Truth Counts

Cocytus Within the quiet of the past 24 hours - there is a continues drumming of threat coming from the office which coordinates between the IRGC and the regular standing army.  As a journalist - who deeply understands Islam and the Shi'a historical temperament - the one and two sentence threats which build to a crescendo bring a bit of a chill. The threat has been issued of weaponry which might be unfamiliar to us.  And the sending of "Cocytus" (a frozen cold)  to our cities; where without a bullet fired, human heartbeats will cease to exist. https://dantesinferno.fandom.com/wiki/Lake_Cocytus A bit of Qur'anic signaling is also in use.  More importantly, a massive display of palpable anger. If this is grandstanding... political theater... it is still freaking terrifying. The cadence is apocalyptic.  We shall see what tomorrow brings.  

Analysis Coming Off Telegram Channels I ignore BBC and their report out on the "Lego Wars". I have seen it before and it is of little interest. The same applies to Jerusalem Post and The Independent.   This is news of no consequence.; it is a curiosity.  I prefer to ignore the army of bots, AI, memes, and flood of disinformation.  Especially since there are selected readings worthy of my consideration.  So ignore the Lego story. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-war-lego-trump-propaganda-video-ai-viral-b2956333.html https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-892867 Instead, let me  post a bit of analysis coming off a Telegram Channel.  I will not waste your time. Time is a commodity.  Synopsis works for me.  Always read with discernment.  I am not always in total agreement with the thoughts of other writers.  So it is up to each of you to parse through the thoughts and make your own determinations....

Iran's Rapid Entry into the Second Stage of Warfare   Whilst our fun-loving American President has posted an image of himself as Jesus, I would prefer that he function as Moses.  At least the latter, was able to part the Red Sea.  What has astounded me - and I am a strategic gnat - is how Iran entered the second stage of warfare as soon as our airships began to drop their payloads on Iranian soil.  Geography aided them. But it is a strategic triumph of reflexive control.  On 28 February, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.  And as stated by author Keir Giles,  (this action is) a "key asymmetric enabler to gain critical advantages, neutralising the adversary's strengths..." (p 19)  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313423985_Handbook_of_Russian_Information_Warfare Our "bombs bursting in air" strategy was reduced to a unilateral global focus on a choke point which is essentially reduced to a six mile critical width waterway with a traffic separ...

Rep.  Eric Swalwell: The Usual Rules Need not Apply Committing adultery with a Chinese spy did not provide Eric Swalwell with cause to reflect nor choose a course correction. https://nypost.com/2026/04/11/us-news/eric-swalwell-paid-illegal-brazilian-live-in-nanny-under-the-table-with-campaign-funds-complaint-alleges/ Jonathan Turley always provides enjoyable reading: https://nypost.com/2026/04/11/opinion/eric-swalwell-todays-frankensteins-monster/ My father taught me that our first sin, is always against God.  And then we sin against our fellow man. The Ten Commandments provide a safety net for society.  The "Thou shalt nots"  have validity. It brings societal health when we honor our parents... do not lie... do not commit theft. And it allows for family health when a man does not poach another man's wife; nor a woman poach another woman's husband. The Ten Commandments are a reminder that we have boundaries within civilized society. Boundaries require respect for the...

Quick Note:  Warfare Acquisition The AN/AAQ-24(V) Nemesis LAIRCM system, developed by Northrop Grumman, has fallen into Iran's hands and is being used for reverse engineering. This LAIRCM acts like an "invisible laser shield" that blinds and deflects heat-seeking missiles before they reach the aircraft, and it is one of the world's most advanced infrared counter-missile systems. The system operates fully automatically. First, missile warning sensors installed in all directions around the aircraft quickly detect the launch of any missile by sensing the heat from its engine. Then, the central processing unit assesses the threat and makes a decision in a fraction of a second. If the missile is indeed approaching the aircraft, laser turrets rotate toward the missile's seeker head and shine a powerful, modulated laser beam in infrared bands onto it. This beam disorients and blinds the missile's head, causing it to lose its path and veer away from the target.   On...

  Short Note: Collapse of Negotiations “They have chosen not to accept our terms,” Mr. Vance said in a brief news conference, though he left open the possibility that terms could still be reached. “We leave here with a very simple proposal: a method of understanding that is our final and best offer,” he added. “We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”   https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/11/world/iran-war-trump-talks-pakistan The Vice President is fatigued.  It is a "Memorandum of Understanding" and not a "method of understanding."  Problematic, is that my nation did not adequately challenge our own assumptions regarding how Iran would behave prior to entering the ring. The fairy tale is shattered.  But there is no sense of happiness, on my part, that we are unable to resolve our self-inflicted misery.  We will continue to scrape our wounds, and like the Biblical Job, our friends sit  beside us in silence.  I mean, what really... is there to b...