US/Israel conduct airstrikes on Iran again

The old America yes. But MAGA is a far right ideology that does not believe in alliances, only deals, and doesn't believe in equals, only enemies of the USA or subservient states. A lot of those people really hate Europe and are very happy to punish it.

I'd argue that MAGA and particularly the Transactional nature of Trump himself are trying to reshape their place into one of Feudal overlord.
The vassals must pay homage, tribute and service.
He appoints the leaders of the countries America attacks, and tries to shape the internal politics and policies of "allies" via political interference at every level possible.

I mentioned in an earlier post that I believe MAGA are pressing the war button now, as they believe they can translate their current (and eroding esp v.China) advantage in military power, into another 50yrs or so of hegemony and they've decided they want that hegemony to be as close to feudalism as they can impose on the modern world.

You misunderstood the nature of fanatical ideology. Look at Iran, Israel, Russia. These countries are not guided by common sense and "economic interest", but by all sorts of perverse ideas of historical destiny and duty. USA under Trump Term Two has moved into similar territory. Total dominance and subjugation of everyone else is their overall goal, you either get in line or you are seen as part of the problem

Total scaremongering. The facts are, going forward none of that has or will happen. Despite it being a basket case defensively, the EU economically has held and will easily hold off any such threat by the US. Big talk doesn't make anything true. US has backed off the EU on virtually every promise and threat economically Trumps crew made against the EU. America needs the EU to hold off China economically. Trump will be gone in 3 years. A new presidency, maybe even a new direction. Thats democracy in action.

Well said - the EU put all and I mean all of it's eggs in the globalisation project and were so self sure that globalisation is the only answer for the world that the EU never even plotted a plan B, let alone think there was even a need for a Plan B.

The EU are like deer caught in the headlights.

Total naivety to think Trump goes in 3 years and everything returns to normal. The world has changed and the EU leaders are still waking up to this, but even they say: the old order and alliances are gone. Yes, under a Democrat president things would improve, we all hope for this, but another Republican could take things even further in a similar direction. This is no longer purely about Trump.

Modern day effects are felt more than history ireland had a rough time now booming

Iran could be the same an educated young demographic regarded as a sanctioned middle power developing nation with no obvious political opposition because the be lated current put in jail, exiled or killed

I take no side here do not need a history lesson but hope this can turn around

90 million becoming potential consumers opening up to western values and freedoms while some are going backward even shouting 4 its death is not just their thing anymore

This just reinforces what I believed to be the case before, is that Iran attacked US assets in these territories to show that they could. The apology and the threat to do so again if they are attacked from those US assets might make those states think twice before allowing the US to use them in their campaign.

People only properly recovered from the 2008 recession around 2017. There were three good years between 2017 and 2020 then Covid, followed by the Ukraine war and now this Iran war. People have been and continue to hurt economically since the onset of Covid which led to massive inflation thereafter.

But there has to be a point where people say, feck this - not going on anymore with these price hikes and constant gouging. There has to be a breaking point now where consumers will shout stop and this will most likely be with reduced footfall and purchasing.

US to send the George Bush aircraft carrier to the middle east shortly. France has sent it's aircraft carrier and the UK is also preparing to deploy one of it's two.

I thought Trump just declared victory a couple of hours ago. starting to think we are not being told the whole picture here for some reason.

Sending another aircraft carrier demonstrates the original US plan has failed. Nothing unusual about that in a war situation but is another carrier likely to solve the issue.

Interesting article on the brutality and bullying of western imperialism..

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2026/03/joy-at-death-and-destruction/

The United States and Israel are both revelling in inflicting the maximum possible death and suffering on Iran. After the genocide in Gaza, on a far larger field in Iran, those in power in Israel and the USA have a lust to kill and they revel in impunity.

The Epstein files reveal the same dynamic. We live in a society where those who obtain power wish to exercise it in the cruellest possible ways against the most defenceless. It appears to be a feature of late western capitalist society, where sociopathic tendencies are essential to obtaining power, in a society which rejects altrusim and cooperation as concepts and promotes competition, self-love and ruthlessness.

…

Pete Hegseth, American Secretary for War, simply comes over as a Nazi thug. He plainly is enjoying this as much as Netanyahu, Ben Gvir or Smotrich. He has gloatingly promised “Death and destruction from the sky, all day long”. He repeatedly signals ever escalating bombing.

The Iranian Red Crescent has listed the bombing destruction so far. It includes:
5,535 civilian residential units
1,041 commercial units
65 schools
14 hospitals and medical centres
13 Red Crescent Society bases

Looking like it's going to be bomber fest in the UK for this. Support flights for B-52's ongoing and already 5 x B-1's in RAF Fairford.