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Around 10 days after 9/11, I met with Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz at the Pentagon. A general called me in and informed me that we were going to war with Iraq. When I asked why, he didn't have a clear answer. There was no evidence connecting Saddam to Al Qaeda. It seemed like they didn't know what else to do, so they decided to go to war. A few weeks later, I asked if we were still going to war with Iraq, and he showed me a memo stating that we planned to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq and ending with Iran. The Middle East's oil resources have attracted great power involvement, and there has always been a belief that we could use force in the region.

Shortly after 9/11, the speaker encountered Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz at the Pentagon. A general called him urgently, revealing that they had decided to go to war with Iraq. When asked why, the general admitted they didn't have any new evidence connecting Saddam to Al Qaeda. The decision was made because they didn't know what else to do about terrorism and believed their military could overthrow governments. Weeks later, the speaker asked if they were still going to war with Iraq, to which the general responded that it was even worse. He showed the speaker a classified memo outlining plans to attack seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq and ending with Iran. The speaker regrets not seeing the memo and asks for the general's name.

Domestic propaganda campaign that occurred in The United States before the invasion began. The story centers on a young Kuwaiti woman named Naira. On 10/10/1990, the 15 year old girl gave riveting testimony before Congress about the horrors inside Kuwait after Iraq invaded. Nayirah's testimony was rebroadcast across the country and marked a turning point in public opinion on going to war. President George H. W. Bush repeatedly cited her claims. They had kids in incubators, and they were thrown out of the incubators so that Kuwait could be systematically dismantled. Three months after Nayyra testified, President George H. W. Bush launched the invasion of Iraq. But it turned out Nayyra's claims weren't true. It also turned out Nayyra was not just any Kuwaiti teenager. She was the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to The United States, Saad Nasir al Sabah.

The speaker argues that instead of focusing on claims that Iran supports terrorism, people making those claims should “turn the mirror” on US-linked mass killings and the lack of accountability. They state they compiled a short list of “mass killings linked to US power” from the last 30–40 years, filtered for events involving at least 100 deaths in a single day, and add that the list would be much larger if expanded. They say each event was funded by US taxpayers and that no one was really held accountable. They also claim Iran has “never launched anything close” to the magnitude of terror on the US, while noting that reports are still coming in about Israel’s ongoing attacks on Lebanon (including evacuation orders issued overnight and reports of people buried in their homes). The speaker then focuses on an event from July 3, 1988: the downing of Iranian Air Flight 655 by the US Navy warship USS Vincennes. They describe it as a civilian plane flying from Bandar Abbas to Dubai with 290 people aboard, including 66 children. They claim the aircraft was following a normal commercial flight corridor over the Persian Gulf, presenting no threat, and broadcasting a civilian transponder signal while climbing normally. They say missiles tore the aircraft apart and that victims fell into the water. The speaker contrasts the US “official explanation” with what they say was contrary evidence. They describe the official account as an “oops” in which the US claimed it mistook the Airbus for an attacking Iranian F-14 fighter jet during a tense naval confrontation. They assert problems with the excuse, including that the flight was broadcasting a civilian transponder signal, was flying a known pattern, and that multiple military personnel onboard the Vincennes reportedly had data indicating it was a commercial civilian craft. They connect the incident to the US’s broader role in the Iran–Iraq War. They say the attack occurred during the same period as Operation Praying Mantis, described as the largest US naval combat operation since World War II, authorized by President Reagan to attack Iranian oil platforms. They also claim the US backed Iraq in order to topple Iran for decades, shifted alignment, and supported Saddam Hussein to launch an Iraqi war on Iran until the US decided it did not like him anymore and sought his removal. The speaker says the US did not apologize. They cite Reagan calling the shooting “proper defensive action,” and say Vice President Bush later said he would never apologize “for the United States of America” and would ignore “what the facts are.” They claim media condemnation was limited and that the UN did not condemn it, instead passing Security Council Resolution 616, describing states as “deeply distressed” and “gravely disturbed.” The speaker says Iran brought a case at the International Court of Justice, and the US settled in 1996 for 131.8 million plus two new Airbus aircraft. They argue this became part of Iranian cultural memory, including an Islamic Republic stamp memorializing it as an American attack on innocent civilians. The speaker then lists other incidents they say contributed to regional memory: the February 13, 1991 bombing of a shelter in Baghdad, where they claim hundreds were burned alive and many bodies were later found melted into walls; and the April 18, 1996 shelling of a UN compound in Qana, Lebanon, where they claim more than 100 civilians were killed and that later UN conclusions suggested deliberate shelling, while Israel disputed it. They add that Qana is described as being attacked again by Israel in April, including an overnight attack on the city that killed at least five and wounded dozens. They broaden to “mirror” arguments and accuse the US of creating or provoking “terror” narratives, citing claims about false flags such as 9/11 and Pearl Harbor, and saying the US is a perpetrator to support war. They reference discussions involving Victoria Nuland, Mike Pompeo, Lindsey Graham, and neocons, and include examples ranging from NATO operations (including Operation Gladio and bombings like Bologna) to claimed narratives about the Orlando nightclub shooting. The speaker ends by urging viewers to remember these histories when told “Iran is a terrorist state” or that Iran supports terror, and says another massacre is unfolding in Lebanon with residential and refugee camp bombing after evacuation orders.

The speaker recalls a conversation about going to war with Iraq. They question the reason behind it and inquire about any evidence linking Saddam to Al Qaeda, but there is none. The speaker later learns about a memo outlining plans to attack seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq and ending with Iran. When they ask if the memo is classified, the person confirms it is. The speaker mentions bringing up the memo again in a recent conversation, but the person denies ever showing it to them.

The United States has begun major combat operations in Iran with the objective of defending the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. The regime is described as a vicious group whose menacing activities endanger the United States, its troops, bases overseas, and allies worldwide. The speech cites decades of hostile actions, including back­ing a violent takeover of the US embassy in Tehran (the 444-day hostage crisis), the 1983 Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut (241 American fatalities), involvement in the USS Cole attack (2000), and killings and maimings of American service members in Iraq. Iranian proxies are described as having launched countless attacks against American forces in the Middle East and against US vessels and shipping lanes in recent years. From Lebanon to Yemen and Syria to Iraq, the regime is said to have armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias that have caused extensive bloodshed. Iran’s proxy Hamas is credited with the October 7 attacks on Israel, which reportedly slaughtered more than 1,000 people, including 46 Americans, and took 12 Americans hostage. The regime is also described as having killed tens of thousands of its own citizens during protests, labeling it as the world’s number one state sponsor of terror. A central policy stated is that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon.” The administration asserts that in Operation Midnight Hammer last June, the regime’s nuclear program at Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan was obliterated. After that attack, the regime was warned never to resume its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and repeated attempts to negotiate a deal are described as unsuccessful. Iran is said to have rejected renouncing its nuclear ambitions for decades and to have tried to rebuild its program while developing long-range missiles capable of threatening Europe, US troops overseas, and potentially the American homeland. The United States military is undertaking a massive ongoing operation to prevent this regime from threatening U.S. interests. The plan includes destroying Iran’s missiles and raising its missile industry to the ground, annihilating the regime’s navy, and ensuring that terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region or attack American forces or use IEDs against civilians. The speaker asserts that Iran will not obtain a nuclear weapon and asserts the capabilities and power of the U.S. Armed Forces. Steps to minimize risk to U.S. personnel are claimed, but the reality that lives of American service members may be lost is acknowledged as a possible outcome of the operation. The message to the IRGC and Iranian police is to lay down weapons with immunity or face certain death. To the Iranian people, the timing is described as their moment to take control of their destiny with America’s support, urging sheltering and caution as bombs are dropped. The speech ends with blessings for the armed forces and the United States.

After 9/11, a general informed me that the decision to go to war with Iraq was made without evidence linking Saddam to Al Qaeda. Later, a memo revealed plans to attack 7 countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq. Iran's involvement in Iraq is seen as a response to US presence. The possibility of a military confrontation with Iran is looming due to US actions. Saudi Arabia is funding Sunni groups to counter Iranian influence, potentially including groups with ties to Al Qaeda. The consequences of a premature US withdrawal from Iraq could lead to increased Sunni extremism, supported by Saudi Arabia, to combat Shia influence.

After 9/11, a general told me the decision to go to war with Iraq was made without evidence linking Saddam to Al Qaeda. Plans were revealed to take out 7 countries in 5 years, starting with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran. Military operations began in Iraq and Syria. The situation in Syria was discussed, acknowledging the distressing images coming out of the country.

Two testimonies reveal unimaginable cruelty and atrocities that occurred in Kuwait. One involves a fake nurse, Neira, who was actually the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to Washington. She was coached by a PR firm to sell the war to Americans. The other testimony involves the propaganda used to manipulate public opinion and support for the war. On November 29, 1990, the UN issued an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein to withdraw his troops from Kuwait. The operation, called Desert Storm, began on January 16, 1991. The French Minister of Defense resigned on January 29, 1991. The exact number of civilian casualties from the month and a half of bombings remains unknown, with estimates ranging from a few thousand to sixty thousand Iraqis killed.

- The discussion begins with concern about the quality of Speaker 1’s internet connection for recorded YouTube work. Speaker 1 explains that their neighborhood has a monopolist limiting updates to local software/hardware, and says their own Starlink setup is going up, with 20+ or ~30 satellites already online and deploying quickly. Speaker 1 then jokes about sponsoring revolutions abroad, noting France and the UK should be ready. - The conversation shifts to international developments, focusing on the “Iran war” and later Ukraine/Russia, and then on Trump’s visit to China. - Speaker 1 describes alleged details from Trump’s China visit: Tajikistan’s president was visiting the same day, and during Trump’s arrival only part of the route’s flags were reportedly changed from Tajik to US flags. Speaker 1 frames this as a “soft insult.” - On Xi Jinping meeting Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin at airports/tarmacs, Speaker 1 says some claims are not true and emphasizes protocol and past examples: in prior meetings (Xi and Putin; Trump arriving previously), Xi reportedly met Putin at the tarmac, sat down with the top down, and drove into the city. Speaker 1 also says that in Trump’s last China arrival, Trump reportedly had Xi waiting. - Speaker 1 assesses the Xi–Trump meeting as unprepared compared with highly structured US-style or adversarial-country meetings. They describe how security teams, working diplomats, document preparation, possible joint statements, and agenda negotiation are typically handled before leaders meet. Speaker 1 compares this to earlier dynamics seen in Anchorage (with Trump allegedly seeking speed for a PR/picture moment). - The thread links the China visit to energy leverage involving Iran and Venezuela. Speaker 1 says Venezuela’s capacity is limited (around 800,000 barrels/day) and that significantly expanding it takes time and large investment. Speaker 1 argues US refining limitations matter: US refineries were set up for heavier sour crude (described as “viscous” and “sour” due to sulfur) and the US has not built a new refinery in over 30 years, citing bureaucracy and environmental laws as reasons companies left. - Speaker 1 elaborates on why the US cannot easily expand refining quickly, citing high insurance costs for factory work and related regulatory burdens, leading factories to move elsewhere. - Speaker 0 asks whether Trump intended a different sequence: Speaker 1 says the initial idea was to seek earlier wins and use Venezuela and Iran concessions to gain leverage, but the meeting reportedly came with Trump facing weaker leverage and needing help on Iran. - Taiwan discussions: Speaker 1 says reunification preferences exist among the Taiwanese opposition party that met Xi in China, with Taiwan described as the “Republic of China” and some groups categorized as seeking reconquest/reunification. Speaker 1 discusses why supplying Taiwan for conflict is difficult across open water and notes past US War College war-game conclusions that China would win if the US fleet intervened between China and Taiwan, while US strategy (as described) aims to make invasion costly rather than “winning.” - Proxy-war framing: Speaker 1 describes Ukraine and Iran/Yemen conflict patterns as proxy dynamics, referencing Marco Rubio’s admission that one war is a proxy war. - Iran supply/blockade claims: Speaker 1 says Iran is supplied via multiple routes—ports on the Caspian connected through Russian ports, and a rail line through Pakistan to China—plus other smaller export/storage options. Speaker 1 argues Iran’s weakness has historically included refining and diesel shortages, comparing it to the US importing refined product because it cannot refine enough to meet demand. - Venezuela capacity and US-advantaged/refinery/infrastructure problems are revisited, including discussion of reserves being held in gold in the US, social spending reductions of reinvestment, and US confiscation/export restrictions on equipment replacement, leading to worn-out infrastructure and the lack of “quick fixes.” - Straits of Hormuz and alleged “fee” idea: Speaker 0 cites a White House statement that China agreed to buy American oil to diversify from Hormuz and that Iran should not charge a fee for the Straits of Hormuz. Speaker 1 responds that Iran does not charge China fees (as stated by Speaker 1), then argues China’s commitments would only be clear if China confirms them, and compares this to past statements where purchases were claimed without matching agreements. - Speaker 1 argues sanctions can be moved/bypassed by the US government, not lifted by it, and says only US Congress can remove sanctions. Speaker 1 also claims the US continues buying sanctioned Russian products, while Europeans are criticized for accepting costly resell markups. - Speaker 1 also argues Hormuz isn’t treated as international waters in their view, and that Oman involvement matters, including claims about Oman not installing tollbooths and Iran striking ships—contrasted with the idea that a long-term/perpetual fee would open global choke-point “can of worms.” - Broader geopolitical framing: Speaker 1 says the “global system” is effectively gone, arguing the US helped build it and then killed it when it no longer served US interest, citing examples like the WTO and the strategic focus on controlling key choke points. Speaker 1 contrasts sea routes with Eurasia land connectivity and high-speed rail, linking this to belt-and-road connectivity. - Back to Iran: Speaker 0 asks whether China is pressuring Iran to concede or offering Trump political support with words. Speaker 1 says China prefers status quo and would prefer an end to war without weakening American stockpiles; Speaker 1 also says Iran’s ceasefire is not a full ceasefire and that both sides continue actions. - US military capacity and escalation: Speaker 1 argues that if Trump restarts the war, missile production is “null and void” at scale, and US manufacturing/industrial ramp-up would take years, citing the “missile production is null and void” point and the difficulty of rapid industry re-shoring due to state regulations. Speaker 1 discusses rare earths as a limiting factor in a different way—refining/processing capacity rather than shortage of elements—then argues chemical/electrolysis processing is expensive, energy intensive, and environmentally complex, often causing multi-year delays similar to refineries. - Soft-power indicators from Xi’s alleged absence and flag changes are used to explain Chinese behavior toward Trump, contrasted with prior high-level airport greetings and seating/handshake optics. Speaker 1 compares seating arrangements and perceived humiliation in European/Serbia contexts as a recurring pattern of power display. - Iran-war outcome speculation: Speaker 0 proposes a 50/50 scenario: continuation of conflict with Israeli strikes (and Iran mirroring strikes in the Gulf) versus Trump walking away. Speaker 1 says Israelis are driving outcomes and that APAC donors and money make turning away difficult, arguing Trump wants out but is constrained. Speaker 1 also says Iran and even Saudis/Kuwaitis reportedly would prefer US withdrawal from the Persian Gulf. - US military withdrawal and logistics: Speaker 1 says the US fifth fleet has left, its forward headquarters is moving to Israel, and damage estimates/repair costs are discussed. Speaker 1 argues the US is drawn into a genocide-perception dynamic once bases/equipment and US involvement are present. - Historical Iraq/Kuwait/Persian Gulf narrative: Speaker 0 asks why the US wanted Saddam to invade Kuwait. Speaker 1 asserts the US wanted Iraq to enter the Persian Gulf and become positioned for broader US presence, describing US backing for conflicts involving Iran and chemical weapons channels, and claiming Kuwait engaged in slant drilling stealing Iraqi oil. Speaker 1 says the US/Soviet coalition dynamics allowed the Gulf buildup and entry point into the region. - Final escalation discussion and regional future: Speaker 0 asks whether Trump will walk away or get trapped into escalation for a “win.” Speaker 1 says Israel’s influence over the US is expected to decline, claims generational shifts among American Jews/Christians and anti-Israel demonstrations, and argues Iran and the Gulf could reshape into new blocks with improved Gulf-Iran relations if stability is prioritized. - The conversation ends with debate over perceived misconceptions about Iran’s treatment of minorities and religious/political representation, plus discussion contrasting Iran with Saudi Arabia in terms of women’s legal status and religious policing, followed by a plan to do a future live recording using appropriate software.

Speaker 0, Speaker 1, Speaker 2, Speaker 3, Speaker 4, and Speaker 5 exchange views on U.S. policy and Middle East conflicts. The dialogue opens with Benjamin Netanyahu boasting that he can bring the U.S. along with whatever he does, followed by Speaker 1 asserting, “America … can be easily pushed, pushed to the right direction.” The exchange notes that, even if that were true, it is insulting to hear aloud, yet acknowledges that “BB has had a lot of success in pushing America.” Speaker 2 asserts, “If you take out Saddam, I guarantee that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region.” In contrast, Speaker 3 announces, “My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war.” Speaker 2 adds, “Obviously, we'd to see a regime change, at least I would, in Iran just as I would like to see in Iraq.” Speaker 4 states, “Short time ago, the US military carried out massive precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime.” Speaker 2 further claims, “Iraq, Iran, and Libya. Today, I authorize authorize the armed forces of the United States to begin a limited military action in Libya.” The repetition of “authorize authorize” appears in the transcript, emphasizing the declaration to commence action in Libya. Speaker 5 contends that the figure has been moving around the Middle East, his region, and his own country, “telling people point blank, just stating it, I control The United States. I control Donald Trump. I'm an American. You can't treat it it's too humiliating. I can't handle that, and I shouldn't have to put up with that.” The speakers collectively discuss U.S. involvement, potential regime changes, and the perceived influence of leadership over American actions, highlighting assertions of control, imminent military operations, and strategic aims in Iraq, Iran, and Libya.

The speakers describe the United States and coalition forces beginning major military operations aimed at disarming Iraq, freeing its people, and defending the world from grave danger. They assert that the threat comes from the Iraqi regime’s actions, its history of aggression, and its drive toward an arsenal of terror, and that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon. Saddam Hussein is depicted as a homicidal dictator addicted to weapons of mass destruction, and regime change in Iraq is presented as the only certain means of removing a great danger to the nation. The regime is accused of destroying weapons of mass destruction, ceasing all development, and stopping support for terrorist groups, while violating those obligations; despite warnings, Iraq is said to be reconstituting its nuclear program, rebuilding previous nuclear facilities, and pursuing nuclear weapons. The speakers claim that the Iraq regime possesses ballistic missiles with a range that threatens Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey, and other nations, and that its conventional ballistic missile program was growing rapidly, posing a threat to American air forces overseas. They note that the Iraqi military has fired upon American and British pilots more than 750 times in the past year, and that the regime already had missiles capable of hitting Europe and bases overseas, with future capability to reach the United States. Regime change in Iraq is asserted as the necessary course to remove the danger, with Saddam described as a student of Stalin who uses murder as a tool of terror and control. The regime is accused of arming, training, and funding terrorist militias, and of harboring terrorists and using instruments of terror. The goal is to ensure that the world’s number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon. In addition to dismantling weapons of mass destruction, Iraq is urged to end its support for terrorism, and Iran is described as the world’s number one state sponsor of terror, responsible for killing tens of thousands of its own citizens and for backing Hamas in attacks on Israel. The attacks of September 11 are invoked to illustrate why vast oceans no longer protect the United States from danger, and the threat of an Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons is described as an intolerable threat to the Middle East and to the American people. The speakers state that if Saddam has dangerous weapons today, it makes no sense to wait to confront him as he grows stronger; this is described as the last best chance to eliminate the threats posed by the regime. Finally, the rhetoric shifts to offering support for the Iraqi people, with assurances that America is a friend to the people of Iraq, backing them with overwhelming strength and devastating force. They express belief that all people deserve hope and human rights, and urge the Iraqi people to seize control of their destiny, promising freedom and a prosperous future once the demands are met. The moment for action is urged, warning not to let it pass.

About 10 days after 9/11, the speaker met with Secretary Rumsfeld at the Pentagon. A general informed him that they had decided to go to war with Iraq, but when asked why, the general had no answer. There was no evidence linking Saddam to Al Qaeda, but they felt they had a strong military and could overthrow governments. Later, the speaker learned that there was a memo outlining plans to attack seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq and ending with Iran. The speaker asked if the memo was classified, and it was confirmed to be so.

In 1990, Iraq attacked Kuwait, leading to a split opinion among the US public on whether to engage in a land war. However, support for war increased dramatically after a 15-year-old Kuwaiti girl testified before a congressional committee. She claimed that Iraqi soldiers took babies out of incubators, causing them to die. This testimony was later revealed to be false, as the girl was coached by a PR firm. The US and Kuwait had engaged in a $10 million campaign of deception. This incident highlights the use of fake organizations, false documents, and disinformation to achieve geopolitical goals.

Your country is in big trouble. You're not winning this. You have a good chance of coming out of this okay because of us. We are staying strong in our country from the beginning of the war. We've been alone, and we are thankful. You haven't been alone. We gave you $350 billion for your military, but they had to use our military. If you didn't have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks.

Alastair Crook discusses with the host the evolving US strategy toward Iran, the credibility of Iran’s deterrence, the role of Israel and Gulf states, and what is known about Iran’s domestic unrest. - Trump’s strategy toward Iran has shifted. Initially, he sought a big, quick victory with minimal entanglement, including a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June and assistance from Israel to identify a gap to exploit. Crook says Trump hoped for a toppling of the Iranian leadership via a “Maduro-style” operation that could be quickly achieved with outside support. Over time, outcomes did not align with those hopes, and the plan became far more complicated. - The naval armada near Iran was intended as a pressure point but, from the Pentagon’s view, is more of a liability. The armada is loaded with Tomahawk missiles rather than air defense missiles; estimates suggest 300-350 Tomahawks among two destroyers and one carrier. Iran has countermeasures: anti-ship missiles along the coast, submarines (including mini-submarines) with anti-ship missiles, and fast attack craft. Drones threaten the fleet, and the air defense burden would be high if a drone swarm attacked. Hormuz could be shut by Iran in the event of war, a long-term strategic lever that Iran has signaled. - Iran’s deterrence has matured: any attack by Israel or the US could trigger full-scale war and Hormuz closure. Symbolic exchanges were proposed by intermediaries (an empty IRGC building and an attack on a US base), but Iran rejected such symbolic moves, insisting on a broader, sustained response if attacked. - Israel’s posture and constraints: Israel has told the US it does not view the nuclear issue as the sole determinant, but instead urges action to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile system and deter future threats. Netanyahu, meeting with Whitlock, indicated opposition to any nuclear deal if the US does not secure certain Israeli demands, warning that without Israeli endorsement, a US deal would fail. Israel insists on conditions that make a broader deal nonviable for the US. - The Arabs’ restraint: Gulf states, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE, do not want direct involvement in an attack on Iran, including airspace use or refueling. Several factors influence their position: fear of Iranian retaliation, concerns about broader regional instability, and shifts in regional alignments. Saudi Arabia has grown more anti-Israel, viewing Israel as destabilizing and expressing concerns about the region’s security order. There is also a fear that a major war could trigger an Arab Spring-like upheaval in Gulf monarchies. - Iran’s internal unrest: The insurrection in Iran involved trained insurgents (MEK operatives trained by the Americans in Armenia and Kurds trained in Northeastern Syria) and some Baluch participants. Corridors through Turkey and Kurdish groups facilitated their entry into Kermanshah Province. The strategy aimed at creating chaos to provoke a Western intervention, with reports that attackers were paid (roughly $5-$10) to inflame violence, burn buildings, attack ambulances, and kill. The Iranian government reports nearly 3,000 killed during the protests, with about 150 more unidentified; the majority of casualties were security forces due to exchange of fire. The narrative contrasts with outside accounts, noting the opposition did not lead to defections from key state institutions, and Israeli intelligence assessment reportedly concluded the unrest did not threaten the regime’s collapse. - Regional and great-power dynamics: Russia and China have signaled opposition to letting Iran be pressured by the United States, with discussions in Russia about offering a nuclear umbrella or naval support for Iran, though official policies are unclear.Originally planned joint exercises near Hormuz were paused; there are ongoing considerations of Chinese/Russian involvement that would complicate US options. A Chinese-Russian naval presence near Iran could limit US maneuvering. A recent drone shot down by the USS Lincoln reflects continued attempts at signaling and potential negotiation. - Overall assessment: Trump faces a dilemma between projecting strength and avoiding a costly escalation, with Israeli opposition complicating any potential US move. The US cannot easily sustain pressure without risking market turmoil and broad regional and great-power entanglements. The likely trajectory involves continued “negotiations about negotiations” rather than immediate, decisive action, while Iran’s deterrence and regional recalibrations constrain what any use of force might achieve.

Around 10 days after 9/11, I met with Secretary Rumsfeld and Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz at the Pentagon. A general called me and informed me that we were going to war with Iraq, even though there was no evidence connecting Saddam to Al Qaeda. The decision was made because they didn't know what else to do about terrorism. A few weeks later, I asked if we were still going to war with Iraq, and I was told that the plan was even bigger. The Secretary of Defense had a memo outlining a strategy to take out seven countries in five years, starting with Iraq and ending with Iran. The presence of oil in the Middle East has always attracted great power involvement, and there has been a belief that force can be used to intervene in the region.

Speaker 0 says people asked why “they” are crawling toward Russia like “the Atlasians,” explaining that the aim is to reach Russia’s oil, gas, coal, and iron to occupy it. He says this is “very clear,” adding that the Russians told him at the highest levels: “We, of course, know this goal.” He states that the goal is to occupy Russia’s oil and gas and its coal and iron mines, and that these mines contain gold in Russia’s Caucasus region, which is not available “with them.” He says the Russians consider this intentional and emphasizes that the response should be taken seriously. He also claims that Atlasians may occupy Libya and could even be able to take it all, unless there is national protection. He then argues that the Arab world has military power and that attacks should be understood as attacks on all Arabs: the alleged aggression toward Libya, Lebanon, and Mauritania are presented as aggression against “all Arabs.” He urges Arabs not to “do like America,” saying America does not kill itself, and he describes the concept that America has its own fleets, “word promises,” aid, and “bribes,” leading to actions during a time he mentions as linked to the Soviet Union’s day and the period after it.

Speaker 0: Nearly two weeks into this conflict, the official story is cracking, and the number of Americans wounded is slowly coming out. Yesterday, we reported based on our sources that the number of American wounded was at least one hundred and thirty seven. After our report ran, the Pentagon has now publicly acknowledged about one hundred and forty wounded. That confirms our sources on this. So why did it take a little news show like ours to report this information? Why wasn't Fox News reporting this information? The Pentagon I know it's really weird. Why is the mainstream media silent on this? The Pentagon finally comes out and actually admits to this. Speaker 1: Reuters comes out and reports this. Exclusive. As many as one hundred and fifty US troops wounded so far in Iran war. They just published this today, this morning. March 10. That's remarkable. Exclusive. Just curious how that's an exclusive when we reported it yesterday. Yesterday. Whatever. Hey, Reuters. Bite me. Anyway, this war is clearly not winding down no matter what the messaging says. President Trump is saying the war could end very soon. But Iran says talks with The United States are off the table for now. Tehran is prepared to keep striking as long as it takes. And they're vowing an eye for an eye. So what is an eye for an eye actually mean? Does it mean you hey, you killed our leader. We kill yours? Does it mean, hey, you killed all these girls who were the daughters of members of the the Iranian Navy at a girls school, do we also do that to you? Like, what is actually does that look like? Speaker 0: Does it mean we took out your water infrastructures or you took out ours? So we do that. Right. Your gas infrastructure, civilian infrastructure, that's that's a war crime. But we did it. Your oil infrastructure, we do that. Like, what exactly does that look like? Meanwhile, the Strait Of Hormuz is getting worse by the minute. US intelligence tracking Iranian mine laying threats now as Gulf energy infrastructure there is taking a major hit with about 1,900,000 barrels per day of refining capacity across Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and The UAE. All down. CBS now says shipping through the Strait Of Hormuz has ground to a virtual halt. Nothing getting through. That's of just a few minutes ago. And Israel's hammering Beirut's southern suburbs and Lebanon. So they've essentially invaded Lebanon. Speaker 2: And then there's the neocon political class in Washington saying the quiet part out loud. Senator Lindsey Graham is now openly talking about, you know, going back to South Carolina to tell the sons and daughters in South Carolina, you know, you gotta send your loved ones to the Middle East. That's what I'm doing here in South Carolina. I gotta tell them to go fight in the Middle East, and he's calling on other Middle East countries that have been sitting on the fence that we've supported over the years as allies. Get off the fence. Go bomb Iran. Help out with Iran. And, oh, by the way, Spain, we're pissed off at you because you don't want us using your air bases or airspace to bomb Iran. Listen. Speaker 0: To our allies step up, get our air bases out of Spain. They're not reliable. Move all those airplanes to a country that would let us use them when we're threatened by a regime like Iran. To our friends in Spain, man, you have lost your way. I don't wanna do business with you anymore. I want our air bases our air bases out of Spain into a country that will let us use them. To our Arab friends, I've tried to help you construct a new Mideast. You need to up your game here. I can't go to South Carolina and say we're fighting and you won't publicly fight. What you're doing behind the scenes, that has to stop. The double dealing of the Arab world when it comes to this stuff needs to end. I go back to South Carolina. I'm asking them to send their sons and daughters over to the Mideast. What I want you to do in The Mideast to our friends in Saudi Arabia and other places, step forward and say this is my fight too. I join America. I'm publicly involved in bringing this regime down. If you don't, you're making a great mistake, and you're gonna cut off the ability to have a better relationship with The United States. I say this as a friend. Speaker 1: Ugh. He's an odious friend. Speaker 0: Say this as a friend. Speaker 3: With friends pick up a gun and go fight yourself, you coward. Yeah. I freaking hate that. But you're calling so, like, bluntly for somebody else to go die for his stupid cause. Speaker 0: Yeah. Speaker 1: I am so curious about this. I mean, he's a liar. But how many people in South Carolina are really walking up to him and saying, who are we gonna get to fight with us? Who are we gonna get to fight Iran? Worried about this. My son can go, but who's going with him? Let's make some war playdates. Who does that? Speaker 0: Larry Johnson is a former CIA analyst, NRA gun trainer, and, he's been looking at all of this and doing some incredible writing over at his website, Sonar twenty one. Larry, thank you for joining us. Great to see you back on the show. Speaker 4: Hi, guys. Good to see you. Speaker 0: So I wanna talk about the American war wounded first because Mhmm. I know that this is, near and dear to your heart and, of course, something that you've been watching, closely. And the lies, of course, that are coming out about this. Again, I spoke to sources over the past forty eight hours that were telling us here at Redacted about 137 Americans wounded. Then the Pentagon comes out and then confirms about a hundred and forty. So right pretty much right on the nose. And does that number sound low to you? Or does that sound about right? Speaker 4: That sounds a little low. So on March 4, let's go to Germany. Stuttgart, just North West of Germany, there is a hospital called Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Landstuhl's primary mission is to handle American war wounded. On March 4, they issued a memo telling all the pregnant women that were about to give birth that, sorry, don't come here. We're not birthing any more babies. We gotta focus on our main mission. So that was the first clue that there was there were a lot of casualties inbound. I know, without mentioning his name, somebody who was involved dealing with the combat casualties during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he dealt with the personnel at Lunstul. And he called someone up and said, can't say anything, but there's a lot of casualties. Then 13 miles to the east of Landstuhl is an army base called Kaiserslautern. Kaiserslautern and the Stars and Stripes issued for that base had an appeal, a blood drive appeal. Hey. We need lots of people to show up and donate blood. So those that was on March 5. So I wrote about this March 6. So I wrote about this four days ago, that, yeah, we had a lot more casualties, and there are more coming, because Iran's not gonna stop. You know, right now, we're getting signals that the Trump administration is reaching out, trying, oh, hey, let's talk, let's talk cease fire. Iran's having none of it. They've been betrayed twice by Donald Trump and his group of clowns. Speaker 0: Right. Speaker 4: You know? And and so they're not ready to say no. No. They've got the world, by the testicles is the polite way of saying it, withholding the Strait Of Hormuz. They've shut down the movement of not only oil, liquid natural gas. They're the supplier of about 25%, 25 to 30% of the world's liquid natural gas, and, about 30%, 30 to 35% of the world's urea, which is used for fertilizer. Now, that may not I just learned that that may not be as important as I once thought it was because most of it comes out of Oman. Oman, you don't have to worry about things going through the Strait Of Hormuz. But on oil and liquid natural gas, huge. 94% of The Philippines depended upon the flow of gas, both liquid and the petroleum oil, out of the Persian Gulf. India, 80%. Japan, South Korea. So this is gonna have a major impact on certain economies in the world. Now there there I I I've said this ironically. I I think Vladimir Putin's sitting there going, maybe Donald Trump really does like me, because what he's done is he's making Russia rich again in a way I mean, they're getting, you know, they were selling they were forced to sell their oil previously under sanctions at, like, $55 a barrel. Now they're getting $88.90 dollars a barrel. Well, and they just opened it up to India. I mean, that story over the past forty eight hours, like, so they The United States has eased its restriction on Russian oil flowing to India. I mean, talk about an absolute disaster. Speaker 4: Well, yeah. And remember what had happened there is India was playing a double game too. You know, bricks India is the I in bricks, and Iran is the new I in bricks. And so what was India doing? Well, India was pretending to play along with The United States, but then going to Russia and saying, hey, Russia. Yeah. We'll buy we'll buy your oil, but we needed a discount because we're going against the sanctions, and we need to cover ourselves. So Russia said, okay. As a BRICS partner, we'll let you have for $55 barrel. So they got a discount. So now when all of a sudden the the the oil tap is turned off, including the liquid natural gas, India goes running back to Russia. Now remember, on, February 25-26, India was in Israel buttering up the rear end of BB, Net, and Yahoo, kissing rear end all they could. Oh, man. It was a love fest. We're partners with Israel. And then Israel attacks their BRICS partner. And what does India say? Nothing. Zero. They don't say a thing about the murdered girls. So now all of a sudden, the oil's turned off. It's nine days now with no oil coming out of there for India. They go running back to Russia. Hey, buddy. Let's let's get back together. And Russia says, sure. That's great. But it's gonna cost you $89 now a barrel. No more friends and family program. Gonna get market conditions. Speaker 0: We've had many journalist friends that have had their bank accounts shut down. We were literally in the middle of an interview with a great journalist from the gray zone who found out that his banking was just shut down. Literally, in the middle of an interview, he got a message that his banking was shut down. Well, Rumble Wallet prevents that, because Rumble can't even touch it. No one can touch it. Rumble Wallet lets you control your money, not a bank, not a government, not a tech company, not even Rumble can touch it. It's yours, only yours, yours to protect your future and your family. You can buy and save digital assets like Bitcoin, Tether Gold, and now the new USA USA app USAT, which is Tether's US regulated stablecoin all in one place. Tether Gold is real gold on the blockchain with ownership of physical gold bars, and USAT keeps your money steady against inflation. No banks needed. It's not only a wallet to buy and save, but it also allows you to support your favorite creators by easily tipping them if you want with the click of a button. There'll be no fees when you tip our channel or others, and we actually receive the tip instantly unlike other platforms where we have to wait for payouts. So support our show today and other creators by clicking the tip button on our Rumble channel. Speaker 1: Now I wanna ask you about president Trump responding to CBS News reports that there may be mines in the Strait Of Hormuz. That doesn't make a ton of sense. He says we have no indication that they did, but they better not. But they are picking and choosing who gets to go through, and their allies can go through. So why would they mine their allies? What do we make of this? Do we need to respond to this at all? Speaker 4: Yeah. I don't think they've done it yet. But let's recall the last time Iran mined the Persian Gulf. They didn't mine the Strait Of Hormuz. They mined farther up. It was 1987, 1988. Why did they do that? Well, in September 1980, when Jimmy Carter and Zbigniew Brzezinski were still in office, The United States encouraged a guy named Saddam Hussein, don't know if you've ever heard of him, but they encouraged Saddam Hussein to launch a war against Iran. And then Ronald Reagan comes in with Donald Rumsfeld and Cap Weinberger, and by 1983 had provided chemical weapons, or the precursors that Iraq needed to build chemical weapons, and Iraq started using chemical weapons against Iran in 1983 and continued to do it in '84, 85, 86. During that entire time, Iran never retaliated with chemical weapons. They were not going because they saw it as an act against God. They were serious about the religion. So 'eighty seven, 'eighty eight, they start dropping mines there in the Persian Gulf. Well, at that time, they didn't have all these missiles, so the United States Navy, a Navy SEAL, a good friend of mine, set up what was called the Hercules barge, and he had a Navy SEAL unit with him, and they fought off attacks by Iranian gunboats. He had some Little Bird helicopters from the one sixtieth, the special operations wing of the Air Force. And but we ended up disrupting the Iranian plan to mine The Gulf back then. Well, we couldn't do that today. We do not have that capability because Iran would blow us out of the water with drones and with missiles. You as we've seen, it's been happening over the last ten days. So United States would be in a real pickle. Speaker 1: And especially given the rhetoric of US war hawks in power for three decades. Like Yeah. Yes. They kind of had to prepare all of this time. Did we think that they weren't paying attention when we said it to the world? Speaker 4: Well, when we're writing our own press clippings and then reading them, there is a tendency to say, god, I am great. Can you see this? How good we are? And so they really believed that our air def the Patriot air defense systems and the THAAD systems would be they they could shut down the Iranian missiles and drones. And what they discovered was, nope. They didn't work. And they worked at an even lower level than the you know, Pentagon kept foul. We're shooting down 90%.

After 9/11, I visited the Pentagon and spoke with a general who informed me that the decision had been made to go to war with Iraq, despite no evidence linking Saddam to Al Qaeda. The rationale seemed to be a lack of options in dealing with terrorism, leading to a military approach. A few weeks later, while we were bombing Afghanistan, the same general revealed a memo outlining plans to target seven countries over five years, starting with Iraq and including Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and ending with Iran. He mentioned the memo was classified and advised against viewing it.

Donald Trump was working to bring peace between Iran and Israel, and Israel didn’t want that at all. They tried to murder the negotiators in that round of peace talks from Hamas in Doha, and they tried to tell the world that Trump signed off on this, that Trump knew, totally false. Trump did not know. Not only did they do this, they tried to implicate Trump in it. A couple of weeks later he responded with an executive order that I’m going to read verbatim because it’s bet not one in a hundred people knows this even happened. This was in September: he signed an executive order called the Assuring the Security of the State of Qatar. The order states: The United States and the State of Qatar have been bound together by close cooperation, shared interests, and the close relationship between our armed forces. The State of Qatar has hosted The United States forces, enabled critical security operations, and stood as a steadfast ally in pursuit of peace, stability, and prosperity both in The Middle East and abroad, including as a mediator that has assisted The United States attempts to resolve significant regional and global conflicts. Listen: In recognition of this history and in light of the continuing threats to the state of Qatar posed by foreign aggression, it is the policy of The US to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the state of Qatar against external attack. The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory sovereignty or critical infrastructure of the state of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of The United States. Oh, wait a second. What was the last act of foreign aggression against Qatar? What happened that exact same month? It was a bombing by Israel. So Israel bombs Qatar and Donald Trump issues an executive order saying if you do that again, reading by the language here, we’re going to war with you. Donald Trump took the side of Qatar over and above Israel and told Israel, and who knows if he’d actually do it, it’s in the executive order, If you do this again, that’s tantamount to an attack on us. That’s a security guarantee. Keep that in mind because there are a lot of Trump voters who are upset about nine eleven; the residue was still in their mouth. That part of the world did it to us. Islam did it to us. And anyone who wants to have a normal relationship with an Islamic country is probably pro Al Qaeda. I get it. I know those feelings. Had them. But here Donald Trump, the guy that you voted for taking Qatar’s side against Israel. Why is that? Because Donald Trump is a secret Islamist? No. Because Qatar is a lot better for The United States than Israel has been.

The discussion centers on escalation between the United States and Iran after the U.S. lifted a sanctions waiver tied to the MOU on Iranian oil and petrochemicals, and after earlier talk suggested the strikes might end. Despite Iran not striking ships in the Strait of Hormuz on the day in question, the U.S. launched strikes on Iran again at multiple coastal locations, described as similar to targets previously hit, including Bushir, Bandar Kangan, Bandar Abbas, Bandar Lenge, Abu Musa Island, Kashim and Kashim Island, Sirik, Jask, Konarak, and Shabahar. The targets were said to include radar sites, missile launcher positions for anti-ship missiles, and small attack boats. Trump’s remarks were highlighted as framing the MOU as dead, while CNN reported the ceasefire had at least temporarily ceased, with U.S. officials warning the situation remained highly fluid and additional strikes were possible. Attention then shifted to whether Iran would retaliate and how it might do so. One recurring theme was that U.S. actions were violating the MOU, while Iranian enforcement of Strait of Hormuz routes was said to be in harmony with it. The debate also included a view that Iran’s biggest leverage is the Strait of Hormuz and that continuing to control traffic there could inflict more pain than attacking U.S. bases. Another counterpoint emphasized that Iran would want to both hit U.S. capabilities and maintain Strait of Hormuz pressure. Military buildup and movement were discussed using satellite imagery and reporting: U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers reportedly redeployed from Ben Gurion, including to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, with references to around 47 tankers stationed at airports as of the prior day and a total of 32 departing Ben Gurion in the cited time window. The argument was that these aircraft could facilitate attacks on Iran. Additional notes included U.S. warships patrolling across the Middle East per CENTCOM and reports about aircraft movements toward Turkish airspace and potential fueling for strikes. The conversation covered disputed interpretations of what counts as retaliation and how far escalation should go. On the Iranian side, the statements discussed included that retaliatory behavior would continue and that the Strait of Hormuz was not closed. The Iranian officials’ messaging included major MOU violations by the U.S., threats of further strikes, reinstated oil sanctions, and attacks on southern Iran, alongside claims that the “era of bullying and extortion is over.” The participants also discussed Khomeini’s funeral attendance claims from Iranian sources and timing questions about burial and processions. Trump’s comments were extensively quoted as describing repeated, escalating strike logic tied to attacks on ships, including claims about hitting Iran “very hard,” a 20-to-1 ratio, and statements that the U.S. might strike without a deal. The transcript also references threats about destroying bridges, power generation, and desalination plants, and speculation about seizing the Iranian island of Kharg. At the same time, it cited Trump saying he did not think a wider war in Iran would restart and that any actions would happen “very fast” rather than long term. Another segment focused on oil market implications. The discussion linked crack spreads and futures to costs and shortages, including claims that refined product prices were rising quickly relative to spot indicators. It described an argument that refineries face much higher costs for oil coming out of the Strait of Hormuz, with “crack spreads” spiking alongside futures. The participants debated explanations including demand destruction and oversupply from prior purchasing ahead of the war. They also discussed the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve refilling, contrasting “sweet crude” versus “sour crude,” and argued about U.S. refinery capabilities for converting sour crude into diesel and aviation fuel. Iranian military actions and U.S. counter-strikes were described as including anti-ship missiles and drones targeting U.S. facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, along with claims of drone shootdowns. OSINT-style references were made to U.S. strikes targeting communications towers at an IRGC Navy base in Sirik for a third time, a site north of Bandar Abbas Airport described as having been an S-200 SAM and surveillance radar location, and fire detected at coordinates inside Bandar Abbas fishing port. Trump’s treatment of the “111 missiles” claim was also discussed. In parallel, regional diplomatic and political developments were mentioned: a meeting between Trump and Al-Shara was said to include talk of unifying Syria and removing Syria from the state-sponsored terrorism list, with reports that removal had been actioned or requested. Al-Shara’s alleged commitments regarding Hezbollah were framed as a key indicator for future regional outcomes. Additional mention included Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warning regional countries not to allow their territory to be used for U.S. strikes on Iran, and Oman condemning attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait without naming Iran. Overall, the discussion concludes with repeated emphasis that the pattern is back-and-forth without a formal peace deal, uncertainty about how far retaliation will go, and a belief that the biggest risk is miscalculation leading to disproportionate escalation. The transcript also states that if Iran’s retaliation begins, it would most likely target Bahrain and Kuwait, while noting other possible targets such as the Emirates.

The Israeli government commissioned a memo outlining a foreign policy strategy targeting Iraq, Syria, and Iran. This memo was created ten years prior and influenced key figures in the Bush administration. Following 9/11, prominent neoconservatives pressured President Bush to support military action against Iraq, Hezbollah, and Syria, threatening to label him an ally of terrorists if he did not comply. This push for war seemed disconnected from the actual perpetrators of the attacks, who were linked to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The rationale behind targeting these countries appeared to align with the pre-existing strategy laid out in the memo, suggesting a deliberate agenda rather than a reaction to immediate threats.

10 days after 9/11, a general informed me that we were going to war with Iraq. When I asked why, he didn't have a clear answer but mentioned that our military was capable of taking down governments. Weeks later, while we were bombing Afghanistan, I asked if we were still going to war with Iraq. To my surprise, he showed me a memo from the secretary of defense's office outlining a plan to take out 7 countries in 5 years. The countries listed were Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran.