Ok?
There REALLY IS NO Reason for the United States to actually join the Israeli attacks against Iran….
NONE….
That presents us in a typical Donald Trump situation….
Talk TOUGH to try and get a ‘Deal’….
Donald IS well aware that jumping INTO this would be a historically SERIOUS call….
(It would seem Israel WANTS America knee deep in this….)
And?
So far?
His ‘Deal’ making has NOT be working tooo well…
“Will you strike the Iranian nuclear component, and what time exactly, sir?” Trump replied mockingly when asked whether he was moving toward ordering U.S. forces to bomb Iran, adding that he couldn’t seriously answer the question.
In fact, Trump had already reviewed potential plans to attack Iran, an official with knowledge of the situation told The Washington Post. Like others, they spoke on the condition of anonymity to talk frankly about internal discussions….
…
“You don’t know that I’m going to even do it,” Trump said, the flagpole lying on the ground behind him. “I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do. I can tell you this, that Iran’s got a lot of trouble, and they want to negotiate.”…
…
But Iran has shown no interest in voluntarily reducing its nuclear capability, Trump said. And conditions have made the prospects of a successful attack on its nuclear facilities better than they have been in decades: After more than 20 months of war in Gaza and major strikes against Hezbollah and Iran itself, Israel has degraded Tehran’s defenses and regional proxies, leaving Iran at what is probably its weakest in generations.
Asked by The Post whether he had issued an ultimatum to Iran, Trump pouted his lips and thought for a moment.
“You could say so. They know what’s happened,” Trump said. “Maybe you could call it the ultimate — the ultimate ultimatum, right?”…
…
One person familiar with Trump’s habits in recent days said that he has consulted with a wide array of advisers, calling up not just Cabinet secretaries but also right-wing media hosts such as Mark Levin to collect arguments for and against taking military action….
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“Why didn’t you negotiate with me two weeks ago? You could have done fine. You would have had a country,” Trump said. “It’s very sad to watch this. I mean, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Trump also said Iranian officials had contacted him and expressed a desire to meet at the White House, which he said was “courageous” but “it’s, like, not easy for them to do.”
High-level meetings between Iranians and administration officials in Washington would break precedent, given that the U.S. has not recognized Iran diplomatically since the Iranian revolution 45 years ago….
…
There have been hundreds of Iranina deaths added to the thousand across the Middle East from Israeli attacks….
There IS a human side from BOTH sides….
Israel has said it does not target Iranian civilians, but hundreds have died in the violence. Every day since the war began, a new face, a new name, a new story of a life that ended violently and abruptly has emerged. The Ministry of Health has not updated casualty numbers since Sunday, when it said at least 224 people had been killed and nearly 2,000 injured, including women and children. Those figures are expected to grow in the coming days….
…
The Israel Defense Forces have said the attacks on Iran are targeted assassinations of military commanders, government officials and nuclear scientists. But missiles and drones have also hit high-rise buildings and multistory apartment complexes where civilians also reside. Dr. Hossein Kermanpour, the spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said 90 percent of casualties were civilians, not military….
ISW….Iran Update Special Report, June 18, 2025, Evening Edition
- Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected the call from US President Donald Trump for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.” Khamenei also threatened US forces if the United States joins the war against Iran.
- The so-called “Axis of Resistance” has continued to threaten retaliation if the United States joins the war against Iran. These threats have come from Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iranian-backed Iraqi militias.
- Israeli strikes have driven Iranian forces to begin firing missiles from central Iran rather than western Iran. Iranian forces will need to use longer-range missiles to reach Israel from the launch sites in central Iran.
- Iran is struggling to coordinate large-scale missile strikes targeting Israel due to pressure from Israeli strikes. This is reflected in the volume of recent Iranian missile fire, which has decreased significantly throughout the war.
- Iranian leaders appear concerned about the potential for social unrest. They have taken precautions to protect their regime, while Israel has struck sites connected to the Iranian internal security apparatus.
….
Defense Sec Hegseth is a out of his league on this Iran situation…
Meet the General running the military op for Trump….
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has given an unusual level of authority to a single general in the latest Middle East crisis — an Iran hawk who is pushing for a strong military response against the country.
U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Erik Kurilla has played an outsized role in the escalating clashes between Tehran and Israel, with officials noting nearly all his requests have been approved, from more aircraft carriers to fighter planes in the region.
The pugnacious general, who is known as “The Gorilla,” is overruling other top Pentagon officials and playing a quiet but decisive role in the country’s next steps on Iran, according to a former and current defense official, a diplomat, and a person familiar with the dynamic.
Hegseth’s apparent deference to Kurilla undermines the image the Pentagon chief has sought to project of a tough-talking leader who has vowed to reduce the influence of four-star generals and reassert civilian control.
“If the senior military guys come across as tough and warfighters, Hegseth is easily persuaded to their point of view,” said the former official. Kurilla “has been very good at getting what he wants.”
The longtime military official — who is close with Mike Waltz, the former national security adviser and nominee for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations — has had more face time with the president than most other generals, according to one of the people, who, like others, was granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. Kurilla is also at the end of his tenure leading U.S. Central Command, meaning he may be less fearful about pushing the president….
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