Where did the money for Trump's Board of Peace go?

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Khai Beng's Post


Khai Beng Tan

ootednsSpr6mtma23i1cmfffatumcugt21hu4lhhtf51f9269f1m007h0f9u ·


One of the UAE’s top businessmen, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, just lashed out at Trump over the Iran War.
Here's an excerpt, and we'll provide the full statement below.

“For before the ink has dried on the #BoardOfPeace initiative that you announced in the name of peace and stability, we find ourselves facing a military escalation that endangers the entire region. …

Most of the funding proposed in those initiatives came from the countries of the region themselves, and from Arab Gulf countries that contributed billions of dollars on the basis of supporting stability and development. 

And these countries have the right to ask today: Where did this money go? And are we funding peace initiatives or funding a war that exposes us to danger?”

Here's the full statement:

His Excellency President Donald Trump,
A direct question: Who gave you the authority to drag our region into a war with #Iran? And on what basis did you make this dangerous decision?

Did you calculate the collateral damage before pulling the trigger? And did you consider that the first to suffer from this escalation will be the countries of the region itself!

The peoples of this region have the right to ask as well: Was this your decision alone? Or did it come as a result of pressures from #Netanyahu and his government?

You have placed the countries of the #GulfCooperationCouncil and the Arab countries at the heart of a danger they did not choose. Thank God, we are strong and capable of defending ourselves, and we have armies and defenses that protect our homelands, but the question remains: Who gave you permission to turn our region into a battlefield?

For before the ink has dried on the #BoardOfPeace initiative that you announced in the name of peace and stability, we find ourselves facing a military escalation that endangers the entire region. So where did those initiatives go? And what is the fate of the commitments made in the name of peace?

Most of the funding proposed in those initiatives came from the countries of the region themselves, and from Arab Gulf countries that contributed billions of dollars on the basis of supporting stability and development. And these countries have the right to ask today:

Where did this money go? And are we funding peace initiatives or funding a war that exposes us to danger?

More dangerous than that, your decision does not threaten only the peoples of the region, but also reaches the American people whom you promised peace and prosperity. And here they are today, finding themselves in a war funded from their money and taxes, with costs ranging, according to the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), between 40-65 billion dollars for direct military operations, and could reach 210 billion dollars including economic impacts and indirect losses if it lasts four to five weeks, not to mention the sacrifice of Americans themselves in a war in which they have neither camel nor she-camel.

You have even broken your promises not to get involved in wars and to focus only on America and put it at the top of your priorities, as you ordered foreign military interventions during your second term that included seven countries: Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Nigeria, Syria, Iran, and Venezuela, in addition to naval operations in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. You directed more than 658 foreign airstrikes in your first year in office, which equals the total strikes in Biden's entire term, for which you directed your arrows of criticism for involving the United States in foreign wars.

Your Excellency the President, these numbers have severely reflected on your approval ratings among Americans, which have declined since your inauguration for the second term, by about 9% in just 400 days.

These numbers say something clear: Even within #TheUnitedStates, there is growing concern about being dragged into a new war, and about exposing the lives of Americans, their economy, and their future to unnecessary risks.

True leadership is not measured by war decisions, but by wisdom, respect for others, and pushing toward achieving peace. And if these initiatives were launched in the name of peace, then we have the right today to demand full transparency and clear accountability.





***

Bloke missed asking one question, that is, "Are you a frigging lapdog of Satanyahu?" 😂😂😂

Forgive, forget, rejoin: This Ramadan, Zahid says Umno will welcome back former members who were expelled or suspended

Forgive, forget, rejoin: This Ramadan, Zahid says Umno will welcome back former members who were expelled or suspended



Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today announced that the party is opening its doors unconditionally to former members and new supporters. — Picture by Yusof Isa

Friday, 06 Mar 2026 12:05 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today announced that the party is opening its doors unconditionally to former members and new supporters, framing the move as a gesture of reconciliation during Ramadan.

kt comments: Tun can rejoin, or at least Mukhriz 😄😄😄👍

He said the holy month, which encourages reflection, the strengthening of ties and unity among Muslims, was the right time to reconnect with the party’s wider struggle.


“Umno is opening the doors of this Rumah Bangsa as widely as possible to any former members who were expelled or suspended to return, or to any individuals who wish to join this struggle,” Zahid said in a statement.

He added that in the spirit of Ramadan, past mistakes and differences would be fully forgiven to allow the party to begin a new chapter and reinforce its unity.


The process will be coordinated by the Rumah Bangsa Committee chaired by Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, in line with Umno’s constitution.


Zahid said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the party’s foundations, which rest not only on organisational structure but also on the support and solidarity of members at all levels. He expressed hope that the effort would be blessed and serve as a point of unity to reinforce Umno’s strength in continuing its agenda for religion, race and country, while ensuring a better future for Malaysians.

Narendra Modi is opening up his legs to Israel

From the FB page of:

Khai Beng Tan

dSnsptoero98mu417u846g1830hmii73hia756478i172515cu03u773632l ·



" American journalist Ana Kasparian from The Young Turks just dropped a bombshell on PM Narendra Modi's foreign policy: 'It looks like Narendra Modi is opening up his legs to Israel. Congratulations.' 

This crude remark highlights how India's once-independent stance is now seen as submissive to Israel, turning us into a 'pet' in global alliances. 

The clip is going viral – what do you think? Is this fair criticism or just cheap provocation?

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CLzqk6adz/

The impending Bukit Mertajam clash is a failure of state leadership — Aziff Azuddin

The impending Bukit Mertajam clash is a failure of state leadership — Aziff Azuddin


Friday, 06 Mar 2026 10:46 AM MYT


MARCH 6 — This Saturday, on March 7, 2026, the site of Hospital Bukit Mertajam is likely to become the scene of a manufactured security crisis. In examining the mobilisation posters created by both anti-temple vigilante groups and the opposing Hindu community, a troubling message is visualised. The anti-temple coalition utilises the imagery of state enforcement, demanding the eradication of ‘illegal’ structures. In response, the Indian community is rallied under the Dharma banner, issuing a direct challenge to their antagonists.

With reports of cross-state mobilisation converging on Bukit Mertajam, the threat of a localised dispute breaking out into a riot is imminent. The government is risking a severe breakdown in public order, yet remains in a state of inaction.

The current administration’s handling of the nationwide temples dispute signals a dangerous dereliction of duty, while standing behind the convenient shield of ‘legal truth’. It needs to be stated here: it is an objective fact that many of these structures sit on un-gazetted or private land, technically rendering them illegal under the National Land Code.

However, prioritising this binary legal reality, while ignoring the historical context of indentured Indian estate workers who built them, before being orphaned by urban development, comes at a high cost. When the state treats these communities as squatters, it abandons its duty to provide a systematic resolution. In this instance, the government essentially weaponises bureaucracy to clear its conscience of an inherited sociological reality.


Bureaucratic weaponisation of ‘legal truth’ erases historical context and deepens marginalisation

To understand how we got to this point, we need to trace this issue back to the 2025 Masjid Madani controversy in Kuala Lumpur. The popular narrative is that the temple had ‘illegally set itself up’ to block a proposed mosque. However, this is a dangerous, selective reading of history. In reality, the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple was an over-130-year-old pre-Merdeka structure. It was the land beneath it that was sold to private developers, rendering an ancestral site technically “illegal” overnight.

Unfortunately, the issue was hijacked by bad-faith actors, leading to civil society campaigns that hyper-focused on Indian issues and eventually culminating in online communities that doxx temple locations on a daily basis. This crisis is worsened by ambiguity at the federal level. Local municipal councils and vigilantes have weaponised vague rhetoric regarding action against “illegal” structures. The Prime Minister’s statement, “...local councils have been given the authority to clear out areas not owned by such temples so that this issue can be resolved properly”, has been interpreted as a blank cheque for ad-hoc demolitions, bypassing the difficult work on community mediation.


The majority of these temples are legacy places of worship. When the estates were systematically sold to private developers or reclaimed by the government over the decades, the temples were orphaned by the National Land Code of 1965. For a marginalised working-class community, these temples are the ultimate socio-emotional safety net. Erasing them through bureaucratic technicalities is administrative cruelty, whether intended or not. It signals to the Indian community that the government values the rigid execution of a land title over the living heritage of the Indian community.

Administrative vacuums enable syndicates to exploit religious devotion

However, not every unregistered temple is a pre-Merdeka legacy. There is an opportunistic economy that drives this crisis, characterised by the weaponisation of religious devotion.

Among the Indian community, it is known that certain temples are deliberately and illegally erected on state or private land as calculated land grabs. When a private developer or local council inevitably moves to reclaim the property, these groups weaponise the genuine religious sentiments of the Indian community. The ensuing outrage is manufactured to extort developers for compensation packages or land swaps during the negotiation process.

Because the state has allowed this administrative vacuum to persist for decades, these unregistered temples operate in a financial black hole. They effectively become vehicles for untracked community donations, potentially serving as money-laundering fronts that are channelled directly into gang networks.

When the state fails to conduct a nationwide audit that distinguishes a 100-year-old estate temple from a syndicate-built front, it plays right into the hands of opportunists. Right-wing vigilantes get their narrative of ‘lawlessness’ validated, while gangs and political elites profit from the outrage that puts the broader community in physical danger.



In reality, the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple was an over-130-year-old pre-Merdeka structure. It was the land beneath it that was sold to private developers, rendering an ancestral site technically ‘illegal’ overnight. — Picture by Choo Choy May



State inaction and elite complicity are actively driving ethno-religious radicalisation

Malaysia’s recent history offers a warning about unresolved land disputes. From the 1998 Kampung Rawa clashes in Penang, to the 2009 ‘Cow Head’ protest in Shah Alam, and the tragic 2018 Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple riot — all of these instances demonstrate what happens when the state outsources the management of socio-religious flashpoints to private developers, local councils or mob rule.

Today, the absence of de-escalation directives from the Home Ministry, coupled with the legal impunity granted to those organising vigilante rallies (potentially leading to demolitions), sends a dangerous signal. When provocateurs face little to no legal friction, state silence is essentially consent.

However, the state’s apathy is only half the tragedy. The other half is the calculated complicity of the Malaysian Indian political elite. It can be said that the enduring vulnerability of these temples is a deliberately maintained status quo. For decades, Indian leaders across the political divide have treated unresolved temple disputes as a highly lucrative political capital. The cycle is highly cynical but effective: allow a bureaucratic land issue to fester, anticipate the community’s anger, then swoop in as the community’s saviours. A solved crisis yields no votes, but a perpetual one returns dividends on relevance.

In Iman Research’s ongoing studies on youth and political disenfranchisement, the pattern is predictable. When the government and political leadership fail to protect a community, they break the fundamental social contract. In this specific instance, this systemic neglect pushes marginalised Malaysian Indians into the influence of imported ethno-religious extremism, specifically Hindutva ideology. When the government offers no effective avenues for justice, radical nationalism inevitably becomes the only viable pathway. When faced with vigilantes bringing backhoes to demolish a community’s spiritual centre, backed by a government that enables such action s —a militarised religious identity is no longer seen as extremism. The response, whether violent or worse, becomes justified.

Systemic intervention requires immediate de-escalation, comprehensive audits, and permanent statutory authority

To defuse the immediate crisis and prevent an imminent racial riot, the government must be stirred from its inaction and implement systemic intervention. As an immediate de-escalation measure, federal and state authorities must halt both mobilisations planned at Hospital Bukit Mertajam. The government cannot be ambiguous here. Extra-legal enforcement by vigilante groups must be prosecuted for what it is: a criminal threat to public order.

Beyond immediate crowd control, the government must institute a nationwide moratorium on the demolition of historical places of worship. The tragedy of this escalating crisis is that the government already possesses a framework to resolve it. During the previous Barisan Nasional administration, the Malaysian Indian Blueprint (MIB) laid the necessary groundwork for a nationwide audit and pemutihan process. The Madani administration must answer for why it has abandoned a comprehensive, data-driven roadmap and resorts instead to a short-sighted, reactive approach that outsources the fallout to local municipalities and vigilantes.

Ad-hoc political drama must be replaced with permanent statutory authority. A basic administrative issue, such as temple registration, continues to plague the Indian community because the primary body that represents them — the Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS), is deliberately kept toothless. They are registered as an NGO and hold no regulatory power, and cannot legally bind the community they represent.

To this end, the government must urgently table an Act of Parliament to elevate the MHS, or if it has the appetite, establish a federal Hindu Endowment Board, granting it statutory power similar to that of other religious and educational institutions. Removing this administrative authority from the hands of political opportunists and establishing a transparent, empowered institution is the only way to end this cycle of exploitation permanently.

Failing to protect socio-emotional security shatters public faith and accelerates democratic backsliding

The impending clash on March 7 is the predictable consequence of a state that has prioritised the cold execution of land titles over the living heritage of its people. By weaponising bureaucratic technicalities to erase the socio-emotional safety nets of working-class Malaysian Indians, the government is actively incubating a national security threat.

There is a more devastating consequence to this betrayal. When a supposedly pro-reform administration abandons its most vulnerable minorities to vigilante intimidation and bureaucratic cruelty, it shatters public faith in the democratic process itself. This widespread disillusionment paves the way for severe democratic backsliding. If the state continues to prove that pluralism and reform are empty slogans, it risks birthing a generation of Malaysians apathetic to the very system that is supposed to work for them.

Navigating the grey, difficult areas of historical injustice requires actual leadership. The government must step out from behind its shield of ‘legal truth’ and do the hard work of reconciliation. In a multicultural and plural society such as Malaysia’s, socio-emotional security is the fundamental prerequisite for national security.

* Aziff Azuddin is the Research Director of IMAN Research, a Malaysian think tank focused on security, peacebuilding, and sustainable community development.

Explosions rock Tel Aviv as Iran targets ‘heart of Israel’ in retaliatory strike

Explosions rock Tel Aviv as Iran targets ‘heart of Israel’ in retaliatory strike



Firefighters work to put out a fire caused by debris after a rocket interception in a residential area near Tel Aviv on March 5, 2026. — AFP pic

Friday, 06 Mar 2026 8:44 AM MYT


TEL AVIV, March 6 — The latest Iranian missile barrage sparked a wave of explosions across Tel Aviv as firefighters worked to contain a blaze at a residential building near Israel’s commercial hub on Friday.

The blasts came after Israel expanded its campaign against Hezbollah, vowing retribution against the Tehran-backed militant group for joining the conflict following the killing on Saturday of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.



Iran’s state broadcaster said Tehran had fired missiles “against targets in the heart of Tel Aviv,” after Israel’s military said it was working to intercept incoming Iranian fire late Thursday.

AFP journalists in Tel Aviv heard two near-simultaneous waves of explosions reverberating across the city.


Rocket trails also lit up the sky in Netanya, a city north of Tel Aviv on Israel’s Mediterranean coast.



After the barrage, Israel’s emergency services, the Magen David Adom (MDA), said its teams had visited several reported impact sites but that there were no casualties.

Israeli police said it was “currently handling scenes involving fallen projectiles in central Israel”, adding that there was “damage” but no injuries.


A projectile hit a building on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, forcing residents to evacuate.

At another residential site near Israel’s economic hub, firefighters worked to put out a blaze caused by falling debris after an Iranian rocket fire was intercepted.

Israel’s Home Front Command issues several rocket fire warnings early Friday for communities near the Lebanon border. — AFP

A HOUSEWIFE CANNOT TOPPLE THE DAP's LEANING TOWER?

 

OutSyed The Box

Monday, March 2, 2026

A HOUSEWIFE CANNOT TOPPLE THE DAP's LEANING TOWER?

 

• Senior DAP figures have signalled that the party could reconsider its role in the unity government following its disappointing performance in the Sabah state election. 
• Some leaders have suggested that DAP ministers could step down from Cabinet positions if reforms demanded by the party are not delivered within six months.

THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA

The flavour of the week seems to be topple, topple, topple. 
And the toppler shall be a housewife. 

• It is a deflection. 
• There is more serious crap going on. 
• There is talk of Trojan Horses. 
• If there are horses, trojan or otherwise, there will always be horse shit. 
• If there is horse shit, who will scoop it up. 
• They will need a scoop.
• What if the scoop is broken?

• The DAP leadership is leaning over dangerously. 
• Anthony Loke is a worried Chinaman. 
• He seems to be under plenty of pressure.

That party meeting in July to discuss if the party stays in or pulls out has hoisted an axe over Anthony Loke's head. Here is the Malay Mail (truncated, adapted).

POOR ANTHONY LOKE LOOKS CONSTIPATED

• Friday, 20 Feb 2026 
• KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 — Any move by DAP leaders to resign from their ministerial and GLC posts would not automatically trigger a general election political analysts said.
• Their comments came after DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke said the party would use its national congress in July to decide whether it should continue holding posts in the federal government.
• Senior DAP figures have signalled that the party could reconsider its role in the unity government following its disappointing performance in the Sabah state election. Some leaders have suggested that DAP ministers could step down from Cabinet positions if reforms demanded by the party are not delivered within six months.
• The proposal is seen as an attempt to placate grassroots supporters, particularly in Peninsular Malaysia

Is it such a good idea to have that party gathering in July? For certainly if things get worse in the horse shit arena, that July gathering could turn out "cantankerous'. Something like this AI image below.

I remember decades ago, the late Tun Ghafar joked that at their party assembly the MIC should nail their chairs to the floor. That would prevent the MIC delegates from throwing chairs at one another. Just a suggestion ok. Or get heavier chairs, too heavy to throw.

July is FIVE months away. Tick tock, tick tock.

Then last week (?) that DAP MP for Kota Melaka issued an ultimatum in Parliament "Éither he goes or we go'. This was referring to the Chief Commissioner of the MACC.

• Well YB Kota Melaka, so far no one is going. 
• Now lets see if you will go or you are just bullshitting as well. 
• Main wayang Cina kah? 
• Chinese opera?

But the most critical part of this drama are the DAP's grassroots members and the Chinese people - the DAP's one and only support base.

The DAP's grassroots members and the Chinese community are getting fed up with all the clownish antics that are going on.  

The DAP has 40 Parliamentary seats. The DAP holds sufficient Cabinet positions (Ministers and Deputy Ministers). Their people hold GLC positions etc. If the party votes to pull out of all these there will be chaos inside their coalition.

• But there is a greater danger. 
• More dangerous than all the other scenarios put together. 
• What if the 4,000 delegates vote to pull out but Anthony Loke and gang refuse to pull out or start making excuses and more excuses? 
• Then the DAP'S Leaning Tower may fully tip over. 

Amidst all this chaos YB Nga Kor Ming appears a steady leader in the DAP. Much steadier than Anthony Loke. 

It is actually the DAP that is in some danger of toppling over.  And if that happens then the consequences for the dunggu mob will be quite serious. 

Monkeys Pull A Monkey Trick

 

OutSyed The Box

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Monkeys Pull A Monkey Trick.

 

• Two votes short: Move to limit tenure fails - amid high absenteeism
• major blow to proposed democratic reforms
• failed to pass amendment to limit tenure to 10 years
• falling just two votes shy of the required two-thirds 
• 146 votes only
• missing 148-vote “supermajority” threshold
• 32 monkeys were absent 
• another 44 monkeys present but did not vote.
• result unexpected as c1b#1s have over two-thirds  

My comments:

• At least Dr Mahathir was honest and straight to the point. 
• Dr Mahathir said, 'I dont give a shit about the Manifesto'. 
• Or words to that effect. 
• Dr Mahathir did not give a shit about the Election manifesto. 
• To him it was just useless words on paper. 

But these monkeys are different. They actually went through the motions of floating the bill in the monkey cage. Then it got killed by just two votes.

• Here is the real shit-throwing monkey trick. 
• They have the super majority. 
• Then 32 monkeys went absent. 
• But another 44 monkeys were present but did not vote !!   
• C1b#1 betul
• Can you believe this? 

These were their own people.
The Opposition did exactly what the Opposition would do.
The Opposition voted against the motion.
But what about their own monkeys?

The whole thing was just a wayang.

So if they cannot even reform the two term tenure, how are they going to make other reforms like:

1. Abolish the Sedition Act
2. Abolish that really stupid Anti Hopping Law
3. Amend the Defamation Laws
4. Abolish the tolls
5. Abolish the never ending monopolies and oligopolies
6. Abolish the never ending franchises and concessions
7. Liberalise the economy, liberalise the banking sector
8. Abolish the Ah Long system
9. Abolish the AP system
10. Abolish the ridiculous import duties and taxes on imported cars
11. Plus a thousand other reforms

These things are just not going to happen.
Not only have all of you kena tipu, but you have been liwatted in the @$$.
Again and again. 
I know some of you may like it but what about the rest?

Oil Tops $80 As Iran War Spillover Effects Compound, Hopes Of Quick US Victory Fade

Oil Tops $80 As Iran War Spillover Effects Compound, Hopes Of Quick US Victory Fade

by Tyler Durden
Friday, Mar 06, 2026 - 03:30 PM


Summary:

US oil tops $80 a barrel for first time since January 2025. White House tapping advisors for ideas on lowering gasoline prices in wake of US attack on Iran.

Shanghai brent futures, in dollars @1335ET


President Trump told Axios in an interview Thursday that he needs to be personally involved in selecting Iran's next leader — just as he was in Venezuela.
😡😡😡

Trump supports Kurds launching an offensive in Iran, tells Reuters: "I think it's wonderful if they want to do that."


Little Azerbaijan talks big: President reportedly announced his country's army is planning an assault on the regime in Iran, as a direct response to the Iranian drone attacks.


Qatari fighter jets intercepted Iranian bombers that came within minutes of striking al-Udeid, the largest US military base in the Middle East: CNN


At least 1,230 Iranians killed since Saturday in actions increasingly described as a regime-change operation, as war widens into Lebanon, Gulf targets pounded, and even Azerbaijan sees first Iranian drone strike - shuts airspace. Iran says over 3,600 civilian sites damaged. Also more missiles on Dubai. At least six US troops killed, but Pentagon has not released new casualty updates.


US Senate last night voted 53–47 to block an effort to limit Trump's Operation Epic Fury, allowing the campaign to continue as Washington signals deeper strikes inside Iran.

WH hopes for 'quick victory' fade as it widens geopolitically/economically, with US allies weighing involvement, NATO intercepting a missile heading toward Turkey, evacuation operations underway across the region.


European countries send naval assets to Cyprus, Italy sends 'defensive' equipment in wake of Iranian-made drone attacks on UK base.


Iran's 'Missile Cities' a threat, but WSJ says "US and Israeli war planes and armed drones are circling over the dozens of cavernous bases, striking missile-carrying launchers when they emerge to fire."


UN says 20,000 seafarers, 15,000 passengers stuck in Gulf as State Dept and others initiate evacuation plans.


Israeli military says it knocked out 300 Iranian ballistic missile launchers, but Tel Aviv also got pummeled overnight as many projectiles made it through air defenses.


Trump: "We have a lot of winners, but Spain is a loser, and UK has been very disappointing."


Price of US oil benchmark up more than 5% due to US-Israel war.

Deposed Sha's son Reza Pahlavi calls for Iranian officials to ‘hand over power immediately’ - also amid reports that US/Israel might purse Kurdish proxy ground op.


* * *


Update(1130): Among the ongoing flurry of war headlines, one which just broke via Axios provides the world with a better picture as to the future trajectory of the US-Israeli 'regime change' operation in Iran:


President Trump told Axios in an interview Thursday that he needs to be personally involved in selecting Iran's next leader — just as he was in Venezuela.

Trump acknowledged that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of assassinated supreme leader Ali Khamenei, is the most likely successor — while making clear he finds that outcome unacceptable.

The Council of Experts have officially said they've postponed the announcement of the new supreme leader, but speculation abounds. Still, an announcement could be imminent.

For anyone that's paid attention for the last 20+ years of America's regime change wars in the Middle East and elsewhere, even if Washington leaders say "no boots on ground" all day long, they are still making "pledges" which ensures or 'commits' to a series of escalation steps leading to just that.

Ground invasion would be a disaster, more than likely...

Lucas Gage

@LucasGageX

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You're not putting boots on the ground in here and getting them out alive.

2:35 AM · Mar 6, 2026

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Trump said to Axios: "They are wasting their time. Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela." He added: "Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran."

And very alarming for the prospect of a long quagmire which could endure for years, just like the Iraq war:


He added that he refuses to accept a new Iranian leader who would continue Khamenei's policies, which he said would force the U.S. back to war "in five years."

Destruction ongoing in both Tel Aviv and Tehran (below)...

Abier

@abierkhatib

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Tel Aviv they don’t want you to see

11:25 PM · Mar 5, 2026

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Al Jazeera English

@AJEnglish

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New videos show destruction across Iran after US and Israeli air strikes, including damage to gov't buildings, residential neighbourhoods and Iran’s main sports stadium. Iran's media say dozens of strikes have hit multiple locations as fears grow of a wider regional conflict.

2:23 AM · Mar 6, 2026

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* * *

The United States and Israel continue their history-shaping shock and awe style military campaign against Iran, with Israeli forces also now intensifying strikes in Lebanon. Since Saturday, at least 1,230 people have been killed in what's clearly morphed into a regime change operation on Tehran, according to official numbers, which are expected to climb by the day. The war is expanding to nearby countries like Azerbaijan, and possibly even Turkey - in addition to the Gulf states.

Crucially, in Washington the US Senate blocked an effort to curb President Trump's Operation Epic Fury, voting 53–47 against a procedural motion aimed at limiting the operation. Meanwhile Iran is going increasingly 'gloves off' in its response, with Tehran officials saying the war is expanding beyond just direct airstrikes. All the while, President Trump is still seeking 'quick victory' - the NY Times says Thursday. It writes, "his calculation has been that he can launch military operations with the loss of few American lives and minimal disruption to the economy. The opening days of the war in Iran are challenging that assumption." The report continues:


Already, six Americans have been killed. Gulf allies are under attack. The stock market wobbled. Gas prices are rising. The U.S. military is spending, by some estimates, hundreds of millions of dollars per day. In Iran, an airstrike on a girls’ elementary school killed 175 people, according to local health officials and Iranian state media, and the Trump administration says it is investigating who was responsible.

Smoke above Tehran, via EPA



Some of the most important latest developments at the Pentagon as well as CENTCOM headquarters come from fresh reporting in Politico:


Trump administration is scrambling to manage the fallout of the Iran war: The Pentagon is requesting additional intelligence officers for at least 100 days, suggesting the war could last far longer than the initially suggested four-week timeline. Officials say planning was limited. There's talk of "through September."

A State Department source said "too few people were read in on the war plans," which slowed evacuation preparations and travel alerts for Americans in the region.

Critics say the response looked improvised, with one former U.S. diplomat calling it "a completely ad hoc operation… like they woke up on Saturday and decided to start a war."

Again, if the Pentagon is requesting additional intelligence officers for at least 100 days, this strongly suggests the war could last far longer than the initially suggested four-week timeline. Hegseth has already suggested up to eight weeks, and the scope and timeline keeps sliding further.

In Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of "terrorist movements" along Iran's border with Iraq and called for stronger security measures amid reports that the United States is in talks with Kurdish forces about arming them to foment an uprising against Tehran.

Israel hit hard overnight:

Azeem Sabzvari

@Azeem_Sabzvari

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Crazy footage of Mid air turn by an iranian Missile to dodge israeli interceptors & then hit the target

7:15 PM · Mar 4, 2026

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Some Kurdish groups are already 'preemptively' getting hit, with Iran's Intelligence Ministry announcing its forces launched operations against Kurdish groups based in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq. The ministry said it struck positions belonging to "separatist groups" attempting to cross Iran's western border and reported that they suffered heavy losses.

The statement, carried by state media, said Iranian forces are cooperating with "noble Kurds" to thwart what it described as an "Israeli-American" plan to attack Iranian soil. This after many Western pundits have questioned the purpose of government officials airing or 'leaking' supposedly covert plans for the CIA and Mossad to arm Iranian Kurdish separatists. Still, the NY Times is freshly reporting Thursday:


Pro-American, Iranian Kurdish forces based in Iraq are preparing armed units that could enter Iran, creating a potential new front in an already expanding conflict.

Meanwhile, Israel expanded its air campaign inside Iran. In a new wave of strikes around Tehran, the Israel Defense Forces said it hit the headquarters of Iran’s special forces, bases of the Basij paramilitary organization, and other government-linked sites - amid official claims the US and Israel are trying to 'liberate' and get the Iranian people to 'rise up'. About 90 Israeli Air Force fighter jets participated in the operation, striking roughly 40 targets with about 200 bombs, according to the military.

Iranian authorities say civilian infrastructure has also been hit and have charged that more schools are getting obliterated. Missiles fired by the US and Israel struck two schools in the town of Parand, southwest of Tehran, Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency is alleging. Images which were widely circulated showed debris and destruction inside what appeared to be a classroom, while several nearby residential buildings also sustained damage.

Tehran has decried European apathy as its cities get pummeled, with Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei warning that European Union countries will "pay the price, sooner or later" if they remain silent over the US-Israeli attacks. Earlier in the week a few drones were sent against EU-member Cyprus, targeting a British airbase there.

Patricia Marins

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Iran's Large Missiles Are a Challenge for Interceptors In this image, we see once again how Iranian missiles with larger and more modern warheads pass through the interceptors without any problem whatsoever. In recent days, I have been reporting that, from what it seems to me, Show more

2:09 PM · Mar 5, 2026

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Iran has upped its retaliatory strikes against Israel in another huge assault, launching its 19th wave of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US assets across the Middle East. The videos coming out of Tel Aviv overnight were surreal, showing dozens of ballistic missiles soaring above - often evading Israel's air defenses - before hitting targets and erupting in huge fireballs. Damage on the ground also confirms that many missiles continue to get through, with Israel's military appearing to conceal the extent of destruction - and possibly even casualties. Reuters reports Thursday:


Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have tightened their grip on wartime decision making despite the loss of top commanders, senior sources say, driving a hardline strategy that is propelling Tehran's drone and missile campaign across the region.

The IRGC said it fired ballistic missiles carrying one-ton explosive warheads at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. One projectile landed in Bareket, east of Tel Aviv. Millions of residents across central Israel were sent into shelters overnight as missile intercepts triggered explosions that rattled buildings across the area. However, medics reported no injuries following the latest barrage. Official military assessments say that only a small number of missiles were launched and no impacts were recorded in residential neighborhoods.


While Iran military commander Amir Heydari told state TV on Thursday the vital Strait of Hormuz isn’t closed, traders and analysts still expect it will take weeks before oil flows can resume meaningfully.

Reuters and other have asked: how deep is Iran's missile and drone arsenal (as similar questions are being asked of Pentagon stocks):


Iranian drone attacks could disrupt the Strait of Hormuz for months, but how long the Islamic Republic could sustain its missile barrage is less clear, according to intelligence sources and military analysts.

The Iranians are claiming to have only tapped their older stockpiles and that they've barely started using the shinier, high-tech and most devastating missiles. As for the ongoing Iranian attacks on US Gulf allies, Iran's military said Thursday it carried out a drone attack on a US military site in Kuwait. Other countries have reported ongoing drone or missile activity, as well as projectiles still targeting oil and logistical sites.

Margarita Simonyan

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Ground-level images Western networks don't like to show, for some reason. Hami Hamedi, RT's bureau chief, takes a tour through the destruction of Tehran.

9:59 AM · Mar 5, 2026

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But most importantly, the conflict has come to Azerbaijan for the first time. Iranian drone strikes injured two people and damaged the terminal building of an airport near the Iran-Azerbaijan border - which marks the first such attack on Azerbaijani territory since the war began. The drones reportedly struck the exclave of Nakhchivan, which lies between Armenia and Iran, with another drone reportedly falling near a school in Shakarabad. "We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said.

At sea, Iran's foreign minister condemned a US torpedo strike that sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday, calling it an "atrocity" and warning that Washington will come to regret the attack. More than 80 people were killed and several remain missing after the vessel sank. The event is under international scrutiny as some Western officials and pundits have stated that according to the Geneva Convention, the US Navy was obligated to search for and rescue sinking Iranian seamen in so far as possible - but that doesn't appear to have happened.

The fighting continues to global energy markets, particularly given cargo vessels are avoiding the Strait of Hormuz after the IRGC announced the closure of the vital shipping route, throttling oil and gas flows - though we reported overnight on an apparently China-owned bulk carrier being able to make it through.

Iran itself remains under a severe communications blackout, with Internet connectivity across the country at roughly 1% of normal levels for more than 120 hours, according NetBlocks. Iranian authorities are reportedly messaging citizens warning they better not protest at this emergency moment when the country is under attack.

The war also continues to spread in Lebanon, where Israel and Hezbollah have been in a ground war for some 24 hours, amid reports of the IDF sending tanks. Since fighting resumed earlier this week, at least 77 people have been killed and 527 wounded, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

The widening war has further stranded tens of thousands of travelers across the region. Roughly 23,000 foreign nationals remain stuck in Middle Eastern countries as commercial flights are disrupted. Several governments - including the United Kingdom, India, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, and the Czech Republic - are organizing additional flights and safe border crossings to evacuate their citizens. The Trump administration came under fire initially, but has since confirmed it is organizing evacuation flights and other methods for stranded American citizens in the region.

War Monitor

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#BREAKING CENTCOM publishes footage of US military bombing Iranian fighter jets

12:11 AM · Mar 6, 2026

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At the same time Western officials say the military campaign is still escalating, with senior US officials warning that American strikes will begin targeting deeper locations inside Iran and emphasized that the operation remains in its early stages. This means ongoing heavy long-range bomber raids by the US.

France has also allowed US non-combat aircraft to use an airbase on French territory, with what a French Armed Forces spokesperson described as the "complete guarantee" that the planes "do not participate in any way in US operations in Iran" and are used only to defend regional partners. Italy announced it will send air-defense support to Gulf countries struck by Iranian retaliatory attacks, according to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

This question of whether US allies will jump in remains an open one. Prior precedents of American Middle East adventurism suggests it's only a matter of time, and we are seeing the proverbial camel's nose under the tent. Another excample: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he "can never categorically rule out participation" in the US-Israeli war with Iran after previously saying Canada would not take part.

Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged diplomacy to prevent further escalation. "There has to be room for diplomacy here to really get out of this cycle of escalation, she said, adding that "it’s clear wars really end in diplomacy." Kallas said Gulf governments are increasingly “worried about civil war inside Iran” and the consequences that could ripple across the wider region. "Nobody can tell how it will really go, but the risks are clearly there," she said. On this front Tehran and Washington do not appear to be engaged - not even indirectly:


Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister said Iran is ready to abandon its nuclear program on the condition that the US presents a rewarding alternative offer, Sky News Arabia reported; adds no message was sent to the US to end the conflict. Focused on self defense efforts.

At the White House the war justifications have seemed to change daily. Even a key objective of full regime change appears to have been dropped from the official US list of objectives - perhaps on the realization that it would require major boots on the ground.

ian bremmer

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white house releases objectives for operation epic fury. regime change not (any longer) a specific goal

4:19 AM · Mar 4, 2026

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Still, looming large over this is the potential for a WW3-style whole regional and global confrontation to erupt, in the unlikely scenario that Russia or China gets directly involved. After all, the conflict has already brushed against NATO territory. Turkish air defenses intercepted what Ankara said was a missile launched from Iran on Wednesday; however, Iranian military leaders denied firing any missile toward Turkey. The interception marked the first - and highly dangerous - time NATO forces have shot down an Iranian missile heading toward a member state during the conflict.