Yes, it is a Tuesday. We were due for a TACO.
Trump has extended the cease fire indefinitely, because of supposed dysfunction in the Iranian government. Not joking.
The blockade of Iran continues.
It’s always good news for John McCain, dead though he may be.
Does Trump think he will stop a Chinese flagged oil tanker carrying Iranian oil to China without China responding to protect its ships?
This like the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, absent the slightest military treat to the US mainland.
Trump is pressuring China to act, as he did all during 2025.
US Joins Iran in Blockading the Strait of Hormuz
Vance achieved the unthinkable in just 12 hours of negotiations with Iran.
This surely will be the highlight of his diplomatic career.
So the outcome of Vance’s peace negotiations with Iran is, wait for it,
US Joins with Iran in Blocking the Strait of Hormuz
I must admit that I did not foresee this joint effort as a possibility.
The NYT published a puff piece on J D Vance with the title “Vance Faces a High-Profile Test of His Negotiating Skills With Iran Talks”
I submitted this reader comment:
As the trial lawyers say “Assumes facts not in evidence“
The hurt NYT didn’t publish comment.
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/10/u...
The NYT has a story “What to Know About the US-Iran Cease Fire”
In 47 reader comments to the story several readers observed that the NYT omitted Trump agreed to Iran’s 10-point plan as a framework for peace. Incredible omission.
The comments listed these 10 points.
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/08/w...
At a press conference this morning Pete Hegseth calls the cease fire a victory for the US. Iran begged for it because of Trump’s threats, he claims.
We are witness to an Easter miracle. Baghdad Bob is resurrected as Baghdad Pete on the Potomac.
Actually Baghdad Bob may still be alive in the UAE.
To those remembering the wars in Vietnam, fought by France and then by the US, the name General Võ Nguyên Giáp (1911–2013) should ring a bell.
He wrote the book on how to defeat a far superior military power, twice.
Iran is not fighting a guerilla war, but wearing down enemy resolve still applies.
Quite a bit of sanewashing on the part of the NYT not to acknowledge that Trump is far more off-balanced than is the rest of the world which is being spooked by his condition.
There is much fear globally that an enraged Trump might use nuclear weapons this week.
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/w...
An April 1 NYT story, from the Pentagon, said 18 A10 jets were sent to the Strait of Hormuz, to fire on Iranian targets or support troops. It was stated that the Iranian defenses were now too weak to threaten the slow planes.
An A10 went down in the Strait today.
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/u...
Strutting peacock Hegseth has fired the top army general, undoubtedly connected to the Iran war.
The Senate Armed Services Committee must call in the general to testify in a closed door session what the hell is going on.
Firing Bondi distracts from the Iran war which distracted from the Epstein files which Bondi did not cover up well enough for Trump.
It’s all perfectly understandable.
And bless its sane-washing heart, the NYT yesterday called Bondi’s failed cover-up attempts as “misteps on the Epstein files”.
The NYT sets a new standard in circumlocution stating that Pam Bondi committed “missteps on the Epstein files”.
A person speaking standard English would say that Bondi was ineffectual in covering up the Epstein files to hide Trump’s guilt.
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/01/u...
If this evening’s WSJ article is accurate then Trump is thinking about bugging out of the war on Iran without achieving the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
He hasn’t the stomach to extend the military mission as required. He’ll leave his mess for Europe to clean up.
www.wsj.com/world/middle...
Summary of NYT story on yesterday’s protests
"The war in Iran was a galvanizing force, but plenty of protesters focused on President Trump’s immigration crackdown. Senate candidates in several key races joined the crowds.”
Plenty?? Strange way to say millions.
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/u...
The Iranians know Trump is lying.
And Trump is lying because he’s afraid of the reaction of the American people to his failure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
A desperate Trump may try some high military operation to reopen the strait or seize Iranian territory.
Time is not on Trump’s side
Like elections wars have consequences if you do not win.
On the news this morning "One of the benefits of the ICE deployment at airports is more crowd control."
The crowds haven't gone away, but with armed guards they are better behaved.
Charts of the two foreign stock market indexes in London and Germany. They show a sudden jump into positive territory from very negative territory at the time of Trump’s announcement of negotiations with Iran. Iran has denied that these negotiations took place.
The London (FTSE) and German (GDAXI) stock market indexes today, reacting to Trump’s claim of productive talks with Iran, talks denied by Iran.
In math such quick jumps are called step functions.
Trump and his buddies could have made millions on these two foreign market moves at the right times.
Sad news about CBS radio, reported in the WaPo.
It is noted that Trump-friendly Weiss is trying to right a ship she herself torpedoed.
Weeping are the ghosts of Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, and Eric Sevareid who reported for CBS radio during WW II.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Yes, too early. But not too early to call the primaries divisive.
The WaPo (Jeff Bezos) is feeling Vance’s pain. It prints a memo received from Vance’s staff.
And the idea that Vance is not lusting to be president does not pass the laugh test.
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
The Guardian report that the carrier Ford is leaving the Iran combat zone for repairs in Crete.
The report is 14 hours old. I learned of it in the past hour. It should be reported in the US that one of the two most powerful Navy ships is now out of commission.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
Related to the Iran war, the Guardian reports that the US aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford is out of commission. It is headed to the Greek island of Crete for repairs.
There was a serious 30-hour fire in the laundry area last week resulting in dozens of crew with smoke inhalation.
The story in the NYT looks to be 100% a memo written by the Pentagon. What will 2500 Marines do against 800,000 Iran Revolutionary Guard and trained militia forces?
Is an assault ship going to sail through the Strait of Hormuz up to Kharg Island? It’s pure madness.
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/u...
Trump is wondering why it is so much harder to steal Iran’s oil than it was to steal Venezuela’s oil.
The phantom international coalition Treasury Secretary Bessent said yesterday would help the US Navy reopen the Strait of Hormuz may have some cracks.
France and Italy may be bailing out even before the coalition materializes.
But, always be skeptical of war news.
www.reuters.com/world/europe...
It has occurred to other people that the Secretary of the Treasury speaking on what would normally be Defense Department (aka Department of War) matter is quite bizarre.
This should be the job of warrior Secretary Pete Hegseth, not the chief bean counter of the Trump administration.
Secretary Bessent states US Navy will escort ships through the Strait as soon as it is militarily possible.
Ship owners have made daily requests to the US Navy to escort their vessels, but these requests have been denied.
Note: “as soon as it is militarily possible” and “never” are compatible.