hmmmmm indeed
What happened with Pence yesterday?
Folks Debka has less credibility than the Onion. There was NO US sub that was attacked by any Russian sub. Debka is so full of BS they should compost it.
Still big questions hang over the incident. Of all the scuttlebutt I’m inclined to think that there may have been a security issue at a venue in NH. Secondary would be heads up on Iranian actions.
Iran
The mullahs have announced that unless EU and US capitulate, Iran will begin to process uranium to weapons grade levels starting this weekend.
Enriching to weapons grade may be the red line that Iran crosses for Israeli action. There is reported to be increased tension in the govt in respect to a preemptive strike - something that Israel has done in the past to other countries. Of course in this instance it would unleash a rain of rockets from Hezbollah and Hamas. Since Israel’s strikes on Iran would be strategic in nature, it would leave the conventional forces free to deal with the hezzies and hamas. It is reported that Israel has plans for a very large scale ground offensive into Gaza. It has also warned Lebanon that if they permit Hezbollah to launch attacks they will suffer considerable collateral damage.
US response is not certain, but I’d bet that if Israel strikes Iranian nuclear production facilities Iran will move to close the straits of hormuz and that US forces would preemptively strike to prevent that from happening.
US may also conduct strategic strikes (cruse missiles/stealth bombers) on Iranian nuclear production and ballistic missile facilities Israel doesn’t hit - particularly the ballistic missile sites as they can be used to attack both Israel and US interests in the region.
Iranian response to any attack would be significant. In addition to its proxy groups attacking Israel and US interests, you can bet they will try to get as may missiles in the air as possible as soon as possible targeting Israel, US interests and Saudi Arabia. Iranian proxy militias in Iraq will step up attacks on US and aligned Iraqi forces. As noted above, rocket attacks from Hezbollah and Hamas would be unprecedented. Iran will use other unconventional attack methods such as cyber and terror attack across the world, targeting EU as well as American sites.
Bottom line is that this could develop into the bloodiest and most expansive bit of fighting the region has seen in a long time - exceeding the two gulf wars.
Hong Kong
China issued veiled threats against pro-democracy demonstrators following days protest involving hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong residents. Because of the treaty with Great Britain, the mainland’s hands are partially tied and short of an actual military incursion they can’t do much to affect the protests. This has embarrassed the Chinese leadership to no end - culturally and on the global stage. My thoughts are they will try to ride it out and then incrementally increase controls over the territory once again and even perhaps establish some kind of a military force to counter any future actions. However at the peak, nearly 1/3 of the population participated in just ONE protest.