Debt Rattle August 18 2026
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Pablo Picasso Self portrait 1972 • Trump Doubles Down On Making Hormuz Strait A US Territory: “A Great Idea” (ZH) • Trump Calls On Iran To Surrender,
[See the full post at: Debt Rattle August 18 2026]“BREAKING Larry Johnson:”Iran Is Done Playing Defense” – Insiders WARN of a Strike on a US Warship”
Iran has been biding their time. Luring us in. They could have ALWAYS have sunk a ship, they just didn’t WANT to. Back when they had their full roster of missiles. Nope. They’ve been voluntarily very, very nice and didn’t throw 4,000 objects at the USS Lincoln at all. They were waiting 170 days for this one special moment.
BREAKING: IRAN GOES “FULLY OFFENSIVE” AS THE CEASEFIRE WINDOW CLOSES — w/ Matthew Hoh
..By still waiting and not sinking that ship.
I always trust the CIA and everything they say. They always have the U.S.’ best interests in mind.
“If Other Countries Give Fewer Shots, Why Can’t We Ask Why?
As I say daily. How did you know before you know, that you already shouldn’t ask? Doesn’t that actually mean you Do know? (Yes.) Otherwise, you wouldn’t know, be blank, ask questions, get answers, and decide like a normal human.
From yesterday, a gibbering wall of psychosis, 1,000 feet high:
““A sane society cannot debate its way out of psychosis. It must diagnose the patient with lethal precision and restore the ancient boundary between the mad and the free.” —LHGrey on “X”
“Reddit’s Woke WNBA Forum Just Banned Sophie Cunningham’s Name Amid Trans Row
This was in the Babylon Bee and I literally thought they were making it up. Nope. It’s just “Tuesday” for the Left.
Offering Reason to Madmen doesn’t work so well. Who knew?
One of these two parties would like to deport them. Your choice.I also have “a favorable view of socialism”, but I have lived in a college co-op of 80 – 100 people, where everybody had to pay their monthly rent and do chores for maintenance and meal preparation.
My wife and I met there.
You would be surprised how many people don’t pay their rent, make excuses for 2 months, then leave and never pay it. You might not be surprised how many people cannot be relied upon to sweep and mop.
You would want a breakfast cook to be cooking on time before you had to leave for work.
It gets complicated and socially time-consuming at even such a small scale.(I was a reliable breakfast cook.)
“Record Ground Beef Prices May Finally Be Breaking Consumer Demand
I only just paid $3.99 for quite good Porterhouse steaks, although admittedly, hamburger is high at $5.99. I mean: put the ONE steak into grinder and it’s $3.99 hamburger, right? Still, I think you could chart it since 1960 and find $5.99 is very cheap. Over 100 or 1,000 years, it’s probably 1/10th and more of long-term food averages. So if your area is not like this, go talk to your Congressman, your Governor, and your Premier and ask why they’ve been shutting down every small farm, butcher, import, and other for 30 years. I have heard Canada along has 200% tariffs on some American food then complain prices are high. If you want to eat rye and maple sugar that’s fine, but don’t complain after. It’s not the war doing that.
Same with Gas in CA or NY. Mostly taxes. On the Rural people, the poors. On the farmers and on food. Surprise.
““For you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline,” — Trump
He’s failing at this messaging, and it’s not the media. Yes the media is lyign and making the most of it, but it’s an unforced error. Get Leavitt or Miller and start saying what’s really going on: Sure, nukes, but bhe Strait is removed as a warzone for all time. Get Iran’s many quotes about how they can, or have 11 nukes now out daily.
I hear two of the normal, average podcast dummies yucking it up about Iran having nuclear weapons (Armstrong and someone) because “Iran 3 hours from a nuclear weapon for 39 years” – Netanyahu. Guys: Iran SAID they had refined adequate uranium to the required level, where they did indeed have a nuclear bomb or could have one in 30 days. That’s IRAN’s report. That’s OFFICIAL legal, consensus reality. And they’re laughing as if anyone who believes the UN legal record and Iran’s own press releases is an idiot. No, sirs, YOU are the idiot. At that time they officially said they had at least that much. Any normal person would assume if that’s what they’re admitting, like all militaries, they have a little more.
Such is the magic of Propaganda, repeating nonsense for years. As Bezmanov said, then they can walk you right into the slaughterhouse and you’ll deny your own reason and the vision of your eyes.
Anyway, for whatever reason, Trump is on a colossal failure on this front, when he’s often so good at media. It will hardly matter, and if they thought he would win and was secure, they’d just release smallpox or something so be grateful. I thought he was exaggerating, because I don’t have this problem, and also underestimated it by 10x until Covid.
“President Trump just STUNNED THE WORLD after Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan enter a new agreement”
Armstrong and the Podcast likewise said all nations in Middle East signing peace deals was a failure, and BAD for peace. Whut?
That the U.S. wasn’t involved was a terrible sign, instead of good for their autonomy and our leaving. They are all still allies of the U.S. that part wasn’t affected at all, they are just doing their own deals like NORMAL countries. This was unthinkable to them, and therefore Peace R Bad m’kay? Huh? Huh, huh, and what the huh?
Why? HATE ORANGE MAN. And Armstrong doesn’t as a personal thing, he’s just picking it up from the air around him, as usual saying “I have no idea what Trump is doing” …so I won’t bother to think, ask, or find out, just assume, then ell you my expert opinion on it when I just said I dunno. The White House does issue Press Releases you know. That I pay for. Might go read them.
Spain’s PM has ‘culturally enriched’ Ceuta, Spain, import the Third World Become the Third World…”
What can you say to this? And U.S. crime stats plummet (yet another reason to hate Orange man) because when 2 million criminals from 3rd world crime areas leave, there’s less crime? Who could understand these mysterious ways.
This goes with the Left, who is a Babylon Bee skit every day.
Okay, for the slow in the back, what’s the meta-assumption the Left have here, as a core, foundational belief? A: That if all the white people leave, the earth that remains would be a s–ithole.
And if all the White People come back?
I’m not the one saying this: THEY are. Wherever White people go, Aztec human sacrifice and slavery drops. Cities are built and run with “Electricity”. If you remove that (as present conditions in South Africa demonstrate), roads, rails, cities, electric, jobs, all vanish in exact proportion. White South Africans have now retired to small walled, enclave towns, which once again have roads, houses, fences, power. This was always an identically-available option to the surrounding people, who were welcome to do the very same things. They did not.
Now whatever REASON that is, and whether you prefer leveling mountains to pave roads, it’s pretty clear this is the case.
For this reason:
Aquinas. Peoples are just different. That’s fine. Not everybody needs to be “white”,(whatever that means) but they have a right to exist and build working cities if they want to. That’s their weirdo culture. Others have their different, equally weirdo cultures. This is taken up by Sargon weekly, as someone who says “Israel has a right to exist and the Jews have a homeland” – a Minister in British government, Labour Party, ‘natch – then says “English and Welsh and Scots do NOT have a right to exist, NOR to have a remaining homeland. That’s raycisss.” So Anglos are the only peoples on earth who may NOT have a place to live according to their form and character. Only them.See “Birmingham”, above. That is not according to English character, which picks up trash and washes roadsides, an activity all immigrants are equally able to do.
So back to Cuetas. 5 Days of non-Spanish and it’s a s—thole. Because that’s their culture, for whatever reason. That’s fine, that’s their nation, just don’t bring it here, it’s not mine. That’s why we have peoples, nations, and sovereignty, as Aquinas says.
“Trump just doubled down on plans to declare the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory, calling it “a great idea.”Making people think. He would need Congress, so no. The Strait is also water not land, so ??? Oman becomes the 51st state? I suspect Shiria is not compatible with Federal Law. But as a point of discussion, it’s working great.
“Oil spiking amid a hodgepodge of more ‘bad news’ Hormuz headlines,”As yesterday, oil is not “Spiking”. It’s down 30% and is well within average. Reporters just say things, whatever comes into their adorable little heads.
“He confirmed “we are not fully back to full oil flow in the Middle East,”
No, but isn’t it like 80% already, and Iran has fewer missiles to throw at it daily?
“But [Trump] insisted that he was in no rush to end the conflict” Because it’s 80% open already and completely irrelevant now? Sir?
Nope. “[Trump] has lost significant control of and which has hurt his political support ahead of US midterm elections in November,”
Yeah, 80% open in 100 days is not “Losing significant control of”. Trump is in no danger for the Midterms over this anyway. Both of these are open, consensus facts. Reporter “Just make up” that it’s not, or that $77 oil is high. They write fiction of whatever they want to be true, and are so far gone, they don’t even THINK about actual reality, never contact or refer to it in any meaningful way. They don’t even have a hazy understanding that they ought to. Reality is whatever they made up last.
““They’re not really negotiating at this point. They are simply making assertions and hoping the other side backs down,”
This is a revelation as it’s generally reported that whatever the United States says is some dumb assertion and whatever Iran says is the literal truth. But I’m sure he’s an outlier and they’ll send him “The Memo” to get in line.
“He said Washington’s only remaining military option would be to “open the [Strait of Hormuz] and use force to basically protect shipping going through it”, which would require naval and air forces to actively defend commercial traffic, something Washington has so far avoided.”
We’re literally doing this every day for 2-4 weeks. The thing we can’t do is the thing we’ve been provably doing for a month. You’re a genius. Because we’re having no trouble doing this, we need to surrender to Yemen, a nation smaller and less relevant than Rhode Island.
You know, last I looked, Iran had not landed on the Potomac. Yemen is not occupying the Pentagon. …I mean beside the usual Larry Johnsons and Colonel MacGregors who seat them there.
“• Iran: Shifting from Defensive to ‘Fully Offensive’ (ZH)
Along with the gibbering madness, so Iran hasn’t actually been offensive yet. Ah. Boy those are great WORDS. Amazing SIGNALS you are forming from your air hole. They’re adjectives, nouns, other words too. All of them! So cool. Yet I see no landings on the Potomac. WalMarts are all full here. $3.99 steak.
“• Former Defense Minister Fedorov Predicts Shift to Robotic War in a Year (CTH)Awesome. I suspect they need “Energy” and “Resources” like steel mills to accomplish that. Yes, they believe this Skynet robot army thing, and they are morons. Not that they can’t make one! But like everything else they do, it won’t act they way they think or result in the world they believe.
“• Almost 60 Percent of Democrats Have a Favorable View of Socialism (Turley)
This is not my experience. Who are the 40%? I’d say it’s 80-90% from personal experience, the only outliers are over 75.
“n addition to a variety of anti-Semitic figures within its ranks, the DSA wants to get rid of the presidency, the Senate, the Supreme Court, and other institutions (as well as borders, immigration enforcement, and much of private property).
Thank God for Free Speech. All I need to do is re-print your own brochures. Uhhh…legally this is the overthrow of the entire U.S. government, literal sedition, with a hanging sentence? And so is Sharia, although that one is more meandering? People only think you do this because you’re losing losers who want power. Power that is clearly not begin given to you by the people voluntarily. That is, you’re all cheaters. America doesn’t like either core losers, or cheaters.
This was always the plan though. For 100 years, but swung into full action by 1969. This is the Russian Rev 2.0, where the U.S. was collapsed in the identical way as worked for the USSR and destroyed. Okay, BY WHOM? Discuss.
“The Democratic Party is becoming the party of socialism.” Becoming? It’s been 100 years. Wilson and FDR installed this.
“We must never allow the socialists to take power.”
Socialism by definition is never voluntary. As say Joe Rogan recently said, “Sure, but what happens if someone doesn’t WANT to join or to give their stuff? That’s the problem.” Yes. And as an expert in professional violence (UFC) he knows that that is. Trust-fund kid Socialists have never had to deal with violence. “Do what I say or I’ll smash your stupid ugly face in.” Which any self-respecting redneck would say first off. In aisle 9 of any Walmart. Now you have to make him, soy-boy, and win or lose, Cleetus will enjoy it.
“• US Manufacturing Activity Hits 4-Year High (JTN)
As I’ve said, we’ve already nailed it. We are a net oil exporter, making bank daily esp from Hormuz. This continues to expand nicely. We are a huge food exporter, while Holland has shuttered every farm in a famine, population explosion, and high price crisis. We remain 25% of world GDP same as 1970, despite the savage beating we’ve taken.* And now we’re going to double manufacturing in just a few years, already happening.
* I wouldn’t go nuts with the GDP numbers, which is Purchase-Price Parity issues, and stock-and-bond kiting. However, that it’s the same as after WWII still is very illuminating, and it’s easy to swap bond-kiting scams with real work. Compare, cross-check, with last week that Europe makes more money TAXING U.S. companies than their own European companies make. THAT, is how bad they suck. How do you even accomplish that? I would have said that’s impossible. Yet the EuroCommies managed it. Again.
“The creation of the EU was the cunning move by insiders, engineered by the CIA, to transfer all decision-making powers to unelected dictators in Brussels. These now step up their treason by handing controls to Israel.
”
I’m totally on board with that theory, but who is “The CIA”? Jack Ryan? I don’t think so. We are all well aware that CIA/MI6/Mossad, and several others are one, seamless organization, “SPECTRE” or Hydra. They are death-cult Globalists, the Fabian Socialists and the like, outgrowth of centuries. That is, you can’t say it’s “The CIA” while MI6 had no idea, no involvement, and all Europe was a helpless victim. No, Europe was if anything, the head of this plan, with core minority positioning tirelessly to help. Help be the Seat of the Expected one-world government, run out of Europe. Why not? It’s POWER, of course they did. And in that sense, they directed their CIA-People, club-members to use US money to make up and run this op. And their MI6-placed people. And their Interpol People. And their Gladio people, especially. And their UBS, Seimens, Exxon people. And John Major, taking out Thatcher at their command. It’s one big Club. All the same group.So when you say “CIA” this is what I hear. Not “America” or “Americans”. But those Globalists, running this Op, using our money and over our dead bodies. Against every will and principle of almost all Americans. …Or even Europeans for that matter: remember, even after 20 years of propaganda, they all voted against referendums for the EU. The Democratic EU then ignored them in classic Soviet fashion.
“• Jim Jordan Blasts FBI Round River As ‘Operation To Protect Joe Biden’ (JTN)
Then ARREST THEM ALL. …And win the midterms thereby.
Also these were the “Experts” and “Authorities”. Turns out every single one of them was lying with every waking breath? Like Larry Johnson does? Who knew?
Israel/Gaza etc: I don’t mention it because what’s to say? I know. Same as all days of my life. However, if you want to quit goofing off and fooling around and organize to bomb, invade, occupy, and stop Israel then you have my attention. Any nation is welcome to go do that, you know. Doesn’t have to be us. Turkey is right there, with the only army to do it. Saudi is right there to bank them. But failing someone legitimately proposing this, I’m not ignoring it but have little to say.
a simple parable will cover it
The Mote and BeamThe ancient Greeks had a word for it. The word begins with the letter H.
how long do you need to speak with someone to determine their price?
or if they are already boughtif you had 1 manufacturing job and increased the number to 3 that would mean manufacturing jobs increased by a factor of 3
“Lies, damned lies and statistics” Mark Twain“Nothing new under the sun”, the same elements that hated the New Deal are now out in full force in an anti-socialism campaign. Nothing spells winning more clearly than losing.
Three concepts to illustrate success:
Food Lines
Okies
Homeless Camps
only the names have changed, no one is innocentkill a few more human beings, that’ll show em
guess everyone is a commodities trader nowi shall refrain from profanity
Dr. John the system under which people are engaged is irrelavant to behavior. I had stated with a ten man crew for a sixteen unit townhouse project. That number was winnowed down to three in three weeks. The four of us continued with the same level of production. In a similar vein my two men of ten years and i out performed an eight man crew in a bid for a 32 unit apartment complex and won the contract.
Here in northwest Florida, at least, the balance of humanity is just no count. The reality is that for the most part humans are not capable of a truly capitalistic discipline. My payroll checkbook and my FUTA/FICA rate book was in my truck everyday on every job Don’t produce? Can’t follow instructions. Good luck on your next job..A person with a true production – profit driven life will be considered to have aberrant behavior and will be disliked.
Unlike most building contractors at the time i carried Workmens Comp insurane and paid the FUTA/FICA taxe for my fellow workers.
Gaming the system is not capitalism it is theft. Immorality breeds amorality.
Master said you gotta Love em didn’t say a word about liken em.Women have a different world view than men. No Shit Sherlock.
Human interaction was built on need, not on want.
A person that will only give what they want to give and not what their partner needs is destructive of relationship.if you don’t understand a woman with infant at breast has a different set of needs from the good ole boys you are not a man. You may have a penis, you are not a man.
has DBS gone missing?
A conversation with democrats, can only start/must start, with you saying, “Trump is bad”.
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What must the U.S. buy even if tariffs make it expensive?**### **Final list (strategic, non-substitutable imports):**
1. **Crude oil & refined petroleum**
2. **Natural gas**
3. **Critical minerals** (nickel, cobalt, graphite, rare earths, uranium)
4. **Potash**
5. **Fish & seafood**These are the categories where **tariffs cannot stop U.S. demand**, because the U.S. either lacks domestic supply or cannot replace Canada without severe economic or strategic damage.
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“Nothing new under the sun”
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a massive realignment grinds away.
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https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/satjim-jordan-blasts-fbi-round-river-operation-protect-joe-bidenJim Jordan blasts FBI Round River as ‘operation to protect Joe Biden’, obstruct Congress
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https://geopolitiq.substack.com/p/iran-turns-the-tables-and-issuesIran turns the tables and issues ultimatum to the Outlaw US Empire, while the US administration mulls to bomb Oman and nuke Iran!
Plus news and updates from Lebanon and Yemen
Ismaele
Aug 17, 2026
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https://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/Monday, August 17, 2026
In Our “Everything is Disposable” Economy, We’re Disposable, Too
—————Copilot evaluation: Jim Jordan blasts FBI Round River
So your conclusion — “no public accountability” — is not cynical; it’s structurally accurate
Not because “nothing matters,”
but because the system is designed to keep intelligence operations insulated from public adjudication.This is true across:
FITF
Crossfire Hurricane
COINTELPRO
Russiagate
Hunter Biden laptop handling
Clinton email investigation
DHS disinformation governance efforts
Different eras, different politics — same structural outcome.
When the public cannot verify:
records
ledgers
internal communications
analytic criteria
decision chains
…then accountability becomes a political performance, not a judicial process.
Disposable
https://geopolitiq.substack.com/p/the-generation-of-compulsory-military
“The generation of compulsory military service: to what extent should Germany be prepared for war?”
Ismaele
Aug 18, 2026@TBOC: Go Cats Go! 😉
(I designed and built (built-in) a house in 2022-2023 after I got fired for COVID “vaccine” refusal. I didn’t go that fast, but I did good work and my drawings only needed adjusting in the bathroom due to floor joists already placed needing a plumbing workaround.)I sent DBS an email, asking if he’s dead, on your behalf.
August 18, 2026
The War Hits Back – Record Bond Yields And Diesel SpreadsThere is also this tiny issue Bessent will have to (but lacks the means to) tackle:
Global bond yields hit multi-decade highs as governments pay the price for U.S.-Iran stalemate
A global sell-off of government bonds gripped markets Tuesday morning, sending borrowing costs to multi-decade highs, as hopes for an end to hostilities it the Middle East rapidly faded.
…
At 7:38 a.m. ET, yields on U.S. 30-year Treasurys were up almost 3 basis points to 5.335%, the highest level since 2002.The record U.S. budget deficits, plus the enormous debt demand due to the AI bubble, are simply too much for the bond market.
Any rise in bond yields will require more interest payments for government debt which will lead to higher deficits. This can become a vicious circle. But under Donald Trump the Federal Reserve, which could raise interest rate to counter inflation pressure, is unwilling to act.
The bond market will thus expect a higher long term inflation and will demand higher yields for future debt.
Economically Trump is on his way to run the States into a wall.
Lies from president and Defense stating success in Iran war to deceive public in preparation for midterms voting
The USS Abraham Lincoln is suffering fresh food shortages, low morale, and mechanical failures following overextended deployment as part of the ongoing US war of aggression against Iran;
Disruption in West Asian ports prevent replenishment at sea (RAS) operations from delivering fresh food before it spoils while critical repairs requiring port facilities go un-addressed;
The US depends on its finite, overstretched aircraft carrier fleet to provide long-range ISR capabilities for US naval forces striking at Iran and Iranian maritime shipping, capabilities required to detect and defeat Iranian drone and missile strikes before reaching US naval vessels;
Growing cracks in US military capabilities and waning US economic power is still offset by the US’ dangerous near-global control of information space (outside Russia and China) and its ability to leverage the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and adjacent networks to infiltrate, undermine, capture, and control entire nations without firing a shot;
These capabilities coupled with existing military and economic power is being used to disrupt and destroy the global peace and stability required for multipolarism’s rise and displacement of US primacy;
Alex Krainer:Trump Asked About NUKING Iran GENERALS Said NO Will Trump Use a Nuclear Weapon on IRAN?
Some notes for Dr. D,
North Korea never landed on the Potomac. We bombed them till there was nothing left to bomb and we didn’t win that war. North Viet Nam never occupied the Pentagon, we bombed them for years and years and we didn’t win that war. Afghanistan troops never marched down Broadway, we occupied them for 20 years and didn’t win that war.Capitalism by definition is never voluntary for the bottom 90% who have the majority of their wealth creation funneled to the top 1% by the capitalist controlled system.
Logistics War https://drjohnsblog.substack.com/p/logistics-war
The world has entered an epoch of global war on supply-lines, a logistics war curtailing flows of fuels, grains, finance and trade in general. Flows of people have been weaponized in this war, which impairs the ability of a freshly-colonized nation (eg. France) to respond to emergencies, since it is internally divided.
Simplicius, Iran’s Strategy Vindicated as US’s Logistics Chain Hobbled and Stretched by Early Strikes
The US’s naval problems in the theater all stemmed from Iran’s deliberate strategy of wiping out US bases in the region, resulting in the extremely inefficient lengthening of US supply chain logistics for war:..
..The US Navy’s problems began immediately after Iran’s opening salvo of the war, which saw the Navy’s top regional logistics hub in Bahrain go up in smoke from Iranian missiles and drones:
The aircraft carrier U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln’s supply problems began soon after the first day of the war, as Iranian missiles and attack drones fell on a Navy base in Bahrain.
The Iranian attack, retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli assault on Tehran, destroyed much of the base. And as it went up in smoke, so did a major logistics hub that the Navy has relied on for decades.
The Navy needed a Plan B to continue feeding the sailors working around the clock to keep warplanes flying strike missions, and later to maintain a blockade of Iran’s ports… The Navy began using Diego Garcia as the main shipping point shortly after the Navy’s base in Bahrain was heavily damaged…
..The NYT piece goes on:
The loss of the hub in Bahrain has contributed to a host of reported problems on carriers supporting operations against Iran, as Democratic senators raise concerns about the Lincoln’s 5,000 sailors and their nearly nine-month deployment.
NYT details how the ailing USS Lincoln will now be replaced by the USS George Washington, hobbling over from INDOPACOM, leaving the 7th Fleet with no forward deployed carriers on the critical ‘Chinese front’…
..The state of the US Navy has shocked observers who were not attuned to such a rapid organizational decline, particularly amidst a major conflict wherein the Navy was meant to play the key sustaining role.
Now WaPo reports that US’s Gulf allies are again reconsidering the deployment of US bases on their territory in frustration for Trump’s erratic and amateurish handling of the Iran conflict. https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/irans-strategy-vindicated-as-ussMeryl Nass MD, Is it time to invoke the 25th amendment (that our President is no longer competent and needs replacing?) before we get into a bigtime nuclear disaster in Iran? This is an extreme measure, for sure, but the times call out for a level-headed leader in the White House. https://merylnass.substack.com/p/is-it-time-to-invoke-the-25th-amendment
Trump: 9 Months At Sea For USS Lincoln ‘Not Nearly Long Enough’ https://xcancel.com/zerohedge/status/2088784086596759672
Trump Doubles Down On Plans To Make Hormuz Strait A US Territory: “A Great Idea” https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-threatens-bomb-st-out-oman-touts-irgc-backchannel
The US path to “victory” is re-definition: “US Can’t Bomb Its Way To Victory”: Scotiabank Maps Bessent’s Coming Economic Hammer On Iran https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-cant-bomb-its-way-victory-scotiabank-maps-bessents-coming-economic-hammer-iran
Iran’s Army Chief Offers $30K Reward For Kill Or Capture Of American Troops https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/irans-army-chief-offers-30k-reward-kill-or-capture-american-troops
Trump Hails Mecca Defense Pact As ‘Big, Bold, Important First Step’
Since the signing of a defense pact earlier this month by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan – which is being touted as having NATO level protections akin to an Article 5 style ‘attack on one is an attack on all’ – there’s been much speculation on whether Washington would embrace or reject it.
After all, it seems to put greater distance between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and thus lessens the potential for Riyadh ever agreeing to join the US-backed Abraham accords, especially given that Turkey is an avowed enemy and regional rival of Israel. But the United States broke its silence on the pact this weekend, as President Trump on Sunday hailed it as a good and promising development.
“Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It shows how the Middle East is coming together and how countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way,” he added, further hailing the agreement a “BIG, BOLD, IMPORTANT FIRST STEP.”
Israeli media has meanwhile been pointing out that the pact is widely seen as a sign of waning US influence in the region, and that its members states see it fundamentally as a rejection of Israeli regional hegemony. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-hails-mecca-defense-pact-big-bold-important-first-stepUS Issues Rare Condemnation Of Israeli Strikes On Syrian Airbase: ‘Unnecessary Escalation’ https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-issues-rare-condemnation-israeli-strikes-syrian-airbase-unnecessary-escalation
Making a virtue of necessity as the USS Washington heads to Hormuz to replace the Lincoln? Trump Says US To ‘Substantially Reduce’ Military Drills With S.Korea, Cites ‘Very Good Relationship’ With Kim
“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea,” Trump stated…
..He invoked Seoul’s stance on the US-Israel war on Iran, which marked a huge disappointment for the White House.
“I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!'” he said.
Still, Trump lamented that it is actually too late to cancel the drills, and so ordered War Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” them. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-says-us-substantially-reduce-military-drills-south-korea-cites-very-goodJuval Aviv is a former Mossad agent and assassin. Juval was the leader of a team that
hunted down the Black September terrorists who murdered 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. His story became the basis for the book ‘Vengeance’ and the Steven Spielberg film ‘Munich’. Juval was also hired by Ghislaine Maxwell to investigate the death of her father Robert Maxwell. Juval and Danny discuss Jeffrey Epstein, Trump, Netanyahu, the Iran War & much more. Juval’s new memoir “Exposed” is coming soon.“United States Will Fall” Mossad’s Most Dangerous Assassin Tells All | Juval Aviv
Moon of Alabama, WSJ Unveils Iran ‘Secret’ – Trump Talks With NoKo? – Threat To Oman
This item on Korea smells fishy:
Trump orders military to ‘substantially reduce’ joint exercises with South Korea – NBC News
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he has directed the Defense Department to scale down joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the U.S. ally’s refusal to join the war in Iran and his “very good” relationship with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
Trump said the large, annual military drills sent a “signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, a nuclear-armed state with which the U.S. has no formal diplomatic ties but which Trump says has been “unthreatening and respectful” as long as he has been president.
The reason Trump is giving for reducing the military maneuvers with South Korea is not serious. No country but Israel has seriously joined the U.S. in its War on Iran.
There is something else going on.
A reduction or end to U.S. maneuvers with South Korea has often been a pre-condition by North Korea for entering into talks.
Trump’s statement is therefore likely an opener for negotiations over some kind of peace agreement with North Korea.
Trump may hope for a fast ‘victory’ as peace-makers before the midterm elections. Unfortunately he and his stooges are incapable of doing the methodical work necessary, and of offering the serious concessions needed, to get any results. https://www.moonofalabama.org/2026/08/wsj-unveils-iran-secret-trump-talks-with-noko-threat-to-oman.html Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-08-18
The US-Iran memorandum expired yesterday and Tehran answered by declaring a “fully offensive” posture, then striking a merchant vessel inside the US-escorted southern Hormuz corridor overnight – casualties, engine-room fire, and Trump still saying he has “total control” of the strait.
Meanwhile the diesel crack broke $100 for the first time on record and the global long end kept snapping: US 30Y ~5.31%, JGB 10Y at 2.95%, France at 2009 highs.
Copper’s LME backwardation hit its widest since the 2021 squeeze, and Nvidia put a reported $105bn guarantee behind an 8GW OpenAI campus in Ohio. https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-08-18Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-08-17
The 60-day US-Iran memorandum lapsed over the weekend and nothing replaced it – Iran’s leadership responded by ordering the IRGC into “offensive form,” and Hormuz recorded zero commodity crossings on Sunday. Second delta: Trump cut US-South Korea exercises after Seoul refused to join the Iran war, leaving Asia with no US carrier, while Japan’s 10-year yield hit 2.91% (a 1996 high) and copper printed a record close with the widest LME backwardation since 2021…
..Iran: the MoU lapses into an IRGC-led offensive posture, with nuclear chatter on the fringe – WSJ reporting says Tehran’s hardliners read the pact as a stalling device and spent the two months preparing for a bigger fight: IRGC given more control over the regular army, Iran-Iraq war veterans into key posts, counterintelligence expanded, missile and drone production ramped (HFI_Research).
Army Commander Maj. Gen. Hatami: the Strait will “never return to its previous state,” control is now a condition for ending the war and won’t be surrendered diplomatically (HormuzReport).
Iran’s army chief reportedly set a $30,000 bounty on US forces, per Fars (zerohedge).
Counter-current: Trump’s advisers presented sanctions-damage data and convinced him to prefer intensified economic pressure over further military action, per WSJ reporting (Megatron_ron). Scotiabank is already mapping the Bessent economic hammer (zerohedge), and “unprecedented economic isolation” is the framing being briefed out (BrettErickson28).
Axios-sourced claim of secret Trump-Iran negotiations routed through Iraq, dropped ten minutes before the open (Nostra, House of Gold). Treat the timing as the tell.
Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene claims nuclear weapons against Iran are being discussed in strategy meetings – “I’m not speculating, I know” (FmrRepMTG), echoed onward (Megatron_ron). A nuclear bunker-buster is described as one of Trump’s last remaining cards, disputed in-thread on grounds that no US weapon has meaningful earth penetration (Pataramesh). Single-origin claim – LOW, but it’s the reason Iran’s hardened-tunnel doctrine keeps coming up.
The White House confirmed Trump’s threat to declare Hormuz “a US territory” was a joke (Amb_Ulyanov)…
..Hormuz and oil: the fight moves from closing the strait to invoicing it – while diesel does the pricing – Iran is asking 5% of cargo value per transit (≈$8.85m on one supertanker at Friday’s Brent settle), and the Lloyd’s Market Association’s LMA5708 clause published 23 July lets hull underwriters terminate cover the moment a transit payment is made. OFAC designated Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority on 27 May and prohibits US persons from even receiving safe-passage guarantees. Iran wants 5-7%, Oman has floated 3%, Washington wants zero…
..Anti-ship missile launches toward the waterway were reported minutes after USAF tankers and fighters cleared the area, following near-continuous tanker and AWACS activity (MenchOsint). By Monday morning, public data still couldn’t confirm a single successful transit through the US corridor…
..The battlefield extended to the Red Sea: Ansarallah fired two ballistic missiles at the Bab el Mandeb area, with unconfirmed reports of tankers targeted, which would explain the sudden crude climb (MenchOsint).
Diesel is where the stress shows. Diesel future options implied vol spiked above 100 again – checked, not a glitch – the second time recently traders have covered for a distillate spike while crude stays suppressed (JustDario). Either the suppression extends to diesel or the market stops trusting the crude print entirely (JustDario)…
..US force posture: morale graffiti, a broken carrier, and Gulf hosts reconsidering the lease – Photographs from the Persian Gulf show messages scrawled in the dust of an aircraft flap – “Operation Epstein Fury,” “Peace deal #64 incoming” – with a serviceman’s assessment that “this operation has no morale behind it… deployed to undesirable locations INDEFINITELY” (tparsi).
Families of US sailors publicly accused Trump and Hegseth of dismissing shipboard conditions and calling their relatives liars, per The Guardian (HormuzReport). The USS Abraham Lincoln’s sewage system reportedly failed, flooding sailors’ living quarters (Megatron_ron).
Blockade arithmetic: the carrier postured toward China has to relieve one of the two enforcing the blockade, because of morale and supply problems from a record-length deployment (Pataramesh). Only three US carriers are described as active, the rest in dock (AlternatNews).
Gulf states have reportedly lost trust in the administration’s Iran strategy and some are considering cancelling major US bases, per WaPo (BRICSinfo)…
..Lebanon and Gaza: deadliest strikes since the ceasefire, and eight foreign ministers put the blame in writing – Israel is threatening a return to war in Lebanon after unleashing the deadliest airstrikes since the ceasefire (zerohedge). The regional read is that Lebanon has no path that doesn’t run through either an Iran-initiated wider war or a US-imposed Israeli withdrawal after Netanyahu falls (ejmalrai).
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey, Qatar and the UAE issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s declared rejection of the Gaza road map endorsed by UNSC Resolution 2803 and of Palestinian statehood, stating Israel “now bears responsibility for obstructing” peace efforts (KSAmofaEN). Eight signatories including three US treaty-adjacent partners is the datapoint.
Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal over violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank (Pontifex). The framing that keeps landing: Israel thinks it has a PR problem (tparsi).
Attrition inside the force: two reported Israeli soldier suicides after Gaza service, one last Thursday and one the previous week (MenchOsint).
Separately, Trump celebrated a Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan (EricLDaugh) – an alignment worth watching precisely because it doesn’t include Washington…
..Japan: 10Y at 2.91% (highest since 1996), a growth miss, and a FIMA workaround for $1.4T of Treasuries – Japan’s 10-year yield rose to 2.91%, the highest since 1996 (zerohedge); the 2-year jumped to 1.69%, a 31-year high (Barchart). GDP grew at half the expected pace (Barchart).
The plumbing story: Bessent reportedly pressing the Fed to expand the FIMA repo facility so Tokyo can pledge Treasuries for dollars and defend the yen without liquidating its $1.4 trillion position (leshka_eth). Corroborating detail from a different angle – the Fed’s T-bill holdings at $500bn from $200bn in 2025, and Treasury selling euros to prop the yen (GarrettGoggin).
The rate-hikes-strengthen-the-yen thesis is being challenged directly on the charts (JustDario). Framing that keeps recurring: both Japan and the US are in debt doom loops, and the only question is who face-plants first (DonDurrett).
US side of the same ledger: $25bn of 30Y at 5.216% (highest auction yield since 2001), $42bn of 10Y at 4.683% (highest since 2007), and a July deficit up $141bn YoY to a record $432 billion (KobeissiLetter) – that deficit being a +48% YoY surge (Hedgeye).
Interest costs are tracking toward $1.7 trillion annually at stable rates, which would surpass Social Security as the largest single federal expenditure (Barchart); $638bn was issued in one week, all of it rolling within a year (DonDurrett)…
..Russia broke the Cuban oil blockade – a Russian tanker with 100,000 tonnes of crude arrived in Cuba (thesiriusreport). LOW, single source, but a direct sanctions-enforcement test. https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-08-17So not-a-joke today? Trump Drops Map Of Hormuz As “New US Territory” Amid No Talks, Declares Strait “Open & Operating”; UAE Under Missile Alert https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-posts-map-showing-hormuz-new-us-territory-just-after-latest-tanker-attack
The conclusion preceded the visit, perhaps? Top Admiral Visits USS Lincoln, Suggests Reports Of Dire Conditions Are Greatly Exaggerated https://www.zerohedge.com/military/top-admiral-visits-uss-lincoln-suggests-reports-dire-conditions-are-greatly-exaggerated
US Navy Destroyer Suffered 4-Day Power Outage In Sweltering South China Sea https://www.zerohedge.com/military/us-navy-destroyer-suffered-4-day-power-outage-sweltering-south-china-sea
US Lost 25% Of Its Reaper Drones In Iran War, Officials Estimate https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-lost-25-its-reaper-drones-iran-war-officials-estimate
‘Do What Israel Tells You!’ – Graffiti On USAF Jet Suggests Troops Think War Isn’t For America https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/do-what-israel-tells-you-graffiti-usaf-jet-suggests-troops-think-war-isnt-america
The new leaner, younger, more handsome Ben Gvir again, I see: ‘They’re Not Even People’: Ben Gvir Says Israel Should Kill 30-40 Palestinians in Gaza Every Night – The Israeli minister also said he believes ‘all of Gaza’ belongs to Israel https://news.antiwar.com/2026/08/16/theyre-not-even-people-ben-gvir-says-israel-should-kill-30-40-palestinians-in-gaza-every-night/
Report: Kushner-Netanyahu Meeting Ends With Agreement That Israel Will Keep Bombing Gaza https://news.antiwar.com/2026/08/17/report-kushner-netanyahu-meeting-ends-with-agreement-that-israel-will-keep-bombing-gaza/
A bullet in the back: Palestinian nurse faces permanent paralysis https://israelpalestinenews.org/a-bullet-in-the-back-palestinian-nurse-faces-permanent-paralysis/
Israeli forces prevent UNICEF water tanker from reaching besieged homes in Qusra https://english-wafa-ps.translate.goog/Pages/Details/173670?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
UN: Nearly 3,000 settler attacks recorded in West Bank since start of 2025 https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/08/17/368473/
US lawmaker urges action against West Bank occupier violence
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urges Trump administration to ‘compel the Israeli government to protect the lives, property and livelihood of innocent Palestinian civilians’ https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-lawmaker-urges-action-against-west-bank-occupier-violence/4030049Thin cloth tents: Gaza: Over two million displaced people face disaster as winter approaches https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/08/17/368479/
Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 11 in Deadliest Lebanon Attack Since June – Israel presents attacks as targeting ‘terrorist infrastructure,’ but hit home full of civilians https://news.antiwar.com/2026/08/15/israeli-strikes-kill-at-least-11-in-deadliest-lebanon-attack-since-june/
Israeli Flags on Lebanon Road Violate UN Resolution, UNIFIL Says https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5308090-israeli-flags-lebanon-road-violate-un-resolution-unifil-says
ISRAELI MEDIA: What Israel Began in Gaza Is Spreading to Palestinians Everywhere https://israelpalestinenews.org/israeli-media-what-israel-began-in-gaza-is-spreading-to-palestinians-everywhere/
Celia Farber, Alex Jones Blasts Tim Pool And Other Influencers For Secret Meetings With Netanyahu; Israel Spent $1.3 Billion Last 18 Months Alone On US Social Media, Says Jones
Receiving Money From Any Entity You Cover Is A Hanging Crime In Journalism. Always Was. Banishment, And The Resignation of All Your Bosses, If You Did This. How Is This Reality? https://celiafarber.substack.com/p/alex-jones-blasts-tim-pool-and-otherJudge Throws Out “Political Prosecution” of Pro-Palestinian University of Michigan Student
The student, Hiab Teshome, is also a graduate student union leader in tense contract negotiations with the school. https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/university-michigan-eli-savit-student-pro-palestine-felony-charges-thrown-outMeryl Nass MD, It was only a matter of time, and the middle east kerfuffle speeded it up: China takes the polar route to Europe
Russia has been expanding its ice cutter fleet. And now Scott Ritter tells us that China will be running weekly container ships through the Arctic to Europe. https://merylnass.substack.com/p/it-was-only-a-matter-of-time-andIt’s an age of economic and population decline that we are entering: Beyond the Age of Growth – An Interview to Ugo Bardi https://senecaeffect.substack.com/p/beyond-the-age-of-growth
The Honest Sorcerer notes that China has about 30 years of coal at the current burn rate: Coal: The Next Chokepoint – How ‘peak coal’ could become China’s Achilles’ heel https://thehonestsorcerer.substack.com/p/coal-the-next-chokepoint
When will the bubble pop? WSJ Catches Up, Discovers AI’s Off-Balance Sheet Liabilities Are $3 Trillion And Growing $1.2 Trillion Per Quarter https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/wsj-catches-discovers-ais-balance-sheet-liabilities-are-3-trillion-and-growing-12-trillion
Second Ceuta Border Invasion Attempt Underway As Military-Aged Migrants Mass Near Spanish Enclave https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/spains-vox-party-demands-morocco-pay-migration-crisis-ceuta-faces-public-health
Women Flee Ceuta After 15 Rapes Recorded Since Migrant Invasion https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/women-flee-ceuta-after-15-rapes-recorded-migrant-invasion
GB News Host Forced From Home By Migrant Gang Death Threats
GB News presenter Patrick Christys was ordered by police to abandon his home in the middle of the night after a credible death threat from the Channel people-smuggling gangs he continues to expose in Calais. The threat-to-life notice from the Metropolitan Police left Christys and his heavily pregnant wife, fellow GB News presenter Emily Carver, packing bags and fleeing to a safe house. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/gb-news-host-forced-home-migrant-gang-death-threats Blasphemy Law Is Back: Retired British Police Officer Fined For Islam Joke
A retired British police officer has been handed a criminal conviction and more than £1,000 in fines for resharing a satirical Facebook meme poking fun at Islam...
..The case has sparked fresh warnings that blasphemy laws, abolished in England in 2008, are being revived by the back door – but only for one religion…
..The second image showed a man in a turban next to a rasher of bacon with the caption: “Fun facts about Bacon! People who eat bacon have a lower chance of marrying a 9-year-old!” That post led to the conviction. The judge decided it was about religion rather than politics and was therefore “grossly offensive.” https://www.zerohedge.com/political/blasphemy-law-back-retired-british-police-officer-fined-islam-jokeTrump’s DOJ Will Reportedly Support End Of National Firearms Act After 92 Years https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trumps-doj-will-reportedly-support-end-national-firearms-act-after-92-years
‘No Guardrails’: Youth Sports Leagues Mandating Digital IDs, Selling Kids’ Biometrics for Profit
National and local youth sports leagues are harvesting children’s biometric data for profit while telling parents it’s a requirement for their child to play, according to Michelle and Doug Bottoms. Attorney Greg Glaser said the practice violates the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/no-guardrails-youth-sports-leagues-mandate-digital-id-sell-kids-biometrics-profit/ Meta Faces Unprecedented Legal Reckoning Over Youth Mental Health As Massive Multistate Trial Begins
Just weeks after suffering a massive legal defeat in New Mexico, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram is now defending itself in a California federal court against a bipartisan coalition of 29 states. The states say Meta deliberately designed its platforms to addict children and harvested their data in violation of federal law. https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/meta-faces-unprecedented-legal-reckoning-over-youth-mental-health-massive-multistate Trump’s Executive Order Gives Revived Task Force 90 Days to Produce Vaccine Safety Report
An executive order signed Monday gives the HHS Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines 90 days to produce a report that could shape the nation’s childhood vaccination policy. After decades of ignoring a legal requirement that the task force evaluate and report on vaccine safety, HHS reestablished the task force just months after attorney Ray Flores, with funding from Children’s Health Defense, sued the agency. https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/trump-executive-order-task-force-on-safer-childhood-vaccines-90-days-produce-safety-report/ Fauci would kill himself in his car if he started to talk. Fauci In Hiding As ABC Censorship Bombshell Explodes
Dr. Anthony Fauci just refused a private transcribed interview with Sen. Ron Johnson’s subcommittee. The same week, a former ABC News correspondent revealed that the network gutted a 2021 Wuhan lab leak investigation after the script was sent to Fauci for review. https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/fauci-hiding-abc-censorship-bombshell-explodes Meryl Nass MD, Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock (who killed HCQ) asked Fauci and Francis Collins to help study reported vaccine injuries in May 2021 – Senators Rand Paul and Ron Johnson released another tranche of Fauci documents over the weekend. https://merylnass.substack.com/p/acting-fda-commissioner-janet-woodcock
Celia Farber is dubious, but there are a lot of facts to legally discover: I’ve Changed My Mind: The Fauci Hearings Were Just Political Fish-In-Barrel Shooting: Beware Of Half-Heroes
Did You Know The Zelenko Protocol Was Invented By Ralph Baric To Protect THEM In The Event Their Bio- Weapon Sickened Them? What Did David Martin Hand-Deliver To Paul and Johnson, And When? https://celiafarber.substack.com/p/ive-changed-my-mind-the-fauci-hearings
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