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Hidden costs of US Iran war push total far beyond $25bn Pentagon claim

Al Mayadeen | April 30, 2026

The Pentagon’s declared $25 billion cost of the war on Iran is likely a significant understatement of the war’s true financial burden, Bloomberg reported, citing analysts. Senior US defense officials disclosed the figure during testimony at a contentious congressional hearing on Wednesday, outlining the total cost incurred so far.

Calculations by Bloomberg, based on Pentagon data, suggest that the cost of certain munitions, destroyed equipment, and operational expenses alone amounts to around $14 billion. This includes $8 billion for munitions, $5 billion to replace lost aircraft and damaged equipment, and approximately $1 billion in operational costs for deploying two aircraft carriers and 16 destroyers over 39 days of near-continuous strikes.

The estimate does not account for the cost of repairing damaged facilities across the region, such as the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, which has been repeatedly targeted in Iranian attacks. It also excludes the operational costs of all ships and aircraft involved in the military buildup prior to February 28, as well as those currently engaged in the ongoing blockade.

Pentagon figure represents narrow estimate, omits lots of costs

“It is clear that the Pentagon’s $25 billion figure represents a narrow estimate of the cost of waging war,” said Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center. “It doesn’t even include damage to bases, broader operational costs, or the Pentagon’s rising fuel bills.”

Earlier this month, Senator Richard Blumenthal told Bloomberg Television that even estimates presented to him of $2 billion per day were “a low number.” Meanwhile, the Center for Strategic and International Studies has estimated that the cost of munitions alone could reach approximately $25 billion.

During the hearing, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst said the $25 billion figure includes both expended munitions and operational costs but declined to provide a detailed breakdown. His remarks prompted a heated exchange between War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Representative Maggie Goodlander, a Democrat from New Hampshire, who repeatedly pressed for greater transparency.

“It is gross negligence to sit here and be unable to justify spending billions of dollars,” Goodlander said.

US losses add billions to the bill

The United States has reportedly lost dozens of aircraft during combat operations, including MQ-9 Reaper drones, F-15E strike fighters, an E-3 airborne warning and control aircraft, KC-135 aerial refueling tankers, one A-10 attack aircraft, and two MC-130J multi-mission transport planes.

Replacing these systems is expected to cost billions of dollars, while damaged or destroyed radar systems, each worth hundreds of millions, will add further to the total.

Operating costs have also mounted significantly. Aircraft carriers cost around $4.9 million per day to run, while destroyers cost approximately $600,000 daily. A carrier air wing adds another $3.8 million per day.

According to analysis by Bloomberg Economics Defense Lead Becca Wasser, the 39 days of combat alone would run about $1 billion for just two carriers and their air wings, and 16 destroyers.

Iran has launched more than 1,850 ballistic missiles at targets across the region, requiring the use of roughly 4,000 interceptor missiles in response, according to the report. While the PAC-3 missile system remains the backbone of ballistic missile defense in the region, most interceptor launches were carried out by Gulf states. Standard missile defense doctrine typically requires firing at least two interceptors per incoming target, further driving up costs.

April 30, 2026 Posted by | Deception, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on Hidden costs of US Iran war push total far beyond $25bn Pentagon claim

Iran Will Respond With Long-Term Strikes to US Attack, Even If It Is Short-Term – IRGC

Sputnik – 30.04.2026

TEHRAN – Iran will respond with long-term strikes to the US attack, even if it is short-term, Majid Mousavi, the commander of the aerospace forces of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said on Thursday.

“We will respond with long-term strikes to enemy operations, even if they are short-term,” the SNN broadcaster quoted Mousavi as saying.

On Wednesday, Axios reported, citing three sources privy to the matter, that the US Central Command (CENTCOM) prepared a plan to conduct a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran as negotiations for a peace settlement stall.

April 30, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on Iran Will Respond With Long-Term Strikes to US Attack, Even If It Is Short-Term – IRGC

Fear Is the Mind Killer

Truthstream Media | April 29, 2026

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April 29, 2026 Posted by | Timeless or most popular, Video | | Comments Off on Fear Is the Mind Killer

Israeli strikes kill 10 in southern Lebanon, including 3 rescue workers

Press TV – April 29, 2026

At least ten people, including three rescue workers, have been killed in Israeli airstrikes against residential neighborhoods in southern Lebanon, marking the latest violations of a ceasefire that began on April 16 after weeks of fighting between the Tel Aviv regime and Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported that an Israeli aerial raid destroyed a four-storey building in the village of Jabchit in the Nabatieh district on Tuesday night, killing Mohammad Jawad Bahja, his wife Lotfiya, as well as Amani Jaber and her daughters.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health announced in a statement that at least 13 people also sustained injuries in the attack.

Separately, two successive ⁠Israeli strikes on a building in the town of Majdal Zoun on Tuesday killed five people, including three rescue workers who went to help those injured in ⁠the initial Israeli attack on the targeted building.

The three Lebanese civil defense rescue workers were later identified as Hussein Ghadbouri, Hussein Sati and Hadi Daher.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam strongly condemned the deadly Israeli strike.“Targeting elements of the Civil Defense in Majdal Zoun, and their killing while carrying out their humanitarian duty, constitutes a new and described war crime perpetrated by Israel,” he wrote in a post on social media.

“It represents a flagrant violation of the principles and rules of international humanitarian law,” Salam said.

“The government will spare no effort to condemn this heinous crime in international forums and to mobilize all efforts to compel Israel to cease its ongoing violations of the ceasefire agreement.”

Israeli forces also shelled the towns of Mansouri, Chehabiyeh, Tiri, Jouaiyya, Touline and Khirbet Selm. There were no immediate reports about possible casualties and the extent of damage caused.

The occupation troops also dropped white phosphorus shells on Yohmor al-Shaqif village.

Elsewhere in Naqoura region, Israeli forces pressed ahead with their demolition activities. Residents of adjacent municipalities felt a strong tremor as the occupation troops set off a considerable amount of explosives to flatten designated buildings.

On Wednesday, kamikaze drones launched by Hezbollah resistance fighters targeted and destroyed two Israeli Merkava battle tanks in Naqoura.

Hezbollah said in a brief statement that the operation was carried out in defense of Lebanon as well as its nation, and in response to the Israeli aggression against villages in southern Lebanon.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes | , , , | Comments Off on Israeli strikes kill 10 in southern Lebanon, including 3 rescue workers

Israeli military ‘failed on all fronts’: Poll

The Cradle | April 28, 2026

A poll published by Israel’s Public Broadcaster (KAN) on 28 April found that a majority of Israelis believe the state has failed to secure victory in any war since October 2023.

According to the survey, 57 percent of respondents said no victory had been achieved, while 28 percent believed success had been reached in at least one arena, and a further 15 percent said they were unsure.

The findings come after more than two years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza – which Israel threatens to reignite –  during which Tel Aviv waged multiple offensive military campaigns against Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, alongside attacks in Yemen and Syria and a campaign of destruction and displacement in the occupied West Bank.

Confidence levels across all the fronts remain low, with only 17 percent viewing operations in Syria as successful and 16 percent saying the same for Gaza and Iran.

Perceptions dropped further on the Lebanese front at 14 percent, followed by Yemen at 12 percent and the occupied West Bank at 11 percent.

The poll also points to persistent security concerns, with a total of 73 percent of respondents saying the continued armed presence of Hamas and Hezbollah poses a direct threat of a repeat of a 7 October-style event.

Only 10 percent dismissed that possibility, while 17 percent remained uncertain.

On the ground, Israel has reportedly begun withdrawing troops from southern Lebanon. Israeli outlet Maariv described the campaign as ending in “failure” and “bitterness,” as forces pull back under continued Hezbollah attacks, including drone strikes that exposed major gaps in Israeli preparedness.

The poll also showed divisions over Netanyahu’s legal status, with a majority – 56 percent – supporting a pardon for his corruption charges, while 26 percent opposed the move and 18 percent remained undecided.

Netanyahu had requested a presidential pardon on 30 November without admitting guilt or stepping down from office, despite Israeli law requiring an admission of guilt for such a measure.

He is currently facing trial in three separate corruption cases involving fraud, bribery, and abuse of power, with court proceedings ongoing since 2020 after charges were filed in 2019.

Netanyahu’s court testimony was delayed once again on 27 April over a “serious” security incident in southern Lebanon, as the prime minister seeks to prolong the wars to keep his corruption trial from moving forward.

At the same time, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has listed Netanyahu as wanted since 2024, issuing arrest warrants for him and former defense minister Yoav Gallant over their direct involvement and orchestration of the genocide in Gaza, as well as war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the use of starvation as a weapon.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism | , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Israeli military ‘failed on all fronts’: Poll

US at a crossroads: Iran’s firm positions leave Trump no option but to capitulate

Press TV | April 29, 2026

A close look at the initial American reactions to Iran’s firm positions – laid out by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during his recent tour of Pakistan, Oman, and Russia – reveals one thing immediately: severe confusion and disarray in Washington.

Iran has drawn its red lines with clarity and precision. According to credible sources, Tehran has communicated its positions to all parties on at least two highly important fronts.

First, the exclusion of any nuclear-related issues from end-of-war negotiations. Second, Iran’s decisive and irreversible determination to exercise full control over the Strait of Hormuz.

These are not negotiating tweaks. They represent fundamental demands that reshape the entire strategic landscape. And these uncompromising demands have placed the United States at a crossroads where both paths lead to definitive losses for President Donald Trump.

The first path: Acceptance

If Trump accepts these Iranian positions, the conclusion is devastatingly simple. It would confirm that the United States has achieved nothing whatsoever – neither on the battlefield nor on the diplomatic front. Not a single victory. Not a single concession.

Far worse, Iran would walk away from the war that was imposed on it with major strategic gains. These include the preservation and consolidation of its nuclear rights and provisions, a direct blow to decades of American policy aimed at rolling back Iran’s nuclear program.

And, perhaps even more significantly, the highly sensitive and strategic Strait of Hormuz would be placed firmly under Iranian control and sovereignty forever.

In other words, acceptance would mean formal, public acknowledgment that America has not only failed to defeat Iran but has actually watched Tehran emerge stronger, more sovereign, and more dominant in one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints.

The second path: Resumption of war

If Trump refuses to accept Iran’s conditions, he is left with no choice but to resume the war. And here, the risks are extraordinarily high for him and his war machine.

Iran has already proven its capabilities on the battlefield. The imposed war has shown that American firepower cannot break Iranian resolve. But more worryingly for Washington, Iran still holds unrevealed cards – military and strategic assets that have not yet been deployed.

Given these proven capabilities and the unknown arsenal still in reserve, the likelihood of Iran inflicting an even greater defeat and humiliation on the United States than in the first 40 days is extremely high. This is not hollow bravado. It is a calculation based on evidence.

What does this mean for Trump? A major and terrifying nightmare. If he is not cautious and re-enters a futile war against Iran, he may well be forced in the future to grant Iran far greater and more significant concessions just to extract himself from it.

In other words, resuming the war could lead to an even worse outcome than acceptance.

The third path: The illusion of inaction

Recognizing the impossibility of both options, Washington is now searching for a third way. And the only remaining option – in America’s view, the least risky – is to neither accept Iran’s conditions for permanently ending the war nor restart the new one.

What does this look like in practice? Maintain the current naval blockade in the form of maritime banditry and piracy. Continue harassing Iranian vessels in international waters. Tighten the economic noose around Tehran. Wait for results. And, as the saying goes, hope for a way out by shifting from one failing approach to another.

For the United States, this may be the only possible option. It is a strategy of procrastination – an attempt to freeze the war while seeking to squeeze Iran economically.

The hidden danger

But here lies the great danger that White House strategists may be underestimating. If this option too proves useless and ineffective for Trump, if the economic squeeze fails to break Iran, if the blockade is neutralized, if Iran’s resilience holds, then he would effectively be forced back to the previous two options.

And both of those, from the perspective of any sober strategist, are certainly riskier than the naval blockade. Acceptance brings humiliation and strategic defeat. War brings the terrifying prospect of an even greater humiliation.

What we are witnessing is a president trapped. Iran has structured its demands not as opening bids but as final positions. The nuclear issue is off the table. Hormuz is non-negotiable. Trump can accept, fight, or freeze. None of these leads to victory.

The confusion and disarray in Washington’s initial reactions are not temporary. They are symptoms of a deeper strategic reality: for the first time in decades, the American side faces an adversary that has closed off every good option.

If Trump accepts Iran’s terms, he loses. If he resumes the war, he risks losing even bigger. If he does nothing and hopes the blockade works, he is merely delaying the inevitable return to the first two options – both of which are nightmares.

This is the crossroads. And whichever path Trump ultimately chooses, the writing is on the wall: Iran has turned the ceasefire into a strategic reset, and the US is running out of road.

US maritime banditry

The United States has run out of time. According to a high-ranking security source speaking to Press TV, America’s ongoing “naval blockade,” essentially a maritime piracy and banditry, will soon be met with “practical and unprecedented action.”

Iran’s armed forces have made their position clear: patience has limits. A punishing response is now necessary if Washington maintains its illegal grip on the Strait of Hormuz, he said.

The strategic calculation behind Tehran’s restraint is often misunderstood. According to the source, the pause was never a weakness. It was a deliberate window for diplomacy – a final chance for Americans to learn of and accept Iran’s conditions for ending the war.

It was also meant to give President Trump an off-ramp, an opportunity to pull America out of the quagmire it now finds itself in. That’s precisely what he had been looking for.

If American obstinacy and delusions continue, the source warned, the enemy should expect a very different kind of response. Notably, Iran is fully aware of the economic consequences.

Closing the Strait of Hormuz and maintaining a blockade would affect all countries, including Iran. But Tehran’s decades of experience in circumventing sanctions, its thousands of kilometers of land borders, and its pre-existing measures to counter maritime sieges have made Iran far more resilient to economic pressure than the United States.

Nearly 60 days into the war imposed on Iran, Trump is searching for an exit – having already lost on both the battlefield and at the negotiating table.

But if the illegal and foolhardy blockade continues, even this last option will be discredited like other options. That will be the last nail in the coffin of the dying American Empire.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on US at a crossroads: Iran’s firm positions leave Trump no option but to capitulate

Iran signals decisive response to end US maritime bullying, piracy

Al Mayadeen | April 29, 2026

A senior Iranian security source has indicated that Tehran is preparing what it describes as a decisive and potentially unprecedented response to ongoing US maritime piracy in the strategic waters surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking to Press TV on Wednesday, the source warned that continued US actions, described as a form of maritime blockade, would soon be met with a direct military response. “The continued US acts of piracy and maritime bullying will be met with a practical and unprecedented response,” the source stated, signaling a shift away from restraint toward escalation.

According to the official, Iran’s armed forces, operating under the central command structure of Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, now view continued patience as no longer strategically viable. The source emphasized that a “painful response” has become necessary if Washington maintains what Tehran considers an illegal siege around one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.

Iranian officials are increasingly framing US naval actions as “maritime piracy,” an escalation that reflects both legal positioning and signaling. The source reiterated that Tehran no longer sees the United States as confronting a passive or predictable adversary.

He pointed to Iran’s historical experience in “imposed wars,” arguing that past confrontations have reshaped the balance of expectations. Iran, he said, has demonstrated the capacity to neutralize US strategies through resilience, asymmetric tactics, and strategic patience.

The source also credited Iran’s leadership, describing it as “wise, courageous, and decisive,” in steering the country through prolonged pressure campaigns while maintaining internal cohesion and military readiness.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on Iran signals decisive response to end US maritime bullying, piracy

Trump eager for off-ramp in war on Iran, but Netanyahu has him trapped: Former official

By Alireza Kamandi | Press TV | April 29, 2026

Donald Trump is eager to find an off-ramp, declare “victory,” and end the war against Iran – but Benjamin Netanyahu is not, leaving Trump trapped, says a former chief of staff to the US Secretary of State.

In an interview with the Press TV website, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson – former chief of staff to Colin Powell from 2002 to 2005 – said that as tensions with Iran simmer following the recent US-Israeli war against the country, a complex picture is emerging of a Washington administration caught between tactical necessity and political traps.

He said the central question surrounding the White House’s strategy is whether the Trump administration is using the lull in hostilities to rebuild its military capacity.

“There is an ongoing effort to replace critical munitions, expedite repair of warships in maintenance, and alert and prepare more land forces for possible action,” he said, adding that this logistical surge extends to Tel Aviv, where efforts are underway to replenish munitions and call up more reservists.

As for the Trump administration’s self-declared “maritime blockade” of Iranian ports, the timeline is elastic, Wilkerson said, adding that the US can sustain the pressure indefinitely, but only as long as necessary to secure an agreement with Tehran on what constitutes the end of war.

“However, this is where the internal rift becomes critical. President Trump is eager to find an exit, to declare ‘victory’, and to end the conflict, but Netanyahu is not. So, Trump is trapped,” he said.

The former official noted this dynamic suggests that the duration of the blockade depends heavily on the outcome of upcoming Israeli elections and who ultimately emerges as the winner there.

For now, the US finds itself locked into a maritime strategy whose off-ramp is controlled by Israel with conflicting war aims, he told the Press TV website.

When asked how long Israel could sustain a war against Iran without direct US military intervention, the answer was stark: “Not very long—probably less than a month.”

The reason is not a lack of will, but sheer logistics, he stated.

“The supply of fuel, oil, munitions, and even material not available because of the deterioration of Israel’s economy, would be non-existent,” he remarked.

Wilkerson emphasized that the most profound geopolitical consequence of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran will be felt thousands of miles away, in Asia and the Persian Gulf states.

Asian nations are already reassessing their military cooperation with Washington.

“The perception of the United States as a stabilizing, reliable anchor is fracturing. For the Persian Gulf monarchies that have long relied on the US security umbrella, and for Asian powers concerned about energy security and trade routes,” he noted.

On events unfolding inside the US and the recent shooting during the White House correspondents’ dinner, he said these things happen in the Empire, but more frequently with Trump, as he is “a very controversial president.”

“One wonders as well if one or two of the attempts were not staged, such as the one in Pennsylvania and the one on the golf course. Staged to build sympathy for a president who loves the limelight and being ‘loved’,” he stated.

He attributed the violence to a deeply fractured US administration and the American Empire.

“A great many people loathe Donald Trump, believe him directly involved in the Epstein scandal, and do not care for his style of ‘leadership’, plus, wars overseas tend to come home, i.e., violence in war creates violence at home,” he told the Press TV website.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | False Flag Terrorism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Trump eager for off-ramp in war on Iran, but Netanyahu has him trapped: Former official

Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ offers ‘limited’ shield against ballistic missiles: Defense official

Press TV – April 29, 2026

A recent US Senate hearing has exposed mounting concerns that America’s homeland missile defenses are dangerously misaligned with modern warfare, according to a report.

Assistant Secretary of Defense Marc Berkowitz, speaking before the US Senate Committee on Armed Services during the hearing on the next-generation Golden Dome missile defense system on Tuesday, said that the US relies on a “very limited” ground-based, single-layer defense system designed specifically to counter a small-scale rogue ICBM attack from North Korea.

He emphasized that this architecture provides only “very limited capability” against other ballistic missile threats. Most critically, Berkowitz warned that the US currently has “no defense against hypersonic weapons or cruise missiles today.”

According to a report by Asia Times, Data from the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance indicates that between 1999 and 2023, 21 Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) tests were conducted, resulting in just 12 hits and 8 misses, a success rate of only 57 percent.

A February 2025 American Physical Society report noted that despite more than $400 billion spent since 1957, no missile defense system is effective against realistic ICBM threats.

The Asia Times report said that intercepting even a single nuclear-armed ICBM is “extremely challenging” given short engagement windows and the difficulty of distinguishing warheads from decoys.

The Trump administration’s “Golden Dome” project aims to build a layered “system of systems” integrating space-, air-, ground- and sea-based defenses.

However, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists reports that Golden Dome faces severe timing constraints: sensors cannot confirm an ICBM trajectory until about 75 seconds after launch, leaving only 25-35 seconds to decide and engage.

Estimates suggest roughly 40,000 space-based interceptors would be required to counter even a limited salvo of 10 ICBMs.

Costs are projected at about $185 billion for initial deployment, with total costs potentially reaching $3.6 trillion over 20 years.

A May 2025 Scientific American article argued that Golden Dome is “fantasy” rooted in the belief that the US can buy its way out of nuclear vulnerability.

As even relatively unsophisticated missiles and drones have shown in the recent US-Israeli war on Iran, advanced defenses can be saturated and penetrated when attacked in sufficient numbers.

The evidence points to a reality that a US-made defense architecture that must be nearly perfect to work is inherently vulnerable to failure.

The Asia Times report concludes that absent a shift toward fundamentally different technologies, the current US approach to missile defense remains a losing proposition, one that can mitigate risk but not eliminate it.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Timeless or most popular | | Comments Off on Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ offers ‘limited’ shield against ballistic missiles: Defense official

Ukraine Seeks to Provoke a Nuclear Conflict: Zakharova

teleSUR | April 29, 2026

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is sabotaging any and all peace initiatives and is now creating conditions for a potential nuclear conflict.

“The diplomat drew attention to Zelensky’s earlier remarks that Ukraine should be given both NATO membership and nuclear weapons as security guarantees,” TASS reported.

“In fact, he continues to provoke a nuclear conflict with such statements. Moreover, Western Europe risks becoming the first victim of this very nuclear blackmail,” Zakharova stated.

“Zelensky clearly does not want peace. He seeks to prolong the fighting indefinitely and is ready to risk a dangerous escalation of the conflict,” she added.

Putin Accuses Ukraine of Resorting to Terrorist Tactics

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced that Ukraine is resorting to terrorist actions against the civilian population and infrastructure because it is unable to stop the advance of Russian forces. During a meeting on ensuring security in the upcoming elections, he stressed that the risks of terrorist attacks on Russia are growing.

“The Kiev regime, unable to stop Russia from advancing along the line of engagement, has resorted to overt terrorist methods with the help of its patrons. Ukraine is losing territories day after day and is staking on terror because of its inability to change the situation,” Putin stated, adding that Zelensky hopes that acts of terrorism against Russia will change the situation.

Putin also denounced that the Kiev regime will try to meddle in the 2026 Russian parliamentary elections. More specifically, Ukraine will try to prevent elections from being held in Donbass and Novorossiya.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | War Crimes | , , | Comments Off on Ukraine Seeks to Provoke a Nuclear Conflict: Zakharova

US squares up to China over Panama Canal

RT | April 29, 2026

The US has announced a six-nation coalition aimed at pressuring China to relinquish its interests in two ports in the Panama Canal, accusing Beijing of infringing on Panama’s sovereignty and politicizing global trade. China has called the claims “baseless.”

The development is part of a pattern of US efforts to push China out of Latin America. The US National Security Strategy calls for non-Western “competitors” to be prevented from owning or controlling key assets in the Western Hemisphere.

Last year, US President Donald Trump claimed that China is “operating the Panama Canal” and threatened to “take it back.”

The US State Department issued a joint statement on Tuesday with Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago, saying they support Panama against what they describe as external pressure from China.

”Any attempts to undermine Panama’s sovereignty are a threat to us all,” the statement read, adding that Panama “must remain free from any undue external pressure,” and that freedom in the region is “non-negotiable.”

China rejected the accusations, with the Foreign Ministry hitting back on Wednesday against what it called a smear campaign.

”It is the United States that is politicizing and over-securitizing the port issue… hypocritically posturing and spreading rumors and smears everywhere,” spokesman Lin Jian said, dismissing the claims as “baseless and a complete distortion of facts.”

Lin urged the countries involved not to “be deceived or used by forces with ulterior motives” regarding the port inspections, which he said were conducted lawfully.

The US-led campaign follows a ruling in January by Panama’s Supreme Court that annulled contracts held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings for the Balboa and Cristobal, two key ports at the canal’s entrances – a move that the US has backed.

The Chinese company, which managed the terminals for nearly three decades, has contested the ruling, alleging unlawful expropriation, and has launched international arbitration, seeking over $2 billion in reparations.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | Sinophobia | , , , | Comments Off on US squares up to China over Panama Canal

Monroe Doctrine 2.0: ‘Great Reset’ for US Imperialism?

Sputnik – 29.04.2026

“The United States is a declining power worldwide. It needs to reassert its powers,” Brazilian economics and international affairs scholar Vinicius Vieira told Sputnik, commenting on recently approved Monroe Doctrine 2.0 strategy and the Senate’s refusal to block the president’s power to invade Cuba.

For Washington, establishing greater control over Latin America, especially Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America, may seem like an opportunity to start afresh in reasserting its great power status, Dr. Vieira says.

Regime change in Cuba, for example, would not mean independence or democratization for the island nation, “but a return to the status prior to the Cuban Revolution – a protectorate de facto, US territory de facto.”

The problem is, the neighborhood is not what it was 150-200 years ago. Washington’s neighbors “want a relationship based on equal respect and mutual recognition,” and controlling South America may prove “too ambitious” entirely, given linkages they’ve established with other members of the Global South.

What’s more, “the costs for the US to implement this type of policy are quite high…because it depends on coercion, on sticks, no carrots at all,” Vieira stressed. Speaking of carrots, the US has “lost leverage” in this domain vis-à-vis China and its development projects, according to the scholar.

Ultimately, Monroe 2.0 could prove “too costly,” and “rather than bringing the United States to its golden days of hegemony…may just accelerate its decline because of its very high costs in terms of money and reputation,” Vieira summed up.

April 29, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Militarism | , , | Comments Off on Monroe Doctrine 2.0: ‘Great Reset’ for US Imperialism?