Drone-strike Trickery in the Gulf

On June 4th, Sydney time, Al Jazeera showed the video below of damage to Kuwait International Airport, from which the leading photo is taken. What appears to be a recently fired interceptor rocket is shown being hosed down in a car park near the terminal, at some time during the previous night. Al Jazeera’s broadcast… Continue reading Drone-strike Trickery in the Gulf

Trump’s Kiss of Death

In what appears to have been a final effort to ensure that the comatose ‘peace agreement’ with Iran will never regain consciousness, President Trump just added a game-changing new condition to the US demand list: in order to sign onto the proposed regional peace agreement to end the war on Iran, Arab states supporting the… Continue reading Trump’s Kiss of Death

Persian Gulf; Signing Up or Signing Out.

PGSA Area of control May 21st

As I wrote in “Persian Gulf; Departure Point”, no further negotiations or mutual agreements can or will be made between Iran and its opponents. The constant flow of reports on ‘progress’ in talks and even suggestions that an agreement is close bear no relation to the reality, and is being generated by individuals and groups… Continue reading Persian Gulf; Signing Up or Signing Out.

Persian Gulf; Departure Point.

Abbas Araghchi in New Delhi, setting the terms

I think it can be said that ‘negotiations’ between the US and Iran are now finished, notwithstanding that they don’t appear to have actually taken place. This is not because of the supposed failure of Iran to join talks in Islamabad, or to fail to agree on its requirements for an end to the conflict.… Continue reading Persian Gulf; Departure Point.

BBC misses the Bridge; Bushra Sheikh finds it.

A month ago I speculated on the possible consequences of the US bombing of the Karaj bridge, an act of international vandalism and spite which could only be described as a war crime, given the bridge was unfinished and with no military significance. While we wait to see if ‘hostilities resume’ – or when they… Continue reading BBC misses the Bridge; Bushra Sheikh finds it.

An Open and Shut Case

HORMUZ STRAIT TRAFFIC 18 APRIL

In the end it has come down to this – an inability in the American mind to comprehend the most basic of truths about ‘the other’ – being that its assumed exceptionalism amounts to nothing in the mind of Iranians. The leaders of the hegemon simply cannot accept that their presence in W Asia is… Continue reading An Open and Shut Case

The Persian Gulf – Between the Banks.

Iran's Territorial waters

Now that we’re finished with the Trump-talk of ‘opening the Straits of Hormuz’ – by force presumably, from those to whom they remain closed – the path forward between its rocky banks is a little clearer. The situation may be compared with a ‘hostage crisis’, and similar rules apply to those following Hamas’ taking of… Continue reading The Persian Gulf – Between the Banks.

The Persian Gulf – Left Bank.

Point 8 - US leaves W Asia

In a moment of madness, desperation or possibly ignorance, and at 88 minutes before Donald Trump’s ‘DEAD-line’ for the destruction of Iranian civilisation, the freshly resurrected Golden King of America suddenly discovered Iran’s grand plan for an end to war in West Asia. Thanks to the huge tension built up by his Hollywood-style countdown, the… Continue reading The Persian Gulf – Left Bank.

A Bridge Too Far

“Burning one’s bridges” was always considered unwise as a means of defence, as it narrowed the options of escape; nowadays “bombing other’s bridges” is the preferred option for keeping the enemy at bay. But whether defensive or offensive, destroying such expensive and vital structures has only been justifiable for military objectives.. until now! One can… Continue reading A Bridge Too Far

The Persian Gulf, right bank.

It seems that the Gulf between the opposing sides in this war on Iran is unbridgeable, both militarily and politically. This is entirely the fault of ‘the right bank’ (of the Euphrates/Tigris), defined as the states that launched the decapitation strike on Iran, and who now pretend to be ‘winning’. In anticipation of this final… Continue reading The Persian Gulf, right bank.