dinsdale

Wait! What? Can't wait for those who have Trump living rent free in their heads 24/7 that have been so vocal in previous threads to comment on this one. Here's a tip. 

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the strikes did not "accomplish anything significant to disrupt Iran's nuclear programme...".

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjxy039ln8o

Of course you could also rehash the CNN story which has been well and truly debunked but I'm sure that won't stop you.

9 hours ago, BLMFem said:

 

Grok3:

The claim that the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) was developed specifically for Iran's Fordow nuclear facility is partially accurate but oversimplifies the context. The GBU-57 MOP, a 30,000-pound precision-guided bunker-buster bomb, was developed by Boeing for the U.S. Air Force starting in the early 2000s, with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) leading the effort to address deeply buried and hardened targets. The development was driven by lessons from the 2003 Iraq invasion, where existing bunker-busting munitions like the GBU-28 proved insufficient against deeply fortified structures. The MOP was designed to penetrate up to 200 feet of concrete or rock, targeting facilities like those used for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or command centers.
While Fordow, Iran's deeply buried uranium enrichment facility near Qom, became a significant focus for the MOP program, it was not the sole driver. Fordow's construction, which began around 2006 and was disclosed to the IAEA in 2009 after Western intelligence became aware of it, aligned with the MOP's development timeline. The facility, buried 260-300 feet under a mountain, was a key example of the kind of hardened target the MOP was designed to address. General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted in a June 2025 press conference that the need to strike Fordow was a "key aspect" in the MOP’s development, and the weapon was tailored to counter such deeply buried sites. However, the MOP was part of a broader "Big BLU" program to address a range of hardened targets globally, including those in countries like North Korea, China, and Russia, which also maintain extensive underground infrastructure.
The claim is misleading in suggesting Fordow was the only target, as the MOP's development predates public knowledge of Fordow and was intended for a wider strategic purpose. Nonetheless, Fordow's emergence as a critical target significantly influenced the weapon’s design and testing, culminating in its first combat use on June 22, 2025, when B-2 Spirit bombers dropped 14 MOPs on Fordow and Natanz during Operation Midnight Hammer.

AI is wrong.

Everything We Just Learned About The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Strikes On Iran

https://www.twz.com/air/gbu-57-massive-ordnance-penetrator-strikes-on-iran-everything-we-just-learned

17 minutes ago, candide said:

And Khamenei stated exactly the opposite

https://www.axios.com/2025/06/26/trump-khamenei-iran-us-strike

 

It seems that they have adopted Trump's m.o. to say one thing and its opposite at the same time!  🤣

 

 

Sure. He's also claimed victory over Israel which is absurd. His comments are purely propaganda for domestic consumption.

25 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Incorrect.

Obliterated means totally destroyed.

Excessive and serious doesn't mean that. 

 

For Immediate Release: June 25, 2025

Statement from Director John Ratcliffe about Intelligence on Iran's Nuclear Program

“CIA can confirm that a body of credible intelligence indicates Iran’s Nuclear Program has been severely damaged by the recent, targeted strikes. This includes new intelligence from a historically reliable and accurate source/method that several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years. CIA continues to collect additional reliably sourced information to keep appropriate decision-makers and oversight bodies fully informed. When possible, we will also provide updates and information to the American public, given the national importance of this matter and in every attempt to provide transparency.”

https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/statement-from-director-john-ratcliffe-about-intelligence-on-irans-nuclear-program/

This is now the consensus opinion. Years not months. 

33 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Excessive and serious is not exactly the same thing as completely obliterated, now is it?

Semantics.

38 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

You clearly haven't seen the briefing. 2 people worked on taking out the Fordow facility for 15 years and the GBU-57 was developed out of this. The GBU-57 was developed specifically for Fordow.

To whoever gave a laughing emoji to this post here's a few more facts for you to ignore.

US began secretly designing bombs specifically to target Iran’s Fordow 15 years ago

https://nypost.com/2025/06/26/us-news/us-began-designing-bombs-specifically-to-target-irans-fordow-15-years-ago/

Everything We Just Learned About The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator Strikes On Iran

The strikes on Fordow were 15 years in the making, with that target being the primary driver behind the MOP's development and evolution.

“There’s an organization in the U.S. called the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, DTRA. DTRA does a lot of things for our nation, but DTRA is the world’s leading expert on deeply buried, underground targets,” Caine said by way of introduction into his remarks about the MOP. “In 2009, a Defense Threat Reduction Agency officer was brought into a vault at an undisclosed location and briefed on something going on in Iran for security purposes. I’m not going to share his name.”

“He was shown some photos and some highly classified intelligence of what looked like a major construction project in the mountains of Iran. He was tasked to study this facility, [and] work with the intelligence community to understand it, and he was soon joined by an additional teammate,” Caine continued. “For more than 15 years, this officer and his teammate lived and breathed this single target, Fordow, a critical element of Iran’s covert nuclear weapons program. He studied the geology. He watched the Iranians dig it out. He watched the construction, the weather, the discard material, the geology, the construction materials, where the materials came from. He looked at the vent shaft, the exhaust shaft, the electrical systems, the environmental control systems, every nook, every crater, every piece of equipment going in and every piece of equipment going out.”

“They literally dreamed about this target at night, when they slept,” he added. “They thought about it driving back and forth to work, and they knew from the very first days what this was for. You do not build a multi-layered underground bunker complex with centrifuges and other equipment in a mountain for any peaceful purpose.”

“Along the way, they realized we did not have a weapon that could adequately strike and kill this target,” according to Caine. “So they began a journey to work with industry and other tacticians to develop the GBU-57.”

https://www.twz.com/air/gbu-57-massive-ordnance-penetrator-strikes-on-iran-everything-we-just-learned

3 hours ago, cjinchiangrai said:

The photo is legit enough, what is not is the claim that they are reading gay oriented books. It seems unlikely.

10 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

What is the source/link for this picture to verify its authenticity vs photo shop?

 Google trannies read to children/image.

16 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Because they don't serve the people. They serve Trump. Surely you realize that by now.

Pure deflection and a total avoidance of anything that doesn't conform to your confirmation bias. Read this although I'm sure you'll respond with a thumbs down and some deranged anti-Trump comment. Highly edited comments (lifted from the transcipt) from Hesgeth but of course I have linked the full video for reference above. I'm guessing you haven't watched one second of it.

i want to read some of the assessments that have been provided because whether it's fake news CNN MSNBC or the New York

16:02

Times there's been faing coverage of a preliminary assessment i've had a chance

16:08

to read it all every every outlet has breathlessly reported on a preliminary assessment from DIA i'm looking at it

16:16

right now again it was preliminary a day and a half after the actual strike when it

16:22

admits itself in writing that it requires weeks to accumulate the necessary data to make such an assessment it's preliminary it points

16:29

out that it's not been coordinated with the intelligence community at all uh there's low confidence in this

16:35particular report there's it says in the report there are gaps in the information

but here's what other folks are saying the DIA that put that report out says this is a 

17:17

preliminary low confidence report and will continue to be refined as additional intelligence becomes

17:23

available how about the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission the devastating US strikes on

17:29Ford destroyed the site's critical infrastructure and rendered the enrichment facility inoperable

17:42

how about this one this is a new one from the UN the United Nations no friend of the United

17:48

States or certainly Israel often here's the head of the UN Atomic Energy Agency

17:54

this morning Raphael Gi us and Israeli strikes caused enormous damage to Iran's

18:01

nuclear sites don't take my word for it how about the IDF's chief of staff i can

18:07

say here that the assessment is that we significantly damage the nuclear program setting it back by years i repeat years

john Radcliffe the director of the CIA putting out a statement just last night

18:29

cia can confirm that a body of credible intelligence indicates Iran's nuclear program has been severely damaged by

18:36

recent targeted strikes this includes new intelligence from a historically reliable very different than preliminary

18:44

assessment with low confidence he's saying historically reliable and accurate source and method that several

18:50

key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt

18:57

over the course of years cia continues to collect additional reliably sourced

19:03

information to keep appropriate decision makers fully informed how about DNI

19:09

Telsey Gabbard yesterday she writes and I quote "New intelligence confirms what POTUS has stated numerous

19:16

times iran's nuclear facilities have been destroyed

19:22

institute for Science and International Security President David Albbright overall Israel and US attacks have

19:29effectively destroyed UN Iran's centrifuge enrichment program time

The reality I live in which is obviously different to yours tells me that the US has the most powerful and sophisticated armed forces in the world with very, very, very advanced ways to collect intelligence and data. Again this thread, based on a report from CNN which in turn is based on bits of a leaked preliminary assessment is incorrect in it's assumption. You, however, a quite free to, and obviously will continue to, believe everything the MSM tells you.

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Meanwhile, the public awaits more information so that that they can know what happened that is close to OBJECTIVE REALITY.

How about watching the briefing given by Hesgeth and Gen. Dan Caine then. I've attatched it above.

9 minutes ago, Quentin Zen said:

shocking.  I've seen Thais always looking BOTH ways when they cross the street, change lanes, etc...

 

when I say always, I mean 1% of the time.

 

Thais opening their car door to traffic is an exception.   I do think people are good with that.

 

awareness of their surroundings, yea, not so much.  

Rear view mirrors are for putting on make-up.

@ZigM I've just echoed what you said. 21years here for me full time. There have certainly been occassions where a few seconds either way wouldn't have beem good. 

37 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

Could it be minimal understanding on behalf of both pedestrian and motor vehicles? Each believing they have right of way.

Thailand. Motorcyle has right of way over pedestrian. Car has right of way over motorcycle and pedestrians. Van has right of way over car, motorcle etc. Bus has right of way over van, car etc. Truck has right of way over everything.

25 minutes ago, TheAppletons said:

 

It takes a "true believer" to accept the word of the local town drunk over the reporting of CNN....because alcoholics never lie.  But you do you.

 

"While drunk in his military uniform – a violation of military laws – Mr. Hegseth was so inebriated that his brother had to carry him out of a Minneapolis strip club. This occurred during a drill weekend with the Minnesota National Guard."

"Mr. Hegseth regularly became so drunk that he passed out, threw up, and had to be carried out of family events and public settings, sometimes shouting sexually and racially offensive statements."

 

https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-statement-on-abuse-allegations-against-pete-hegseth

 

 

Pitiful. What about the general? What about CNN using an early assessment with low confidence. What about later intellence. Your answer is simply attack the man and not the ball. Pitiful.

Chaos or Catfight. This sort of thing happens. Nothing new here.

7 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

I have no doubt that some more money will be spent but I very much doubt whether that will equate to 5% of GDP for each and every NATO member, although I suppose an accounting sleight of hand might make it appear so.

It's actually 3.5% that's meant to be going to core military spending and 1.5% on broader security based things. Spain saying 2% is enough with Trump saying ok if that's the way you want we'll hit you on trade. Interesting times indeed.

13 minutes ago, RayC said:

I think that you might be right, Trans. 'Committing to spending' and actually spending are two different things. 

Nevertheless, I don't see how this commitment can't be seen as a triumph for Trump.

Have no doubt the money will be spent. It's more a question of what on. A pay rise for the big wigs might very well be the first point of order. NATO is no where as strong militarily as it could be and a big part of this is decades of US reliance. This is what Trump has been going on about for quite some time. Will the extra money result in an increase in lethality where NATO could protect itself without the US? I doubt it but Trump wanted them to pay a bigger portion of the pie and this would appear to have been achieved.

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

Trump says NATO's new 5% defence spending pledge a 'big win'

 

That's all trump cares about, appearing to be a winner. 

It's part of being a leader which is definitely something Sleepy Joe wasn't. As for "appearing" I think not. He's certainly not your typical POTUS but he's getting things done.