I confess I didn't read the article but I wholeheartedly agree with the Headline. Even Matt still can't avoid having everything ultimately be about Trump, eh? Too bad Walter didn't succeed in breaking him of that.
To me it's all pretty simple in more of a Christian/Jew/Muslim framing. This is enough to keep the globe fighting for another few decades at least. We're only a few thousand years into this feud. This is the foundation to it all. But American Presidents have a vote in that too.
Muslims have been working on obeying God’s command to conquer the world for 14 centuries now, so the fighting may go on longer than a few decades.
This comment by Matt is a little embarrassing: “The whole point of being the strongest nation, though, is that we shouldn’t need 4d chess moves or madness in methods. We can just stay home and make waffles …”
Neglecting the world is a good way to make sure you don’t stay the strongest nation.
Glad to see you taking this element on. This Substack became a haven for boomer team-Trumpers with a binary thinking problem.
They do not seem to realize that what made this place great during the Biden term was that it was one of the few places where you could get honest, informative, and well deserved critiques of that shit show.
Now that Trump is in power and earning a great share of fair criticism himself, these people can’t stand that the same approach they loved when Biden was the target is being applied to Trump.
That is what I’m here for, no matter which tribe is in power and making things worse for us, and I’m glad to see Racket get aggressive with it.
I take issue with your broad stroke of us boomers as "boomer team-Trumpers". I believe many just came to understand that Trump was the least worst choice. And "binary thinking"? Really? Isn't that an American problem not tied to any generation? Americans have been flopping from one extreme to the other through my entire life.
I still understand that what made this place great during Biden was honest, informative journalism, and I still look to it for the same thing today. My support of Trump is a choice of hope over hopelessness.
I support mature adults who do things not child adults who bitch about things. I understand that mistakes will be made, and if there ever was a guy to make big ones, it's Donald Trump. However, I think Trump is doing something this country has needed for decades - he's grabbed it by the shirt collar, slapping it's face left and right, while screaming, "wake up, you dumbasses!!"
On the lighter side, my attitude about Trump started changing with one spectacular event: his "I only said that about Rosey O'Donnell!" retort to Megan Kelly at a debate, I believe. I belly laughed so freaking hard! I think it was the spark for me.
Not so sure about that "boomer team-Trumpers" remark, but agree with the rest of your comment.
As a boomer who voted for Trump 3 times, but who has never hesitated to blast him when he screws up (which happens frequently), I'd just like to say that Trump was the least objectionable choice. We aren't all cultists.
It’s LONG overdue. Kirn’s constant Trump apologia was crack for the ATW Trumpers. With Kirn’s disappearing act, many Taibbi subscribers are suffering from withdrawal and are turning on him.
The criticism that ‘team Trumpers’ can’t stand the heat is spot on. The idea that they would have found anything to ruffle their feathers until Matt’s Walden Pond moment is patently false. They found a comfortable home here as Matt not only turned a blind eye to the most corrupt administration in US history but cheered them on, often in giddy fashion, along with
Its not. Its about ridding the world of the most destabilizing actor in our times. Trump sees the big picture -- he set the ground-work with the Abraham Accords, providing the US with Arab allies in the Middle East. The second step was getting rid of Maduro and allowing the US to control Venezuela's oil. He's now taking out the Middle Eastern trash, meaning Iranian weapons and weapons systems, and the military leadership. This is a very big-picture plan that was carefully crafted and skillfully executed. That's why you see all military experts just marveling at the process and results.
These things were also true of the war in Iraq. It caused civil war, massive instability and, coupled with the diplomacy of the Obama administration, a huge Shiite resurgence and an empowered Iran. The West has been playing Islamist wack-a-mole since the Sykes-Picot Agreement. This has had predictably bad results. I really hope you’re right. I hope Iran’s liberal secularists rise from under the boot of the Ayatollahs and that Trump doesn’t forget them once he screws the PRC out of a ready supply of oil. We allegedly intervened to save protestors. There are all sorts of ways this could become a disaster. For what it’s worth, Al Jazeera agrees with you on the military execution. The article didn’t include their prediction for the final outcome. Do you agree that Panglossian benefit of the doubt is unwarranted? The line between Trump acting batshit crazy and being batshit crazy is getting pretty faint.
Gee, well, for starters, it's not a crazy war, and only a very crazy person could say it is—let alone do so just to smuggle in a tawdry, circular, loaded defense of the truly crazy claim that this war is "about Trump."
The war so far has been extremely competently and surgically conducted, with a scope and commitment that have been extremely measured, against an enemy that, contrary to your tawdry claim that it's "about Trump," has provided a long list of war justifications over 47 years, including:
• funding, planning and otherwise aiding various unjust wars, untold terrorist acts and pernicious propaganda campaigns around the world;
• using its oil exports and infrastructure to prop up and empower China and other authoritarian, anti-American regimes;
• repeatedly attempting to develop nuclear weapons, which would have grown its capacity for treachery and misery by a near-infinite amount simply in the ability to threaten the weapons' deployment, let alone in actually deploying them; and, oh yeah,
• slaughtering, raping, silencing and in virtually every way possible subjugating Iranians, especially women and girls.
But hey, you'd know all of that if you were even remotely worthy of the title "journalist," so the expectation that you will suddenly acknowledge any of these obvious realities is extremely low.
China is not anti-American. Their prosperity depends on our consumers. Their willingness to host manufacturing facilities our billionaire class outsourced in return for cheap labor, thus screwing our own workers, speaks for itself. We created the China "monster." It has made OUR rich even richer. And as for China's alleged authoritarianism, I believe nations have a right to choose the form of government that works for them. The new CCP has worked very well for the Chinese people.
Russia is less authoritarian than China. This is as much because of cultural differences as anything else. Putin enjoys a ridiculously high approval rating and keeps getting re-elected because he, like the CCP, has raised Russians' standard of living and provided the stability that had been shattered by the 1989 collapse and, in particular, by the invasion of Western capitalists whose plundering of formerly state-owned assets Putin abruptly halted. He even managed to claw back much of it. He did not line his pockets in doing so, but created state-owned entities like Gasprom whose profits go to the people.
Even if he were lining his pockets, the man has no time to enjoy his wealth. He is driven by duty and lives at his office in the Kremlin, which is why Trump's attempt to kill him at his country home failed.
I noticed you listed "selling oil" to China (a nation we do massive trade with) as a justification for a full scale war against another nation, and you seemed to do this in all seriousness without any sense of shame or irony.
Of course this war is about Trump. Just like the Ukraine war is also now about Trump. Trump is prosecuting the Ukraine war simply as a negotiating position in order to end the war.
None of this was ever pacifism. Or was ever about pacifism.
As you said on one of the podcasts here. If you didn't know Trump was going after Iran, you weren't paying attention. And Trump has been on this long before his Soleimani love tap. Not to excuse Trump's 'no new wars' BS and those that believed it--but you had a damn good point.
One of Trump's powers is to get everyone to confess--and one big confession is that the number of pacifists may be even smaller than their influence.
As an introvert (although a very loud and obnoxious one) the primal idea of "Live and Leave Alone" makes more than sense--and yet ultimately it is just hiding. The idea that no action is always the moral course is the hopeful prayer of the napping.
I don't know the right answers about good and evil even between my own four walls--much less the world, but there is an appropriate quote:
Just turn down the volume on your microphone. You can't win a debate by talking louder then Matt, whose speaking ability does not match his writing ability.
You supported Trump. This war is YOUR fault. Every death is on YOUR head and the head of every Trump voter. Anyone could have seen what a violent incompetent evil monster Donald Trump was but you preferred a rapist to a woman, and you have the gall to act surprised! You just want to escape responsibility for your own actions like every other male on this planet.
Kamala was selected by the establishment, not elected by the people. That’s not democracy. Also the democrats support male rapists in female prisons. Women are being raped and impregnated. Trump was the only option.
When your comment on an article starts with "I confess I didn't read the article..." the comment should also end there. Right there, not another word. Because who cares?Why would anyone continue to be interested in your thoughts when you didn't even have the commitment to read a short article?
This is an interesting point. It also wasn’t consequence free. Even if you were to argue it wasn’t as globally apocalyptic as this war, it certainly had dire consequences for the region and Americans.
Exactly, Neo. That fact alone should be very telling. While I understand Matt’s concerns and feelings on this, I wonder what his responses would be to others in his space such as Jeff Childers of the Coffee and Covid newsletter? A podcast style debate would be very interesting.
China and Russia are both sending weapons, and Russia's help with intelligence has been invaluable. I think we'll see more and more countries taking Iran's side as their constituents—the ones who feel the pain—figure out that the U.S. invasion gave Iran no other option than to close the Strait of Hormuz. People don't really care how other nations govern themselves. They DO care about their own financial well-being. Politicians care to the extent their corporate sponsors tell them to care and the oil cartel, too, will eventually sour on this war once they realize Iran's oil isn't going to belong to them any time soon.
Right?! I started reading thinking I was going to read a calming piece. Who could enjoy peace after that?! I was ready to break something, hit someone or scream.
And yet, it's not just a rant about Trump. Perhaps you aren't familiar with the idea of there being serious issues with both Trump AND his opposition, both of which Matt talks about in this very short piece. I have to say, I agree with the headline and would say many here should take it to heart. For myself, I can easily see the problems Trump has created as well as those the Dems and far left have created (and keep trying to bring back). I'd say it's not a competition, but it clearly is, at least in this comment section. I'm going outside now.
I can’t shake the perception that years of progressives tweeting and writing hit pieces based on some version of “What Happened to Matt Taibbi?” got to him enough that he felt compelled to completely change like everything. It’s a huge bummer.
Trump IS destroying civilization through his antivaxx policies, destruction of public health, coal and fossil fuel endorsements, and of course the fact that he’s started World War III. If you don’t see this, you are either a liar or an idiot. Or both.
With all due respect, Karen (and I have precious little for your comment), if you actually imagine that an "uber-woke-junior-high-school-debate-team-level" comment such as this one, showing, yes, a LITERALLY breathtaking absence of critical thinking and grasp of empirical facts, is going to win many hearts and minds here, I want some of what you're smoking.
It's crystal-clear where you get your news. When are you going to wake up to the fact that the CNNs, MSNOWs, NYTS, WaPos and NPRs of the world are playing you, badly? Do I love everything our President does? Hell, no. Do I think he's light-years better than what we've had in the recent past? Hell, yes.
LOL -- there you are again ... you have NO idea as to my thinking on this matter. I have only responded to your behavior. You have so exposed yourself to everyone so as to be laughable in your lashing out. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest always comes to mind!
No doubt you would scream and holler with indignant rage if the other team spent $200 billion (and more) on environmental issues instead of the bombs that Trump would hurl at Israel’s targets.
Iran has been America's target ever since they declared us their sworn enemy, took our embassy, took our people, planned and funded terrorist attacks and wars against us and our allies (most notoriously the Middle East's only seat of democratic civil society, Israel), backed authoritarian anti-American regimes around the world, and repeatedly tried to develop nuclear weapons in order to be able to hold the entire world hostage to its fundamentalist Islamist agenda.
And if you'd said "$200 billion (and more) on political largesse paid for by robbing the taxpayer while masquerading as environmental benefit," you'd at least have more credibility, albeit still zero sense.
Dude, where is your awareness of the nuclear tipped missiles pointed at all of Europe by a lunatic, suicidal theocracy? Where is your notice of the tens of thousands of Iranians killed by the ayatollah because they voiced opposition or were suspected of opposing their oppression? Come on. Recognize the need to eliminate the crazy people who expect to be given 72 virgins if they kill you, the infidel.
Where are these missiles? The entire US intelligence community, all 17 or however many agencies, says they didn’t exist except in Netanyahu and Mark Levin’s fever dreams. What are you talking about?
Please take your heads out of the sand. Iran just admitted to having 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. They have missiles that can reach London, and just launched one toward Diego Garcia. This is 2+2=4. And these wannabe martyrs hate YOU.
It’s about 6000 km from Iran (a big country so mileages would vary) to London. But notice that the Iranians did not fire any missiles at Diego Garcia until after they had been under attack for more than two weeks. If you are going to go to war against every country that has mid-range missiles, then you have your work cut out for you. Also, they had low grade uranium which was not bomb grade. Nobody with any credibility has said they have “highly enriched” uranium. Did you not listen to Tulsi?
Hegseth and Trump and the rest of this administration said that this capability (what little it was) was annihilated (their words) last summer. So either Hegseth and Trump are liars or Mark Levin is a liar. Take your pick.
Another thing: I am not defending the Iranian regime, just pointing out some inconvenient facts for you. Nobody in any intelligence service in the world has presented any kind of evidence that the Iranians had a bomb. Trump and Netanyahu apparently did this because they can. They thought that the regime would collapse when they kicked the door in, ironically exactly what Hitler said about the USSR in 1941.
Last thing: morality shmorality, who cares that we launched a surprise attack on a country WHILE we were negotiating with them. So what? We took the Dec 7, 1941 Day of Infamy and went a step further.
Well … Aside from the fact that no country will trust us or our motives, and we’ve made it clear that countries without nukes will be attacked at our whim and pleasure (which will lead to more serious proliferation and more headaches for us) … aside from those little issues … we’ve pissed off our Gulf allies, lost three THAAD radars, depleted our missile interceptor stock to dangerously low levels AND we’ve endangered the energy supply of the entire world and further destabilized the Middle East, an amazing achievement.
And Israel won’t be any more secure than it was before we started this thing.
Their uranium was enriched to a level to make a dirty bomb. There is no other use for uranium enrichment at that level. Power generation requires only 3-5% enrichment and they had way more than that. I think all need to concede that there is a lot we civilians without high level intelligence clearance do not know about this situation. The bombs sent to Diego Garcia didn’t contain nuclear materials but were still bombs that could reach many EU countries and do significant damage. This seems to have awakened many European countries to the reality of this threat.
"Also, they had low grade uranium which was not bomb grade."
100% false. They had over 400kg of highly enriched 60% U235 uranium. Enough to make a few gun-type 10kt nukes. Gun-type nukes are too heavy to be carried on ballistic missiles, but they could be carried on trucks, boats, and relatively small commercial airplanes.
Just pointing out some inconvenient facts for you.
Where are the missiles? WTF have the been launching at other countries over the last few weeks, wooden arrows? What did they launch at Deigo Garcia? Oh, a medium range missile they claimed they didn't have!
Sorry, by “missiles” I meant ICBMs, in response to the claims of that raving psychopath Mark Levin. Obviously, Iran has lots of ballistic missiles. But they have only fired them in retaliation for being attacked. There were better ways to deal with them than this. War is only a good idea when it actually achieves your political goals, and even then you can lose any moral high ground you might have had.
Tell us more about the better ways to deal with them. Obama gave them billions if they promised to stop enriching uranium. Didn't work. What's the solution in dealing with the world's #1 sponser of state terrorism? Pretty please with sugar on top?
Man that's the thing that gets me. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, three times, four times, shame on me. I was so opposed to the Iraq war, oh yeah, and there was that Afghanistan thing too. They were a waste of money and time. Why did we go to Iraq? "He tried to kill my daddy". Were there any weapons of mass destruction, which we were told time and again were in Sadam's possession? No there were not. And now, there is "enriched weapons grade" uranium hiding in Iran someplace and maybe the marines will have to go and get it. Seems like a horrible shit hole to go down. All while a decent percentage of the world's needed oil supply is held ransom. Now that we're a little bit pregnant, I would really really like to know, as usual, what the exit strategy might be? I've wondered what that exit strategy might be for many years and for many different wars without actually seeing a good exit strategy emerge in any of these conflicts. How could we go in there and not have a plan to keep the straight of hormuz open? While I believe that Iran is no friend of the western world or even their own people, there should have been a better plan. I believe Trump got suckered into this deal thinking he could make a quick end to the Iranian regime not understanding how much support and control that regime actually has. I hope I'm wrong and he is actually playing 4d chess and there's some great move coming which no one else has seen. I voted for trump (this time) hoping he would stop sending money to Ukraine. He did that, sort of, but now? Let's ask for 200Billion for the pentagon. I guess that's peanuts compared to the 39Trillion we owe.
There is something between Obama’s stupid policy and Trump’s even stupider policy. How about continue containing them at minimum cost and NOT taking such a huge risk with the global economy? This was a massive role of the iron dice and it’s not going very well.
So far, the country benefitting most from us creating another new quagmire is China. Is that a good development?
What’s up with pretty please and sugar? Are you seven years old?
It's stunning to me that 53 people and counting agreed with this. Does that mean all 53 are as ignorant as you about what kind of missiles Iran has? Trump says they'll have nukes imminently, so we have to attack.
But you're saying they already exist?? This is very interesting. It's also very untrue. Not just inaccurate, but straight out false.
You seem to be hung up on exact timing. They have the missiles. They are very close to having lots of uranium capable of detonation. The trigger mechanism is simple. They are very close. Better to get rid of this threat before the nukes are in the sky.
Nice to hear this voice from you, Matt. Yes, bears, frogs, trees, clouds, stars all continue to be - *literally* - truly awesome. Nature is a game-changer, a serenity saver. One of the solutions to all of our problems. Perhaps this is what you are pointing to in your line here: "start thinking in terms of different types of answers, i.e. ones politics don’t provide..." Getting outside and away from the screen, away from the soundbytes and brainwashing flooding in 24/7 from any and all positions - there's the ticket.
Really resonated with the bear-to-human wisdom gap. There's a certain clarity that only comes from stepping away from the 24-hour news cycle and remembering that the natural world isn't participating in our madness. Thanks for the reminder to look at the trees instead of the screen for a bit!
You lost me on this one Matt. Iran has been occupied by monsters for 47 years and they finance monsters around the world whose singular aim is to destroy the west, religious freedom, women’s rights etc. etc. You’re right that most of us didn’t want war with anyone and that Trump broke his promise in that regard, but the world is a very different place than it used to be. Islamafication of western countries is happening. Look at the UK. So no, I don’t agree with you on this one.
Their is very little evidence that Iran wants to "destroy the West".
We started the war in 1953 when we engineered a coup, and never even apologized for it. Been tit for tat that since then.
I'll bet we could negotiate away their "Death to America" chants if we did so, and stopped propping up regional governments.
Everything I've ever seen Iran do is react. We are locked in that cycle, but keep perpetuating it.
As for as Islamification of the West -- that wasn't coming from Iran, but will if the country falls into civil war like Iraq, Syria and Libya did with the games we've been playing in other people's yards.
Is there anything in particular you disagree with, in terms of the fact pattern?
To clarify, I first started watching the news during Nightline, very young, as Koppel ticked up the days of the hostage crisis. Formative memory. Been tracking international affairs closely ever since.
As part of that is understanding the interests of others, and their worldviews. After evaluating Iran’s, they’ve struck me as rational actors, cautious about escalation and expressing power within the region through satellites that are aligned with their interests, much as we have done.
Was tricky, as I was trained by the media to see them as a great evil that desires our destruction, but once I dug in, the dynamic seems to be much more complex.
Ditto. I remember the events of 1979 quite well and was once caught up in all the anti-Iran fever along with everyone else. The hostage crisis was deeply humiliating and we all wanted revenge. Still, based on the activities of the Iran regime since then, I don't see them as much of a "threat" to the US at all. It sucks that we have to insist that they are for whatever reason.
1953 indeed happened. What also happened was Jimmy Carter and Mitterand flying Khomeini back to Iran from exile. That was repaid by the takeover of our embassy and the holding of hostages. A year later they blew up 241 marines in Beirut. We had done nothing to provoke that whatsoever. Since then it’s been death to America.
That background likely contributed to animosities, but there is more to the story.
We were perceived as combatants in the civil war in Lebanon because we were not a neutral party at that point.
To look at it from the Hezbollah perspective, we were supporting their enemies (including Israel) and had shelled anti-government militias with our navy.
From their perspective, it was not unprovoked, as they perceived us as intervening against them.
Also, important to note that Hezbollah may be aligned with and supported by Iran, but it isn't Iran. Much as many of the forces we've supported over the years aren't 100% operating under our control.
You sound like an apologist for terrorism. Ask the Lebanese people if they preferred the Beirut that was the Paris of the Mediterranean to the bombed out shell of itself it is today.
In your mind we were perceived as supporting their enemies. The part you left out is what made them enemies. Their religion for one and their very existence for two. Sounds like a good justification for bombing civilians from afar. Conflict always has two sides to it. The US chose to support a sovereign state and our only democratic ally in the Middle East. And Iran found this objectionable why?
Without Iran Hezbollah does not exist. Funding. Training and even weapons and advisors.
How would you justify the events of October 7. Be heading rape and murder of completely unarmed civilians. Would that also be just tit for tat.
Matt, maybe this won't make a difference to you. No reason it should, I guess, coming from just another subscriber in Online World.
I have this friend - - a really good, longtime friend, great dad, great guy, gentle guy. His long career has put him in places where he sees what very few people see from a military intelligence point of view.
I understand you not liking war, conflagration, unrest, violence. I don't like it, either. And now it appears that Trump is breaking some sacred oath to voters.
That said, I hope you'll reflect deeply on how you might feel hearing on TV, the Internet, or radio that a ballistic missile finally made it to the North American continent well ahead of any schedule the citizenry thought possible. It wouldn't have to be a nuke. Just something that makes a point clearly. I hope you'll think about that. This person, my source, is not a Trump fan at all. He tells me the right calls have been made, without any question. In his opinion. That's as real to me as it is scary.
There is another dozen countries on Earth already in possession of missiles that can reach the North American continent. Yet the US is not at war with them. Consider that.
They may be, they may be not. But your argument, as you presented it above, logically contradicts these facts. Maybe you should qualify it. But it doesn't have the same ring if you do, does it?
Here I am wondering exactly who on this entire planet might have the slightest idea of the possibility of such an event and coming up empty. I'm sure your friend is the guy though.
If Iran were to develop a ballistic missile that could reach the US, would it be less likely to happen now that Iran has been murderously attacked by US and Israel, or now that Iran knows it can not trust negotiations with either party be more likely?
Let's just go straight to logic here: big missiles require big launch sites. Satellite resolutions today are less than 4 inches. GPS accuracy is sub-meter. You tell me.
I long for the stability of bombing Libya and unleashing ISIS throughout the Middle East, installing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and paying Iran to make nuclear-bomb fuel as long as they promise not to make nuclear bombs. Good times.
The quality is slipping. I want to get as "close to the farm" when consuming news or well thought out news analysis and Matt historically did a great job with that. The new hires are not off to a good start - they may find their footing - but M. Tracey's addition has been a subtraction.
What I signed up for was investigative journalism and reporting. Not a opinion delivered in a rant. Sorry Matt you made the playground and now don’t like the environment.
I bring massive entertainment value to Racket News, this cannot be denied. (I’m in my back yard kicking my border collie’s herding ball around as I type)
"the U.S. based Human Rights Activists News Agency said it had confirmed 5,549 deaths (killed on Jan 8th and 9th) and is investigating 17,031 more,"- Time magazine 1-25-2026
"As many as 30,000 people could have been killed in the streets of Iran on Jan. 8 and 9 alone, two senior officials of the country's Ministry of Health told Time"
"...3,117 announced on Jan. 21 by regime hardliners who report directly to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei"
Sounds like Iran killed a lot of their own people.
1 Now the same people who said every human rights organization on planet earth which reported Israeli crimes against Palestinians are all illegitimate and controlled by nefarious Jew-haters want us to believe those organizations when they report on Iran
2 the 30,000 number is unsubstantiated, the agency only confirmed around 5,500.
There is no mention of how many of these people were armed and shooting at police and military.
How many Americans would Trump thugs have killed if foreign operatives (Mossad bragged about doing this in the Iranian economic protests in January) infiltrated massive crowds of protesters and started both inciting violence as well as actually engaging in violence themselves by shooting at police, ICE, and national guard?
Matt, Iran could not be ignored. Waiting until they dropped the egg on Israel was not really an option. Granted that the endgame is obscure, but then again... if he disclosed the endgame early, he would suffer the same humiliations that the half-wit Obama did. His style is far removed from mine, but I think it's wise to be patient and see where this leads.
It appears to be leading to 2,000 Marines and 3-4,000 82nd Airborne on the ground. Who the fuck wants that? I don't much care if the Israelis and IRGC or whoever may be in charge in Iran want to kill each other but I sure don't want US blood on the ground
Did you consider that we may be taking Kharg Island? I don’t claim to know the plans but neither do most of the commenters here, nor should we. I’m not thrilled with the 82nd airborne going over there unless it’s for that purpose or something similar.
Few focus on the lethality of missiles & drones, especially ... not having paid attention to the Ukrainians effective use of them! Less expensive asymmetrical warfare.
Anti-Iransters always want to ignore the fact that we already had a functioning nuclear deal with Iran that had more or less resolved the issue, which Trump shredded in favor of war (preceded by two sneak attacks undertaken during diplomatic negotiations, cowards that Trump and Bibi are).
The "egg" you should be worried about is the one Israel is probably insane enough to lay.
If you think that the Obama deal had any real teeth or had suppressed their pursuit of a nuclear weapon in any fashion, I don't think we are living in the same universe.
Salusa S. Snape - Do you honestly think the “functioning nuclear deal with Iran" will "more or less resolve the issue” any better than the deal Chamberlain made with Hitler at Munich to ensure peace in our time?
Just like Hitler, the mullahs and IRGC believe that treaties are made to be broken. Even more so than just political expediency, a tenet of Islam (Taqiyya) is that lying to nonbelievers is an approved and accepted way to further the cause.
Re" "treaties are made to be broken." Promises too. You could be describing our treatment of Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed. How many times did the West agree to stop expanding NATO to the east?
Bonnie B. - Regardless of who did what, when, and to whom , I reiterate: Just like Hitler, the mullahs and IRGC believe that treaties are made to be broken.
That is a misinterpretation of Taqiyya. It's actually a preservation/survival strategy of outwardly hiding/denying one's religious faith solely in times of serious threat (e.g. of violence or death).
TeeJae - If lying about one’s religious faith is no biggie, then lying about anything else should be even less of a problem. Especially by those who mete out, as a tenet of their faith, violence or death to unbelievers.
Well said. 4 weeks in and not much in the way of losses. The world is a better place with someone finally confronting Iran. I didn’t see any alternative myself. As for his campaign promises. So far I don’t see any forever war or a war like loss of life. Intelligence also changes over time. Let’s wait and see before calling someone crazy. Especially our president
They were not going to be dropping any "egg" on Israel unless they were attacked. And why was letting that happen not an option? Very much an option as far as I'm concerned. Probably a lot of other American citizens agree. How about we vote?
Hey Matt, what’s the full story of you and Walter?
I don’t like this new direction. I just don’t get what you are doing now? Before, your reporting had a coherence, from when I started following you in the Twitter files. Now, with this Go Outside business. A Trump rant is not the news I signed up for. I signed up for more thoughtful takes, more research and investigation, from a serious reporter. You did all of that so well. But now you’re losing me.
If you’re not sure, DaveL, then you may want to fact check, do your own research, until you feel better about the information. I’ve done that with Jeff Childers over the years and while he’s not perfect ( who is?), he has an excellent track record, IMHO. I’m going to go with Jeff’s take on things, as a general rule.
I think that the source speaks for itself. Highly reactionary, not "thoughtful" at all, made for people who want their predilections confirmed. It's entertaining to be sure, but not reality based at all.
You're the one whining like a crybaby (see above) and responding with ad hominems. I'm going outside now. Enjoy your pity party.
Exactly! The source is bad and "reactionary"!! And therefore, wrong and not "reality based at all" according to simple logic!!! People who disagree are "responding with ad hominems" lol. Another golden, 100% irony-free comment.
Matt, I listened to you and Walter for years and loved the interraction. I've tried reading your team's new stuff, and just can't make it work. I think the world you're trying to re-create is gone. You guys seem to be recycling the conventional wisdom, and reporting on stuff that we figured out years ago, but the elites are finally just letting dribble out now that it no longer matters. I respect you a great deal, but fear that you're naivete won't survive contact with the real world.
Of all the stupid wars that the US has fought over the decades, this one is probably the least stupid. I'm afraid you're a sucker for conventional wisdom because that's the way you really want it to be. I'm not canceling my subscription. I owe you some loyalty for your voice in the misery COVID years, but I'm afraid you're fading away my friend.
Reputation matters. So much so that people will partially judge you by the company you keep. As they should. I hope Matt continues to fine tune as Racket heads a different direction. To your point, he has built up much good will and trust. Recent changes shouldn't be written off either.
Matt's reputation is on solid footing and I trust his judgement. There are maybe 2-3 other people or organizations in news I can say that about. That said, if the last 5 years has taught us anything, it's to not fear questioning assumptions. During Covid and Russia/Ukr war, I threw a couple of people I trusted overboard because they had shown incapable of honest reporting.
I'm good with getting contrary perspectives. I'm not good with nonsensical conspiracy theories dressed in drag as truth. That's M. Tracey.
"Of all the stupid wars that the US has fought over the decades, this one is probably the least stupid." -- Being that Iran is the final country on Israel's Clean Break list, what makes this one so different from all the others?
Whether a person agrees with it or not, there's an actual objective. For most of the wars, I think the rich and powerful are just bored with their mistresses and coke and want to get their jollies by snatching away life. Spoken as a previous participant in pointless wars.
Ok, "Go outside" was not a headline that I expected to front a big anti-Trump rant.
I would have expected it to be an editorial about not getting too worked up about Trump or anti-Trump or whatever.
Go outside, Matt!
I confess I didn't read the article but I wholeheartedly agree with the Headline. Even Matt still can't avoid having everything ultimately be about Trump, eh? Too bad Walter didn't succeed in breaking him of that.
Yes the war Trump launched in Iran has nothing to do with Trump.
Trump cultists and Israel-firsters have no ability to recognize their own faults.
Literally every accusation you level at others applies to you.
I accuse others of supporting an unjustified war.
This applies to me?
Interesting.
He's a douchie troll.
That selfie you took.... golden.
Only people of culture can identify who my PFP is and what it is superimposed on.
It's a picture of his douche bag ....
To me it's all pretty simple in more of a Christian/Jew/Muslim framing. This is enough to keep the globe fighting for another few decades at least. We're only a few thousand years into this feud. This is the foundation to it all. But American Presidents have a vote in that too.
Muslims have been working on obeying God’s command to conquer the world for 14 centuries now, so the fighting may go on longer than a few decades.
This comment by Matt is a little embarrassing: “The whole point of being the strongest nation, though, is that we shouldn’t need 4d chess moves or madness in methods. We can just stay home and make waffles …”
Neglecting the world is a good way to make sure you don’t stay the strongest nation.
Who's the Christian?
As though the opposition does. Make me laugh.
The crazy war Trump just launched isn’t “about Trump”? Explain. Enlighten us.
Glad to see you taking this element on. This Substack became a haven for boomer team-Trumpers with a binary thinking problem.
They do not seem to realize that what made this place great during the Biden term was that it was one of the few places where you could get honest, informative, and well deserved critiques of that shit show.
Now that Trump is in power and earning a great share of fair criticism himself, these people can’t stand that the same approach they loved when Biden was the target is being applied to Trump.
That is what I’m here for, no matter which tribe is in power and making things worse for us, and I’m glad to see Racket get aggressive with it.
What you are saying applies to all political partisans; one's generation has nothing to do with it.
I take issue with your broad stroke of us boomers as "boomer team-Trumpers". I believe many just came to understand that Trump was the least worst choice. And "binary thinking"? Really? Isn't that an American problem not tied to any generation? Americans have been flopping from one extreme to the other through my entire life.
I still understand that what made this place great during Biden was honest, informative journalism, and I still look to it for the same thing today. My support of Trump is a choice of hope over hopelessness.
I support mature adults who do things not child adults who bitch about things. I understand that mistakes will be made, and if there ever was a guy to make big ones, it's Donald Trump. However, I think Trump is doing something this country has needed for decades - he's grabbed it by the shirt collar, slapping it's face left and right, while screaming, "wake up, you dumbasses!!"
On the lighter side, my attitude about Trump started changing with one spectacular event: his "I only said that about Rosey O'Donnell!" retort to Megan Kelly at a debate, I believe. I belly laughed so freaking hard! I think it was the spark for me.
Not so sure about that "boomer team-Trumpers" remark, but agree with the rest of your comment.
As a boomer who voted for Trump 3 times, but who has never hesitated to blast him when he screws up (which happens frequently), I'd just like to say that Trump was the least objectionable choice. We aren't all cultists.
It’s LONG overdue. Kirn’s constant Trump apologia was crack for the ATW Trumpers. With Kirn’s disappearing act, many Taibbi subscribers are suffering from withdrawal and are turning on him.
Chad? Your parents named you after those little paper dots that cost someone an election?
Hell to the yes, Chad. Exactly.
The criticism that ‘team Trumpers’ can’t stand the heat is spot on. The idea that they would have found anything to ruffle their feathers until Matt’s Walden Pond moment is patently false. They found a comfortable home here as Matt not only turned a blind eye to the most corrupt administration in US history but cheered them on, often in giddy fashion, along with
MAGA pal Walter Kirn.
Top comment material
"This Substack became a haven for boomer team-Trumpers with a binary thinking problem."
Exactly. Unlike my chosen in-group, my chosen out-group can only see things in the binary.
All group identity is intellectual and moral suicide--but for god's sake, political partisans take that suicide as a social media challenge.
It's like conjoined twins who can't decide whether they want to beat each other senseless or fuck each other to death.
Me too. He’s worthy of skepticism now. He earned it.
Its not. Its about ridding the world of the most destabilizing actor in our times. Trump sees the big picture -- he set the ground-work with the Abraham Accords, providing the US with Arab allies in the Middle East. The second step was getting rid of Maduro and allowing the US to control Venezuela's oil. He's now taking out the Middle Eastern trash, meaning Iranian weapons and weapons systems, and the military leadership. This is a very big-picture plan that was carefully crafted and skillfully executed. That's why you see all military experts just marveling at the process and results.
You are delusional.
At least that's what we hope. Hope springs eternal.
These things were also true of the war in Iraq. It caused civil war, massive instability and, coupled with the diplomacy of the Obama administration, a huge Shiite resurgence and an empowered Iran. The West has been playing Islamist wack-a-mole since the Sykes-Picot Agreement. This has had predictably bad results. I really hope you’re right. I hope Iran’s liberal secularists rise from under the boot of the Ayatollahs and that Trump doesn’t forget them once he screws the PRC out of a ready supply of oil. We allegedly intervened to save protestors. There are all sorts of ways this could become a disaster. For what it’s worth, Al Jazeera agrees with you on the military execution. The article didn’t include their prediction for the final outcome. Do you agree that Panglossian benefit of the doubt is unwarranted? The line between Trump acting batshit crazy and being batshit crazy is getting pretty faint.
When are you enlisting in the military?
Gee, well, for starters, it's not a crazy war, and only a very crazy person could say it is—let alone do so just to smuggle in a tawdry, circular, loaded defense of the truly crazy claim that this war is "about Trump."
The war so far has been extremely competently and surgically conducted, with a scope and commitment that have been extremely measured, against an enemy that, contrary to your tawdry claim that it's "about Trump," has provided a long list of war justifications over 47 years, including:
• funding, planning and otherwise aiding various unjust wars, untold terrorist acts and pernicious propaganda campaigns around the world;
• using its oil exports and infrastructure to prop up and empower China and other authoritarian, anti-American regimes;
• repeatedly attempting to develop nuclear weapons, which would have grown its capacity for treachery and misery by a near-infinite amount simply in the ability to threaten the weapons' deployment, let alone in actually deploying them; and, oh yeah,
• slaughtering, raping, silencing and in virtually every way possible subjugating Iranians, especially women and girls.
But hey, you'd know all of that if you were even remotely worthy of the title "journalist," so the expectation that you will suddenly acknowledge any of these obvious realities is extremely low.
Is the main signal that this war has been “extremely competently conducted” our 10+ blown up irreplaceable radar systems in the region?
China is not anti-American. Their prosperity depends on our consumers. Their willingness to host manufacturing facilities our billionaire class outsourced in return for cheap labor, thus screwing our own workers, speaks for itself. We created the China "monster." It has made OUR rich even richer. And as for China's alleged authoritarianism, I believe nations have a right to choose the form of government that works for them. The new CCP has worked very well for the Chinese people.
Russia is less authoritarian than China. This is as much because of cultural differences as anything else. Putin enjoys a ridiculously high approval rating and keeps getting re-elected because he, like the CCP, has raised Russians' standard of living and provided the stability that had been shattered by the 1989 collapse and, in particular, by the invasion of Western capitalists whose plundering of formerly state-owned assets Putin abruptly halted. He even managed to claw back much of it. He did not line his pockets in doing so, but created state-owned entities like Gasprom whose profits go to the people.
Even if he were lining his pockets, the man has no time to enjoy his wealth. He is driven by duty and lives at his office in the Kremlin, which is why Trump's attempt to kill him at his country home failed.
I noticed you listed "selling oil" to China (a nation we do massive trade with) as a justification for a full scale war against another nation, and you seemed to do this in all seriousness without any sense of shame or irony.
What about the 175 school girls murdered by a Tomahawk missle? Not very surgical.
MICHAEL TRACEY FROM THE TOP ROPE!!!
With the infamous Ram Jam!
Of course this war is about Trump. Just like the Ukraine war is also now about Trump. Trump is prosecuting the Ukraine war simply as a negotiating position in order to end the war.
None of this was ever pacifism. Or was ever about pacifism.
As you said on one of the podcasts here. If you didn't know Trump was going after Iran, you weren't paying attention. And Trump has been on this long before his Soleimani love tap. Not to excuse Trump's 'no new wars' BS and those that believed it--but you had a damn good point.
One of Trump's powers is to get everyone to confess--and one big confession is that the number of pacifists may be even smaller than their influence.
As an introvert (although a very loud and obnoxious one) the primal idea of "Live and Leave Alone" makes more than sense--and yet ultimately it is just hiding. The idea that no action is always the moral course is the hopeful prayer of the napping.
I don't know the right answers about good and evil even between my own four walls--much less the world, but there is an appropriate quote:
Good? Bad? I'm the guy with the gun.
edit: god>good
Just turn down the volume on your microphone. You can't win a debate by talking louder then Matt, whose speaking ability does not match his writing ability.
You supported Trump. This war is YOUR fault. Every death is on YOUR head and the head of every Trump voter. Anyone could have seen what a violent incompetent evil monster Donald Trump was but you preferred a rapist to a woman, and you have the gall to act surprised! You just want to escape responsibility for your own actions like every other male on this planet.
Start with following Matt's advice. After that, get back on your meds.
--Everyone
Kamala was selected by the establishment, not elected by the people. That’s not democracy. Also the democrats support male rapists in female prisons. Women are being raped and impregnated. Trump was the only option.
When your comment on an article starts with "I confess I didn't read the article..." the comment should also end there. Right there, not another word. Because who cares?Why would anyone continue to be interested in your thoughts when you didn't even have the commitment to read a short article?
Trump is currently the president, and he and his people have gotten us into yet another Middle East war, so yeah, this IS about Trump.
Trump’s a pretty important person these days.
“and not the unlosable, consequence-free type preferred by preening faux-toughs like Bill Clinton and George W. Bush”
Are you off your damn rocker, Matt? The 20 plus year Iraq/Afghanistan debacle was unlosable?
This is an interesting point. It also wasn’t consequence free. Even if you were to argue it wasn’t as globally apocalyptic as this war, it certainly had dire consequences for the region and Americans.
Globally apocalyptic? Who is joining the battle on Iran’s side?
Exactly, Neo. That fact alone should be very telling. While I understand Matt’s concerns and feelings on this, I wonder what his responses would be to others in his space such as Jeff Childers of the Coffee and Covid newsletter? A podcast style debate would be very interesting.
China and Russia are both sending weapons, and Russia's help with intelligence has been invaluable. I think we'll see more and more countries taking Iran's side as their constituents—the ones who feel the pain—figure out that the U.S. invasion gave Iran no other option than to close the Strait of Hormuz. People don't really care how other nations govern themselves. They DO care about their own financial well-being. Politicians care to the extent their corporate sponsors tell them to care and the oil cartel, too, will eventually sour on this war once they realize Iran's oil isn't going to belong to them any time soon.
Right?! I started reading thinking I was going to read a calming piece. Who could enjoy peace after that?! I was ready to break something, hit someone or scream.
Don’t get upset about launching a war. Trust the plan. Obey your masters.
You're out of hay. No more strawmen.
This is "no takes" Taibbi
Not only Matt but many of the commentators too
And yet, it's not just a rant about Trump. Perhaps you aren't familiar with the idea of there being serious issues with both Trump AND his opposition, both of which Matt talks about in this very short piece. I have to say, I agree with the headline and would say many here should take it to heart. For myself, I can easily see the problems Trump has created as well as those the Dems and far left have created (and keep trying to bring back). I'd say it's not a competition, but it clearly is, at least in this comment section. I'm going outside now.
I think those of us who disobey the mandate to take a side are a distinct minority.
I can’t shake the perception that years of progressives tweeting and writing hit pieces based on some version of “What Happened to Matt Taibbi?” got to him enough that he felt compelled to completely change like everything. It’s a huge bummer.
Trump is destroying human civilization. That is DEFINITELY something to get worked up over, asshole.
"Trump is destroying human civilization." My god, the stupidity, but then you're who Matt's courting now. 🤦
The aptly named Karen hates Matt too. I'm not sure who his target subscriber is now.
Oh, not at all.
Karen the Perpetually Pissed off Feminist has been haunting Matt's comment section for years.
I wouldn't exactly say that Matt is "courting" her.
Trump IS destroying civilization through his antivaxx policies, destruction of public health, coal and fossil fuel endorsements, and of course the fact that he’s started World War III. If you don’t see this, you are either a liar or an idiot. Or both.
With all due respect, Karen (and I have precious little for your comment), if you actually imagine that an "uber-woke-junior-high-school-debate-team-level" comment such as this one, showing, yes, a LITERALLY breathtaking absence of critical thinking and grasp of empirical facts, is going to win many hearts and minds here, I want some of what you're smoking.
It's crystal-clear where you get your news. When are you going to wake up to the fact that the CNNs, MSNOWs, NYTS, WaPos and NPRs of the world are playing you, badly? Do I love everything our President does? Hell, no. Do I think he's light-years better than what we've had in the recent past? Hell, yes.
"Dfdibd^skjbd@! Kd jdjdjk^jdndj! Wfb*dd+ fkdkjddfj!!!"—Karen, March 24, 2026
You should ask for the manager.
Now you are just name calling like any good feminist...
The Shit God you worship is starting WWIII and committing war crimes. You deserve so much worse than just insults.
LOL -- there you are again ... you have NO idea as to my thinking on this matter. I have only responded to your behavior. You have so exposed yourself to everyone so as to be laughable in your lashing out. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest always comes to mind!
Well named
Wahhh!!
No doubt you would scream and holler with indignant rage if the other team spent $200 billion (and more) on environmental issues instead of the bombs that Trump would hurl at Israel’s targets.
Iran has been America's target ever since they declared us their sworn enemy, took our embassy, took our people, planned and funded terrorist attacks and wars against us and our allies (most notoriously the Middle East's only seat of democratic civil society, Israel), backed authoritarian anti-American regimes around the world, and repeatedly tried to develop nuclear weapons in order to be able to hold the entire world hostage to its fundamentalist Islamist agenda.
And if you'd said "$200 billion (and more) on political largesse paid for by robbing the taxpayer while masquerading as environmental benefit," you'd at least have more credibility, albeit still zero sense.
So your answer is Yes!
Dude, where is your awareness of the nuclear tipped missiles pointed at all of Europe by a lunatic, suicidal theocracy? Where is your notice of the tens of thousands of Iranians killed by the ayatollah because they voiced opposition or were suspected of opposing their oppression? Come on. Recognize the need to eliminate the crazy people who expect to be given 72 virgins if they kill you, the infidel.
Where are these missiles? The entire US intelligence community, all 17 or however many agencies, says they didn’t exist except in Netanyahu and Mark Levin’s fever dreams. What are you talking about?
Last time I checked, 2 of them were headed to Diego Garcia…
Exactly, Mariano. It took those misses to wake Europe up and all of a sudden support poured in from many countries.
I guess some people don’t stay up on current events lol
Imagine openly lying about Iran currently having nuclear tipped missiles. Only a really deluded maniac or a brazen propagandist could.
Not just the missiles, but where are the nukes? That’s the critical question. This is the same story they told in 2002-2003.
Please take your heads out of the sand. Iran just admitted to having 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium. They have missiles that can reach London, and just launched one toward Diego Garcia. This is 2+2=4. And these wannabe martyrs hate YOU.
It’s about 6000 km from Iran (a big country so mileages would vary) to London. But notice that the Iranians did not fire any missiles at Diego Garcia until after they had been under attack for more than two weeks. If you are going to go to war against every country that has mid-range missiles, then you have your work cut out for you. Also, they had low grade uranium which was not bomb grade. Nobody with any credibility has said they have “highly enriched” uranium. Did you not listen to Tulsi?
Hegseth and Trump and the rest of this administration said that this capability (what little it was) was annihilated (their words) last summer. So either Hegseth and Trump are liars or Mark Levin is a liar. Take your pick.
Another thing: I am not defending the Iranian regime, just pointing out some inconvenient facts for you. Nobody in any intelligence service in the world has presented any kind of evidence that the Iranians had a bomb. Trump and Netanyahu apparently did this because they can. They thought that the regime would collapse when they kicked the door in, ironically exactly what Hitler said about the USSR in 1941.
Last thing: morality shmorality, who cares that we launched a surprise attack on a country WHILE we were negotiating with them. So what? We took the Dec 7, 1941 Day of Infamy and went a step further.
Well … Aside from the fact that no country will trust us or our motives, and we’ve made it clear that countries without nukes will be attacked at our whim and pleasure (which will lead to more serious proliferation and more headaches for us) … aside from those little issues … we’ve pissed off our Gulf allies, lost three THAAD radars, depleted our missile interceptor stock to dangerously low levels AND we’ve endangered the energy supply of the entire world and further destabilized the Middle East, an amazing achievement.
And Israel won’t be any more secure than it was before we started this thing.
lol, finally an expert with reliable intel on Iran AND someone who knows what the mullahs really want.
Their uranium was enriched to a level to make a dirty bomb. There is no other use for uranium enrichment at that level. Power generation requires only 3-5% enrichment and they had way more than that. I think all need to concede that there is a lot we civilians without high level intelligence clearance do not know about this situation. The bombs sent to Diego Garcia didn’t contain nuclear materials but were still bombs that could reach many EU countries and do significant damage. This seems to have awakened many European countries to the reality of this threat.
You are a Democrat with TDS. No doubt about it.
"Also, they had low grade uranium which was not bomb grade."
100% false. They had over 400kg of highly enriched 60% U235 uranium. Enough to make a few gun-type 10kt nukes. Gun-type nukes are too heavy to be carried on ballistic missiles, but they could be carried on trucks, boats, and relatively small commercial airplanes.
Just pointing out some inconvenient facts for you.
So you’re just making shit up like Trump.
Or as you do. How many voices are in your head at night?
Where are the missiles? WTF have the been launching at other countries over the last few weeks, wooden arrows? What did they launch at Deigo Garcia? Oh, a medium range missile they claimed they didn't have!
Sorry, by “missiles” I meant ICBMs, in response to the claims of that raving psychopath Mark Levin. Obviously, Iran has lots of ballistic missiles. But they have only fired them in retaliation for being attacked. There were better ways to deal with them than this. War is only a good idea when it actually achieves your political goals, and even then you can lose any moral high ground you might have had.
Tell us more about the better ways to deal with them. Obama gave them billions if they promised to stop enriching uranium. Didn't work. What's the solution in dealing with the world's #1 sponser of state terrorism? Pretty please with sugar on top?
Yes, like all the attacks from Saudi and other Arab countries. Hard to keep your facts straight, eh?
Last I heard, CENTCOM still didn't have evidence that came from Iran.
Did you get this info from Tucker Carlson?
Man that's the thing that gets me. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, three times, four times, shame on me. I was so opposed to the Iraq war, oh yeah, and there was that Afghanistan thing too. They were a waste of money and time. Why did we go to Iraq? "He tried to kill my daddy". Were there any weapons of mass destruction, which we were told time and again were in Sadam's possession? No there were not. And now, there is "enriched weapons grade" uranium hiding in Iran someplace and maybe the marines will have to go and get it. Seems like a horrible shit hole to go down. All while a decent percentage of the world's needed oil supply is held ransom. Now that we're a little bit pregnant, I would really really like to know, as usual, what the exit strategy might be? I've wondered what that exit strategy might be for many years and for many different wars without actually seeing a good exit strategy emerge in any of these conflicts. How could we go in there and not have a plan to keep the straight of hormuz open? While I believe that Iran is no friend of the western world or even their own people, there should have been a better plan. I believe Trump got suckered into this deal thinking he could make a quick end to the Iranian regime not understanding how much support and control that regime actually has. I hope I'm wrong and he is actually playing 4d chess and there's some great move coming which no one else has seen. I voted for trump (this time) hoping he would stop sending money to Ukraine. He did that, sort of, but now? Let's ask for 200Billion for the pentagon. I guess that's peanuts compared to the 39Trillion we owe.
Naah, forget that, just go outside. No problems in the world that have been left to ferment need to be addressed.
Ladies & Gents, we have another one drunk on the hasbara koolaid.
There is something between Obama’s stupid policy and Trump’s even stupider policy. How about continue containing them at minimum cost and NOT taking such a huge risk with the global economy? This was a massive role of the iron dice and it’s not going very well.
So far, the country benefitting most from us creating another new quagmire is China. Is that a good development?
What’s up with pretty please and sugar? Are you seven years old?
It's stunning to me that 53 people and counting agreed with this. Does that mean all 53 are as ignorant as you about what kind of missiles Iran has? Trump says they'll have nukes imminently, so we have to attack.
But you're saying they already exist?? This is very interesting. It's also very untrue. Not just inaccurate, but straight out false.
You seem to be hung up on exact timing. They have the missiles. They are very close to having lots of uranium capable of detonation. The trigger mechanism is simple. They are very close. Better to get rid of this threat before the nukes are in the sky.
If that’s what you mean, you should say that. Don’t lead with “nuclear tipped missiles pointed at all of Europe.”
And if it’s Europe under this not-really-true threat, why aren’t they attacking Iran? We are not in any danger.
Nice to hear this voice from you, Matt. Yes, bears, frogs, trees, clouds, stars all continue to be - *literally* - truly awesome. Nature is a game-changer, a serenity saver. One of the solutions to all of our problems. Perhaps this is what you are pointing to in your line here: "start thinking in terms of different types of answers, i.e. ones politics don’t provide..." Getting outside and away from the screen, away from the soundbytes and brainwashing flooding in 24/7 from any and all positions - there's the ticket.
All the best to you and your family, Matt.
"Get outside and away from the screen..." interesting advice from someone whose livelihood depends on subscribers...
Well, becoming a hermit is one answer for your own sanity! Or is it?🤔🤔
Depends on the hermit.
Really resonated with the bear-to-human wisdom gap. There's a certain clarity that only comes from stepping away from the 24-hour news cycle and remembering that the natural world isn't participating in our madness. Thanks for the reminder to look at the trees instead of the screen for a bit!
The bear is wise because it doesn’t think itself to know more than it actually does.
Yogi / Boo Boo 2028!
Are only humans (such as you and Matt) aware of this gap or are bears also?
A bear's wisdom comes only from it's nature.
You lost me on this one Matt. Iran has been occupied by monsters for 47 years and they finance monsters around the world whose singular aim is to destroy the west, religious freedom, women’s rights etc. etc. You’re right that most of us didn’t want war with anyone and that Trump broke his promise in that regard, but the world is a very different place than it used to be. Islamafication of western countries is happening. Look at the UK. So no, I don’t agree with you on this one.
Their is very little evidence that Iran wants to "destroy the West".
We started the war in 1953 when we engineered a coup, and never even apologized for it. Been tit for tat that since then.
I'll bet we could negotiate away their "Death to America" chants if we did so, and stopped propping up regional governments.
Everything I've ever seen Iran do is react. We are locked in that cycle, but keep perpetuating it.
As for as Islamification of the West -- that wasn't coming from Iran, but will if the country falls into civil war like Iraq, Syria and Libya did with the games we've been playing in other people's yards.
I wish I lived in your world....
Is there anything in particular you disagree with, in terms of the fact pattern?
To clarify, I first started watching the news during Nightline, very young, as Koppel ticked up the days of the hostage crisis. Formative memory. Been tracking international affairs closely ever since.
As part of that is understanding the interests of others, and their worldviews. After evaluating Iran’s, they’ve struck me as rational actors, cautious about escalation and expressing power within the region through satellites that are aligned with their interests, much as we have done.
Was tricky, as I was trained by the media to see them as a great evil that desires our destruction, but once I dug in, the dynamic seems to be much more complex.
Ditto. I remember the events of 1979 quite well and was once caught up in all the anti-Iran fever along with everyone else. The hostage crisis was deeply humiliating and we all wanted revenge. Still, based on the activities of the Iran regime since then, I don't see them as much of a "threat" to the US at all. It sucks that we have to insist that they are for whatever reason.
Thank you for bringing a voice of logic and reason to these otherwise 'misguided' (to put it nicely) folks.
Yeah, being lobotomized must have sucked… Enjoy getting completely demolished in November, sweetie
1953 indeed happened. What also happened was Jimmy Carter and Mitterand flying Khomeini back to Iran from exile. That was repaid by the takeover of our embassy and the holding of hostages. A year later they blew up 241 marines in Beirut. We had done nothing to provoke that whatsoever. Since then it’s been death to America.
In our long sequence of tit-for-tats that started in 1953, we also supported Iraq in their war against Iran, prior to the Marine bombing:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_support_for_Iraq_during_the_Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_War
That background likely contributed to animosities, but there is more to the story.
We were perceived as combatants in the civil war in Lebanon because we were not a neutral party at that point.
To look at it from the Hezbollah perspective, we were supporting their enemies (including Israel) and had shelled anti-government militias with our navy.
From their perspective, it was not unprovoked, as they perceived us as intervening against them.
Also, important to note that Hezbollah may be aligned with and supported by Iran, but it isn't Iran. Much as many of the forces we've supported over the years aren't 100% operating under our control.
You sound like an apologist for terrorism. Ask the Lebanese people if they preferred the Beirut that was the Paris of the Mediterranean to the bombed out shell of itself it is today.
In your mind we were perceived as supporting their enemies. The part you left out is what made them enemies. Their religion for one and their very existence for two. Sounds like a good justification for bombing civilians from afar. Conflict always has two sides to it. The US chose to support a sovereign state and our only democratic ally in the Middle East. And Iran found this objectionable why?
Without Iran Hezbollah does not exist. Funding. Training and even weapons and advisors.
How would you justify the events of October 7. Be heading rape and murder of completely unarmed civilians. Would that also be just tit for tat.
We had to kill those people because the government we put there was so bad. I'm not an idiot.
Matt, maybe this won't make a difference to you. No reason it should, I guess, coming from just another subscriber in Online World.
I have this friend - - a really good, longtime friend, great dad, great guy, gentle guy. His long career has put him in places where he sees what very few people see from a military intelligence point of view.
I understand you not liking war, conflagration, unrest, violence. I don't like it, either. And now it appears that Trump is breaking some sacred oath to voters.
That said, I hope you'll reflect deeply on how you might feel hearing on TV, the Internet, or radio that a ballistic missile finally made it to the North American continent well ahead of any schedule the citizenry thought possible. It wouldn't have to be a nuke. Just something that makes a point clearly. I hope you'll think about that. This person, my source, is not a Trump fan at all. He tells me the right calls have been made, without any question. In his opinion. That's as real to me as it is scary.
"A guy told me our new war is just and good actually"
"You can't handle the truth."
There is another dozen countries on Earth already in possession of missiles that can reach the North American continent. Yet the US is not at war with them. Consider that.
Gosh, you are SO right! They're exactly the same after all.
They may be, they may be not. But your argument, as you presented it above, logically contradicts these facts. Maybe you should qualify it. But it doesn't have the same ring if you do, does it?
No, really, Michael - - don't let the intel community's outlook trouble you. Isn't it grocery day?
Here I am wondering exactly who on this entire planet might have the slightest idea of the possibility of such an event and coming up empty. I'm sure your friend is the guy though.
No. Just a guy with an opinion. Just another guy. Don't let it bother you.
Here's a tip for you Tim. Your bud has no clue what Iran can or will do.
What's his name, TR?
If Iran were to develop a ballistic missile that could reach the US, would it be less likely to happen now that Iran has been murderously attacked by US and Israel, or now that Iran knows it can not trust negotiations with either party be more likely?
Let's just go straight to logic here: big missiles require big launch sites. Satellite resolutions today are less than 4 inches. GPS accuracy is sub-meter. You tell me.
I long for the stability of bombing Libya and unleashing ISIS throughout the Middle East, installing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and paying Iran to make nuclear-bomb fuel as long as they promise not to make nuclear bombs. Good times.
Those were the good old days
And in these words, Matt sacrifices a large portion of his audience for the sake of writing the truth.
This is why I unsubscribed.
I didn't subscribe because I was always going to agree with Matt. I disagree that Biden was a corpse, I always maintained he was a legume.
And the current leader of Iran is a potatohead
That blank stare he had while his mouth was open..... definitely a top 10 moment for celery stick.
Sharp as a tack, as per the MSM.
"You answered all the questions, Joe!!!" ~ Jill Biden, after the debate.
lol Patrick, that’s a good one. How about a tuber?
Sounds like a lot of work !
The quality is slipping. I want to get as "close to the farm" when consuming news or well thought out news analysis and Matt historically did a great job with that. The new hires are not off to a good start - they may find their footing - but M. Tracey's addition has been a subtraction.
Feel free at any time to stop clogging the comments with your whining.
poor you, upset with hearing an opinion you don't like. kick rocks, kid.
Great, now go away.
opposing opinions hurts your feelings. fuck your feelings.
Nope, just stupid opinions from loser trolls.
Then perhaps they weren't really his audience...
Correction: HIS truth not THE truth.
May I introduce you to Plato's Cave?
Writing for the sake of the truth is what we signed up for... and maybe that portion sacrificed isn't as large as you think.
What I signed up for was investigative journalism and reporting. Not a opinion delivered in a rant. Sorry Matt you made the playground and now don’t like the environment.
Antisemites like you are rejoicing, I see.
Hey, thanks for chiming in with the magic word that settles all debate.
“Made possible by contributions to your Racket News station from anti-Semites like you.”
I would rather he write the truth than cater to a demanding audience.
What he thinks is the truth, incomplete as it is.
The truth? One version of the truth. So, yes, have the audience will leave. Which half is correct?
That number is made up and has no evidence whatsoever. However, Israelis could kill 30,000,000 Iranians and you’d support it.
This exchange is hilarious, given the topic
Really? Laughing at Dolgin is pretty much like picking on the kid in class who is on the spectrum.
I bring massive entertainment value to Racket News, this cannot be denied. (I’m in my back yard kicking my border collie’s herding ball around as I type)
Going outside? Wait. What is the topic?
"the U.S. based Human Rights Activists News Agency said it had confirmed 5,549 deaths (killed on Jan 8th and 9th) and is investigating 17,031 more,"- Time magazine 1-25-2026
"As many as 30,000 people could have been killed in the streets of Iran on Jan. 8 and 9 alone, two senior officials of the country's Ministry of Health told Time"
"...3,117 announced on Jan. 21 by regime hardliners who report directly to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei"
Sounds like Iran killed a lot of their own people.
1 Now the same people who said every human rights organization on planet earth which reported Israeli crimes against Palestinians are all illegitimate and controlled by nefarious Jew-haters want us to believe those organizations when they report on Iran
2 the 30,000 number is unsubstantiated, the agency only confirmed around 5,500.
There is no mention of how many of these people were armed and shooting at police and military.
How many Americans would Trump thugs have killed if foreign operatives (Mossad bragged about doing this in the Iranian economic protests in January) infiltrated massive crowds of protesters and started both inciting violence as well as actually engaging in violence themselves by shooting at police, ICE, and national guard?
Maybe ten?
Your derangement isn't getting worse.
Thank you doctor
Matt, Iran could not be ignored. Waiting until they dropped the egg on Israel was not really an option. Granted that the endgame is obscure, but then again... if he disclosed the endgame early, he would suffer the same humiliations that the half-wit Obama did. His style is far removed from mine, but I think it's wise to be patient and see where this leads.
It appears to be leading to 2,000 Marines and 3-4,000 82nd Airborne on the ground. Who the fuck wants that? I don't much care if the Israelis and IRGC or whoever may be in charge in Iran want to kill each other but I sure don't want US blood on the ground
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Did you consider that we may be taking Kharg Island? I don’t claim to know the plans but neither do most of the commenters here, nor should we. I’m not thrilled with the 82nd airborne going over there unless it’s for that purpose or something similar.
I can only hope that isn't in the plans. Iran missiles or drones could easily slaughter. Not to mention, how are they resupplied?!
Few focus on the lethality of missiles & drones, especially ... not having paid attention to the Ukrainians effective use of them! Less expensive asymmetrical warfare.
Anti-Iransters always want to ignore the fact that we already had a functioning nuclear deal with Iran that had more or less resolved the issue, which Trump shredded in favor of war (preceded by two sneak attacks undertaken during diplomatic negotiations, cowards that Trump and Bibi are).
The "egg" you should be worried about is the one Israel is probably insane enough to lay.
If you think that the Obama deal had any real teeth or had suppressed their pursuit of a nuclear weapon in any fashion, I don't think we are living in the same universe.
Salusa lives in his own world. Lots of mullahs there to pleasure him.
So, you don't believe the IAEA when their inspections confirmed Iran was honoring the terms of the JCPOA?
Many here also seem to forget (if they ever knew) that the use of nuclear weapons is a violation of Sharia law.
Do tell, Neville.
Salusa S. Snape - Do you honestly think the “functioning nuclear deal with Iran" will "more or less resolve the issue” any better than the deal Chamberlain made with Hitler at Munich to ensure peace in our time?
Just like Hitler, the mullahs and IRGC believe that treaties are made to be broken. Even more so than just political expediency, a tenet of Islam (Taqiyya) is that lying to nonbelievers is an approved and accepted way to further the cause.
Re" "treaties are made to be broken." Promises too. You could be describing our treatment of Russia after the Soviet Union collapsed. How many times did the West agree to stop expanding NATO to the east?
Bonnie B. - Regardless of who did what, when, and to whom , I reiterate: Just like Hitler, the mullahs and IRGC believe that treaties are made to be broken.
That is a misinterpretation of Taqiyya. It's actually a preservation/survival strategy of outwardly hiding/denying one's religious faith solely in times of serious threat (e.g. of violence or death).
TeeJae - If lying about one’s religious faith is no biggie, then lying about anything else should be even less of a problem. Especially by those who mete out, as a tenet of their faith, violence or death to unbelievers.
Do you seriously believe that that deal was being lived up to? You are in a micro minority if you do
Well said. 4 weeks in and not much in the way of losses. The world is a better place with someone finally confronting Iran. I didn’t see any alternative myself. As for his campaign promises. So far I don’t see any forever war or a war like loss of life. Intelligence also changes over time. Let’s wait and see before calling someone crazy. Especially our president
Thanks, It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who advocates for patience.
They were not going to be dropping any "egg" on Israel unless they were attacked. And why was letting that happen not an option? Very much an option as far as I'm concerned. Probably a lot of other American citizens agree. How about we vote?
This is a frightening response. Thank God there aren't enough people like you to make this opinion meaningful.
Go fight, Bud. Go now. I'm willing to lose you in this war for Israel. Just you. Go on.
Wow. Just …wow. 😞
The game clock is ticking. When Congress blows the whistle as per the War Powers act Trump's endgame will be irrelevant.
lol, congress. They voted to keep sending billions to Ukraine but couldn't figure out how to vote for election integrity.
They also voted not to audit the billions of dollars being shipped to Ukraine.
Yeah, well, it is what it is.
Those are the rules of the road in our Representative Republic.
Until voters decide to act differently, you're right.
Well, those folks went home for spring break!!!
Someone wanna do a wellness check on Matt?
He just checked in and it sounds like he’s doing fine. Better than many of us.
Then you need a wellness check of your own.
I think he's hanging out with Heather Cox Richardson now...
Hey Matt, what’s the full story of you and Walter?
I don’t like this new direction. I just don’t get what you are doing now? Before, your reporting had a coherence, from when I started following you in the Twitter files. Now, with this Go Outside business. A Trump rant is not the news I signed up for. I signed up for more thoughtful takes, more research and investigation, from a serious reporter. You did all of that so well. But now you’re losing me.
Bye
👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻
Your enlightened commentary will be sorely missed. . .
No wonder Walter left.
Happy to see him go.
???
Trump is the man in the arena. Pundits are just spectators with opinions.
Correct. And before Trump was W. And before him, Johnson and Nixon. Everyone just needs to shut up with their stupid opinions.
Take that, democracy. Shut up and do what you're told.
George Bush's wars were consequence free? Seriously?
Read Coffee & Covid today & maybe you’ll understand what Trump is doing. Try & connect the dots Matt.
Yes! Highly recommend Coffee & COVID Substack. Absolutely brilliant.
At least it’s positive speculation about Trump, where the rest is negative. Whether any of it is true is a whole other question.
If you’re not sure, DaveL, then you may want to fact check, do your own research, until you feel better about the information. I’ve done that with Jeff Childers over the years and while he’s not perfect ( who is?), he has an excellent track record, IMHO. I’m going to go with Jeff’s take on things, as a general rule.
Coffee & Covid, LOL. The dots you see are holes that worms ate into your brain.
Rather than write a thoughtful response, all you have is toddler level insults. Go back to bluesky.
I think that the source speaks for itself. Highly reactionary, not "thoughtful" at all, made for people who want their predilections confirmed. It's entertaining to be sure, but not reality based at all.
You're the one whining like a crybaby (see above) and responding with ad hominems. I'm going outside now. Enjoy your pity party.
I think you have no argument. But keep spinning.
Exactly! The source is bad and "reactionary"!! And therefore, wrong and not "reality based at all" according to simple logic!!! People who disagree are "responding with ad hominems" lol. Another golden, 100% irony-free comment.
Coffee & Covid is the new drug is it?
Hey, it's worth a try.
Try living in reality instead of flailing about for the next grifter to reinforce your delusions
Childers needs to stay in his covid lane. On geopolitics, he's too one-sided.
So you can read both Matt and Jeff for this topic and get both sides. I think that is a good thing that we should practice more.
I get enough of the other side from zionist-owned legacy media.
Matt, I listened to you and Walter for years and loved the interraction. I've tried reading your team's new stuff, and just can't make it work. I think the world you're trying to re-create is gone. You guys seem to be recycling the conventional wisdom, and reporting on stuff that we figured out years ago, but the elites are finally just letting dribble out now that it no longer matters. I respect you a great deal, but fear that you're naivete won't survive contact with the real world.
Of all the stupid wars that the US has fought over the decades, this one is probably the least stupid. I'm afraid you're a sucker for conventional wisdom because that's the way you really want it to be. I'm not canceling my subscription. I owe you some loyalty for your voice in the misery COVID years, but I'm afraid you're fading away my friend.
Reputation matters. So much so that people will partially judge you by the company you keep. As they should. I hope Matt continues to fine tune as Racket heads a different direction. To your point, he has built up much good will and trust. Recent changes shouldn't be written off either.
I feel like I'm reading Business Insider - not getting anything original or even interesting.
Matt's reputation is on solid footing and I trust his judgement. There are maybe 2-3 other people or organizations in news I can say that about. That said, if the last 5 years has taught us anything, it's to not fear questioning assumptions. During Covid and Russia/Ukr war, I threw a couple of people I trusted overboard because they had shown incapable of honest reporting.
I'm good with getting contrary perspectives. I'm not good with nonsensical conspiracy theories dressed in drag as truth. That's M. Tracey.
"Of all the stupid wars that the US has fought over the decades, this one is probably the least stupid." -- Being that Iran is the final country on Israel's Clean Break list, what makes this one so different from all the others?
Whether a person agrees with it or not, there's an actual objective. For most of the wars, I think the rich and powerful are just bored with their mistresses and coke and want to get their jollies by snatching away life. Spoken as a previous participant in pointless wars.
And what is that "actual objective?"
Yeah all our other wars were stupid but THIS ONE is great. I'm not a moron.