Free Republic

Many Americans are shocked at how quickly the Trump administration seems to have regressed from one that prioritized diplomacy to one that’s itching to drop bombs on a foreign country half a world away. In many ways, Donald Trump is unlike any president in recent memory. During his first term, he presided over one of the most peaceful four years in a long time — relatively speaking, of course. The most glaring accomplishment, if non-actions can be categorized as such, was that he did not catapult the United States into a new, drawn-out war. This is a low bar, but...

Eliminating or crippling Iran’s nuclear weapons development infrastructure is vital. President Trump says that Iran is nearing nuclear weapons capability. Coordinating with the Israelis in removing or diminishing that threat serves both countries’ national security interests. Morphing that limited aim into a regime change war isn’t in America’s interest.#Trump’s opposition to direct U.S. military intervention chagrins neocons and some Israel boosters, but Trump has been many times adamant: He opposes the Washington establishment’s eagerness for color revolutions, regime change wars, nation-building exercises, and whatever else in the past the State Department and CIA have concocted and Lindsey Graham has rah-rahed....

U.S. officials have been told Israel is fully ready to launch an operation into Iran, multiple sources told CBS News. The U.S. anticipates Iran could retaliate on certain American sites in neighboring Iraq. This is part of the reason the U.S. advised some Americans to leave the region earlier Wednesday, with the State Department ordering non-emergency government officials to exit Iraq due to "heightened regional tensions."

Iran’s defence minister has said his country would target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out with the United States, as President Donald Trump said he was losing confidence that a nuclear deal would be agreed. Washington and Tehran have held five rounds of talks since April as Trump seeks an agreement that would place constraints on Iran’s uranium enrichment. He has threatened to attack Iran if no deal can be agreed. Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Wednesday that Iran would target US military bases in the region if the US attacked it first. “Some officials...

The IRGC’s new missile bases on key islands near the Strait of Hormuz give Tehran the power to lock down a critical maritime chokepoint—and challenge US military primacy. Strategic Islands Armed The IRGC has deployed air & coastal missile systems on Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, & Abu Musa—3 critical islands west of the Hormuz Strait, gateway for 20% of the world’s energy trade. 600 km Strike Zone IRGC Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri says Iran can now strike “enemy bases, vessels, and assets” within 600 km—covering much of the Persian Gulf & beyond. What’s Deployed? Tangsiri didn’t name the systems, but...