Somaliland Leader Meets Israeli Defence Minister as Both Sides Signal Deeper Security Ties
[ShabelleMedia] Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Israel and Somaliland ...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells.... had cooperated for years on a series of undisclosed operations,
Have they indeed? How very, very interesting…
as he hosted Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohammed Abdullahi Irro for talks focused on expanding security cooperation.
Speaking alongside Irro, Katz said the two sides had conducted "a series of secret operations" over several years but declined to provide details about the nature of the activities, where they took place, or their objectives.
Katz said Israel and Somaliland were now working to broaden their security partnership and strengthen cooperation, though he did not elaborate on specific projects or agreements under discussion.
The meeting comes amid growing contacts between Israel and Somaliland, a self-declared republic in northern Somalia that is not internationally recognized as an independent state.
Analysts say Israel’s interest in Somaliland is largely driven by the territory’s strategic location along the Gulf of Aden and near the Bab al-Mandab strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints linking the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean.
Enhanced ties could potentially include cooperation on maritime security, intelligence sharing and border surveillance technologies, although neither side publicly confirmed the scope of any future initiatives.
Irro’s visit, during which he was reportedly honoured with a "Friends of Zion Award," has drawn attention to what observers describe as an emerging diplomatic and security relationship between Israel and Somaliland at a time of heightened geopolitical competition in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea region.
Neither side announced any formal agreements following the meeting, and details of the previously referenced covert cooperation remain undisclosed.
“Neener, neener, neener!”
Somaliland, Israel Sign Security and Economic Cooperation Pact
16/06/2026
[ShabelleMedia] Somaliland and Israel have signed a wide-ranging cooperation agreement covering security, economic development and investment, marking a significant deepening of ties between the two sides.
At least as far as the world knows. Heaven knows what-all those two have been getting up to, and maybe Puntland and Ethiopia, too.
The agreement was signed on Monday by Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
…known as Bibi to those who don’t refer to him exclusively as “That clever dog of a yahood who doesn’t know his place, damn him!”
according to officials from Somaliland.
The accord provides for cooperation in the fields of security, agriculture, water management, technology, investment and broader economic development. The two sides said they would work together to strengthen defence coordination, expand the use of modern technologies in agricultural production and water purification, and encourage Israeli companies to undertake major investment projects aimed at boosting Somaliland’s infrastructure and economy.
It’s going to look like Haiti versus the Dominican Republic on Hispaniola Island pretty soon…
President Cirro is currently on a five-day visit to Israel, during which he also inaugurated Somaliland’s diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, a move that drew sharp criticism from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Oh well. They can talk, but nobody cares anymore — not like the old days of 2024, when they had the world over their oil barrel.
The developments are expected to have implications for the geopolitical landscape of the Horn of Africa, with analysts anticipating strong reactions from Somalia’s federal government and other regional actors.
Allah showing who he really favours, and it clearly ain’t the Master Religion…
Israel formally recognized Somaliland in December 2025, paving the way for closer diplomatic and economic engagement between the two sides.
Israeli officials have not publicly detailed any plans regarding a military presence in Somaliland. However, regional observers have long speculated that Israel’s strategic interest in Somaliland is linked to its location along the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a vital global shipping route that has become increasingly sensitive amid attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement.
The agreement represents one of the most significant diplomatic breakthroughs for Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but has sought broader international recognition for more than three decades.
OIC Condemns Opening of Somaliland Mission in Jerusalem, Reaffirms Support for Somalia
16/06/2026
[ShabelleMedia] The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Tuesday strongly condemned the opening of what it described as a “Somaliland embassy” in occupied Jerusalem, calling the move illegal and a clear violation of international law and the United Nations ...a lucrative dumping ground for the relatives of dictators and party hacks... Charter.
In a statement issued by its General Secretariat, the 57-member bloc said Israel, as the occupying power in the Palestinian territories, has no sovereignty over Jerusalem and therefore lacks the authority to legitimize any diplomatic representation in the contested city.
That’s nice, my dears. It didn’t accomplish anything, but I’m sure you feel much better for letting that rip.
The OIC said all measures and decisions aimed at altering the political and legal status of Jerusalem were “null and void” under international law, reiterating its long-standing position that East Jerusalem is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Saying it doesn’t make it so. Sorry.
The organization also reaffirmed its “full support” for the Federal Republic of Somalia, backing the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national unity.
You do that. No doubt it’ll make a difference to the functionality of the place.
It urged the international community to adopt a firm stance against what it described as Somaliland’s “illegal step” and to prevent any potential consequences that could arise from the move.
Firm and wide, right?
The condemnation came a day after Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, widely known as Cirro, officially inaugurated the diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, home to the revered Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s first qibla and third-holiest site.
That’s right — it was the first qibla. And then suddenly it wasn’t — along with so much else ordered by The Father of Lies over the years. How is a pious Moslem to keep up?
Most countries have avoided establishing embassies in Jerusalem, arguing that the city’s final status should be resolved through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.
Retired Israeli Brigadier General Amir Avivi told the Israel Defense and Security Forum in May that “people are not aware, but the Israeli navy has been operating in the area.”
“Israel is building capabilities in Somaliland... we have a base now,” he added.
[SudanWarMonitor] The war in Sudan has triggered an outpouring of jihadist music, which is spreading in training camps, in the streets, and online. Poets have revived and adapted long-buried jihadist tunes of the 1990s, while also composing new ones or importing lyrics from international contexts.
These songs frame military service as a religious obligation, lionize fallen warriors, and portray Sudan’s ongoing war as part of a wider historic Islamic jihad. Called nasheed (Arabic: نَشِيد, pl. anasheed), they are sung without instrumental accompaniment, except for clapping or simple percussion.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which portrays itself internationally as an apolitical institution battling to uphold the state against an existential threat, promotes the circulation of such songs on state media, in military training camps, and at public gatherings to shape public opinion about the war.
In the course of preparing this article, our researchers identified numerous videos in which top SAF commanders and officers sing jihadist songs alongside Islamist militants. This illustrates that this music is a deep-rooted part of Sudanese military culture, especially on the SAF side of the conflict.
Like nasheed in international jihadist contexts, Sudanese nasheed go beyond mere battle hymns and elegies. They also address political and cultural themes, promoting a counter-cultural “Islamic Resurgence” that opposes secularism, democracy, and alleged non-Islamic conceptions of society.
More at the link, including jihadis singing off key
The ADF ramped up violence in Ituri amid the Ebola outbreak, and JNIM launched a deadly campaign against Dozo militias in Mali.
Ladd Serwat
Senior Analyst, Africa
Héni Nsaibia
Senior Analyst, West Africa
Jalale Getachew Birru
Senior Analyst, East Africa
Peter Bofin
Senior Analyst, Southeast Africa
In May, Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) claimed its first operations in Nigeria in more than six years. The claimed attacks include an attack that killed 10 soldiers near Giro Masa in the Shanga local government area of Kebbi state on 24 March and another attack near the village of Rumji Dan Tudu in the Illela local government area of Sokoto state on 16 May, which killed seven soldiers.
1 These claims are significant as ISSP had not made any official claim of violence in Nigeria since October 2019, when it first officially announced having entered Sokoto by carrying out an attack in the town of Balle in the Gudu local government area.
2 For years, confusion and debate have surrounded the affiliation of militants locally referred to as the Lakurawa and their links to violent Islamist groups operating in the region. However, ISSP's claims of attacks attributed locally to the Lakurawa on both sides of the Niger-Nigeria border increasingly clarify that the Lakurawa are an integral component of ISSP's presence in the borderlands rather than a distinct armed group.
The ISSP claims also come amid parallel violent campaigns by Sahelian jihadist groups in the Benin, Niger, and Nigeria borderlands. While ISSP has publicized its growing presence along the Niger-Nigeria border since last December, its rival Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has carried out several large-scale attacks elsewhere in the region. Last month in Niger, JNIM overran a National Guard camp in the town of Kirtachi, killing at least 12 soldiers and taking seven others prisoner.
3 Meanwhile, in Benin, the group launched a coordinated attack on military positions in Koualou, a border town in an area disputed by Benin and Burkina Faso, killing several soldiers and civilians.
4 In both attacks, JNIM also seized large quantities of weapons, ammunition, and other materiel. These developments illustrate the deepening entrenchment of Sahelian jihadist groups in the coastal West Africa borderlands, where both ISSP and JNIM are demonstrating their ability to project force, sustain operations, and challenge government forces on multiple fronts.
[KhaamaPress] Jamaica is in discussions with the United States about accepting third-country migrants colonists deported from the U.S., Deputy Prime Minister Horace Chang has said, according to Rooters.
Speaking on Tuesday, Chang said no final agreement has yet been reached, but confirmed ongoing talks over a possible arrangement under which Jamaica would serve as a transit location for migrants colonists removed from the United States.
The discussions are part of a broader U.S. effort to secure agreements with partner countries willing to receive deported migrants colonists from third countries. Similar arrangements have reportedly been explored with several nations, often involving financial or logistical support from Washington.
The issue has drawn attention among Afghan refugees and asylum seekers after reports that some Afghan nationals who assisted U.S. forces and were awaiting resettlement could be transferred to third countries rather than being admitted directly to the United States.
Recent reports have indicated that Washington is considering relocating certain Afghan evacuees currently housed in Qatar ...an emirate on the east coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It sits on some really productive gas and oil deposits, which produces the highest per capita income in the world. They piss it all away on religion, financing the Moslem Brotherhood and several al-Qaeda affiliates. Home of nutbag holy manYusuf al-Qaradawi... to third countries, including destinations in Africa, as part of efforts to manage refugee processing and immigration backlogs.
The development comes as Western governments continue to reassess migration policies toward Afghan nationals. Germany this week deported 32 Afghan citizens convicted of serious crimes to Kabul on a charter flight, marking one of the latest removals carried out since the return of the Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... to power in 2021.
Human rights groups have raised concerns about deportations and third-country transfers involving Afghans, citing Afghanistan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, economic hardship, and restrictions affecting large segments of the population. International agencies have repeatedly warned that millions of Afghans remain dependent on humanitarian assistance.
While U.S. officials have not announced any final decision regarding Afghan evacuees, the debate highlights growing international efforts to balance immigration enforcement, refugee protection obligations, and regional migration management.
[AnadoluNews] German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on Israel Wednesday to end its large-scale military offensive in southern Lebanon and adopt a constructive approach toward President Donald Trump's peace agreement with Iran.
Speaking at the end of the G7 summit in France, Merz said the leaders' discussions centered on the US-Iran framework deal and the escalating situation in Lebanon, where Israel has continued its attacks despite a ceasefire and criticism from allies.
"We understand Israel's security interests, but these must not extend to the point of destabilizing an entire neighboring country — and that was the unanimous view of all G7 partners," Merz told public broadcaster ARD. He said the group expects Israel to de-escalate the conflict and bring the hostilities to an end.
Asked whether he was worried Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might try to derail the US-Iran deal, Merz said he did not share that concern, while noting that he's following developments with concern. He called on the Israeli government to support Trump's agreement with Iran.
"First and foremost, it's about peace in the region, and then, of course, indirectly, it's also about our interests," Merz said, referring to the negative impact of the prolonged conflict on energy prices, global economy.
"But above all, it is crucial that this conflict be brought to an end now;" he stressed. "Israel must not become a driver of conflict but must instead play an active role in ending it—and that opportunity exists."
Coward calls for Israel to bare its neck to Iran/Hezbollah swords so that the honourable chancellor can enjoy his afternoon Kaffee und Kuchen undisturbed by those noisy missile explosions.
Posted by: Elmerert Hupens2660 ||
06/18/2026 09:29 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1824 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
#2
"We understand Israel's security interests, but these must not extend to the point of destabilizing an entire neighboring country
A not unreasonable position. But it raises the question: Should Israel care more about their neighbors than said neighbors care about Israel?
The next question is, other than virtue signalling, what is Germany doing to make the problem better? Lebanon can't/won't put an end to Hezbollah for a whole essay's worth of reasons. "Who will help me end this rain of missiles and bombs?", asked the Little Red Hen.
#3
Hez'b is not a nation, nor a legitimate partner to any Iran MOU. Israel should still be free to smoke them. Attempts to add them, Houthis, Hamas, et all are non-starters
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/18/2026 19:07 Comments ||
Top||
#4
I'd like to see the Iranians control their proxies by making them stop shooting for 60 days.
Ain't gonna happen; too any loose cannons.
Posted by: Bobby ||
06/18/2026 19:09 Comments ||
Top||
#5
Hence, my #3 comment. They can't constrain or help themselves = future Trump comment: "We tried"
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/18/2026 19:25 Comments ||
Top||
#6
In 1984 then West-German foreign minister Genscher made a diplomatic outreach to Iran. Iran reacted by making Germany specifically a target of its asymmetrical aggression, correctly interpreting diplomacy as weakness.
I wonder if they will react in the same way to Merz.
Iran has been shown to be a pathetic performer in symmetrical war, but Iran has brilliantly waged asymmetrical war on the West for decades.
Iran has diminished freedom in the West to an extent the nuclear armed Soviet Union never achieved. They should not be underestimated.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Viktor Lavrinenko
[REGNUM] Last spring and this June were a turbulent time for residents of Denmark. Several cities found themselves at the epicenter of a brutal gang war, the intensity and audacity of which shocked both local residents and police.
Residential neighborhoods have become a battleground, with firearms, homemade incendiary devices, and explosives being used. Two criminal groups are settling scores, and civilians are becoming collateral victims of the conflict.
LAWLESSNESS IN THE "CITY OF SMILES"
In the spring, a powerful crime wave hit several Danish cities at once: Herning and Ikast, small towns in the Central Jutland region, were hit the hardest.
A kind of prologue to the gang war in the region was the events in the university town of Aarhus, advertised to tourists as the "city of smiles" and "the center of Jutlandic culture." Four years ago, it had already made the news: on the night of March 7-8, 2022, 21-year-old civil engineering student Søren Koch was murdered there.
The young man had no ties to the criminal underworld. He simply had the misfortune of being at a gas station when a shootout between two gangs erupted. The investigation dragged on for years—the men directly responsible for Koch's death were arrested only in 2024 and 2026. They turned out to be involved with the notorious "Loyal to Familia" (LTF) gang, whose ranks are made up of people from the Third World.
On May 16, a large-scale stabbing occurred in Aarhus. In the suburb of Tilst, several migrants got into an argument and started fighting with knives. Others rushed to their aid, and the brawl soon spread to the neighboring district of Bispehaven.
Most of the participants escaped with relatively minor cuts. Five suffered serious injuries: three in Tilst and two in Bispehaven. One of the victims, a 25-year-old man, died in the hospital. Six were detained.
The situation didn't take long to unfold. On May 18, at approximately 9:00 PM, two shots were fired in the Brendengårdsparken residential area of Herning. Someone was shooting at one of the apartments in the complex. Minutes later, two fires broke out in the neighboring town of Ikast: an apartment and a minibus were set ablaze. An elderly woman was sleeping in the apartment. She suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation. Rescuers arrived by helicopter and airlifted her in critical condition to a hospital in Copenhagen.
Just a few hours later, early in the morning of May 19, a hand grenade exploded on the balcony of an apartment in Herning. Residents whose homes were caught in the blasts and gunfire began demanding decisive action from the authorities, claiming that "this usually only happens in big cities." They complained, "We're afraid the next grenade will fly through our window."
Police announced they were examining all three incidents as part of a single investigation. Law enforcement officials explained that the stabbing in Aarhus was the trigger for a conflict between two gangs. In documents from the National Serious Crime Unit (NSK), they are referred to under the neutral names "Northern Group" and "Eastern Group."
A decision was made to deploy law enforcement forces from other parts of the country to the region. Investigators from NSK also arrived. On May 19, police established two special inspection zones in Herning, where officers were authorized to search citizens and vehicles even without specific suspicion.
On May 20, police announced their first arrest: a 22-year-old man was detained on suspicion of arson in Ikast. He was also suspected of involvement in other incidents, including the shooting in Herning. It was later discovered that a 16-year-old boy and two girls, ages 15 and 17, were also involved in these crimes. They had purchased a grenade on the black market, which the boy threw onto the balcony of an apartment in Herning where a member of a rival group lived. The trio were planning further attacks.
In total, 23 people have been detained as a result of the events in Ikast and Herning.
"LOYAL TO FAMILY" VS. "COMANCHES"
According to experts, the Northern and Eastern groups are proxies for larger and more well-known criminal structures.
One of them is the aforementioned LTF gang, founded by Pakistani-born Shuaib Khan (aka Shabbi ). Several years ago, a Danish court sentenced Shabbi to deportation, and since then he has been running his criminal enterprise remotely.
The other side in the conflict is the Comanches MC biker club, founded in 2023. From the outset, it was created as an organization open to members of all nationalities. This distinguishes it from traditional biker clubs, historically dominated by white Europeans.
The Comanche gang was founded by brothers Nadim and Wahid Khan, ethnic Pakistanis. In the 1990s, they led the street gang Værebros Hårde Kerne (VHK), which operated in a Copenhagen suburb. It gradually transformed and became part of the Dutch multiracial biker club Satudarah MC.
The Danish branch was subsequently disbanded, and the brothers founded their own club. It is infamous for murder, drug trafficking, racketeering, bombings, and assaults with firearms and knives. The club's emblem, depicting a Comanche Indian, is very popular among local youth drawn to the romantic side of crime.
The two groups have a long history of rivalry. Previous clashes between the VHK and LTF have resulted in deaths. The current conflict between the Comanche and the Family erupted over money a former biker club member failed to pay the LTF for drugs. The debt was significant, initially estimated at 2 million Danish kroner (approximately €268,000), but later reduced to approximately 1.3 million kroner (approximately €174,000).
The situation was complicated by the debtor's incarceration and inability to repay the remaining debt. LTF then decided to extort the entire remaining amount from his former club comrades. To this end, LTF planned a series of explosions and arson attacks as intimidation tactics.
On the night of March 30, a private home in Droninglund, North Jutland, exploded. A 44-year-old woman was inside the building at the time of the explosion, but fortunately, she was unharmed. Law enforcement officials determined that the explosion was directly related to the conflict between the Comanches and the LTF. Three perpetrators, including a 15-year-old boy, have been detained.
A new episode in the gang war took place on April 7, when the Royal Ink tattoo parlor in downtown Aalborg was attacked. At least nine bullets were fired into the shop window, but no one was injured. This broad daylight shooting in the city center shocked local residents, who were not yet accustomed to this kind of violence.
The situation was further exacerbated by the salon's scandalous past: it had previously been temporarily closed after large quantities of various drugs and 3,000 unpaid prescriptions for potent medications were discovered there.
It didn't take long to find the reason for the armed attack. The salon's owner was Christian Maier, head of the Aalborg branch of Comanches MC. Police took an unconventional measure: banning Royal Ink from Aalborg and the Comanches MC headquarters in Vodskov. The ban, initially imposed for two weeks, was subsequently extended several times.
Police indicated they were considering these locations as potential targets for further attacks that could result in casualties among bystanders. The shooter was soon apprehended; he was identified as a 16-year-old Swedish citizen. Based on the description provided by the Danes, he was arrested in Helsingborg, Sweden, and quickly extradited to Denmark.
LTF resorted to the "violence as a service" scheme. Recently, gangsters in Denmark and other EU countries have begun actively recruiting young Swedish citizens looking to make some extra money via messaging apps. The teenager was promised one million Danish kroner (approximately €134,000) for the assassination of Christian Maier.
However, he approached the matter shoddily—simply emptying a clip into a display case and fleeing to Sweden. After working with him, the police tracked down the masterminds. A 22-year-old and an 18-year-old member of the LTF were soon arrested.
AN ESCAPED CRIMINAL
However, the setback did not stop the LTF. On May 8, in the Copenhagen suburb of Ishoj, a holiday home belonging to Patrick Nilsen, a former professional boxer, was attacked with a Kalashnikov assault rifle.
Boxer Patrick, known by the nickname "Boxer Patrick," held the position of "Minister of War" in Comanches MC. Although he was inside the building at the time, he survived, but the building was literally riddled with bullets. A terrified Nilsen resigned as "Minister" on May 18 and announced his resignation from the club.
Along with Nilsen, almost all members of the Aalborg chapter quit the Comanches, declaring that they had not signed up to fight a powerful and ruthless rival gang. Maier initiated the collective resignation. He realized that his survival on April 7th was a miracle, and that the next assassination attempt might be successful.
Thus, the attack on May 8 resulted in a strategic retreat of the Comanches from the entire Danish region, which became the trophy of the LTF.
Mayer and company left the club just in time. On May 24, a 24-year-old inmate named Said Mahamed Ali Adde, who had a grudge against him, escaped from prison. Two years ago, he went to rob a kiosk in Herning but was shot at and wounded by Comanche soldiers. Now he's thirsty for revenge. Said was never caught after his escape.
According to crime journalist Karsten Norton, it was Adde who ordered the arson and shootings in Herning and Ikast from prison. Frustrated by the failure of his hired men to hit their targets, Adde decided to escape. It remains to be seen where, when, and how this hardened criminal will strike next, and how many ordinary Danes will suffer.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Kamran Gasanov
[REGNUM] Despite economic difficulties and a complex domestic political struggle, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to rely on foreign policy and the military. By the next elections, he plans to codify his geopolitical claims to the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Seas. It’s long been his ambition to reassemble the Ottoman sultanate.
The "Blue Homeland" concept has long ceased to be simply a catchy geopolitical slogan and a subject of academic analysis. For months, the Turkish parliament has been seriously discussing elevating it to law.
The doctrine was developed in 2006 by retired admirals Cihat Yaycı and Cem Gürdeniz. They believe that Turkey needs to restore the Ottoman Empire's former dominance in the seas—the Aegean (disputed by Greece), the Mediterranean (where Ankara clashes with Israel and Cyprus and is expanding its influence in Syria and Libya), and the Black Sea.
See?
Beyond a military presence, the concept also implies claims to energy resources. Turkey has been conducting geological exploration off the coast of Northern Cyprus since the late 2010s, angering the Greeks. To legitimize its geoenergy interests, in 2019 Ankara signed a memorandum of delimitation of maritime boundaries with the Libyan government in Tripoli, linking the two countries' economic zones.
The treaty effectively ignores the claims of Cyprus, Greece, and the EU to the continental shelves of Greek islands, including Crete. Subsequent agreements allowed Turkish companies (such as TPAO) to conduct geological exploration and drilling operations on the Libyan shelf and onshore. Following the change of power in Damascus, Türkiye wants to sign similar agreements with Syria.
Why make a simple doctrine into law? Journalist Saygi Öztürk answers this question in his article, "Why the 'Blue Homeland' Law?"
According to him, this isn't a simple legal amendment, but a long-term process that should integrate maritime doctrine into the state system. In an article for the newspaper Sozcu, the author cites the concept's author, Cihat Yaycı: "It's not enough to have maritime rights; these rights must be defined by law, declared, enforced, and protected."
In short, the norm should not simply describe Turkey's maritime policy but transform it into a sustainable legal norm. Yaycı proposes to stop fending off external challenges, which constantly arise with Turkey's increased activity in the Aegean or Mediterranean, and instead set the tone for the legal language itself. The idea is that the legal status will legitimize the policy in any controversial situations.
Yaycı is not only the concept's author but also its active lobbyist. He admits to having spent 22 years working on the maps and the "Blue Homeland." A key aspect of implementing the idea remains strengthening the Turkish Armed Forces, something the Erdoğan government is seriously pursuing. Not only are UAVs being built, but also fifth-generation KAAN fighters, GÖKSUR air defense systems, Istanbul-class frigates, and even aircraft carriers are in development.
The retired admiral is confident that the successful implementation of the doctrine requires focusing on all types of weapons. In one of his regular speeches to students, he made it clear that Turkey's security cannot be divided into land and sea. This is why he views the "Blue Homeland" and the multi-layered "Steel Dome" (Çelik Kubbe) system being developed as a single entity. If the latter is a shield in the sky, then the "Blue Homeland" law is a legal shield at sea.
Pro-government newspaper Daily SabahThe author sees the bill as a response to the structural problems of maritime policy. For Turkey, the sea is not the periphery, but the center of its geopolitical position, he explains. While Turkey's maritime policy was previously implemented through "disparate legislation," after the law's adoption, it will be possible to conduct it within a unified framework defining the continental shelf, exclusive economic zone, and territorial waters, he says.
Turkish authorities believe a unified legal framework is necessary to eliminate fragmentation and ensure long-term policy sustainability. With the new law, Ankara will be able to shift "from a strategy of protecting the legality of its rights within the limits it has defined and declared to a strategy of their practical implementation."
Politically, it's important for Erdoğan's government to legitimize its claims to disputed territories, such as the Aegean Sea. "Delays at sea are costly. Undeclared rights become disputed over time," says Yaycı. Economically, companies will gain grounds for fishing, oil and gas exploration, and production.
However, it's clear that Erdoğan's unilateral fatwa issued to his military, oil workers, and fishermen will still not resolve the dispute with the Greeks in Cyprus, near Crete, and around the Aegean islands. Greek MEP Nicholas Farantouris wrote in his column for Euractivwrites that the issue of the "Blue Homeland" law is not just an internal matter for Turkey, but a pretext for a new potential crisis in Ankara's relations with the EU and NATO.
The MP writes that the Republic of Turkey is effectively "formalizing as a state policy the seizure of greater control over the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean." If the law is passed, Turkey will be able to establish a more robust legal framework for maritime claims, which will inevitably increase tensions with its neighbors.
The Greek is confident that the European Union will immediately act in Athens' favor and impose sanctions against Ankara. "If Turkey continues to deprive Greece—and therefore the EU—of its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf around the islands, the EU will have no choice but to impose sanctions and invoke Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union on mutual defense assistance," the Greek socialist notes.
It must be said that there is no consensus regarding Turkey within the EU. On the one hand, there is a group of skeptics, led by Greece, Cyprus, and France and supported by the head of the European Commission. It is no coincidence that Ursula von der Leyen recently ranked Turkey alongside Russia and China on her list of "threats."
On the other hand, since Donald Trump's return to the White House, there has been a thaw in European-Turkish relations. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have agreed to the delivery of Eurofighter fighter jets, while the European Union is turning a blind eye to the persecution of the opposition Republican People's Party and its leaders, including the arrested Ekrem İmamoğlu and the ousted chairman Özgür Özel. Turkey is needed as an element of the new European security system, from which the United States is branching off.
Nevertheless, passing a law that, if not putting Turkey in a state of war with the Greeks, would significantly escalate the confrontation, is a risky undertaking. That's why the planned May approval was postponed until October. According to the Swedish publication Nordic Monitor (run by fugitive anti-Erdoğan journalists), the pause is due to the upcoming NATO summit, scheduled for early July in Ankara.
"The postponement comes at a delicate diplomatic moment. In July, Turkey will host NATO leaders in Ankara, placing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the center of the alliance's diplomacy at a time marked by war in Ukraine, instability in the Middle East, and growing uncertainty in transatlantic relations. <…> Avoiding a new dispute with Greece before the summit appears to be in line with Ankara's immediate diplomatic priorities," the article states.
In other words, in a situation where Erdogan is trying to position himself as a co-author of the US-Iran peace deal, and Trump intends to re-energize the peace process around Ukraine, where Istanbul is still seen as a negotiating platform, and where the EU is looking with hope at Turkish patrols over the Baltic Sea, this is not the time to quarrel with NATO partners and deprive oneself of advantages.
However, Erdoğan's government hasn't abandoned the idea of the "Blue Homeland" law. After all, amid growing domestic political strife and intensifying talk of early elections, where representatives of the ruling Justice and Development Party are still considering nominating Erdoğan personally, rather than Hakan Fidan's successor, the president needs heroic steps. As Nordic Monitor writes, the new law will allow him to "present himself as a defender of national interests against external pressure."
Will the doctrine ultimately become law? Probably. Erdogan will remove it from office closer to May 2028, and even sooner if snap elections are held. Sanctions and worsened relations with the EU, a key trading partner, are bad news for the lira and the Ministry of Finance. However, when maintaining power, which in Erdogan's eyes is tantamount to preserving Turkey's sovereignty, is at stake, the risk is worth it.
Ankara's military operations in Syria and Iraq were often timed to coincide with election campaigns. Erdoğan still has time. He won't rush. At a vulnerable time of transatlantic rupture, the EU needs to be squeezed to the limit in trade and military-industrial cooperation, while Trump needs support in his peacekeeping ambitions in Ukraine, Iran, and Gaza. Potential success in these three areas could boost Erdoğan's ratings.
[Rudaw] Nearly 12 years after the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems.... (ISIS) assault on the Yazidi heartland of Shingal (Sinjar), families of some victims say they are still waiting for answers, as delays in identifying the remains of their loved ones continue to deepen their anguish.
The 2014 attack left thousands of Yazidis killed, kidnapped, or displaced, and mass graves scattered across the region have since become a central focus of ongoing recovery and identification efforts. However,
corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds... relatives say progress has stalled, with Baghdad suspending parts of the identification process earlier this year.
Among the most affected is the family of Aziz Jalal, 21 members of whom were kidnapped during the ISIS offensive. While some have since been rescued, the fate of six family members remains unknown nearly 12 years later.
"Twenty-one members of my family were taken by ISIS, and until now six of them remain in ISIS custody. I have no information about them—whether they are alive or in mass graves. We are calling on the Iraqi government and our representatives in parliament to open these grave sites so we can know the fate of our loved ones," he told Rudaw.
According to official figures, 561 bodies have been received by the forensic department in Baghdad. However,
corruption finds a dozen alibis for its evil deeds... many families say they have been waiting for more than three years for the identification of remains and the return of their relatives.
Faisal Barkat, another relative of victims, said the process has been slow and remains incomplete.
"For several years we have been requesting the opening of mass graves. After they were opened and the remains were transferred to Baghdad’s forensic medicine department, we asked for faster identification. But years have passed, and the remains are still there. The process has stalled. We urge the government and officials to return these remains from Baghdad," he said.
An Iraqi parliament representative from the Yazidi community said efforts are underway to restart stalled work.
"The budget of the forensic department is four billion dinars, but it has not been spent for two years, which is why the work has stopped. I will meet with the finance minister, and we will try to secure funding to restart the mass graves process," Khalid Sido said.
Out of 95 mass graves identified in Shingal, 77 have been excavated so far. In total, 857 bodies have been recovered and transferred to forensic medicine authorities. Of those, 256 victims have been identified and returned to their families, Rudaw has learned.
Despite these efforts, hundreds of families remain in limbo, still searching for answers more than a decade after the atrocities that devastated Shingal.
[Rudaw] In this episode of Unfinished Stories, Rudaw's Hevidar Ahmed investigates one of Iraq's most sensitive and controversial issues: the future of Iraqi armed factions and the Iraqi government's efforts to place all weapons under state control.
In his interviews with leaders of various Iraqi military factions, Ahmed explores the growing debate over whether Iraq's powerful gangs will accept integration into the state’s security apparatus or continue operating as forces outside government authority.
The Iraqi government has clarified its stance that weapons must exclusively be in the hands of the state, which it views as a necessary step toward strengthening national illusory sovereignty.
This issue remains deeply divisive ...politicians call things divisive when when the other side sez something they don't like. Their own statements are never divisive, they're principled... among Iraq's armed factions.
Groups such as Kataib Hezbollah and Kata'ib Sayyed ...Arabic term meaning your/his lordship. Groveling in His Exalted Presence is encouraged... al Shuhada, Iran-backed Shiite paramilitary factions in Iraq designated as terrorist organizations by the United States, reject disarmament, arguing that the demand is an American-imposed decision and that their weapons remain a sacred commitment.
Others, such as Asaib Ahl al Haq, an Iraqi Shia Islamist paramilitary organization associated with Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... but maintaining a degree of independence, support the integration of their armed forces into the state.
Hussein Shehani, a member of the movement's political bureau, told Rudaw that consolidating weapons under government authority is essential for completing Iraq's illusory sovereignty and building a stronger state.
"The first step in establishing Iraq's illusory sovereignty is the consolidation of weapons in the hands of the state. By this, we mean that the decision to use weapons should be entirely in the hands of the government," Shehani said.
Meanwhile,
...back at the wrecked scow, a single surviver held tightly to the smashed prow... Abu Turab, a senior commander in the Badr forces, another Iran-backed group, who now serves as a member of the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw that "anything related to blood and sacrifice cannot be ended," referring to his beliefs on ending the era of factions.
The episode also highlights public frustrations with Iraq's domestic challenges, such as property disputes among farmers and unemployment among university graduates, which compete with the government’s attention to international demands regarding gangs.
The United States has repeatedly stressed the importance of limiting weapons to state institutions, while Iraqi officials argue that the process is solely a sovereign Iraqi decision.
Sabah Numan, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, told Rudaw that "the security decision is a central decision and is in the hands of the state. There is no authority for weapons outside the hands of the state. We will close this case in a very short period, Inshallah."
In the episode, Ahmad sends a letter to the US Central Command (CENTCOM) asking their position regarding disarmament of factions and the timetable of complete withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
Ahmed's investigation reveals competing visions for Iraq's future.
While some factions seek to transform armed movements into political actors within the state, others maintain that resistance forces must remain active as long as foreign military presence operates in the country.
"The factions may not be the same as before, but they have not ended," Ahmed concluded the episode.
[Rudaw] Iraq has established a high-level committee to prepare a new draft agreement on the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline as the current deal expires in July.
Salim al-Rukabi, spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, told Rudaw on Tuesday that the Iraqi government "attaches great importance to the renewal of the Iraq-The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire... agreement," adding that "a high-level committee, chaired by the minister of oil and including several officials from the general directorates of relevant departments, has been established to discuss the draft of the new agreement."
"The issue is still in the stage of finalizing discussions and procedures to reach a joint draft that both parties can agree upon."
The current pipeline agreement, first signed on August 27, 1973, is set to expire on July 27, 2026, following Ankara’s decision to terminate the deal.
In July 2025, Ottoman Turkish President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important... issued a decree ending the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline (TIP) agreement, calling for a broader framework that would also cover gas, electricity, and petrochemicals alongside crude oil.
The move followed a Gay Paree-based arbitration ruling in Iraq’s favor, which ordered Turkey to pay compensation over violations of the 1973 agreement related to oil exports from the Kurdistan Region without Baghdad’s approval.
After the ruling, the two sides adopted a temporary arrangement brokered by the United States, allowing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to export oil via Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO).
The development comes as Iraq seeks to diversify its export routes amid disruptions linked to regional tensions between the US and Iran.
A nearly six-week conflict that began on February 28 and ended with a ceasefire on April 8 led to reciprocal restrictions between Washington and Tehran, significantly affecting Iraq’s oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.
During that period, exports through southern Basra ports dropped sharply, reaching around 10 million barrels in April compared to a pre-conflict monthly average of about 93 million barrels.
In response, Baghdad has accelerated efforts to expand alternative export routes through pipelines and tanker transport.
Amid the maritime escalation, Iraqi oil exports dropped to 18.6 million barrels in March, generating about $1.96 billion in revenue, compared to more than 99 million barrels and $6.81 billion in February, according to figures provided by Baghdad’s oil ministry.
Prior to the conflict, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region were producing a combined 4.5 million barrels of oil per day, according to figures released in February. Combined production has fallen to under 1.3 million barrels per day, marking an overall decline of 3.2 million barrels per day.
[MehrNews] The head of Russia’s state nuclear corporation, Rosatom, has said that Russian experts are ready to return to Iran’s Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, describing the plant as a priority for his country. "Cleanup! Op 3.5!"
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon during the Russia-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit in Kazan, Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev stated, “Our primary concern is the resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue, and we welcome efforts to resolve this matter.”
Likhachev added that Rosatom supports international oversight, including monitoring by the IAEA, “provided that the IAEA assumes a specific responsibility and acts in the interests of all parties involved in the conflict.”
Emphasizing that the Bushehr plant remains a key priority for the Russian corporation, Likhachev noted that Rosatom has not paused production for a single moment.
“We have not stopped the operations of our engineering units that manufacture the necessary equipment for the new units of the Bushehr plant, and we will continue our cooperation and activities,” he said.
On the deployment of personnel back to the facility, the Rosatom chief outlined that a phased return is on the table as safety conditions improve.
Do we really believe Iran will stick to the terms for sixty days to get to the point of signing the thing?
[IsraelTimes] Sides declare ‘immediate, permanent end to war on all fronts, including Lebanon’; fate of Iran’s enriched uranium will be ‘adequately addressed in final deal’ to be inked within 60 days
The following is the text of the memorandum of understanding that the United States says it electronically signed with Iran on Sunday to end their war and launch 60 days of talks on Iran’s nuclear program and other outstanding disputes. The text was read aloud to reporters by a senior US official during a phone briefing on Wednesday. An earlier version of this story featured the text of a previous MOU draft.
1. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran and their allies in the current war, by signing this MOU, declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and undertake from now on not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other, and ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon. The final deal will confirm the permanent termination of the war on all fronts, including in Lebanon, and other provisions of this paragraph.
2. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran undertake to respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs.
3. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran commit to negotiating and achieving the final deal in a maximum of 60 days, extendable by mutual consent.
4. Immediately upon the signing of this MOU, the United States of America will begin the removal of its naval blockade and any disturbances or impediments against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and will fully end the naval blockade within 30 days. During this period, the traffic of vessels will be in proportion to the numbers of pre-war traffic being restored by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America further undertakes to remove its forces from the proximity of the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days after the final deal.
5. Upon the signing of this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman, and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start, and considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles and de-mining by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will be instated within 30 days. The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states, in line with the applicable international law and the sovereign rights of coastal states of the Strait of Hormuz.
6. The United States of America undertakes with regional partners to develop a definitive, mutually agreed plan with at least $300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The mechanism for the implementation of this plan will be finalized as part of a final deal within 60 days. All required licenses, waivers, and permissions needed for the relevant financial transactions will be granted by the United States of America.
7. The United States of America undertakes to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the United Nations Security Council resolutions, IAEA Board of Governors resolutions, and all unilateral US sanctions, primary and secondary, in an agreed-upon schedule as part of the final deal. The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America acknowledge the critical importance of the sanctions termination issue above-mentioned and expressed their intentions to immediately address these issues in the negotiations, in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.
8. The Islamic Republic of Iran reaffirms that it shall not procure or develop nuclear weapons. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran have agreed to resolve the disposition of stockpiled enriched material pursuant to a mechanism that will be mutually agreed upon in accordance with the schedule mentioned in paragraph seven with the minimum methodology to be down-blending on site under the supervision of the IAEA. The two parties also agreed to discuss the issue of enrichment and other mutually agreed matters related to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear needs based on a satisfactory framework being agreed upon in the final deal. The final deal will confirm the provisions of this paragraph. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran acknowledge the critical importance of the nuclear issues above mentioned and express their intention to immediately address these issues in the negotiations in order to achieve mutual agreement on them.
9. Pending the final deal, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree to maintain the status quo. The Islamic Republic of Iran will maintain the current status quo of its nuclear program, and the United States of America will not impose any new sanctions and will not deploy additional forces in the region.
10. The United States of America undertakes that immediately upon the signing of this MOU and until the termination of sanctions, the US Department of Treasury will issue waivers for the export of Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, and derivatives, and all associated services, including banking transactions, insurances, transportation, etc.
11. The United States of America undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran upon the implementation of the MOU. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will mutually agree on the procedures related to the release of these funds during the negotiations. Such funds, whether retained in the original account or transferred, shall be made fully usable for payment to any ultimate beneficiary designated by the Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The United States of America undertakes to issue all necessary licenses and authorizations accordingly.
12. The United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran agree that an executive mechanism will be established to monitor the successful implementation of this MOU and the future compliance of the final deal.
13. After signing this MOU and subject to the beginning of the implementation of paragraphs 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11 of this MOU, and the continuing implementation of these measures, the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran will start negotiations regarding the final deal exclusively on the other paragraphs.
14. The final deal will be endorsed by a binding UNSC resolution.
Responses, before and after the text was released:
G*d announces to the faithful that in 3 days Earth will be completely covered by water.
A rabbi gathers his congregation: "People, we have 3 days to learn how to live underwater.".
#5
If the operations of 2025/2026 at least kicked the can down the road, then the $300 billion and the lifting of asset freezes and sanctions will drag that same can up the road again.
Iran can have ballistic missiles and free from sanctions they can just buy nuclear warheads from North Korea or China.
Trump's personal committment to a nuclear weapons free Iran will become politically irrelevant on 1/20/2029.
The West obviously lacks any serious will to self defense and self preservation.
#7
I'm sorta slow? I don't think you want to get to insults here! Every now and then you should learn to shut your cocksucker! You seem to think you are Alfie off Pinky Blinders. Go put your ,ask on and take you boosters and shut your ass up for once!
Posted by: Chris ||
06/18/2026 4:23 Comments ||
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#8
Second childhoodis an idiom used to describe a return to childlike behavior or a decline in mental abilities, often associated with advanced age or dementia.
#14
I fully expect non-compliance by Iran, leading to Round Three
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/18/2026 8:55 Comments ||
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#15
I fully expect non-compliance by Iran
Yeah, treaties are like Florida Traffic Laws by the Iranians. They're only 'suggestions' for day-to-day usage, unless you're the 'victim' and then the whinging begins.
Posted by: Mullah Richard ||
06/18/2026 9:16 Comments ||
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#16
Without using nukes and without putting LOTS of boots on the ground in Iran, how do we "win" and in a time frame that is acceptable to the remarkably short attention span of the average American voter?
Do we risk losing control of the House & Senate over this?
We've killed layers of the IRGC leadership, that didn't work.
We've destroyed lots of military equipment, that didn't work either.
The best chance of an uprising disappeared when the IRGC murdered 30,000+ protesters
#18
Islamic Iran to honor agreements with INFIDELS?
OH! That's right.... However, there are specific circumstances where deception is permitted, particularly for self-preservation or during conflict.
Conditions for Deception
Self-Preservation: Muslims may conceal their faith or identity to protect themselves from persecution or harm. This practice is known as taqiyya.
War Situations: Deception can be justified during warfare to protect the community or achieve strategic advantages.
But surely that's not the case here.
😏
Or at least not until they get that a $$$ Billion paycheck for waging war AGAIN.
#19
How you win without using nukes or troops is you start by destroying all modern infrastructure. Power, desalinization plants, water treatment plants, bridges, etc. Then you kill anything trying to enter the country. Any ship or boat, gone. Every factory, refinery, etc. It's f*ing brutal, but it'd end the country except for a few farmers.
#24
^^Upon reflection, there is a difference.
When Democrats doing dirty to Israel, Republicans object - if only because they hate Democrats.
When Republicans are doing dirty to Israel - like right now - Democrats do not object because they hate Israel more than they hate Republicans.
#33
I'm not materialistic, so everything I need is right here, I'm country boy, we're not like you. I can grow my own, hunt and have been poor , so I won't whine like a whore when I don't have certain luxuries.
Posted by: Chris ||
06/18/2026 12:49 Comments ||
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#34
And you can post to Internet without Chines computer - bravo!
#35
Israel is the only country in the world which has been under constant threat of annihilation since its foundation. It has managed quite well and will continue to do so.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
06/18/2026 12:59 Comments ||
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#37
I can't see the future. I don't know what the Mad Mullahs will do. Based on past behavior, I'm not terribly optimistic but let's give the deal maker a chance. If, after the 60 day period it becomes clear that Iranians will reneg on the deal, and judging Trump on past behavior, I predict that he will bomb the fuck out of them, restore the blockade and send the Marines to occupy Kharg Island.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
06/18/2026 13:12 Comments ||
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#38
Chris, I realize you don’t like Grom, but Israel has been a far better ally to America than we deserve. America pretty much boycotted Israel until after they’d won the Six Day War in 1967, and since then American support has been unsteady and transactional at best, mostly involving holding Israel back from acting, depending who was in the White House. And now President Trump is insulting Bibi and Israel in front of the entire world, saying they should be grateful for the insults while they absorb attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran without responding — and his is the best position America has to offer at the moment: the Democrats and the crazier Republican-Conservatives both gleefully shout the same Nazi slogans.
I am praying hard this is just posturing for effect until both our military and the IDF are resupplied, and Iran does something egregious enough to discard the MOU in the next sixty days — the two of them have played that game before.
Israel supplies the backbone tech of the internet, both hardware and software, sophisticated medicines and medical technology, military and non-military intelligence, and military technology and technology improvements that make our stuff work or work better. They figured out how to make F-35s flyable, then gave that information to us.
#39
Paragraph one "and their allies..." I don't see Israel immediately / permanently terminating military action. FWIW I don't see the Houthis or Hezbollah doing so either. This is a futile exercise to get some of the barnacle encrusted tankers out of their anchorage so they can be put to use elsewhere. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and others are already screwed in their ag harvests courtesy of fertilizer interruption. I'm simply hopeful that the temporary pause in hostilities will last long enough that farmers in the US and Canada have enough diesel to bring in the fall harvest. Selfish, yes? Better selfish than hungry
#40
I would assume that if Israel is expected to cease hostilities in Lebanon then Hezbollah is expected to do the same. If they don't, all bets are off.
I would give Trump credit though. He is trying to get between people who hate each other and want each other dead. That's a tough job. He is trying to prevent a nuclear war. None of his predecessors has even tried. As JD Vance just said, Isn't it worth trying?."
The trouble with Arabs and Iranians is that they are not very good at keeping their word. They have a tendency to let splinter groups and proxys like Hezbollah do their dirty work while they claim innocence. That, of course, is bullshit and Israel has a right to defend itself. But I'd hate for the deal to be broken due the actions of some hot headed Israeli. Give it 60 days to see what happens.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
06/18/2026 13:35 Comments ||
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#44
We've had more, especially during the height of COVID with our truculent "expert"
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/18/2026 14:29 Comments ||
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#45
My intuitive sense, based on nothing but my own efforts to sense the parts of the story unseen by the public information sources, is that Trump was under enormous pressure from the Gulf States and assorted European Allies to stop the fighting before the target sets became basic infrastructure. The uprising inside Iran didn't happen as hope-for, and the suppression by the IRGC et al was crushing hope for it.
At the same time, the usage levels of ordnance, weapon systems, and sundry equipment was edging into the war stocks reserve very quickly, far out-stripping the replacement capacity of our defense industries.
So Trump was open to a pause, but only briefly. He was also keenly aware of the mid-term polling numbers, the intransigence of the Republican Senate leaders to guard the elections by the Voter Protection legislation, and the resultant catastrophic political risks of a democrat House and Senate, with possibly veto proof coalitions and even Senate willingness to support impeachment convictions. The lilliputian administrative nightmare that might produce could undo all the progress made nationally. So once the pause ripened slowly, and the never ending "negotiations" dragged on, restarting kinetic action was viewed as destructive to "diplomacy" and Trump was left with a weaker hand than intended, despite all his hyperbolic blather and promises of widespread success.
SO we get another drawn-out interregnum, with domestic commercial recovery and possibly some benefit to lessen the mid-term mess( the democrats are selling nothing but Orange Man Bad and socialist baloney after all with a collection of horrible candidates). Economic recovery will move the needles rightward rather quickly I suspect, lessening the problem, and a number of economic events, including a Cuban surprise and the 250th celebrations might even minimize the mid-term blowout. Once November passes, Iran might discover a renewed interest in the kaboom/regime change options by both the Us and Israel. So I am kind of seeing this as the best of a bad situation interim patch with lots of lipstick, and good intentions behind the facade?
I'm trying to decide if Trump trains his successor, or (hope) Trump had talks with influential Rs other then Cruz who indicated their displeasure.
By the way, Ben Gvir and Smotrich are a problem for me - I can't decide for whom to vote. One one hand, Smotrich accomplishes more than Ben Gvir. On the other hand, Ben Gvir is recognizably crazy. And, at this stage of the relations between Israel and the World, being considered crazy is (IMO) an advantage.
#48
Trump has been more heavily attacked as President than anyone in our lifetimes. Probably 10X. From phony impeachments and indictments to outright attempts on his life. Permanent leftist media TDS, Hollywood TDS, all the Demoncrats hating him and half the Republicans. But still he manages to win in the end. Time and time again. I’ve learned to give Trump some latitude, things will probably work out for us in the end.
#52
^ OR No care what you think at some point. Your expert status was burned in 2020. You're just an angry crank. You decide?
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/18/2026 18:22 Comments ||
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#53
By the way, Ben Gvir and Smotrich are a problem for me - I can't decide for whom to vote. One one hand, Smotrich accomplishes more than Ben Gvir. On the other hand, Ben Gvir is recognizably crazy. And, at this stage of the relations between Israel and the World, being considered crazy is (IMO) an advantage.
I respect your local opinion on politics/things you are familiar with more than I. Why don't you have the humility to grant the same?
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/18/2026 18:46 Comments ||
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#54
^ I think Metternich played for the Chicago Bears. But I could be confusing him with Bronko Nagurski.
(1) Trump stopped attacking Bibi.
It looks like that gambit worked. I can just imagine the two of them on the phone laughing about it.
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/18/2026 19:27 Comments ||
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#56
I'm with NoMo @ 45
I'd add, also gives a chance to replace any systems which may have fallen into 'only on a rainy day' level of inventory, more mine finders and anti-drone systems perhaps even on commercial ships which frequent the area.
Posted by: Frank G ||
06/18/2026 21:39 Comments ||
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#58
The 3 to 4 soviet era equivalents of a nuclear hand-grenade are absolutely of no use in a real war and would bring instant extermination to all IRGC ... just pointing it out.
[Rudaw] Iranian oil exports resumed on Wednesday as the first tankers carrying crude left the US naval blockade zone in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a shipping monitor, ahead of the upcoming ceremony for the signing of the high-stakes US-Iran ...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate JewsZionists Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol... deal in Switzerland ...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell... this Friday.
The development comes two days before leaders from Washington and Tehran are due to meet in Switzerland to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a framework agreement that outlines a roadmap for lifting international sanctions, ending months of conflict that began in late February.
This comes as TankerTrackers, a global maritime intelligence company tracking crude oil shipments, documented that Iran has resumed crude exports for the first time in two months.
"At least two National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) VLCC supertankers named DIONA (9569695) and HERO2 (9362073) have exited the US Navy blockade perimeter carrying a combined total of 3.8 million barrels of Iranian crude oil between them," the monitor said in a post on X, later reporting that a third tanker carrying one million barrels of Iranian crude oil had also departed.
The resumption of exports follows reports that the US will permit Iran to immediately resume oil and fuel sales under the proposed peace agreement. Sanctions waivers covering oil exports, banking, transportation and insurance would take effect once the deal is formally signed, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that negotiations would soon move into their next phase.
"A new phase of negotiations between Iran and the US will commence on the same day the memorandum of understanding is formally signed, with the next stage aimed at reaching a final deal within a 60-day timeframe," Araghchi said during a meeting with ambassadors on Tuesday.
Despite growing optimism surrounding the diplomatic process, regional tensions remain high. The Israeli military said it carried out strikes in southern Leb ...home of the original Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade.... after identifying what it described as a suspicious vehicle near its forces and also targeted a rocket launcher following intercepted projectiles.
Iran's central military command warned Israel to "await a harsh response" to the attacks, while Lebanese state media reported that strikes on vehicles in the towns of Mayfadoun and Shukeen killed four people.
The peace deal framework paves the way for 60 days of negotiations on unresolved issues, including Iran's uranium enrichment program and the removal of economic sanctions. The US and Israel continue to press for the elimination of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, while Tehran maintains that it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes.
The conflict began on February 28 following US-Israeli military strikes on Iran. Tehran responded with attacks against Israel and US assets in the region while effectively disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
The US and Israel have targeted more than 17,000 sites across Iran over six weeks of hostilities before the warring sides agreed to a Pakistain-mediated April 8 ceasefire to halt fighting for two weeks to pursue talks.
While the first round of discussions ended without a final agreement on April 11, the situation was further complicated amid the apparent tit-for-tat maritime restrictions imposed by the US and Iran in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, particularly since the ceasefire took effect.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
06/18/2026 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1790 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Iran
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
...Republic of Somaliland is an unrecognised sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, recognised internationally as a de jure part of Somalia. It is located in the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden with approximately 5.7 million residents as of 2021. The capital and largest city is Hargeisa. The government regards itself as the successor state to British Somaliland, which united from 1960 to 1991 with the Trust Territory of Somaliland (the former Italian Somaliland) to form the Somali Republic. Under the Siad Barre regime, Somaliadestroyed ninety percent of Hargeisa Per international law, once you're in, you gotta stay in, no matter how bad it smells....
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling 
...Arabic term meaning 
...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
...home of the original Hezbollah, which periodically starts a war with the Zionist Entity, gets Beirut pounded to rubble, and then declares victory and has a parade....
