(03-25-2026 11:23 AM)b2b Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:17 AM)mlb Wrote:  This isn't going to help the oil prices...

>40% of Russia's oil exports are now halted

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/...026-03-25/

what a **** show.

Pop some corn...it's just getting started.

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:24 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:21 AM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 09:36 AM)hburg Wrote:  Personal opinion: Iran will reject the peace proposal. Trump will send troops to take over Karj Island this weekend or sometime next week. But I am not sure it will be enough to stop land to sea attacks on vessels. I can see coalition troops along the Iranian coastline.

That's what I'm hoping for, coalition troops on Iranians soil. We shouldn't take this on ourselves, we took out Iran's defenses let the ones who are benefitting from oil go in themselves.

I agree they should be there helping, but we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation.

" we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

Dude, the US had military assets there for a long time...the potential of an attack was also talked about for quite awhile now. Further, Iran has been planning on being attacked for many many years. There was no surprise here.

(03-25-2026 10:46 AM)b2b Wrote:  They've always been "2 weeks away". Allegedly we destroyed their nuclear capabilities back last summer. I still say this war is stupid and is going to backfire on Trump. We'll probably end up stuck w/ some nation building boondoggle again.

Zero chance of that. I think intelligence damage assessments eventually said they set back the Iranian program---I think the primary goal here is to end the nuclear threat once and for all. The nuclear sites have been hammered again. We also would like to seriously degrade any ability for Iran to project power outside of their borders. To that end, the navy and air force are completely wiped out---the missile force is degraded----and the production facilities that build new missiles are destroyed. I think we have largely achieved our goals. At this point its just a matter of reopening the Straight and hammering out a peace settlement with whatever government leadership group is in charge. Maybe that requires more pounding---perhaps even a boots on the ground component will be required. What I can say for sure is this will be a military only operation. Once the military goals are achieved and the state-vs-state hostilities are over----we are out of there. We will not be nation building.

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  " we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

What was Iran going to do about it? They knew we were coming, they still couldn't do anything about it.

Here's the thing... everyone knew that Iran's response was going to be to try to shut down that straight. For some reason we had no plan for securing it before they could shut it down. Now they've got the world held hostage.

(03-25-2026 11:35 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:46 AM)b2b Wrote:  They've always been "2 weeks away". Allegedly we destroyed their nuclear capabilities back last summer. I still say this war is stupid and is going to backfire on Trump. We'll probably end up stuck w/ some nation building boondoggle again.

Zero chance of that. I think intelligence damage assessments eventually said they set back the Iranian program---I think the primary goal here is to end the nuclear threat once and for all. The nuclear sites have been hammered again. We also would like to seriously degrade any ability for Iran to project power outside of their borders. To that end, the navy and air force are completely wiped out. The missile force is degraded and the production facilities that build new missiles are destroyed. I think we have largely achieved our goals. At this point its just a matter of reopening the Straight and hammering out a peace settlement with whatever government leadership is in charge.

I'm not sure any agreement will actually be successful... too many different groups in Iran. They were all scared of the Ayatollah, but with him gone there is a power vaccuum.

(03-25-2026 11:39 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:35 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:46 AM)b2b Wrote:  They've always been "2 weeks away". Allegedly we destroyed their nuclear capabilities back last summer. I still say this war is stupid and is going to backfire on Trump. We'll probably end up stuck w/ some nation building boondoggle again.

Zero chance of that. I think intelligence damage assessments eventually said they set back the Iranian program---I think the primary goal here is to end the nuclear threat once and for all. The nuclear sites have been hammered again. We also would like to seriously degrade any ability for Iran to project power outside of their borders. To that end, the navy and air force are completely wiped out. The missile force is degraded and the production facilities that build new missiles are destroyed. I think we have largely achieved our goals. At this point its just a matter of reopening the Straight and hammering out a peace settlement with whatever government leadership is in charge.

I'm not sure any agreement will actually be successful... too many different groups in Iran. They were all scared of the Ayatollah, but with him gone there is a power vaccuum.

This is what bothers me. There's absolutely not a ZERO chance as AC says. We've done it literally every time we get involved in the Mid East. I'll believe it when I see it. These people just don't think like we do.

(03-25-2026 12:10 PM)b2b Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:39 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:35 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:46 AM)b2b Wrote:  They've always been "2 weeks away". Allegedly we destroyed their nuclear capabilities back last summer. I still say this war is stupid and is going to backfire on Trump. We'll probably end up stuck w/ some nation building boondoggle again.

Zero chance of that. I think intelligence damage assessments eventually said they set back the Iranian program---I think the primary goal here is to end the nuclear threat once and for all. The nuclear sites have been hammered again. We also would like to seriously degrade any ability for Iran to project power outside of their borders. To that end, the navy and air force are completely wiped out. The missile force is degraded and the production facilities that build new missiles are destroyed. I think we have largely achieved our goals. At this point its just a matter of reopening the Straight and hammering out a peace settlement with whatever government leadership is in charge.

I'm not sure any agreement will actually be successful... too many different groups in Iran. They were all scared of the Ayatollah, but with him gone there is a power vaccuum.

This is what bothers me. There's absolutely not a ZERO chance as AC says. We've done it literally every time we get involved in the Mid East. I'll believe it when I see it. These people just don't think like we do.

Yes---but that was when "human rights" and "exporting democracy" was a big part of the US foreign policy by both parties. That is the exact thing Trump and the MAGA movement objected to---"forever wars" and "nation building"---wont be tolerated under Trump/Vance. I'd also note the big mistake we made in Iraq was disbanding the Iraqi Army---which left the US Army responsible for security in the nation. Even in the event we topple the regime----I suspect we'll leave the regular Iranian Army in control (disband the IRGC) and let the Iranian military oversee elections and the formation of their new civilian government.

(03-25-2026 11:37 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  " we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

What was Iran going to do about it? They knew we were coming, they still couldn't do anything about it.

Here's the thing... everyone knew that Iran's response was going to be to try to shut down that straight. For some reason we had no plan for securing it before they could shut it down. Now they've got the world held hostage.

They knew they were coming, I guess that why most of their Top guys met in one place and died because they knew they were coming.

I'm sure Iran knew they were coming one day but not that day. If we had let others over there know about anything it would have been leaked and Iran probably would not have lost a lot of their top leaders.

This isn't the movies the Strait of Hormuz will be taken care of.

(03-25-2026 11:29 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:24 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:21 AM)olliebaba Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 09:36 AM)hburg Wrote:  Personal opinion: Iran will reject the peace proposal. Trump will send troops to take over Karj Island this weekend or sometime next week. But I am not sure it will be enough to stop land to sea attacks on vessels. I can see coalition troops along the Iranian coastline.

That's what I'm hoping for, coalition troops on Iranians soil. We shouldn't take this on ourselves, we took out Iran's defenses let the ones who are benefitting from oil go in themselves.

I agree they should be there helping, but we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation.

" we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

Dude, the US had military assets there for a long time...the potential of an attack was also talked about for quite awhile now. Further, Iran has been planning on being attacked for many many years. There was no surprise here.

"There was no surprise here" Go sit down and give yourself a break. Read Post # 1214

(03-25-2026 01:13 PM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:29 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:24 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:21 AM)olliebaba Wrote:  That's what I'm hoping for, coalition troops on Iranians soil. We shouldn't take this on ourselves, we took out Iran's defenses let the ones who are benefitting from oil go in themselves.

I agree they should be there helping, but we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation.

" we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

Dude, the US had military assets there for a long time...the potential of an attack was also talked about for quite awhile now. Further, Iran has been planning on being attacked for many many years. There was no surprise here.

"There was no surprise here" Go sit down and give yourself a break. Read Post # 1214

Exactly. Knowing we are coming "eventually" and knowing "exactly when we are coming" are two completely different things. Even knowing we are coming sometime in the next few weeks is MUCH more valuable than just knowing we will eventually attack some day.

(03-25-2026 01:10 PM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:37 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  " we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

What was Iran going to do about it? They knew we were coming, they still couldn't do anything about it.

Here's the thing... everyone knew that Iran's response was going to be to try to shut down that straight. For some reason we had no plan for securing it before they could shut it down. Now they've got the world held hostage.

They knew they were coming, I guess that why most of their Top guys met in one place and died because they knew they were coming.

I'm sure Iran knew they were coming one day but not that day. If we had let others over there know about anything it would have been leaked and Iran probably would not have lost a lot of their top leaders.

This isn't the movies the Strait of Hormuz will be taken care of.

You can't be serious here. They clearly knew we were coming. You don't move all that hardware, planes, carrier groups, etc., without knowing what you are going to do. We failed to address the full response from Iran, plain and simple. Europe is going to have to go in and secure it just for their own energy needs, but not having them in place before the bombing began was a mistake, IMO.

(03-25-2026 01:16 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 01:13 PM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:29 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:24 AM)mlb Wrote:  I agree they should be there helping, but we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation.

" we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

Dude, the US had military assets there for a long time...the potential of an attack was also talked about for quite awhile now. Further, Iran has been planning on being attacked for many many years. There was no surprise here.

"There was no surprise here" Go sit down and give yourself a break. Read Post # 1214

Exactly. Knowing we are coming "eventually" and knowing "exactly when we are coming" are two completely different things. Even knowing we are coming sometime in the next few weeks is MUCH more valuable than just knowing we will eventually attack some day.

We wouldn't have needed to tell our allies exactly when we were going in. We just would have needed them to secure the straight. Now everyone is trying to figure out a solution to a problem that was completely obvious for years.

(03-25-2026 01:17 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 01:10 PM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:37 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  " we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

What was Iran going to do about it? They knew we were coming, they still couldn't do anything about it.

Here's the thing... everyone knew that Iran's response was going to be to try to shut down that straight. For some reason we had no plan for securing it before they could shut it down. Now they've got the world held hostage.

They knew they were coming, I guess that why most of their Top guys met in one place and died because they knew they were coming.

I'm sure Iran knew they were coming one day but not that day. If we had let others over there know about anything it would have been leaked and Iran probably would not have lost a lot of their top leaders.

This isn't the movies the Strait of Hormuz will be taken care of.

You can't be serious here. They clearly knew we were coming. You don't move all that hardware, planes, carrier groups, etc., without knowing what you are going to do. We failed to address the full response from Iran, plain and simple. Europe is going to have to go in and secure it just for their own energy needs, but not having them in place before the bombing began was a mistake, IMO.

Plenty of folks thought it was a bluff---just as many thought Putin surrounding Ukraine in 2022 was a bluff. Just as we all assume its "just an exercise in intimidation" every time China surrounds Taiwan.....even though we all know, one day it wont just be an exercise....but much like Iran's situation, we have no idea exactly when.

(03-25-2026 01:19 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Plenty of folks thought it was a bluff---just as many thought Putin surrounding Ukraine in 2022 was a bluff. Just as we all assume its "just an exercise in intimidation" every time China surrounds Taiwan.....even though we all know, one day it wont just be an exercise.

Iran had nothing to lose. Once the bombing began their leaders knew their days were numbered. They just wanted to create as much pain for the world as possible at the end. That means shooting off ballistic missiles and drones in every direction, and shutting down 20% of the world's oil creating chaos for countries around the world. It was the obvious action from them, it should have been mitigated ahead of time.

(03-25-2026 01:13 PM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:29 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:24 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 10:21 AM)olliebaba Wrote:  That's what I'm hoping for, coalition troops on Iranians soil. We shouldn't take this on ourselves, we took out Iran's defenses let the ones who are benefitting from oil go in themselves.

I agree they should be there helping, but we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation.

" we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

Dude, the US had military assets there for a long time...the potential of an attack was also talked about for quite awhile now. Further, Iran has been planning on being attacked for many many years. There was no surprise here.

"There was no surprise here" Go sit down and give yourself a break. Read Post # 1214

You can still get everything in order and in place with our allies without announcing the exact second an attack will occur.

Just, for my sanity please, can we correctly call it a Strait and not a straight? Thanks!

I'll type it however I know how to type it! :)

(03-25-2026 01:28 PM)mlb Wrote:  I'll type it however I know how to type it! :)

lol---I do it too---almost every time.

(03-25-2026 01:27 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  Just, for my sanity please, can we correctly call it a Strait and not a straight? Thanks!

Ha, we agree on something! I was about to post the same thing.

(03-25-2026 01:17 PM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 01:10 PM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:37 AM)mlb Wrote:  

(03-25-2026 11:27 AM)Redbanksdog Wrote:  " we shouldn't have started this mess until they were on board with the operation"

I feel like the operation might have been leaked and there would not have been any kind of surprise with the attack against Iran.

Hey guys, we (USA) are planning a attack against Iran. We will need your help down the road. Somebody would have ran and told Iran all about it. That's just my .2 cents.

What was Iran going to do about it? They knew we were coming, they still couldn't do anything about it.

Here's the thing... everyone knew that Iran's response was going to be to try to shut down that straight. For some reason we had no plan for securing it before they could shut it down. Now they've got the world held hostage.

They knew they were coming, I guess that why most of their Top guys met in one place and died because they knew they were coming.

I'm sure Iran knew they were coming one day but not that day. If we had let others over there know about anything it would have been leaked and Iran probably would not have lost a lot of their top leaders.

This isn't the movies the Strait of Hormuz will be taken care of.

You can't be serious here. They clearly knew we were coming. You don't move all that hardware, planes, carrier groups, etc., without knowing what you are going to do. We failed to address the full response from Iran, plain and simple. Europe is going to have to go in and secure it just for their own energy needs, but not having them in place before the bombing began was a mistake, IMO.

"They clearly knew we were coming"

I guess Iran didn't get that memo since it was so clear. With a bunch of their Leaders being kill in the first wave.