Daily Despot Update

JohnInCarolina

GrateEggspectations

@JohnInCarolina

It all just seems so well-orchestrated, doesn’t it?

lousubcap

A possible U.S. move to arm Iranian Kurds — in the hopes they would help remove the regime in Tehran — would lend the group a historic boost while running the risk of pushing Iran into further disarray.

The CIA is equipping Kurdish forces, according to CNN, and forces backed by the CIA and Israel’s Mossad are preparing for a possible strike from their base in Iraq into Iran, according to Axios.

President DONALD TRUMP told Reuters on Thursday it would be “wonderful” if Iranian Kurds crossed into Iran to attack security forces. "I'd be all for it," he said.

White House spokesperson KAROLINE LEAVITT confirmed Wednesday that Trump had spoken to Kurdish leaders “about our base that we have in northern Iraq” though she didn’t elaborate further.

The White House declined to comment. The CIA and the Israeli Embassy didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment."

Edit to add:

Kurdish people posted “a message to the American people” on Thursday. Their message comes amid reports the CIA is looking to arm Kurds to enter Iran to distract and help destabilize remaining regime forces. “Kurdish forces fought ISIS not only to defend our homeland, but also to protect the world from terrorism. We stood on the front lines against extremism because we believe in freedom, stability, and peaceful coexistence. However, we cannot ignore the painful moments of the past,” the Kurds wrote in their Thursday message. 

“During the last nine years, decisions made during the presidency of Donald Trump left the Kurds in difficult situations three times: in 2017 in Kirkuk, in 2019 in Rojava, and again in 2026 in Rojava. In those moments, Kurdish forces were left to face powerful enemies alone,” the message reads. “We still see the United States as an important partner and a friend of the Kurdish people,” but “At the same time, we have learned from the past,” they said. 

“The Kurds in Iran will not repeat the mistakes that happened in Iraq and Syria.Partnership must be built on clear understanding and real guarantees,” they said, which to our ears doesn’t necessarily sound like they’ve declined the offer to assist the U.S. in this conflict. Indeed, they conclude, “We believe in the same values of freedom, dignity, and the fight against extremism. Together, we can stand against terrorism and build a more stable and peaceful future.” Read the rest, here. "

DoubleEgger

George Carlin knows what’s up. 

https://youtu.be/B5xGPU1QWok?si=AoHNdO48lMJ1v80W

JohnInCarolina

JohnInCarolina

I had to check the year on this one:

DoubleEgger

JohnInCarolina

Don’t look away:

DoubleEgger

Buckle up folks. It’s gonna be a long hard ride.  

JohnInCarolina

I do appreciate how we’ve killed the old, frail Supreme Leader of Iran just to have him replaced by his young, healthy son who wants nukes and who just had his father, mother, wife, and child murdered on the same day by his mortal enemy.

My fellow Americans, surely this will bring peace to the region!

GrateEggspectations

One Nobel Peace Prize, coming right up!

YukonRon

When do the clown cars arrive?

Ozzie_Isaac

It is almost like there was a reason for the delicate balance and negotiation style of prior administrations as opposed to this Christian Nationalism crusade coupled with self-enrichment narcissistic style?  Like maybe we don’t need Fox pundits and game show hosts as leaders?

dbCooper

Since America is a net exporter of oil (thanks Biden), shouldn't we be able to keep our domestic prices stable and subject only the foreign customers to the volatile price increases?  The domestic oil exporters would still be receiving an early Christmas bonus without gouging US retail customers.

Botch

dbCooper said:

Since America is a net exporter of oil (thanks Biden), shouldn't we be able to keep our domestic prices stable and subject only the foreign customers to the volatile price increases?  The domestic oil exporters would still be receiving an early Christmas bonus without gouging US retail customers.

Believe I’ve read that most oil reserves under North America are “heavy, sour” crude (actual term!) but most US refineries can only process “light, sweet” crude from the ME; it was months ago that I’d read that and I haven’t seen it since, so it may be wrong.  There are a couple oil-industry folks here on the forum, hopefully they can clarify.  

dbCooper

Understanding AI lies like a rug, it indicates the situation may be the opposite.  Either way it seems my simple idea did not account for complexities I don't understand.  And maybe if we were more mature in dealing with Canada and Mexico we'd get our Heavy Sour at better prices . . .

"The United States primarily exports light sweet crude oil, which is less dense and has lower sulfur content compared to the heavier sour crude oil that it often imports. In 2025, about 37% of U.S. petroleum exports were crude oil, with the rest being refined products like gasoline and diesel.

profession.americangeosciences.org afpm.org

Types of Oil Exported by the United States

Crude Oil

• Light Sweet Crude: This type is low in sulfur and is primarily produced in the U.S., especially from shale formations like the Permian Basin in Texas. It is favored for its ease of refining into gasoline and other products.

• Heavy Sour Crude: Although the U.S. produces less of this type, it is often imported from countries like Canada and Mexico. The U.S. refineries are designed to process this heavier crude, which is more economical to import.

Refined Petroleum Products

• Gasoline: A significant portion of U.S. exports consists of gasoline, which is produced from crude oil at refineries.

• Diesel and Jet Fuel: These are also major exports, reflecting the U.S.'s extensive refining capabilities.

Export Statistics

• In 2025, the U.S. exported approximately 10.7 million barrels of petroleum and petroleum products per day, with crude oil making up about 37% of these exports.

• The top destinations for U.S. petroleum exports include the Netherlands, Mexico, Canada, South Korea, and Japan.

The U.S. has become a net exporter of oil since 2021, exporting more than it imports, primarily due to increased domestic production and refining capacity."

afpm.orgprofession.americangeosciences.org

Ozzie_Isaac

Also, we live and die by capitalism.

You expect oil companies to not sell to highest bidder in order to keep our prices stable?  They have a legal obligation to maximize shareholder returns.

JohnInCarolina

Botch

@dbCooper, thanks for that info.  

Ozzie_Isaac

This administration is nothing if not in lock step!

https://www.themirror.com/news/politics/donald-trump-iran-war-update-1727894

DoubleEgger

Ozzie_Isaac said:

This administration is nothing if not in lock step!

https://www.themirror.com/news/politics/donald-trump-iran-war-update-1727894

It’s Schrödinger's war. 

lousubcap

And this about the Strait of Hormuz today:

The biggest lever on oil prices right now remains the Strait of Hormuz. Traders might respond in the short term to positive signals from the Trump administration, but “as long as shipping is stopped the pain point remains,” Lipsky explained this evening. The number of ships passing through the waterway is now in the single digits, significantly down from the historical average of 138 ships a day. Millions of barrels that would ordinarily be supplying the world’s energy are just sitting around. At the same time, U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure are creating even more uncertainties for the Middle East’s oil supply, and Americans are already beginning to see the consequences at the pump. The average price of gasoline in the U.S. reached $3.48 a gallon today—up nearly 17 percent since the start of the conflict.

These conditions echo the onset of the energy crises of the 1970s, which were triggered in large part by the Yom Kippur War and the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Back then, gas was in such short supply that it had to be rationed; photos of long lines at the pump became a potent symbol of economic anxiety. That crisis lasted years, and the recent war with Iran has been going on for only 10 days—there’s no indication yet that gas will become quite that scarce. The U.S. produces oil at home, but as my colleague Rogé Karma wrote on Friday, many U.S. refineries aren’t set up to process the type of oil that’s extracted domestically, meaning that America’s oil supply is far from guaranteed if the war drags on."

Botch

lousubcap said:

...The U.S. produces oil at home, but as my colleague Rogé Karma wrote on Friday, many U.S. refineries aren’t set up to process the type of oil that’s extracted domestically, meaning that America’s oil supply is far from guaranteed if the war drags on."

@lousubcap, thanks for that info.  
 
I miss Walter Cronkite...  

GrateEggspectations

“Heavy, sour, crude” reads like a pretty apt description of Trump. 

Speaking of which, I feel like the Epstein files aren’t getting enough play here as of late. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2026/03/09/epstein-files-accusations-against-trump-what-we-know-and-dont-know/

KEY FACTS

- The government’s files on financier Jeffrey Epstein include allegations from an unnamed accuser, who alleges she was forced to perform oral sex on Trump while underage in the 1980s, and he “punched [her] on the side of [her] head” after she “bit him on the penis.”

- NPR and journalist Roger Sollenberger first reported that documents related to the accusations were apparently withheld from the Epstein files, prompting the DOJ to release memos documenting three interviews with the alleged victim last week.

- The DOJ claimed the files were not released because they had been incorrectly marked as being duplicates, but NPR reports 37 pages have still not been released.

- The Charleston, S.C., Post and Courier confirmed numerous details about the unnamed accuser’s life and background that match what she told FBI agents, according to the notes the DOJ released last week.

- The publication did not corroborate the allegations against Trump, and the White House disputes the allegations as having “zero credible evidence” and being “from a sadly disturbed woman who has an extensive criminal history,” and Trump has more broadly denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

The above certainly seems at odds with Karoline Leavitt’s repeated claim that Trump is “the most transparent President in American history”. Also, the usual ad hominem on repeat. 

Sickening. 

GrateEggspectations

The confusion and self-contradictions are almost beyond belief. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/09/politics/trump-iran-war-contradictions

Ozzie_Isaac

GrateEggspectations said:

The confusion and self-contradictions are almost beyond belief. 

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/09/politics/trump-iran-war-contradictions

When you don’t even bother to try to remember your lies. Wish he would Just admit he likes power and love the feeling of wielding it.

When bombing a country is the only way you can feel alive and get a chubby - this is what happens when you have already done all the other illicit and taboo things. (*allegedly*)

JohnInCarolina

lousubcap

Even coming from a politically different view-the above are easy to conclude based on public information.  
Gotta keep the subplots off MSM.

YukonRon

With the ships getting struck in the straight of Hormuz, does anyone think that if the world spent the last 53 years since the last oil embargo in 1976, developing nuclear energy, renewable energy, vast mass public transportation, so no developed nation would be hopelessly dependent on a small geographical location? 

That would have solved many of the world’s problems, but here we are again and again, and frankly, we are stuck in it now. 

Thankfully we have an alcoholic low life who knows nothing on directing the pentagon, a crackhead heroin addict running the FDA and. Felon robbing this country blind as the president. 

Is it just me that thinks the dumbest mother fuhker on earth and the President of the USA should be 2 different people? 

lousubcap

From The Atlantic:

The Obvious Is Taking Its Revenge on Trump

The reasons other U.S. presidents avoided war with Iran are becoming all too evident.

By Franklin Foer

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/2026/03/iran-war-trump/686314/?gift=201cWZnM2XBz2eP81zy0pPdzQ6tNBCeQ0eeFLVLbiqM&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share