Hamas Peace Plan. No, We're Not There Yet, If Ever!

By Rich Kozlovich

Donald Trump has put forth a peace plan to end the Hamas/Israeli war in Gaza, which the Hamas military leadership opposes in spite of the fact the population of Gaza is begging Hamas to agree since, quote unquote, they've been through hell, and have even been abused and exploited by aid workers.  Hamas is so busy trying to kill Jews they don't seem to notice these abuses....actually, they don't care..... and in point of fact, have abused their fellow Gazans worse than these aid workers.

Trump gave Hamas a few days to make up their minds on his plan, a plan Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and even the Palestinian Authority supports.  

The world is ready to stop the bloodshed.  And yet — predictably, infuriatingly — Hamas shrugs and says, “Yes, but...”Every time there’s a glimmer of peace, Hamas moves the goalposts.  Another round of haggling.  Another round of delay.  Another chance to keep the chaos going — because chaos is the only currency Hamas knows how to spend.  And here’s the question no one seems to ask: Where are the protesters now?

For months, we’ve seen mobs in the streets screaming, “Ceasefire now!”  They chained themselves to bridges.  They stormed college campuses.  They shouted down Jewish students and politicians.  But now — when there’s actually a ceasefire deal that Israel and the Arab world have signed off on — the silence is deafening.

They bring up all these cease fire protestors from around the world, most likely professional protestors, but I have to ask; where are all the marching, screaming, ceasefire Israeli activists now? 

Trump has made it clear if they don't agree, then Israel will be turned loose to finish the job.   But, if Hamas agrees they will have to give up their arms, totally disarming their movement, permanently ending their militarization of Gaza, a difficult proposition given the massive underground tunnel system throughout Gaza, and historically, Hamas is a military movement that came into existence to destroy Israel, and has existed with that as their sole purpose for their existence for decades.

The plan also forbids Hamas to have any future role in the governance of Gaza, and a multinational security force composed of Muslim nations in collusion with the Israeli Defense Force, will be in charge of Gaza's security, and will do so over many years. And even if Hamas agreed, are we really to believe that will work?  

I started this piece talking about how Gazans are suffering and want peace, but no matter what appears in the media, and the jabberwocky about peace plans that are touted, I keep coming back to how October seventh has become a distant memory?   

What I remember is these are the same people who danced in the streets as they watched videos of these Hamas monsters raping and murdering innocent women, children, unarmed men, and ever baking a baby alive in an oven.  These are the same people who danced in the streets when they paraded coffins with dead hostages in them.  And we're supposed to bleed all over ourselves regarding their suffering?  All of which they brought onto themselves.   But I have to ask; why is it the world can't seem to notice the Christian genocide being perpetrated in Nigeria.  People who did nothing to deserve being murdered by.... Muslims.... just like the Muslims in Gaza who murdered all those innocent unarmed civilian Israelis, and laughed about it.

 Conclusion?  Whether of not Hamas agrees is meaningless, as they will never honor any agreement that prevents them from murdering Jews, or anyone else for that matter.  The only answer is for Israel to kick out all the Muslim Gazans, totally absorb Gaza into the nation of Israel, build settlements filled with Israelis and tell the world to shove it, and start looking at the same solution for the Palestinian Authority. 

It won't happen, and this will never end as a result.   Hamas is nothing more than a complete reflection of what Islam is all about.  They'll just rename themselves, rearm themselves, and continue their murderous onslaught against unarmed innocent civilians.  That's history, and that history is incontestable.

Hostages versus IDF soldiers and Israel’s security

Vital hostage concerns cannot be preeminent in this complex, brutal war for Israel’s survival

By Paul Driessen

Israeli hostage families have demanded meetings with government officials and deals with Hamas, due to concerns that expanding the Gaza war to eliminate Hamas threats could mean more living kidnap victims will be murdered and those already deceased will disappear forever in Gaza’s terror tunnels.

Supporters staged a “Day of Disruption,” blocking highways, demanding an immediate ceasefire to secure the release of hostages, and saying they won’t stop until everyone returns.

Their understandable anger, fear and frustration underscore divisions among Israelis and within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and government over how to battle an enemy that has vowed to eradicate Israel “from the river to the sea.” An enemy that views a “two-state solution” as merely a rest stop on its road to making the entire region free of Jews, Christians, Bahais, Druze and other “infidels.” An enemy that rejects any two-state solution, because it wants a One-Muslim-State solution.

Even hostage families are split. The Tikva Forum believes increased military pressure on Hamas and its last sanctuaries is the best way to free their loved ones. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum says Israel should simply accept Hamas’s demands.

I follow Israel issues closely and have been to Israel three times since the October 7 massacres. I still can’t imagine being in their shoes or having to make life-or-death wartime decisions. However, those making return of the hostages their preeminent goal must address other important considerations.

* How can Israel critics and hostage-release-now advocates justify leaving Hamas in power, heavily armed, in control of Tunnel Fortress Gaza – or far worse, governing a UN-recognized nation that could acquire tanks, missiles, fighter jets and other advanced weapons from Israel’s enemies and frenemies?

That prospect cannot be downplayed or ignored when: The Hamas charter says, “There shall be no recognition of the legitimacy” of the “racist, anti-human and colonial” “Zionist entity.”

Hamas leaders proclaim, “Israel has no place on our land.... Nobody should blame us for the things we do on October 7th, October 10th, October 1,000,000.” And another Palestinian activist said, “We are fighting Jews, not Zionism” and “I will drink the blood” of Israeli civilians.

* Is it remotely possible that Hamas will be more willing to release the remaining hostages, amid ongoing rancor and divisions within Israel … calls for recognition of a (still nonexistent) “Palestinian state” by France (Emmanuel Macron), Britain (Keir Starmer), Australia, Canada and others … and growing anti-Israel sentiment (even over football matches) across Europe and beyond?

As US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted, the unilateral statehood recognition promises quickly led to more antisemitism – and to Hamas’s rejection of the latest ceasefire and hostage release proposals. Is there any basis for thinking that louder demands for hostage releases will change Hamas’s attitudes?

* Do hostage advocates view the lives of IDF men and women as less important than living or dead hostages? That’s unimaginable. They simply want their loved ones brought home.  

But more than 900 Israeli soldiers have died since October 7. Thousands have been shot, paralyzed, burned or made amputees. Still more will be injured or killed if the IDF expands its efforts to “finish the job” (as President Trump has urged it to do), dismantle Hamas and prevent future October 7 massacres.

Yet these brave warriors and their grieving families receive a fraction of the attention given to hostages and their families. Downplaying the importance of IDF casualties is certainly not deliberate or even conscious. But it’s an undeniable result of current hostage politics.

All these lives are precious. None should receive attention or precedence over others.

* Can those who love Israel justify making the Gaza war even more complicated than it already is?

Hamas and Gazans deliberately set the stage for making this urban conflict so brutal and difficult. they built hundreds of miles of interconnected terror tunnels, living quarters, command centers and rocket factories throughout Gaza – with entry shafts into thousands of homes, apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, shops and mosques. Hamas stores guns, explosives, rockets and other weapons in almost every one of them, and uses them for snipers and ambushes. Hamas thus turned all of them into military targets.

The terrorist ideology and propaganda machine deliberately uses women and children as human shields, wants Gaza “martyrs” to die, inflates casualty numbers, and intentionally mixes terrorists and civilians together in death tolls. Gullible or Israel-hating “journalists” endlessly repeat the phony numbers.

And yet Israel is told it must minimize civilian casualties even more than it has – and “end the fighting” according to artificial deadlines set by an “international community” that has been virtually silent about decades of Hamas murders of Israeli civilians and even the horrors of October 7.

Israel is also told it must provide food, medical and other humanitarian aid. Israel has provided over 150,000,000 meals through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which the UN refuses to work with while letting thousands of tons of UN food rot. Hamas tries to steal the aid, while starving hostages and killing Gazans who try to circumvent Hamas control by going directly to the GHF.

(What other army in history has fed its enemies amid a war? Russia certainly isn’t feeding Ukraine.)

And yet the UN and media claim there’s a famine and feature emaciated poster children – who turn out to be kids afflicted by cerebral palsy, Fanconi syndrome or other genetic disorders, not by starvation.

Trying to make hostage deals the paramount consideration roils this maddening situation even further.

* How can the world condone the hypocritical double standards – especially when Israelis are battling a vicious, amoral enemy that seeks their eradication from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea?

There is one Jewish state on Earth, versus 25 majority-Muslim states in Africa and the Middle East alone. Since 1948, Jewish populations have been obliterated in nearly all of them. Yet Israel alone is accused of genocide and Apartheid, despite having the most ethnically and religiously diverse population of these 26 countries.

China is barely criticized for trying to destroy Uyghur and Tibetan language, culture and religion. Islamists brazenly slaughter Christians in a dozen African countries. Similar atrocities continue elsewhere.

48 hostages are still held by Hamas, perhaps 20 still alive. Hamas photos proudly show Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski starving, emaciated and forced to dig their own graves in a tunnel. Israelis were shocked. The UN and world yawned – and accused Israel yet again of causing famine and genocide in Gaza.

The list of outrageous double standards is long and despicable.

It’s as if the world thinks only Israel and Jews are forbidden to fight for their very existence. Never again.

It’s time to finish the war and Hamas, expand the Abraham Accords, bring the hostages home, rebuild Gaza along the Trump plan – and prod the United Nations and international community to do something truly novel and productive for once: create a better, more prosperous, more tolerant future for a Middle East that has been rocked by division, hatred and war far too long.

Paul Driessen has been to Israel multiple times and seen its archeological treasures, modern innovations, amazing multi-ethnic people and tragedies firsthand. He is the author of articles on energy, environmental, human rights and Israel issues.

Israel, Islam, and Western Civilization

By Rich Kozlovich 

How quickly Israelis forget and what the western world's leaders seem to wish to ignore is, quoting Lt. Col. James Zumwalt in this article:

On October 7th, Hamas brutally slaughtered babies in their cribs, burned entire families alive, and murdered children and parents in their homes. IDF soldiers are fighting and sacrificing their lives not just for Israel, but to defend the entire free world. If Israel doesn't defeat this terror, you will be next. It's time for the world to wake up.

Here's a a quote from one of my subscription news sites:

Israeli protests. In Israel, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir condemned nationwide demonstrations demanding a comprehensive ceasefire with Hamas to secure the release of Israeli hostages. Smotrich described the protests as aiding Hamas, while Ben-Gvir said they undermine government efforts and delay hostage returns. Protesters blocked roads and burned tires, particularly in Tel Aviv. Meanwhile, the chief of staff of Israel's military said Israeli forces would soon begin the next phase of operations to destroy Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also affirmed that military operations will continue until Hamas is defeated.

So, given these protests I think we should start with my four Anyone But Bibi commentaries, wherein I show the left wing Israeli government that ousted Netanyahu had only one moral foundation:  Create an "Anyone but Bibi" government.  A government with no shared vision, plan or direction.   The end result?  Suffering, which was turning into a very real existential threat to Israel.  

Suffering really is the beginning of wisdom, and the nation of Israel, after four failed elections in five years, voted to bring Bibi back, and they voted overwhelmingly to do so, allowing him to create a stable government which the disgruntled "Never Netanyahu" camp of leftists have consistently failed to do, and now Israeli's are condemning Netanyahu, partners of his coalition are walking away, and Israel is embracing national suicide.  

There was an article that appeared in Geopolitical Futures, explaining why the Israeli War is unsustainable dealing with the three major factors in all geopolitical issues.  Geographics, economics, and demographics.  

First, geographics, Israel is surrounded by Islamic nations.  Here's a defining map that appeared in a Geopolitical Futures article:

 

This has been a multi-front war, some claiming a seven front war, which I think is an accurate description and has been going on for decades, with this latest outbreak going on for two years.  With all these terrorist driven wars there's no definitive way to end them, and this doesn't only impact Israel.  Immigration jihad is impacting the entire western world.

1. Turkey Hosts Hamas Official Calling for Israel’s Destruction, Arming of Qassam Brigades
2. Hamas-Linked CAIR Unleashes 50,000-Strong Muslim Army Trained to Dismantle America’s Institutions

This brings us to the issue of demographics, and Israel's population isn't large, just under ten million people, and that creates a problem providing sufficient forces to deal with all these fronts putting a huge strain on their military personnel.  Israel only has 170,000 active duty military personnel with 300,000 reservists dealing with all these fronts facing a Muslim population surrounding them of over 370 million, with millions of active duty personnel and who knows how many thousands of terrorists.   This places a massive strain on Israel's military, with the gap between objectives and ability widening.  Fatigue, and refusing to serve longer is becoming an issue, and we're now seeing erosion of one of the most important components for success; "domestic cohesion", especially dealing with the special privileges of the Orthodox Israelis military exemptions, which has been resented from the beginning of the nation.    

Lastly, economics.  This war has placed a massive strain on their economy, since 2023 the cost has reached just under 70 billion dollars, with the costs continuing to escalate, but spending is only the tip of the iceberg.    When you're having to supply the military with so many workers it results in labor shortages, and many areas of economic interest are now drying up, including tourism.  As one writer observed:

For Israel, the past two years have revealed the limits of a system designed for short wars. Manpower is exhausted, economic pressure is mounting and political cohesion is eroding. At the strategic level, the gap between military objectives and capacity is only growing. Without clearly defined end goals, deterrence risks decay, and operations persist without closure.

Netanyahu has a plan, and that's to take over Gaza, and remove hundreds of thousands of Palestinians out of Gaza, Israeli's are protesting, the western world is protesting and abandoning Israel while supporting people who are nothing more than brutal sadistic psychopathic monsters following a criminal political movement masquerading as a religion called Islam. 

 

What could possibly go wrong? 

Is There a Gaza War Solution?

By Rich Kozlovich

Yesterday I published these two pieces, Western Stupidity and the Two State Solution and The Gaza Starvation and Genocide Farce outlining two things. First, the leaders of western nations are clueless and they'll embrace any lie that degrades Israel and promotes these terrorists and the terrorism they practice, which will come back to haunt them, and they will deserve what's coming their way.  

What's also shocking, although given the insanity they've been spewing out for decades it shouldn't be, is how the media has warped this whole story:

The Media’s Shameful Modesty over Skeletal Israeli Hostages - Evyatar David is skin and bones. He is 24 years old; he was 22 when he was kidnapped 668 days ago by Hamas at the Nova music festival. Mainstream Western media have given little or no coverage to the video released by Hamas, in which David is forced to dig his own grave in a Gaza tunnel, barely able to hold the shovel, while the other hostage, Rom Braslavski, also emaciated, is shown writhing in agony from hunger. His captors seem to revel in his physical and mental anguish. Two hostages walled up alive in Gaza’s catacombs built with UN funds...........

Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee exposes how CBS News edited an interview Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has essentially accused CBS News of leaving so much of an interview with him on the cutting room floor that it effectively changed the tenor of the interview. CBS News’s goal was obvious: To make Israel look genocidal and to make the Trump administration look either feckless or complicit..........

What's most shocking is the suicidal mentality of leftist Israelis who are marching demanding the end of the war and the return of all the hostages, no matter the cost.  While I can certainly understand their deep emotional need to see their loved ones returned, I can't understand their willingness to destroy Israel in the process.  

Hamas doesn't want the war to end, and accepting cease fire agreements, which they will invariably violate, aren't the same as ending wars.   They're a death cult that wants Israel destroyed, and if taking a lot of hostages gets them what they want, they'll just keep taking hostages, making agreements they won't keep, and getting enough time to rearm and attack again.  

What can possibly be going on in the minds of nearly 600 Israeli ex-security officials who appealed to Trump to end the war saying:

“It is our professional judgement that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel,” reads the open letter, which was sent on Friday and shared with the media later. “You did it in Lebanon. Time to do it in Gaza as well.” “Chasing remaining senior Hamas operatives can be done later. Our hostages can’t wait.”

Andrea Widburg posted this piece, The suicidal impulses of leftist Jews on August 9, 2025 expressing dismay at the irrational destructive views of leftist Israeli Jews. 

Joan Swirsky posted an interesting piece explaining the geyser of Jew-hatred over all, but her analysis of what she calls, "The Self-Hate Factor", is interesting asking and explaining how it's possible for how Jews can hate themselves.

Surprisingly, the answer is simple: It’s hard to be a Jew, and this species is simply not up to it.  Yes, they can be proud of their brains and talents, but when it comes to their backbones — that’s another story. For many Jews, being a member of the world’s most historically vilified minority is just “too much” to cope with.  Liberal Jews are not psychologically up to any of these challenges, hence their pathetic over-eagerness to “understand” the people who hate them, to accommodate the enemies of Israel, to capitulate to the ever-escalating and invariably one-sided demands for “compromise,” to slavishly follow Jews like linguist Noam Chomsky, playwright Tony Kushner, and journalist Peter Beinert, who are so suffused with Jew-hatred that their entire lives have been devoted to amputating any vestige of Jewish identity from their beings.

So, when Netanyahu and his government decided it was time for a permanent military occupation of Gaza as the only workable solution to the end of this war, the left in and out of Israel, the media and western Europe, went nuts.  

Several world leaders have condemned the plan, and the UN has warned it would lead to "more massive forced displacement" and "more killing". Hamas warned of "fierce resistance" to the move. The plan also faces fierce opposition within Israel – including from military officials and hostages' families. 

What's in this plan of occupation? There are five principles involved. 

1. The disarmament of Hamas
2. The return of all hostages, both living and dead
3. The demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip
4. Israeli security control over the Gaza Strip
5. The establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority.

They would continue to provide humanitarian aid to the "civilian population outside the combat zones"..... aid that would actually be delivered to the civilian population and not stolen by Hamas, so it's understandable why Hamas is outraged over this, calling this "a new war crime"..... "We warn the criminal occupation that this criminal adventure will cost it dearly and will not be an easy journey......"  Well, I agree, it won't be an easy journey, but especially for Hamas.  

I'll end this piece by stating all geopolitics is predicated on three major factors.  Geographics, Demographics, and Economics.  Sustainability is an issue, which I will address next week.  

 

Palestinians Think Israel is Winning

By Daniel Greenfield @ Sultan Knish Blog

Ask some Israelis about the war in Gaza and they can sound pessimistic. The war is a slog. It can’t keep on going. International critics complain that the war has no clear goalposts (beyond destroying Hamas) and is inherently unwinnable. What does victory even look like?

There’s one metric that they seem to have overlooked.

In 2023, 70% of ‘Palestinians’ thought that Hamas was going to win. Today, only 43% do.

After the Oct 7 attacks, 72% of them thought that the Hamas attack was a good idea. Today only half still do. The number of those who admit it was a bad idea rose from 22% to 40%.

In Gaza, 58% now acknowledge that Oct 7 was a mistake.

And these numbers have been steadily and consistently dropping as the war goes on.

Among the enemy population, victory is no longer an option and most hope for a ceasefire. 43% are willing to leave the Gaza Strip. 50%, a majority, are willing to ask Israel for help to leave.

Less than half of those in Gaza are happy with how Hamas has fought the war. In Gaza, 29% believe that Israel is winning the war. Only 23% believe that Hamas is.

While the enemy population in Judea and Samaria (known in the media as the West Bank) has more confidence in Hamas than those in Gaza do, 75% of them fear that the war will spread, 65% believe that their cities will be destroyed if war comes and 40% believe Israel will win.

Even as too many Israelis quarrel among themselves, the enemy’s morale is crumbling. And in a war against terrorists who operate among the civilian population, morale is paramount.

Insurgencies don’t win because they have superior tactics, technology or infrastructure, but because they have superior staying power. Islamic Jihadis outlasted the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan. Hamas bet everything on being able to outlast Israel. But what if it can’t?

The only remaining Hamas strategies are to force a permanent ceasefire using perhaps 20 living hostages (and more kidnapped dead bodies) as leverage or to hide behind a ‘Palestinian’ state under the control of its rivals in Ramallah. And both strategies depend on Qatar being able to wrangle the United States and Europe into pressuring Israel and bailing out Hamas.

Without America and European intervention and Israeli defeatism, Hamas has no hope.

Israel lost 9 soldiers in Gaza in June. It lost 41 soldiers in all of 2025. Compare that to 28 fatalities in June 2024. Hamas is still able to move its 20 or so hostages around tunnels and in civilian houses, but it’s not posing much of a threat to Israeli soldiers in Gaza anymore.

On Oct 7, 2023, Hamas was part of a coalition with Hezbollah, Syria, Yemen and Iraqi Jihadis following a master plan out of Tehran. Out of that coalition, Syria is gone, Hezbollah is broken, the Iraqis are staying out of it, Iran is burning and only Yemen’s Houthis are still fighting. If Israel succeeds in using the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to direct aid away from Hamas, the Islamic terrorist group loses much of its money and control over the population in Gaza.

Even its American university fanbase is moving on to fresh causes, like protesting for illegal aliens, because a good deal of their enthusiasm for Hamas came from its Oct 7 massacres, the paragliders, the rapes at a music festival and the mass invasion, which are starting to recede into history. And Hamas hasn’t killed Jews in any hip ways lately.

No one, from the Middle East to the Harvard campus, likes a loser. And Hamas is a loser.

Some Israelis and Americans may see the war as an endless slog, but the ‘Palestinians’ are coming to recognize it as a dead end. They’re not about to give up on terrorism or even on Hamas, but they are recognizing that they lost and dealing with all that comes with it. Including the willingness by surprising numbers among the enemy in Gaza to leave Israel.

The ultimate purpose of war is to break the enemy’s morale. Muslim countries perpetuate myths of victory even in the face of total defeat. Saddam celebrated the Gulf War as a victory. Egypt annually commemorates its ‘October victory’ in the Yom Kippur War. Hamas has tried to sell Oct 7 as a victory but even its people increasingly no longer believe that they’re winning anything.

Paradoxically neither do a lot of Israelis.

Israeli media polls are suspect, but they show that a sizable percentage of the population appears willing to give up and sign a deal with Hamas, ending the war in exchange for 20 hostages. After Germany appeared to be pulling its support, a number of Israeli opinionmakers urged an end to the fighting. Such paroxysms of defeatism have become a regular feature.

A lot of Israelis are understandably tired of the fighting and willing to give up even as they approach victory. They are being subjected to a torrent of negativity from their domestic radical leftists, from their media and from the international community all of which reject the war. And the longer the war goes on, the more futile (like most wars) it seems to those fighting it, but wars are won on endurance and staying power, not just on lightning strikes and brilliant tactics. Israel has never lacked for brilliant tactics, what it lacks (like us) is staying power in a conflict.

There’s an old Jewish joke. Two elderly Jewish men are sitting on a park bench in 1930s Germany. One of them flips open a copy of a British paper while the other starts reading Der Sturmer. “Why are you reading that Nazi rag?” the first man demands. “Your paper says that we’re being rounded up and killed. Mine says that we run the world,” the second man replies.

Israelis could learn something from tuning out their own suicidal media and looking at what the enemy thinks. While Israeli media runs the gamut from defeatism (Yediot) to outright treason (Haaretz), their enemies are starting to figure out that they lost and that Israel is winning.

‘Palestinians’ think Israel is winning, but too many Israelis have come to believe they’re losing.

Daniel Greenfield is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. This article previously appeared at the Center's Front Page Magazine. Click here to subscribe to my articles. And click here to support my work with a donation.  Thank you for reading.

 

 

What about the Houthis?

By Rich Kozlovich

There's been a lot of talk about how Iranians feel about Israel's attack on Iran, going in both directions, some claim they're in favor of these attacks, and others claiming they're not going to do anything to overthrow this regime with some claiming Iranians are doing fine economically.   Well, I have a rule.... Everything is the Basics... and I find it hard to believe they're all doing so well.   

There are chants in Tehran "Death to Khamenei", but in Europe there are pro-Iran demonstrations.  However, one group, Femme Azadi, a woman's rights group, says supporting the Iranian government isn't supporting the people, they're supporting executioners.   The facts seem to support the idea Iranians feel these attacks by Israel against the government is in support of the Iranian people actually creating a bond between them. 

One Iranian professor stated:

"The future of this country is in your hands, you are the future. Sometimes the bright days would come after the challenges a nation faced for decades. Light will triumph over darkness soon"...

And it appears that's the mentality of the Iranian diaspora, with both Israeli and the Iran flags being carried at demonstrations.  While the general population in Iran still fears these monsters, they seem to view all this as a "call for freedom and mutual understanding strengthens ties..... a  surprising camaraderie transcends political divides, setting a foundation for future relationships."  

While Israel and Trump have scored huge successes, and Iran is seriously weakened, the fact remains, they didn't finish the job.  Trump's desire for a diplomatic solution isn't that far removed from the mentality of his predecessors, Obama and George H. W. Bush, which is why this is happening now, and could very well have to be repeated if the Iranians don't organize and overthrow these fanatics.  In the meanwhile no matter what Europe's leaders may be saying publicly, they love the fact Israel is doing the dirty work they won't do, and in point of fact helped to create.  That way when things get too touchy they can blame Israel.  

All geopolitics are based on three main things, geographics, demographics, and economics.  Plus two other factors that are desperately difficult to control, foundational social paradigms and the happiness factor.  

So, lets get back to the economics of all this.  Iran spent untold billions on their insane desire to attain nuclear weapons, and all that was wiped out in less than two weeks, and this whole nuclear mess has been an economic anchor slowing diminishing Iran's economy.  They're also wasted billions on their proxy terrorist movements like Hamas and Hezbollah, and that's been crushed.  The resulting sanctions over they years has cost Iran between $2 trillion and $3 trillion.  Their GDP shrunk dramatically, inflation is rising, their currency is losing value, and there are shortages of all the basics.   I don't really think Iranians are all that happy.  

Syria officially remains silent on all of this, but Syria is by no means stable and the Islamic Liberation Front launched rockets into the Golan Heights.  Nonetheless, Iran's Islamic neighbors are happy they're being crushed, no matter what public stand they may be taking.  

Now, what about the Houthis?  Iran has been their financial benefactor for years, and now that's going to dry up.  But the Houthis are not so much a political movement as a criminal gang and criminal gangs need to meet payroll.  They will most likely embrace piracy and drug smuggling.  How that's dealt with will be interesting to watch.  

So, since I only have one paragraph about the Houthis why did I use them in the title? Because while they're small, they're representative of the mentality of larger Islamic movements and nations, and that enhances the understanding as to what they world has to deal with.    

Israel Iranian War

By Rich Kozlovich

Along with my thoughts, much of what appears here is from a subscription article by Kamran Bokhari, an analyst for Geopolitical Futures, so I can't link it for you, but I wanted to make sure he got credit for this analysis,  and you'll just have to take my word for what was said, or not, as it pleases you, 

The war between Iran and Israel is on hold. I don't say over because it's not over, it will never be over as long as Islam exists because Islam is at war with the world, in perpetuity, whether there's fighting or not.  Jihad is foundational to Islamic belief, and can take on many forms such as immigration jihad that's taking place throughout western civilization.  

Since Trump declared a cease fire (whatever happened to unconditional surrender) there's been all these claims the attack on the nuclear facilities have been a failure and has only set Iran's nuclear program back a few months.  Well, I wonder how they know that since it being reported even the Iranian government doesn't know how bad the damage really is.   It's being reported from intelligence sources their military leaders are hiding the true damage to their nuke sites from Iran's leadership.

It was obvious from the beginning Israeli intelligence has deeply penetrated all levels of Iran's government and military, so I think that assessment merits more credibility than CNN, and satellite image analysis will take time and isn't that same as eyes on the scene intelligence.   

One thing we need to grasp is Iran's government isn't harmonious, and as one writer noted:

Iran’s long-running internal evolution underway for nearly two decades and nearing an inflection point – has accelerated.

As for right now, their nuke program has been halted, and the damage to the political system is as meaningful as the damage to their nuke program, and what may well be a huge change in their military leadership, with a lot of junior officers moving up in the ranks quickly, and needing time to settle in and stabilize their commands.  Something I've just become aware of is the decades long dissent between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Artesh.

The IRGC is ideologically in harmony with the ruling Iranian clerics running the government with power to impose their views on both domestic and foreign policy, militarily as well as economically, and were created to protect the government from internal threats, and they've been brutal.

The Artesh is the traditional military and is forbidden from any political involvement, and for good reason from the view of the Iranian government.  It appears they're not true believers, and most government funding goes to the IRGC, not Artesh.  The Artesh was purged early on because it was believed they had loyalty to the Shah, but they weren't eliminated because they were needed to fight the Iran/Iraq war.  Eight years of economic and humanitarian devastation, but that war also transformed the IRGC into a parallel military and then dominant military.   

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wanted to bring the "Artesh into ideological conformity with the regime by "appointing loyalist commanders and embedding clerics as advisers" into Artesh  I don't think that really worked to tell you the truth.  

But this may now change as it was the IRGC that pushing the proxy war for years, and now that's been crushed, the Assad regime is done, all destroying the "ring of fire" they created around Israel and now Israel has crushed Iran, and Artesh's only concern is national security, and it appears they're taking charge as the IRGC is being blamed for all these defeats. 

Iranians are Persian and look down on Arabs. Islam is an Arab movement and for centuries Persians had a history of Zoroastrianism, an ancient monotheistic religion that has more in common with Christianity and Judaism than Islam emphasizing the differences between good and evil, and the importance of doing good.  I’ve been reading that’s still a force in their culture, whether that’s true or not remains to be seen.  If it is, I’m inclined to think that would be the foundational force that generates regime change internally.  

One thing we need to be clear about.  It's not our job to fix the world.  Jews have a term for it: Tikkun Olam:

 "A Jewish concept defined by acts of kindness performed to perfect or repair the world. The phrase is found in the Mishnah, a body of classical rabbinic teachings. It is often used when discussing issues of social policy, ensuring a safeguard to those who may be at a disadvantage."

Well, we've tried that and it fails over the long run due to four things.  Geography, demography, economics, and foundational cultural paradigms we don't really understand.   

We’re too far away, we’re mostly confused about the issues all these various populations have, as a result we don't have the answers to their problems, and finally, we don’t have the money.  If we did understand the social complexities, and if we did have the money, it wouldn’t matter as all these endeavors are Lewis Carroll rabbit holes that can never be fixed or filled,  If regime change is to come, let them do it, or not, but it's clear Iran will not be allowed to have nuclear weapons.  

Here's all the articles I've been saving over this latest unpleasantry between Islam and the world, and let's start with The Man Who Owns the Current Iran Crisis, Barack Obama, followed up with Victor Davis Hanson's Ten Iranian Questions, and Glenn Harlan Reynolds, Five Takes on Bombing Iran.  

The conservative Republican reactions,  Cotton: Iran Should Not Retaliate Against Americans if They Want to Continue in Power, and Senate Majority Leader Thune: Iran ‘Rejected All Diplomatic Pathways to Peace’.  It must be noted there are those who see reality clearly, Pro-Israel Voters Rejoice: ‘Thank God We Voted for Donald Trump!’.  

Democrat Reactions: The Democrats have once again marched over the cliff in lock step, ignoring history, reality and sanity.  Why Would Anyone Vote for These People?

1. Democrat Party in Disarray After American Bombing of Iran
2.  Midnight Hammer vs. midnight yammer
3.  Alexandria Ocrazio-Cortex Calls for Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump 
4. Oh No! AOC and Other Unhinged Dems Say Trump's Iran Attack Is Clearly Grounds for Impeachment
5. AOC: Trump's Decision to Bomb Iran Was 'Disastrous'
6. Democrats Furious at Trump Decision to Bomb Iran’s Nuke Sites
7.  Cuck Schumer Breaks Silence, Opposes Trump Attack on Iran
8. 3 things that happened just this week that tell us Dems are insane
9. Jeffries: Trump ‘Failed’ to Bring Peace
10. Reactions Left Explodes… Massie: ‘Unconstitutional’
11. Obama Bro Tommy Vietor's Tantrum Insisting Obama's Iran Nuclear Deal WAS WORKING Blows UP In His Face

International Response: 

I'm never quite sure why these nitwits run to defend Iran, but the do, especially when nations like China, N. Korea, and Russia, all of which have zero moral values.   

1. China, Seeking Relevance, Blames U.S. for Iran’s Illicit Nuclear Activities
2. North Korea Calls Israel a ‘Cancer,’ Backs Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions
3. Russia’s Medvedev Blasts Trump After Iranian Military Strikes – Says “A Number of Foreign Countries Ready to Directly Supply Iran with Nuclear Warheads”
4. Iran’s Allies in Latin America Condemn Trump Strikes
5. U.N. Secretary General Condemns U.S. Strike on Iran as ‘Dangerous Escalation’
6. Norway and Anti-Semitism     
7. Russian Leader Claims Multiple Nations Are ‘Ready to Directly Supply Iran’ With Nuclear Weapons Following U.S. Attack  

Iranian Propaganda  

Iran is never at a loss for chest pounding and threats, and I love the post where Iran says Trump... and Israel... started this war and they will end it.  After decades of terrorist attacks and direct attacks they're somehow claiming innocence?  Yes, that's Islam.  No matter what vile thing they do that's acceptable since the Koran allows it.  But to retaliate against them is a rebuke to Allah, and therefore the wrong only belongs to those who defend themselves against Islamic horrors, which is why CAIR Condemns Trump’s Strike: ‘Illegal and Unjustified’, and the vicious murdering monsters of Hamas Condemns Trump Iran Strikes: ‘Brutal Aggression’ .

1. Uh-Huh: ‘Iran’s swift response forced enemy to end hostilities, Supreme National Security Council says 
2. Iran State TV Anchor to Trump: ‘You Started It, We will End It’
3. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi: US Will Have to Take Full Responsibility for Its Attacks on Iranian Nuclear Facilities 

Nukes:

 

Let's finally dispense with the lies they only wanted nukes for energy production.  They have unlimited energy resources and have no need for nuclear power.  One more thing.  It appears the International Atomic Energy Agency " has lost track of 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of Iranian uranium enriched to 60 percent."   What could possibly go wrong?

1. Ten nukes? And a June 15 'go' date? 
2. IAEA Declares Iran In Breach of Nuclear Obligations
3. Iran Threatens Head of U.N. Nuclear Agency for Revealing Enrichment
4. Khanna: Iran Will Walk from Nonproliferation Treaty, Boot Inspectors 
5.  Iran Vows Uranium Enrichment Will Continue
6. Israeli intel assesses that Iran’s nuclear program set back ‘several years,’ but not destroyed — official 
7. President Trump’s Bombing Iran’s Nuclear Sites Did Not And Will Not Start A War
8. Iran’s Atomic Energy Chief Wants to Restore Nuclear Industry After Airstrikes
9. Dissident Group Reveals Iran’s Covert Nuclear Bomb Program
10. US Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites Involved 125 Aircraft, 14 Bunker Busters Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi: US Will Have to Take Full Responsibility for Its Attacks on Iranian Nuclear Facilities 

Regime Change  

1. Is Iran Ready for Regime Change, And Is The NCRI The Right Way To Change?
2. Trump says he’s opposed to regime change in Iran, says it will bring ‘chaos’.  

Surrender?

Has Iran really surrendered, or is this just a stalling tactic.  Yes, they've surrendered in order to stall for time.  During the Barbary pirate days a US naval vessel crossed paths with a Barbary pirate naval vessel and a battle ensued.  The Muslims were losing so the struck their flag and surrendered.  The American ship stopped firing and moved closer, and the Muslim ship raised it flag and started firing.  That happened three times, and the America captain had enough the third time and blasted them to paradise.  Why did they do that?  Because Islam allows them to do it.  Any deception or lies to infidels is not only acceptable, it's encouraged.

1. Do the Iranians View This Ceasefire as a Temporary “Tactical Pause” Known as a “Hudna” in Islam? 
2. Mark Meadows on how Israel could cripple Iran financially 
3. Iran Effectively Surrenders to the United States 
4. End game for the Mullahs?
5. Shortest Term Ever? - Israel Decapitates New Chief of Iranian Armed Forces Right After He Takes Over for Last Chief, Whom They Also Killed  
6. IDF Chief: We Have Turned Iran’s ‘Ring of Fire’ Against It 
7. The Iranian Navy isn’t a match for the U.S. Navy—or an enraged world 
8. Israel to the leaders of Iran: What’s my name?!

Trump:

Trump is the reason why Putin made his moves while either Democrats or RINO's were in power.  They talked the talk but failed to walk the talk.  

1. Trump’s Iran Strike Shows Precisely Why Elections Matter 
2. The Iran strikes that proved the influencers wrong: Why Trump’s base never blinked
3. President Trump Cut Through the Noise 
4. The Trump Iran Strikes Were a Message to China 
5. President Trump’s Constitutional Strike Against Iran 
6. Trump’s precise, carefully calibrated strike sends a strong message
7. Trump just took back what Obama gave Iran
8. More than Iran: Was the U.S. strike a global power signal?
9. The Trump Iran Strikes Were a Message to China
10. Top Officials Speak at Pentagon: Trump Achieved What Many Before Could Not 
11. Trump: Iran Will Face ‘Force Far Greater’ If It Strikes Back
12. The world is turned upside down!
13. If You Oppose Donald Trump on Iran, You’re Backing Nukes

Victor Davis Hanson on Iran Bombing

What happened to Trump’s ‘unconditional surrender’ demand to Iran?

June 24, 2025 By Robin M. Itzler @ American Thinker

Most of us watching events in the Middle East -- and the extraordinary performance of our American military -- are probably on our 10th bottle of aspirin. Many America First, Israel supporters fully agree with Mark Levin and others who think calling for a ceasefire when one side (Israel) is winning is not the way the war works.

“What’s needed now is this, in my humble opinion. Iran should be forced to sign a surrender document. Unconditional surrender. They lost their nukes, they’ve lost their air force, they have no ground-to-air protection. China didn’t step in, Russia didn’t step in, not a single Arab country stepped in. The Supreme Nazi is hiding in a bunker much like Adolf Hitler did. Adolf Hitler wasn’t thrown a lifeline. He wasn’t thrown a lifeline. He was going to be killed, so he committed suicide.”

It’s difficult to argue with Levin’s view. After all, there was a “ceasefire” in effect on October 7, 2023, when Iran-funded Hamas invaded southern Israel, murdering, butchering, raping, mutilating and kidnapping about 1,400 innocent (Jewish and Christian) Israelis.

Every single time Israel has been attacked by its Arab neighbors, there has been a “ceasefire” in effect. There have been “ceasefires” in effect every single time Iran-funded Hamas or Hezbollah sent rockets flying into Israel. Every. Single. Time.

“Ceasefire” to Americans and most in the western world means (per Google):

A temporary suspension of fighting, typically one during which peace talks take place; a truce.

In the Arab world, based on events since Israel was founded in 1948, “ceasefire” is Islamic doublespeak and means we have time to prepare to slaughter more Israelis.

Does this mean those who support Israel should embrace Mark Levin’s view (and that of others) that Israel should be allowed to finish destroying the Ayatollah’s Iran and put the backward nation on a path to regime change?

That might be the case if most of the world (at least the free world) supported Israel. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Tucker Carlson-like western nations, which means we need to be realistic about the situation. Besides the United States, who is in Israel’s corner? Maybe Argentina and Hungary, but they’re not going to provide much-needed military hardware.

President Donald Trump is America First from start to finish. Every decision is made with that in mind. As much as Israel is our closest ally in the Middle East (and the world), President Trump is analyzing decisions based on what is best for America. (This contrasts with former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden—or Joe’s autopen—who made decisions based on what is worst for America.)

Before flying to the NATO summit, President Trump was fuming that both Iran (which shot first) and Israel (which retaliated) had broken the ceasefire. Standing on the White House lawn, he angrily told reporters:

"We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f--- they’re doing.”

President Trump could have easily said something along the lines of Iran broke the ceasefire, and Israel had the right to shoot back. However, by verbally attacking both nations, Trump keeps the anti-Iran Arab world with him. It shows everyone that he is viewing the situation through an America First prism. And most importantly, he wants a peaceful resolution.

While it would be fantastic if the 13th-century ayatollah regime in Iran were toppled for a friendlier, Western-leaning government, there are no guarantees that a new regime would be better. Regardless of which regime is better, though, it is up to the Iranian people to change their regime. There is no better time than now for this to happen.

Is it fair to Israel to ask the tiny nation of less than 10 million to stop fighting when it is winning the war? Historically, Israel has had to stand down many times in many wars since its renewed birth in 1948 because of the United States’ demands. But the fact is that without the United States, there is no Israel, and that’s the realistic reason why the ceasefire might be President Trump’s idea of “unconditional surrender.”

To be continued … dynamics are changing almost hourly.

Robin M. Itzler is a regular contributor to American Thinker. She is the founder and editor of Patriot Neighbors, a free weekly national newsletter. Robin can be reached at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com.

Some Consequences of an Israel-Iran Truce

This could be extremely consequential

John Droz Jun 24, 2025

I’m an optimistic, upbeat person. As such, I see the potential for a LOT of good things to come from this historic development.

On the other hand, I’m a realist. I’m well aware that there are a LOT of evil and/or ignorant people in the world. What that means is that even a very positive change can — and will — be undermined by such parties. In other words, there will be lots of bumps in this road, and maybe even land mines.

Here are some quick thoughts: 

Trump -

This will earn President Trump a significant amount of political credits. He brought the Middle East closer to a potentially peaceful resolution than anyone else has, in a long time… Never-Trumpers are expected to complain about the tiniest hiccup, completely oblivious of the Big Picture.  

Democrats - 

The most vocal Dems (AOC, Sanders, etc.) will likely fall further out of favor. Most independents (and even some Democrats) will be turned off by their incessant and irrational criticisms of Trump. On the other hand, it is looking more likely that Senator Fetterman may become the leader they need.  

The Big Beautiful Bill - 

Regretfully, some Republican Senators (e.g., Tillis) have been large obstacles to this bill. For some inexplicable reason, they favor citizens spending many more Billions of dollars to continue to prop up the horse and buggy industry. They seem to have forgotten that they are representatives of citizens, not agents to sell buggy whips. Hopefully, some of Trump’s newly earned political credits will silence their nonsense. 

Iran - 

The citizens there will certainly favor their country being in fewer conflicts. However, for decades now, terrorists have been encouraged by the Iranian regime, so it is unlikely that they will suddenly become crop farmers… Israel should show some restraint, as the actions of these malcontents will not necessarily reflect the position of the Iranian regime or its citizens. 

Palestinians - 

Ideally, if there is a reasonable peace between Iran and Israel, there is a much better chance that the complicated Palestine issue can be resolved peacefully. That would be extremely important.  

The Middle East -

Although few countries in the region have had the temerity to speak up, most indications are that they are strong supporters of a more well-behaved Iran. 

Russia -

Putin is competent enough to realize that what just happened in Iran could well be applied to his attempt to bully Ukraine into submission. 

China - 

The Chinese are adept at reading the political tea leaves. There’s a good chance that the recent Iranian developments will encourage them to work out not only tariff issues, but also their continued pilfering of US work product (e.g., via student exchanges, etc.) 

Markets -

The Stock Market, etc. (which abhor uncertainty) should respond very favorably to this potential peace deal. 

Perspective - 

I have found Ayaan Hirsi Ali to be dependably insightful and an eloquent writer. About this matter, she wrote:

I understand that President Trump is a polarizing figure. But polarization is often the tax a leader pays for moral clarity. Right now, Trump represents more than a political party or a single nation. He represents the West's fading will to survive. His administration's strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure weren't just tactical decisions; they were a civilizational stand against a regime that spits in the face of everything the West claims to value.

 The Bottom Line - 

That’s my 2¢ as of 6-24-25. Ask me next week, and there will almost certainly be a refinement of one or more of the above.

The overall takeaway is that the Bunker Buster event should result in many more positives than negatives.

---

Here is other information from this scientist that you might find interesting:

I am now offering incentives for you to sign up new subscribers!

I also consider reader submissions on Critical Thinking on my topics of interest.

Check out the Archives of this Critical Thinking substack.

WiseEnergy.org: discusses the Science (or lack thereof) behind our energy options.

C19Science.info: covers the lack of genuine Science behind our COVID-19 policies.

Election-Integrity.info: multiple major reports on the election integrity issue.

Media Balance Newsletter: a free, twice-a-month newsletter that covers what the mainstream media does not do, on issues from COVID to climate, elections to education, renewables to religion, etc. Here are the Newsletter’s 2025 Archives. Please send me an email to get your free copy. When emailing me, please make sure to include your full name and the state where you live. (Of course, you can cancel the Media Balance Newsletter at any time - but why would you?

Leave a comment

Share

Thanks for reading Critically Thinking About Select Societal Issues! Please pass a link to this article on to other associates who might benefit. They can subscribe for FREE to receive new posts (typically about once a week).

Iran Has Been at War With Us for 46 Years

By Daniel Greenfield @ Sultan Knish Blog 

 

“America can’t do a damn thing against us,” Ayatollah Khomeini bragged while holding our hostages.

The Carter administration had undermined the Shah’s government in favor of the Islamists who seized power and then prevented the embassy’s Marine guards from defending the facility and the people inside against the Muslim ‘student’ groups who claimed to be coming in peace.

The “peaceful” student activists took over our embassy and held our people hostage.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei taunted President Trump with the same slogan in June after being asked to give up Iran’s nuclear weapons program. “Our response to the US nonsense is clear: they cannot do a damn thing in this matter,” he echoed his regime’s founder.’

Carter’s failure to defend Americans had turned Khomeini’s taunt into a confident slogan.

America couldn’t stop its diplomats and soldiers from being taken hostage and paraded through the streets. In subsequent decades, future administrations couldn’t stop other Americans from being taken hostage again, tortured and executed. By the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Iranian IEDs alone had accounted for as many as 1,000 American victims.

Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s IRGC terror mastermind, had thought that America couldn’t do a damn thing. In January 2020, President Trump taught him otherwise with a Reaper drone.

It was the first time in a long time that America had done a “damn thing” about Iran.

In 1983, Iranian backed terrorists set off truck bombs in Beirut that killed 220 US Marines and 21 other servicemembers. Mohsen Rafiqdoost, Khomeini’s bodyguard who helped found Iran’s IRGC terror force, boasted that, “both the TNT and the ideology, which in one blast sent to hell 400 officers, NCOs, and soldiers at the Marines headquarters, were provided by Iran.”

Beyond a few airstrikes, America didn’t do a “damn thing” because the intelligence proving Iran was behind the attack was suppressed so that it never reached Reagan. Eventually we placed multimillion dollar rewards on the heads of Hezbollah’s Ibrahim Aqil and Fuad Shukr who continued to live without a care in the world until Israel took them out after Oct 7.

The Biden administration assured the media that it had nothing to do with the Israeli strikes.

Over the decade, Iran’s Hezbollah proxies took dozens of American hostages. Some were released after months or years in exchange for concessions, while others were killed.

In 1984, Hezbollah kidnapped, tortured and killed CIA Station Chief William Francis Buckley whose identity they learned from classified documents seized from the embassy in Tehran. Buckley was transferred to Iran and tortured there, before being returned to Lebanon. Videos distributed by Iran’s Jihadists showed him in agony. “Buckley was close to a gibbering wretch. His words were often incoherent; he slobbered and drooled and, most unnerving of all, he would suddenly scream in terror, his eyes rolling helplessly and his body shaking.” 

 

America once again did not do a “damn thing”.

In 1985, Hezbollah hijacked TWA Flight 847. One of the terrorists was Imad Mughniyeh who had also interrogated Buckley. Navy diver Robert Stethem was beaten and kicked to death before his body was dumped on the tarmac. 

 

“They were jumping in the air and landing full force on his body. He must have had all his ribs broken,” Uli Derickson, the stewardess, described. “I was sitting only 15 feet away. I couldn’t listen to it. I put my fingers in my ears. I will never forget. I could still hear. They put the mike up to his face so his screams could be heard by the outside world.”

Instead of sending a message and holding Iran and its terrorists accountable, the United States made a deal to have Israel free hundreds of Jihadists. 

 

In 1988, Hezbollah kidnapped Colonel William R. Higgins and tortured him for months. An autopsy found that he had been starved, the skin on his face had been partially removed along with his tongue and he had also been castrated. Finally his body was dumped near a mosque.

“I am one of a small handful of Americans who knows the exact manner of Rich’s death. If I were to describe it to you now – which I will not – I can guarantee that a significant number of people in this room would become physically ill,” a friend of Higgins stated.

Finally, decades later, in the last days of the Bush administration, the CIA teamed up with Israel to take out Mughniyah with a car bomb. America had finally done a “damn thing”.

But Iran continues to hold American hostages today like former FBI agent Robert Levinson.

In 1996, Shiite terrorists backed by Iran bombed the Khobar Towers killing 19 American servicemembers, but Iran was also pursuing other options including a new Sunni terror group.

Al Qaeda built a relationship with Iran. The 9/11 Commission noted, 

“Iran facilitated the transit of al Qaeda members into and out of Afghanistan before 9/11” (with the aid of Soleimani, later taken out by Trump) and “Al Qaeda members received advice and training from Hezbollah.”

After 9/11, some Taliban leaders relocated to Iran to fight America. By 2010, Iran was paying $1,000 for each American soldier killed and Iranian IEDs were claiming American lives.

After losing in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda relocated much of its operations to Iran.

Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, Al Qaeda’s second-in-command, responsible for the bombings of American embassies across Africa, was taken out in Tehran in a joint Israeli-American operation during the first term of the Trump administration.

Saif al-Adel, the current leader of Al Qaeda, lives in Tehran and has been there for two decades. Even while supposedly in Iranian custody, he ordered the 2003 bombings in Saudi Arabia that killed 9 Americans.

As recently as last year, Iran and its terrorist proxies continued murdering American soldiers and contractors including Scott Patrick Dubis in 2023 and Sgt. William Rivers, Specialist Kennedy Sanders, and Specialist Breonna Moffett in 2024. 

 

No matter how much politicians and social media influencers may insist that we’re not at war with Iran, the Islamic terrorist state has been at war with us for 46 years. And is still fighting us.

It only takes one side to have a war. Fighting back isn’t what makes the war endless.

Refusing to fight back or to fight back effectively is what makes wars endless.

The Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush administrations for the most part failed to act. The Obama and Biden administrations took it one step further by aiding Iran. President Trump first stood up to Iran and showed the Islamic terrorist state that there would be consequences.

“America can’t do a damn thing against us,” the ayatollahs mocked us as they killed our people.

For the first time in two generations, the smirks have been wiped off their murderous faces.

Those complaining that President Trump is too tough on Iran aren’t upset because the president isn’t keeping his campaign promises, but because he is, they’re not upset because he changed his foreign policy, but because they want the old Carter and Obama appeasement of Iran back.

America is not contemplating bombing some “random middle eastern country.” After 46 years of kidnapping, terrorism, torture and murder, we’re fighting back against Iran’s war on us.

Daniel Greenfield is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. This article previously appeared at the Center's Front Page Magazine. Click here to subscribe to my articles. And click here to support my work with a donation.  Thank you for reading.