History, Religion, Politics, Culture, and Travels in the Islamic World
Netflix’s recent documentary, “American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden,” features CIA and National Security players from that era who inadvertently expose CIA’s institutional incompetence. As one Congressman said “the truth is we have an intelligence network that is so dumb they could throw themselves at the ground and miss.” Clips and comments in the post.
DB/ANABASIS, a blueprint drawn by Luis Rueda and John Maguire of CIA’s “Iraq Operations Group” in 2002 to break Iraq before the full-scale U.S.-led invasion, has been revived against Iran, with sabotage, assassinations, and psychological warfare being conducted inside Iran by CIA and Mossad assets. Article published at external news site. Follow link to read the article.
New York Times: “Why Trump Suddenly Declared Victory Over the Houthi Militia,” examines Operation Rough Rider— the failed air campaign—against Yemen. Key takeaways vis-à-vis US-Israel air campaign against Iran. Gist: Iran holds the “trump” cards.
Twitterati have opined on the absence of prominent Iranian dignitaries from 80th anniversary commemorations in Moscow for the Great Patriotic War. However, the WWII era is not occasion for celebration in Iran, especially with respect to Britain and Russia. Millions of Iranians were killed during the Anglo-Soviet Occupation, 1941–46.
U.S.-Iran talks in Muscat and Rome have faltered due to shifting American demands, and Israeli machinations to derail an agreement. What are Iran’s choices? A decisive Iranian victory in a war with U.S. and Israel may be Tehran’s only path to permanent peace.
Trump’s “minerals deal” is a “nothingburger.” The bulk of Ukraine’s natural resources (oil, gas, diverse metals, etc.) are, or will be, under Russian control. There is nothing the USA, UK, and EU can do to change reality on the battlefield. The minerals in “rump Ukraine” can be exploited after the war, but the deposits are assuredly less valuable than the natural resources of “former Ukraine” that Russia will acquire.
Russia’s non-delivery to Iran of twenty-five Su–35 multirole fighters may be indicative of Russia’s reluctance to overtly arm Iran at a moment when Iran is threatened by Israel and U.S., thereby antagonizing Israel’s primary protector just when U.S.-Russia negotiations could yield diplomatic and economic benefits to Russia.
A primer on why Iran insisted on Oman as venue for talks. U.S. sought UAE—its vassal state—as venue for the Araghchi-Witkoff indirect meetings, but Iran held firm.
The death on 4 March 2025 of Oleg Gordievsky, British intelligence’s mole in the KGB, prompts me to write about his escape from the Soviet Union in July 1985, which had the hallmarks of a Hollywood thriller.
Happy New Year (نوروز پیروز)
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