Backed Into Technocracy

 Engaged Citizens,

  As our global industrial economy enters a downturn and financial reset at the end of growth, our elite owners would like for all of us to have personal digital assistants and programmable smart money to help them smooth the transition out. We would not even have to think about what to do to be of help, because unhelpful things just would not be possible, and incorrigible people would find themselves increasingly excluded from any possibility to harm others or harm the system. Important resources like food, fuel, water and medicines could be directed preferentially to the most important and productive members of society, assuring continuity of the economic essentials, even in hard times.

  Of course wars  and depressions are hard on everybody, but it is worse if the economic life support system that keeps all of us alive fails. Everyone will have to understand that people are just not self-sufficient hunter-gatherers or living on small rural mixed farms these days.

  The system will be very simple to use, just like GPS, but for everything now. It is the dream of Technocracy, an economic and governance system without waste or internal contradictions, finally coming true.  ;-D

  We are in the messy phase of starting World War-3 to jump-start all of the changes in global economy that have to take place. Right now it looks like wars in Ukraine and the Mideast, with the $US empire seeking to stamp-out centers of economy that do not pay $US tribute to support the system. About 20% of the world's oil and natural gas is bottled up right now, with shortages expected to cause crises next month. Fertilizer for spring planting flows through the Strait of Hormuz, about 40% of global supply, and it is not stockpiled,but just-in time delivery, partly due to explosive risks with large stockpiles. Sulfuric acid for leaching copper from ores comes from "sour" heavy Mideast crude oil. Plastics, fabrics and synthetic oils are made from natural gas, as is helium for making microelectronic circuits and computer chips. 

  The tightly interwoven complexity of our global economic life support system, and human-nature when attacked and threatened, resisting, rather than complying, are frustrating President Trump's efforts to lead the world into this new global technocratic governance vision, which he shares with Larry Ellison, Peter Theil and the other tech-bro's, a vision nurtured for decades by Robert and Ghislaine Maxwell, and Jeffrey Epstein, amongst others.

  There is a competing team in the technocracy race to neo-Utopia, not merely centered in London, New York, Paris, Frankfurt and Washington, but in the interests of the Gulf monarchs, who have very high expenses keeping their growing populations placated enough to not revolt.

  There is political splintering in western elites now over the war on Iran going badly for the US & Israel. Distancing has begun. If Netanyahu turns out to be dead,maybe Trump can say Bibi tricked him and declare victory, but the problem of Israeli nuclear weapons, now confirmed since Trump blurted it out, and how to survive their being in the hands of a desperate group of genocidal war criminals as they must face the consequences of their perfidies.

  Patrick Wood cracks the door for a peek into that here:  Why Trump’s Takeover In Gaza Preceded The War In Iran - On the Iran war, the Board of Peace, USD1 and "The Final Betrayal"

  The central argument of our book is not comfortable. We did not write it to please any political constituency, and we have paid for that in criticism from both sides. The argument is this: technocracy — the organization of society by unelected technical and financial experts, operating outside democratic accountability — has staged a sweeping coup in Washington. It did not arrive wearing the face of socialism or communism or fascism. It arrived wearing the face of populism. It rode the MAGA movement into power and then systematically betrayed it.
  That betrayal has a specific mechanism. The Dark Enlightenment — the neo-monarchist ideology championed by Peter Thiel, Curtis Yarvin, and a cluster of Silicon Valley arch-Technocrats — proposes replacing the democratic nation-state with techno-feudal city-states managed by CEO-dictators. It is not a fringe position. It is the operating philosophy of a significant portion of the people now running the American government’s technological and financial apparatus.
  Tokenization is the economic instrument. When you tokenize an asset — real estate, natural resources, financial instruments, eventually labor itself — you convert it from something owned outright into something held digitally, conditionally, and revocably. The World Economic Forum told you where this leads in 2016: you will own nothing. They removed the statement when it drew too much attention. But the program did not change.
  AI is the control layer. Not AI as a productivity tool, but AI as the mechanism by which a managed population is sorted, scored, surveilled, and if necessary, excluded from economic participation.
  These three elements — the Dark Enlightenment’s monarchist theory, tokenization’s asset capture, and AI’s control infrastructure — form the architecture we documented. The Iran war did not create this architecture. It is accelerating it.   https://patrickwood.substack.com/p/why-trumps-takeover-in-gaza-preceded

  Simplicius, Frustrated by Failure, an Unhinged Trump Begins to Tilt as Hormuz Standoff Heats Up

The biggest story has been Iran’s vindication over its claims that US naval forces had retreated under the growing threat of strikes.
  Recall last time we spoke about the ~300km range of Iran’s anti-ship assets, but that Iranian Brigadier General Fadavi stated no US ship was operating within 700km of Iran’s shores.
  It seems he was telling the truth, because latest Chinese satellite intel indicates that the USS Lincoln has now retreated to roughly 1,000km from Iranian shores...

..The supporting evidence comes by way of flight tracking which appears to indicate that air refuelers operating out of KSA are bridging the gap for this extremely long combat radius:
  US Air Force KC-135Rs Stratotankers from Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base have been refueling fighter jets from USS Abraham Lincoln this afternoon...

..More interesting is the fact that Iranian officials had claimed the reason for the USS Lincoln’s withdrawal was that it was successfully hit by drones.
From Tehran Times:
  Spokesperson of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (Iran’s military coordination HQ):
The USS Abraham Lincoln was targeted by the naval forces of the IRGC and was rendered inoperable. The carrier has left the region and is currently returning to the United States...

..This was after CENTCOM itself confirmed that a fire had broken out aboard the USS Gerald R Ford, currently hiding way in the rear of the Red Sea. They claimed someone’s undies had caught fire in the laundry room...  which if true only advances theories regarding low morale and ongoing sabotage aboard the troubled flagship...

..The fact is: US’s chief symbols and instruments of global power projection have both been curtailed or outright neutralized by Iran thus far, one relegated to hiding behind Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea 2,000km from Hormuz, the other now shielding behind Oman...

..Trump is now veritably begging allies to come unblock the Strait, blaming them for its closure after the US miraculously “decimated” all of Iran... Rumors claim he’s been secretly frustrated at his military command for their inability to unblock it themselves...

..Trump continues to beat his chest about having “totally defeated” or “wiped out” Iran, while being completely helpless when it comes to the most important objective in the region...

..Trump and his top figures are growing increasingly irate given the escalating failure of their floundering ‘Special Combat Operation’, with Trump snapping at reporters who dared question his sending of Marines for a potential boots-on-ground mission...

..Trump is faced with a perilous zugzwang of his own making: back off now and the ‘war’ will be seen as a major Iranian moral victory, as Iran was able to deter the US from completing any of its chief objectives despite a widespread and aimless bombing campaign. But should Trump double down, he faces an even worse catastrophe as the US may get totally exposed militarily, or risk losing ships or even carrier groups...

..Trump is faced with the mother of all sunk-cost fallacies for another important reason: If he were to pull out now, Iran would gain an historic symbol of deterrence against the US. It would expose the US as a paper tiger, which will have generational repercussions: a grand showcase on the world stage of the diminishment of the US’s most hallowed tool of imperial power—its mighty naval forces.
  It would usher in an historic turning point moment in the Mideast, destroying the aura of invincibility of the US war machine built through years of thuggish bullying... Iran will actually emerge as a stronger nation relative to the US than before the war...

..We know for a fact the US is rushing radars from all over the globe, including South Korea to fill the gaps of destroyed equipment. This proves the US is losing critical capability that will not be replaced for years—and the same goes for munitions expenditures...

..As such, Iran stands to emerge from this rebuilt, while the US will have lost critical capability that will weaken its own projection and deterrence for years to come.
  This creates a major problem for Trump: he cannot allow the US to be weaker relative to Iran when a hypothetical Round 3 kicks off a year from now, as the US would then suffer an even worse humiliation than is already in progress. Thus, Trump is forced to double-down and continue trying to eliminate Iran entirely, with the preferred method being causing some type of popular revolt that could bring a puppet leader to power over whom Trump would have control...

..In the meantime, sensing the coming end of its national arc—and its bloodlust somehow still not yet fully sated—Israel has gone for broke and announced a new invasion to seize all of Lebanon up to the Litani River... “We are going to do what we did in Gaza,” a senior Israeli official said, referring to the flattening of buildings Israel says Hezbollah uses to store weapons and launch attacks.
  Like we’ve been saying for a while now, this is Israel’s last chance at salvation, and it knows it. Israel believes a weakened Iran and a neutralized Syria now allows it to finish off Hezbollah and expand Greater Israel, but the attempt will come at great cost to Israeli society, as per usual—and it will likely fail…again as per usual.   https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/frustrated-by-failure-an-unhinged

 Thanks Eleni. Turkey shock claim: If Netanyahu is dead, Israel’s collapse has already begun

A sensation has been caused by the position of the well known Turkish journalist Ibrahim Karagul, columnist of Yeni Safak and adviser to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, regarding the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
  The Turkish journalist questions whether Netanyahu is alive, intensifying with his post the relevant rumor that has developed in recent days regarding the Israeli prime minister and his fate...

..Fuel to the relevant speculation regarding the fate of Netanyahu was also given by the latest announcement of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
  They reported that they struck ten locations where, according to information, Israeli officials were located, as reported by the network Al Jazeera.
“The targets were 10 residences of Zionist leaders in Israel,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) emphasized in its announcement.
  The IRGC clarified that of the ten targets that were struck, seven were located in Tel Aviv, two in Rishon LeZion, and one in Shoham.
In addition, it was clarified that three gathering and shelter locations of American commanders were identified and attacked.   https://www.bankingnews.gr/diethni/articles/862379/turkey-shock-claim-if-netanyahu-is-dead-israel-s-collapse-has-already-begun

  Lots of tweets and photos from Israel: I think, by now, we can asssume that something untoward has happened to NETANYAHU   https://seemorerocks.substack.com/p/i-think-by-now-we-can-asssume-that

Israeli PM Netanyahu's Coffee Video Under Scrutiny, Grok Calls It 'Deepfake'  https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/benjamin-netanyahu-death-rumours-israeli-pm-netanyahus-new-video-under-scrutiny-grok-calls-it-deepfake-11221132

Reporter in Tel Aviv: "Iron Dome is not operational"   https://www-n--tv-de.translate.goog/mediathek/videos/politik/Reporterin-in-Tel-Aviv-Iron-Dome-ist-nicht-in-Betrieb-id30472458.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp&_x_tr_hist=true

  Trump acknowledges Israel's secret nuclear arsenal during war with Iran
The UN General Assembly voted in 2022 on a resolution – introduced by Egypt – demanding that Israel destroy its nuclear weapons arsenal

  President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that Israel will not use its nuclear weapons during the war with Iran, publicly acknowledging that Tel Aviv maintains a secret arsenal. “Israel will never use its nuclear weapons on Iran,” Trump said.   https://trendsinthenews.substack.com/p/trump-acknowledges-israels-secret

  Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-03-16

Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed - Goldman Sachs confirms flows collapsed from 19.5M to 0.5M bpd. Zero oil tankers recorded crossing on March 12. Net disruption after Saudi pipeline rerouting: 17.2M bpd offline...

..All major NATO allies decline Hormuz coalition - France, Australia, Japan, Germany, UK all said no to Trump’s warship request. South Korea “under review.”...

..IRGC launched Wave 55 of Operation True Promise 4. First combat use of the Sejjil solid-fuel ballistic missile, which travels at 10 Mach in exoatmospheric phase and is extremely difficult to intercept with Patriot or Arrow...

..Petrodollar recycling system under existential stress
Chinese shadow tankers are the only vessels transiting Hormuz - carrying Iranian crude settled in yuan through CIPS. Kpler confirmed 11.7-16.5M barrels reached China since Feb 28.
  Eric Yeung’s framework: GCC oil → USD → US Treasuries was the backbone of dollar hegemony. If GCC starts selling oil to China in RMB and parking surpluses in physical gold/silver, the entire loop breaks...

..Saudi Arabia secretly running the hawks: NYT reported March 15: MBS has been privately urging Trump throughout the war to “keep hitting the Iranians hard.” ...

..Mojtaba Khamenei flown to Moscow for treatment - Multiple reports from Kuwaiti Al-Jarida citing source close to Supreme Leader. Fractures, bruised eye. First public statement read by TV anchor...

..UAE GlobalEye surveillance aircraft destroyed - Worth ~$1B, destroyed by a drone worth $20,000. Only one in the Middle East...

..Taiwan power grid - Running out of power in approximately 10 days.  https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-03-16

  Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-03-17

Strait of Hormuz: tollgate, not blockade: Iran has not closed Hormuz universally. It has converted it into a permissioned system. Ten nations granted conditional transit: China, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq. First non-Iranian vessel to transit with AIS on: Pakistani-flagged Aframax Karachi carrying Abu Dhabi crude. Payment: diplomatic alignment, not dollars...

..CENTCOM listing “95% of mine delivery systems destroyed” while mines are actively being laid...
..Ship transits collapsed from 130-150/day pre-war to 0-3/day; Goldman estimated 17.2 mb/d disrupted
Physical Dubai crude hit $150-154/bbl vs WTI paper at ~$94-96 — a 40-75% premium over crude it is refined from...
..US Embassy Baghdad directly hit by Iran-backed Iraqi militia drone after C-RAM radar was previously blinded; FPV drone flew unchallenged for ~2 minutes over Green Zone...

..Hormuz bypass route no longer safe: Oil tanker struck at anchor 23nm east of Fujairah. Dubai International Airport fuel tank hit (third confirmed drone event near DXB). UAE closed airspace entirely. Iran is specifically targeting the Hormuz bypass infrastructure...

..USS Gerald R. Ford fire burned 30+ hours, displaced 600 crew, sleeping on floors. 10th month of deployment. CENTCOM described it as “non-life-threatening injuries.” ...

..Hormuz coalition collapses before forming: Germany, UK, France, Japan, Australia all formally declined Trump’s request for warships. China did not respond. Zero confirmed commitments as of March 17...

..Trump explicitly cited Japan gets 95% of oil through Hormuz, China 90%, South Korea 35% as justification for demanding their navies. Actual China number is ~33% ...
..Iran’s Mosaic Doctrine performing as designed: 31 autonomous IRGC provincial commands operating independently. No Supreme Leader authorization required per command. Wave 57 of Operation True Promise 4 ongoing as of March 17.
  Iran conducting ~30 missiles + ~65 drones per day at current pace — down from peak waves but sustainable...

..Trump admitted: “They weren’t supposed to go after all these other countries… We were shocked.”...

  Trump-Xi summit delayed “a month or so.” US-China Paris talks lasted 3 hours, “constructive.” Bessent: “very good.”
Trump Truth Social post creating “Hormuz Peace Board” — same post claims war started by “Obama and Biden 47 years ago.” Not satire...
..KC-135 tanker fleet attrition: one crashed over western Iraq March 12 (6 dead), at least 5 more damaged at Prince Sultan. One KC-135 (61-0324) made emergency landing at Ben Gurion March 17.

  B-2s still flying from CONUS because Pentagon fears staging them at Diego Garcia, within Iranian missile range...
..Hezbollah: 23 operations March 16. Iraqi Resistance: 21 operations. IDF ground operations now entering southern Lebanon.
AN/FPS-117 long-range early warning radar destroyed in Saudi Arabia...
..Iran’s internet at ~1% connectivity since late February per NetBlocks; regime shut down domestic servers after Israeli/US strike destroyed IRGC internet/jamming facility. ATMs offline. Banking networks down...

..Ali Larijani warns of possible false flag operation styled after 9/11 being prepared by “what remains of Epstein’s network” to blame Iran. Iran categorically denying involvement in advance...

..NATO disintegration accelerating - Belgium PM De Wever publicly called for EU-Russia normalization: “European leaders agree with me, but no one dares say it out loud.” First sitting NATO-member PM to break ranks publicly...

..EU stripped Greek Patriot PAC-2 reserves (~25% of stockpile) to Qatar. South Korea THAAD components moving to Gulf. European missile shield thinning... France running low on Mica/Meteor air-to-air missiles after sustained Shahed interceptions...

..Gold moving east; paper moving west - US Trade Deficit shrinks 25% driven by gold exports... - Gold as top US export category for 3 of past 4 months...
..US gold reserves now just 3% of federal debt — lowest on record. Would need $26,000/oz to match 1980 ratio...
..Malaysia declared US trade deal “null and void” after Supreme Court IEEPA ruling February 20 voided the legal authority underpinning reciprocal tariff deals. First country to say it out loud. ~$500B in annual US trade flows potentially affected. Shanaka Anslem Perera. MEDIUM — one country, but legal foundation destroyed for all.
  Iran mining Bitcoin at ~$1,320/coin using subsidised electricity; IRGC processed $3B+ through crypto channels 2023-2025 per Chainalysis. Crypto treasury intact even as conventional military is degraded. BTC up 7-13% since war started.   https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-03-17

Iran war live: Israel says Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani killed   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/17/iran-war-live-trump-scolds-allies-for-not-joining-strait-of-hormuz-mission

The missiles with warheads over a ton: IRGC: We used about 7 percent of the missiles, and we have about 100 of them   https://en.topwar.ru/279440-ksir-my-primenili-porjadka-7-procentov-raket-a-ih-u-nas-okolo-100-tysjach.html

Iran Launches Solid-Fuel Sejjil Ballistic Missile in 54th Wave of Strikes Against Israel   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Iran-Launches-Solid-Fuel-Sejjil-Ballistic-Missile-in-54th-Wave-of-Strikes-Against-Israel/

China Reportedly Transfers 1,000 Long-Range Kamikaze Drones to Iran Through Pakistan Corridor   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/China-Reportedly-Transfers-1000-Long-Range-Kamikaze-Drones-to-Iran-Through-Pakistan-Corridor/

  French Air Force Suffering Acute Air-to-Air Missile Shortage in Ongoing Operations Against Iran

The French Air Force is suffering from an acute shortage of air-to-air missiles, due to extensive operations against Iranian drones in the Gulf region. According to the French paper La Tribune, the rapid depletion of ammunition has raised serious concerns regarding the further combat capability of the air force, with French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu having convened an urgent crisis meeting.  https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/french-air-force-acute-missile-shortage-iran

  Will Trump be replaced by Vance for dementia before midterms? Major White House Split Leaks as Trump’s War Spirals   

Senior White House officials are reportedly having “buyer’s remorse” over the Iran war as the realization sets in that President Trump was “high on his own supply” when he launched it.
  That bombshell is buried inside a new Axios dispatch. It lays bare a deep fracture inside Trump’s inner circle...

..A source close to the administration told the outlet that key officials had not been fully on board with Trump’s plans before the 79-year-old president overruled them all. “He ended up saying, ‘I just want to do it,’” the source said...  

..A senior administration official told Axios that Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz was only making Trump “more dug in.” This has raised the specter of what the outlet terms an “escalation trap,” in which a stronger force keeps attacking to assert dominance as the returns diminish and the exit narrows.   https://www.thedailybeast.com/major-white-house-split-leaks-as-donald-trumps-iran-war-spirals/

  Trump's billionaire adviser publicly rebukes Iran war as JD Vance camp erupts over Israel nuke threat

One of Donald Trump's closest advisers has broken with the President over his war with Iran, warning the conflict risks spiraling into nuclear catastrophe.
  David Sacks, Trump's czar for artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency, said Israel was weighing whether to deploy a nuclear weapon against the Islamic regime.  Sacks, a close ally of Vice President JD Vance, made the remarks on the All-In podcast, cautioning there are 'risks' of an 'escalatory approach' by Israel.   https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15650523/Trumps-billionaire-adviser-publicly-rebukes-Iran-war-JD-Vance-camp-erupts-Israel-nuclear-threat.html

  Jeremy Scahill, Iranian Officials Say They Have Been Ignoring Witkoff's Private Requests to Talk

Trump's special envoy has been texting Iran’s foreign minister asking to start talks. Tehran says the war will end only when Iran believes it has established long-term deterrence. 

  “They want to negotiate. They want to negotiate badly,” Trump said Sunday night. “We’re talking to them. But I don’t think they’re ready, but they’re getting pretty close.”
  Behind the scenes, it is the Trump administration that has been asking for talks. Two Iranian officials told Drop Site that Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff personally sent messages to officials in Tehran, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, last week exploring possibilities for resuming negotiations. Iran has not replied to Witkoff.    https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/iran-war-trump-witkoff-araghchi

  Russia Seeks To Keep Iran 'In The Fight' As Pentagon Eyes Mass Kamikaze Drone Production

Russia is trying to keep its regional ally Iran "in the fight"; Pentagon eyes ramping up Kamikaze drone use and production.
Trump: War will be over "soon" after which "oil prices will drop like a rock"; We are "not ready to leave Iran yet" but will in "near future". Brushes off potential for 'Vietnam-style quagmire.' Trump on China and delayed Xi meeting - "Looks like it'll happen in five weeks."   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/not-our-war-allies-shun-trump-coalition-iran-security-chief-alleged-killed-oil

  US senator criticizes Trump administration’s strategy in Iran war
"The ‘no quarter’ comment by the SecDef and this ‘just for fun’ remark by the President tells me there was never a clear strategy for this war,' says Mark Kelly   https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/us-senator-criticizes-trump-administration-s-strategy-in-iran-war/3867381

  Johnson Hits Back After Counterterrorism Chief Quits; Says Iran Threat To Americans Was 'Imminent'

Shortly after the departure of Joe Kent as director of the National Counterterrorism Center over the Iran war - insisting that Iran posed "no imminent threat to our nation," House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) insisted there was.   https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-appointed-nctc-director-joe-kent-resigns-protest-over-us-war-iran

  ‘I am extremely disappointed in Donald Trump’ – AfD co-leader warns of WWIII
The AfD co-leader said he is convinced "the Americans were drawn into this war by Israel"

  “I am extremely disappointed in Donald Trump when it comes to his campaign promises,” said Chrupalla during an appearance on Markus Lanz, generally considered the most influential talk show host in Germany.
  “During the election campaign, he also accused Kamala Harris, that she would start World War III. And now we are on the cusp of having probably started the Third World War with Donald Trump. And that’s a breach of his word, which I really resent and which the American people also resent, who incidentally reject this war in Iran at a much higher rate than Germans. So, 70 percent of Americans do not want this war and do not support it."   https://rmx.news/article/i-am-extremely-disappointed-in-donald-trump-afd-co-leader-says-us-and-israel-violate-law-with-iran-war-warns-of-wwiii/

  More registered US voters view Israel negatively than positively, poll finds
Poll shows a surge in negative views on Israel among independents, a key voter bloc that helped Trump win back the White House   https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/more-us-voters-now-view-israel-negatively-positively-poll-finds

Hospitalized in Russia, a written statement: ‘Strait of Hormuz will remain BLOCKED’: Iran Supreme Leader’s first speech, vows REVENGE against US   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ptBEGNxB4s

  Arab states urge US not to stop short in war on Iran

Several Arab states along the Persian Gulf are urging the United States not to halt its military campaign against Iran before significantly weakening the country’s military capabilities, Reuters reported Monday, citing regional officials.
  Those governments did not press Washington to launch the war, the report said, but fear that ending the campaign prematurely could leave Iran able to threaten the shipping lanes, oil infrastructure and commercial hubs that underpin their economies.   https://www.iranintl.com/en/202603169790

U.S. Mint Removes Olive Branch from Dime for America’s 250th Anniversary.   https://thenationalpulse.com/2026/03/16/u-s-mint-removes-olive-branch-from-dime-for-americas-250th-anniversary/

​  Can't risk ships in the strait right now: U.S. Navy Minesweepers Assigned To Middle East Have Been Moved To Pacific (Updated)
Two of the three Littoral Combat Ships that had taken over the minesweeping role in the Middle East have just appeared in Malaysia.​  https://www.twz.com/sea/u-s-navy-minesweepers-assigned-to-middle-east-have-been-moved-to-pacific

 If they get to a beach:​ What tasks can US Marines perform in Iran?​  https://en.topcor.ru/69550-kakie-zadachi-mogut-vypolnjat-morpehi-ssha-v-irane.html

​Monetary disagreements: Iraq Urges Kurdistan Region to Restart Northern Oil Pipeline to Turkey as Strait of Hormuz Closure Disrupts Exports   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Iraq-Urges-Kurdistan-Region-to-Restart-Northern-Oil-Pipeline-to-Turkey-as-Strait-of-Hormuz-Closure-Disrupts-Exports/

Video of this war crime: Footage Indicates Use of White Phosphorus Artillery in Khiam During Israeli Operations in Southern Lebanon   https://www.thedefensenews.com/news-details/Footage-Indicates-Use-of-White-Phosphorus-Artillery-in-Khiam-During-Israeli-Operations-in-Southern-Lebanon/#google_vignette

​  WHO Condemns Israeli Attacks on Lebanese Health Care Workers That Have Killed at Least 31
IDF claims Hezbollah using ambulances to resist ongoing invasion​  https://news.antiwar.com/2026/03/15/who-condemns-israeli-attacks-on-lebanese-health-care-workers-that-have-killed-at-least-31/

Israel Killed Over a Dozen Lebanese Paramedics in Three Days, Now Claiming That Ambulances Are “Hezbollah” Targets​   https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/lebanon-medical-workers-paramedics-israel-targeted-ambulances-hezbollah-islamic-health-authority

Hamas: Israel’s massacres in Gaza, West Bank part of ongoing war of extermination against our people​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/03/15/359608/

Euro-Med: Israel exploiting Iran war to escalate starvation in Gaza​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/03/16/359667/

​  Israeli attacks kill 13 in Gaza, including 2 children and a pregnant woman
Meanwhile, more than 20,000 patients await evacuation as the Rafah crossing is set to partially reopen on Wednesday.​   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/15/israeli-attacks-kill-12-in-gaza-including-2-children-and-a-pregnant-woman

​  Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Father, Mother, and Their Two Children in the West Bank
An 11-year-old who survived the attack said the IDF troops told him they 'killed some dogs'​   https://news.antiwar.com/2026/03/15/israeli-forces-kill-palestinian-father-mother-and-their-two-children-in-the-west-bank/

​  Palestinians seek answers, justice after West Bank family gunned down by Israeli cops
After Ali Bani Awda was killed with his wife and two kids when returning from a shopping trip, his uncle eschews calls for revenge but demands those behind tragic shooting be held accountable​   https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-seek-answers-justice-after-west-bank-family-gunned-down-by-israeli-cops/

​  ‘I Liked the House’: When Israeli Soldiers Turn Palestinian Homes into Barracks

Iyad Dawabsheh was taken by surprise when Israeli soldiers carried out a large-scale raid on his home on Tuesday. Without offering any explanation, they informed him that they intended to occupy the house for two full days.
​  The house, located in the town of Duma, south of Nablus, is home to a family of nine. Yet this did not stop the soldiers from ordering the family to leave their warm home so it could be turned into a military barracks.​   https://israelpalestinenews.org/west-bank-israeli-war-crimes/

​  Israeli strike kills eight policemen, injures others in central Gaza

Local sources said Israeli aircraft targeted a police jeep at the entrance of al‑Zawaida, resulting in eight fatalities and a number of wounded people.​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/03/15/359605/

Monitor: Israel systematically destroyed over 93 per cent of Gaza Strip cemeteries amid ongoing genocide​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/03/15/359591/

Settlers fence off 500 dunums west of Salfit in preparation for land seizure​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/03/16/359664/

Hundreds join banned UK pro-Palestinian march​   https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/hundreds-rally-london-banned-pro-163332620.html

4.500 demonstrators show support for Palestine in downtown Toronto​ - Provincial bid to get court order banning event tossed out by judge​   https://www.aa.com.tr/en/americas/4500-demonstrators-show-support-for-palestine-in-downtown-toronto/3865110

​  "Tear Up Texas": FBI Encouraged a 2015 Islamic Terror Shooting & Did Nothing to Stop It
Remembering the Curtis Culwell Center attack in which an undercover FBI agent encouraged shooters, followed them to the attack site, and didn't stop them.​   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/tear-up-texas-fbi-encouraged-a-2015-1eb

Cuba's entire power grid has collapsed after US blocked oil shipments for 3 months, Cuban president says​   https://www.theblaze.com/news/cuba-power-grid-oil-blocked

Trump vows to ‘take’ Cuba as island reels from oil embargo​   https://globalnation.inquirer.net/314309/trump-vows-to-take-cuba-as-island-reels-from-oil-embargo

America Taps Venezuela for Rare Earth Minerals​   https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/world-news/world-trade/america-taps-venezuela-for-rare-earth-minerals/

​  Turkey has loitering Ai swarm-drones: New kamikaze drone can strike targets 1,234 miles away with a 441-pound warhead

The new K2 loitering munition can operate in autonomous swarms, identify targets visually, and strike even in environments where GPS signals are jammed.​   https://interestingengineering.com/military/baykar-k2-ai-kamikaze-drone​

So does Russia. Russia Drops Kamikaze Drone on Central Kyiv Using AI Swarm Tech — Debate Erupts Over 200km Range Mystery​   https://en.defence-ua.com/news/russia_drops_kamikaze_drone_on_central_kyiv_using_ai_swarm_tech_debate_erupts_over_200km_range_mystery-17845.html

​In case of Red Chinese invasion: Republic of China Army Conducts First Urban Warfare Drone Strike Exercises   https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/republic-china-army-urban-warfare-drone-strike

Rise of drone warfare sharpens focus on laser defense​   https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-drone-warfare-sharpens-focus-laser.html

'Our sons will not die for Ukraine,' Orbán tells supporters ahead of crucial April elections​   https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/03/15/our-sons-will-not-die-for-ukraine-orban-tells-supporters-ahead-of-crucial-april-elections

​  Belgium's Prime Minister argues the EU should end the proxy war against Russia: "Since we are not able to threaten Vladimir Putin by supplying weapons to Ukraine, and we cannot strangle it economically without the support of the United States, there is only one way left — to conclude a deal"​   https://x.com/Glenn_Diesen/status/2033061327308980302

​  Gilbert Doctorow, Add Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever to the short list of European leaders possessing both an independent mind and courage to stand his ground   https://gilbertdoctorow.substack.com/p/add-belgiums-prime-minister-bart

  Hurry up and get market dominance! Charles Hugh Smith, Why AI Malware (and Harmful Second Order Effects) Are Out of Control

Fixing all this doesn't scale. What scales is the spread of uncontrollably harmful consequences.​   https://charleshughsmith.substack.com/p/why-ai-malware-and-harmful-second

​  2nd Smartest Guy: ULTRA-CENTRALIZED TECHNOCRATIC DYSTOPIA RISING: "Palantir Is Increasingly Complicit, Normalizing Authoritarianism Under The Guise Of A 'Revolution' Led By Oligarchs"   https://www.2ndsmartestguyintheworld.com/p/ultra-centralized-technocratic-dystopia

Technocracy reaches: "Entirely Demonic": Catherine Austin Fitts Warns Financial Tsunami Coming Because Of Programmable Money   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/entirely-demonic-catherine-austin-fitts-warns-financial-tsunami-coming-because

AI Bots Renting Humans Hits 600K Sign-Ups as Tasks Turn Bizarre and Dystopian​ - "Help me understand human feet"​   https://www.vigilantfox.com/p/ai-bots-renting-humans-hits-600k

Professor Ugo Bardi, Peak Food: Is the Human Population Going to Collapse?​ Approaching the Seneca cliff of agricultural production   https://senecaeffect.substack.com/p/peak-food-is-the-human-population

Paul Marik MD, A Patient's Story - Stage IV to remission with Metabolic Therapy - Metabolic Cancer Treatment Saves Lives   https://substack.com/home/post/p-190663794

Maker of Ozempic Failed to Report Strokes, Suicidal Ideation and Deaths​ - That’s not the kind of thing you 'forget' to report.​   https://www.vigilantfox.com/p/maker-of-ozempic-failed-to-report

​  Meryl Nass MD, COVID vaccine injuries: an ACIP workgroup report has been leaked

Maryanne Demasi got the story yesterday. The NYT grabbed the story, ran it through narrative control, and naturally failed to credit Maryanne.​   https://merylnass.substack.com/p/covid-vaccine-injuries-an-acip-workgroup

​  Federal Bill Introduced to Strip COVID-19 “Vaccine” Manufacturers of Liability Protection
The LIABLE Act would trigger a historic legal reckoning — unleashing a tsunami of lawsuits from millions of vaccine-injured Americans against Pfizer and Moderna.​   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-federal-bill-introduced

​  How does he have the authority? BREAKING: FEDERAL JUDGE SHUTS DOWN CHILDHOOD VACCINE REFORM
Federal Judge Brian Murphy has halted the overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule, suspended the new ACIP committee, and nullified its votes since June 2025.​   https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-federal-judge-shuts-down

​Steve Kirsch has more: HHS hit with injunction impacting ACIP and the vaccine schedule changes - What happens on appeal is anyone's guess.   https://kirschsubstack.com/p/hhs-hit-with-injunction-impacting

Appreciating Nature (with a picture of this morning's sunrise in Yoakum)

Six Fingered Netanyahu

 Seeing Apparitions,

  Perceptions are shigfting from another brief US regime-change operation to world War-3, as global supplies of mideast oil and gas, initially 20% of global production have been stopped cold at the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran appears ready to maintain this block indefinitely. Some of the interventions of Iran, Israel and the US also destroy capacity to pump, transport and refine oil, which will be slow to repair when the conflict may end. Current intelligence assessments of the US and Israel are that the Iranian political and military leadership is stable and popular support has increased since Iranian civilians have been heavily bombed, especially the schoolgirls on the first day.

  The semi-official report from Trump and Rubio is that the US had to attack Iran, because Israel was going to attack with nuclear weapons, and the US didn't want that. The current, not-so-confirmed scuttlebut is that Israel is again threatening to nuke Iran, maybe even use the "Samson Option" and nuke the whole neighborhood, since the regime managing the zionist state is existentially threatened.

  Are Israeli elites existentially threatened 2 1/2 years into multi-front war against every non-Jew in the Mideast? They have escalated against Lebanon after violating the ceasefire every single 

for half a year, and are taking losses from Hezbollah in the process. Gaza in still being choked to death, and Palestinians are still being starved, lynched, arrested, tortured in prison and robbed. There is no rebuilding, no water, no medical relief for them.

  There have been rumors since early this month of multiple decapitation strikes carried out against Israeli intelligence, military and govenmental elites, which can't be confirmed, but are not being effectively refuted either.

  Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has not been seen in public for over a week, and has not done his usual 2 per day communications in that time, and he just missed a military council meeting for the first time ever. His house was blown up. there was video. His son Yair Netanyahu is a podcaster who has also fallen silent in this same time period.

  Photographs were supposedly taken of Netanyahu at the port of Ashdod Wednesday 3/10/26, and then a video released by the state of Israel wherein he gave a typical speech about advancing to "greater Israel", but there were a few anomalies that suggested that it was an AI fabrication. there were transiently 6 fingers on Netanyahu's right hand,an extra pinky finger without a fingernail persisted for a second or 2. Within "Netanyahu's" mouth his tongue was apparent, and his front teeth, but his molars and pre-molars flashed in and out of existence between the tongue and mouth-opening. You may want to view these anomalies yourself.

  The implication is that Netanyahu is killed or severely wounded and cannot communicate, himself. Might that be an "existential threat" to the zionist state of Israel? Might a non-zionist state of Israel be secure going forward? 

  What group decides whether to nuke the whole neighborhood when it comes down to the wire? In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Described in a book by Chaim Herzog, who was in the upper echelons of power, Golda Meir and  Moshe Dayan were considering how they might be forced to attack all neighbors with their nuclear weapons, at what point they would make that suicidal decision, to kill everybody. They were very stressed by this truly existential question. As the tides turned against Syria, and Egypt was willing to relent for the return of the Sinai, they were relieved of the stress. Since then Isral has gotten long range ballistic missiles and submarine launched cruise missiles, presumed to be armed with nuclear warheads, as well as air launched platforms, including cruise missile and gravity bomb nuclear devices. Israel coul hit any major port city in the world, and most of the major cities of the US and Europe.

  This killing-everybody-when-Samson-dies paradigm is the essence of the Samson Option. How far does it extend? There is no official discussion of it. Scott Bessent, who is always calm, dominant and self-contained was giving an extended interview when he was called away to the situation room for an hour. Upon his return to the camera he was visibly stressed and his voice trembled. 

  What was discussed in the situation room? There are speculations, and a body language analysis of the video clip.

  If there is to be an unseating of the western financial and military empire from the mideast oil lands, then the global financial system and real economy will both change, and this will constitute a World War. It is moving in that direction. Iran is targeting $200/bbl oil, and is letting oil sold for Chinese currency through, but not letting tankers pass carrying oil from any US ally. Iraqi resistance fighters attacked American aerial refueling tankers, and Iran seems to recognize their efforts against the US, allowing iraqi tankers through the strait. Iraqi or Iranian forces hit and disabled 5 more KC-135 aerial refueling tankers at a base in Saudi Arabia. How carefully was it guarded?

  The attacks upon the oil-producing gulf state aligned with the US will stop, and their tankers will be allowed to pass, when they eject the US from their lands, but will continue to harm and starve them until then.

  The US is attempting to defend the status of the petro-dollar by keeping oil prices under about $100/bbl, and letting enough flow to prevent major breakages of real economy, including plastics, artificial fabrics like polyester, fertilizer to keep Africa, India and Asia from starvation, and even helium, necessary to make micro-electronic circuitry chips. Everything is tightly woven together and can fail, along with all debt-servicing. Why use $US if you can't buy the things you need and cannot get a real return on investment, especially when it becomes apparent that military threats from using the $US now exceed military threats from not using it?

  This is the war Iran is fighting, a war upon everything that supports the $US financial regime, which funds the western imperial system, and extracts value from all nations, value they cannot invest in their own futures, but which is invested in the US military and financial profiteering, and in keeping them in servitude.

  No imperial financial regime has lasted forever. Getting so much cheap stuff from colonies weakens the industry of the core nation, as it has done to the US and also Europe. Resets of financial regime typically involve a lot of debt-reputiation or default and a lot of currency devaluation. We saw what Russia went through in the 1990s. It was probably as good a model as there is for what we westerners face through the rest of this decade and the 2030s, and the oil is running low, at least the easy-oil is.

  Alex Krainer, Iran war accelerates the collapse of the West

Already 38 years ago, U.S. military planners understood that the American hegemony in West Asia would slip away. On 28 February 2026, the dam broke.   https://alexkrainer.substack.com/p/iran-war-accelerates-the-collapse

​Citibank runs Visa: Iran has announced that the Middle East offices of a major US bank have been hit.   https://en.topwar.ru/279353-v-irane-zajavili-o-porazhenii-blizhnevostochnyh-ofisov-odnogo-iz-krupnyh-bankov-ssha.html

  Michael Hudson, Thinking About the Unthinkable - Iran’s Grand Plan to End U.S. Presence in the Middle East

Iran and Donald Trump have each explained why failure to fight the current war to the end would simply lead to a new set of mutual attacks. Trump announced on March 6 that “There will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender,” and announced that he must have a voice in naming or at least approving Iran’s new leader, as he has just done in Venezuela. “If the U.S. military must utterly defeat it and bring about a regime change, or else “you go through this, and then in five years you realize you put somebody in who’s no better.’”[1] It will take at least that long for America to replace the weaponry that has been depleted, rebuild its radar and related installations and mount a new war.
  Iranian officials likewise recognize that U.S. attacks will keep being repeated until the United States is driven out of the Middle East. Having agreed to a ceasefire last June instead of pressing its advantage when Israeli and regional U.S. anti-missile defenses were depleted, Iran realized that war will be resumed as soon as the United States is able to re-arm its allies and military bases to renew what both sides recognize is to be a fight to some kind of final solution.
  The war that began on February 28 can realistically be deemed to be the formal opening of World War III because what is at issue are the terms on which the entire world will be able to buy oil and gas. Can they buy this energy from exporters in currencies other than the dollar, headed by Russia and Iran.   https://www.unz.com/mhudson/thinking-about-the-unthinkable/

  The Honest Sorcerer, The New Gulf War: Epic Fubar Goes Global - Why there is much more at stake here than rising prices

The present crisis is clearly shaping up to be the biggest supply crisis in recorded history. The global economy didn’t have a buffer, and now it’s absorbing the worst oil shock since the 1970s. The LNG market had no spare capacity before the war. Container shipping was already stretched from two years of Red Sea diversions. Air cargo was operating with thin margins. Fertilizer prices were already elevated. Even if hostilities would end today, it would take months to a year for the world economy to return to some kind of a (reduced) normalcy. Should the closure of the Strait of Hormuz last for months to come though, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Pakistan, India, alongside an untold number of developing nations, would certainly come under extreme pressure. And with them, the entire world economy would suffer major shortages of raw materials and finished goods from bauxite and iron ore to pharmaceuticals and microchips. Food prices would almost certainly rise to destabilizing levels, threatening many countries with political chaos.
  High energy prices together with physical metal, sulfur and other raw material shortages are threatening many manufacturing plants designed to operate on razor thin margins and just-in-time delivery. Temporary shut downs in many areas (starting in Asia, then spreading around the world as part shortages proliferate) seem all but inevitable now. Prices, of course, would come down as a result, of demand destruction but shortages would only get worse. With lead times already extending to multiple years (in case of transformers of gas turbines for example) the resulting shipping delays—now affecting everything from machine parts to plastics and chemicals—would threaten to seize up the entire world economy.   https://thehonestsorcerer.substack.com/p/the-new-gulf-war-epic-fubar-goes

​  They are eyeing the USS Gerald Ford task force in the northern Red Sea, which has transited Suez. Yemen's Houthis have announced imminent large-scale support for Iran's military.   https://en.topwar.ru/279348-jemenskie-husity-objavili-o-skoroj-masshtabnoj-podderzhke-voennyh-irana.html

  "2nd Smartest Guy" has 6-finger-Netnyahu video excerpts:  IRAN WAR UPDATE: Netanyahu, His Brother And Six Israeli Generals May Have Been KILLED, Jared Kushner Running Trump Policies, False Flags & The 3-Point Peace Plan   https://www.2ndsmartestguyintheworld.com/p/iran-war-update-netanyahu-his-brother

  Hal Turner, Official Israeli Video Lends Credence to RUMORS Netanyahu is dead

Last week, word came out that the private home of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been hit by an Iranian strike.  Word came out claiming Netayahu's brother had been killed.   Now, it seems that the Prime Minister himself may also be dead.
  Here is just one example of the social media postings showing Netanyahu's home burning after the attack...   https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/component/content/article/official-israeli-video-lends-credence-to-rumors-netanyahu-is-dead

  Eric Yeung: I think Bibi may have been killed in an Iranian drone or missile strike. That could be the shocking news that Scott Bessent received when he was suddenly pulled from his interview mid-conversation. On top of that, Israel’s new leadership may have threatened the Trump administration that they would activate the Samson Option if the Trump admin doesn’t immediately greenlight a U.S. ground invasion of Iran. A ground invasion of Iran has always been one of the contingency options and has been planned in advance, if Trump gives the go-ahead. The "Samson Option" is the term used to describe Israel's alleged deterrence strategy of employing massive nuclear retaliation as a last resort if its military is defeated or the nation faces existential destruction. It is named after the biblical figure Samson, who brought down a temple, killing himself and his captors. All of the above explains why they couldn’t wait for a false flag attack in the continental U.S. (to gather public support) before they pushed the ground invasion of Iran announcement button.   https://xcancel.com/KingKong9888/status/2032726078641606977

  How Yair Netanyahu’s Twitter activity sparked viral rumors about father Benjamin Netanyahu
Yair Netanyahu, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu's son is known to be active on X (formerly Twitter) and his social media silence has fueled speculations.   https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/yair-netanyahu-twitter-son-last-post-date-fuels-rumors-about-israel-pm-benjamin-netanyahus-death-is-he-alive-iran-x-101773514994674.html

BODY LANGUAGE ANALYSIS: The most DISTURBING thing about Scott Bessent's return from the Situation Room   https://xcancel.com/Knesix/status/2032526377254064515#m

  Trump 'Not Ready' For Iran Deal; US Urges Citizens To Flee Iraq, Israel Reportedly 'Critically Low' On Interceptors  
Araghchi said the strait was only shut to US ships and those of its allies
Trump not ready to reach a deal with Iran yet   https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/israel-critically-low-interceptors-us-urges-citizens-flee-iraq-after-embassy-attack

  Gold & Geopolitics: Daily digest: 2026-03-15

Hormuz open for yuan only - Iran’s FM Araghchi confirms the Strait is “not closed” but exclusively closed to US and Israeli ships. Iran simultaneously signals willingness to allow passage if oil is settled in Chinese yuan through CIPS. ZeroHedge models: China + India alone = 7 million barrels/day restored (39% of disruption)...

..5 US KC-135 tankers hit at Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia - WSJ confirmed via two officials. A sixth KC-135 crashed in Iraq (6 crew dead). This is now 7 aerial refuelling aircraft degraded in 48 hours - targeting the circulatory system of the air campaign...

..Netanyahu absent from military council for first time ever - No public confirmed proof of life for 6+ days. Son Yair stopped tweeting. Israeli AI video circulating showing 6 fingers. Multiple Israeli media sources, Turkish TV, and North Korean state TV claiming death. White House silent...

..Fujairah oil terminal struck, operations suspended - Port of Fujairah - world’s 3rd largest oil storage/bunkering hub - hit by Iranian drones, oil loading suspended. This was the designated Hormuz bypass route...

..THAAD radar destroyed in UAE, Israeli interceptors critically low - Satellite imagery confirmed destruction of AN/TPY-2 radar at Al Dhafra (UAE). Without this radar THAAD interceptors are effectively blind...

​..Petrodollar under live attack​ - This is the week the theoretical became operational. Chinese shadow fleet tankers are the only vessels transiting Hormuz continuously - no Western insurance needed​   https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-03-15

​  (Guess who that means.) G​old & Geopolitics, March, 14: Agent Orange

The Wall Street Journal confirmed five KC-135 and KC-46 refuelling tankers struck on the ground at Prince Sultan Air Base. Iranian missile strike. Damaged, not destroyed. No casualties.
​  Nobody tweets about tanker planes. They’re not sexy. No one’s making fan edits of a KC-135. But every single strike mission over Iran requires mid-air refuelling. Every one. The F-35s can not reach their targets and come home without a tanker waiting at 30,000 feet. Kill the tankers and $100 billion of stealth technology gets beaten by a fuel gauge.
​  Yesterday a KC-135 went down over Iraq with six crew. Today five more on Saudi tarmac. Iran isn’t just killing the radar layer anymore - that was week one. It’s moved on to the enabling layer. The logistics chain that makes the air campaign physically possible. Systematic. Methodical.​   https://no01.substack.com/p/march-14-agent-orange

Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq deny the U.S. version and claim the downing of their tanker plane, with six dead​   https://www.mundoamerica.com/news/2026/03/13/69b424aafc6c830f668b458b.html

​  A KC-135 Stratotanker went down over western Iraq last night. Crew of six. CENTCOM’s statement: the incident occurred “in friendly airspace” and was “not the result of hostile or friendly fire”.
​  Friendly airspace. Over a country where Iraqi Resistance groups have been launching drones and missiles at US positions for the past two weeks.
Iraq is friendly. The drones are friendly. The missiles are friendly. Everyone's having a great time. Not hostile at all.​   https://no01.substack.com/p/march-13-schrodingers-war

​  Iran believed the Iraqis shot down the tanker:Iranian Ambassador Says Iraqi Oil Tankers May Transit Strait of Hormuz if Identity and Ownership Conditions Are Met

​  Iran said Iraqi oil tankers may pass through the Strait of Hormuz if their identity and destination are declared and they are not owned by US or Israeli companies.​   https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/900141

​  3 days ago: Iran allows the following countries to use the Strait of Hormuz: 

Pakistan China Russia North Korea Bangladesh Yemen Lebanon Iraq​   https://xcancel.com/Urgent_RussiaTV/status/2032231116124327943

 Gold & Geopolitics, Daily digest: 2026-03-14

Kharg Island bombed by US B-2s (Day 13-15 of Operation Epic Fury). Trump announced the US “totally obliterated” military targets on Iran’s largest oil export hub, handling ~90% of Iran’s crude exports. Oil infrastructure deliberately spared – for now. Iran warned any hit to energy infrastructure means all GCC oil assets “turn to ashes.”​...

..5,000 Marines + USS Tripoli en route from Japan. Pentagon approved CENTCOM request for amphibious ready group. Ground operation against Iran or Kharg Island seizure scenario now explicitly on the table.​   https://no1sdailydigest.substack.com/p/daily-digest-2026-03-14

Saudi Aramco To Buy Ukrainian Interceptor Drones To Defend Oil Fields​   https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/saudi-aramco-buy-ukrainian-interceptor-drones-defend-oil-fields

​Could it all be replaced in 7 years of peace?  US so far burned through ‘years’ of munitions in Iran war: Report   https://israelpalestinenews.org/us-so-far-burned-through-years-of-munitions-in-iran-war-report/

​Thanks Dan. They whispered that Iran kept trying to assassinate him for 18 months: Max Blumenthal: How FBI & Israel Got Trump to Attack​   https://consortiumnews.com/2026/03/13/max-blumenthal-how-fbi-israel-got-trump-to-attack/

​Gilbert Doctorow on how the "protection racket" went bad:  The value to the Gulf States of American military presence is less than zero   https://gilbertdoctorow.substack.com/p/the-value-to-the-gulf-states-of-american

  Gold & Geopolitics:   The war started. Oil predictably surged. But gold fell, silver fell, bonds fell.

That’s the part nobody could explain. Iran was struck, the Gulf effectively closed (unless you happened to be Chinese). Oil spiked. Logically. But you know, gold is supposed to be the insurance against geopolitical instability. And those were the kind of headlines that used to send precious metals vertical. Instead, gold opened slightly higher on Sunday March 2nd and then spent the rest of the week chopping. Silver followed suit, just with more volatility...

​..So what happened?
Oil happened. And then oil happened to everything else.
​  Crude went from $70 to $119 in ten days. Think about that number for a second. $119. The last time oil was there was March 2022, right after Russia invaded Ukraine, when the commodity markets went briefly insane and the financial system discovered it had quietly built itself on the assumption that nothing important would ever actually happen. It nearly came apart that spring. Nickel got suspended on the LME. Margin calls cascaded through commodity desks globally. It didn’t break, but only just.
​  At $119, equity markets dropped on recession and inflation fears simultaneously. Portfolios that had been managing risk perfectly fine at $70 oil were suddenly offside on everything else - corporate margins, consumer spending, rate expectations. When those positions started bleeding, you don't get to choose what you sell. You sell what's liquid. Gold is liquid. Silver is liquid. High-grade bonds are liquid. You sell what has a bid. And fast! Before your broker does it for you.
​  That’s why gold fell during a war. Not because anyone changed their view on gold. Because someone needed cash before the close.
Silver fell harder because it always does - smaller market, thinner book, more violent moves in both directions.​   https://no01.substack.com/p/strait-to-brrrrrrr

Sandstorm worsens the suffering of displaced​ people in Gaza​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/03/14/359541/

No let-up in attacks on Gaza as Israel takes on Iran, Lebanon – Not a ceasefire Day 155​   https://israelpalestinenews.org/no-let-up-in-attacks-on-gaza-as-israel-takes-on-iran-lebanon-not-a-ceasefire-day-155/

Israel cuts Gaza aid to 10 percent of needs since war on Iran began​   https://english.palinfo.com/news/2026/03/14/359528/

Family of four, including two kids, shot dead by Israeli forces in Tammun, northern West Bank​   https://english-wafa-ps.translate.goog/Pages/Details/168329?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

​  Israel kills 12 medics in attack in southern Lebanon as war ravages nation
Israel’s attack, echoing similar carnage it wrought in Gaza, kills doctors, paramedics and nurses who were on duty.​   https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/14/israel-kills-12-medics-in-attack-in-southern-lebanon-as-war-drags-on

Turkey warns that Israel may carry out ‘new genocide’ in Lebanon​   https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/turkey-warns-israel-may-carry-out-new-genocide-lebanon

Up to 826 Dead in Israeli Attacks in Lebanon and More Than 2,000 Wounded​   https://www.telesurenglish.net/up-to-826-dead-in-israeli-attacks-in-lebanon-and-more-than-2000-wounded/

‘There is nothing, no one left’ - Inside Lebanon’s​ - Jewish-destroyed south As Israel threatens invasion​   https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/middle-east/lebanon-tyre-israel-airstrike-b2938552.html

‘They Were All I Had’: Lebanese Father Buries Parents, 4 Daughters Killed by Israeli Bombing​   https://scheerpost.com/2026/03/14/they-were-all-i-had-lebanese-father-buries-parents-4-daughters-killed-by-israeli-bombing/

​ Revenge may be served cold someday: UK behind deadly Storm Shadow missile attack on Russian city – Kremlin
Seven people were killed and dozens injured after British-made weapons hit Bryansk, according to local officials​   http://web.archive.org/web/20260312045326/https://www.rt.com/russia/634491-russia-aware-uk-role-bryansk-strike/

​  Ukraine can’t explain ‘war mafia’ cash convoy – Hungary
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has suggested the $100 million in cash and gold could have been meant for funding election interference in his country​   http://web.archive.org/web/20260311132053/https://www.rt.com/news/634465-ukraine-cant-explain-gold-convoy-hungary/

​  One of the most powerful AI scientists on Earth walked out of Mark Zuckerberg's company. 

And he just raised $1.03 billion to prove the entire AI industry is wrong. 

​  His name is Yann LeCun. He's a Turing Award winner, one of three men called the Godfathers of AI. 

For 12 years, he built Meta's AI research lab from scratch. Then last November, he told Zuckerberg he was done. LeCun believes ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini every major AI chatbot on Earth is built on a fundamentally broken architecture. 

​  His words: "Large language models are a statistical illusion, impressive, yes, intelligent, no." 

Zuckerberg hired Alexandr Wang, the 27-year-old founder of Scale AI, as chief AI officer. 

​  LeCun's vision no longer fit the plan. 

So he left to build it himself and the startup is called AMI Labs. AMI stands for Advanced Machine Intelligence.​   https://x.com/MilkRoadAI/status/2031358975975751917

​  Paul Marik​ MD explains how your own lovely immune system works to prevent cancer from developing and spreading. CANCER IMMUNITY​ -  A Critical Concept to Understanding Carcinogenesis​   https://substack.com/home/post/p-189588363

​  ‘Routine’ Vaccines Paralyzed Their Toddler. It Took the Government 11 Years to Approve a Payout
The parents of Hayes Heller — paralyzed at age 15 months after receiving three vaccines — recounted their 11-year journey through the federal government’s National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. In an interview with The Defender, they said the inefficient program is “designed to make you quit.”​   https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/routine-vaccines-paralyzed-toddler-hayes-heller-government-payout-vicp-took-11-years/

​  Steve Kirsch, Excess deaths in Australia cannot be explained by any other mechanism other than the COVID shots

Lataster paper, published in peer-reviewed literature, shows a pattern of excess deaths that authorities don't even attempt to explain other than by hand-waving assertions that do not fit the data​   https://kirschsubstack.com/p/excess-deaths-in-australia-cannot

​  STUDY: COVID-19 “Vaccination” Linked to 6,800% Higher Odds of Debilitating Autoimmune Muscle Disease
CDC/FDA data reveal a massive safety signal for polymyalgia rheumatica—an autoimmune inflammatory disease causing severe muscle pain and debilitating stiffness.​    https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-study-covid-19-vaccination

​  Do the "task"​ of studying vaccines: HHS Reinstated Vaccine Safety Task Force After CHD Sued the Agency — ICAN Urges HHS to Take Next Steps
In a March 6 letter, the Informed Consent Action Network called on top federal health officials and the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines to implement major reforms to improve the U.S. vaccine system. HHS reinstated the task force, defunct since 1998, after a lawsuit funded by Children’s Health Defense and filed by attorney Ray Flores demanded HHS reestablish it.​   https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/hhs-reinstated-vaccine-safety-task-force-after-chd-sued-ican-urges-take-next-steps/

​Student of Life (pictured with blooming peach tree)