Ukraine makes 7 million drones a year. Russia makes around 2 million drone a year and also about 2500 missile Euro collectively doesn’t make more than 200,000 a year. Europe’s eastern flank is wide open to Mass Russian drone swarms. The obvious soln is to take Ukraine into the EU marry its drone production to Europe. Even then it’ll take years to catch up with Russia’s drone production ability. And that’s never gonna happen

What’s happening in Iran right now? The most hardline elements of the Paydari Front, including figures close to Saeed Jalili such as Hamid Rasaei, Mahmoud Nabavian, and Amir-Hossein Sabeti, are strongly opposed to the proposed deal with the US and view it as a betrayal of Iran’s interests. They argue that the negotiating team, particularly Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, has crossed Iran’s red lines and made excessive concessions, especially in the aftermath of the assassination of key political and military leaders. Several hardline figures have publicly demanded the resignation of members of the negotiating team, accusing them of surrendering strategic leverage in exchange for a weak deal. Among the more radical voices, some have gone even further, promoting conspiracy theories that the new Supreme Leader is effectively being controlled or “held captive” by those pushing for negotiations. These factions are now attempting to mobilize their supporters, increase public pressure, and use every available political tool to block, delay, or undermine any potential agreement.

The entire discussion about whether Israel will or will not accept any agreement between the US and Iran is a waste of time, nothing but an exercise in smoke and mirrors. Israel will do as it is told because it has no choice but to do precisely as it is told. If Israel rejects or acts to undermine the agreement, and does so without consequence, that is because it has been authorized and perhaps encouraged to do so by Washington. It really is that simple.

National media acts like they can't figure out how the US could get Israel to listen to us. Duh, cut their money. Are all of our political reporters really that stupid? No, they just find the idea of not funding their beloved Israel so unacceptable they never even consider it.

I’ve been trying to understand the reason for Iranian leadership behavior, especially the vast concessions they have made in the MOU. The best explanation I can come up with is Khomeini’s rejection of UN Security Council resolution 514. This was after Khorramshahr was freed by Iranian forces. It asked for a ceasefire and return to international borders. Saddam Hussein accepted it. Khomeini rejected it because it didn’t recognize Iraq as the aggressor and didn’t provide reparations for Iran. Khomeini said we will fight until we capture Karbala. The war lasted six more years, and resulted in hundreds of thousands of Iranian deaths, many of whom were friends and family to the current Iranian leadership. In my view they are trying to avoid repeating the same mistake. But this is an incorrect analysis. The actors are different. Iran’s position is demonstrably different. The consequences are going to be different. You can’t fix a historic mistake by doing the opposite now and commit another mistake. Different circumstances require different analyses and different actions.

KNICKS WIN!!! KNICKS WIN!!! KNICKS WIN!!! KNICKS WIN!!!

We have had one knock out meal after another on a trip to Montreal, but highly recommend a newer Persian restaurant on Sherbrooke, called Bous, (which, incodentally, just got its liquor license yesterday). Really excellent

❗️Low-res satellite images confirm what I had posted about Iran hitting F-16’s at Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base. According to these sat images, one F-16 may have been hit with others possibly damaged. Several aircraft hangars were also hit. It’s difficult to determine the actual damage with the low res sat images, but the aircraft fleet definitely took a hit. (H/t: @war_cube)

… … “The broad regional peace agreement is broad. I mean. it includes Lebanon, it includes Iran, it includes the Gulf Coast countries, it includes Israel, and we feel quite confident that all of our allies, the Israelis and the Gulf Coast Coalition, will get on board.