The Iran War (was Nuclear Program) thread

[kluurs]

@Mik said:

@Axtremus said:

Now it's The Crusade!

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/us/politics/hegseth-christianity-military.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UlA.cliC.iP-qaWLA9BHi

Hegseth Invokes Divine Purpose to Justify Military Might
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has imbued U.S. military actions with a Christian moral underpinning that suggests they are divinely sanctioned.

I suppose it's justifiable if you see the world through a religious lens.

What a great idea. Let's unite the Muslim world against the infidels. Almost as good as alienating one's allies.

[jon-nyc]

Taking Kharg? Or winding down?

[jon-nyc]

This could explain the above. The market is pricing in 5.2% inflation for the next 12 months. In 3 weeks, it's gone from pricing in a rate cut to pricing in a rate increase.

[Renauda]

@Mik said:

@Axtremus said:

Now it's The Crusade!

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/20/us/politics/hegseth-christianity-military.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UlA.cliC.iP-qaWLA9BHi

Hegseth Invokes Divine Purpose to Justify Military Might
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has imbued U.S. military actions with a Christian moral underpinning that suggests they are divinely sanctioned.

I suppose it's justifiable if you see the world through a religious lens.

A perfectly sound reason then for the rest of NATO to continue to let Trump and Hegseth’s Templars have at it on their own over there.

Not a banner I would ever consider having our troops to fight under.

[jon-nyc]

Sweet.

[kluurs]

@jon-nyc said:

Sweet.

It’s not April 1 yet Premature headline

[Renauda]

@kluurs

Lol

[jon-nyc]

@kluurs said:

@jon-nyc said:

Sweet.

It’s not April 1 yet Premature headline

Hater.

[Doctor Phibes]

How many times is Trump going to win this war?

He’s so amazing.

[Axtremus]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/03/20/iran-oil-sanctions-trump/

Trump administration lifts sanctions on millions of barrels of Iranian oil

As oil prices soar, Treasury Department has lifted sanctions on Iranian crude already loaded onto vessels — giving Iran’s war effort against the U.S. a boost.

[jon-nyc]

Ultimatum on opening the strait.

Power plants targeted (‘obliterated’) if not.

[Mik]

I suspect the mullahs fart in his general direction.

[jon-nyc]

Yeah, more likely they'll start attacking more soft targets in the gulf states.

[jon-nyc]

This makes it harder for Trump to later decide that he's going to declare victory and let the rest of the world worry about the strait. That will be a very obvious L after this.

[AndyD]

Well he doesn't mince words.

Perhaps Iran attempting to strike Diego Garcia base with long range missiles touched a nerve.

[bachophile]

they threatened the desalinization plants in the gulf to deny them water.

its getting ugly

[jon-nyc]

[jon-nyc]

A lot of prominent Iranian dissidents abroad are asking Trump not to attack the power plants, including Reza Palavi and that woman in Brooklyn they keep trying to kill.

In the background I’m sure the GCC are asking him to hold off too.

I think there’s a good chance he calls it off and says it’s in deference (not the word he’d use) to the dissidents.

[AndyD]

Who knows, he may yet turn a lengthy strip of the Persian Gulf waterfront to glass.

[jon-nyc]

I think it’s more likely to tip him to occupying Kharg island.