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Well it looks like the US is on the precipice of war with Iran again.

US officials are telling the press that they anticipate a potential impending Israeli attack on Iran while the family members of US military personnel are being assisted with evacuation from bases in the region.

This comes as Tehran issues a warning that it will strike all US military bases within range of its missiles if it comes under attack. There are reportedly some 50,000 US troops in 10 bases which could come under fire should this occur.

The US is also evacuating its embassy in Iraq, and has authorized the departure of non-essential personnel from its embassies in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Asked by the press about the evacuations, President Trump said, “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens. We’ve given notice to move out.”

Trump is openly declaring a willingness to strike Iran if nuclear negotiations fall through, while saying he is now “much less confident” that any deal will be made.

“If they don’t make a deal, they’re not gonna have a nuclear weapon; if they do make a deal they’re not gonna have a nuclear weapon too,” the president said in an interview published on Wednesday, adding that “it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying.”

If the US backs an Israeli attack on Iran and then Iran retaliates by killing a bunch of US military personnel, we could be looking at a full-scale direct war between the US and Iran.

As I’ve said in this space many times before, this would be the absolute worst-case nightmare scenario for the middle east, unleashing horrors that dwarf all the other terrible abuses currently happening in the region. As Trump’s now-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in 2019 (back when she publicly opposed Trump’s warmongering), “What is important that the American people know is a war with Iran would make the war in Iraq look like a cakewalk.”

It’s so stupid that this keeps happening. This could all be avoided by the US simply ceasing to support the genocidal apartheid state of Israel no matter what it does. The fact that Washington has continued to pour weapons into Israel despite all its warmongering and genocide since 2023 means the US supports everything that Israel has been doing.

If a war with Iran does occur, you will doubtless hear western pundits and politicians trying to spin this as America getting “drawn into” another war in the middle east, or Trump being tricked or manipulated into war. But make no mistake: the US could have turned away from this path at any time, and still can.

If this Pandora’s box is opened, it will be because the US empire knowingly chose to open it.

________________

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The post Staring Down the Barrel of War With Iran Once Again appeared first on LewRockwell.

On a cruise in the Aegean—the first time in 20 years—I am reminded that contending with adversaries lies at the heart of the human condition. For millennia, the lands and islands that are now the territories of Turkey and Greece have been contested by a bewildering array of tribes with conflicting tribal and religious identities.

Many of the places I have visited were the scenes of conflict between the Knights of Saint John and the Ottoman Turks. The following photo is of a little church that was built around 1407 in Bodrum Castle by the Knights of St. John.

The Knights constructed the castle out of the ruins of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, also knowns as the Tomb of Mausolus. They called their fortification the Castle of St. Peter.

After the Knights were kicked out of Bodrum in 1523 by Suleiman the Magnificent, the chapel was converted into a mosque and a minaret was added. The minaret was fired upon and struck by a French warship cannon in 1915, but later rebuilt.

When I was growing up in the United States in the 1980s and 90s, it sometimes seemed like “We the People” had overcome the faction and strife that had characterized the human condition for so long. This was an illusion. Clearly humans have a strong and enduring predilection to conflict with each other.

While on my modern Aegean odyssey, I have often thought of the ancient Greek hero Odysseus, and the first lines of Homer’s epic poem about his adventures.

Sing Muse, about that man, skilled in all ways of contending, who wandered

So many ways after he sacked the sacred citadel of Troy.

It was Odysseus’s idea to build the Trojan Horse to penetrate the city walls. His gift for coming up with such clever devices is what enabled him to get home to Ithaca, overcoming all the obstacles thrown in his way during his ten-year odyssey. Homer depicts him as tough, resourceful, clever, cheerful, eloquent, and wise.

Whenever you are feeling overwhelmed by all of the adversarial humans and circumstances in the world, think of Odysseus and how—no matter how great the adversary or formidable the obstacle—he always figured out a way to prevail. He is a timeless classic of a man who contends with an adversarial world.

This article was originally published on Courageous Discourse.

The post Skilled in All Ways of Contending appeared first on LewRockwell.

In a Tuesday speech at Fort Bragg, President Donald Trump declared that “people that burn the American flag should go to jail for one year,” something Trump proceeded to state he is working with United States senators to bring about.

Twenty-two years ago this month, members of the United States House of Representatives were debating on the House floor whether they should approve H. J. Res. 4, a proposed constitutional amendment that would have empowered the Congress to “prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.” During the debate, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) argued that the proposed constitutional amendment, which he described as “very unnecessary and very dangerous,” should be rejected. Paul said the attempt to “force values on people” through the proposed constitutional amendment was inconsistent with respect for liberty. “Values in a free society,” Paul stated, “are done voluntarily, not through coercion and certainly not by the law.” The law, Paul further noted, is backed by guns.

After the debate on the House floor, a vote by House members approved H. J. Res. 4. The Senate, however, did not end up voting on it.

Watch Paul’s House floor speech here:

This article was originally published on The Ron Paul Institute.

The post Ron Paul Rewind: Don’t Ban Flag Burning appeared first on LewRockwell.

Comments open on YouTube

The post Jeffrey Sachs: Ukraine/Russia Dangerous New Escalation, & the Dark Forces Pushing for War With Iran appeared first on LewRockwell.

Although even Pope Leo XIV acknowledges that mass immigration is a “huge problem,“ a recent “Pastoral Note to Migrants” issued by Michigan’s Catholic bishops is an embarrassing combination of fallacy, contradiction, doctrinal subversion, begged questions, conflict of interest, and hypocrisy.

To start, the letter from the bishops ignores the elephant in the room: the violation of immigration law is a crime. Since the bishops subsequently claim that “The Catholic Church affirms the rule of law….” they must prove that current immigration law is unjust if they seek to continue supporting mass immigration in violation of the law.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 2241 lays out the proper disposition of immigrants to their new country and the right of a receiving country to determine the conditions for entry. Furthermore, the Catholic social teaching of Pope St. John Paul II urged the sincere participation of citizens in the cultural, economic, and social life of a civil community—not merely taking advantage of promises of free stuff (transportation, health care, food, services, housing) without contributing anything. To ignore this balance is an injustice to working Americans who themselves may be struggling.

When some newcomers seek to subvert the existing legal system by substituting Sharia or by illegally voting in a presidential election, how is it not reprehensible? Adding insult to injury, Catholic Charities supports “crucial care” funding that includes free chartered flights into the country for so-called asylum seekers—people who may never have thought to enter the United States without such services. Bishop Emeritus Joseph Strickland pointed out that 80 percent of immigrants would not qualify for asylum or refugee status. Even worse, Catholic Charities’ free legal advice includes instruction on how to remain silent when questioned by immigration authorities. Is this honorable?

The bishops also ignore theologian and Doctor of the Church Thomas Aquinas, who quotes Aristotle in recommending that immigrants should wait three generations before full admission into a community lest they meddle in hurtful ways (Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 105, a.3).

Emotional Blackmail

Instead of addressing these pertinent issues, the bishops decided to change the subject and exploit the emotional aspects of poverty and hunger. This move was completely unnecessary because assistance to those suffering from genuine hunger and thirst can just as easily be provided in one’s country of origin without the social disruption, risk, and high cost of intercontinental travel required by immigration. Moreover, the immigrant assistance addressed in CCC 2241 is itself limited to “those who cannot have a means of livelihood in their country of origin.” Given the lack of documentation for the vast flood of immigrants, was there even an attempt to determine how many really suffered such a fate?

The exploitation of emotion-laden words like “empathize,” “anxiety,” and “fear” not only obscures the illegitimacy of their position but it is entirely one-sided (i.e., card stacking, an informal fallacy). Why don’t the bishops extend the same attitude to the thousands of U.S. citizens whose properties along the border and elsewhere are overrun by waves of immigrants lured by promises of free stuff? Why no empathy for taxpayers, the victims of child- and sex-trafficking (vastly increased by this policy), and those whose neighborhoods have been transformed by the overwhelming incursion of immigrants?

Current Immigration Law and Tacit Deception

The bishops urged elected officials to “work for a humane immigration system.” The tacit assumption here is that the lawful immigration process that Trump seeks to restore (which Democrats abandoned), is somehow inhumane. But that begs the question: Compared to what? The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965—in effect for 60 years—is widely recognized as one of the world’s most radically accommodating to immigrants. It has been long criticized as too generous—transforming the social fabric of the country by permitting a vast influx of immigrants who neither understand nor value America’s unique freedoms.

So, why assume that a decades-old policy is inhumane? This is particularly galling when Vatican City itself increased its own restrictions, fines, and imprisonment penalties for unauthorized entry on December 19, 2024: “Anyone convicted of illegal entry will be banned from entering Vatican territory for a period of up to 15 years.” Hypocrisy seems to have found a home with Michigan’s bishops on this issue.

Subsidiarity Ignored

Catholic social teaching is grounded in the concept of subsidiarity (CCC 1883-1885, 2209). This means that the smallest, most local social institution (usually the family) should resolve problems first. Why? Because the institutions closest to, most intimate with, and most likely to understand all of the details and parties involved are best equipped to get the job done successfully, efficiently, and with minimal disruption.

Along with subsidiarity comes a warning: larger, more remote social institutions must not interfere with the primacy of local social units. Knowing this, why do the bishops take the opposite approach? In effect, they are prioritizing a vast, faceless, remote bureaucracy that is itself funded by the most massive tax-and-spend bureaucracy in the history of mankind (the U.S. government)—not to mention its copycats in Lansing. And the bishops don’t even offer the thinnest tissue of an excuse for violating this principle.

Read the Whole Article

The post A Catholic Lawyer Responds to the Bishops About Mass Immigration appeared first on LewRockwell.

The Stars and Stripes we proudly fly ain’t the one I pledged allegiance to as a kid.

It seems obvious that at the top of the pole today should hang the Israeli flag since they have parasitized our nation, corrupted congress, the media, The Donald and even many confused “Christians.”  Our once iron-clad Bill of Rights is no more when one cannot criticize 20+ hyper-expensive years of Mideast destruction on behalf of Israel much less an ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Why else would the U.S. government continue to fund the destruction of Gaza and the “solution” to Israel’s overpopulation problem?

Or bomb Yemen and threaten Iran?

Or continue to support Zelensky and obsolete NATO while threatening Russia?

Or stage a Soviet style military parade,…on Flag Day???

Just watching network dorks and douchebags who are always wrong or lying support this insanity,.. makes a little puke rise in my throat.

Don’t they realize our militaristic foreign policy wasted trillions that actually could have made America great and prosperous,… and that World Peace and Cooperation wouldn’t cost a nickel?

Or that resultant inflation, loss of self expression/connectedness/loneliness are key health problems causing anxiety and despair which fuel our epidemic of addiction, suicide and chronic disease?

On Down the Flagpole

Below the Star of David should hang a Nascar-style flag bundle of high paying sponsors; the “defense” industry, Wall Street, Big Pharma, Big Ag/Big Food,…not to mention “Silly-con Valley” subversives and their AI scams designed to control public perception and micromanage people.

Almost as egregious but no less deadly are the endless cheery drug commercials and come-ons for Fruit Loops, fast foods and soft drinks.

Oh how I despise washed-up celebrities lending their images to endorse a wide range of sketchy products and rip-offs!

Only idiots argue political theater while ignoring the fact that the U.S. has become the 4th Reich, a National-Socialist-Fascist nation purely aligned with industry, oligarchs and Zionist Neocon traitors.

All information is controlled, even to the extent that lifesaving treatments are “forbidden.”

Laws and lawyers protect the system and elite criminals over their victims.

Universities project authority favoring corporate sponsorship.

Employers seize overseer power over workers, as do institutions and all top-down chain-of-command organizations.

Police wear military armor and work in heavily armed gestapo-like SWAT teams.

Travel is a pain in the ass.  We are all digitized, face recognized, tracked, thought-surveilled and DNA registered.

The Patriot Act has outlived “terrorism” if that was ever a real thing.

And Why?

My faith in our “democratic republic” began to wane after the flaky official story of the JFK assassination, took a nose-dive during the VietNam debacle and died on 9/11.

My faith in the domestic narrative went south with an endless string of phony events and injunctions designed to isolate/weaken/divide the public far beyond the pivotal strangulation of the economy and dollar.

Did NGOs fund the BLM/ICE riots or was it deep state spycraft?

Was the response a dress rehearsal for martial law?

An incomplete list of lies and psyops and devious decrees designed to weaken the populace and enforce compliance;

That racism and white supremacy exist and are really really bad.

That animal fats and cholesterol generate heart attacks.

That sunshine creates skin cancers.

That numerous highly questionable vaccines are mandated in the interest of public health.

That fluoridation, mercury fillings, thousands of chemicals and pharmaceuticals are safe and effective.

That grain based foods and animal agriculture are healthy, and that natural cures like chiropractic and Vitamin C are quackery.

That a toxic psychological and biological environment is another conspiracy theory and remains at “safe” levels.

After a lifetime of observation I could see;

That we came under control of behind-the-scenes evil actors bent on world domination.

That the press, media and speech are controlled to hide their dirty deeds through secrecy and disinformation to keep Joe Sixpack working ever harder.

That promoting enemies and doing wars provided a feeding-frenzy for greedy-sharks killing and crippling millions of naive “patriots” and innocents abroad.

There is no honest government Of/By/For the people, but an empire controlled by dark forces always promising fun and ice cream.

What they really pulled-off is a world of broken dreams!

Let’s see their true colors.

The post The Falsest of Flags; Gimme True Colors! appeared first on LewRockwell.

Not only is Robert Barnes a master litigator and top-notch attorney but one of the most in depth, articulate, well read and street-smart experienced political analysts in the nation. Whether it involves the institutionalized criminal machine cartels of the Democrats and Republicans or the deep state, he is a true polymath reminiscent of Murray N. Rothbard in his power elite analysis of Realpolitik.

At VivaBarnesLaw.Locals.com Robert Barnes hosts a wonderful series of video podcasts, Hush Hush (drawing its title from reference to Danny DeVito’s character Sid Hudgens’ investigative/gossip rag in the neo-noir classic film, L.A. Confidential ), where he masterfully delves into and elucidates upon a wide range of fascinating mysteries/conspiracies from beyond the mainstream gatekeeper perspective of establishment court history or the regime media.

The post Hush Hush Before Hush Hush: Robert Barnes Exposing Robert Mueller appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, John Smith. 

MoneyWise

The post Massachusetts landlord took on a second job to pay his bills during 2-year battle with ‘professional tenants’ appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, John Smith. 

The Guardian

The post The Guardian view on Iran’s nuclear programme: Trump undid a crucial accord. A new deal is urgently needed appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks,  John Frahm.

InfoWars

The post Did You Know That A Consortium Of European Royalty / Central Banks Conducted A Secret Coup Against America In 1947? appeared first on LewRockwell.

Tim McGraw wrote:

I’ve never been to Lake Superior. Wish I had. Beautiful in summer. Deadly in winter. The Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is very cool. Every politician, bureaucrat, soldier, and policeman should visit it. Lawyers should be forced to spend six months there mopping the floors.

The post Driving Across Canada, Art We There Yet? appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, John Smith. 

The Cradle

The post BIAEA an ‘instrument for Israel,’ secret documents seized by Iran reveal appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, John Smith. 

The Telegraph

The post Marco Rubio condemns UK sanctions on Israeli ministers appeared first on LewRockwell.

TimM wrote:

Howdy Lew,

Brion McClanahan covers what most fail to grasp when it comes to Trump’s deploying National Guard and Marines to LA.

The post Trump channeling his inner Lincoln appeared first on LewRockwell.

Writes Tim McGraw:

This story reminds me of an old British comedy, “The Wrong Box” (1966) movie trailer

Good grief! I was 14 when I saw it at the theater in Lincoln almost 60 years ago. I haven’t thought of it since.

The post The Wrong Box: Video appeared first on LewRockwell.

Scott Daniels wrote:

Lew,

I don’t know if conversations with ChatGPT meet your criteria for articles to publish, but I thought my conversation regarding the risks associated with Trump’s promotion of Palantir might be of interest in any event. I dreesed it up a bit and posted it in my substack. 

See here.

The post Something that might interest you regarding Palantir appeared first on LewRockwell.

Mr. Milei fancies himself to be a great monetary theorist in the Austrian tradition. To illustrate his unrivalled brilliance here are two revealing exhibits.

The first exhibit concerns the consequences of the closure of the central bank that Milei has claimed, already before his election, to be a non-negotiable demand of his. This is certainly an interesting question worthy of careful analysis. Kristoffer Hansen, for instance, has provided such an analysis from an Austrian perspective. And here is Milei’s answer, then, provided before, and again at a recent major conference in Madrid as to why he hasn’t done so already: If you were to shut down the central bank, and no more pesos were printed, then the result would be hyperinflation! Huh? No more pesos being printed leads to hyperinflation. How in the world is that possible? Great mind this Milei. Yet if you doubt this conclusion he calls you an “imbecile.”

The second exhibit  concerns the status of fiat currency. For Milei, the paper peso issued by the central bank represents government debt. And yet, if you were to present your paper pesos at the central bank and were to ask that it repay its debt, what would be its answer? Most likely the bank would declare you a nut, and offer you a new peso bill for your old one. And that would be it. Yet if you do not agree with Milei on fiat money being debt, he calls you an “idiot.”

Quoting Hansen, then, “Milei is no Austrian, and that he resorted to name-calling and quack theories in response to Hoppe’s calm critique suggests that he is not much of an economist either.”

The post A “Great Thinker” at Work appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, Warren White.

The post Coexist appeared first on LewRockwell.

The post Americans In A Vice: The Left Puts Illegals First … The Right Puts Israel First appeared first on LewRockwell.

Thanks, John Smith. 

BBC News

The post US to partially evacuate embassy in Iraq as Iran tensions rise appeared first on LewRockwell.