Donald Trump’s war on Iran appears to be a fiasco, and speaking to reporters, he made a surprising claim: He insisted no one anticipated that Iran would attack other countries in an effort to widen the war. But this was indeed widely expected, and amusingly, in saying that, Trump revealed that he didn’t anticipate it. That’s a striking admission about his own lack of foresight.

https://newrepublic.com/article/208082/trump-accidentally-admits-epic-iran-blunder-war-takes-worse-turn

Trump said no one could have predicted Iranian attacks on other Middle Eastern countries. His advisers had warned him

President Donald Trump was reportedly briefed on the possibility of Iran retaliating against other nations in the Middle East — despite his claims that the response was unexpected.

Trump was warned Iran could retaliate against Gulf allies, Reuters reported, citing a U.S. official and two sources familiar with the issue. These pre-conflict intelligence reports did not say the response was “a guarantee,” but rather that it was “on the list of potential outcomes,” a source told the outlet.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-said-no-one-could-152128769.html

A lot advice is not bothered with as Trump doesn't/won't read his briefing reports if they don't include his name on every line.

He will say he wasn't informed as an escape clause.

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

A lot advice is not bothered with as Trump doesn't/won't read his briefing reports if they don't include his name on every line.

He will say he wasn't informed as an escape clause.

The briefing books are not yet available in graphic novel format.

I'm with Jesse on this. Barron to the SOH, lessgo! Heck, send Uday and Qusay as well!

Yep, the bus is definitely heading in Pete's direction, and even though it's probably a school bus based on what we know of Trump's preferences, that makes no practical difference when ending up underneath it.

6 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

Yep, the bus is definitely heading in Pete's direction, and even though it's probably a school bus based on what we know of Trump's preferences, that makes no practical difference when ending up underneath it.

Ah yes, the impeccably flawless, devastatingly handsome Hegseth - who would’ve thought he could possibly be the culprit? Truly shocking.

RE: Donald Trump said Pete Hegseth didn’t want the war to end -- REDUX

As the late Robert Duvall said in Apocalypse Now: Someday this war's gonna end ...

Then how is Pete going get to use all his toys?

JerryM -- Friday at 05:59 AM

More 'unforeseen' consequences of Trump's war:

University of Missouri virologist Marc Johnson revealed Monday that his institution's helium supply will be cut in half due to the Iran war, with potentially severe consequences for medical facilities nationwide.

Qatar, which supplies one-third of the world's liquified helium, was forced to halt production after Iran struck the country housing Al Udeid Air Base, the U.S. military's largest Middle East installation.

Helium is essential for MRI scanners and other medical applications, including surgery and research. Johnson warned medical facilities face critical shortages, stating his university received notice their gas supplier could fulfill less than 50% of its regular consumption.

Severe consequences for medical facilities loom due to Trump's war: expert

When the first strikes were made that Friday night, it was the non-MAGAs on AN who suggested Iran would strike Gulf nations and energy production facilities. MAGAs said the war would be over in a day or so.

MAGAs think---using that term loosely---like their messiah.

Who coulda known? People with brains.

21 minutes ago, bannork said:

More 'unforeseen' consequences of Trump's war:

University of Missouri virologist Marc Johnson revealed Monday that his institution's helium supply will be cut in half due to the Iran war, with potentially severe consequences for medical facilities nationwide.

Qatar, which supplies one-third of the world's liquified helium, was forced to halt production after Iran struck the country housing Al Udeid Air Base, the U.S. military's largest Middle East installation.

Helium is essential for MRI scanners and other medical applications, including surgery and research. Johnson warned medical facilities face critical shortages, stating his university received notice their gas supplier could fulfill less than 50% of its regular consumption.

Severe consequences for medical facilities loom due to Trump's war: expert

How is that claim possible?

The USA is the largest supplier of helium in the world. It is self sufficient. It supplies nearly 40% of the world's supply and is a net exporter of the gas. There is no risk of a shortage in the USA because the gas is easily and readily available from Canada. The Canadian gas is some of the most desirable because it is not derived from fossil fuel activity as is the case with Qatar's gas.

Looks like an attempt at disinformation. Unless, the USA and Canada no longer produce helium, which will come as a surprise to the. companies and their employees.

17 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Come on. It's an edited clip from Jimmy Fallon's late night show. It is presented out of context. Fallon has a viewership of about 1.3 million and is desperate to get more to keep going.

Worse is that you are relying an Nawful's claim that "ships are stranded and not going anywhere" when it has already been established that 100+ merchant ships including tankers have indeed transited the Strait of Hormuz. The amount of traffic is increasing daily as vessels destined for China, India, Pakistan and now Japan are transiting. Ignored too is that tanker traffic through the Suez Canal has increased as. Saudi Arabia is loading from its Red Sea port. Yes, traffic is down, but there is movement and Saudi Arabia and Oman are still exporting.

You got any actual evidence to back up your claim about increased tanker traffic through the Suez Canal?

Because, as shown earlier, Saudi Arabia actually has a limited ability to send increased production through the Canal. The constraint is how much oil can be loaded onto tankers. The estimated ranged from 3 to 4.5 million barrels a day. But 2 million barrels a day was already being loaded in the form of refined petroleum products coming from a large refinery located on the red sea.

It is true that there was a lot of tanker traffic going through the Suez Canal. Not so much anymore:

Suez Canal 

Transit activity through the Suez Canal declined sharply.

A total of 23 crossings (15 inbound, 8 outbound) were recorded, representing a 39.47% decrease compared with the previous day and falling significantly below the 7-day average of 36.86 crossings.

https://windward.ai/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-155-1024x597.png

Vessel subclasses included five crude oil tankers, five bulk carriers, and two general cargo vessels, while the flag distribution was led by Liberia and Panama with five vessels each, followed by the Marshall Islands with four vessels.

The decline suggests that operators are increasingly avoiding Red Sea routes linked to the Gulf crisis.

https://windward.ai/blog/march-15-maritime-intelligence-daily/#:~:text=with%20two%20vessels.-,Suez%20Canal,this%20long%2Dhaul%20diversion%20route.

32 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

How is that claim possible?

The USA is the largest supplier of helium in the world. It is self sufficient. It supplies nearly 40% of the world's supply and is a net exporter of the gas. There is no risk of a shortage in the USA because the gas is easily and readily available from Canada. The Canadian gas is some of the most desirable because it is not derived from fossil fuel activity as is the case with Qatar's gas.

Looks like an attempt at disinformation. Unless, the USA and Canada no longer produce helium, which will come as a surprise to the. companies and their employees.

According to AI:

The

United States

is currently not fully self-sufficient in helium, despite being the world's largest producer. While the U.S. has historically been a major exporter, it now faces a "tight balance" between supply and demand.

Current Status of U.S. Helium

• The Federal Helium Reserve (FHR): The U.S. government has recently privatised the national stockpile, which once provided about 30% of the world's helium. In June 2024, the Bureau of Land Management sold the last of its federal helium to a private German supplier, Messer.

• Production vs. Consumption: The U.S. remains a top global supplier alongside Qatar, Russia, and Algeria. However, domestic production is in decline as major fields in the Texas Panhandle and Kansas deplete.

Yes, the United States is actively being affected by the disruptions to Qatar's helium production following military attacks in March 2026. While the U.S. is the world's largest helium producer, it still relies on global supply chains that have been severely tightened by the loss of Qatari output.

is the us affected by the attack on qatar's helium production facility? - Google Search

The last sentence sums it up. The US relies on global supply chains for helium so there are inevitable consequences when the Qatar facility ( providing over 30% of the world's supply) is damaged.

5 minutes ago, bannork said:

The

United States

is currently not fully self-sufficient in helium, despite being the world's largest producer.

Is it because they inhale all that produced helium that they are the laughingstock of the world?

35 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Come on. It's an edited clip from Jimmy Fallon's late night show. It is presented out of context. Fallon has a viewership of about 1.3 million and is desperate to get more to keep going.

Worse is that you are relying an Nawful's claim that "ships are stranded and not going anywhere" when it has already been established that 100+ merchant ships including tankers have indeed transited the Strait of Hormuz. The amount of traffic is increasing daily as vessels destined for China, India, Pakistan and now Japan are transiting. Ignored too is that tanker traffic through the Suez Canal has increased as. Saudi Arabia is loading from its Red Sea port. Yes, traffic is down, but there is movement and Saudi Arabia and Oman are still exporting.

I can see that you are very experience in finding specs of (fool's) gold in massive piles of feces, but that comes automatically I guess when being a diehard Trump apologist

1 minute ago, CallumWK said:

Is it because they inhale all that produced helium that they are the laughingstock of the world?

Good luck to those that need an MRI in the near to medium future. It's not at all sure you'll get one.

And please, PLEASE remember who to thank for puitting the world in this situation. One single idiot did this. ONE SINGLE PERSON.

He needs to go and at this point it's clear that the way it happens does not matter. We have no choice.

https://premierinc.com/newsroom/premier-in-the-news/mri-providers-keep-eye-on-rising-helium-prices-amid-war-in-iran

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

How is that claim possible?

The USA is the largest supplier of helium in the world. It is self sufficient. It supplies nearly 40% of the world's supply and is a net exporter of the gas. There is no risk of a shortage in the USA because the gas is easily and readily available from Canada. The Canadian gas is some of the most desirable because it is not derived from fossil fuel activity as is the case with Qatar's gas.

Looks like an attempt at disinformation. Unless, the USA and Canada no longer produce helium, which will come as a surprise to the. companies and their employees.

Not true we have trump he’s the biggest gas bag in history….except he seems to produce stinky methane in copious quantities.

Let's give Trump the benefit of the doubt and assume his claimed negotiations are not only real, but they will end this conflict, pending Netanyahu's compliance.

So what do we have to show for this war of choice?

-The US stockpile of tactical weapons is drastically reduced.

-THAAD and Patriot systems are short of missiles.

-The US has probably spent $75 billion or more, and Hegseth is asking for $200 billion.

-8 US Servicepeople are dead, many more injured

-An unknown number of Iranians are dead, including 165 elementary schoolgirls

-An unknown number of Lebanese are dead, and southern Lebanon looks a lot like Gaza

-An unknown number of Israelis are dead.

-An unknown number of GCC citizens and/or expats are dead.

-The already difficult life of 90+ million Iranians is worse than a month ago

-Saudi oil production has been reduced

-UAE, Kuwait and Iraqi oil production has been reduced

-Qatar gas production has been reduced

-It will be months or years before Gulf oil and gas production climbs again to February 2025 levels

-The US’ reputation in the world is diminished even more than Trump already diminished it

-The quaint notion that the Gulf is a welcoming and safe place for expats has been shattered

-As Roger Daltrey might sing, “Meet the new mullah; same as the old mullah”

-Iran still has whatever enriched uranium it had back in February

-Iran’s navy might be gone, but it was never anything special anyway

-Crude oil is 50-60% higher than it was a month ago, and that will be reflected in prices of just about everything

 

On the plus side, defense contractors will see lots of new orders for their killing machines, and “somebody” is richer to the tune of $2-4 billion from front running Trump’s taco Tweet on Monday. Finally, nuclear weapons experts will be in high demand in all developing countries.

 

Looking at all of that, was it worth more than giving negotiations a little more time back at the end of February? Is the world a better place today than 27 February 2025?

 

47 minutes ago, Alan Zweibel said:

You got any actual evidence to back up your claim about increased tanker traffic through the Suez Canal?

Because, as shown earlier, Saudi Arabia actually has a limited ability to send increased production through the Canal. The constraint is how much oil can be loaded onto tankers. The estimated ranged from 3 to 4.5 million barrels a day. But 2 million barrels a day was already being loaded in the form of refined petroleum products coming from a large refinery located on the red sea.

It is true that there was a lot of tanker traffic going through the Suez Canal. Not so much anymore:

Suez Canal 

Transit activity through the Suez Canal declined sharply.

A total of 23 crossings (15 inbound, 8 outbound) were recorded, representing a 39.47% decrease compared with the previous day and falling significantly below the 7-day average of 36.86 crossings.

https://windward.ai/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/image-155-1024x597.png

Vessel subclasses included five crude oil tankers, five bulk carriers, and two general cargo vessels, while the flag distribution was led by Liberia and Panama with five vessels each, followed by the Marshall Islands with four vessels.

The decline suggests that operators are increasingly avoiding Red Sea routes linked to the Gulf crisis.

https://windward.ai/blog/march-15-maritime-intelligence-daily/#:~:text=with%20two%20vessels.-,Suez%20Canal,this%20long%2Dhaul%20diversion%20route.

Calling Mr Houthi , calling Mr Houthi I've got the Ayatollah on the line ....

"Which one ?" !

10 minutes ago, Wingate said:

Let's give Trump the benefit of the doubt and assume his claimed negotiations are not only real, but they will end this conflict, pending Netanyahu's compliance.

So what do we have to show for this war of choice?

-The US stockpile of tactical weapons is drastically reduced.

-THAAD and Patriot systems are short of missiles.

-The US has probably spent $75 billion or more, and Hegseth is asking for $200 billion.

-8 US Servicepeople are dead, many more injured

-An unknown number of Iranians are dead, including 165 elementary schoolgirls

-An unknown number of Lebanese are dead, and southern Lebanon looks a lot like Gaza

-An unknown number of Israelis are dead.

-An unknown number of GCC citizens and/or expats are dead.

-The already difficult life of 90+ million Iranians is worse than a month ago

-Saudi oil production has been reduced

-UAE, Kuwait and Iraqi oil production has been reduced

-Qatar gas production has been reduced

-It will be months or years before Gulf oil and gas production climbs again to February 2025 levels

-The US’ reputation in the world is diminished even more than Trump already diminished it

-The quaint notion that the Gulf is a welcoming and safe place for expats has been shattered

-As Roger Daltrey might sing, “Meet the new mullah; same as the old mullah”

-Iran still has whatever enriched uranium it had back in February

-Iran’s navy might be gone, but it was never anything special anyway

-Crude oil is 50-60% higher than it was a month ago, and that will be reflected in prices of just about everything

 

On the plus side, defense contractors will see lots of new orders for their killing machines, and “somebody” is richer to the tune of $2-4 billion from front running Trump’s taco Tweet on Monday. Finally, nuclear weapons experts will be in high demand in all developing countries.

 

Looking at all of that, was it worth more than giving negotiations a little more time back at the end of February? Is the world a better place today than 27 February 2025?

 

Oh, and if the war does stop now without regime change, in time they will build back better, and their forward deterrence is to go for the jugular straight away, not stepped escalation. They will have learnt that, and the refined uranium may still be in place. If they rebuild, their new doctrine will likely be “maximum first strike,” launching their entire remaining arsenal at Tel Aviv or Gulf oil hubs the moment they perceive a threat, rather than waiting for a diplomatic window. So the world and Israel will be a less safe place, and the US under Trump has proved to be an utter disaster on a global scale. Well done Trump , well done Netanhayu.

I almost think now they want to troll Trump into sending boots on the ground they want the dead US bodies and let's be honest here any chance of the IDF manning up and stop killing women and children for a while ?

53 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

Good luck to those that need an MRI in the near to medium future. It's not at all sure you'll get one.

And please, PLEASE remember who to thank for puitting the world in this situation. One single idiot did this. ONE SINGLE PERSON.

He needs to go and at this point it's clear that the way it happens does not matter. We have no choice.

https://premierinc.com/newsroom/premier-in-the-news/mri-providers-keep-eye-on-rising-helium-prices-amid-war-in-iran

53 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

ONE SINGLE PERSON.

Not true .

Netanyahu and his gang.

I actually think now, with Iran's attack on the Hadera Power Plant which was a near miss and produces 25% of Israel's electricity and US bases, they want escalation and a ground war. The red mist has come down “frick it, bring it on” and they are itching for a guerrilla war against US soldiers. And/or, failing that, they would almost welcome their power being put out and a humanitarian catastrophe. Hamas didn’t care about their civilian deaths; they are martyrs, and the IRGC may think the same. Whatever the cost, they want payment in blood.

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

Yes, traffic is down, but there is movement and Saudi Arabia and Oman are still exporting.

Saudi Arabia: Yanbu has roughly a third of the export volume of Ras Tanura.

Muscat: Salalah was shut down for a week in early March due to Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Regardless, tankers are trapped inside the Persian Gulf.

Winning.

The more you dig down into this it's an epic blunder on an almost unprecedented scale. I know Ambrose likes to dooms-say but he's spot on with this.

https://archive.ph/4IRx1

Xi can smile as the Pentagon burns up its stocks of munitions and rare earth minerals, all for a diversionary war of impulse.

It is hard to overstate the damage done to American credibility in the Far East. Trump has withdrawn Patriot interceptors and a THAAD missile defence system from South Korea, the only one in Asia, because they are needed in the Middle East.

He has sent a half-carrier and a naval flotilla with marines from Japan’s Okinawa to threaten – or attack – Iran’s Kharg Island. The “quick response” unit tasked with defending Asia is now in the wrong theatre.

The Centre for Strategic and Security Studies says the US fired 786 joint air-to-surface standoff missiles (JASSMs) in the first six days of the war, at a cost of nearly $3m per missile. It will take several years just to replace them.

It fired 319 Tomahawk missiles, 158 THAADs, 879 advanced precision kill weapon systems (APKWSs) and a frightening number of Patriots. The figure has risen much further since then. The US is also having to replenish Saudi and Gulf armouries.

These are critical weapons for Taiwan’s defence. There will be fewer on sale to Europe for the defence of Ukraine.

Is this the regime change Trump is bragging about?

Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, ex-IRGC commander, to replace late Ali Larijani as chief of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/24/mohammad-bagher-zolghadr-succeeds-slain-larijani-as-iran-security-chief

It come after the nomination of Vahidi, called "the butcher", at the head of IRGC early this month!

Wining again! 🤣

Listen to this clown, talking like he's some souped up teenager, strutting around like he's some hero specops guy when in reality he was a REMF who got squeezed out of the National Guard for saying crazy s**t and being full of Nazi tattoos.

Imagine being a career officer and having to take orders from this pathetic muppet!

7 hours ago, Purdey said:

A lot advice is not bothered with as Trump doesn't/won't read his briefing reports if they don't include his name on every line.

He will say he wasn't informed as an escape clause.

That was said about him in his first term. You've waited all this time to say that ?

too funny, because you know whats not said about him this term ?
Says more about the people around him than anything about him.

You keep clutching your pearls though, I hope it works out for you.

6 hours ago, JerryM said:

The briefing books are not yet available in graphic novel format.

You beat me to it. That's exactly what I was going to say. Or in Saturday morning cartoon format. Sort of at the level of Scooby Doo or The Flintstones.

US ground forces are approaching the SOH, and Iran's reply is "come closer". This is exactly what they've been preparing for for decades, and even though they've been hit so hard there's little doubt that a ground invasion will be staggeringly costly.

And for what??

'‘Come Closer’: Iran To Kick Off ‘CRUSH AMERICA’ Mission As Trump Plans US Boots On Ground'

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/international/come-closer-iran-to-kick-off-crush-america-mission-as-trump-plans-us-boots-on-ground/videoshow/129792059.cms

"Iran has revealed its long-prepared asymmetrical warfare strategy, warning US forces against any ground invasion. A senior defense official claims Tehran has trained for decades to counter American military power using unconventional tactics. As reports emerge of possible US “boots on the ground” plans targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure, tensions are rapidly escalating."

3 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Looks like an attempt at disinformation.

Iran propaganda spouted on Social Media, all it is