History, Religion, Politics, Culture, and Travels in the Islamic World
Signals from Tehran indicate either that a shift in its nuclear weapons policy has taken place, or policy review is ongoing within power circles. A Senior IRGC commander, Ahmad Haghtalab, said: Israel’s provocations may lead Tehran ‘to revise and deviate from the previously declared nuclear policies and considerations.’ My view is that Iran has already ‘crossed the Rubicon.’
Former U.S. Ambassador Chas Freeman explains why Iran’s precision strike on Israel was a huge success. Subtitled video and transcript below.
My article, ‘Israeli Air Defenses are not Untouchable,’ on how IRGC developed an impressive arsenal of drones and ballistic missiles over twenty years, was published at the Cradle (link in post). An ‘expert’ on IRGC, Mr. Kasra Aarabi, wrote, ‘IRGC neither has the doctrine nor the capabilities for direct war with Israel…’ Oops. This is an example of the ongoing ‘competency crisis,’ where credentialed ex-military officers and ‘experts’ at think-tanks supply US/UK governments with analyses that lead to cockeyed policies. GIGO: ‘Garbage-In, Garbage-Out.’
My thesis on IRGC strategy vis-à-vis Israel, ‘How do Iranians ‘Boil a Frog’? Slowly and methodically,’ published at the Cradle was mentioned (with indignation!) by Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. during the 15 April 2024 U.N. Security Council meeting on Iran’s strike on Israel. Video below.
David Cameron condemns Iran but says if a British diplomatic facility, had been bombed, Britain would, ‘Well, we would take the very strong action.’ But Vladimir Putin praised Iran for taking action to ‘punish the aggressor.’ One does not need a PhD in international relations to see why the Global South is fleeing the ’collective west,' and why Iran and Russia are stronger together.
Reproduced below with an update to my tweet (X: @S_Mahendrarajah) from 12 April 2024 on how IRGC is generating ‘chatter’ to deceive the enemy’s (U.S. and Israel) electronic and human intelligence systems during IRGC’s preparations for the 14 April attack on Israel.
Ansarallah’s spokesman Brig.-Gen. Yahya Sariʾi announces new phase of operations against US and UK naval coalition that included a swarm attack of 37 drones at naval vessels; and several anti-ship ballistic missiles at an American merchant vessel.
Argentina’s sinking of HMS Sheffield in 1982 offers a lesson on how Ansarallah can defeat British aggression against the Yemeni people. Sheffield’s demise sent shockwaves through Britain. But Britain had a path to victory in the Falklands that it does not have in the Red Sea. If Ansarallah sinks a Royal Navy ship, which they can, it will likely end the British mission. It almost certainly will end Rishi Sunak’s premiership.
Houthis sank one British ship; struck two American ships; shot down a US drone. Danger of deadly strikes on US Navy and Royal Navy ships has increased, especially since Ansarallah has apparently received advanced missiles from Iran
Putin’s interview served to convey Russia’s message past gate-keeper media to millions of viewers in the Global South: Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It is less important to the Kremlin what Westerners and ‘Westoxified’ non-whites think of why Russia was compelled to wage war in Ukraine. What matters is shaping the views of people of color; how they perceive Russian policies, and understand why Russia was compelled by NATO to wage war in Ukraine.
Perspectives 
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