Part 2 Anti-Anti-Nazi Barbarian Hordes are Knocking Down ...

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Trump Embarrassed After Iran 'Foils' US Assassination Plan: Full Details OF How America Failed Again
Hindustan Times
Apr 14, 2026

Major embarrassment for the Trump government after JD Vance’s much‑hyped Iran talks in Pakistan collapsed – and now Tehran is hinting that the failure went far beyond diplomacy. Days after the Islamabad negotiations ended with no deal, an Iranian delegate has claimed the team felt “seriously threatened” on their way home. The claims follow condemnations from Iran’s Foreign Ministry about open calls in U.S. political and media circles for the assassination of Iranian negotiators if the talks failed. Watch the video for more.



Transcript

Days after the highstakes talks between the United States and Iran in Pakistan collapsed without a breakthrough, a major embarrassment has hit the Trump administration. Now, explosive new claims suggest the US may even have tried to target Iran's negotiators themselves and failed at that too. The Iranian delegation's plane was suddenly diverted midjourney, and Tehran's envoys say they were forced to change course and routing, foiling a supposed murder plans. From failed diplomacy to botched war plans and now shadowy intelligence operations, Iran is increasingly portraying the US as a bumbling superpower that threatens everything and [music] achieves nothing.

Days after the USA and Iran wrapped up their tense talks in Pakistan, a stunning revelation has now emerged from within the Iranian delegation itself, casting a long shadow over what really happened once the cameras were turned off.
According to one member of the Iranian delegation, the team felt seriously threatened during their journey, a claim that suggests the risks they faced went far beyond normal diplomatic pressure or routine security concerns. These developments were reported by Iran International, which cited an interview on Al-Myadin with Muhammad Marandi, a key adviser often close to Tehran's negotiating circles, giving the allegations additional political weight. Marandi said the talks ended abruptly following a direct intervention by US Vice President JD Vance, implying that Washington's leadership pulled the plug and chose escalation over compromise at a critical moment.

Following the breakdown of the negotiations, the Iranian team began their journey back to Tehran on April 12th, expecting a routine return home after an exhausting but inconclusive 21-hour round of talks. Marandi claims that while they were flying back to Iran, members of the delegation felt seriously threatened, prompting a decision to divert their aircraft away from its original destination and instead head toward Marshard. He says the plane was unexpectedly diverted and made what he described as an emergency landing in Marshard, a move that underscores how urgent and real the perceived threat seemed to those on board. From there, members of the delegation did not immediately fly onward, but continued their journey to Tehran using trains, cars, and buses, a patchwork route that signals deep concern over their safety in the air. Marandi did not provide specific details about who or what exactly posed the alleged threat, leaving many questions unanswered and fueling speculation about whether foreign
intelligence services were involved. However, he stressed that despite the danger, the Iranian delegation was determined to return home, and refused to remain in Pakistan under extended protection, insisting on finishing their mission and going back to Tehran.

Marandi's revelations came on the heels of statements from Iran's foreign ministry condemning what it called assassination threats and incitement in US media against the negotiators, tying his account into a broader Iranian narrative of state level intimidation and terror. Social media erupted with concern over the safety of senior Tehran officials after the highstakes US Iran talks in Islamabad collapsed without an agreement. Online user speculated about potential assassination plots targeting Iranian delegates during and after the meeting, amplifying fears about their security. Unverified claims circulated that extra security measures, including the use of decoy aircraft, were deployed to shield top Iranian negotiators from possible attacks. This wave of speculation followed similar warnings from Iran's foreign ministry, which had already condemned what it called open incitement against its leaders.

On April 11th, as the talks got underway, ministry spokesperson Esmail Baki highlighted mounting security threats to senior officials participating in the negotiations. Baki alleged that elements within US policy and media were openly advocating the killing of Iranian leaders if the peace talks failed. Iran's delegation in Islamabad included foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Muhammad Bergar Galibah, underlining the political weight Tehran placed on the talks. As Baki voiced these concerns, Iran and the United States ultimately failed to reach a deal despite some of intensive negotiations.

The rare in-person meeting, the first of its kind in over a decade, had raised hopes of deescalation before ending in disappointment. US Vice President JD Vance later said the discussions were held in good faith, but acknowledged they had not produced any agreement. Vance added that Washington had put forward what he called its final and best offer, arguing that Tehran chose not to accept key conditions, particularly on nuclear commitments. Donald Trump, meanwhile, struck a defiant tone, insisting that the United States had already won the conflict by defeating Iran militarily, regardless of whether a deal was reached.

Reports indicate that a US naval blockade in the straight of Hormuz came into effect on April 13th. According to multiple sources, US naval forces have reportedly begun restricting vessels from entering or departing ports associated with Iran. A White House official confirmed to CNBC that the blockade in the Straight of Hormuz is now operational. Naval units at sea are said to have adhered to President Trump's stated 10:00 a.m. Eastern time deadline for enforcing the blockade. The US president also issued a new warning to Iran through a statement posted on Truth Social on April 13th. Trump stated that Iran's fast attack vessels could face retaliation if they attempt to interfere with US operations. The US president said, and I quote, "Iran's navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated, 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of what they call fast attack ships, because we did not consider them much of a threat. Warning. If any of these ships come anywhere close to our blockade, they will be immediately eliminated using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at sea.[missiles from above] It is quick and brutal. PS. 98.2% of drugs coming into the US by ocean or sea have stopped. End quote. Iran's foreign ministry responded strongly, criticizing what it described as a unilateral blockade imposed by the United States. Spokesperson Esmail Bagghai questioned whether such actions could justify broader economic consequences at a global level. Iran Foreign Ministry said, and I quote, "Can an illegal war of choice be won through a revenge of choice against the global economy? Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one's nose to spite one's face?" End quote.

Ahead of the stated deadline, Iran's armed forces indicated that maritime security in the region would be directly impacted if its interests were threatened. The Katamalania headquarters issued a statement warning of potential retaliatory measures at sea. Iranian authorities also described the proposed blockade as unlawful and characterized it as an act of maritime coercion. For the good of our nation, let's work together and let's truly make America great again.

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U.S Will KILL us' Peace Talks Fail, Scared Iran FM Araghchi Ditches Plane, Plans Escape Route | 4K
CNN-News18
Apr 16, 2026

Iran FM Abbas Araghchi and delegation ditched their plane mid-flight to Mashhad, then ground-traveled 900km by fearing U.S. strike after 21-hour Islamabad talks with JD Vance imploded over nukes, Hormuz, trust—first high-level meet since 1979. The chaotic "war zone" room saw walkouts with no deal and diplomacy on knife-edge.

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Trump Throws a Tantrum Over His Ballroom, Feud with Pope Continues & Roadkill Enthusiast RFK Jr
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Apr 16, 2026

Trump is in Las Vegas to pat himself on the back for his “No Tax on Tips” policy, he lashed out four times today against a federal judge who ordered them to pause construction on his big beautiful ballroom, things seem to be moving forward with his Triumphal Arch project, we are on Day 4 of Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, his battle with Pope Leo shows no signs of slowing down, Lauren Boebert weighed in on the recent exodus of Congressmen Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales, RFK Jr. carved the penis off of a dead raccoon to “study it later,” TMZ caught up with him today to ask a question that needed to be asked, he appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee to defend planned budget cuts to his Department of Health, and Jimmy talks to RFK Junior Jr. about his new podcast!

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Scared US Army Finishes Entire Stock Of New 'Untested' Missiles In Iran, Still Losing?|Hormuz,Israel
Hindustan Times
Apr 16, 2026

Controversy is mounting over reports that the U.S. may have deployed untested missiles during the Iran war, raising serious questions about military preparedness and strategy. The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM)—developed by Lockheed Martin—was reportedly used extensively despite being in a relatively early operational phase. Claims that stockpiles were quickly exhausted have fueled speculation about supply constraints, even as President Donald Trump insists the war is “going swimmingly” and nearing an end. Meanwhile, conflicting reports over a deadly strike in Lamerd and Pentagon denials have added to the confusion. With reinforcement deployments continuing and the Strait of Hormuz crisis unresolved, the debate over U.S. military capability and decision-making is intensifying.

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$17000000000 Up In 'Smoke': Trump Fools Arabs, Diverts Their Money To Cash-Strapped Ally In Iran War
Hindustan Times
Apr 16, 2026

Fresh controversy has erupted around Donald Trump after explosive claims that billions meant for Gaza reconstruction may have been diverted amid the ongoing Iran war. Reports suggest nearly $17 billion allocated under the “Gaza Board of Peace” may have been rerouted to support Israel’s military operations—allegations that have intensified scrutiny on Washington’s role in the conflict

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Scott Ritter: Iran’s Hormuz BOMBSHELL Stuns Trump, Israel SHATTERS Lebanon Ceasefire
Danny Haiphong
Apr 17, 2026

Former UN weapons inspector and US Marine Corps Intelligence Officer joins to discuss the latest flurry of events in the Iran war, from Iran asserting control over Hormuz Strait AND the Red Sea, to Israel violating the ceasefire already despite Trump claiming victory.

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Part 1 of 2

Larry Johnson & Col. Wilkerson: Iran Just FULLY Opened the Strait of Hormuz – It’s OVER for Trump
Dialogue Works
streamed live 2 hours ago Interviews 02



Hi everybody. Today is Friday, April 17,
2026, and our dear friend Larry Johnson and Carl Wilkerson are back with us. Welcome back.
Sorry about that. I got to get the dog. Yeah, good one.
Rott Rottweilers is on on edge. Yeah,
let me start with the breaking news. And here is what the Iranian foreign minister just moments ago said on his ex
account and in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon. The passage of all commercial vessels again all commercial
vessels through the straight of Hormos is declared completely open for the for the remaining period of ceasefire on the
coordinated route as already announced by ports and maritime organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran. And then
later on we had this tweet from Donald Trump. It says that the United States will get all new nuclear dust created by
our great B2 bombers. No money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or
form. The deal is in no way subject to Lebanon either. But
the United States will separately work with Lebanon and deal with the Hezbollah situation in an appropriate manner.
Israel would not will not bombing Lebanon any longer. They are prohibited from doing by the United States enough is enough.
Yeah. Let's let's what is happening?
Let me start Colonel with you. What is happening in your opinion? I don't know. I really don't. Um,
seriously, I think what we're what we've got is uh as what we've had all along,
actually since the 28th of February, but even before that, is a completely confusing propaganda campaign that Donald Trump sits at the center of.
Whether he writes those personally or not is anybody's guess. I doubt it very seriously. But there's some script they're operating from. And one of the purposes of this propaganda campaign is,
I think, intentionally to keep everything confused. And let's just examine that particular one for a case in point. There's no way Israel's going
to stop in Lebanon. No ways. They had a huge argument um last night in Israel.
They had a huge argument over what they were going to do and it had no person in there arguing for complying with what
was just announced. So, Israel has no intent to stop bombing Lebanon. They have no intent to withdraw. Is fierce
furious with the fact that they are essentially announcing they're staying in the south. And I suspect they'll
probably stay north of the Latani River as well. So what are we talking about here other than just pronouncements for
the sake of pronouncements and ancillarily to make Donald Trump look as if he's crafting an exit from this
incredible mess he's got himself into and he's not. And the biggest reason is ultimately going to be the same biggest
reason he got in in the first place. BB Netanyahu. Larry jump in your take.
Let's bring back Azie Osborne. Let's cue up crazy train. You know, his the chorus
was uh mental wounds not healing, life's a bitter shame. I'm going off the rails on a crazy train. Donald Trump has gone
off the goddamn rails. I mean, this man is now completely detached from reality.
I I was initially hopeful yesterday when I heard because you know the 10-point plan that Iran said, "Look, if
you want to have a negotiation to end this war, here are our 10 points. These are not up for negotiation. These are what you must do." And one of those was,
you know, the ceasefire between Lebanon,
Hezbollah, and Israel. and and so you know that was still that was still a sticking point. Well, they got they it
looks like they got that settled yesterday finally. Uh you know is as as Colonel Wilkerson said, Israel uh is
pissed off about this and you know they're trying to stay se they still have not been able to take that one Ben
Jeavevel uh the one village. They've been fighting and fighting and fighting trying to get control of it and they've been unable to get control of it. Uh,
and so I thought, "Oh, good news." And then all of then I looked at what Scott Bessant was doing imposing sanctions, doubling down on sanctions on Iran and on China.
And one of the key points in that 10-point plan was lift all sanctions.
And so at the very time that the White House is announcing that they've that they are been forcing, you know, forcing Israel to agree to stop, you know,
shooting to try to to have this ceasefire in Lebanon. The White House is then doubling down on sanctions and
making it clear that this is not only to go after Iran, this is going after China.
And and there's this kid on uh on on on YouTube, Sean Fu, who's you know does financial analysis and he was like,
"What the hell is the United States doing? This is this has now enraged the Chinese to the point that
they recognize that there there's no the United States is not under the control of a normal human being. that
that they they recognize nothing that the United States says makes can you can rely on you got to watch it what they're doing and what
they're doing is trying to uh sanction China now in addition to sanctioning Iran where Iran has said very clearly
we're not going to negotiate an end this war until you lift all the sanctions go there's not going to be any more
negotiations I' I'd be surprised if they come off and I just add Nema that These are sanctions on China on top of sanctions we already have on China.
Yeah. One reason Xiinping said what he said.
They are going to take over the world financial system. And I have no doubt that they will. It'll take take time,
but it'll happen.
Carl, what was mentioned in Iranian message that it is related to what has happened between Lebanon and Israel, the
ceasefire. We know that the ceasefire between Iran and the United States has happened. One of the main conditions was the opening of the straight of Hormuz,
but the precondition was the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, which wasn't provided at that particular moment a week ago or two almost two weeks ago.
And then then you see as soon as we have the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, at least what they have declared
so far, we know that Israel is going is going to get back to 2024 type of ceasefire that we've seen before as
you've just mentioned. But Iran right now can get back and close this rate of formos because they are the situation
between Lebanon and Israel is tied to what's going on with this rate of formos. They did that before opening the up this straight to forward. How do you see that?
Well, I think it would close right again if the ceasefire doesn't hold or it's very obvious that Israel is violating
it. I don't I really don't expect I might be wrong Hezbollah to violate it in a flagrant way. But I certainly
expect Israel to Israel doesn't know what the word ceasefire means.
So I would expect Iran to reimpose some sort of strictures on the straight of Hormuz. I'm not sure that they have
actually relaxed everything that Trump and his team seem to be insinuating that they've relaxed. I think you still got
to pay a pretty hefty fee to go through the straight um for example. But I I don't think this is end to the
hostilities as it were at all. I think it's just a lull that Donald Trump is uh maybe achieved purposefully so he can
think if he does that. He's in a He's in a pickle here. He's in a complete pickle. I mean, you can really see some
sweat, I think, on Donald Trump's brow now when he comes out. He is significantly worried. And I don't know whether he's worried because he's afraid
of what might be used against him in the files. And that I think is increasingly my view of what's put him in Netanyahu's
camp so vigorously or just the consequences of this conflict which I'm not sure he has the brain power to
assess. So who's doing that for him other than perhaps Kaine? Certainly not Heg Seth, who is, as Larry said, too
busy stealing Quentyn Tarantino's movie words to pray. Oh my god.
Worse than Ted Cruz. You know, I go to Genesis for my national security decisionmaking advice. Well, where do you go in Genesis? Well, I don't know exactly, but I go there.
Yeah, that that was unbelievable.
I'm a big fan of Tarantino and particularly Pulp Fiction. And it's like it it you know if I if I was Princeton I
would immediately withdraw Hex's degree because he's an embarrassment to claim his as a Princeton grad just said man we produce morons.
I think Tarantino this may be a rumor I think Tarantino came out and said he withdraws his right to exist in the human race.
Yeah. Yeah. No, the look this uh uh that we're
reacting to the what Donald Trump his truth so-called truth but what the the foreign minister said as far as opening
the straight of Hormuz. Now again this this is a playback against the United States who's now imposed this blockade
and you know as Colonel Wilkerson remembers from his younger days in Vietnam we had to destroy the village in order to save it. So now we've got a
corollary. We got to blockade the straight in order to open it. You're going what? You know what is the theory
behind all of this? Because the the the full weight of the consequences of the
cut off of supplies the the supply chain coming out of the straight of Hormuz. We
are now at uh day let's see 48 49. We are now full, it's been a full seven
weeks getting ready to start the eighth week. And what most people don't understand is those oil tankers that
were full that left the straight of Hormuz, left the Persian Gulf on or around February 27th, 28th before before
the IRGC shut it down. Those tankers still took a while to get to the various ports. And uh my understanding is
yesterday marked finally like the last day that that one of those tankers finally reached its destination. So
we've been we've been talking all along as if 20% of the world oil was cut off on February 28th. Well, that really
wasn't true. The oil the oil was still it was out there on the ocean on these tankers. Now today it is cut off. The
world is now as of today dealing with a definite 20% shortage of oil and the
disconnect between the futures market and what people are actually paying. uh in yesterday in Singapore and the the two days ago when the tanker showed up,
the price per barrel of oil was not the $95 that they're showing for Brent on the
futures market. No, no, $210 a barrel. Okay. So, you've got got this incredible gap.
this this economic punch in the gut is uh let's say that United States and
Iran, you know, said peace in peace in our time. Never mind, it's all over.
Everything's open. It's going to be at least 3 months before the shortage that's out there is going to be
corrected. At least 3 months, if not longer. So the the the world has not yet
fully grasped the depth of the economic uh decline that we're in. And then you
add on top of that this the this decision by Bessant,
you know, I I it it's mindless to to double down on sanctions on Iran, to
threaten the banks, and to threaten China and and to think that the Chinese are just going to sift back and go, "Oh,
those crazy Americans. There they go again." No, no, no. This is this has accelerated China. China's basically
said, "Fuck it, man. We're going to set up our own system. Screw those Americans." I mean, I I think they're that angry.
And Besson is an idiot. I mean, there's no question about it. I I don't know if he made this decision on his own or he got direction from Trump. I'm told when he meets with Besson, it's one-on-one.
He doesn't have any kind of Security Council meeting. He just meets on him oneonone. Either he comes to the White House or Trump gets him somewhere else.
Um, but it is it's it's an idiotic decision. And to Larry's point,
we haven't seen anything yet really in terms of what the global crisis might be before this is over with, especially if
Iran hits that second tier of targets that include things like Rosenura and other critical assets. Um, and they hit
it with the same kind of devastation and accuracy they hit the first round of targets. Um, I'm Larry maybe can speak to this better, but I'm hearing from the
intelligence community, those few that'll still talk to me, that there's high suspicion in the White House and in the Pentagon that China has made
available to Iran now one of the best satellites in the world, rivals anything we have for the kinds of things we gave
to Ukraine, for example, so they could hit Russia's nuclear facilities, their nuclear response capability. Remember
that? We now have China giving Iran uh I'm told pretty much cart blanch on this satellite in terms of time and and use.
So that means that second tier is going to be even more devastating than the first tier if that wasn't in operation for the first year too. I don't know.
Um, but it is an incredible uh move by China in many respects if it's accurate and I suspect it is because China is
saying now so much you know uh and we're doing it in your face and if you keep
coming we'll do more and by God we got a pack of it ready for you.
Yeah. Larry, we had a report on this account related to MSAD on X reported in
the last , four cargo planes or Chinese cargo planes landed in Iran
and and to the point that the Colonel was making just moments ago about Iran is just receiving tolls from you know
they're charging tolls for the because it was confirmed by the member of the parliament in Iran.
tweeted just moments ago that Iran is charging tolls for the those tankers that are passing through the straight of
Formos. And the other point is just moments ago came out again the straight
of Formos is under the full sovereignty of Iran and ships are only allowed to pass through the corridor designed by
the IRGC Navy and with prior Iranian permission. curious the latest Larry
you you're to the point that the colonel was making about China and the level of you know
cooperation between Iran and China which was asked to know by the media it was one of the main topics in the mainstream
media they were asking Donald Trump as well your understanding of that well uh let me make a comment about what
um I I I've heard from a friend who's acquainted with the intelligence
and he he he commented he said look the Chinese drone technology
for air defense is approaching skunk he said and this is a quote skunk works [ __ ] that I've never heard of before.
Now uh you you you probably Nema you don't know what I mean by skunk works do you? No. Okay.
Lheed Loheed Martin the CIA in the early day back in the 50s. Um they they set up
18 minutesa a top secret behind the curtain uh research facility. The was called the
skunk works and it was headed up by a guy named Clarence Johnson. no relation,
but he was known as Kelly Johnson. They produced the SR71 Blackbird, they
produced the U2 spy plane, and they produced the Glowar Explorer among other things. So, I mean, it was this
cuttingedge technology. And I'll just say as an aside, when I when I joined the career trainee program in September of 1985,
uh the second week of our briefings about the CIA, Kelly Johnson came to our class and spoke. So I got to meet the
man. So what this is saying is that there is some advanced technology that
the United States is not familiar with that the Chinese have introduced into Iran on the air defense side. This drone
what they're talking about the drone technology these drones that can loiter in the air looking for a target and then when they find the target which is a a
fourth generation fighter or an F-35 they go after it and shoot it down. So,
uh, if we get if we decide to get back into the fight, uh, we're we're going to suffer more losses, uh, at a level that
we have not yet experienced. So, this is, uh, the danger here, though, is is what's happening with Donald Trump.
He is he is he has changed. Uh, I I interviewed Robert Barnes earlier this
week. It's it's not up yet on CounterCurrence. It's still getting edited.
But, you know, he's in touch with people inside the White House. And there's there's a general consensus that Trump
starting last fall, September, has undergone he he's got a change in personality
that is uh he's yelling and screaming at people. I I listened Marjorie Taylor Green was on Piers Morgan in the last
couple of days and she she described she said Trump called they called her up and
was screaming at her. She said literally yelling because she was going to sign she would not pull back on this
discharge peti petition to bring out the to expose the Epstein files. And and she and she said to Mr.
president, you're the one that said that you were going to expose all of this. I'm just doing what you promised to do."
And he was yelling at her, you calling her names. So then then he attacked her on his true social and she started getting death threats. And she said,
"They I got death threats against my child." And she said, "I I reported it to to the FBI, to Cash Patel. I reported it to Susie Wilds, the chief of staff."
And she said, "And I talked to to to the president and what Donald Trump said to her was basically not my [ __ ]
problem. And if your kid dies, that'll teach you." Something to that effect.
That's not normal. There is not a shred of empathy in this man left. He must be removed from office as soon as possible.
He is no longer in intellectually intact and and you know it is and I'm not
saying that for dramatic effect. I mean that is the reality. That's where we're at. And yet here he is man finger finger
close to the button and he's making the most erratic decisions swinging from one end to the other you know. Yeah. Yeah.
We got to we got to get the straight of home runs open. So that's why we're going to blockade it.
What do you and and he says, "Yeah, the CNN poll has me at 100% support." And
then three sentence later and CNN is fake news.
He I you know the the guy literally is uh not able to connect one thought to another.
I've thought the same thing for a long time watching him especially since about mid January or so. Um, and I have friends in Atlant who friends in Atlanta
who confirm what he was just saying about the description of the telephone call with Marger Taylor Green. Um,
couple of them are um I won't say friends of hers, but they are inside the circle in which she speaks and talks
politically in Georgia. Um, and the other thing I'd say, Larry remembers this too, that Skunk Works was most
famous in my time of knowing about it in a significant way for the F-17 stealth fighter. Yeah.
And wow, if these drones have any kind of third or fourth or fifth generation stealth on them, I mean, that would be
amazing. Uh, and the remarks the guy made to you sort of made me think about that. What if they have a drone that is
essentially stealthy? Um, even the F-35 can't detect it. Uh, that would be a revolutionary change in drone technology.
And it's not something I don't think having been associated with the F-17 for a while, I don't think it's something that's totally out of China's capacity
to do now. Originally, they stole most of that from us or we gave it to them.
In fact, I knew a couple of people who were almost indicted at Loheed Martin because they let too much out of the bag, if you will, in an attempt to make money.
Um, and in fact, Larry probably knows this, too. The Chinese first stealth fighter version looked a lot like the F-17 chapter and verse. Yeah.
But if they've done that, if they've taken stealth a generation or two down the road with drones, that would be, I think, gamechanging.
You know what the other point that the other thing that has happened is the you know this drone they call it MQ4C that
was hit by Iranians and it's you know when it comes to the cost of this drone is unbelievable. I have never thought that there could have been a drone more costly than F-35.
The cost of this drone is more than two times F-35.
Yeah. What was that, Larry? What is your understanding of man? I I presume Lockheed Barton got that contract as well.
Yeah.
Yeah. You know, so it's just it was great for the shareholders uh initially.
Um uh I don't know if it's been if it has been shot down or if it has been
brought down. There's a difference. um if if Iran was able to, you know,
somehow hack it and then bring it down and get control of it, you know, they did the same with uh that drone that became the model for the Shahed.
That that was originally a CIA,
the beast of Kandelor, if I'm not mistaken. The beast of Candler. Yeah. So, um,
yeah, when I when I saw it's called the this is they call it the Triton. Uh, that this Triton cost $250 million.
You're going what? Yeah. You know, um,
you know, a Lamborghini is a great, you know, it's an amazing car, but you can't really drive it on the streets. I mean,
you know, I'm going to the grocery store.
I saw one the other day. You can if you're really risky. Yeah. Oh my god.
I also saw a Aston Martin that I think must have been at least a half of maybe 300 million 400 million. God, it
was a incredible Aston Martin or the the Bugatti, you know, that that that's Yeah, that's like that costs about the as much as a Triton.
Yeah. So, this is and then I've had this discussion with my son on on occasion when he'll talk.
Um, he's been in drones for 15 years now and my grandson is now in drones. And I've had it a lot with people in the
Pentagon whom I knew before. Most of them are dead now. But why do we build these super expensive things like
Predator and Reaper and this one when we know that if we ever get in a real conflict, they'll be the first thing shot out of the air.
Yeah.
Uh and and the answer is simple. We don't get into real conflicts. We go after third world, the old term third world countries, and they don't have the capability to do it. Well, in Somalia,
they showed us a little bit different than that and several other places too,
but not very often. So, we let them rape us being Loheed Martin and Grumman and others that do this sort of thing. And
they probably have proprietary maintenance contracts on them, too. So, and the other thing we have now, Neiman,
which I think I told you about, is we have contracts with Charles the Gaul airport, with Heathrow, with airports
all over the world now where we can land and take off our drones. Only some of them have a subcontract that goes along
with having munitions on that civil airport and being able to load and unload munitions. But some of them do.
I'm told about a third of them, and you could probably guess who they would be.
Um, but we now have the capability to fly these drones out of a hundred or more civil airports in the world. So,
they're virtually global. They don't have to worry about, you know, footprint or where they get their fuel or
whatever. Um, that is an incredible achievement in many respects for the drone operators, but they're these kinds
of drones. So, you put all that money into that infrastructure and you go to war with China or Russia or some other
power that has a sophisticated capability to take you on, you're going to lose all that very fast because it's not hard to shoot down.
Yeah. And as the Houthie showed,
what' they get? Seven reapers. Seven or seven reapers. Seven. One a week. One a week. Yeah. At that and when you count up,
those were 35 million. uh dollars a piece. So, think of this. Seven reapers equal one Triton in terms of dollars.
Amazing the money we're wasting.
You know, Larry, when when it comes to the drones, even that Lucas version of the Shahed 135 136, it's called 135 136.
I I don't I don't remember exactly the number but they copied the Shahed version and and but it's not as
effective as Shawhead version Iranian version and they haven't shown any sort of you know
upper hand in this war are they going to do you think that that the United States is learning something with with the case
of drone operation with the case of how the nature of the world has changed the war has changed and the United States is fighting the war the the way that they
were they were fighting during the Second World War and they want to defeat Iran. That's not the case anymore.
Well, well, first of all, let me just say for the record, I'm reluctant to answer your questions because you're not wearing the appropriate shirt today, but I will make an exception. Okay? Look,
look, the um the United States is uh two generations behind Russia and Iran and
China when it comes to drones. Um our our our procurement system is too slow,
too bulky, and um the the the part of what's holding it back is some of the
essential uh parts that are needed to build these drones come out of China.
And we're doing all of all everything in our power to piss off the Chinese. I mean, you know, you know, you it would it would be tough if if you went to
Hollywood and pitched this as a script about how self-destructive the United States is. They'd say, "Ah, come on.
That's not believable." Uh, you know, uh, it I mean it reminds me of a story.
I I was friends with a guy who who he was a script writer in Hollywood and he's the one that wrote for uh, Clint
Eastwood the line, go ahead, make my day. Okay. And so he went in and he and
he p he pitched a story about, hey, it would be like Die Hard except it's Die Hard with aliens, you know, they they kidnap a guy, put him in a spaceship,
and then, you know, he fights his way out and and you know, and he he's pitching this to this guy in Hollywood.
The guy goes, "Sorry, I don't get it.
That's just not believable." Uh, and the guy's name is Joe Stinson. And Joe goes, "Well, what what are you working on?"
Oh, we got this great story. It's about an earthquake in in Los Angeles and how the world, you know, and it was just, he
goes, okay, right. But what I'm saying here is the the system is structured in such a way that it does not readily
accept innovation. It doesn't accept out of the box thinking. It's very much controlled by a combination of lobbyists
and then congressional interests. who's going to get paid, who's going to benefit from this. Uh it's not part of a strategic of a national strategy. You
know, it'd be one thing if Department of Defense were sitting around and say,
"Okay, we need to have this kind of capability to do this thing and then therefore let's get it done." That's how the skunk works actually functioned. No,
no. We're we're in something where they they get pitched ideas from uh the
military-industrial complex and then the Pentagon will go with them and gee lo and behold sometimes uh it involves
people making decisions who are also lining up a synicure get their next job.
You know they approved this project and lo and behold they're on the board of that corporation uh getting getting paid. So you know that there is that
disconnect from reality. We've gone we've gone for the highriced
uh you know muscular drones. Let's uh it's like sumo wrestlers you know the
big the big and bulky and fat and uh and these nobody nobody on the US side had
really saw the the potential of these small drones what they could do and how
they would be employed in combat. Uh and and and again, you get you get a sense of the difference of how far behind the
United States is when you watch like the Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year and they got this incredible instead of
fireworks, they got these drones that are creating three-dimensional images,
very complex images. It looks like works of art in the sky from drones. And you know, it's not just one one kid sitting down there with a joystick.
Meanwhile, in the United States, we can't do that. We do not have that ability yet and haven't made it a
priority. And that's why that's why I say with this the the the the reality of current warfare is it is drone warfare.
And the United States isn't even armed and equipped with it to do it in any any fashion other than build a $250 million
drone that gets shot down. And I guess they got there 11 more of them in the world, but that's it.
And Nemo, one of one of the things Hexath did that I I have to applaud in concept, but not
that he's going to be the one implementing the concept is T2COM for the army. That was supposed to take care of this in terms of the army. And the
army is really looking hard at making drones a major component of its uh forces now.
So maybe that will change things. I don't have a lot of hope for it with Egithth being there because he doesn't
even understand what he's done. But if he he fired the first general in charge of it, just fired him. Um, new guy in
there now whom I don't know. But if it's done right, then at least the army is on the right track. But can it get away
from the contractors? As Larry just pointed out, that's who's really dictating what people want in the military is the contractors who give them what they want.
I'm sorry. Go ahead.

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Part 2 of 2

Yeah, we know that Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth specifically, they're talking with car manufacturers to, you know, to produce munitions, because they're short of munitions, which is one of the main reasons for putting an end to the war, or somehow going after a ceasefire with Iran, because they're short of cruise missiles. They're short of interceptors. They want to shift it to car manufacturers to force them into producing these munitions. How do you see that?

Well, they're going back to World War II and what we did with the dollar men, if you will, and the people who were leading American industry at that time, we adapted all kinds of production lines to other things. You couldn't play golf unless you already had a golf club because the golf club production lines were turned into other production lines for armaments. And the same thing happened across the wheel vehicle industry, too. A lot of people don't realize that there hardly were any vehicles made for the civilian population during that time. I think what we're looking at though is a day late and a dollar short, and particularly the latter, because look at what's happening right now. You even had a Republican congressman get up in Rogers's House Armed Services Committee and say what the hell are we doing? This is more money than we spend in any year of World War II. What are we doing? This is far too much money. You think maybe $ two trillion dollars. Now, roughly that's what they're asking for. And if you put the national security budget together, not just the defense department budget, it's 2 and 3/4 trillion dollars. That's as much as anything else. It's more than anything else in the federal discretionary budget. And it is equaling now the interest payments on the debt and surpassing that even. So, what's left? And that's what this Republican was saying. This is going to build, I think, into probably a rejection ultimately, maybe not of this coming NDAA, but ultimately the one that comes down the road after it because Trump's not going to relent. They're going to pack this as much as they can. And why did they put that huge pay raise in there? I think it's the biggest pay raise that the military's ever gotten. They put it in there because they're trying to buy the military. That's what they're trying to do. All of these things have nefarious purposes attached to them, and the nefarious purposes are not good for the country, in any way, fashion, or form, aside from the fact that we're broke and we're spending too much money. This Republican congressman actually used that phrase. We're broke. Damn it.

Yeah. I mean, Trump's not in office, you know, a year and four months, three months, and he's added $2 trillion to the debt. Yep. Two trillion. And that that amount's going to accelerate, not decelerate. And he's done it in areas that are not very productive in and of themselves, if productive at all. It's not education dollars. It's not health dollars. It's not the kind of dollars that multiply greatly through the society. It's dollars that at best have a one for one exchange. And that one on the other side of the exchange is the person working for the contractor.

Yeah. Larry, Donald Trump came in with this sort of motto that he's going to bring everything back to the United States. You know, he's going to produce more. He's going to go after China. He's going to produce more even electric vehicles, and even you know somehow compete with China. You see right now he's forcing the car manufacturers to produce munitions instead of competing with China, because the policies and strategy of the United States is all about being offensive. It's not anything defensive. When you go on offensive, you don't have that much advantage when it comes. For example, the war against Iran is showing that you go on offensive, you have the fragility of your positions as we've seen with the US bases in the GCC countries, and China would be the same, and Russia the same. Don't you think that's the time for the United Nations, to get back to the borders of the United Nations would be the future if they want to focus on the US economy?

Hey, logistics. It's all about logistics. The Chinese understood from the outset that if we're going to become an industrial power, we're going to need to lock down the supply chains so that we if we want to produce something, we will have the raw materials necessary to produce it. And that's what Donald Trump doesn't understand and he is ignoring that.

Yeah, I agree with the concept that yes, the United States should reindustrialize. We should be in a position where we're not a financialized economy, but we're an economy where people build and produce things. I compare and contrast what life was like in the United States when I graduated from high school in 1973. And I look at my classmates, my friends, you know, my father was a maintenance foreman at Armco Steel. So, he was involved in the production of steel. One of my other friends, his father was a foreman at Standard Oil. There was an oil refinery in Sugar Creek, Missouri. Another friend worked at Alice Chowmer's, which manufactured farming equipment. Another's father was a foreman on the line at General Motors. We had a couple of automobile plants in the area. So there were very very very very few, in fact, I actually don't even recall any of my friends having a father who was like a lawyer, or an insurance agent, or selling some kind of financial, you know, anybody doing finance. We built things.

I went back for my 50th high school reunion, or 40th, all of a sudden by the 50th, all of those are gone. Those are gone. There's no steel plant. There's no automobile plant. There's no farm equipment plant. And so what do kids graduating from high school have a chance to look forward to doing? Hey, would you would you like to supersize that burger order? So, it is the kinds of jobs that actually develop skill and show that the United States could produce stuff. That's gone, and you can't recapture that. And one of the problems we now face is in trying to recapture that. We don't control the supply chains. China has locked those up. And we're seeing that particularly when it comes to rare earth minerals and the production of magnets. Yeah, you want to do electric vehicles, great. You're going to need magnets. And who's got that market locked down? China. And so what's our strategy? Let's see how bad we can piss off the Chinese. Brilliant strategy. Just brilliant.

Colonel, let me just zoom out a little bit from comparing what has happened so far with the war in Iran. What was the situation before this war started? We had the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel in 2024, which wasn't a ceasefire. Somehow, you know, Israel was attacking them. Not a day did Israel honor it. Not a day.

Yeah. And right now we're getting in my opinion with this new cease war, we're getting to the point we had before this war started before the war between Iran and the United States started with the case of Lebanon with the case of the Iran you see what has happened before the war starting Iran didn't interfere in this trade of hormuz Iran didn't want didn't do anything to do has Iran hasn't you know
that much influence this trade of for right now they're controlling this trade of foremost as Reuters reported that the Indian oil refineries are paying Iran Iranian oil Iranian oil using Chinese yuan.
This is the big change of what has happened as an outcome so far of the war between Iran and the United States. On the other hand, all the bases were
destroyed in the Middle East. Most of them radars were destroyed not only in the middle, not only in GCC countries
but also in Israel as well. in Israel is somehow naked as we talk. So Donald Trump is trying to put out something
that is a big victory so far for him which is totally the opposite is over even with this reopening of the straight of Hormos. We were talking about it.
Many people are arguing, you know, in the last, you know, in in these two weeks of ceasefire, the United States has sent more than 75 US logistic fire flights to the region,
sending assets to the sending weapons to the region, preparing for something, at least from what we've seen, more than 10,000 soldiers to the region.
So the ball is on Trump's court right now. If he starts the war, he's going to
get the hit when it comes to the global economy because Iran reopened the straight of foremost there. Restarts the war.
Yeah. Restart restarts the war.
Exactly. Exactly. This is the situation there is. It's over for Donald Trump. Isn't that the case? Good lecture, Nema.
Just keep on. Let me tell you something.
I think we have what was it Yamamoto said? I think we have awakened awakened a sleeping giant
awaken a sleeping giant and filled it with a fearful resolve. Um, and this was to be seen ahead of time, well ahead of
time in January, January the 26 as I recall in a synagogue in New York,
Temple Emanuel in Great Neck, I gave a talk they asked me to give and I entitled it a new world a morning colon chaos or condominium.
We have opted for chaos and that's our strategy. Our strategy to confront this enormous shift of power from west to
east was not to accommodate it as my president as ills served the nation he
did George W. Bush. My president understood China and understood what it was all about in terms not
intellectually but in economic terms what it was all about in terms of accommodation or challenge
and decided for the accommodation which is why he left Cheney and Rumsfeld spinning their tops and wheels and gave that account to Powell.
He he expressed it to Powell. I understand the importance of Walmart colon and he meant that he meant that
without China Walmart would be nothing and he understood that that applied across the US economy and he wanted to
do something about it unlike Trump who declared MAGA and never had any inclination to recreate an America that
was great again that Larry just well described. He had no intent to do that.
47 minutesHe had every intent, I think, or the people around him did to challenge,
not to accommodate this huge shift in power.
And that's what we're trying to do. And we're going to lose. We're going to lose. And we're going to lose astronomically badly because we are
challenging challenging it so ineply all. And we're not even talking about the challenges. They're in the Arctic
right now. We're trying to stir up a war with Russia essentially in the Arctic because of it's allowing China to have
access to that long coastline that Russia has. They're going to establish condominium on the new Arctic. We're
having it in the Baltic. We're having it at Kinenrad. We're having it in Ukraine,
very visible, and we're having it in the Caucuses. And now we're in Southwest Asia. We're contesting China on all
these axes. It's all about China and to a certain extent Russia in there with them and we're doing it badly. We're
48 minutesgoing to kill ourselves at least a decade or two early and we're going to kill ourselves rather than accommodating this powership. You could accommodate
it. You could establish a condominium as I was suggesting that would be exercised on cooperation, strategic cooperation
economically and otherwise. You could share earth rare earth metals. you could share lithium, all the things that you need instead of going to Southern California and trying to rape that lake,
that, you know, rain created lake in California and take all the lithium out of the bottom of it. Um, but we're not
doing that. We have decided to oppose dramatically with inept leadership at the same time this shift in power. We're
going to lose and Iran is just the most vivid chapter in that right now. and it will resume and we'll go on to phase two
and phase three and we'll be gone and out of the region and Iran will be as Hahare said not defeated and therefore
win Larry are we heading toward escalations
or are we heading toward you know as they're trying to picture for us some sort of mutual understanding you've
mentioned that we know that in two days it seems seems that they're going to they're going to put the sanctions on Russia and Iran again.
Yeah.
And the sanctions are back on Iranian oil and Russian oil. That's what Scott Besson said. And how about the military
operation? Are we going to see some sort of escalation? Because I as I've mentioned they they have sent a lot of weapons to the regions in these two weeks. Go ahead.
Yeah. Yeah. No, that we are going to uh the plan is to launch a a very intense strike, missile bomb strike, JD dams,
TAMS against Iran. Um, you know, again, I was
I was in a schizophrenic mood yesterday watching what was taking place because here was the when they announced
the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel and it is for 10 days. So that takes us to April 26
and then later in the day confirmed that it applies to Hezbollah. So on the one hand, you got the the Trump administration
moving to stop the fighting, which is good and give him full credit for that.
But then we, as we talked about earlier,
here's Bessant and the Trump administration. One trying to strengthen the blockade of the Straight of Hormuz,
which is, you know, it's completely ineffective because we don't have enough ships to actually do it. But then on top of that, doubling down the sanctions on
Russia, the sanctions on Iran, and sanctions on China, which are th those
are confrontational moves that that doing that doesn't give you greater leverage over those countries at all.
And so then you got to look at is is is think of it like a car. Are you pressing on the accelerator
or are you pressing on the brakes or are you putting the car in reverse?
And what we're seeing is with respect to the flow of personnel and supplies to
military forces, US military forces in the region, they're pressing the accelerator.
Now, that said, there's still some significant problems on the US side. I don't know if you've seen the images circulating. So, there are some unhappy
Marines on it's either the Boxer or the Tripoli, one of those LHDs or LHAs.
Uh those are like miniature aircraft carriers. They're being given, let's put it this way, food at a high school cafeteria is better than what they're getting. Or prison food is better than what they're getting. And it's not in limited quantities.
So, you know, you got a bunch of hungry, you know, these Marines are 18, 19, 20,
21 years old. You got a bunch of hungry young guys that aren't getting fed properly. They tend to get a bit grumpy.

So, I fully expect that by next week, we'll be back in a serious hot war with Iran. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see unless the Trump administration reverses these sanctions, and says okay sorry we weren't thinking clearly. We got to stop this. It's inevitable we're going to go hot again.

Let me drop a comment in there, Nema, about sanctions.

We just had our conference out in Columbus, Ohio, the Eisenhower Media Network, and we had some pretty good people there. One of the things that I think we became apprised of that I was not totally shocked about, but I guess I was shocked to a degree, snce 2000, a very analytical study done on this, since 2000, we have killed 38 million people with our sanctions. That's Mao Tse Tong, and the cultural revolution. That's Joseph Stalin and the purges. That's Hitler. Not the whole war, 100 million, but it's Hitler indirectly. That's what we've done. 38 million deaths. And about 60% of those deaths are children and women. 500,000 in Iraq alone when we had this serious sanctions on Sadam Hussein. The sanctions that when Madeline Albright was questioned about it said, "Well, that's all right. We got rid of him. That's a price we had to pay. We got rid of him." 38 million people. We have over two billion people under these sanctions. Is there any wonder that Xi Jinping has finally done what he's done and said we are going to replace the American financial system with the Chinese one and you all are welcome to join because we will be emphasizing development not punishment. So that's a serious thing that Scott Bessant just amplified for two-thirds of the world who literally hate our guts for what we do with these things. This is a weapon that we should never have begun to use. It's an international crime actually.

Now, the law is kind of peculiar here. It says if you put a blockade on Cuba for 50 years, Cuba doesn't have the ability to militarily effectively respond to you. So, it's not looked at much. But if a country has the military capability to respond to you,
then it kicks in. It's an act of war. These sanctions are an act of war. China and Russia have every right to combine their assets and attack us. They won't do that, of course, because they're too smart to do that. They'll take us out otherwise, which they're doing quite adequately. Thank you very much. But that's what Scott Bessant is doing. Just like Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War, Bessant ought to call himself secretary of treasury, adjunct to the war. You know, that's what we're doing. And this is not going to be tolerated by about 6 billion people who have alternatives.

Now, did you see where China offered Manila oil and Manila said, "Let's talk." Our signatory treaty ally is going to talk to China about getting oil. It's falling apart.
It's falling apart. Yeah, Larry. Looking at the Israeli media, they're talking about Gaza was yesterday, today is Iran and Lebanon, and tomorrow is Turkey, and here is what Tom Barrack said about Turkey.

Where does it go? How does it go? So Israel aligned with Turkey like Israel aligned with Abu Dhabi like Saudi Arabia could be aligned with Israel and for the prosperity of the Israeli people to me that's the answer. So I think this rhetoric is going to go away. Turkey is not a country to be messed with. The guy has some sort of fantasy in my opinion when it comes to Israel. Nobody in Israel cares about what Tom Barrack is talking about, what the people in the United States are talking about. They have their own agenda, and they're not going to bend, they're not gonna get influences from the United States or other places. That's the reality of the policy makers in Israel.

Do you see, you know, the Trump administration being capable of forcing them into something?

Well, no, but that last line what uh uh what Barack said about, you know, not
messing not, you know, it'd be foolish to mess with Turkey. Yeah.
Is that the consequence of the war between Iran?
Yeah. Well, we we had a technical term for that at the CIA. It was called no [ __ ] analysis. Thank you, Captain
Obvious. Um the the I mean but this gives you insight into the Zionist mentality,
how divorced from reality they are, but they've revealed that what they're really after. They they need to destroy
uh Iran and uh then next they need to destroy Turkey. And they're not just, you know,
this this is not some idol conversation.
uh you know I' I've been uh taking sort of a backward look at the 1980s
because you know everything what we're experiencing what we're dealing with today was really the seeds of all that
were sewn in the 1980s and the the the contradictions in US policy and in Israeli policy at the time
and and what I mean by that is from you know with the start of Saddam's war against Iran with our encouragement. And
I'm convinced there was a CIA finding back then that that authorized this to encourage Saddam to do the attack. And
then when Ronald Reagan comes in, we are supplying Iraq with the precursor chemicals to make the chemical weapons.
We're supplying him with intelligence on where to use those weapons. We're actually supplying financial aid, among other things. And we do that for eight
years up through the end of 1988. I mean, Saddam is our proxy. And it's
during that time that Israel invades southern Lebanon and to take out the PLO. That was their
target. And they forced the PLO out. And initially there were some there were some uh Shia villagers that celebrated
the Israelis getting rid of the PLO because the PLO had been you know treating the Shia pretty shabily. But then all of a sudden the Shia turned and
then 82 you get Hezbollah comes up to start defending fighting against Israel.
And in the midst of this, we get get into Iran Contra that so here is the United States backing Iraq in this war
and then all of a sudden Ali North gets into the picture because we want to support we want to stop the spread of the Soviets. So we start selling arms to Iran.
So we're selling to the Iranians. We're backing the Iraqis. Let them fight. We don't care. And the Israelis are ripping us off.
Yeah. and and and here's here's Israel dealing with Iran because there's so fearful of Iraq. So my point in this is
there's not some high principle that everybody's abiding by like oh we're fighting against terrorism. you know it
uh this this war right now against Iran is is
saddled on the US side with so many false assumptions and lies about the nature of Iran and we have now
picked a fight that we can't win and the United States is going to lose this this
conflict and it's it's and it then the cascading effects of that is Everybody,
you know, most of the world was looking at us like we were Mike Tyson or Muhammad Ali in their prime. Can't be defeated. And now all of a sudden, we're
getting knocked on our ass. And they're going, "Whoa, wait a second. I, you know, I've I've put my trust in this person, this country, to keep us secure,
and the only thing they can do is threaten us." Uh, it's it's the Wizard of Oz moment. You know that moment at
the end of the movie Wizard of Oz where uh the Toto the dog pulls back the curtain and instead of the great and
powerful Oz, there's this little old guy who's an itinerate preacher running the machine behind the curtains and you realize he's a fraud.
Yeah. Let me just read the breaking news right now from Reuters. It says that the United States has also agreed to release
billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds as as part of the opening of the straight of Hormuz and this is the other dimension of what has happened so far.
Let's see what would happen. So I mean again look at the chaos here.
They're releasing funds buting sanctions. I mean what the hell's going on?
Left hand. Do you know what the right hand is doing?
It's it's so I think what the GCC countries are somehow in hell right now. Correct.
They're just feeling the heat of what's going on. Your your understanding of GCC countries as you we are talking about
this sort of chaos happening between Iran and the United States. You asking me?
Yeah. you I think they've lost all confidence in what was the Gulf Cooperation Council, which I never had much confidence in either. Um, but
certainly in the United States, and I think they're going to be really parsed,
trying to find new partners, trying to determine whom they're going to ally with and what they're going to ally with
in the region and external to the region. don't see them flying off suddenly to Russia or to China, but I do see the influence there increasing greatly. And I see that everywhere. I,
you know, look at that port in your South America in Peru on the Pacific coast. I mean, I I keep getting reports
about how stunning it is from our own diplomats down there as well as from people I know in Lima and elsewhere. Um,
it's probably the best port ever built in the world was one of them's words in Spanish. Um, and I don't doubt for a
second that South America would rather deal with China, at least with the way China is dealing now, than they would
with the United States. And it's probably of an order of a magnitude rather. So, we're losing. We're losing all over the globe. And we're scrambling
around like we don't know what to do about it. and we aren't making America great again. Yeah,
Larry, isn't that amazing that in the talks, everything we've seen so far,
there is no mention of Kuwait. It seems that Kuwait is somehow disappearing from GC countries.
Uh it's it's going to be a new new addition to Iraq. Iraq will be expanding his territory. Um
always wanted to. Well, well, uh, you know, and I've I've got a question for Colonel Wilkerson because he, you know,
he was there at the time when when you realize that, you know, we're fully backing Iraq in this war against Iran up through 1988.
And then Saddam goes to April Glass and goes, you know, those damned Kuwaitis are stealing our oil and, you know,
we're going to we're going to take action against it. and then all of a sudden the United States goes from having used Iraq as a proxy supported it
and then all of a sudden we declare it an enemy. I I mean, was there anybody in the policymaking position at the time that were say, "Oh, wait a second, guys.
We've, you know, we we we need to choose a different way here with a rock."
5 minutesThat was a pretty intense debate. And one had to give George HW Bush his due
eight years as Ronald Reagan's vice president and as you probably know managed all the covert operations and
managed the agency in terms of the presidency and became very dear to the agency after all they named Langley after him.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
And he was only director for nine months. Um, so everything that happened with Ronald Reagan from Iran Contra to
this exchange with Iraq and Iran and I I just take one exception to what you said before. It wasn't it was omission I
think not a a reality. I think we maintained both sides throughout the conflict. We shifted weight certainly,
but I remember a conversation in the Pentagon that went like this and and this is almost verbatim. We want to keep
6 minutesit to where there's one Arab on one side of the Gulf and a Persian on the other side. Issue them dueling pistols and let
them have at it. That's what we want. We want both. We didn't want to disturb the balance of power, but the way we didn't want to disturb it was to destroy both of them. Mhm.
And and if the if they did it to one another, that was fine. And so actually when Vincen shot down the Airbus and
killed all those civilians and Kmeni said, "Well, I'll accept the UN Security Council resolution. We can negotiate now." I think there were people in the
Pentagon disappointed um because we wanted to destroy both sides so that there wouldn't be a problem in the future. You wouldn't have to balance one
with the other and so forth. And we tried to do that for eight years and it didn't work. Um, and as you said, by the
time we got to the end of that, Iran was about to march into Iraq. And so we had to, you know, we had to do something really decisive. And we did earnest
will, we did praying manice and sunk a couple of warships and and when we shot down the Airbus, Kmeni himself said that
did it. He couldn't that that proved that the United States had taken Iraq side and therefore I'll accept the UN Security Council resolution and we can negotiate an end to this thing.
Um, so all to say that uh it didn't work. I take your points about the 80s and I I put a lot of this on Zigg Bjinski, a hell of a lot of it on him.
Um, some of the things that he did and got Carter to do in particular, but I think it started there too. And I I think we have now come to the end of
some very ve very very very bad foreign policy of which I have to admit I am not
actually clear on I remember Powell coming back and saying we're going to have sanctions. This was after the premier National Security Council meeting. We're going to have sanctions.
He even picked up the phone and called Sam Nun and Sam Nun started a move in the Congress that cost him the presidency should he have wanted to run
and ultimately diminished his standing in the Congress considerably to the point on the second reconfirmation hearing of Powell. He actually wanted to
hurt Powell in that hearing. Um didn't didn't come off but he actually went because he thought Powell had lied to him. Read Bob Wood's book, The Commanders. A lot of lies in that, too.
Um, but Bob doesn't tell lies. He reports what people actually say and people often lie to him. So lies get in the books. So what you're looking at
there is Powell thinking that Skov and Bush and the whole gang had made this decision that sanctions were going to be
put up. Sanctions were going to be put on Iraq, but there was not going to be a war. And then all of a sudden we're we're in his office and I think we had
Al Gray in there, the commodant of the Marine Corps and maybe one other of the service chiefs in there. And all of a sudden Powell goes, "Turn it up. It's a
remote." And here's Bush saying, "This invasion shall not stand." And Powell looked at everybody and said, "I think I just got different orders."
Yeah.
Unfortunately, he didn't pick that up and call Mun and tell him, "Back off.
Back off. Back off." because it got not in in a real conundrum and made none hate him after that. Not hate him, but
didn't like him too much. Um, but no one knows exactly why he changed his mind except Sko was the only one with him.
And Brent's initial impression was that if we wanted a new world order, we had to have some kind of dramatic operation that proved, for example, that the UN,
once issuing a resolution that called for correction by armed might, would be
strengthened in such a way that the new world order would have an arbiter and that arbiter would be more or less under
the thumb of the United States. That's all that's the only thing I could figure out because Brent was Brent I think was one of the most strategic minded and smart thinking person I've ever met.
Yeah. And I'd agree with that. Yeah.
So I I but I can't explain exactly why we did it. Well, you know, and the other sort of sorry to take this offline a
little bit, but the other thing I look back on now with just absolute shock is when in 2003 as we're building up to
invade Iraq all over this quote weapons of mass destruction, not a single person who knew could have come forward and
said, "Well, wait a second. These weapons of mass destruction, these chemical weapons we're looking for,
we're the goddamn people that gave it to them. We we gave it to him. We're the ones who are responsible. Rumsfeld was the emissary.
Yes. I mean it's you know I I didn't understand that back then. I now understand that and I'm looking back at
that. What I mean this this is one of the the biggest scams pulled on the American people in its history.
Yeah. Yeah. History is repeating itself.
I I I used to tell myself when I was in dark moments that Eisenhower pulled off the 53 overthrow of Mosedc so George HW Bush could get his failed operation too.
Yeah. Yeah.
That was under the influence of the British though who he had become truly truly in love with including actually in
love with one. Uh and when he was approached I think uh he was told
the British excheer which was getting from the Iranian oil company about 40 I think it was $40 billion dollars a year
directly into the excheer and he was convinced that by Churchill and others that if that didn't continue to flow at
least for another decade Britain was toast and that's what really did it okay
I'll do it I'll overthrow him or I'll authorize it Another person told me, Andy Goodastor later when he was in
his doage, but he was still pretty sharp. He said that Eisenhower looked at originally the CIA chief, I think it was
Dulles at that time. He looked at him and he said, "Don't tell me. Just do it."
That was it.
Anyway, I got to run. I got another Thank you. Thank you so much. Great pleasure as always. All right. Work on that shirt, dude.
Yeah, I will. I will.
Okay. See you Monday, professor. Take care. Bye. Bye. Bye.

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Seyed Abbas Araghchi
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In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran.

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