It still strikes me as a terrible decision to kill/abduct leadership of any other country. The general thought is that, no matter the size, any country has the capacity to assassinate the leadership of another one with relative ease given the method, which is why no one does that. War is a political tool at the end of the day. Bypassing it to assassinate leadership is a recipe for a blowback assassination.
If Iran doesn't go that route, then they are a dove compared to the U.S., which was pretty obvious already.
Generally, under other circumstances, I'd agree with you, but that was before rule of law stopped mattering in this country at all and they started abducting and basically disappearing migrants. Now the only arguments to be made are logical ones, not established law ones.
The game getting played by the ruling class proponents of regime change is to call any criticism of their illegal two-nation regime-change war "Anti-semitic." It is amazing to read some Substack authors trying to criticize Trump in the launch of this war, doing a word-search and not finding the I-word anywhere. I commented on political authors possible affliction with "Israeli avoidance syndrome" in their reporting and drew out the expected IDF propaganda stooges assigned to shame any person with the poor taste to voice such a query into silence with the "Anti-semite!" label.
With Israel and their hireling stooges like Schumer and Jeffries actually carrying water for Trump while trying to divorce their image from their actions, the contortions required for twisting criticism of Trump away from Israel and AIPAC Democrats are wonders to behold.
EU countries looking to protect "their" interests - devoid of morals.
ANY media, **anywhere** carrying a narrative which claims Iran is somehow the aggressor in this - bought and paid for.
None of this had to happen. There was no well-intentioned reason and certainly no moral imperative to any **working** people of the world that Israel and the US needed to attack Iran. Zero. This is morally reprehensible, profane and overtly telling of what the ruling class has for values.
This war must stop. For humanity, for decency, for the ideal of living in a world not ruled by psychopaths. Israel and the US own this catastrophe and it is up to the so-called leadership of those countries to end hostilities. Iran is doing what any other nation in its position would do. How dare anyone shame them or blame them for not dying politely, quietly and quickly.
I don't trust Trump. My thought is that he started this attack on Iran to show his power, though he was probably spurred on by Netanyahu. Truth be told, he has too much power. I'll quote Lord Acton again: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Trump needs to be impeached badly. Rev Dr Kenneth D Stephens
Why would France, the UK and Germany support the aggression by the US and Israel. They are supporting a terrorist state re Israel that has killed 70,000+ Gazans and waged a long standing illegal occupation. This is insane. Iran is the one country that has been taking direct action in the region to support the Palestinians. This is really a slap in the face for their efforts.
Trump is now on his third invasion. Someone has to stop this megalomaniac advance. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain had this opportunity in 1939. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had an opportunity today to make his influence felt but he also appeased. He changed his position that the US could not use British bases to attack Iran to now allowing it. Starmer was already in a different political position and could have made a small but material difference in the US/Zionist continuous attacks on humanity.
This is the kind of moment where rhetoric collides with reality. The assassination of Ali Khamenei isn’t just a tactical strike — it’s a strategic earthquake. Decapitation strategies may work against fragmented militias, but history shows they rarely collapse a centralized state overnight. As Sina Azodi points out, Iran has spent decades preparing precisely for this scenario.
What’s most alarming is the gamble being taken by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The assumption that shock-and-awe plus leadership assassination would trigger an internal uprising appears, at least so far, to be wishful thinking. Instead, we’re seeing consolidation, retaliation, and regional escalation — including strikes that risk pulling Gulf states and possibly European powers directly into the conflict.
The economic stakes are enormous. Even limited disruption to the Strait of Hormuz sends global markets into panic. Oil spikes, shipping halts, and civilian casualties on all sides create pressures that don’t stay contained to the battlefield. Wars launched with the expectation of quick psychological collapse often become wars of attrition instead.
The deeper question is whether there was ever a real diplomatic track — or whether “talks” were simply cover before military escalation. If negotiations are repeatedly followed by bombs, why would Tehran believe any future off-ramp is genuine?
This feels less like a controlled operation and more like a high-stakes wager that regional shock will produce political surrender. History suggests that nations under existential threat rarely capitulate — they harden.
The danger now isn’t just escalation. It’s miscalculation layered on pride, domestic politics, and the illusion that force can substitute for strategy.
The Ayatollah was ready to die, and made contingency plans to be followed upon his death. He was used to suffering and struggle and was the religious leader, not the governing leader of Iran. Persia (Iran) has been around since 500BC and was taken down by Alexander the Great.. DJT is no AG.
In Trump's first term, the US walked away from the nuclear arms treaty negotiated by the Obama administration, despite the fact that Iran was complying with the treaty. Biden only showed an interest in renewing it at the end of his term, so there was apparently insufficient time to renew it. Trump regains power and decides to go to war with Iran rather than renegotiate the treaty even though the evidence shows the Iranians are not trying to build a nuclear bomb. Its very clear who is the injured party here: it is Iran. Fxxk Trump and his illegal, senseless war!! Let's impeach the bastard!
The aftermath of Ayotallah Ali Khamenei’s assassination/martyrdom has begun. There were massive protests in Pakistan. The US consulate in Karachi was attacked by a mob, and the US security personnel guarding the complex killed people.
A major religious figure, followed and revered by millions was assassinated in the holy month of Ramadan. It shows a certain mind set and contempt.
In Pakistan, many prominent Shia and Sunni figures have condemned the invasion and condemned the assassinations. India had riots, and I am sure this will reverberate across multiple countries.
Democracy and individual freedom for a people should not be at the cost of scores and scores of human lives, and western style democracy is not really real, it’s just a hoax.
As a result of the Church and Pike committee’s findings in 1975-76, President Ford signed an Executive Order banning political assassinations. Why is no one talking about it?
Yes, it is past time to start talking about it. Is this really the world we want to live in, where the U.S. just kills any leader it does not like, regardless of what the American people think?
It still strikes me as a terrible decision to kill/abduct leadership of any other country. The general thought is that, no matter the size, any country has the capacity to assassinate the leadership of another one with relative ease given the method, which is why no one does that. War is a political tool at the end of the day. Bypassing it to assassinate leadership is a recipe for a blowback assassination.
If Iran doesn't go that route, then they are a dove compared to the U.S., which was pretty obvious already.
President Ford signed an Executive Order in 1976 making it illegal to assassinate foreign leaders. Why is no one talking about it?
Generally, under other circumstances, I'd agree with you, but that was before rule of law stopped mattering in this country at all and they started abducting and basically disappearing migrants. Now the only arguments to be made are logical ones, not established law ones.
The game getting played by the ruling class proponents of regime change is to call any criticism of their illegal two-nation regime-change war "Anti-semitic." It is amazing to read some Substack authors trying to criticize Trump in the launch of this war, doing a word-search and not finding the I-word anywhere. I commented on political authors possible affliction with "Israeli avoidance syndrome" in their reporting and drew out the expected IDF propaganda stooges assigned to shame any person with the poor taste to voice such a query into silence with the "Anti-semite!" label.
With Israel and their hireling stooges like Schumer and Jeffries actually carrying water for Trump while trying to divorce their image from their actions, the contortions required for twisting criticism of Trump away from Israel and AIPAC Democrats are wonders to behold.
Establishment Democrats in the US - hypocrites.
ALL of **Royal** Arabia - traitors.
EU countries looking to protect "their" interests - devoid of morals.
ANY media, **anywhere** carrying a narrative which claims Iran is somehow the aggressor in this - bought and paid for.
None of this had to happen. There was no well-intentioned reason and certainly no moral imperative to any **working** people of the world that Israel and the US needed to attack Iran. Zero. This is morally reprehensible, profane and overtly telling of what the ruling class has for values.
This war must stop. For humanity, for decency, for the ideal of living in a world not ruled by psychopaths. Israel and the US own this catastrophe and it is up to the so-called leadership of those countries to end hostilities. Iran is doing what any other nation in its position would do. How dare anyone shame them or blame them for not dying politely, quietly and quickly.
💯
I don't trust Trump. My thought is that he started this attack on Iran to show his power, though he was probably spurred on by Netanyahu. Truth be told, he has too much power. I'll quote Lord Acton again: Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Trump needs to be impeached badly. Rev Dr Kenneth D Stephens
Why would France, the UK and Germany support the aggression by the US and Israel. They are supporting a terrorist state re Israel that has killed 70,000+ Gazans and waged a long standing illegal occupation. This is insane. Iran is the one country that has been taking direct action in the region to support the Palestinians. This is really a slap in the face for their efforts.
Trump is now on his third invasion. Someone has to stop this megalomaniac advance. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain had this opportunity in 1939. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had an opportunity today to make his influence felt but he also appeased. He changed his position that the US could not use British bases to attack Iran to now allowing it. Starmer was already in a different political position and could have made a small but material difference in the US/Zionist continuous attacks on humanity.
This is the kind of moment where rhetoric collides with reality. The assassination of Ali Khamenei isn’t just a tactical strike — it’s a strategic earthquake. Decapitation strategies may work against fragmented militias, but history shows they rarely collapse a centralized state overnight. As Sina Azodi points out, Iran has spent decades preparing precisely for this scenario.
What’s most alarming is the gamble being taken by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The assumption that shock-and-awe plus leadership assassination would trigger an internal uprising appears, at least so far, to be wishful thinking. Instead, we’re seeing consolidation, retaliation, and regional escalation — including strikes that risk pulling Gulf states and possibly European powers directly into the conflict.
The economic stakes are enormous. Even limited disruption to the Strait of Hormuz sends global markets into panic. Oil spikes, shipping halts, and civilian casualties on all sides create pressures that don’t stay contained to the battlefield. Wars launched with the expectation of quick psychological collapse often become wars of attrition instead.
The deeper question is whether there was ever a real diplomatic track — or whether “talks” were simply cover before military escalation. If negotiations are repeatedly followed by bombs, why would Tehran believe any future off-ramp is genuine?
This feels less like a controlled operation and more like a high-stakes wager that regional shock will produce political surrender. History suggests that nations under existential threat rarely capitulate — they harden.
The danger now isn’t just escalation. It’s miscalculation layered on pride, domestic politics, and the illusion that force can substitute for strategy.
The Ayatollah was ready to die, and made contingency plans to be followed upon his death. He was used to suffering and struggle and was the religious leader, not the governing leader of Iran. Persia (Iran) has been around since 500BC and was taken down by Alexander the Great.. DJT is no AG.
In Trump's first term, the US walked away from the nuclear arms treaty negotiated by the Obama administration, despite the fact that Iran was complying with the treaty. Biden only showed an interest in renewing it at the end of his term, so there was apparently insufficient time to renew it. Trump regains power and decides to go to war with Iran rather than renegotiate the treaty even though the evidence shows the Iranians are not trying to build a nuclear bomb. Its very clear who is the injured party here: it is Iran. Fxxk Trump and his illegal, senseless war!! Let's impeach the bastard!
The aftermath of Ayotallah Ali Khamenei’s assassination/martyrdom has begun. There were massive protests in Pakistan. The US consulate in Karachi was attacked by a mob, and the US security personnel guarding the complex killed people.
A major religious figure, followed and revered by millions was assassinated in the holy month of Ramadan. It shows a certain mind set and contempt.
In Pakistan, many prominent Shia and Sunni figures have condemned the invasion and condemned the assassinations. India had riots, and I am sure this will reverberate across multiple countries.
Democracy and individual freedom for a people should not be at the cost of scores and scores of human lives, and western style democracy is not really real, it’s just a hoax.
As a result of the Church and Pike committee’s findings in 1975-76, President Ford signed an Executive Order banning political assassinations. Why is no one talking about it?
Yes, it is past time to start talking about it. Is this really the world we want to live in, where the U.S. just kills any leader it does not like, regardless of what the American people think?