." Mar 8: "We must attack Iran." Mar 9: "The war is ending almost completely, and very beautifully." Mar 11: “You never like to say too ⁠early you won. We won. In the first hour it was over.” Mar 12: "We did win, but we haven't won completely yet." Mar 13: "We won the war." Mar 14: "Please help us." Mar 15: "If you don't help us, I will certainly remember it." Mar 16: "Actually, we don't need any help at all." Mar 16: "I was just testing to see who's listening to me." Mar 16: "If NATO doesn't help, they will suffer something very bad." Mar 17: "We neither need nor want NATO's help." Mar 17: "I don't need Congressional approval to withdraw from NATO." Mar 18: "Our allies must cooperate in reopening the Strait of Hormuz." Mar 19: "US allies need to get a grip - step up and help open the Strait of Hormuz." Mar 20: "NATO are cowards." Mar 21: "The Strait of Hormuz must be protected by the countries that use it. We don't use it, we don't need to open it." Mar 22: "This is the last time. I will give Iran 48 hours. Open the strait" Mar 22: "Iran is Dead" Mar 23: "We had very good and productive talks with Iran." Mar 24: "We’re making progress." Mar 24: "[Iran] gave us a present and the ⁠present arrived today, and it was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money." Mar 25: “They gave us a present and the present arrived today. And it was a very big present worth a tremendous amount of money. I’m not going to tell you what that present is, but it was a very significant prize.” Mar 26: "Make a deal, or we’ll just keep blowing them away." Mar 27: "We don’t have to be there for NATO." Mar 28: No major quote Mar 29: Claimed talks were progressing Mar 30: "Open the Strait of Hormuz immediately, or face devastating consequences." Mar 31: Claimed a deal was "very close" and that Iran would "do the right thing" Apr 1: "We’ll see what happens very soon." Apr 2: Repeated that a deal was likely, while warning of continued strikes if not Apr 3: "Something big is going to happen." Apr 4: Said Iran must comply "immediately" or face further consequences. Apr 5: "Open the in' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah." Apr 6: "The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night." Apr 6: "They made a proposal, and it's a significant proposal. It's a significant step. It's not good enough...they have to do certain things. They know that, they've been negotiating I think in good faith." Apr 7: "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that ‌to ⁠happen, but it probably will." April 7: Iran cuts all diplomatic channels.

Is the plan in the room with us right now? Describe it to me. How does “a whole civilization will die tonight” fit into that plan? How is that not escalatory? How is that rhetoric in line with how this war was originally sold? edit, maybe a better question to ask: is there any public statement trump could make that you would admit is reckless, escalatory, or strategically damaging?

What we’re doing with Iran is reckless and without plan? 0% truth in that line you’re pedaling. That’s my point.

Oh silly me I thought that the commander in chief threatening to “end a civilization” was where we lost the plot but I guess we have to wait and see if he’s actually gonna do it

Well it hasn’t, so there’s no missed prediction as of time now. Always subject to change of course.

It’s just a shame no one predicted this would devolve into reckless escalations with no plan. But in fairness these things are super duper difficult to analyze as they’re happening

It must be exhausting to be such a miserable person so full of rage. Go have a few beers and relax a bit.

The whole thing reads like a cliffhanger going into a commercial break on a reality TV show. Not surprising, since we foolishly elected a reality TV star to the highest office in the land. When people are overwhelmed or uncomfortable, they retreat to what they know and like. That’s the basis of Trump’s obsession with his stupid ballroom. He spent his life building gaudy hotels, towers, and casinos. He knows that world and likes it. So it’s no surprise that while our servicemembers are out risking their lives, and while everyday Americans are struggling because he couldn’t deliver on his bullshit campaign promises, you find him aboard AF1 awkwardly holding up poster boards of the ballroom and bragging about how ornate the columns will be. This is no different. He knows and likes reality TV. He knows the hallmark is manufacturing suspense. “WHO KNOWS?” he writes. ….GMAFB. Spoiler alert, he (and all key cabinet members) know. ….But that’s boring. Reality TV is about keeping people guessing. Create drama and keep them coming back for more. That’s how Trump treats Americans….as an audience. For his ego and amusement. Tonight he’ll say they struck a deal. “A beautiful tremendous deal.” “At levels no one’s seen before.” He’ll pretend that the Iranian’s came groveling at his feet and begging him. ….“Isn’t he so strong and tough?!” the MAGApotamian’s will exclaim. And for 3 more years, we’re going to have to listen to another one of his bullshit “Sir” stories (….. that’s where he goes into an alternate voice, either wispy or rough, pretending to be someone else, and says “…. They asked me, they said ‘sir,….sir, we want…..’” blah blah blah….. it’s obviously fabricated nonsense virtually every time.) The next 24 hours will be no different. Just more embarrassment, shame, and discredit for our country.

"What the Captain means..."

Yeah telling the death cult that they are going to die probably isn't going to have the desired effect. Just kill them.

Beyond acceptable societal norms, his greatest failure with this string of rhetoric is the threat can only work if the regime cares about the survival of the people at large. Like all totalitarian regimes, they don’t give a shit about the country as a whole, civilians, etc. The only language they speak is violence against what directly affects them and their ability to wield power.

Reminds me of this famous song:

Any alternate selects get dates for MFS yet?

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” “Open the F***in’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell. JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah.” We’re better than this. These posts by a commander-in-chief, even during wartime, have reached a level of absurdity I never thought I’d see…even by Trump standards. Policy aside, how are these in our country’s best interests?

Incredible for an actor with his portfolio of work to branch out into playing a homosexual trying to survive in a Muslim-dominant country.

😂

Giving them the benefit of the doubt I hope not Probably but Germany of today won’t even keep out welfare tourist migrants who cause mayhem and chaos, now if they go hardcore and try to become the enforcer of the EU; the Visegrad countries (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia) might have reason to start reinforcing their western borders. I’m thinking this in preparation for stabilization force in Western Ukraine if a cease fire is declared.

We invented that in the 80s. Pretty crowded with two little birds in there. Brought the canary slides on line too. It's a sight to see. From parking brake set to little bird in the air. Picture in the article above is rolling out of a TalonII

I figured this was basic to learning to drive, sirens or not. I don't start after a stop sign, red light, or even go through a green light without a quick check that the crossing traffic is actually stopped. They might be at fault if I don't look and have an accident, but it's my kids in the vehicle. Going through a red light or anything else unusual would only make it that much more important.

Concur, I've done several ridealongs with first responders and not one of them will go through an intersection without ensuring it's safe to do so! It's amazing how horribly oblivious people are to extremely loud sirens and bright flashing lights!

All of Europe just instinctively flinched...