Iran War?

[Syt]

https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-lebanon-march-05-2026#0000019c-bee6-d2b0-a39c-ffee04dc0000

Trump wants to be involved in picking the next Iranian leader

Trump in an interview with the news outlet Axios said he wants to be involved in selection of Iran's next leader and called Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son an "unacceptable" potential pick.

"Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me," Trump said of Mojtaba Khamenei, the 56-year-old son of the supreme leader killed on the first day of the war. Trump added, "We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran."

The president also derided Khamenei's son, who is believed to be under consideration to serve as the next supreme leader, as "a light weight."

"I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy in Venezuela," said Trump, referring to the acting president in the South American country.

Delcy Rodriguez took power in January after Trump ordered a U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro and whisk him to the U.S. to face federal drug conspiracy charges.

[Valmy]

Yeah I am sure the person he chooses will be a unifying and harmonous choice to Iranians.

[Syt]

Maybe his shriveled brain has convinced him he's in a really weird version of Apprentice.

[Valmy]

So apparently that ship we sunk was an unarmed vessel involved in a joint exercise at the invitation of the Indian government. At least according the Indian Foreign Secretary.

What a bunch of fucking bullshit. What a disgrace to our military.

[crazy canuck]

How is this a conventional war? 

There are conventional planes and conventional ships launching conventional munitions at mostly conventional targets.  I don't know what else to call it.  It's not nuclear, and it's not some special force operation.  Just because it's dumb doesn't mean it isn't conventional.

Your post entirely ignores the rest of my post, which went on to explain why it is not conventional.  But your post is indicative of what seems to be the historical American view, which is time and again proven wrong, that the Americans can force the other side into a conventional war.

[crazy canuck]

So apparently that ship we sunk was an unarmed vessel involved in a joint exercise at the invitation of the Indian government. At least according the Indian Foreign Secretary.

What a bunch of fucking bullshit. What a disgrace to our military.

But But this is a conventional war

[crazy canuck]

Maybe his shriveled brain has convinced him he's in a really weird version of Apprentice.

More like he cannot comprehend that the Iranians didn't immediately give up.

[Tonitrus]

So apparently that ship we sunk was an unarmed vessel

Pictures of the ship clearly show a gun on it (and it had much more armament potential than that). 

I still think sinking it was likely more of a stunt...but if it were to be clearly sailing from Sri Lanka back towards Iran (I don't know this, just "if"), it would be a fair target...as I think our ships would be in the way.

Apparently Sri Lanka helped evacuate a second Iranian ship/crew out that way...haven't found info on that one yet.

[Tamas]

I am sorry but there are American naval forces launching strikes against Iran aren't they? It would be irresponsible not to cripple the enemy's navy to the best of their abilities. It's a stupid war with a strategic disaster written all over it, but that doesn't mean they are forced to wage it in a stupid way on the tactical level.

[Tonitrus]

Apparently Sri Lanka helped evacuate a second Iranian ship/crew out that way...haven't found info on that one yet.

The second/evacuated ship is apparently an Iranian navy unarmed supply ship (which had been dispatched to resupply the sunken ship). 

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Pictures of the ship clearly show a gun on it (and it had much more armament potential than that).

There's a claim going around that one of the conditions for Exercise MILAN (which is what the Iranian ship was participating in) was that all participating ships be in "peace protocol" (whatever that means), and the Iranian ambassador to India claims that Dena wasn't carrying live ammunition.  Information is scant, though.  This is the best I have found so far.

[crazy canuck]

I am sorry but there are American naval forces launching strikes against Iran aren't they? It would be irresponsible not to cripple the enemy's navy to the best of their abilities. It's a stupid war with a strategic disaster written all over it, but that doesn't mean they are forced to wage it in a stupid way on the tactical level.

The United States has not declared war on Iran.  We are more in the Putinesque sphere of some sort of special presidential operation involving a lot of US military power.

[garbon]

I am sorry but there are American naval forces launching strikes against Iran aren't they? It would be irresponsible not to cripple the enemy's navy to the best of their abilities. It's a stupid war with a strategic disaster written all over it, but that doesn't mean they are forced to wage it in a stupid way on the tactical level.

The United States has not declared war on Iran.  We are more in the Putinesque sphere of some sort of special presidential operation involving a lot of US military power.

It looks like the key difference would be that president didn't seek authorisation to use force. After all, the US hasn't actually formally declared war since...WW2?

[The Minsky Moment]

I am sorry but there are American naval forces launching strikes against Iran aren't they? It would be irresponsible not to cripple the enemy's navy to the best of their abilities. It's a stupid war with a strategic disaster written all over it, but that doesn't mean they are forced to wage it in a stupid way on the tactical level.

There are bigger stakes than what second echelon mullah and their grandkids we happen to slaughter with an airstrike, or what hapless toy size frigate we send to the bottom with all its crew.  "Smart" tactics that make the US look like a monstrous bully and inspire disgust and hate around the world are not a net positive for US national security and influence.

December 7 1941 was the day that lives in infamy because while negotiations were ongoing to resolve a dispute involving sanctions and concerns of aggressive acts towards third countries, Japan launched an unprovoked surprise attack with no declaration of war.  Americans then and since were outraged by such perfidy to the degree that the offending nation was made the recipient of the only atomic bomb ever used in warfare.  What sort of day then is February 28, 2026?  Not one that makes me particularly proud of my country's conduct.

[Sheilbh]

Hope DC remembers to say "thank you" at least once:


Edit: Incidentally this is purely vibes based - but I am not like or remotely reassured by any of the mood music coming out of DC right now.