There Is a Fairly Strong Probability That Trump

[MineralMan]

is wildly overstating when he threatens Iran so strongly. And we are biting on that bait, making the assumption that he is planning to use nuclear weapons to "end a civilization." He frequently overstates and makes symbolic, rather than tangible, threats.

On the other hand, it is just possible that he is not uttering a false threat.

There is no way to know, in advance. I know no way to stop him from doing either thing. So, I'll be waiting to see his actual actions. And hoping he is just overstating. Yes. That's what I'll be doing.

[niyad]

1. A blood clot.

[MineralMan]

5. Well, there is always that when you're dealing with someone

in his eighth decade. There are other possibilities, as well, but the probability of those, too, is very small.

[TBF]

44. When I had a blood clot

I only worried about my chest pain, and finally decided my place was the ER after I had to sit down and "rest" on the stairs, while I was walking down them (for real!!).

I will admit I wasn't nearly 80 years old, but that's the effect it had. I knew there was something wrong and I needed help.

This is sort of different - there is something wrong with him & WE all know he needs help. I don't think he knows it. I feel like he needs an intervention and analysis for dementia.

I though JV would have more sense than this (or at the very least would be more power hungry) - he should be invoking that 25th amendment NOW.

[spooky3]

2. I think this will be another TACO instance.

I hope the generals will ensure that.

[MineralMan]

8. Yes.

[groundloop]

49. Operation Epstein Distraction

[Aristus]

3. That IS a possibility.

The problem is, he is surrounded by a slavering, brain-dead hoard of demi-humans who are eager to carry out any order, the more ruinous and destructive, the better. They won't be asking if Trump means it or not; they will just comply.

[MineralMan]

9. Not completely surrounded.

He also has to deal with military types, some of whom may well take the UCMJ seriously. Some are possibly being quiet and biding their time.

We'll see.

[Stargleamer]

4. Yes, it's quite possible the military will just use "soft" bombs

around power plants and maybe bridges. But Iranians have encircled at least one power plant so it seems to me that people will still die.

[JBTaurus83]

6. Israel is already bombing rail roads and bridges

Today. I guess we will find out by tomorrow what the extent is.

[WarGamer]

7. You're right, of course...

Some seem to gravitate towards fantasy and doomerism.

[MineralMan]

10. There is a strong tendency toward dooming here at times.

I try to say something.

[WarGamer]

12. I'm sure there's a psychological theory somewhere that fantastic beliefs are formed as a result of perceived trauma

[MineralMan]

15. No doubt.

The road comes to a fork. There are two destinations. We don't know which fork leads where. It's a worrisome situation.

[moonscape]

47. There's little to nothing

that terrifies me more than madness.

[Kid Berwyn]

20. I wonder why?

For some reason, NAZIs in the Oval Office launching illegal, immoral and disastrous wars bothers me and a lot of DUers.

I guess some people are used to it -- or want others to get used to it.

[rampartd]

11. when the pythoness at delphi told the king that "a great empire would fall"

he thought she was talking about the other guy's empire.

i think i know what civilization trump is destroying. and it ain't persia.

[WarGamer]

16. Persia isn't Persia anymore...

The Muslims conquered Persia in the 7th century but it took 800 years for Shia Islam to be the majority religion...

The greatness of Persia predated Islam.

[yellowdogintexas]

53. My daughter married into an Iranian family

They don't tell you they are Iranian; they tell you they are Persian.
Their food is Persian food.

They are Kurdish Iranians, so sometimes they refer to themselves as Kurdish.

[orangecrush]

42. Excellent

[bearsfootball516]

13. It could also very well be an attempt to manipulate the markets.

So at 4 PM, he can send out a statement that he's granting Iran a 10-day extension, because "we're so close to a deal!" and watch the DOW soar 1000 points.

[MineralMan]

21. That is also a possibility. I think we've seen that in the recent past.

[WestMichRad]

30. This!!

[Ocelot II]

14. I think (hope) he's doing another TACO. His MO in almost all situations is to bluster, exaggerate,

lie, bullshit and threaten, and then either claim he was actually successful in accomplishing the thing he was threatening but really didn't accomplish, or else announce that the thing will be done in two weeks. In this case I wouldn't be at all surprised if he announces that he has brought Iran's leaders to their knees (and they are calling him Sir with tears in their eyes), so he will not be forced to destroy the country, which also means that he ought to get the Nobel Peace Prize.

[MineralMan]

19. Yes. Delusions of Grandeur are part of his mental disorder, it seems.

As is taking credit for positive outcomes for which he is not responsible.

[GusBob]

17. A commenter I heard: Its like an Apprentice teaser ad on TV with Trump

Will the world end or will there be a blah blah blah ???

[Deminpenn]

18. Ben Rhodes made a perceptive comment

yesterday MSNOW. He said these big Trump threats work because the people or organizations or businesses have something to lose so they relent in the face of them, but Iran doesn't so these threats won't cause them to back down.

[MineralMan]

23. Yes. Whoever is in charge in Iran is someone he doesn't really know at all.

Those people may have different delusions than Trump has. Dementia appears to be contagious...

[Deminpenn]

28. To the new Ayatollah and the IRGC, this is a holy war

If they die fighting in it, they are glorious martyrs.

[MineralMan]

29. Always be wary of would-be martyrs, for sure.

[-misanthroptimist]

22. I generally agree with you

OTOH, this clown has been itching to use nukes. Hell, he even pondered nuking a hurricane. So...who knows?

[MineralMan]

24. Well, no matter how many Generals have been fired,

I imagine he will get very, very strong blowback from the Pentagon if he wants to use them in this unnecessary circumstance. Maybe even outright refusal to follow an unlawful order. General officers are generally pretty rigid in their thinking about such things.

[-misanthroptimist]

26. That is possible and utterly worth hoping for.

I'm more pessimistic.

[GoodRaisin]

32. That is an outcome I'm hoping for, although I doubt

if that happens we would be told about it, at least until it leaks.

[Katinfl]

25. Remember that children's story about the boy who cried "wolf" all the time?

He cried “wolf” so many times and when nothing happened they stopped paying attention. But then when something really was about to happen and he cried “wolf” no one believed him. That story comes to mind when I think of what we are living through right now.

As long as he is allowed to get away with his threats we will never be sure of what is to come. Like tonight. Will he TACO out again? All talk, no action? Who the hell knows……

[Walleye]

27. We need to believe him when he makes these threats. Sometimes he follows through.

Makes him feel good to talk tough

[GoodRaisin]

35. Yes

He is a coward so he talks tough to make himself feel like less of the big coward he knows he truly is, and he thinks that he is fooling others that he is a tough guy. In reality he is the first to run from a fight. Unfortunately he has also shown that he has no problem with using others to fight and then claim credit for it. In other words he is a real piece of cowardly shit.

[Walleye]

40. Our search and rescue team worked great rescuing the pilot. He had to claim credit for that.

Even though he had zero to do with it, I don’t even think he cared about the guy

[lame54]

31. He does but...

He has laid the groundwork for his INSANITY
And Hegseth is bloodthirsty and would love to see a nuke go off
What's the point of having these toys if you can't use them

It can go either way

[LuvLoogie]

33. His stating what he said is a war crime.

We are a despotic shit hole.

[1WorldHope]

39. I completely agree with you.

He should be removed for even making that statement

[IzzaNuDay]

34. Don't underestimate Iran and their allies capabilities.

They are not going to just wait for it. They will strike back.

[returnee]

36. As far as I can see...

…it will take Constitutionally-minded military officers at the highest levels to refuse illegal orders. Given our military history I’m not holding my breath. Whether he will actually give the orders is a guessing game.

[Emile]

37. He'll TACO out.

[snot]

38. I am calling representatives quoting this threat & urging them to do all they can

to STOP him.

Given that his behavior has exceeded every rational limit in the past, I see no reason why we shouldn't all be panicking.

But our representatives have shown a remarkable ability to ignore our wishes in the past; so I believe the best remaining option is a General Strike & boycott.

The only thing TPTB care about is what's on their balance sheets.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

41. This market manipulation will continue until the land invasion begins.

Count on it!

[live love laugh]

43. There's usually some truth among the lies and word salad.

[angrychair]

45. To be frank

The default assumption must be: he says what he means and means what he says. To believe anything different is irresponsible. Especially when it comes to Congress or the news media.

There is very little we can do as unelected individuals.

Not so true for Congress or even his own cabinet or even the news media.
They can do something about it. They are choosing to do nothing more than act symbolically...if at all.

There is the real problem we face.

[Trueblue Texan]

46. His threat alone is sufficient to remove him from office. nt

[Bev54]

48. If he does, the military leaders that carry out that order will need to be prosecuted.

They need to know they will also be prosecuted in the International court as well, in abstention, if need be. They will be looking over their shoulders for the remainder of their lives, if any of us live through this.

[Grim Chieftain]

51. I came of age at a time when the chant "hell no, I won't go!" was the protest of the day

IF this insanity does indeed go forth, I hope those who would be charged with carrying out the dictates of a madman follow their predecessors and firmly say the same.

[FraDon]

50. The mere utterance of such madness

is itself a war crime.

[The Wizard]

52. At 7:51

Trump will announce Iran signed an unconditional surrender and invited Trump to be the new leader.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

54. Fuck it!

Bought some maple bourbon and a whoopie pie on my way home from work
Bought tickets to see the Wood Brothers, Les Claypool and the Frog Brigade and Disco Biscuits
Booked all that plus a couple of campgrounds for days I should be at work, without banked time.

I've been arrested for peace a few times and I'm seeing it as a distinct possibility again soon.
They were totally white privilege arrests. But I'm going to go full bore on enjoying life
while going full bore on attempting to do my part to resurrect Democracy.

Fuck IT

[ecstatic]

55. He's a terrorist

And he has turned the US into a terrorist state. It's so disgusting and heartbreaking.

Imagine the president of the most powerful nation on Earth telling you that your country is going to be destroyed?

And this is after watching his actions over the past year. He kidnapped a president to steal the country's oil. Didn't give a fuck about the people of that country.

This is the world we're living in right now.