Monday, June 22, 2026

The Iranians seem to want JD front and center negotiating Trump's policy, and Trump is fine with that. JD spoke about Israel in Lebanon, and their having to recognize they have only one friendly head of state, Trump. One supportive nation, the US. Why exactly stress that truth? Publicly and in unequivocal words? Trump, and second in command?

 Start with a Minnesota blogger putting up two recent sequential posts featuring links to FOX talking head Mark Levin. Here and here. Read the rest of this post, and then go back and check that out as much as you feel needed.

Trump is less of an assassination target if JD is on the identical page, chapter and verse, pushing things, in a way that if Trump were to be a target, nothing would change if JD stepped into the White House. Israel has its history. Stories exist suggesting Charlie Kirk's death happened after reexamining his stance on Israel. 

Israeli airstrikes took out key Iranian figures in the recent past. A year ago, and then this February. Rabin was taken out by a faction in his own nation.

For a context, not as direct in speculation, The Young Turks, here and here

More, here.  

 That is enough. So, with a mood brewing, Trump moving to end this war and bring Iran into the world's trading community; 300 billion investments in Iran by Gulf Arab states being allowed, Israel might not be happy if feeling differently than that it might be good with the new people doing the talking for Iran now, to try normalization.

Israel wants to continue its aggressive entry and war-making in Lebanon against Iran's proxy, Hezbollah. Iran and the US agree to negotiate about Labanon, and both belligerents there. It makes sense, Fox news talking heads saying otherwise or not, figure what's perhaps best long term if the new people talking for Iran negotiate reasonably.

What that means, is we have to wait and see. But JD is the man, Trump's and Iran's pick, and that means policy continuity whatever Trump's age and health may mean, or what other things could happen.

I do not believe this is an alarmist post. I think it makes sense.

___________UPDATE___________

AJ posts

Vance was publicly acknowledging what US officials have long preferred to leave unsaid: Israel’s international standing has deteriorated, its diplomatic isolation has deepened, and its dependence on the US has become increasingly pronounced. More importantly, he signalled that the Trump administration is no longer willing to treat Israeli objections as a veto over US policy – a potentially historic shift.

[,,,] The memorandum envisions sanctions relief, economic rehabilitation, freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and restrictions on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The administration argues that diplomacy offers a better path to regional stability than another cycle of confrontation.

For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, the agreement undermines a strategy he has pursued for years. Few foreign leaders have invested more effort than he did in convincing Washington that Iran should remain isolated, weakened, and constrained through sustained economic and military pressure. [...]

In effect, however Israel dislikes it, it is how it will be, and Israel, don't snuff Trump, is how Crabgrass views things. Israel has a history, almost call it a habit, and VERBOTEN is the message. Otherwise, things are not changed much. They still get US money, they still get US arms, so please behave for it to not be an issue.

More things, allusions to BDS would be merited, and might arise if Bibi's team fails to get their heads right. Crabgrass would favor worldwide BDS against Israel until certain clear things happen, but it's not to be. Too many bought or otherwise pro-Israel politicians in the US in the way. Sadly so. They've earned sterner measures.

See, also, this AJ post. It is relevant. Already posted, some Minnesota federal office holders have taken AIPAC campaign cash, over time, and that's a problem.

See, https://www.trackaipac.com/  for a view of AIPAC spending. Kennedy back then was right, and it still applies, AIPAC needs to register as an agent of a foreign government. Obviously, that's an opinion, not the law in the  USA, which is highly unfortunate. No other nation gets such suck-up attention in the US, and no other one deserves it less. Opinions can range on such thinking.

________FURTHER UPDATE_________

Russia shares a protected Caspian trade route with Iran, and Russia has sanctions it would rather see dismissed. Russia is still at war with Ukraine, meaning Europe, the rest of it, likely is disinclined to cut Russia any slack. To the extent Google Analytics can be trusted for blog traffic, interest in what's posted here has peaked in recent days in Russia. Not world shattering numbers, but there has been some GA cataloging of traffic from there, on this blog. 

There has been reporting of Russian and Iranian sharing of drone technology. Perhaps trade in actual weapons. With the ceasefire Iran may be more willing to ship a few more blow-it-up things to Russia, presuming Iran does have a surplus. 

The volume and kinds of goods traded between the two nations would be interesting to track down, as best found on the web, but that's for others to pursue. 

FURTHER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cPpKMMwXdI 

Related to the question of giving Trump time and space to mop up the mess. Or you can say, "Now's the chance, we can get him while he's weak." That latter view would cause more death and grief, or could, and counterproductive paths are not good.

FURTHER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eamNmqJMngo  -- more intelligent thinking over the next few months of international developments. The Iran nuclear posture is a real consideration and the oil market behavior too. However, what would be most encouraging would be for the US to shut down its bases in the area to leave people there to resolve their own futures; and if the Gulf Arab states wisely invest in and assist Iran in ways that generate mutual trust. If the US does not withdraw from the area, and reconcentrate upon renewable energy as a most sound direction, the nation will have lost a chance to better itself.

Trump's owing Big US Oil for his second term financing, partially so, is a problem.

 

 

 

Quietly, robo self-driving vehicles are proving less accident causing, statistically, than human drivers, and are catching on.

Try search = chinese self driving robotaxi efforts

We all know about Tesla because Musk has a big mouth and gets reported.

However, consider these four links, here, here, here and here

A caveat, it is possible the US silence of spread of self-driving worldwide is only a US phenomenon, our people being told only what's "good" for them, and it is already an international realization otherwise. But in case not, the post is posted.

 

Friday, June 19, 2026

Go to the Whitehouse.gov site, and try this site search.

 https://www.whitehouse.gov/?s=MOU

Well, the nation has other outlets for current event news, e.g.

https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2067393004239814711

https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-says-signed-iran-mou-002151037.html reports -

The White House shared a video on social media of Trump signing the document while sitting beside French President Emmanuel Macron in the historic palace that once housed the French monarchy. Maybe wistfulness.

U.S. President Donald Trump receives a tour of Chateau de Versailles from President of France Emmanuel Macron ahead of a dinner. / Anna Moneymaker / via REUTERS
U.S. President Donald Trump receives a tour of Chateau de Versailles from President of France Emmanuel Macron ahead of a dinner. / Anna Moneymaker / via REUTERS

The signing of the MOU puts the 110-day war, sparked by the U.S. and Israel launching a joint bombing campaign against Iran on Feb. 28, on pause while negotiations continue for 60 days on critical issues such as Iran's nuclear program.

Included in the terms of the agreement, other than the "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts," is the termination of "all types of sanctions" against Iran, as well as the establishment of a $300 billion "reconstruction and economic development fund" for Iran.

Trump looks a bit bewildered by the palace, as if wondering about size and scope of his ballroom. Of course, that is but one guess at demeanor. More guesses are appropriate, unless he says something revealing his mood at the time.

 _____________UPDATE___________

Crabgrass might be wrong thinking the White House is hiding from the deal. It was the White House posting on X.com, not on Trump's outlet, with millions of views.

https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2067393004239814711

This will drag on, and  how that all evolves will matter. We have to wait. 

 

With the MOU text out, Guardian reports some Republicans are distancing themselves. What of Tom Emmer?

 Emmer is as silent over this capitulation as he is silent about the ICE prosecutions that Trump/Vance are using as retribution against Emmer's state for opposing the Stephen Miller - Greg Bovino invasion by masked Gestapo.

Emmer is worthless. Emmer needs a job besides career politician. This election is one where it might happen. We hope.

Guardian

Emmer seems happy to drag things out another 60 days, while the Minnesota and worldwide economies suffer. Why he feels that way is for him to explain.

Anytime, Tom.

UPDATE: LINKS here and here. Melania skipped the signing.

Trump may have learned a lesson. Bibi, no learning curve. TOI has unkind words for Trump.

First two headline sentences are pure opinion. For the third:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-deal-is-a-catastrophic-capitulation-to-irans-aggressors-leaves-israel-vulnerable-and-constrained/ 

 A lot of death has arisen from Israel's "Greater Israel" advocates who are Bibi cabinet members because he needs them for a coalition, and does not find them odious.

Trump at least is flexible enough to alter a bad decision. He lost. But is cutting his losses. All the waste of killing many Iranians is showing up and Trump and Hegseth, whatever the motivation, have cut short the bad decision's consequences.

Crabgrass cannot fault JD for these true words

But words are cheap, while actions matter. The action of the week is dialog with Iran, even if having to be conducted on Iran's terms. Where the Arab Gulf states are in things has been, and remains, unclear. China is China, and the US public educational system is lagging in the task of teaching and learning of Chinese within the nation. At least we are not all aflutter to learn Hebrew. For now.

 

Trump had the birthday cage fight on the white house lawn because the lawn was not big enough for a NASCAR race track to be installed.

 Not for himself. For his base.

Trump's surrender to Iran is not unconditional.

 https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/14-point-draft-us-iran-deal-2026-06-17/

The big remaining question is how Trump and his offspring will monetize that surrender in their favor. Not whether, but how.