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US approves $151.8M weapons sale to Israel, waiving congressional review

MEMO | March 7, 2026

The Trump administration approved a possible $151.8 million weapons sale to Israel on Friday, invoking “emergency” authority to waive the congressional review requirements as Washington and Israel continue to attack Iran, Anadolu reports.

According to a statement from the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, the proposed sale includes 12,000 BLU-110A/B general purpose, 1,000-pound bomb bodies, along with engineering, logistics and technical support services.

“The Secretary of State has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel,” the agency said, waiving the congressional review requirements under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act.

The principal contractor for the proposed sale will be Repkon USA, based in Garland, Texas, with part of the bomb bodies expected to be transferred from existing US stock, said the statement.

The approval comes amid escalating regional tensions following joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran launched Feb. 28, killing more than 1,000 people, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls and senior military officials.

The conflict has triggered widespread regional instability and retaliatory attacks from Tehran against US-linked sites across the region. A drone strike in Kuwait killed six US service members at a tactical operations center.

The move also comes as criticism in Congress about US arms transfers to Israel has grown during Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip. In July, a record 27 Democratic senators voted in favor of a resolution to block certain weapons sales to Israel, citing concerns about civilian casualties and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, though the measure ultimately failed.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, War Crimes | , , , , | Comments Off on US approves $151.8M weapons sale to Israel, waiving congressional review

“Burnt Bridges”: Why Trump’s Plan to Use Kurds Against Iran Is Doomed to Fail

By Mohammed ibn Faisal al-Rashid – New Eastern Outlook – March 7, 2026

Following a series of devastating U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Tehran is engulfed in uncertainty. However, the White House, facing the prospect of a ground operation in mountainous terrain, is betting on an old, tested, but extremely risky tool—Kurdish forces. The Donald Trump administration views the Kurds as ideal “cannon fodder” to ignite a civil war in Iran. But will this plan work? Given Trump’s history of betrayals, deceit, and cynical pragmatism, the attempt to play the Kurdish card might not only fail but could also backfire on the United States itself.

A Proxy Army for a Big War

While the U.S. Air Force continues to bomb Iranian cities and Donald Trump boasts about destroying the enemy’s navy, Washington is soberly assessing the risks. Sending thousands of American soldiers into Iran would be political suicide for a president who promised voters an end to “endless wars.” Analysts agree: the U.S. will not launch a full-scale invasion like in Iraq or Afghanistan due to the mountainous terrain, the risk of high casualties, and a lack of public support.

A solution was quickly found. As early as March 4th, the South Korean publication Donga Ilbo reported that thousands of Kurdish fighters had begun a ground offensive into Iran from Iraqi territory. According to Fox News and CNN, cited by the publication, the operation is coordinated with active participation from the CIA, which is providing weapons and equipment.

But is this really the case? Currently, data on a massive invasion by thousands of Kurdish fighters is contradictory.

The scenario appears logical: The Kurds, who make up about 10% of Iran’s population (approximately 9 million people), have historically faced discrimination within the Shia theocracy. They are concentrated in the western provinces bordering Iraq, making them an ideal foothold. Kurdish parties based in Iraqi Kurdistan have already united into the “Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan,” establishing a unified military command.

Israel: Old Ties and New Opportunities

The role of Israel deserves special attention. Tel Aviv has long-standing, complex but generally positive relations with Kurdish movements, viewing them as a natural counterweight to hostile Arab and Iranian regimes. In the current conflict, Israel has taken on the role of “igniter.” According to Middle East Eye, the Israeli Air Force is striking positions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) precisely in Iran’s western provinces, effectively preparing a corridor for the advancement of Kurdish forces.

According to experts, Israeli strategists are actively exploring the option of using Iranian Kurds (specifically groups like PAK, linked to the PKK) as manpower instead of American soldiers. For Israel, this is an opportunity to inflict maximum damage on its primary enemy without getting bogged down in a protracted ground conflict. The calculation is that the Kurdish national movement could become the “Trojan horse” capable of exploding Iran from within.

However, a fundamental contradiction lies here: the interests of Israel and the U.S. are often situational. And if Washington decides its goals are achieved, the Kurds could once again be left alone to face an enraged adversary.

“I Don’t Like the Kurds”: A Bloody History of Betrayals

This is precisely where Trump’s plan begins to unravel. To understand why the Kurds are unlikely to become a pliable tool in the White House’s hands, one need only look at Trump’s relationship with these people.

As early as 2020, the world learned shocking details from the memoirs of former National Security Advisor John Bolton. According to Bolton, Trump stated in a small circle, “I don’t like the Kurds. They run from the Iraqis, they run from the Turks. The only time they don’t run is when we’re bombing everything around them with F-18s.” This statement isn’t mere rudeness; it’s the quintessence of Trump’s approach: he despises those he considers weak and feels no moral obligation towards allies.

The most cynical example was the betrayal of the Syrian Kurds in October 2019. Trump then ordered the withdrawal of American troops from northern Syria, effectively giving a “green light” to the Turkish invasion. The Kurds, who had lost 11,000 fighters battling ISIS and were America’s only reliable partner on the ground, were abandoned to their fate. American officers on the ground were shocked: “They trusted us, and we betrayed that trust,” one of them told The New Arab at the time.

The “1991 Syndrome” is also vivid in Kurdish memory. Then, President George H.W. Bush called on Iraqi Kurds to rise up against Saddam Hussein but abandoned them when the uprising began, allowing the regime’s army to brutally crush the rebellion with helicopters. Now, this nightmare seems poised to repeat itself in Iran.

Can the U.S. Ignite a Civil War in Iran?

Formally, the prerequisites for unrest exist. Besides ethnic Kurds, Iran is home to disaffected Baluch, Azeris, and Arabs. Following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the initial strikes, a power vacuum could emerge in the country. The White House has already openly stated its readiness to deal with a “new government” and is discussing who should lead Iran after regime change.

Trump personally called on Iranian diplomats worldwide to seek asylum, promising to help “form a new, better Iran.” It would seem this is the moment of truth: Kurds and other minorities should rise up and overthrow the hated regime.

But reality is more complex.

Fear of History Repeating. As analyst Oral Toga noted in a comment to Middle East Eye, the fact that the U.S. abandoned the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) will serve as a lesson for Kurds in Iraq and Iran. “The airstrikes will end someday, but Tehran will remain there forever,” he reminds us.

Lack of Strategy. The U.S. and Israel have no clear vision for Iran’s future. Do they want a unitary state, a federation, or the complete disintegration of the country? Using the Kurds as a battering ram without guaranteeing them autonomy or protection after the war would condemn the region to a bloodbath. The Kurdish leaders themselves understand this. As activist Golaleh Sharafkandi stated, “We have a political program supported by an army, not the other way around.”

Regional Opposition. The creation of a new Kurdish zone of influence in northern Iran would be opposed not only by Iran but also by Turkey and even Azerbaijan, which see it as a threat to their sovereignty and a risk of separatism. Ankara already brutally suppresses any pro-Kurdish movements near its borders. Azerbaijan, which has strategic relations with Turkey and Israel, has already expressed condolences to Iran and called for peace, fearing destabilization.

Operational Difficulties. Several sources, including the Turkish agency Anadolu, report that the information about the offensive has been denied or clarified. The Kurdish factions themselves deny starting a full-scale invasion, and Iranian media report that the border is under control. The groups ready to fight number, by various estimates, between 8,000 and 10,000 people—insufficient to conquer territory without direct air support and U.S. special forces, which Trump is not yet ready to provide.

Dreams of a Caliphate and the Bitter Truth

Donald Trump’s attempt to use the Kurds as a match to ignite the powder keg of Iran appears to be an adventure based on a denial of reality. Yes, the Kurds hate the Ayatollahs’ regime. Yes, they want autonomy and rights. But they do not want to once again become bargaining chips in a high-stakes game where their physical survival is on the line.

Trump has already twice demonstrated his true attitude towards Kurdish allies—in Iraq and Syria. A third time could be the last, not for the American president’s reputation, but for hundreds of thousands of civilians who would find themselves caught between the hammer of the Iranian army and the anvil of American geopolitical ambitions. The Kurdish leaders, united in a coalition, understand perfectly well: when the situation gets hot, the White House might once again throw up its hands and say, “This is not our war.”

Therefore, despite the loud headlines and CIA leaks, the active use of Kurds in full-scale combat operations is unlikely. Kurds might try to expand their autonomy amidst the chaos, but playing the role of a disciplined U.S. proxy army that can be unleashed on Tehran and then written off—they won’t buy that anymore. The price of trust in America under Trump has proven too high, and paying off those debts may take decades.

Muhammad ibn Faisal al-Rashid, political scientist, expert on the Arab world

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March 7, 2026 Posted by | Deception, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on “Burnt Bridges”: Why Trump’s Plan to Use Kurds Against Iran Is Doomed to Fail

Iran Red Crescent says 6,668 civilian sites targeted in US-Israeli attacks

MEMO | March 7, 2026

The Iranian Red Crescent Society said that 6,668 civilian locations have been targeted in attacks carried out by the US and Israel, including thousands of homes and dozens of public service facilities, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, the Iranian aid organization said that the attacks by the US and Israel struck a wide range of civilian infrastructure across the country.

According to the statement, 5,535 residential buildings, 1,041 commercial units, 14 health centers, 65 schools, and 13 facilities affiliated with the Red Crescent were among the locations hit.

The organization also reported that numerous aid and rescue vehicles were damaged during the attacks, while several relief workers and Red Crescent staff members were injured.

The statement emphasized that the attacks by the US and Israel targeting civilians violate the Geneva Conventions.

“International institutions, humanitarian aid organizations, and human rights defenders are expected to take urgent and effective measures to protect civilian lives, ensure the safety of aid workers, and guarantee respect for the rules of international humanitarian law,” it added.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Iran Red Crescent says 6,668 civilian sites targeted in US-Israeli attacks

Maybe Attacking Iran Was Not Such A Good Idea

By Philip Giraldi • Unz Review • March 7, 2026

The completely unprovoked attack on Iran initiated by the United States and Israel has, after a little more than a week of military action, opened a new depth of geopolitical insanity. As suspected, the attack was all about protecting Israel while also minimizing the damage to US military, intelligence and diplomatic facilities in the Persian Gulf region. In that it has been less than a great success in that there has been reportedly considerable damage done by Iranian missiles and drones in both the Jewish State and at American bases. Iran has also suffered substantially and the US bomb that killed 165 schoolgirls continues to fuel huge demonstrations and rage that is feeding a willingness to resist the United States among the Shia communities both inside Iran and in adjacent states and regions, expanding the conflict.

The combined Israel-US onslaught was intended to destroy Iranian military capabilities, most particularly its fictional nuclear and missile programs, and to bring about regime change after killing its Supreme Leader. As the attack took place, President Donald Trump announced by way of his Truth Social platform, that “We are going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground. It will be totally — again — obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their navy.” On Saturday March 7th Trump elaborated, tweeting how “Today Iran will be hit very hard! Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran’s bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time.”

Trump also expressed himself in a post on Truth Social how Americans will die against Iran, elaborating that “the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost” in what the Pentagon dubbed “Operation Epic Fury… We may have casualties.” As Trump’s entire family has avoided military service, the ultimate price for his warmaking will consist of using other American families’ sons and daughters as cannon fodder and he may be preparing for a political backlash by demonstrating now how much he cares about the average Americans who will be impacted by his policies. Of course, he clearly does not care unless your name is Adelson or Netanyahu.

That the war is taking place at all is due to Israel’s absolute control over America’s political class, a reality that Netanyahu and his predecessors in office have not been exactly shy about admitting. The US is a hapless giant that has been corrupted by Jewish billionaire money from within, totally committed to the expansion of greater Israel no matter how many have to die in the process. Do the Israelis care what happens to the American people? No. It is only necessary to take a look at the planned or actual killing of Americans by Israel starting with the Lavon Affair in 1954 which planned to bomb US Embassy offices in Egypt. Then there came the attack on the USS Liberty in international waters in 1967, an attempt to sink the navy ship and kill all its crew, which was covered-up by President Lyndon B Johnson and his Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. More recently, a number of American citizens have been killed with impunity by Israelis. One might mention prominent peace activist Rachel Corrie in 2003 who was deliberately run over by an Israeli army bulldozer.

To cite how this works in practice and to demonstrate how the United States uniquely favors Israel, one might cite the recent February 18th killing of the nineteen year old Philadelphia native Nasrallah Abu Siyam, who was shot in the West Bank village of Mukhmas, when rampaging settlers attacked Palestinian farmers. Nasrallah was trying to stop the settlers from stealing livestock when he was shot and it took hours to transport him to a hospital due to “security” checkpoints and Jews-only roads established by the Israeli government. Israeli settlements, built on land stolen in the Palestinian territories, have been expanding at a rapid pace and the rampaging settlers are routinely protected by the army and police. Settler attacks soared to over 1,800 incidents last year, according to a United Nations report. Attacks have included violence, property damage, arson, killing of livestock and theft.

In a normal country, the US Embassy or Consulate would pressure the local government to investigate and seek to have the killers arrested, tried and brought to justice, but that does not take place in Israel where the attitude is “we’ll let the Israelis handle it.” Sure. Nine US citizens have been murdered in Israel in the past several years, but no one has been criminally charged in the killings while the United States has declined to open any independent investigations. The death toll includes New Jersey-born Amer Rabee, 14, who was shot by soldiers on April 6th, 2025, amid unproven allegations that he had thrown stones. Also there was Saifullah Kamal Musallet, a 20-year-old resident of Tampa, Florida, who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in July; and Khamis Ayyad, 44, who died of smoke inhalation in August after settlers set fire to houses in his village. Tawfic Abdel Jabbar and Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, both 17, were shot and killed in separate incidents in February 2024 while in September of that year, a soldier fatally shot in the head Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, 26, of Seattle, during a protest against illegal settlements. And then there was Omar Assad, 78, who was walking in his village before being seized by soldiers for no reason, handcuffed and gagged, with his hands bound behind his back, and then left alone on his stomach at a cold construction site. He died from a stress-induced heart attack in January 2022.

There is also the high-profile killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who lived in New Jersey as a child, in May 2022. Israeli authorities determined that the gunfire from soldiers was likely accidental, despite investigations by media and the UN concluding she was deliberately targeted and killed lest she report on Israeli war crimes. Beyond Abu Akleh, Israel is responsible for two-thirds of all journalists killed in the line of duty worldwide.

Interestingly, in the case of the teenager Nasrallah and the other recent deaths, more than 30 US senators have signed a letter demanding that the Trump administration open an independent investigation. “For all nine of these killings, no one has yet been held accountable by the Netanyahu government, nor has the US government upheld its duty to protect Americans and secure justice and accountability for their deaths,” the letter from the Congressmen says. “It is unclear to us how many more Americans must die in the West Bank in order for this administration, and other administrations, to take serious, credible steps to secure accountability and ensure an end to the ongoing killings of Americans without consequence.”

The State Department responded that it extends condolences to the family and expects “a full, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death,” indicating that it would rely on Israeli authorities to investigate, which means that nothing will be done. The unwillingness to represent the interests of actual American citizens is due to the fact that all recent US Ambassadors to Israel have themselves been ardent Zionists, with the worst of the lot being the current incumbent Mike Huckabee who has cordially met with Israel’s leading spy against the US Jonathan Pollard and has endorsed a Greater Israel which will stretch from the Nile River to the Euphrates. The indigenous population will of course be removed, just as the Gazans, Palestinians on the West Bank and the inhabitants of South Lebanon are being currently disposed of with the assistance of Donald Trump and company. Huckabee, in an interview with Tucker Carlson, said that it “would be fine if they took it all” [Greater Israel] for the Jewish state, as it was a “land given by God to the Jewish people.” This was not a casual remark but a moment of unscripted candor, a world-changing admission of a supremacist belief system favoring the Jewish state that had long operated in the shadows of US foreign policy.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, a fervent Christian Zionist, even foresees great benefit coming from a Biblically predicted Armageddon global conflict beginning in the Middle East which will lead to “End Times” after which the faithful will be wafted up to heaven in the so-called “Rapture.” If one wonders just what has happened to US foreign and national security policy Hegseth and Huckabee are good places to start.

The point is that Israel is beyond brutal in its treatment of anyone who is not a Jew yet Donald Trump and company appear to think that that is just fine. Last week I saw a video on Facebook which was sickening. It showed a Christian woman walking her dogs in Jerusalem and being assailed by a mob of screaming hysterical Orthodox Jewish students who attacked her, and the dogs, for no other reasons beyond the fact that she existed. To be sure, I am an animal lover, but the attackers were so far outside the realm of conventional morality that one has to despise what they represent. Their on-display manifestation of what they regard as their Yahweh-given exceptionalism should be revolting to most others who do not share their so-called faith. The truly disgusting part is that the woman and her dogs were not exactly an extreme example of the interactions that Christians are now experiencing in Jerusalem with their presumed Jewish overlords. Churches are regularly vandalized and Christians are blocked from attending services while also being spat upon, cursed and otherwise harassed in the streets. There are reports that “Spitting on Christians is a Jewish custom!”

Unfortunately the Christian Zionist belief system has successfully dominated American evangelicalism and Israeli policy. This ideology asserts a “divine right” to conquer, pillage, and commit genocide, positioning itself above all man-made laws and international norms. It is, by its very definition, an ethnic and theological supremacist doctrine that dehumanizes all neighboring peoples as obstacles to a divine plan. As I’ve noted previously, this philosophy “is rooted in ethnic supremacism” and claims that “God gave modern day Israel the right to kill anyone they want, to steal any land they want.” This is not seen as a symbolic promise but a literal deed to real estate, with the millions of current occupants to be “subordinated, expelled, or dealt with by whatever means history requires.” Such a worldview reduces the US Constitution, international law and the UN Charter to be mere inconveniences. Mike Huckabee has argued that “the United Nations charter doesn’t count because God said so.” And his boss Donald Trump has declared that as President of the United States “I can do whatever I want!” which includes permitting genocide and land theft. With such beliefs in place, it is no wonder that many Americans are increasingly coming to appreciate that what is going on in our nation is leading us towards disaster!

Philip M. Giraldi, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a 501(c)3 tax deductible educational foundation (Federal ID Number #52-1739023) that seeks a more interests-based U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Website is https://councilforthenationalinterest.org address is P.O. Box 2157, Purcellville VA 20134 and its email is inform@cnionline.org

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Maybe Attacking Iran Was Not Such A Good Idea

UK readies deployment of Prince of Wales carrier amid war on Iran

Al Mayadeen | March 7, 2026

The United Kingdom is reportedly preparing one of its naval assets for possible deployment to West Asia as Western military pressure on Iran continues to grow following the US-Israeli assault on the country.

According to media reports, the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales is being placed on higher readiness, with its preparation time reduced so that it can be deployed more quickly if ordered by the British government. Crew members have reportedly been warned that the vessel could be sent to the region amid the escalating confrontation triggered by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

According to reports, the move does not mean the carrier will necessarily be dispatched immediately. However, raising its readiness would allow the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer to deploy the warship rapidly should the aggression against Iran escalate further.

Western buildup around Iran

The preparations come as Britain gradually expands its military presence across the region following the US–Israeli assault on Iran that began on February 28.

Since then, London has moved additional forces to the Middle East, including deploying more fighter jets to Qatar and sending helicopters equipped with counter-drone systems to Cyprus.

British forces have also been involved in intercepting drones and missiles across several countries in the region, while the Royal Navy has ordered the destroyer HMS Dragon to the eastern Mediterranean to reinforce security around British bases on the island of Cyprus.

These deployments also follow a drone strike targeting the British air base at RAF Akrotiri, during which British forces identified the drone as a Shahed-type model widely associated with Iranian production. The launch location was not immediately known.

Despite Western attempts to increase their military presence, Iranian officials have repeatedly rejected calls for surrender and warned that any further escalation will be met with additional responses.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on UK readies deployment of Prince of Wales carrier amid war on Iran

Iran warns of consequences after US strike on water plant

Al Mayadeen | March 7, 2026

Iran’s foreign minister has accused the United States of striking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island, warning that the attack has disrupted water supplies to dozens of villages.

In a post on social media, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the incident, describing it as a serious violation and warning of potential consequences.

“The US committed a blatant and desperate crime by attacking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island,” Araghchi wrote. “Water supply in 30 villages has been impacted.”

“US set this precedent”: Araghchi

The minister added that targeting civilian infrastructure could have significant repercussions. “Attacking Iran’s infrastructure is a dangerous move with grave consequences. The US set this precedent, not Iran,” he stressed.

It is worth noting that Qeshm Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz, relies on desalination facilities to convert seawater into drinking water, making such plants critical for local communities. According to Iranian officials, the facility supplies water to around 30 villages in the area.

Trump’s war on Iran unjustified, violates int’l law: Legal experts

The United States has insisted that the aggression against Iran was launched to curb “direct threats” that they claim the Islamic Republic posed. However, legal experts say the reasons cited by Washington do not justify the war under international law.

US and Israeli attacks targeted Iran on February 28 in a large-scale aggression to allegedly “limit Tehran’s nuclear and missile capabilities,” despite ongoing mediated talks between Washington and Tehran, which sought to de-escalate tensions through a potential deal.

The strikes also targeted senior leadership and government facilities, including the Leader of the Revolution and the Republic, Martyr Sayyed Ali Khamenei. US President Donald Trump later demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender”, which Iran categorically rejects.

It is worth noting that Iran had been engaged in indirect talks with the US and expressed hope for a deal that would resolve the nuclear issue peacefully. However, as reports indicated that a possible settlement was near, the aggression was launched.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on Iran warns of consequences after US strike on water plant

US Bases in Middle East Fail to Secure Nations & Become Safety Risk – Expert

Sputnik – 07.03.2026

American bases in the Middle East are constantly facing various kinds of attacks and do not protect the countries on whose territory they are located that effectively, Turkish political scientist Umur Tugay Yucel tells Sputnik.

“For a long time, the Gulf countries had unwavering trust in the American security umbrella, but during the 12-day war, we all saw how untrustworthy it turned out to be,” Umur Tugay Yucel said.

He says that the ongoing conflict shows that the Western security framework in the Gulf region fails to address contemporary defense needs; a concern now spreading to US allies in Asia as reports emerge of THAAD and Patriot systems being withdrawn from South Korea — a move that could soon affect Japan and other partners.

“It is obvious that American bases bring more harm than good to the civilian population and infrastructure of the countries where they are located. They pose a serious threat to populated areas. When a base is struck, not only military installations are damaged, but also roads, railways, and vital transport channels in the vicinity. Moreover, there is an inevitable increase in civilian casualties,” the expert emphasizes.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , | Comments Off on US Bases in Middle East Fail to Secure Nations & Become Safety Risk – Expert

Iranian Crisis Becomes Embarrassment for US Military That Can’t Protect Anyone – MidEast Analyst

Sputnik – 07.03.2026

Prior to the arrival of the United States, the Persian Gulf was essentially the domain of the British Empire which ended up handing over its holdings to the US to ensure that the latter would be at the forefront of any major war in the region, Middle East affairs expert Mais Kurbanov tells Sputnik.

Currently, the US controls a network of military installations that don’t just serve as military garrisons – these are all elements of a system of control of the Gulf ‘gas station,” Kurbanov remarks.

This defensive network was never meant to protect the Arab states of the Gulf – it’s real purpose was to protect Israel.

“This entire shield was created to keep Israel safe and to intercept missiles. They were more or less able to intercept them during the previous conflicts, before Iran started targeting their radars. And now they got nothing to intercept because Iran destroys the early warning system itself,” notes Kurbanov.

The US is unwilling and unable to defend the Gulf states – it only cares about its own interests. And all of the Gulf states besides Iran are now vulnerable because they don’t have any air defense systems, he adds. The US focuses on protecting only its own assets in the region.

“The US has embarrassed itself in front of the entire world. Everybody now knows that the Americans are no protectors,” says Kurbanov. “They used to mock Russia when Ukraine scored some hits, acting as if they are invincible. Now Iran keeps pummeling them, and US ships have to flee two thousand kilometers into the ocean to escape Iranian missiles.”

“It means the US has no meaningful air defense. Neither Israel’s Iron Dome nor the US’ vaunted Patriots can do anything. Consider this: such weapon system costs a billion dollars and an Iranian Shaheed, this dirt-cheap drone worth twenty thousand, just takes it out.”

All of the weapons the US peddled across the world – stealth aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones they were so proud of – turned out to be useless,” he points out.

Meanwhile, Iran keeps demonstrating the kind of new missiles that maybe two other leading world powers beside them possess.

“The US should just leave. There will be no negotiations with them and they know it,” argues Kurbanov.

Though the US does possess an extensive global network of military installations – several hundred facilities in dozens of different countries – even it cannot ensure an immediate stabilization of the situation. He points out that Russia and China haven’t yet become actively involved in the current crisis, and that without their involvement the US would be hard-pressed to deal with global issues.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Iranian Crisis Becomes Embarrassment for US Military That Can’t Protect Anyone – MidEast Analyst

IAEA Never Had Reasons to Forgo Talks With Iran — Russian MFA Spox

Sputnik – 07.03.2026

During many years of contacts with Iran, the IAEA has never found grounds to refuse negotiations on Iranian nuclear program, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

“Throughout all these years, there has not been a single instance where the IAEA stated that there is a reason to confirm a claim or accusation against Iran,” Zakharova noted.

While the issue was “handled politically” and there were public and behind-the-scenes intrigues, not a single report, speech or fact-based document from the agency contained any accusations against Iran, she added.

The IAEA never stated Iran had a nuclear bomb, only noting the fact of uranium enrichment, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on March 5. The Iranians started boosting the enrichment process only after the US withdrew from the agreements on Iran’s nuclear program, he added.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Timeless or most popular | , | Comments Off on IAEA Never Had Reasons to Forgo Talks With Iran — Russian MFA Spox

Iran pledges to ‘respect sovereignty of neighbors’, declares US-Israel assets ‘primary targets’

The Cradle | March 7, 2026

The Iranian armed forces warned that US and Israeli military installations across the region remain legitimate targets, as officials seek to ease tensions with neighboring countries.

“Should the previous hostile actions continue, all military bases and interests of criminal America and the fake Zionist regime on land, at sea, and in the air across the region will be considered primary targets and will come under the powerful and crushing strikes of the mighty armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Saturday.

The warning came alongside a declaration by Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters that Iranian forces “respect the national interests and sovereignty of neighboring countries” and “have not carried out any act of aggression against them.”

Nevertheless, military officials emphasized that installations used by the US or Israel to launch attacks against Iran remain fair game. Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zolfaghari said that at least 21 US personnel have been killed and many more injured in attacks on the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet infrastructure, while additional casualties occurred during strikes on Al-Dhafra Air Base.

He also said Iranian forces targeted a US-owned oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf.

Earlier in the day, President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that Iran’s interim leadership council had ordered the armed forces to cease striking neighboring countries unless attacks originate from their territory.

“The temporary leadership council approved yesterday that neighboring countries should no longer be targeted and missiles should not be fired unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries,” Pezeshkian said in a pre-recorded address.

Pezeshkian’s statement was made amid increasing tensions over regional airspace with Iran’s neighboring countries.

Turkish authorities claimed this week that NATO missile defenses intercepted a ballistic projectile allegedly launched from Iran that crossed Iraqi and Syrian airspace before approaching the northwestern Syria-Turkiye border.

In Azerbaijan, officials accused Tehran of launching a drone attack that struck the Nakhchivan airport terminal, prompting President Ilham Aliyev to warn Iran “will regret it,” while Iranian authorities denied involvement.

Tehran vehemently denied involvement in either of these attacks.

Saudi journalist Adhwan al-Ahmari said in a recent interview with Asharq News that “not all attacks” targeting Gulf states come from Iran, warning the war could be “an American-Israeli trap to implicate the Gulf countries and draw them into a confrontation with Iran.”

Iranian officials told Middle East Eye (MEE) that some recent drone strikes on Gulf energy infrastructure were not carried out by Tehran, with one official describing the attack on Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura facility as “an Israeli effort to sabotage regional peace and alliances between neighbours.”

“I can categorically say that some of the attacks were not carried out by us [Iran],” the anonymous official told MEE.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman have all sustained strikes within their territories due to the presence of US assets within their borders.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Iran pledges to ‘respect sovereignty of neighbors’, declares US-Israel assets ‘primary targets’

USA and Israel: Who is the lord and who is the colony?

By Raphael Machado | Strategic Culture Foundation | March 7, 2026

The Epstein Coalition (USA and Israel) began a war against the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28th. The starting shot was the murder of 171 girls in an elementary school (perhaps as a sacrifice to Baal, the Epsteinians’ favorite deity?), followed by the martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in his own residence.

It was the beginning of an “operation” that the USA expected to see finished in a few hours, then in 3 days. Well, the operation has now exceeded 6 days, and all analysts indicate that the war will last at least a few weeks, with significant losses on both sides.

What led to this operation being initiated? The easy and predictable answer is that the USA wants Iran’s oil and other natural resources.

Usually, those who reason this way also tend to say that the State of Israel represents an enclave of the USA or the “collective West” in the Middle East, whose purpose would be to serve as a trading post to facilitate or enable the occupation of the region, to ensure the exploitation of its natural resources. This is perhaps the inevitable result of looking at the comparative statistics of both countries.

The USA is larger, has a larger GDP, more powerful and numerous armed forces, has more billionaires; in short, it is “superior” in every possible and imaginable aspect, so that the US-Israel relationship can only be perceived as one in which the USA commands and Israel obeys.

Indeed, Marxian and, in general, materialist readings go in this direction. But does the Iran War confirm this assessment?

If Israel is the obedient colony of the USA, then the decision to start the conflict would have been eminently that of the USA, with Israel simply obeying the determination of its “metropole.”

But what is perceived from the official statements of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is exactly the opposite: they made it quite clear in their press conferences that the USA became involved in the conflict only because Israel had already decided to attack Iran, with Washington simply following the Zionist determination.

The pretext of alleging a pre-emptive attack plan by Iran was used, but the pretext was quickly abandoned after being refuted by the Pentagon. In fact, Iran had no plan to attack either the USA or Israel.

In other words, Israel would have made the USA attack Iran. How is that possible?

The solution to the mystery seems to lie in the role of the Jewish community in the USA and its influence over the country’s internal affairs, regardless of whether its members hold Israeli citizenship or not. After all, despite comprising only 2.4% of the US population, 25% of its members have an income equivalent to the top 4% richest among non-Jews.

And if in many countries a large part of the Jewish community is critical or indifferent to Israel, in the USA, 90% of community members support Israel against its enemies. And this support is not merely verbal, expressing itself through the formal organization of lobbies that finance pro-Israel candidates and harm anti-Israel candidates, the most famous of these organizations being AIPAC, which invested almost 130 million dollars to elect its candidates in 2024.

A much more important asset, however, is the fact that, as indicated by income, many members of this community occupy positions of power and influence in the mass media, the banking system, and entertainment. Even though they are only, again, 2.4% of the US population, they constitute 33% of the CEOs of major banks, 40% of the CEOs of major media conglomerates, and 50% of the CEOs of major companies in the entertainment industry.

And these are the sectors that basically control the flow of investments, as well as shape the opinions and tastes of the country’s population.

Years ago, geopolitical analysts John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt released an excellent book on the Zionist lobby in the USA. What they make very clear in that work is that US support for Israel is not linked to any strategic interest of Washington. The cost of supporting Israel is immense, both in money and in the international popularity of the USA. In fact, the USA only harms itself by supporting Israel against its enemies.

So how could one say that the USA controls Israel?

Returning to the current presidential administration, figures like Hegseth and Lindsay Graham openly admit that the main goal of the USA is to facilitate the reconstruction of the Temple in Jerusalem to pave the way for the coming of the Jewish Messiah. Eschatologically, the problem there is that, for Catholics, Orthodox, and traditional Protestants, the Jewish Messiah is the Antichrist.

As much as Israel is dependent on US financial and military aid, Zionism has captured the decision-making and public opinion-forming mechanisms so completely that we could practically compare the unipolar hegemon to a headless golem. In place of “America First,” it is the policy of “Israel First.”

While US bases, radars, planes, and personnel are hit by barrages of missiles and drones, and Washington loses influence and the capacity to project power in the Middle East, it becomes inevitable to reach the conclusion that Israel is the one calling the shots in this relationship, and that Tel Aviv will instrumentalize the USA as long as it serves its own expansionist interests.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on USA and Israel: Who is the lord and who is the colony?

Indian journalist reveals severe Israeli censorship after escape from occupied territories

Press TV – March 7, 2026

An Indian journalist who was trapped in the occupied territories from February 28 to March 6 has revealed severe Israeli censorship amid the regime’s war of aggression against Iran.

Braj Mohan Singh of India’s Sandha News said he witnessed people dying in 100‑foot‑deep bunkers while Israeli officials withheld details.

Missiles “don’t differentiate between Indian or Israeli,” he said.

He contrasted press freedom in India with the restrictions in Israel, noting journalists cannot film bodies, visit hospitals, or receive accurate casualty numbers. Local accounts often reveal far higher losses than official reports, he added.

“When an incident takes place, we are not given the details of the location. The next day, when we visit the site, we are told, ‘There was only one casualty,’ but a local told us, ‘There were four houses, and everyone died,” which shows there was a major incident,’” he added.

Despite Israel’s touted advanced warning systems, Singh reported missiles arriving without sirens or prior alerts, highlighting technology failures and the unpredictability of drone and missile attacks.

He also mentioned reports of Iranian targeting of US embassies across West Asia and possible attempts in Tel Aviv, underscoring the heightened danger in the region.

The regimes in Washington and Tel Aviv started their unprovoked military assault on February 28, assassinating Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and top Iranian military commanders.

Iran began to swiftly retaliate against the criminal aggression by launching barrages of missile and drone attacks on the Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases in regional countries.

March 7, 2026 Posted by | Civil Liberties, Deception, Full Spectrum Dominance | , | Comments Off on Indian journalist reveals severe Israeli censorship after escape from occupied territories

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