Thoughts on the Trump presidency

[Cowley]

He has the death of thousands of his own people on his hands, for the shocking crime of protesting...

Yeah he does.

What is there to condone here?

The absolute lack of any kind of plan.

I may be proved wrong and people far cleverer than me might well have been working through the night on what will come next after the current regime collapses in on itself, but I’m going to take a wild punt and say that there’s no plan in place whatsoever for what comes next.

I’d love to be proved wrong, dearly I would. But I find this administration so incompetent and nefarious that I’ve run out of any optimism that I previously might have clung onto.

 

[Russel]

Yeah he does.


The absolute lack of any kind of plan.

I may be proved wrong and people far cleverer than me might well have been working through the night on what will come next after the current regime collapses in on itself, but I’m going to take a wild punt and say that there’s no plan in place whatsoever for what comes next.

I’d love to be proved wrong, dearly I would. But I find this administration so incompetent and nefarious that I’ve run out of any optimism that I previously might have clung onto.

Agreed, I can see this leading to quite the power vacuum.

 

[Pegpilot]

Any chance Gianni Infantino might ask DJT to hand back that FIFA Peace Prize ? Answers on a postcard....

 

[brad465]

So serious the Northern travel advice Twitter account has got involved:

https://x.com/northernassist/status/2027812203009835469

Due to disruption to flights to/from the Middle East, all customers travelling to Manchester Airport for flights to countries in the Middle East including The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Iran are advised not to travel. Ticket restrictions have been removed on Northern and TransPennine Express services for customers who have made rail journeys to Manchester Airport, or customers returning on earlier than scheduled flights from the region. This is from 28 February until Monday 2 March. All customers who have proof of affected travel to/from the Middle East will be able to travel on all Northern and TransPennine Express services regardless of whether they have a ticket booked. Our colleagues will provide the assistance you need to reach your destination.

 

[thenorthern]

Yeah he does.


The absolute lack of any kind of plan.

I may be proved wrong and people far cleverer than me might well have been working through the night on what will come next after the current regime collapses in on itself, but I’m going to take a wild punt and say that there’s no plan in place whatsoever for what comes next.

I’d love to be proved wrong, dearly I would. But I find this administration so incompetent and nefarious that I’ve run out of any optimism that I previously might have clung onto.

I worry that you are right about no plan. There is talk of the pretender to Shah of Iran returning however given his father was removed during a popular uprising in 1979 that would be an idiotic choice as the now former Iranian royal family are not very popular. If they were popular then they would never have been removed in the first place. Also having someone who has lived outside of the country for 46 years isn't going to be best placed to run the country.

Aside from the legalities of it the removal of Maduro worked relatively well. The operation was over in a matter of hours and since then Venezuela has been (relatively) stable for a country that has had a leader removed through violence. I doubt it will be the same in Iran.

Any chance Gianni Infantino might ask DJT to hand back that FIFA Peace Prize ? Answers on a postcard....

I don't think there is a mechanism for it to be revoked. I know the Nobel Peace Prize can't be revoked as there have been several winners who in hindsight probably should not have won it but the award is final.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Agreed, I can see this leading to quite the power vacuum.

Possibly but we know the Iranians were out in force a few weeks and pretty determined even when being mascaraed. That takes some organising and I would even the US has given them the nod to get in and take advantage of the situation. The main issue will be Trump determines when not those on the ground in Iran so im sure there will be a volatile period ahead but unlike Iraq Iran has had a different period pre the revolution to call upon.

 

[GusB]

He has the death of thousands of his own people on his hands, for the shocking crime of protesting...

What is there to condone here?

I don't think that anyone here is condoning the actions of the Iranian regime, but I'm rather uncomfortable with the way this is being done.

The absolute lack of any kind of plan.

I may be proved wrong and people far cleverer than me might well have been working through the night on what will come next after the current regime collapses in on itself, but I’m going to take a wild punt and say that there’s no plan in place whatsoever for what comes next.

I’d love to be proved wrong, dearly I would. But I find this administration so incompetent and nefarious that I’ve run out of any optimism that I previously might have clung onto.

I don't believe there's a plan, either. Let's face it, the US administration doesn't really give a stuff about the plight of the Iranians, despite all the hollow promises about help being on the way. We saw it with Venezuela; Maduro may be gone, but the regime is still very much in place, albeit a little more compliant than it was before.

I'm struggling to see what the point of this action actually is. If it's about removing Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons then this is an admission that they didn't do the job properly the first time around. If the aim was to kill the Ayatollah, there will be a succession plan and a new one will emerge.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Mar 2026 ==

Now confirmed by Iranian media:

Iran state media confirms killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following US-Israeli missile strikes

Confirmation of supreme leader’s killing follows announcement by Donald Trump that ‘one of the most evil people in history, is dead’

www.theguardian.com

Iran state media confirms killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following US-Israeli missile strikes​

https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com

Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei has been killed, Iranian state media confirmed early on Sunday, in the opening salvo of a war aimed at regime change that was launched on Saturday by the US and Israel.
Khamenei had not been heard from since the strikes began, and satellite imagery showed that his secure compound was heavily damaged in the initial barrage on Saturday.

The confirmation came hours after Donald Trump announced the death of the ayatollah, who has ruled Iran as supreme leader since 1989, in a post on Truth Social.

 

[Cdd89]

I'm struggling to see what the point of this action actually is. If it's about removing Iran's ability to build nuclear weapons then this is an admission that they didn't do the job properly the first time around.

I'm not sure this is much of an admission. These operations may need to be repeated sporadically as they attempt to rebuild their capabilities. Despite the local and regional instability it is causing, this may be better than the alternative if we ignore the impacts on the local population.

I understand that morally we should care about the local devastation it is causing, but my first priority is to protect the interests of the West at almost any cost, and the ball is in Iran's court to deescalate. Overall I think I sleep easier knowing their capabilities have been further reduced, even though it obviously brings new risks (terrorism, refugees, wider regional instability, etc).

 

[jon0844]

There is also the issue that the Supreme Leader has a significant religious role within Shia Islam which will be a significant problem in the near future.

He is like the pope while the pope is the Sovereign of the Vatican City he is also obviously the spiritual leader to over a billion Roman Catholics worldwide. While the Supreme Leader was not a spritual leader to anywhere near as many people as the pope he was still the spiritual leader to a significant number of people which will need to be addressed with sensitivity and very quickly.

Makes you wonder why they didn't just arrange for JD Vance to meet with him.

 

[martin butler]

By killing someone who is regarded by Iran's religious fanatics a god, or as near to one, it has made the world a much more dangerous place, these people will be sworn to revenge on those they see as responsible, and more innocent lives will be lost, Just how much of a threat was Iran? could it have been contained by the countries bordering it, and applying pressure, until the regime collapsed from within?

Instead, now we the collective west, now have a problem, every country that has Islamic communities will have people within them who might answer the call to arms, at a time when tensions are already at a heightened state, Terrorist attacks will give the far right the excuse they are looking for, and this will lead to fractures in all societies across europe, and beyond, it won't be a world war, it will be civil wars, across the world.

 

[AlterEgo]

By killing someone who is regarded by Iran's religious fanatics a god, or as near to one, it has made the world a much more dangerous place, these people will be sworn to revenge on those they see as responsible, and more innocent lives will be lost, Just how much of a threat was Iran? could it have been contained by the countries bordering it, and applying pressure, until the regime collapsed from within?

Instead, now we the collective west, now have a problem, every country that has Islamic communities will have people within them who might answer the call to arms, at a time when tensions are already at a heightened state, Terrorist attacks will give the far right the excuse they are looking for, and this will lead to fractures in all societies across europe, and beyond, it won't be a world war, it will be civil wars, across the world.

You may find it helpful to find out what flavour of Islam the Ayotollah represented and what flavour of Islam is overwhelmingly represented in the Western diaspora. And how little thise two flavours care for one another.

In addition, those Iranians who are here are generally people who left when the Shah was deposed or otherwise hate the regime anyway.

 

[Bantamzen]

Iran is the biggest sponsor of terrorism in the world. Those criticising this attack need to have a rethink (putting it mildly)

And now the US has made a martyr out of their leader. Great idea, because I can pretty much guarantee this will heighten the threat further, not decrease it. Plus the chances of a full blown civil war in Iran have grown, which would attract all sorts of maniacs from around the globe to support. If and when the dust settles after that, there will be a whole new generation of trained terrorists ready to cause mayhem. The West / US has a pretty poor track record when it comes to regime change in the Middle East, this one could prove to be the worst.

All this is not to say I supported the status quo, but we really have to stop kidding ourselves that we can just drop in and cause regime change that everyone will just accept.

 

[brad465]

In the short-term, they'll be dancing on the streets of Tehran to "Iranian men, HALLELUJAH! Iranian men, AMEN!"

 

[OuterDistant]

Have we had the obligatory RMT press release yet?

 

[Harpo]

Have we had the obligatory RMT press release yet?

All deliberately planned for RMT press office’s closed hours.

 

[nw1]

He has the death of thousands of his own people on his hands, for the shocking crime of protesting...

What is there to condone here?

Let the Iranians deal with the problem themselves.

It's quite frankly nothing to do with the USA who need to stop meddling in other people's affairs.

This will make us all more vulnerable to terrorism. And why? Because Trump needs a distraction from ICE and Epstein.

The simplistic view of the militarist right is that these dictators are unique, and once you remove them the country's problems all magically go away, and with no risks to the West. Wrong. This is all about Trump saving face back home.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Mar 2026 ==

He has the death of thousands of his own people on his hands, for the shocking crime of protesting...

And of course protest is totally allowed in Trump's USA, without any risk whatsoever of being murdered by government agents. Sorry, just saying because it had to be said.

The USA might not be a full-on dictatorship "yet", but if it doesn't change its path (such as by voting Democrat in the November mid-terms and in 2028), it could be well on the way to becoming one.

 

[jon0844]

If the USA suffers any terrorist attacks it just furthers the cause and proves Trump right. If they want to cancel the mid terms then this needs to escalate, as otherwise in a matter of weeks people will be asking about the Epstein files again.

 

[Gloster]

It is not an area that I have much interest in, but I believe that Iran qualified for this year’s World Cup Finals, which are taking place in the US. How will the US react to the prospect of Iran’s team and supporters wanting entry if it all goes haywire? It is a minor point, but it could be a very public one.

 

[dgl]

If the USA suffers any terrorist attacks it just furthers the cause and proves Trump right. If they want to cancel the mid terms then this needs to escalate, as otherwise in a matter of weeks people will be asking about the Epstein files again.

Quite, a terrorist attack or two would be exactly what Trump wants, he can claim America is under attack and as such it's not safe to vote to no elections, mid terms or otherwise. Plus distracting from the Epstein files helps too.

 

[nw1]

Quite, a terrorist attack or two would be exactly what Trump wants, he can claim America is under attack and as such it's not safe to vote to no elections, mid terms or otherwise. Plus distracting from the Epstein files helps too.

I would hope that this is not the case, as otherwise it would make Trump every bit as bad as Khamenei.

 

[brad465]

Get ready for a spike in oil prices not seen since 1973:

Trump says ‘there will likely be more’ US deaths as Iran strikes to continue until ‘all’ goals achieved

Three American service members have been killed and casualties are reported in the UAE, Israel and Kuwait as Israel and Iran continue to trade strikes.

www.bbc.co.uk

Oil tanker hit in strike off the coast of Oman
​

An oil tanker has been struck off the coast of Oman, injuring four people, state media reports.

The Maritime Security Center in Oman says an oil tanker named Skylight and flagged to the Palau was attacked around five miles from the port of Khasab in the north of the country.

Four of the crew members were injured but were all safely evacuated, the Oman News Agency reports. The crew was made up of 15 Indian citizens and five Iranian citizens, it adds.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also says authorities are investigating suspicious activity north of Oman.

The news agency reports that the commercial port of Duqm was targeted by two drones. One worker was injured when a drone struck a mobile housing unit, while the debris of the second drone landed near fuel storage tanks, a security source told the agency.

 

[nw1]

Get ready for a spike in oil prices not seen since 1973:

Trump says ‘there will likely be more’ US deaths as Iran strikes to continue until ‘all’ goals achieved

Three American service members have been killed and casualties are reported in the UAE, Israel and Kuwait as Israel and Iran continue to trade strikes.

www.bbc.co.uk

If so, to hell with you, Donald.

Same for your "mate" Netanyahu too.

To hell with both these egotists. Why should we sacrifice everything to feed their inflated egos and their lust for power?

 

[Krokodil]

Which investigation was this and when did it end?

The one into Maxwell springs to mind, that took up half of Biden's presidency. There may well have been other investigations ongoing.

Regardless, releasing FBI files for political reasons is highly unusual. Biden had no real reason to do so. But Trump made it a massive part of his campaign and backtracked once it became clear how the Qanon lot had got things back-to-front and that it was him, not "the left" who was heavily implicated.

Your hypothesis that the Epstein saga is hurting the Democrats more than Trump really doesn't hold water. The Democrats certainly never pointed at the Dow as a reason they hadn't released the files. Bondi on the other hand...

 

[thenorthern]

The one into Maxwell springs to mind, that took up half of Biden's presidency. There may well have been other investigations ongoing.

Regardless, releasing FBI files for political reasons is highly unusual. Biden had no real reason to do so. But Trump made it a massive part of his campaign and backtracked once it became clear how the Qanon lot had got things back-to-front and that it was him, not "the left" who was heavily implicated.

Your hypothesis that the Epstein saga is hurting the Democrats more than Trump really doesn't hold water. The Democrats certainly never pointed at the Dow as a reason they hadn't released the files. Bondi on the other hand...

Rather odd that Kamala and Chuck would not make that claim? It would make a lot more sense than their present excuse. If investigations are ongoing then why were both of them publishing for them to be released? After all both are licensed attorneys in good standing with their state bar so know a lot about law.

Chuck Schumer has pointed out several times that he was calling for Trump to release the files in 2019 and 2020. Are you suggesting that Chuck Schumer the leader of the Democrats in the Senate and an attorney with good standing with the New York State bar was attempting to jeopardise ongoing investigations by calling for the files to be released?

At the end of the day don't make excuses for people who aren't even using that excuse themselves.

 

[brad465]

Can't link as I'm on my phone, but former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is reported to have been killed as well. Presumably as revenge from his presidency and to eliminate a potential successor.

 

[thenorthern]

Can't link as I'm on my phone, but former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is reported to have been killed as well. Presumably as revenge from his presidency and to eliminate a potential successor.

I don't think he could have been the next Supreme Leader anyway, he was an engineer by profession and the Supreme Leader is an Islamic scholar / Islamic Preacher who holds the status of mujtahid. You have to remember Iran is a theocracy and choosing a Supreme Leader is very similar to how the Pope is chosen in that instead of the College of Cardinals voting to choose the next pope, it's the Assembly of Experts who chose the next Supreme Leader.

Apparently, they are meeting to choose the next leader soon. It's important to remember that if the next leader is a "moderate" or "reformist" they will still be ultra hardline by Western standards. Time and time again we have fallen for the "he is less bad than the predecessor/alternative so must be good" trap. This is what happened with Masoud Pezeshkian, Hassan Rouhani, Hamid Karzai, Naftali Bennett, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and plenty of others. As they were seen as "good" compared to the other alternatives, people didn't question what their political views actually were and in the end got caught out badly.

 

[brad465]

Three US servicemen have now been killed in the operation so far. Given how war averse US citizens are now, this could get ugly for Trump very quickly.

 

[Gloster]

Three US servicemen have now been killed in the operation so far. Given how war averse US citizens are now, this could get ugly for Trump very quickly.

It will either be, ”Run like hell, boys, and leave the a-rabs to sort it out,” or, “Kill everybody in revenge for the death of our American heroes.” We just have to see which of the factions wins out. Of course, there is still the question as to whether three deaths is enough to get Trump a Medal of Honor.

 

[Trackman]

Three US servicemen have now been killed in the operation so far. Given how war averse US citizens are now, this could get ugly for Trump very quickly.

The news have not said why. US army base in the Middle East?

 

[AlterEgo]

Three US servicemen have now been killed in the operation so far. Given how war averse US citizens are now, this could get ugly for Trump very quickly.

Trump will call them losers for dying.