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All smoke and mirrors

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US President Trump addresses the joint session of Congress on February 28, Reuters/UNI

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A look at the key points of President Donald Trump’s first speech to the United States Congress and some meditations as to their merit

By Sujit Bhar

US President Donald Trump, in his first address to the Congress on the last day of February, made some specific points. Most still reflected his somewhat strange political beliefs, while some need reflection in a plane mirror. 

Here are our retorts to the highlights of the speech.

– “Recent threats targeting Jewish cemeteries as well as last week’s shooting at Kansas remind us that we are a nation that stands united in condemning hate and evil in all of its very ugly forms.”
Good, but Mr Trump quietly forgot to add that this should include even race-hate related crimes committed by White Supremacists as happened in the Kansas shooting of two Indians (as well as an American). The problem, Mr Trump, is that these hate criminals have risen through their belief in your exhortations. Would you have the courage to tackle the source?

“We’ve defended the borders of other nations, while leaving our own borders wide open, for anyone to cross.”
Agreed. There are too many armies of people walking into the US and attacking locals, taking away their jobs and creating mayhem in the US. But wait a second… anybody and everybody crossing into the US? It used to happen in places like the Republic of Congo and Angola when white armies were marching in. It happens in the US now? And, for the record, exactly which country’s borders does the US defend?

“America must put its own citizens first. Because only then, can we truly MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”
Again, agreed that Americans were so great they put the citizens of all other countries first. Remember the delay in joining the war against one Adolf Hitler? And, then, remember how Americans were putting the citizens of Vietnam and Cuba and Guatemala first? They were ignoring poor Americans every time. This is payback time.

“Dying industries will come roaring back to life. Heroic veterans will get the care they so desperately need.”
Let me see if I’m getting this right. American industries—steel mills, and sugar mills and cotton yarn mills and motor car factories and computer hardware factories will all be back, hire only Americans, at American wage rates, sell to Americans only (at those prices nobody else will be able to afford them) and it will be La La Land, all over again. Right?

“Our neglected inner cities will see a rebirth of hope, safety, and opportunity.”
Agreed, again. This town in Kansas, Olathe, means “beautiful” in Shawnee. Neglected? Hear this: In 2008 the US Census Bureau ranked the city as the 24th fastest-growing in all of US. And CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked it No. 11 on its list of the “100 Best Cities to Live in the United States.” None talked about predatory White Supremacist ex-military personnel living there, ready to shoot down “foreigners” especially if they looked like “Iranians”. So what if they are highly educated Indians instead? Has this anything to do with your aversion to H1B visa holders?

“The stock market has gained almost three trillion dollars in value since the election on November 8th, a record.”
This is great. Way to go, Mr Trump. Your new economic and social policies… wait a second. What economic and social policies? You have some? And I thought all the industries that make the tech-heavy indices move have all voted against you. Haven’t they? So which industries have moved? Well, okay, you have appointed Rex Tillerson as your Secretary of State. Yes, that’s the reason. Yeah.

“We have placed a hiring freeze on non-military and non-essential Federal workers.”
Great, weren’t you supposed to generate more employment? Wasn’t that your campaign speech rhetoric? We thought job creation was going at a pretty fast clip in the late Barack Obama administration.

– “We have begun to drain the swamp of government corruption by imposing a 5-year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials.”
Great. There will be no lobbying any more. In India we, too, have no lobbying. It is bad karma. Some say your top appointees were the greatest lobbyists and political influencers in the US. We understand there aren’t any more left. Good for you.

“We have cleared the way for the construction of the Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines.”
Of course. America needs the oil it deserves, and to hell with the environment. And remember, there are billions of gallons more in Alaska.

“We have withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership.”
That’s good. But job-killing? The partnership had not even laid out formal plans, nothing had started, nobody had been hired, and already jobs were being lost? That was bad.

– “To protect our citizens, I have directed the Justice Department to form a Task Force on Reducing Violent Crime.”
That task force is expected to comprise Whites only? Homogeneity is a good thing.

“We will stop the drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth.”
Yes, that’s why you are building that wall. The simple, hardworking, family-minded White youths of America were being poisoned by all those “foreigners”. No wonder Adam Purinton shot down Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Olathe. If you aren’t White, you are either a terrorist or a drug dealer.

– “We will soon begin the construction of a great, great wall along our southern border.”
Finally, the wall. Let’s give you a tip. In India we have this project called MNREGA, where people dig trenches for nothing and get paid for it. Make your people rig the walls, then pay them good salaries and benefits. You will suddenly find a great number of walks to build, a great many years of huge employment.

“We are also taking strong measures to protect our nation from Radical Islamic Terrorism… It is not compassionate, but reckless, to allow uncontrolled entry from places where proper vetting cannot occur… Those given the high honor of admission to the United States should support this country and love its people and its values… We cannot allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists.”
Well, you have already tried the Travel Ban. We hear you are dropping Iraq in the new, improved Ban coming up. In India our Honourable Prime Minister Naredra Modi is saying the same things. Within the walls of the country, however, hate crimes are growing. We need to love our country more. We love Hindus in India, you love Whites in the US. So what’s the problem?

“As promised, I directed the Department of Defence to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS.”
Err… Mr Trump, we thought you had said you already HAD a secret plan? Why not share that with the Department of Defence?

“In the last 8 years, the past Administration has put on more new debt than nearly all other Presidents combined.”
Finally, you are right. Even when the government had no funds – it stopped, remember? – Obama had to spend. This is one point you really got right.

“Our trade deficit in goods with the world last year was nearly $800 billion.”
Yes, yes, the Chinese, remember? Dump your inexpensive products in China now. Let them suffer. Oh, sorry, you cannot produce in bulk, inexpensively.

– “Right now, American companies are taxed at one of the highest rates anywhere in the world.”
That’s why they have offices in places like Ireland, where they hardly tax you. The US has been okay with this for a long time.

– “Harley Davidson told me it’s hard to do business with others because other nations tax their motorcycles at 100 per cent. They didn’t ask for a change but I AM!
The world deserves Harleys at cheap prices. I agree. These are necessities. Like you export high-priced cancer drugs.

The rest were repetitions of the same, in different words – as per reality TV lingo, they then become different subjects. But we should stop somewhere.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Trump warns of escalation after Iran hits Qatar LNG sites amid Gulf tensions

Trump warns of massive retaliation if Iran targets Qatar again after LNG facility attacks, as Gulf tensions push oil prices higher

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Donald Trump statement

US President Donald Trump has said Israel will refrain from launching further attacks on Iran’s South Pars gas field unless Tehran chooses to strike Qatar again, amid a sharp escalation in tensions across the Gulf region.

In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that Israel’s earlier strike on Iran’s South Pars offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) field was carried out “out of anger” over the ongoing conflict. He added that the United States had no prior knowledge of the Israeli action.

Trump also emphasised that Qatar had no involvement in the incident. “The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form involved with it,” he said.

According to Trump, Iran responded to the situation without full information and carried out what he described as an “unjustified” attack on Qatar’s LNG infrastructure.

He warned that Israel would not target the South Pars field again unless Iran escalates by attacking Qatar. However, he issued a strong warning that the United States could take direct action if such a scenario unfolds.

“If Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, the United States, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will respond with overwhelming force,” Trump said, while adding that he would prefer to avoid such escalation due to long-term consequences.

Iran strikes Qatar energy facilities

QatarEnergy confirmed that Iranian missile strikes hit LNG facilities in the country, causing fires and significant damage. Emergency teams were deployed to control the situation, and no casualties have been reported so far.

Qatar, one of the world’s leading exporters of natural gas, had already halted production earlier due to the conflict. The latest damage could further delay supply recovery, raising concerns in global energy markets.

Regional tensions widen

The situation intensified after Israel targeted Iran’s South Pars gas field, a major shared energy resource between Iran and Qatar. In retaliation, Iran expanded its strikes across the Gulf region.

Reports indicate that Iranian attacks also targeted gas infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates, including the Habshan facility and Bab field. Authorities described the strikes as a “dangerous escalation,” though operations had been shut down following defensive interceptions.

Qatar has reportedly asked Iranian embassy officials to leave the country within 24 hours, signalling a further deterioration in diplomatic ties.

Oil prices surge amid supply fears

The ongoing conflict has significantly impacted global energy markets. Oil prices rose by around 5 per cent, crossing $108 per barrel, as concerns grew over supply disruptions.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for nearly one-fifth of global oil supply, remains under pressure, contributing to market volatility. Brent crude prices have surged करीब 50 per cent since the conflict began on February 28.

In response to tightening supplies, the US administration has moved to ease certain sanctions on Venezuela, allowing American companies to engage with its state-owned oil sector to stabilise supply.

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Netanyahu dismisses death rumours in video with US envoy, says I’m alive

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu has denied viral claims about his death, appearing in a video with US envoy Mike Huckabee and mocking online conspiracy theories.

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PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister appears alongside US envoy, addresses conspiracy theories and ongoing conflict remarks

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly dismissed viral rumours about his death, appearing in a fresh video alongside US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

The video surfaced after days of speculation online, where misleading posts questioned his absence and circulated claims about altered footage showing him with “six fingers.”

In the clip, Huckabee jokes that US President Donald Trump had asked him to personally check on Netanyahu. Responding with humour, Netanyahu says, “Yes, Mike. Yes, I’m alive.”

Rumours and online claims gain traction

Speculation had intensified across social media as tensions escalated between Israel and Iran.

Some posts claimed Netanyahu had not been seen publicly, while others pointed to a previous video where his hand appeared unusual, fuelling conspiracy theories about manipulated or AI-generated footage.

Remarks on iran conflict

During the interaction, Netanyahu also made comments referencing Israeli strikes, mentioning Iranian figures including Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani.

Using a metaphorical tone, he spoke about “erasing names” from a list, while praising US support and reiterating Israel’s stance against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Huckabee responded in a lighter tone, joking that his own name was not on the list, to which Netanyahu replied that he was among the “good guys.”

Earlier video mocked conspiracy

Before releasing this clip, Netanyahu had already addressed the rumours in another video posted online. Sitting at a café, he joked about being “dead for coffee,” using a phrase implying strong liking.

He also directly responded to the “six fingers” claim by showing both hands to the camera and inviting viewers to count his fingers.

The videos appear aimed at countering misinformation circulating online as geopolitical tensions continue in the region.

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US strikes Iranian missile sites near Hormuz with 5,000-pound bunker buster bombs

US forces hit Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz using deep penetrator bombs to counter threats to global shipping.

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In a major escalation aimed at restoring maritime movement, the United States has carried out airstrikes on Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz using powerful deep-penetration bombs.

The US military confirmed that multiple 5,000-pound bunker buster munitions were used to target hardened missile infrastructure along Iran’s coastline. According to an official statement, the sites housed anti-ship cruise missiles that posed a significant threat to international shipping in the strategic waterway.

The strikes mark the first major US military action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after Iran reportedly shut it down in response to the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.

Strait disruption triggers global concern

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global النفط transit route, with nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passing through it. Its closure has severely disrupted shipping activity and triggered a sharp rise in global energy prices.

The US action appears to be aimed at neutralising immediate threats to vessels and restoring safe passage through the region.

Allies reluctant to back US move

The development comes amid reports that several US allies, including NATO members, have declined calls from President Donald Trump to support efforts to secure the strait.

Expressing frustration, Trump criticised allies for not contributing even limited resources such as minesweepers, despite longstanding US support to NATO. He maintained that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a priority for global security.

However, Iran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons, stating that its nuclear programme is intended solely for peaceful purposes, including energy production.

Use of bunker buster bombs

The bombs used in the operation are designed to destroy fortified or deeply buried targets. These 5,000-pound munitions, often referred to as bunker busters, are capable of penetrating hardened structures before detonation.

While powerful, they are smaller compared to the 30,000-pound bombs reportedly used by the US in previous strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

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