Flotsam and Jetsam - A Week at War

Hugh Hewitt @hughhewitt, "There are a lot of ways to describe the first week of Operation Epic Fury. It is certainly heartbreaking for the families of the fallen. But the use of “debacle” is…unique? Revelatory? Absurd?" Quote Sohrab Ahmari @SohrabAhmari, "Oh, here we go, it's the media's fault the debacle looks like a debacle. x.com/hughhewitt/sta…" Sundance at CTH, President Trump, VP Vance and Dignitaries Participate in Dignified Transfer Ceremony and President Trump Expands Iranian Target List. Ward Clark at RedState, Trump’s ‘Complete Destruction’ Warning Ignored by Iran: IDF, U.S. Strikes Burn Airport in Tehran. From Fox, Iran president apologizes for attacks on neighbors, mocks Trump’s call for ‘unconditional surrender' "Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring nations on Saturday, saying that Tehran would cease its attacks unless it was hit first. He also said President Donald Trump's call for an "unconditional surrender" was a "dream that they should take to their grave." Trump made the demand in a Truth Social post on Friday." At Hat Hair, Iranian President: No More Missile or Drone Attacks on Neighbors; Apologizes, but apparently the IRGC isn't taking his orders, Cracks in Iranian Regime Becoming Chasms, Capt. Ed, Trump to Rupturing Iran: Here It Comes! UPDATE: IRGC Sidelines Pezeshkian and Duane Patterson, Iran's Got a 'Who's Zoomin' Who' Problem. Althouse read the Slantic, "Still, as the war drags on, the risk of retaliation outside the region will increase—and that risk is already very real." Reuters whines Exclusive-Iran spent years fostering proxies in Iraq. Now, many aren’t eager to join the war. Blake Herzinger @BDHerzinger, "The US Navy sank an armed Iranian warship, after warning the crew twice to abandon their ship. It’s not a war crime." Quote Books Behind Borders @MHTruthUltra "Pete Hegseth sank an unarmed Iranian ship doing maneuvers in the Indian Ocean. He then let the crew members drown in the sea. Fun Fact: That's a war crime." John Ʌ Konrad V @johnkonrad, "Say it again for the idiots in the back" USNI News, Iranian Amphibious Vessel Seeks Refuge in Indian Port. At RCW, Trump and Netanyahu Have the Law, and the Facts, on Their Side. From RCP, What Does America Owe the People of Iran? Nothing. Behave or we'll have to whack you again.

Sundance, President Trump Notes U.K Lack of Support – We Will Remember. Dave Strom at Hat Hair, Humiliating: HMS Dragon Delayed Because Shipyard Works Only 9-5; UPDATE: Tony Blair Trashes Starmer. Visegrád 24 @visegrad24, "Ukraine is now sending help to the Persian Gulf, aiding Gulf states and the U.S. to protect their military bases from Iranian suicide drones with cheap Ukrainian interceptor drones: US Patriot missile: $4 million Iranian Shahad drone: $35,000 Ukraine’s interceptor drone: $3,000." 

David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense @davereaboi, "Amazing. They can’t get the story they wanted, but this is close enough for CNN." Mister V ≠ @TolaimShelEldad, "Alternative headline: "despite the fact that Iranians place military installations next door to schools, accurate targetting and good intelligence take them out without damage to the schools:" Daniel @VoteLewko, "By the way if you've noticed far less Gaza propaganda in your feed it's not because Iran knocked Gaza off the front page. It's because Iran is what kept it there. Now that their cyber command has been smashed, so too has a global propaganda exercise." Wilfred Reilly @wil_da_beast630, ""What is up" is that you guys publicize every Western mistake, while simply ignoring things like on-video Hamas rapes and/or murders of 1200 people (look up "Thai gardener beheaded alive") and Iran illegally sending suicide drones to attack 19 countries. That's what's up. You clearly hate, and exclusively criticize, your own society. Our far more brutal/evil enemies - including literal Somali and Houthi pirates, child rape "grooming" gangs, etc - are oppressed pets who can do no wrong." Quote George Galloway @georgegalloway, "What is with these demons and bombing schools and killing kids…? x.com/hatsoffff/stat…" Amy Curtis @RantyAmyCurtis, "Notice the lack of quotes around “the Great Satan,” in case you were wondering whose side The Economist is on here." Quote The Economist @TheEconomist "Increasingly, over the course of three decades, Ali Khamenei knew that he was personally in the Great Satan’s sights. This did not daunt him. He felt, always, that he had divine right on his side."

At Power Line, The Week In Pictures: Ayatollahed You So Edition.

Sundance, Part II – Europe and China Have an Energy Problem and Right Now, Russia is Like Amazon During COVID. Hat Hair's John Sexton sees Another Sign the Cuban Regime's Days Are Numbered. "The U.S. attorney in South Florida has ordered a broad-ranging inquiry into Cuba’s leaders and Communist Party officials for drug, immigration, economic and violent crimes with a goal of bringing fast indictments, according to three people with knowledge of his actions..."

Mark Tapscott at The Wash Stand, says the Media Ignored Gabbard’s 2025 Islamization Warning, but Hill GOPers Are Taking Action.

Sundance carries Secretary Rubio and Secretary Noem  Deliver Remark During Shield of Americas Summit. PJM's Scott Pinsker dumps on Kristi, The Stunning Ugliness of Kristi Noem. "Pretty privilege is a real thing."

It's Commonplace with Yes, Trump Can Do That with Tariffs "Courts are likely to defer to the president this time—but he has to be careful." Shawn Fleetwood at Da Fed lists 10 Times John Cornyn Betrayed Trump And MAGA. At the  Annap Cap Gazette, As Scouting America agrees to Hegseth’s anti-DEI changes, Maryland scouting leaders react. From News Wax, N.M. Rep. Warns Evidence at Epstein Ranch May Be at Risk as Probe Reopens. Really? They haven't gone over it with a fine-toothed comb already?

Ari Fleischer @AriFleischer, "If you want to know why Donald Trump was elected, watch Barack Obama’s attack speech yesterday at Jesse Jackson’s funeral. As he did throughout his presidency, he created a straw man to describe Republicans as bigots who force the American people to “turn on each other”..." From the WLT Report, Biden Tells Majority Black Crowd At Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Funeral ‘I’m Smarter Than You’. Irish Alzheimer's; he's forgotten everything but the grudges. 

Larry at Hat Hair thinks Gavin Newsom's Career-Defining Answer Goes Terribly Wrong. At Althouse, Does Gavin Newsom have a Zoolander problem?. "That question was asked and answered a few days ago. The answer is yes. And I think people know what that means. A man is so under the spell of the notion that he's good looking that he has absurd confidence in himself. It's causing him to blabber inanely, with ridiculous confidence..." Hat Hair's John Stossel looks at California's Inferno of Regulations.

John Sexton was not surprised to find Mamdani’s Wife Supported Hamas' 10/7 Attack on Israel. Driscoll at Insty, notes THE CORBYNIZATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONTINUES APACE: Zohran Mamdani’s wife liked social media posts celebrating Oct. 7 attacks. "UPDATE: “The ethno narcissistic tableau she presents and her centering of herself in her art are markers of the terminal cultural exhaustion that afflicts these people rather than any authentic ideological zeal (which would be much more interesting). Invoking the latter is actually a form of undue flattery and implies there’s more there than there actually is.”" From Twitchy, Ben Rhodes, Taylor Lorenz Upset Bari Weiss’ CBS News Is Covering Zohran Mamdani’s Wife. Coddled Affluent Professional @feelsdesperate, "Mamdani’s wife is Texas born, had two professional parents, and got an MFA from SVA. No need to exoticize her. She’s just another placeless downwardly mobile creative whose life in NYC was subsidized by her parents well into adulthood..." Quote Manhattan Mingle @ManhattanMingle "Zohran Mamdani & the DSA took great lengths to keep his radical wife out of the spotlight. An app brought them together through an algorithm of hate for America & Israel - her celebration of Oct. 7 is on brand. This is her art, turning the NYC towards Islam and against Israel. x.com/willbredderman…" At RCE, Who's Responsible for New York City's Regressive Property Tax System?

Scott McKay at Am Spec, The Incredibly, Unacceptably Weird James Talarico, "James Talarico is a thoroughgoing nutbag." Atop Da Hill, Will the 2026 midterms be a ‘blue wave’? Here’s what to watch as polling ramps up.

The Chronic looks at Anti-ICE Violence, the Insurrection Act, and Jefferson Davis.

Streiff at RedState is pretty happy with the Seventh Circuit Taking a Blowtorch to Order Issued by Abusive, Anti-ICE Chicago Judge.

From Campus Reform, TCU students cover Ben Carson lecture signs with race studies petition. At the College Fix, Bangor U. debate society refuses to debate conservative Reform UK, prompting backlash. 

Matt Vespa thinks Bill Maher Made Adam Schiff and Don Lemon Look Like Morons Last Night. Well, they are morons.

Driscoll at Insty cites BRYAN CALLEN: Hollywood Did Stunning 180 on Pronouns. Veteran comic, Hangover alum shares fallout from Trump support, Biden critique. "Later, Callen shared why the cultural winds are shifting in Tinsel Town. Turns out a movie or TV show set is no place for a prima donna or someone who demands special treatment – think unconventional pronouns. “Anybody who creates any of that kind of energy, it becomes problematic,” Callen explained. “When Hollywood hired all those DEI officers, movies started losing money.” And, as a result, many were “quietly fired,” he said. That was then, albeit a few short years ago. The professional climate today is different, he explained..."

Rod Dreher @roddreher, "Local man asks cop why he's allowing Islamists to chase people on horseback through the streets. Cop: "With the greatest respect, what do you want me to do, pull a man off a horse?" Angry resident: "If they had a Union Jack on, you would!"" Quote Dave @DaveKent10, "What the hell is going on in Manchester? Islamists on horseback and wearing armbands, are trying to ride people down in the streets. Guess what? The police are standing back and allowing this to happen."

John Sexton is outraged that a Trans Parent Gets 5 Years for Stabbing His Own Children in Canada.