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Coffee Break: Fake Ceasefire, Cognitive Dissonance, & Conflicting Agendas

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Reactions to yesterday’s news of a ceasefire in the US-Iran Ramadan War have varied due to cognitive dissonance and conflicting agendas among key players including POTUS Trump, Israel, Iran’s Supreme Leader, the IRGC, the UAE, the Saudis, China, and Pakistan.

This is an attempt to supplement Yves’ daily Iran War update for April 8th with a look at the media manipulation going on in the U.S. media and financial markets as well as some kinetic updates that have happened since she posted.

Prelude: A Quote from Aurelian

Before we start, this quote from Aurelian’s latest is just too on point. Please keep this in mind as you read the rest of the post:

…stranded between cloudy aspirational pronouncements and actual implementation on the ground, they have lost the ability to make operational-level plans and carry them through. This suggests that as the indirect consequences of the continuing Iran crisis start to bite, western governments will be increasingly less capable of coping with them as they affect their economies and their societies, and indeed will lack the ability to plan, and even to understand what is happening.

I had more to say about Aurelian’s latest insights for Ian Welsh.

Don’t Stop Thinking About Yesterday Yet

Before we start, let’s not forget that Trump FREAKED PEOPLE THE FAMILY BLOG OUT with his threats against Iran. So the reactions chronicled below are all coming from people who were seriously worried Trump would launch nuclear weapons on Iran last night.

From the Guardian:

The extremity of Trump’s threats, coupled with his growing desperation to find a way out of the conflict, has increased fears that a volatile president could try to use a nuclear weapon. Under the US system, a US president has sole authority to order a nuclear launch. To do so he would summon a security conference call of the National Military Command Center… A military aide who is always close to the president would open the ‘nuclear football’, a briefcase containing nuclear strike options as well as the codes to confirm his presidential authority. The only way to stop the order would be for those in the chain of command to deem it illegal. In January 2021, the then chair of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Mark Milley, was so concerned about Trump’s volatility that he reportedly told his senior officers to make sure he was involved in any nuclear decision.

The backlash was so bad the extremely war-and-Israel-friendly Axios did a whole article on the MAGA media turning on Trump:

  • Tucker Carlson delivered a 43-minute monologue Monday framing Trump’s Iran rhetoric as morally corrupt and even “evil.” He expressed personal outrage at Trump’s Easter post threatening to bring “hell” to Iran, and urged U.S. officials to defy any orders that could kill civilians.
  • Alex Jones, the far-right conspiracy theorist who spent years defending Trump, was overcome with emotion on air as he called the president a “dementia risk” who must be removed from office.
  • Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), once among Trump’s most devoted GOP allies in Congress, called his rhetoric “evil and madness” Tuesday and demanded his removal via the 25th Amendment.
  • Candace Owens, another disillusioned Trump loyalist with millions of podcast followers, called the president a “genocidal lunatic” and demanded Congress and the military intervene.

Another example of the political blender in effect is this mini-media battle in which a MAGA mainstay takes the side of DropSite News vs a censorious attack from a zionist and Axios.

With those kerfluffles covered, let’s look at with some normie MSM Team America and Mr. Market responses.

Trump Cries ‘Ceasefire’ Again, MSM Sells It, Mr. Market Buys It

Since Google has buried direct links to media sources “below the fold”, I think their AI summary (and the sources they oh so discretely link to) is the most representative of American mainstream consent manufacturing.

With that in mind, here’s what Google Gemini is posting at the top of the page in response to the query “Is the war over?” (sources linked in parenthesis):

Markets are surging on news of a potential U.S.-Iran ceasefire, treating it as a de facto end to the conflict. Stocks, including major indices and travel stocks, saw significant gains on April 8, 2026, while oil prices plunged nearly 17-18%. However, analysts warn that the situation is fragile and not fully resolved. (YouTube)

Market Action: Following news of the ceasefire, the Dow Jones soared 1,374 points (2.95%), the S&P 500 gained 2.56%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 3.46%.
Energy Prices: WTI crude fell to $92 a barrel, and Brent dropped to $91, retreating from highs driven by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Outlook: Investors are pricing in a de-escalation, but caution remains regarding the durability of the pause and potential lingering inflation shocks. (CNBC)

Market Context:

Prior to the rally, the market had been down roughly 9% from its February high.
Despite the optimism, experts note that the situation “could fall apart,” with energy prices still well above pre-conflict levels. (NPR)

Out of deference to tradition, here’s a screengrab of what the New York Times was running up top as of mid-morning Wednesday.

Right on cue, Mr. Market jumped to and drove US equities up in response:

And oil prices swooned appropriately:

Although there were a few poops in the punchbowl visible to the keen-eyed MSM consumer:

No conflicting agendas here!

And just to rub everyone’s faces in the American stupid MSM psyops, I’ll link to CNN’s “Ceasefire Explainer”.

The most notable thing is that CNN does mention the turd in the punchbowl mid-way through:

“But it also claimed Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire – contradicting Pakistan’s prime minister, who said it was. Trump made no mention of Lebanon in his statement.”

It’s also notable that at no point do they list Iran’s 10 point plan (which was released Monday).

This fits with CNN anchor Jake Tapper repeatedly saying “we don’t know” what is in Iran’s 10 point plan during the network’s TV coverage of the ceasefire Tuesday evening.

The tone of their coverage was summed up by a poster on X who said, “CNN is in full blown meltdown mode right now over Trump losing this war against Iran. They have a guest hyperventilating about the Iranian regime staying in tact while sanctions being removed.”

And then there’s Greasy Pete.

The Secretary of Delusion Chimes In

Secretary of Defense “War” Pete Hegseth shared some whoppers at today’s press conference about the ceasefire.

Daily Wire Reporter: Iran has said that safe passage through the straight of Hormuz will be possible in coordination with Iran’s armed forces and quote technical limitations. What do you believe that means? And then we’ve also heard reports that Iran has continued striking targets well into this morning. At what point are we beyond a grace period? Are we giving them a grace period? Uh is there a miscommunication there? What’s going on with that?

Secretary Hegseth: What we know is that Iran is going to say a lot of things. A lot of people are going to say a lot of things, claim a lot of things. What has been agreed to, what’s been stated is the straight is open. Our military is watching. I’m sure their military is watching, but commerce will flow and that’s what you saw the markets react to is that reality.

As far as shooting that, we we were monitoring it last night in real time. Of course, we are. Uh, Iran would be wise to find a way to get the carrier pigeon to their troops out in remote locations to know uh not to shoot any longer, a one-way attacks or missiles because this is takes time sometimes for ceasefires to take hold. We’re watching it. We’re prepared if necessary, but we we we we hope and believe that it’ll hold.

I had to put the biggest howler in italics.

An Important Reminder About Information Dissemination

Always keep an eye on who breaks the news of these ceasefires:

Ravid isn’t the first to know though, based on the insider trading action.

Good Work If You Can Get the Insider Access

As one X.com account called “Matt” posted, “They keep bringing us to the edge of the abyss and cancelling armageddon at the last possible moment so a coalition of otherwise unemployable benzo addicts, tech millenarians, zionist child molesters and podcast christians can buy the dips.”

Again, no conflicting agendas here!

Reuters reported on the latest score:

Investors placed an ‌approximately $950 million bet on oil prices falling just hours before the U.S. and Iran announced a ceasefire, the latest large wager on the direction of the world’s most traded commodity ahead of a major policy announcement by President ​Donald Trump.

On Tuesday, investors sold a combined 8,600 lots of Brent and U.S. crude futures ​at 1945 GMT, according to LSEG data.
…
Taking ​large positions on oil prices rising or falling is not unusual as traders use them to hedge large volumes of physical oil trade.

But such deals are very rarely done in big lots, as traders prefer to use sweeping orders ​across many exchanges and ask brokers to use algorithmic trading over many hours to execute the order ​to avoid impacting prices with their bets. Large orders also are seldom executed after settlement, which happens Monday to ‌Friday ⁠at 1830 GMT.

The bet follows similar moves on March 23, when investors sold $500 million in oil futures just 15 minutes before an announcement by Trump that he would delay attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, which stunned markets and then triggered a 15% drop in the crude price.

Iranian Agit-Prop Ain’t Buying This Taco

Gotta keep an eye on the latest Lego profferings from the Islamic Republic:

The vast majority of Americans are foolishly not plugged into Trump world enough to get their beaks wet from the war profiteering and are oblivious to the Iranian take, so they are forced to seek more accurate information and representation of their interests from Trump’s nominal political opponents.

How’s that going?

One Democrat’s Twists and Turns

Since the ceasefire has already collapsed, I’m only going to discuss one other reactions from a US Democrat with some presidential aspirations.

US Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) went from an pre-ceasefire announcement appearance on CNN where he was invoking the 25th Amendment, to decrying “a history-changing win for Iran” to posting this:

“Iran says the U.S. has agreed to their 10 point plan, which gives them control of the Strait, lets them keep their nuclear program and also their missiles, and drops sanctions against Iran.

If this isn’t true – and let’s hope it’s not – it is proof that there is indeed no deal.”

This morning Murphy started his day on X that “(Iran) will control and toll the Strait for the first time. They keep their nuclear program. They keep their missiles. What a disaster.”

Then Murphy reposted Fox News’s top foreign correspondent Trey Yingst blaming Iran for post-ceasefire attacks on Israel, Kuwait and the UAE and also mentioning that “Iran, via state media, reports strikes against Lavan Island and the oil infrastructure there” without mentioning who might have fired those strikes.

Finally Murphy responded to progressive critic Adam Johnson on X who had accused Murphy of “explicitly (lobbying0 against the tentative ceasefire deal” by with this:

If you’ve paid any attention to what I’ve said for weeks, you know I want the war to end immediately. So of course I’m glad if this ceasefire holds.

That’s not inconsistent with pointing out that we are worse off now than before the war started and that’s it bad if Iran controls the Strait. I’ve been 100% clear there is no military means to reopen the Strait and the only way forward is for Trump to stop the war.

I think it’s important to point out how ham handed this entire endeavor has been – and how nobody should see Trump’s actions as some expert manuever (sic) in war making and statecraft.

Murphy represents a Democrat trying to distance himself his party’s covertly pro-war and openly zionist leadership while still playing to the corporate war-monger crowd.

I should note that Trump’s genocidal threats triggered such a panic pre-TACO, that even US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is now calling for a War Powers Vote.

Let’s Pretend There’s a Ceasefire Long Enough to Speculate About Who and Why

Before we leave the cocoon of pretend that Mr. Market is wallowing in today, I want to note some interesting speculation about the Chinese and Pakistani role in the negotiations.

On the one hand, maybe the two nuclear-armed Asian countries are playing good cop with Israel:

But Democratic policy advisor Erik Sperling warns that Pakistan cannot be trusted by anyone:

Back to reality. What’s actually happened since Trump declared a ceasefire?

American Zionists Pre-Emptively Blame Iran

Red State put their marker down early:

Quick Round Up of Trump Regime Perfidy

Ben Panga had a great comment on Yves’ morning Iran War post summarizing Team Trump’s antics this morning that I’ll just repost here with added links:

Lots of -fire, precious little cease-

Iran and Israel Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that the actual missiles never even paused flying for a moment with both Israel and Iran letting fly at each other, Lebanon (Israel), and the Gulf States (Iran).

Israel’s attack on Beirut was particularly horrific.

This coming on the heels of Hezbollah reportedly putting the hurt on the IDF near the Litani River yesterday.

I’ll let these tweets speak for the Israeli and Iranian positions on Trump’s ceasefire as of mid-day Wednesday:

Israel:

Iran:

A New Actor Enters the Fray

But someone new is getting involved in the Kino, allegedly, per pro-Western military analyst Babak Taghvaee:

His sourcing is very interesting:

Confirmation from Patricia Marins:

Marins’ in-depth analysis of the military matchup between Iran and the Gulf States is of interest to those with $8 to spend on info.

And for those who want a toke of the info the Emirates have been smoking let’s check in on top advisor to UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed, Dr. Anwar Gargash’s feed on X:

The UAE triumphed in a war we sincerely sought to avoid, and we prevailed through an epic national defense that safeguarded sovereignty and dignity and protected our achievements in the face of treacherous aggression. Today, we move forward to manage a complex regional landscape with greater leverage, sharper insight, and a more solid capacity to influence and shape the future.

Our strength, resilience, and steadfastness have reinforced the UAE’s renaissance model.

So yea, they’re well grounded in reality.

Needless to say, the UAE openly attacking Iranian oil facilities is a global disaster and makes this whole thing seem more like a murder-suicide of the global economy than a war with winners and losers.

FWIW, Iran seems to be blaming the US and Israel rather than the UAE:

Babak Taghvaee isn’t deterred from his narrative however:

And the Saudi pipeline that allowed them to keep some revenue coming in while the Strait is blocked has been hit. Per the Financial Times:

Saudi Arabia’s vital East-West oil pipeline carrying crude from the Gulf to the Red Sea for export has been attacked, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The people said a pumping station, one of several along the 1,200km pipeline that has become an economic lifeline for the kingdom since the near closure of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, was hit at about 1pm local time on Wednesday.

One of the people said it had been attacked by a drone and that the damage was being assessed.

It will be interesting to see how Trump responds to the failure of his ceasefire, but presumably he’ll enjoy the glow of number go up for a day or so first.

I’ll try to end on a lighter note by checking in on one American pawn whose usefulness has come to an end, pretender to the Peacock Throne and aspiring Shah Reza Pahlavi:

Hang in there everybody.

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38 comments

  1. voislav

    It will be interesting to see how Trump reacts to the ceasefire violations. Many analysts already pointed out that US seems to be moving more assets and supplies into the region, so while the words say ceasefire, actions say more war. I wonder if he thinks this is a clever stratagem to address the dire military and logistics picture, where local ammunition stocks are pretty much exhausted and it will take weeks to replenish them.

    1. n

      IMO the whole ceasefire business was just theater to distract from Trump TACOing out.

      The US was never going to agree to even 1 of the 10 points that Iran posted, but they and the Pakistanis staged this whole media story which also helped fool the market and moved stocks up and oil down for a day or more. The original Pakistani tweet included the “Draft for the Pakistani PM” header, which the PM quickly deleted.

      Iran wont abandon Lebanon and Israel wont stop attacking Lebanon so the ceasefire possibly wont even hold long enough for the Saturday meeting.

      In a few days the news cycle will have moved on and nobody will be talking about the ceasefire.

      Meanwhile the US continues moving troops to the area and preparing for the next step, a ground war into Iran.

      And while everyone was talking about the ceasefire deal and arguing about who agreed to what, more oil infrastructure in the Gulf was destroyed and the Saudi’s red sea pipeline has been hit, which I think might be the first attack on this pipeline.

      1. Nat Wilson Turner Post author

        I do wonder if the Pakistanis aren’t pissed about being used like this and left looking like fools when they say that Trump agreed to negotiations based on the Iranian 10 point plan and the Trump admin immediately denies it. The Pakistanis might be the most shifty and untrustable mofos in this whole scenario.
        I mean, they’re armed by China but the US backed the coup that put Amir Khan in prison. Most of their population is Sunni, but I’d have to think they’re backing Iran over Israel, just like every other Sunni majority country.

      2. ilsm

        The situation* that arose at that “agricultural airstrip” over a missing in action F-15 WSO near Isafan does not suggest US enter Iran, even Kharg!

        *Marines have a two letter term……

  2. Ignacio

    If one thinks that Western governments cannot plan, even understand, what is going on under current circumstances it is indeed wise to extend that to opposition parties, and the PMCs plus Markets in general. One would expect that some amongst the PMC might know better though they apparently choose to keep silent. For instance those who have been seeing war effects in their businesses. Perverse incentives everywhere? Personal gain above all might be driving this idiocy. This goes well beyond the ones with insider access. Well beyond Trump.

  3. ambrit

    The public in America will soon not be able to not see the deleterious effects of this conflict on their lives.
    More Iranian oil infrastructure being destroyed, with the probable retaliatory Gulfie oil infrastructure destruction can do naught but extend the pain for everyone, worldwide. These facilities take years to build, and even longer comparatively to repair at scale.
    This is shaping up to be a significant and long term disaster for world economies. (Not to mention incidentals like life expectancies, general health levels, food security, and social cohesiveness.) As someone or other quipped: “Forward, into the past!”
    Interesting to read the tweet about China and Pakistan explicitly warning Israel about the consequences of using the family atomics. Quite like, from the novel Dune, the rule of all the other Houses Major uniting to crush any House that flouts the rules of atomic weapons use. Collective security at scale. This might be an unexpected outcome. The on the ground construction of a world wide collective security regime among the atomic weapons possessing nations. A higher order UN as it were.
    Those Lego videos! It stands as a given that Iran trolls with the best of them.
    Stay safe.

    1. Randall Flagg

      >with the probable retaliatory Gulfie oil infrastructure destruction can do naught but extend the pain for everyone, worldwide. These facilities take years to build, and even longer comparatively to repair at scale.

      Amen. To listen to some of the radio personalities that are Trump swabs, one can just head down to Refinery’s -Are-Us and grab some parts, and have them up and running in no time. I lose IQ points listening to some if it and I honestly don’t have many to sacrifice in the first place.

      And SOW Hegseth, is there a bigger bootlicker than him? Trying to match Trump with the insults to the Iranians?
      >As far as shooting that, we we were monitoring it last night in real time. Of course, we are. Uh, Iran would be wise to find a way to get the carrier pigeon to their troops out in remote locations to know uh not to shoot any longer, a one-way attacks or missiles because this is takes time sometimes for ceasefires to take hold

      1. ambrit

        Ah, I should have known since we’re all bozos on this bus.
        I wish to assert most strongly that I did vote for People’s Commissioner Trump and will not do so again. Though, I do plead the excuse that the alternative candidate, Camelat Harris of the United Snakes Party was perceptually the worse candidate.
        Stay safe with More Science.

    3. Cetzer

      “These facilities take years to build”
      There might be already ones, that are not worth re-building because of depletion, Iranian rockets having promised contributing to next new year’s fireworks or the oily sheiks running out of gold-plated tungsten¹.

      ¹One of the rumours surrounding gold, perhaps only a urban legend. Certainly some parties might be a bit offended, if a not so trusting buyer demands to be the first to drill into their virgin gold bars to ascertain their 100% proof gold content

      1. ambrit

        I can attest from personal experience that there are very good looking fake silver dollars being sold that have brass cores. Most of them seem to originate from China. Who says that the West is the leader in “sharp practice” in business? I have found it to be a universal quality of Terran humans.
        Stay safe. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

        1. hk

          Only in narcissistic and naive West would people think Westerners are particularly given to sharp practices or materialism generally. One reason Koreans became impressed with Western Christians was that, because they believe in a God, they don’t do the kind of stuff that Chinese and Japanese do (Chinese and Japanese traditionally believe in gods…but they also don’t respect those gods. (Koreans historically have also, but Korean folk religions seem as “out there” as Chinese or Japanese. Burning phoney paper money with ludicrous number of 0’s, a very overt act of cheating gods, is a distinctly Chinese custom likes of which doesn’t exist in Korea, for example.) Cheating and outsmarting these foolish and pretentious gods is an important part of folklore in East Asia going back centuries (and probably millenia)).

        2. Steve

          The Fisch Coin Detector had suspended their guarantee when someone submitted a fake gold eagle ounce that fooled their scale and dimension checker. The copper added to USliberty Eagles allowed a gold plated tungsten counterfeit to exactly match theUSMint physical specs for the bullion coin. So always buy .9999 fine gold and skip the tungsten problem.

    1. Nat Wilson Turner Post author

      Good addition, I should throw that in because it’s just horrific. Thanks!

    2. JBird4049

      Well, the Israelis don’t want peace and they can always find justifications to violate a ceasefire. It is going to be interesting to see if President Trump can keep Prime Minister Netanyahu under control.

  5. St Jacques

    Fools and lunatics only know how to double down. They always think their failing plans just need one more shove. It’s long been obvious that Trump is totally beyond his depth and is going down fast and is easily manipulated by the most cynical of interests. We need the effort to depose him on grounds of not being fit for the presidential office to succeed and fast.

  6. nyleta

    The long term suppression of Israeli ambitions can’t be done with missiles and oil flow disruptions, just look at Ukraine. Eventually there will have to be a Tet-like offensive through southern Iraq to Jordan and Israel. This will take as long as Vietnam did.

    This means wresting control of Iraqi oil from the US which can only happen with the participation of China, the only country able to absorb and distribute those flows after Iran’s dominance of Gulf oil flows is really established. China won’t do this until it is sure the US is exhausted, they would love a large US army to be dispatched to the area, in the present conditions it could never leave.

    Once the war restarts the next flash point should be El Arish, just look at the port traffic there. Egypt is helping Israel every day through there in a major way and the missiles will fly there if they keep it up.

    1. hk

      Tet failed, as a military operation at any rate, you know.

      What did eventually end the Vietnam War were two offensives, the Easter Offensive of 1972 and the Ho Chi Minh Offensive of 1975, conducted by PAVN regulars–those weren’t guerrilla tanks that broke through the gates of the Saigon presidential palace.

      Assembling a conventional army that can march all the way from Iran to the Mediterranean may not be possible, for very very long time.

      1. ilsm

        The absence of US regulars!

        PAVN represented a loss of patience and fear Church Amdt might be reversed..

  7. Bugs

    In more lunatic news, the Vatican ambassador to the US was summoned to the Pentagon in January to be lectured by an Undersecretary of “War” and threatened with an Avignon-style exile for the Papacy if the Church didn’t throw its support behind the US plans to remake the world by force. Apparently, Pope Leo inflamed Hegseth’s preening alpha male need for domination with a New Year sermon for peace and as part the backlash, no Catholic ceremonies were allowed for the military this past holy week.

    https://x.com/mattiaferraresi/status/2041825883301044675?s=20

    1. The Rev Kev

      Just read that because of those threats, that the Pope has cancelled a planned visit to the US this year. No photo ops for Trump here then. Must be a difficult time to be in the US military and be a practicing Catholic these days. Wasn’t long ago that a Catholic rep was kicked off Trump’s religious board because she wouldn’t accept the whole being against Zionism is antisemitic thing. Will Hegseth block Catholic officers being promoted to high command like he did for black and women officers? Idjuts.

    2. Judith

      Interesting Augustinian perspective. (Leo is an Augustinian.)

      https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/st-augustine-key-difference-between-pete-hegseth-and-pope-leo

      “Leo’s response to Hegseth is not primarily political, it is theological. He is speaking about war and violence as the Augustinian he is, drawing on a tradition that insists, without exception, on the primacy of charity and mercy in all use and interpretation of Scripture. Within the Christian tradition as formed and shaped by Augustine, any prayer that asks God to destroy one’s enemies, while leaving intact the structures of hatred and violence within the self, represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of God.

      The question is not whether Scripture contains violent language. It does. The question is whether that language can be invoked to sanctify and celebrate the destruction of human beings. On that point, the Christian tradition, articulated with particular clarity by Augustine, is unequivocal: Any interpretation that does not build up love of God and neighbor is not simply politically misguided. It is blasphemous.”

      1. ilsm

        Most US military activities since at least 1898 have broken all of St Augustine’s Just War doctrine.

    3. Ben Panga

      Remember that JD Vance was one of the last people to see the previous Pope alive. Iirc, Vance met with him on a Sunday evening and his death was announced on the Monday evening.

      It was curious at the time, and I’ve wondered why he visited and what came from it?

  8. Joe Renter

    It just gets weirder every day. Challenging to see a way out of this mess. New leadership coming from somewhere one hopes.

  9. Lefty Godot

    Obviously what we need now is a bigger and better Board of Peace! Reza Pahlavi, Bret Stephens, Maria Corina Machado, Juan Guaido, and Erika Kirk should all be charter members. Meetings can be held on Kharg Island, so that everyone stays focused on what’s at stake.

    1. Cetzer

      Good News regarding the Hormuz Toll Booth: After hiring an US-American consultant (Harvard MBA), the Iranians now offer a special 2 for 3 deal¹: Three passages and a free, gold-edged poster of the late Khamenei Senior for the price of only two passages.

      ¹Terms and conditions apply. The price of a contingent fourth passage might be higher (uncapped) than a regular one. See details at http://www.gettingscrewedbyaharvardmba.edu

  10. ChrisRUEcon

    Thanks as always, Nat.

    It is a fake ceasefire, designed to placate markets … and then potentially to allow for a period of re-arming and arms/troop movement.

    C’est ça … c’est bien … c’est tout … c’est rien (mood via X)

  11. Ben Panga

    On the UAE, there is a picture of one of their planes going round:

    @DD_Geopolitics
    10h
    🇦🇪🇮🇷 An image has emerged of a UAE Mirage 2000-9 fighter jet that carried out strikes against the petrochemical facilities on Iran’s Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf earlier today. The incident on Lavan Island occurred roughly eight hours after the announcement of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

    Note: The UAE is the only operator of the Mirage 2000-9, an upgraded export variant of the French Mirage 2000 design, in the region. The UAE Air Force has been phasing out its fleet of these aircraft in favor of Rafale fighters

    —-

    I can’t find it now, but I’m sure I also saw an officialish Iranian source saying the UAE had attacked.

  12. hk

    I mentioned in the other thread that, if Trump is impeached again, I wonder if it’ll be for being a warmonger or a peacenik. Since the Dems have no principles and Trump is wildly swinging from one extreme to another, the former too are looking like nutjobs that they are.

    It’s one thing to oppose Trump for reasons: there are plenty. It’s pathetic to oppose Trump for being Trump and scramble to assemble ever changing bundle of excuses to justify the opposition. Almost(?) enough to make one glad that Trump won in 2024, in spite of all that’s happened in the past year plus.

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