Societal Collapse – The Economic Collapse

Why Are Large Numbers Of U.S. Air Force KC-135R Stratotankers And KC-46 Pegasus Tankers Flying East Across The Atlantic?

Michael — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:34:16 +0000

Did President Trump just pull the trigger on a major decision? When dozens of U.S. Air Force tankers started taking off from their bases, all sorts of speculation started to erupt on social media. And then when those tankers started flying east across the Atlantic, the level of speculation escalated to a frenzy. As I write this article, the Pentagon has still not explained what all of these tankers are doing. But TWZ has accurately noted that what we are witnessing is “very peculiar”…

Over two dozen U.S. Air Force KC-135R and KC-46A tankers from across the United States appeared on flight-tracking software yesterday evening, taking off from their bases and heading east over the Atlantic. It isn’t clear if they were ‘dragging’ any combat aircraft with them, but there wasn’t any obvious signs of that.

While tanker movements in this direction are far from abnormal, such a large, near-simultaneous migration of the jets was very peculiar, especially at a time of extreme crisis in the Middle East. The exact reason for the mass deployment is unclear, although many of the potential answers would indicate a change, or preparations for a potential change, in the current conflict between Israel and Iran.

I have never seen anything like this.

According to the most recent reports, “more than 30” U.S. Air Force KC-135R Stratotankers and KC-46 Pegasus Tankers are flying east across the Atlantic Ocean…

Dozens of American military aerial-refueling aircraft left U.S. shores heading east across the Atlantic Ocean early on Monday in an unprecedented deployment of the U.S. Air Force.

The KC‑135 and KC‑46 planes, more than 30 in all, might participate in a scheduled NATO exercise in Europe. However, analysts and regional officials speculate the mission could extend to the Middle East, possibly supporting operations related to the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Iran.

I think that it is quite likely that these tankers are headed over to Israel to provide refueling support.

Because Israel only has minimal aerial refueling capabilities, there is a limit as to how many long-range strikes the IDF can conduct in Iran…

As we have discussed repeatedly for years, and especially since this conflict kicked off, Israel lacks robust aerial refueling capabilities, with just a handful of aging 707 tankers (around seven operational) available to support hundreds of fighter aircraft. This is a massively limiting factor when it comes to sortie generation for long-range strikes into Iran. It also severely limits how long aircraft can remain on station once in their assigned target area and how deeply they can penetrate into Iranian territory.

As Israel gains air superiority further east over Iran, aerial tanking becomes even more important. It also allows fighters to employ direct attack weapons, as opposed to much more expensive, and, in some cases, less effective standoff munitions. Bringing the Israeli Air Force’s heaviest bunker-busters to bear on targets will require Israeli aircraft to be in close proximity to them, in particular. Additional tanker support would greatly help with these efforts.

If dozens of U.S. tankers start providing the IDF with refueling support, that will allow Israel to hit Iran much harder and much more frequently.

It is also possible that these tankers are headed over to the Middle East because the U.S. is preparing for a scenario in which it will have to start attacking Iran directly.

Yesterday, I listed 3 potential trigger events which could draw the U.S. directly into the conflict.

Interestingly, on Saturday the U.S. Air Force broadcast an Emergency Action Message that was unusually long…

The US Air Force has broadcast two encrypted emergency codes, typically utilized for crucial military communications, sometimes pertaining to nuclear command and control.

The initial Emergency Action Message (EAM) was aired on Saturday, exhibiting a complexity far beyond the standard signals that usually span around 30 characters.

This covert message, typically released a day later, on Sundays, extended to 246 characters. It coincided with reciprocal bombardment between Israel and Iran as the two Middle Eastern countries continued their hostilities.

And then on Sunday the U.S. Air Force broadcast an Emergency Action Message that was even longer…

A subsequent communication was issued on Sunday, this time extending to 290 characters, again through the US Air Force’s High Frequency Global Communications System, reports the Mirror US.

What in the world is going on?

I think that there is far more happening behind the scenes than we are being told.

Ultimately, Israel’s success in this war will be determined by how much damage is done to Iran’s nuclear facilities.

According to the IAEA, the 15,000 centrifuges at Natanz have likely been seriously damaged or destroyed…

It is very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran’s biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike, the UN nuclear watchdog chief told the BBC on Monday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency and its Director General Rafael Grossi had previously said the centrifuges at the underground enrichment plant at Natanz may have been damaged as a result of an airstrike on its power supply, even though the hall housing the plant itself did not seem to have been hit.

“Our assessment is that with this sudden loss of external power, in great probability the centrifuges have been severely damaged if not destroyed altogether,” Grossi said in an interview with the BBC.

But the facilities at Fordow are much harder to get at because they are very deep underground.

The U.S. has bunker buster bombs that could potentially do the job, and that is one of the main reasons why the Israelis want the U.S. to join the operation…

“While the US has B-2 stealth bombers with 30,000lb massive ordnance penetrators that are designed just for this type of strike, Israel’s options are more limited — if it is operating by itself,” says a report in the Financial Times. “Israeli F-15 fighter bombers can carry 4,000-5,000lb GBU-28 bunker-buster bombs, each capable of punching through 5-6m of concrete. Israel does have such bombs but their numbers are a closely guarded secret, and few analysts believe the country has enough on its own to do the job.”

Israel’s forces “don’t have enough 5,000-pounders” to take out Fordow and Natanz, retired US Air Force General Charles Wald, who now works for the Jewish Institute for the National Security of America, had said in April.

We shall see what happens.

I have a feeling that there will be all sorts of “surprises” in the days ahead.

Right now, the USS Nimitz carrier strike group is headed toward the Middle East, and the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group is already there…

The USS Nimitz carrier strike group is on its way to the Middle East from the South China Sea, a U.S. official told Fox News.

The Nimitz strike group was previously scheduled to replace the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group, which has been deployed for several months, but is now heading to the Middle East ahead of schedule. The two will now be in the Middle East at the same time.

USS Carl Vinson was the only aircraft carrier in the region as of last Friday, U.S. defense officials told Fox News.

The “final showdown” with Iran that I have been writing about for such a long time has arrived.

Israel has achieved aerial superiority over Iranian airspace, and the Iranian regime feels backed into a corner.

Of course a cornered predator is the most dangerous kind of predator.

I believe that this story is far from over.

There has already been a tremendous amount of death and destruction, but I anticipate that we will see much more as this conflict rolls along.

Michael’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

About the Author: Michael Snyder’s new book entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com. He has also written nine other books that are available on Amazon.com including “Chaos”, “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”. When you purchase any of Michael’s books you help to support the work that he is doing. You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter. Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites. These are such troubled times, and people need hope. John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

The post Why Are Large Numbers Of U.S. Air Force KC-135R Stratotankers And KC-46 Pegasus Tankers Flying East Across The Atlantic? appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

$100? $200? $300? – How Catastrophically High Will The Price Of Oil Go When Iran Closes The Strait Of Hormuz?

Michael — Sun, 15 Jun 2025 20:49:15 +0000

It is being reported that Iran is seriously considering closing the Strait of Hormuz. We don’t know how high the price of oil will go if that happens, because it has never happened before. Of course I think that it would be safe to assume that the price of oil would rapidly surpass the $100 mark, and if it stays there for an extended period of time that would be enough to push us into a recession all by itself. But if the price of oil were to surpass the $200 mark and stay there, I believe that could be enough to actually push us into an economic depression. Shockingly, as you will see below, there is one official in the Middle East that is convinced that the price of oil could go up to $300 a barrel if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz. Needless to say, that would be a nightmare scenario.

All of this has been coming for a long time. As I documented on Friday, we were warned that the price of oil would go nuts once a major war erupted between Israel and Iran, and we were also warned that Israel would be blamed for the high price of oil because they struck first. At the end of last week the price of oil was up about 5 dollars a barrel, but if the Strait of Hormuz gets closed that will send the price of oil into the stratosphere.

Unfortunately, we are being told that Iranian leaders are “seriously” considering making such a move…

The closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz is being seriously reviewed by Iran, IRINN reported, citing statements by Esmail Kosari, a member of the parliament’s security commission.

The Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Oman and Iran, is the world’s most important gateway for oil shipping.

The Iranians understand that they can hold the global economy hostage, because approximately 20 percent of all global oil consumption travels through the Strait of Hormuz…

According to the US Energy Information Administration, about 20 percent of global oil consumption flows through the strait, which the agency describes as the “world’s most important oil transit chokepoint”. At its narrowest point, it is 33km (21 miles) wide, but shipping lanes in the waterway are even narrower, making them vulnerable to attacks and threats of being shut down.

If the Iranians do this, most experts are anticipating that the price of oil will go well above $100 a barrel.

But Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein believes that the price of oil could actually rise as high as $300 a barrel…

Escalating tensions in the Middle East and a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz could drive oil prices up to $300 per barrel, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned during a phone conversation with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

On Friday morning, Israeli jets bombed military and nuclear sites across Iran, kicking off an ongoing exchange of hostilities between the two countries.

According to Hussein, oil prices could surge to between $200 and $300 per barrel “if military operations were to break out, which would significantly increase inflation rates in European countries and complicate oil exports for producing states such as Iraq.”

I don’t think that we will see the price of oil go quite that high.

But if the price of oil even doubles from current levels, it will be a crippling blow for the global economic system.

And even if the Strait of Hormuz is not closed down, this war is going to push the price of oil much higher anyway.

After the Iranians started hitting major cities in Israel, the Israelis started going after Iranian energy infrastructure.

For example, we now have stunning video of fires at the Shahran oil depot in Tehran reaching into the night sky…

And an Israeli drone strike has caused extensive damage at a very important refinery in Iran’s Bushehr province…

A fire broke out at Kangan Port in Iran’s Bushehr province following an Israeli drone strike targeting on onshore refinery at Phase 14 of the South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf on Saturday. It was the first attack by Israel specifically targeting Iran’s critical energy sector.

Of course destroying Iran’s energy infrastructure is not the primary goal for Israel.

The primary goal is to damage Iran’s nuclear facilities as much as possible.

At Natanz, it appears that IDF strikes have been “extremely effective”…

Initial assessments indicate that Israel’s strikes on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility were extremely effective, going far beyond superficial damage to exterior structures and knocking out the electricity on the lower levels where the centrifuges used to enrich uranium are stored, two US officials told CNN.

“This was a full-spectrum blitz,” said another source familiar with the assessments.

The strikes destroyed the above-ground part of Natanz’s Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant, a sprawling site that has been operating since 2003 and where Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Weapons-grade uranium is enriched to 90%.

But Fordow is an entirely different story.

Without U.S. help, Israel simply does not have the ability to do much damage there…

The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is a far more difficult site to target. The plant is buried deep in the mountains near Qom, in northern Iran, and houses advanced centrifuges used to enrich uranium up to high grades of purity.

Israel targeted the site during its Friday attacks, but the IAEA said it was not impacted and the IDF has not claimed any significant damage there. Iranian air defenses shot down an Israeli drone in the vicinity of the plant, Iranian state media outlet Press TV reported Friday evening.

“The expectation has always been that Israel would not be able to reach (Fordow), because it would need the kind of bunker-buster, massive ordinance bombs that only the United States has,” Vaez said.

If Fordow continues to operate once this is all over, it will be a major defeat for Israel and a major victory for Iran.

So we will want to watch what happens at Fordow very closely.

Israel is also working to eliminate as many Iranian nuclear scientists as possible.

So far, it appears that a total of 14 Iranian nuclear scientists are dead…

Israel has killed 14 Iranian nuclear scientists in a series of attacks that reportedly included car bombs, Iran has claimed.

Sources told Reuters that the attacks, which have taken place since Friday, were designed to cripple Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons. Local media reported Tehran was hit by five car bombs.

Ultimately, Israel wants to make it impossible for Iran to produce nuclear weapons.

But could this war make Iran more determined than ever to push forward with their program?

Right now, Iranian lawmakers are reportedly considering a bill which would withdraw Iran from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty…

On Sunday, Iranian lawmakers pushed forward a bill to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

MP Meysam Zahourian revealed an expedited bill mandating Iran’s exit from the NPT under Article 10, which permits withdrawal in the face of extraordinary threats to national interests, awaiting formal endorsement and legal review.

Zahourian described the move as a legal countermeasure to recent developments undermining Iranian sovereignty, and is expected to proceed rapidly through the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Iran’s Parliament).

So why would Iran want to withdraw from that treaty?

I will give you only one guess.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty prevents nations that currently do not have nuclear weapons from getting them.

If Iran pulls out of that treaty, this crisis will go to an entirely different level.

For decades, we have been warned of the threat of nuclear war.

But that threat has never materialized.

Sadly, I believe that we live at a time when nuclear weapons will actually be used.

This “final showdown” between Israel and Iran is one of the most important signposts that we have ever seen.

Missiles are flying back and forth even as I write this article, and things are going to get extremely chaotic in the days ahead.

The post $100? $200? $300? – How Catastrophically High Will The Price Of Oil Go When Iran Closes The Strait Of Hormuz? appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

This Is What Happens Next After Israel Bombs Iran’s Nuclear Facilities…

Michael — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 21:41:32 +0000

This week there has been a tremendous amount of speculation that a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities is imminent. Now it has happened. When I originally wrote this article, I thought that a military strike on Iran would not happen until after one last round of talks with the Iranians this weekend. Even though it was obvious that those talks would go nowhere, I thought that the U.S. and Israel would give the Iranians one last chance to make a deal. But that obviously did not materialize. The Jerusalem Post is reporting that air strikes on Iran have begun…

The IDF has started to attack dozens of Iranian nuclear sites early on Friday morning.

Warning sirens have been set off to get the public ready for potential Iranian counterattacks of ballistic missiles on Israel.

It appears that the Trump administration was aware that something was about to happen.

In fact, “multiple sources” told CBS News that Israel was “fully ready” to hit Iran’s nuclear facilities…

U.S. officials have been told Israel is fully ready to launch an operation into Iran, multiple sources told CBS News.

The U.S. anticipates Iran could retaliate on certain American sites in neighboring Iraq. This is part of the reason the U.S. advised some Americans to leave the region earlier Wednesday. The State Department ordered non-emergency government officials to exit Iraq due to “heightened regional tensions,” and the Pentagon has authorized military family members to voluntarily leave locations throughout the Middle East, a defense official told CBS News.

Interestingly, “five sources” delivered the same message to NBC News…

Israel is considering taking military action against Iran, most likely without US support, in the coming days, five sources told NBC on Thursday.

This comes shortly after a CBS report in which multiple sources stated that Israel has told US officials that it is “fully ready to launch an operation into Iran.”

Iran’s military has begun drills earlier than planned to focus on “enemy movements,” state media reported later on Thursday afternoon.

Obviously the Trump administration felt that this was a message that needed to get out.

When President Trump was directly asked about the potential for a military strike on Iran, he had some very interesting things to say…

A reporter asked Mr. Trump Thursday if an Israeli strike on Iran is imminent. “Well, I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen,” he said.

Mr. Trump spoke about Iran at an appearance at the Kennedy Center Wednesday evening, telling reporters Americans were advised to leave the region “because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens.” Mr. Trump also reiterated the U.S. did not want Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, saying: “We’re not going to allow that.”

When asked at the White House why dependents of military personnel were allowed to voluntarily leave the region, Mr. Trump said, “You’ll have to see.”

Now the bombing of Iran has started, and nothing will ever be the same again.

So how will the Iranians react to all of this?

Obviously, Iran will strike back at Israel really hard.

During a briefing with a group of Republicans in the U.S. Senate last week, Steve Witkoff warned that Iran has the ability to cause “massive casualties and damage” inside Israel…

Witkoff told the Senators that military strikes by Israel are on the table if no agreement is reached.
He then brought up Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities. The U.S. is concerned Israel’s air defenses would not be able to handle an Iranian response involving hundreds of missiles, the sources said.
Such an attack, Witkoff told the group, could cause massive casualties and damage.
Witkoff also raised concerns about Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal during a speech in New York on Wednesday, calling it “as big of an existential threat” for Israel as Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

The Iranians have even threatened to hit Israel’s nuclear facilities if their own nuclear facilities are destroyed.

If Israel’s nuclear facilities were to get hit, Israel may feel compelled to use their really big weapons.

In addition to striking back against Israel, the Iranians have repeatedly warned that U.S. bases in the Middle East will be targeted…

If nuclear negotiations fail and conflict arises with the United States, Iran will strike American bases in the region, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Wednesday.

“Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don’t come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us… all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” Nasirzadeh said during a press conference.

If U.S. bases are getting hammered by Iranian missiles, President Trump will be forced to respond, and then we will be at war with Iran.

Once we are at war with Iran, it is likely that the price of oil will almost instantly rise to more than 100 dollars a barrel…

An attack on Iran and broader Middle East escalation could see crude skyrocket to $100-120 per barrel, or even higher, amid the closure of key export hubs and disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz.

Much more importantly, many believe that the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities could be the spark that begins the kinetic phase of World War III.

Unfortunately, there may be no turning back now.

The IAEA just voted that Iran is not in compliance with its nuclear obligations…

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors has declared that Iran has not complied with its nuclear obligations in a vote following a resolution, backed by the United States and the E3 (Britain, France, and Germany).

The resolution was passed with 19 votes in favor. Three countries voted against, 11 abstained and two countries did not vote, according to multiple media reports.

That vote is going to be used as justification for military action.

Following the vote, the Iranians foolishly announced that they will be opening a “previously unrevealed enrichment site” in a secure location…

The head of Iran’s atomic agency, Mohammad Eslami, said Tehran would accelerate its production of near-weapons-grade uranium and open a previously unrevealed enrichment site in what he said is a secure location, according to Iranian state media.

Eslami said Iran was starting the process of readying and installing centrifuges in the new site and would start producing fissile material there as soon as it was ready. That would suggest Iran has been working on the site in secret for some time.

He said Tehran informed the International Atomic Energy Agency about its plans immediately after Thursday morning’s vote. The IAEA didn’t immediately comment.

Are the Iranians nuts?

The Iranians also just test-fired a new missile that comes equipped with a two-ton warhead…

Iran announced that it successfully test-fired an advanced missile equipped with a two-ton warhead, significantly ratcheting up its war machine amid nuclear negotiations with the United States and threats of attacks on U.S. military installations.

Iran hailed the missile test as “a new achievement in its military capabilities” as part of the country’s “broader efforts to enhance its military readiness and defense power amid ongoing regional tensions.”

“Our most recent achievement came last week when we successfully tested a missile carrying a two-ton warhead, with excellent results,” Iranian defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh publicly disclosed on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting. “We have made very good progress in defense affairs. Our operational forces are fully equipped.”

I don’t see any way that a major war with Iran is going to be avoided now.

It is being reported that the IDF military operation could last for days.

The Iranians will inevitably respond very vigorously, and it appears that the “final showdown” with Iran that I have been warning about has arrived.

A “final showdown” with Iran will be truly horrifying, and the death and destruction that we will witness will shock the entire planet.

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Why Was The Mexican Flag Chosen To Be The Primary Symbol Of The “Color Revolution” That Has Erupted In Los Angeles?

Michael — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 22:34:28 +0000

Specific tactics may change, but the playbook is always the same. All over the world, “color revolutions” have featured graffiti, vandalism, arson, rioting, looting and violent clashes will law enforcement officers. The goal of the rioters is to pressure authorities into giving them what they want so that the chaos will stop. And “color revolutions” always feature a highly visible set of colors that are deeply meaningful to the people that are being encouraged to protest. In this case, the Mexican flag has been specifically chosen to be the primary symbol of the “color revolution” that has erupted in Los Angeles. The following comes from the New York Times…

As images of protests in Southern California have flooded television and social media in recent days, a key question has emerged: Why are so many protesters carrying Mexican flags at an American political protest?

That is a very good question.

We have been bombarded by images of Mexican flags in recent days.

In fact, the rioters that were standing on top of the burning Waymo taxis were literally waving Mexican flags…

Photos of masked provocateurs waving Mexican flags atop burning Waymo taxis spread instantly across conservative social media this weekend. Republicans pointed to them as a prime example of why President Trump called in the National Guard and how immigration had gone too far in California.

“Look at all the foreign flags,” Stephen Miller, the deputy White House chief of staff and the architect of Mr. Trump’s domestic agenda, said Sunday on X. “Los Angeles is occupied territory.”

The mindless rioters in the streets probably have no idea that they are following the “color revolution” playbook very precisely.

The colors of the Mexican flag are being inextricably linked with this “color revolution”, and the goal is to intimidate the other side so that they will agree to back down…

The idea behind this color revolution – it is organized and planned, not spontaneous or genuine – is to intimidate normal people into submitting and embracing the politicians associated with its goals in the hopes that it will stop. This is the work of the Democrat Party; the rioters are its useful idiots, acting to support the party’s goals while its maintaining deniability. But this scheme only succeeds if the target is feckless and weak, which such targets usually are.

Of course President Trump has not shown any indication that he plans to back down any time soon, and so it appears that the left plans to take things to another level.

On Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom delivered an ominous address in which he stated that “Democracy is under assault” and “the moment we’ve feared has arrived”…

The California governor urged Americans to stand up to Mr. Trump, calling it a “perilous moment” for democracy and the country’s long-held legal norms.

“California may be first, but it clearly won’t end here,” Mr. Newsom said, speaking to cameras from a studio in Los Angeles. “Other states are next. Democracy is next.”

“Democracy is under assault right before our eyes — the moment we’ve feared has arrived,” he added.

This was a signal.

For a very long time, leftists have been holding discussions about what they will do once Trump “becomes a dictator”, and when Newsom used the phrase “the moment we’ve feared” he knew exactly what he was doing.

Newsom is actively trying to make the protests even worse.

But Newsom isn’t going to go out into the streets himself.

He is counting on “useful idiots” to do the heavy lifting for him.

We all know that the Mexican flag evokes very powerful emotions for Mexicans living in the United States.

But is there another reason why it was specifically chosen as the primary symbol of this “color revolution”?

You may have noticed that the Palestinian flag also features the colors red, green and white, and it has been showing up alongside the Mexican flag at anti-ICE protests all over the country. For example, the following photo was taken in Chicago by Gateway Pundit contributor Terry Newsome…

The radical left would love to merge the anti-ICE movement with the pro-Palestinian movement.

If both groups work side by side to cause chaos all over the country in the months ahead, it will be one long, hot summer.

And there are certainly a lot of radical Islamic groups in this country that are in a revolutionary mood. For example, an imam in Michigan is calling for “a revival of jihad”…

In a provocative sermon sure to spark controversy and heighten security concerns, Michigan Imam Dr. Sherif Gindy (also spelled Sharif), linked to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), urged a revival of jihad. He attributed the decline of hijab-wearing among girls and the global closure of mosques to the abandonment of jihad.

Speaking at the Islamic Organization of North America (IONA) on May 23, and reported by MEMRI (The Middle East Media Research Institute), Gindy mourned the shuttering of mosques in Europe and the destruction of places of worship in India. He claimed the only way to turn things around is to revive jihad – not just the spiritual struggle, but the kind involving force, power, and strength.

Once war with Iran starts, I think that we will see vast numbers of Muslims out in the streets, and of course they will be joining the vast numbers of anti-ICE protesters that are already there.

But President Trump is not going to back down.

Just hours ago, he posted a message on his Truth Social account that made it clear that he is not going to let the rioters win…

Generations of Army heroes did not shed their blood on distant shores only to watch our Country be destroyed by invasion and Third World lawlessness here at home, like is happening in California. As Commander in Chief, I will not let that happen…

President Trump is also warning that his administration is going to go after whoever is financing these protests…

“Somebody’s financing it, and we’re going to find out through Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice who it is,” he said. “Under the Trump administration, this anarchy will not stand. We will not allow federal agents to be attacked, and we will not allow an American city to be invaded and conquered by a foreign enemy.”

That is good to hear.

Those that are funding the riots need to be held accountable.

And Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is telling us that the National Guard could soon be deployed in more cities…

The federal government’s deployment of National Guard troops could expand beyond Los Angeles, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a congressional hearing Wednesday in Washington.

“Part of it is getting ahead of a problem, so that if in other places, if there are other riots in places where law enforcement officers are threatened, we would have the capability to surge the national guard there if necessary,” Hegseth said.

The Trump administration is fully committed to law and order.

Of course the other side is fully committed to their cause as well.

According to NBC News, a total of 1,800 anti-Trump protests are scheduled for Saturday…

“The goal here is to deprive Trump of what he wants in this moment, which is a story about him being the all-powerful political figure of our time, and instead create a contrast with normal, everyday people demonstrating that power in this country still resides with the people,” said Ezra Levin, a co-founder of the progressive group Indivisible, who is helping organize what participants have dubbed a nationwide “No Kings” demonstration.

If past protests are a guide, the participants could number in the millions, he said. A total of 1,800 rallies are expected, with events in each congressional district, he added.

I wrote quite a bit about the “No Kings” protests yesterday.

I can’t recall ever seeing 1,800 simultaneous protests on the same day.

We were expecting the left to go completely nuts, and now it has happened.

On top of everything else, now there is a tremendous amount of speculation that a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities could be coming soon.

Global events are starting to happen at a speed that is absolutely breathtaking, and I have a feeling that we have a very “interesting” summer ahead of us.

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Who Has Been Spending Enormous Amounts Of Money To Equip The Protesters In Los Angeles With Brand New Riot Gear?

Michael — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 22:25:41 +0000

If the protests in Los Angeles are supposed to be peaceful, why is brand new riot gear being trucked in and given to the protesters? And why isn’t this making front page news all over the country? First of all, protesters only need riot gear if riots are going to break out. Secondly, it is becoming clear that someone purchased large quantities of riot gear in advance. So who funded those purchases, and who knew that riots would erupt in Los Angeles at this specific time? If corporate news outlets in this country were still employing real journalists, those are the types of questions that those journalists would be asking.

As Eric Daugherty has accurately pointed out, Fox News actually captured footage of “bionic shields” that normally cost 60 dollars each being handed out to rioters on the streets of Los Angeles…

PAID-FOR “bionic shields” are being trucked in for the Los Angeles rioters.

These cost around $60, each…and there are BOXES and BOXES of them being handed out.

“That’s not the kind of thing that you buy in bulk if you don’t plan on doing something with it…”

They are planning for a CLASH.

This an enormous scandal.

Why aren’t more people talking about this?

According to Newsweek, the “bionic shields” were being handed out by two women as “a masked driver waited for them to unload the goods”…

TV cameras have captured boxes of “bionic shields” being distributed to protesters in Los Angeles on Monday.

Footage of the scene showed boxes of solid, full-face masks—almost akin to helmets—being handed out from the back of a pickup truck by two women while a masked driver waited for them to unload the goods.

The footage has sparked concerns among some that external agitators are facilitating riots by equipping crowds for potential clashes with the police or National Guard. However, others say the masks are safety gear, worn as a precaution after protesters were injured by rubber bullets that the authorities fired.

So where did all of these “bionic shields” suddenly come from?

Did someone order them from Amazon?

Of course not.

Obviously, someone already had large quantities of these “bionic shields” on hand.

Needless to say, that has enormous implications.

Were these “bionic shields” purchased in advance for pre-planned protests that were scheduled to erupt this month?

We really need an answer to that question.

And as Fox anchor Elex Michaelson has pointed out, we also need to know who is funding all of this…

Fox LA anchor Elex Michaelson wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “We just saw people arrive in Downtown L.A. with truck loads of Bionic Face Shields that demonstrators quickly grabbed. It certainly seems like gear you’d wear if you’re preparing for conflict with police. Who is funding this?”

There is also concern about a Craigslist advertisement for “extremely tough, brave men” that was recently posted. Was someone trying to recruit paid agitators? Snopes cannot determine if the ad is connected to the riots in any way, but even they were forced to admit that the ad “was real”…

On June 9, 2025, screenshots of an actual Craigslist advertisement seeking “extremely tough, brave men” for $6,500 to $12,500 per week began circulating on social media. Users on X posted the screenshots as “proof” that ongoing Los Angeles immigration protests were “orchestrated and well-funded chaos.”

The social media posts gained significant traction, with one example on X receiving 267,200 views and another garnering 374,300 views as of this writing.

The ad itself was real — in the sense that it was indeed posted on losangeles.craigslist.org at 1:20 p.m. PT on June 5, 2025 — one day before the immigration protests began in Los Angeles. An almost identical ad was posted on austin.craigslist.org just 37 minutes later at 1:57 p.m. PT.

If authorities want to get to the root cause of the problems that we are witnessing in Los Angeles, they need to find out where the funding for the protests is originating.

At this stage, there is a lot of speculation about three specific organizations…

When anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agitators took to the streets in the Los Angeles area over the weekend attacking officers, setting cars on fire, and looting, they drew attention to the left-leaning activist groups that may have helped instigate the riots.

Three major organizations have come under increased scrutiny: the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Los Angeles; the Party for Socialism and Liberation; and the Service Employees International Union. One of these groups, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, Los Angeles, has received millions in government funding.

In the case of CHIRLA, we know that they have been getting showered with taxpayer money in recent years…

Citing an investigative X thread from DataRepublican, Liz says that of a “number of NGOs [that] have been implicated, foremost is Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights [of Los Angeles], or CHIRLA.”

According to DataRepublican, “$34 million of [CHIRLA’s] reported $45 million in revenue are from government grants,” meaning taxpayer dollars are being used to pay the people who are setting fire to cop cars and hurling concrete slabs at federal agents.

During the Biden administration specifically, CHIRLA’s revenue “jumped from $12 million to $34 million in government grants.”

“The Joe Biden administration knew exactly who they wanted to give money to in order to set up situations like these riots in California,” says Liz.

Of course these organizations are funded by other sources as well, but it should deeply upset all of us that our tax dollars are being used for such purposes.

The corporate media keeps telling us that the protests are “mostly peaceful”, but meanwhile a horrifying crime spree has broken out in downtown Los Angeles…

Rioters in downtown Los Angeles looted a prominent Apple store amid protests against ICE raids in the city.

Images from the scene show rioters in hoodies and masks ransacking the store Monday night. Dozens of people can be seen throughout the property before at least one individual began breaking a window in order to escape from the side of the building.

President Trump is determined to do whatever it takes to restore order.

In fact, on Tuesday he warned that he could even invoke the Insurrection Act if that becomes necessary…

President Donald Trump flirted with invoking the Insurrection Act in Los Angeles as he tore into ‘bad people’ and ‘animals’ he said brought the city to the verge of burning down.

The president defended his decision to send 700 U.S. Marines as well as California National Guard to Los Angeles, and brushed off California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s claim that the deployment inflamed the situation.

And he would not rule out use of an authority to deploy military forces under his control to put down disturbances if he sees fit.

We were warned in advance that this sort of civil unrest would be coming.

Now it is here.

The Democrats have been preparing for this summer for a long time.

Now the chaos that they have been plotting is starting to be unleashed, and it is going to tear our country apart.

The post Who Has Been Spending Enormous Amounts Of Money To Equip The Protesters In Los Angeles With Brand New Riot Gear? appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

7 Examples Of The “Mostly Peaceful” Los Angeles Riots Becoming Even More “Peaceful”

Michael — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 22:25:36 +0000

If they keep telling us that the riots in Los Angeles are “mostly peaceful”, do they think that we will eventually believe it? Over and over again, reporters are telling us that the protests are “mostly peaceful” as they literally stand in front of burning vehicles. It is the exact same sort of gaslighting that we witnessed during the final summer of President Trump’s first term in office. There were violent riots all over America throughout the summer of 2020, and it appears that there will be violent riots all over America throughout the summer of 2025. But the mainstream media will never call them “violent riots” even though that is precisely what they are.

The viciousness of the protesters in Los Angeles has been absolutely breathtaking. If this is “peace”, what would “violence” look like? The following are 8 examples of the “mostly peaceful” Los Angeles riots becoming even more “peaceful”…

#1 On Sunday evening, protesters set five Waymo driverless vehicles on fire right in the heart of downtown Los Angeles…

With dark plumes of smoke still filling the air above downtown as of 6 p.m., at least five Waymos were seen either still engulfed by flames or charring after being set ablaze by protesters on North Los Angeles Street near Arcadia Street.

The destruction led the Los Angeles Police Department to indefinitely close Los Angeles Street north of Arcadia and south of Alameda streets and declare an unlawful assembly for the entire area, ordering crowds to disperse.

These driverless vehicles are very expensive, and it is being estimated that burning them caused close to a million dollars in damage…

According to a 2024 report by the Wall Street Journal, analysts estimated Waymo’s driverless cars cost between $150,000 and $200,000 a piece.

With the five burning robotaxis, the cost of damages would amount to roughly between $750,000 to $1 million, based on WSJ’s estimate.

#2 Protesters were also spotted trying to set police vehicles on fire…

Protesters faced off with police all day Sunday, with things getting intense at times. People were seen using random items to protect themselves from police, while other protesters took aim at CHP officers and their stranded patrol cars on the 101 Freeway.

The group threw things and tried setting the patrol units on fire.

#3 According to Police Chief Jim McDonnell, some of the rioters were using hammers to break off huge chunks of concrete from a federal building in downtown Los Angeles. Once they had broken the chunks into pieces that were small enough to throw, they were chucking them at law enforcement officers…

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a Sunday evening press conference that the violence was “getting increasingly worse and more violent.”

“This violence that I’ve seen, it’s disgusting,” McDonnell said, according to Fox News. “It’s escalated now, since the beginning of this incident. What we saw the first night was bad. What we’ve seen subsequent to that is getting increasingly worse and more violent.”

“We’ve seen people with hammers … breaking the bollards behind the federal building and taking the rocks. If you will, or pieces of concrete and throwing them at officers,” McDonnell added. “We’ve had liquid—of who knows what, description thrown at officers. There’s no limit to what they’re, doing to our officers,” he added.

#4 McDonnell is also claiming that some of the protesters were literally firing “commercial grade fireworks” at his officers…

“This violence that I’ve seen is disgusting, it’s escalated now since the beginning of this incident. What we saw the first night was bad, what we’ve seen subsequent to that is getting increasingly worse and more violent. Tonight we had individuals out there shooting commercial grade fireworks at our officers, that can kill you,” McDonnell added. “We have adapted our tactics to have a chance to take these people into custody, and to be able to hold them accountable. We are overwhelmed as far as the number of people out there engaged in this type of activity, and the type of things that they are doing.”

#5 Why would anyone think that attacking a police horse is a good idea? At one point, rioters “fired off projectiles and fireworks” at the horses that some of the police were riding…

Videographer Cam Higby captured of the Los Angeles rioters attacking police horses during Sunday’s riots.

The rioters fired off projectiles and fireworks at the animals on Sunday as they continued to rip apart the city over the Trump administration’s arrest of criminal illegal aliens.

You can see the panicked horses jump back as the projectiles exploded at their feet.

#6 Nothing says “social justice” quite like looting. Protesters were caught on camera looting a T-Mobile store and looting an Adidas store…

Video recorded just after midnight showed individuals going in and out of a T-Mobile store on South Broadway after smashing through the glass front door early Monday morning.

Armed officers also responded to an Adidas store after reports of looting near 8th Street and Broadway. Some of the merchandise taken from the store had been recovered by law enforcement and could be seen on top of their vehicles.

#7 You won’t hear the mainstream media talking about the Hispanic woman that was viciously beaten for daring to speak out against the riots…

A Hispanic woman who told people taking part in the Los Angeles riots that illegal aliens were responsible for the death of her family member was physically attacked by multiple men who were apparently triggered by her speaking out.

Outnumbered by thousands of protesters, the brave woman stood her ground as she was pepper sprayed, had water bottles thrown at her face and was rammed into and punched by a man.

The lady tried telling the unruly group surrounding her that people are being deported because they’re committing crimes and the crowd became even more upset and followed her until she was forced to flee.

To the mainstream media, these protesters can do no wrong because they are fighting against Trump.

Of course Trump is certainly not going to back down.

He is warning that his administration is “going to have troops everywhere” if that is what is necessary to restore order…

“We are going to have troops everywhere,” Trump said after touching down on Air Force One in New Jersey on Sunday. “We are not going to let this happen to our country.”

Trump is also pledging that when protesters spit on law enforcement officers, they will “be hit harder than they have ever been hit before”…

“If they spit, we will hit.” This is a statement from the President of the United States concerning the catastrophic Gavin Newscum inspired Riots going on in Los Angeles. The Insurrectionists have a tendency to spit in the face of the National Guardsmen/women, and others. These Patriots are told to accept this, it’s just the way life runs. But not in the Trump Administration. IF THEY SPIT, WE WILL HIT, and I promise you they will be hit harder than they have ever been hit before. Such disrespect will not be tolerated!

We are about to see chaos in the streets of major cities all over America.

Needless to say, that is exactly what we thought was going to happen.

It took a while for the radical left to mobilize, but now they have officially arrived at the party.

We have a long, hot summer in front of us, and the madness that we are about to witness won’t be good for anyone.

The post 7 Examples Of The “Mostly Peaceful” Los Angeles Riots Becoming Even More “Peaceful” appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

16 Things That Everyone Needs To Know About The Extremely Violent Far-Left Revolution That Just Erupted In Los Angeles

Michael — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 23:12:54 +0000

We were warned that an internal revolution started by the communists would be coming. We were also warned that the summer of 2025 would be a “summer of chaos” in the United States. So the truth is that what happened in Los Angeles over the past few days shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us. The next couple of years are going to be a time when the far left in this country gets crazier than they have ever been before. What we have just witnessed is only the beginning. So buckle up and hold on tight because things are only going to get wilder from here. The following are 16 things that everyone needs to know about the extremely violent far-left revolution that just erupted in Los Angeles…

#1 The protests in Los Angeles have been extraordinarily violent. It is being reported that objects were being thrown at police vehicles, and at one point a car was set on fire in the middle of an intersection…

KTLA video footage shows lines of law enforcement officers standing in the streets as protesters taunted them, while others blocked a roadway and threw objects at police vehicles. In addition, a car sitting in the middle of an intersection was seen engulfed in flames:

#2 The mainstream media has generally been downplaying this fact, but it has been confirmed that “multiple federal law enforcement officers” have been injured by the protesters…

Large-scale protests have sprouted throughout L.A. County including in the Westlake District, downtown L.A. and Paramount, and have escalated to violence on several occasions. A federal law enforcement official tells CBS News that multiple federal law enforcement officers were injured during confrontations with protesters on Friday and Saturday.

#3 Setting fires in southern California is a very foolish thing to do because they can easily get wildly out of control. But some of these violent protesters were “starting fires with accelerants” anyway…

On Saturday, anti-ICE protesters were filmed starting fires with accelerants during the anti-ICE rallies.

You can clearly see in a video making the rounds on X that the protesters are spraying accelerant on the dry brush before they set in on fire. Others are wearing Mexican flags as they stand by and watch.

#4 In the old days, everyone knew that you just don’t mess with the U.S. Marshals Service. They may not have realized it at the time, but the crowd of protesters that “swarmed” a U.S. Marshals Service bus could have very easily gotten shot…

A crowd swarmed a US Marshals Service bus exiting a nearby freeway, with authorities later closing on and off ramps to keep protesters from taking over the highway.

Smoke rose from burning shrubbery and refuse in the street, and demonstrators kicked at a Border Patrol vehicle.

A boulevard was closed to traffic as Border Patrol agents circulated through the area.

#5 To me, the most shocking moment of the protests was when protesters hurled an explosive device into the ICE detention facility in downtown Los Angeles…

The invading foreign army attacking Los Angeles surrounds the ICE detention facility in Downtown LA tonight as multiple fronts break out in the war.

The insurrectionists hurl an Unregistered Destructive Device into the federal facility then run from resulting salvos.

#6 The mainstream media is telling us a lot about the flash-bangs and the tear gas that law enforcement was using, but we are hearing very little about the enormous chunks of broken concrete that were being thrown by protesters…

Some protesters hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Police declared an unlawful assembly and responded by firing tear gas, pepper spray and flash-bang concussion rounds toward the crowd.

#7 Suspiciously, someone staged “pallets of cinder blocks” right where the riots broke out…

#8 A far-left communist organization known as “Unión del Barrio” was highly instrumental in organizing the protests on social media…

With BLM kicked to the curb by the Democratic Party, the Mexican version of BLM – Unión del Barrio – whose manifesto is filled with explicit Marxist and communist rhetoric—has become the next group Democrats will use as useful idiots.

On Friday, Unión del Barrio issued a call to action for the crazies on Facebook to stage a protest against “ICE Terrorists” in Downtown LA:

Emergency Protest TODAY in LA! 4:30PM

535 Alameda St LA, CA 90012

Join us to denounce ICE terrorizing our communities! Over 200 people are currently being held at this location in the basement of the courthouse. Today, there has been ICE activity all over the LA area.

LA EMERGENCY PROTEST!

535 Alameda St, LA, CA 90012

Friday, June 6, 2025 4:30PM

STOP DEPORTATIONS NOW!

ICE has hundreds of members of our community kidnapped and is holding them at this location.

#9 Many of the printed materials and signs at the protests appeared to have originated from a far-left communist group known as “the Party for Socialism and Liberation”…

According to @DataRepublican, photos from the scene of the riots show CHIRLA-linked materials and professionally printed signs that trace back to the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL)—a Communist group operating in the U.S. with no transparency and no registered nonprofit status.

#10 After witnessing the violence that erupted, President Trump called in the National Guard, and they have now arrived in downtown Los Angeles…

The National Guard has arrived in Los Angeles after days of civil unrest following pro-migrant riots across the Californian city .

Images have emerged of troops on the ground in the downtown area of the city ahead of an expected demonstration near City Hall later today.

President Trump has said he is deploying 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles to quell the protests, which he called ‘a form of rebellion.’

#11 This is the first time that a U.S. president has deployed the National Guard in Los Angeles since the 1992 riots…

Trump’s federalization of the guard troops is the first time an American president has used such power since the 1992 LA riots. At that time widespread violence broke out in reaction to the acquittal of four white police officers for brutally beating Black motorist Rodney King.

#12 California Governor Gavin Newsom is adamantly against deploying the National Guard. The following is what he just posted on Twitter…

The federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.

LA authorities are able to access law enforcement assistance at a moment’s notice. We are in close coordination with the city and county, and there is currently no unmet need.

The Guard has been admirably serving LA throughout recovery.

This is the wrong mission and will erode public trust.

#13 On his Truth Social account, President Trump announced that protesters will no longer be permitted to wear masks…

Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest. We have an incompetent Governor (Newscum) and Mayor (Bass) who were, as usual (just look at how they handled the fires, and now their VERY SLOW PERMITTING disaster. Federal permitting is complete!), unable to to handle the task. These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED. Also, from now on, MASKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why??? Again, thank you to the National Guard for a job well done!

#14 U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is warning that if the violence continues, the U.S. Marines could be mobilized…

The violent mob assaults on ICE and Federal Law Enforcement are designed to prevent the removal of Criminal Illegal Aliens from our soil; a dangerous invasion facilitated by criminal cartels (aka Foreign Terrorist Organizations) and a huge NATIONAL SECURITY RISK.

Under President Trump, violence & destruction against federal agents & federal facilities will NOT be tolerated. It’s COMMON SENSE.

The @DeptofDefense is mobilizing the National Guard IMMEDIATELY to support federal law enforcement in Los Angeles. And, if violence continues, active duty Marines at Camp Pendleton will also be mobilized — they are on high alert.

#15 Apparently members of Congress have been told that there will be heavy deportation activity in the Los Angeles area for at least 30 days…

California officials have been told to prepare for 30 days of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in the Los Angeles area, according to a congresswoman whose district was pummeled by riots over the weekend.

Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) argued that President Trump’s move to dispatch 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles to contain the riots and restore order could inflame tensions ahead of the heavy ICE activity there.

#16 The violence is already starting to spread to other cities. For example, check out what just happened in New York City…

A large group of radical leftists attempted to thwart immigration enforcement activities in New York City amid a violent nationwide uprising.

Multiple suspects were arrested after ‘protesters’ blocked official vehicles outside a U.S. Immigration Court and attacked authorities in the street.

Footage shot by local journalists shows Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers dismantling a blockade and ordering agitators to “back up.”

Masked individuals can be seen throwing objects in the path of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement van before eventually standing in front of it with their hands on the hood.

There is no way that the Trump administration is going to back down.

After all, immigration is President Trump’s number one issue.

Of course there is no way that the radical left is going to back down either.

So expect to see a lot more protests and a lot more violence.

An internal revolution has begun, and that means that there is going to be a tremendous amount of chaos in the streets of America in the days ahead.

The post 16 Things That Everyone Needs To Know About The Extremely Violent Far-Left Revolution That Just Erupted In Los Angeles appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

Let’s Get Real – Iran Wouldn’t Be Moving More Air Defense Systems Around Their Nuclear Facilities If They Planned To Make Peace With Trump

Michael — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 20:41:33 +0000

It is often said that actions speak louder than words, and the actions that the Iranians have been taking are very clear. If they planned to make a peace deal with President Trump, they wouldn’t be feverishly moving air defense systems around the nuclear facilities that they would be required to dismantle as a part of that peace deal. The Iranians have already decided what they are going to do, but they are going to stretch the peace talks out for as long as possible in order to buy a little bit more time.

President Trump acknowledged that the Iranians have been “slowwalking their decision” in a post that he just made on his Truth Social account, and he also warned that the U.S. is expecting “a definitive answer in a very short period of time”…

I just finished speaking, by telephone, with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia. The call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes. We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace. President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields. We also discussed Iran, and the fact that time is running out on Iran’s decision pertaining to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly! I stated to President Putin that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and, on this, I believe that we were in agreement. President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion. It is my opinion that Iran has been slowwalking their decision on this very important matter, and we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time!

Reading that last sentence should chill all of us to the core.

The clock is ticking my friends.

Many believe that the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities will be the spark that begins the kinetic phase of World War III.

I really wish that Iran would just accept the deal that Trump is offering.

But instead, the Iranians are making preparations for the war that they apparently believe is coming…

Iran is strengthening its air defense systems amid preparations for the possibility of an American or Israeli attack on the country’s nuclear infrastructure should nuclear negotiations fail, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.

“We are witnessing an impressive improvement in the capabilities and competence of the country’s air defense system,” Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Baqeri reportedly said in May, adding that Iran’s military has seen a “multi-fold increase in investments.”

“The enemies of the Iranian nation should understand that any violation of our airspace will cause them significant harm,” he added.

If the Iranians intended to accept Trump’s deal and dismantle their nuclear facilities, there would be no need to protect them.

So the fact that they are moving more air defense systems around those nuclear facilities should deeply alarm all of us…

According to Western intelligence assessments and security analysts’ investigation of satellite imagery, Iran appears to have relocated several anti-aircraft missile launchers to positions close to key nuclear sites like Natanz and Fordow, the report says.

President Trump recently made it abundantly clear that unless Iran agrees to end uranium enrichment there will be no deal…

“Under our potential Agreement — WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY ENRICHMENT OF URANIUM!”

Of course the Iranians continue to make it abundantly clear that they will never agree to this. In fact, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi just said that this is Iran’s “red line”…

“Continuing enrichment on Iranian soil is our red line. This is a reality that all countries have accepted. Enrichment has now become a matter of national pride and honor for Iranians.”

And Ayatollah Ali Khamenei just delivered a defiant speech during which he stated that the U.S. “cannot do a damn thing” to stop the Iranians from enriching uranium…

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a fiery speech on Wednesday, condemning U.S. demands over its nuclear program as “rude” and “insolent,” and accusing Washington of trying to block Iran’s progress and self-sufficiency. He warned that the United States “cannot do a damn thing”.

He is calling Trump’s bluff.

But Trump isn’t bluffing.

Perhaps the Iranians think that Trump is like Obama and Biden.

In the end, other administrations have always backed down.

But I am entirely convinced that the U.S. and Israel are quite serious about striking Iran, and both nations have been making preparations for such an operation…

Last week, a senior official warned of severe consequences if Tehran rejected the deal. “If they don’t accept these terms, it’s not going to be a good day for the Iranians,” the unnamed official stated.

Meanwhile, public broadcaster Kan News, reported last week that Israel has significantly improved its readiness to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities through a series of drills and exercises meant to prepare for both the military strike and any Iranian retaliation.

The U.S. has several B-2 and B-52 bombers deployed to the Diego Garcia air base in the Indian Ocean since April, widely believed to be in preparation for military strikes if the nuclear talks fail.

President Trump probably would not strike Iran if the American people were overwhelmingly against it, but a recent Rasmussen survey found that most Americans would actually be in favor of military action against Iran’s nuclear program…

Voters are overwhelmingly concerned about Iran’s nuclear weapons program, and a majority would support an American military strike to end the threat.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 77% of Likely U.S. Voters are concerned that Iran may be developing a nuclear weapon, including 44% who are Very Concerned. Only 18% are not concerned. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

While negotiating with Iran over the issue, President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear program if a deal isn’t reached Fifty-seven percent (57%) of voters would support military action by the United States to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program, including 28% who would Strongly Support it. Thirty percent (30%) would oppose a U.S. strike against Iran, including 17% who Strongly Oppose such military action. Thirteen percent (13%) are not sure.

Of course once the U.S. and Israel start hitting Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Iranians will launch missiles at Israeli cities and U.S. military bases throughout the Middle East, and then things will start getting really crazy.

The drama that is playing out in the Middle East really is one of the most critical turning points in human history.

Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine just continues to escalate.

The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has just issued an emergency alert because a major retaliation by the Russians is expected to occur at any moment…

Identify shelter locations in advance of any air alert.
Download a reliable air alert app to your mobile phone, such as Air Raid Siren or Alarm Map.
Immediately take shelter away from windows in the most hardened location you can move to if an air alert is announced.
Monitor local media for updates.
Keep reserves of water, food, and medication.
Follow the directions of Ukrainian officials and first responders in the event of an emergency.
Review what the Department of State Can and Cannot Do in a Crisis.

Nobody is quite sure what the Russians will do, but it will probably be something really big.

Ominously, Russia’s “doomsday radio station” just suddenly broadcast a couple of mysterious codewords…

Most people have no idea how close to the edge we are at this stage.

Let us hope that the Iranians miraculously come to their senses and agree to the deal that President Trump is offering.

Because if that doesn’t happen, the world will soon be plunged into a nightmare that we won’t be waking up from any time soon.

The post Let’s Get Real – Iran Wouldn’t Be Moving More Air Defense Systems Around Their Nuclear Facilities If They Planned To Make Peace With Trump appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

7 Hard Questions That Everyone Should Be Asking About The “Pearl Harbor” Attack On Russia

Michael — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 20:55:50 +0000

In a world where deception is running rampant, it is so important to question the narratives that we are being fed. Ukraine’s “Pearl Harbor” attack on Russia was extremely impressive, and it appears that quite a bit of damage was done. But we are also extremely fortunate that this attack did not spark a nuclear war. If our nuclear bombers at Minot Air Force Base, Barksdale Air Force Base, and Whiteman Air Force Base were hit in a surprise attack, would we show similar restraint? We are literally closer to nuclear war right now than we have ever been in all of human history, and those that are mindlessly celebrating Ukraine’s recklessness don’t seem to have any idea. Striking Russia’s strategic nuclear assets is a really, really, really bad idea. Now Vladimir Putin will feel compelled to respond very forcefully, and the Ukrainians are very much counting on that. The following are 7 hard questions that everyone should be asking about the “Pearl Harbor” attack on Russia…

#1 Does anyone actually believe that Ukraine was able to pull this off without any outside help?

It seems doubtful that the Ukrainians could have planned, organized and pulled off an operation of this magnitude without any western assistance.

Apparently the drones that were used in the attack were hidden inside the roofs of wooden sheds which were driven to their locations by truck drivers that had no idea what their trucks were carrying…

Ukraine was able to carry out its stunning “Operation Spider Web” attack on Russian air bases and nuclear fleet by hiding explosives-laden drones in wooden sheds, according to officials.

Kyiv’s secret service (SBU) stashed the attack drones inside the roofs of the sheds, which were loaded onto trucks that were driven to the perimeter of the air bases, Ukrainian authorities revealed in a statement shared on social media.

The roof panels were then lifted off by a remotely activated device so the 117 drones used in the strikes could fly out and make their devastating attacks.

That is a brilliant plan.

Perhaps the Ukrainians came up with it themselves.

But how did they get the precise coordinates of the targets that they were going to hit?

And how were the drones guided to those precise coordinates?

We definitely need some answers, but I don’t think we are going to get them.

#2 Other than the Ukrainians, who knew about this attack in advance?

The Ukrainians and the Trump administration are both telling us that President Trump did not know about this attack in advance…

Ukraine did not notify the Trump administration of the attack in advance, a Ukrainian official said. A U.S. official also told reporters the Trump administration was not made aware of the attack.

I do think that there is a very good chance that President Trump had no idea this attack was coming.

Of course even if he did know the attack was going to happen in advance, officials would still deny it in order to protect him.

For the moment, let’s assume that Trump knew nothing.

Okay, but what about everyone else?

Are we supposed to believe that nobody else knew anything about a major operation that the Ukrainians had been working on for a year and a half?

Somebody knew something, and we need to know when they knew it.

#3 Why were Russian bombers just sitting out in the open?

Having extremely expensive bombers just sitting out in the open seems like a really foolish thing to do.

But the truth is that there is a very good reason why nuclear bombers are kept out in the open where everyone can see them…

For decades, treaties kept nukes in check, bombers had to be out in the open, silos sealed, so nobody could pull off a surprise strike.

It was the thin line stopping World War III.

Zelensky shattered it all in one move. He threw out the rules, erased decades of stability, and threw us straight back into Cold War chaos.

Anyone who helped make this happen isn’t just reckless,they’re a danger to the entire planet.

And people actually celebrating this? Completely out of their minds.

#4 How much damage was actually done?

The Ukrainians are claiming that more than 40 aircraft were hit during the attack and a total of approximately 7 billion dollars in damage was done…

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has officially confirmed it carried out a major drone strike against Russian military airfields, damaging or destroying what it claims is 34 percent of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers, in a long-planned covert operation codenamed “Spiderweb.”

The SBU said the strikes, which targeted airfields housing Russia’s long-range bombers, resulted in an estimated $7 billion in damage – a figure that has not yet been independently verified.

“Seven billion US dollars. This is the estimated cost of the enemy’s strategic aviation, which was hit today as a result of a special operation by the SBU – ‘Spiderweb,’” the agency said in a statement released Sunday, June 1.

But other sources are claiming that the damage was far less extensive…

Judging by the images, four Tu-22M3 bombers and three Tu-95MS bombers were likely destroyed during the operation. In addition, one Tu-95MS was probably damaged.

What everyone can agree on is that Russian strategic nuclear bombers were hit, and this could have easily sparked a nuclear war.

#5 The Ukrainians know that Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if their strategic nuclear assets are attacked. So why would Ukraine risk this?

As Scott Ritter has aptly pointed out, the Russians recently updated their nuclear doctrine to specifically address the kind of attack that just happened…

In 2024 Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s nuclear doctrine to be updated to consider the complicated geopolitical realities that had emerged from the ongoing Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine, where the conflict had morphed into a proxy war between the collective west (NATO and the US) and Russia.

The new doctrine declared that nuclear weapons would be authorized for use in case of an “aggression against the Russian Federation and (or) its allies by any non-nuclear state with the participation or support of a nuclear state is considered as their joint attack.”

Russia’s nuclear arsenal would also come into play in the event of “actions by an adversary affecting elements of critically important state or military infrastructure of the Russian Federation, the disablement of which would disrupt response actions by nuclear forces.”

Thankfully, the Russians showed restraint and did not use nukes.

But do we really want to bet the continued existence of our society on the ability of Vladimir Putin to show restraint every time the Ukrainians provoke him?

#6 How will the Russians respond?

Many in the Russian media are openly discussing the possibility of using nuclear weapons in response to this attack…

Russian papers and military bloggers are discussing the prospect of Russia using nuclear weapons to strike Ukraine after Kyiv launched brutal strikes on Vladimir Putin’s airbases. The country is reeling after Ukrainian drones are reported to have destroyed more than £5 billion worth of strategic bombers in what some pro-Kremlin commentators have described as Russia’s “Pearl Harbour”.

Thankfully, Vladimir Putin isn’t going to use nukes at this stage.

But everyone agrees that he will strike back really hard.

Will he use his new Oreshnik missiles against Ukraine?

Will Ukrainian cities be targeted?

Unfortunately, it probably won’t be too long before we find out what Putin intends to do.

#7 Why would the Ukrainians conduct such an attack if they knew that the Russians would strike back really hard?

Many have pointed out that the “Pearl Harbor” attack came just prior to the peace talks in Istanbul.

If Ukraine really wanted to give those talks a chance to succeed, they wouldn’t have launched such an attack right before they started.

But this attack wasn’t really about the peace talks at all.

When the Ukrainians first started planning this operation, they had no idea that these peace talks would happen.

Ultimately, the primary goal of this operation was not to derail peace talks.

Rather, the primary goal of this operation was to provoke a Russian response that is so large that it will force NATO to join the war.

The Ukrainians understand that the only way that they can win this war is to get NATO involved.

That is why they invaded Kursk, that is why they tried to shoot down Putin’s helicopter, and that is why they just attacked Russia’s strategic nuclear bombers.

They need the Russians to do something so dramatic that it will finally drag NATO directly into the conflict.

Of course once we are directly at war with Russia, we will be just one step away from the unthinkable.

So I really hope that President Trump can see through the charade and understand what is really going on.

There is going to be so much pressure on him during the days ahead, and ultimately he will be the one that decides which way things go.

The post 7 Hard Questions That Everyone Should Be Asking About The “Pearl Harbor” Attack On Russia appeared first on The Economic Collapse.

NATO Is On The Verge Of A Full-Blown War With Russia, And Firing Long-Range Missile Deep Into Russian Territory Isn’t Going To Lead To Peace

Michael — Mon, 26 May 2025 19:52:42 +0000

Do you remember when Joe Biden brought us to the brink of nuclear war by allowing the Ukrainians to fire long-range missiles provided by the United States deep into Russian territory? Unfortunately, western leaders have decided to do it again. I honestly have no idea what they are thinking. Every long-range missile that is fired deep into Russian territory brings us even closer to nuclear war. Just think about how we would respond if someone was firing long-range missiles at New York, Boston, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. We would nuke them. Let us hope that the Russians show restraint, because western leaders are now crossing a very dangerous line.

When I first learned what German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had said, I had a hard time believing it. According to Merz, all of the western nations that are providing Ukraine with long-range missiles have now given Ukraine permission to fire those missiles deep into Russian territory…

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Ukraine has been given permission to use weapons supplied by its allies to launch strikes deep inside Russia.

“There are absolutely no range limits anymore for weapons delivered to Ukraine, not from Britain, the French or from us — also not from the Americans,” Merz said at a conference in Berlin on Monday. “That means Ukraine can defend itself by attacking military positions also in Russia.”

I’ll say the same thing that I said when Joe Biden originally gave Ukraine permission to fire long-range missiles provided by the U.S. deep into Russian territory.

This is literally insane.

And guess who will be picking the targets and providing the targeting information?

It won’t be the Ukrainians.

NATO is now on the verge of a full-blown war with Russia, and a full-blown war between NATO and Russia would inevitably go nuclear.

President Trump is our last hope for peace with Russia, but now it appears that he has totally lost patience with Vladimir Putin.

In fact, just hours ago he posted a message warning about “the downfall of Russia” on his Truth Social account…

I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia! Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not “Trump’s,” I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.

In response, the Russians tried to calm things down…

The Kremlin responded Monday to President Trump’s criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing “emotional overload” at this “very important moment.”

“We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process,” said Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov when asked about Trump’s remarks, according to Reuters.

“Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions.”

But if the Russians really wanted to calm things down, they would stop sending hundreds of attack drones deep into Ukraine…

Russia’s Sunday night attack included the launch of 355 drones, Yuriy Ihnat, head of the Ukrainian air force’s communications department, told The Associated Press. The previous night, Russia fired 298 drones and 69 missiles of various types in what Ukrainian authorities said was the largest combined aerial assault during the conflict. Overall, from Friday to Sunday, Russia launched around 900 drones at Ukraine, officials said.

Night after night, Russia has been terrorizing Ukrainian cities with these drones.

According to Newsweek, last night’s drone barrage resulted in NATO jets being scrambled “near Poland’s eastern border”…

NATO fighter jets were scrambled near Poland’s eastern border on Monday as Ukraine was struck by a Russian missile and drone attack.

Poland’s Armed Forces said that Polish and allied aircraft had taken off amid “renewed activity of the Russian Federation’s long-range aviation carrying out missile strikes on facilities located in the territory of Ukraine.”

Of course the Russians are simply responding to what the Ukrainians have been doing.

Last week, the Ukrainians sent hundreds of attack drones into Russian territory, and at one point there was even an attempt to kill Vladimir Putin…

The Kremlin as well as Russian state media are alleging a huge, potentially conflict-altering incident which will surely escalate the war in Ukraine – an attempted attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.

A high-ranking Russian military commander on Sunday described that last week, as Putin traveled to the Kursk region for the first time since is liberation after 6+ months of Ukrainian occupation, Ukraine tried to attack Putin’s helicopter mid-flight, sending a wave of drones to swarm the flight path of the chopper.

The Ukrainians have been trying to push the Russians over the edge for a long time.

It looks like this attack on Putin may have finally achieved that goal.

Many were hoping that President Trump would be able to finally bring an end to the war in Ukraine, but now Russian media outlets are proclaiming that the peace process is almost dead…

The Russian press had declared Donald Trump’s peace deal is “dying a slow death” as a key ally of Vladimir Putin mocked Western ceasefire plans by posting a map showing almost all of Ukraine occupied by Kremlin forces. The Moscow-based daily newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets ran an editorial on current ceasefire negotiations, commenting that it believed President’s “energy charge” had “gone flat” and that it would soon become “obvious” even to Mr Trump that any deal was in its “death throes”.

The bleak assessment was reported by the BBC’s Russia Editor Steve Rosenberg during his regular dispatch covering the nation’s headlines. He added that the piece in the Moskovskij Komsomolets said: “The Trump factor was significant and strong enough to get Moscow and Kyiv to the negotiating table, but judging by the current picture, it feels like Trump’s peace plan is dying a slow, but necessarily painful death.

Meanwhile, the Russians continue to get even closer to the Iranians…

Iran’s parliament ratified a 20-year strategic partnership with Russia on Wednesday, formalizing a broad alliance that expands military and economic cooperation between the two heavily sanctioned nations, according to state media.

The move comes as nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington are in doubt, raising fears of a renewed crisis in the Middle East with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening possible military action if no deal is reached.

Nobody can deny that 2025 has turned out to be a year of war.

Now western missiles will be raining down in Russian territory, and the Russians will certainly escalate matters even more in response.

Both sides are expecting the other side to back down, but that isn’t going to happen.

We are witnessing an extremely dangerous game of chicken, and the fate of the entire globe hangs in the balance.

The post NATO Is On The Verge Of A Full-Blown War With Russia, And Firing Long-Range Missile Deep Into Russian Territory Isn’t Going To Lead To Peace appeared first on The Economic Collapse.