There may be little point to these comments, because the people who need to hear them most are incapable of empathy.
Our bombing of Iran was a surprise attack, and the initial missiles flung at them by Israel was done under cover of negotiations between US diplomats and Iran. It was about as underhanded as you can get. But Trump was oblivious to the dishonor when he posted a comment on Truth Social, that is parodied here.
@RealHirohito We have completed our very successful attack on Hawaii. All planes are now outside of America air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Pearl Harbor. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great Japanese Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter
I deplore the Iranian theocracy, but you have to consider the people living under it.
I was born in an Iranian prison. My parents were held in their jails. My uncles lie in their mass graves.
Nothing you can tell me about the crimes of the Iranian regime that I haven’t lived in blood and bone.
That doesn’t mean I want my people bombed, maimed, killed, their homes in ruins.
If your vision of liberation comes only through the ‘l destruction of innocent Ylives, then it’s not freedom you’re after.]
Sahar Delijani,
Please, world, I would welcome the dissolution of the Trump/Republican regime that is wrecking our country, but don’t bomb me and claim you’re helping us.
Yeah, and we have Vance saying we aren’t really at war. But suppose Iran had bombed the air defense mountain at Colorado Springs, and then said, “OK, time for peace”? They have no ability to put themselves in the shoes of others.
That tweet is gonna fly over so many people’s heads…
Yeah, and we have Vance saying we aren’t really at war.
He said we’re not at war with Iran, only with their nuclear weapons program. And maybe the occasional hospital or apartment building…
I vaguely remember that as some kind of principal tenet in a major religion. Empathy, compassion, do unto others… are those the right words? Oh, whatever, such oldfashioned concepts in this “move fast, break things” world.
Even if a hypothetical something convinced me military action against the Iranian government was needed, I don’t think the current US administration is remotely competent to perform such actions in our sorry state. I don’t think I’d trust a “normal” US administration to do properly, either.
ahcuah,
Did Vance say that before after US bases were targeted in Qatar and Iraq?
I hope your son is safe PZ.
We aren’t going to be liberating the Iranians by bombing them.
It didn’t work in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, or Syria.
When I hear the current idiots running the USA talk about “regime change” in Iran, all that shows is how very stupid and ignorant they are.
Also, I would like to remind you that the Democratic leadership are mostly OK with bombing Iran. Which you absolutely need to remember when the season of primaries comes up. Mano Singham’s blog pointed out that the war party rules, regardless of which party has a majority.
“Also, I would like to remind you that the Democratic leadership are mostly OK with bombing Iran.”
Really? I don’t think so. Got any numbers for that assertion?
Does ‘mostly’ mean a supposed majority, or a mere plurality?
How about at the top levels?
Hang on…
BB sez: The claim that “the Democratic leadership are mostly OK with bombing Iran” is an oversimplification and not strongly supported by current evidence.
Recent reporting following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites under President Trump shows that Democratic leadership is divided, with no unified endorsement of the action:
Progressive Democrats (e.g. Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) have explicitly condemned the strikes, citing constitutional violations and risks of escalation.
Party leadership figures like Chuck Schumer and Tim Kaine have criticized the lack of congressional authorization, but stopped short of endorsing or outright opposing the strikes.
A few Democrats, such as John Fetterman and Steny Hoyer, have expressed support for the strikes as a means of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
In short, while some Democratic figures have supported the strikes, the overall leadership stance is cautious, fragmented, and far from uniformly “OK” with bombing Iran. The party appears to be navigating a politically fraught middle ground between national security concerns and anti-war sentiment among its base.
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That seems more like what I’m noticing.
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“Mano Singham’s blog pointed out that the war party rules, regardless of which party has a majority.”
Yeah, world-class expertise right there! Such punditry!
John, are you aware that’s the second time (at least) you have conflated Birger with Bekenstein Bound? ie BB
I know you are rude and lack social awareness, but at least get people’s names straight.
BB is the bubblebot, Tethys.
@4 That Jebus is weak. We have strong Jebus, a Jebus who likes to guns babies.
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.”
Jack Handey
Jocularity aside, it’s pretty damn serious for people such as Sahar Delijani.
Very real, very painful.
PZ amplifies her voice; kudos for that.
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Still, phillipbrown, ta. Very droll, I’d not been aware of it until now. Subversion, I appreciate.
Just heard on the radio that apparently there’s a ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war – although on checking :
Source : https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-24/iran-israel-war-live-updates-june-24/105451612
StevoR, just now I put your claim to the BubblyBot:
Me: I am told “there’s a ceasefire in the Iran-Israel war”
verify and critique, use bing
BB: Here’s what the sources say:
US President Donald Trump on 24 June announced via Truth Social that “Israel and Iran have agreed to a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE” to begin in stages over the next 24 hours and end what he called “the 12 Day War”.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman immediately denied any ceasefire deal, calling Trump’s claim “deception” and insisting Iran had received no proposal to stop its operations.
Israel has made no public confirmation either; alarms and evacuations were still sounded in both Tehran and near Tel Aviv in the hours following the announcement.
Independent reporting (e.g. Al Jazeera, Sky News) notes that while Trump framed it as a final end, fighting continued overnight with both sides trading strikes, and diplomats in Doha and Washington working to clarify terms.
Critique:
– The ceasefire claim rests solely on Trump’s unverified social-media post.
– Both Iran and Israel have denied or not confirmed it, and hostilities have persisted.
– Without independent third-party validation (e.g. ICRC, UN), we should treat the “ceasefire” as aspirational, not factual.
[OT & meta]
Re: “US President Donald Trump doesn’t appear phased by Iran denying a ceasefire deal being struck.”
I notice these things; correct term is ‘fazed’, so it tells me about the literacy level if nothing else.
@17. John Morales : I know hence the caveat “..although on checking” then the quote.
Yet you felt compelled to share it, almost as though you gave it cred, StevoR.
(Remember how you were so sure Russia was in a civil war?)
Hey BB, whaddayareckon?
“Breathlessly repeating breaking bunk, blindly boosting baseless bluster, bafflingly backing bombast by boastful buffoon”
You know I could understand the kneejerk Iran hatred back in…checks notes…1979-83ish at least in the US. Remember the Regents/Beach Boys spoof of Barbara Ann? I got over it.
I wonder what the Shahs of Sunset would think. Oh well they were canceled.
I wonder how varied the views of the Iranian diaspora might be toward the ruling regime versus say…the Cuban diaspora toward Cuba’s gov’t. Surprised Rubio hasn’t convinced Trump to regime change them yet.
Has Reza Aslan expressed an opinion?
Yeah our bombs may have been just what the regime needed. I’m wondering if he was hinting at some anti-regime animosity in Tehrangeles. Of course such animosity is understandable, given what some of these people had gone through before coming to the US.
Reza is red meat for New Atheists. Heh, heh!
@20. John Morales : “Yet you felt compelled to share it, almost as though you gave it cred, StevoR.”
The Aussie ABC article I shared in #16 came from a credible source – my main go to for news actually. Also a source that was being updated as a murky situation became clearer and one I thought folks here would hopefully find useful / intresting.
FWIW, actual in their shoes stuff:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-25/iranian-australians-in-fear-amid-shaky-ceasefire-with-israel/105432102
Following from Reza’s wisdom above on what effects US bombing may have on the Iranian people and a potential surge in their sense of patriotism, I have to leave this priceless bit of less than two neurons to rub together dung droppings by Coyne (today’s Hili):
Yeah…instant revolt, just add bombings.