Iran
Joined: Sep 2001
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 2,782
Likes: 203
From: Toronto
Kurds, Lucy and the Football
Kurds have already been dumped by Trump in Syria after fighting alongside US troops. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Kurds we're used and abused by Trump's predecessors. This is a new test of their credulity.
This is not in any to say that Kurds in Turkiye, Syria, Iraq or Iran are in any way enamoured of their national governments.
Best to accept the weapons and dosh, but conserve ammunition for when its needed and supplies are no longer forthcoming
For those tempted to fight alongside US troops in the expectation that they and their families will be accepted as refugees by a grateful Trump, he is expelling Afghans who fought alongside US forces
Kurds we're used and abused by Trump's predecessors. This is a new test of their credulity.
This is not in any to say that Kurds in Turkiye, Syria, Iraq or Iran are in any way enamoured of their national governments.
Best to accept the weapons and dosh, but conserve ammunition for when its needed and supplies are no longer forthcoming
For those tempted to fight alongside US troops in the expectation that they and their families will be accepted as refugees by a grateful Trump, he is expelling Afghans who fought alongside US forces
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 367
From: Wildest Surrey
Problem is the Navy doesn't have enough personnel to crew the ship so it's not going anywhere for a while. You'd have expected the PM to find that out before commtting to the task but he seems to be running out of brain capacity.
Joined: Oct 2004
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 419
Likes: 39
From: California
Getting back to Iran, I have an idea that the IRGC is going to have in input into whomever is put into the leadership seat...for as long as the war goes on.
There were some very good articles published in the last year about the Iranian succession process, as Ayatollah Khamenei began to show signs of slowing down and declining health. Given that there have only been two since the founding of the Islamic Republic, Khomeini and Khamenei, they may adapt and adjust how they do all of this. I doubt taking advice from Washington figures into any of that.
There were some very good articles published in the last year about the Iranian succession process, as Ayatollah Khamenei began to show signs of slowing down and declining health. Given that there have only been two since the founding of the Islamic Republic, Khomeini and Khamenei, they may adapt and adjust how they do all of this. I doubt taking advice from Washington figures into any of that.
What is 'decentralised mosaic defence'?
It refers to a doctrine developed by Iran over the last two decades, particularly within the IRGC.The idea is rather simple: It disperses command structures, weapons systems, and operational units across vast geographic and organisational nodes.
Iran is about 4.1 times larger than California. With a total land area of about 1.65 million km2, Iran's size is comparable to the US state of Alaska.
Rather than concentrating power in a single headquarters vulnerable to precision strikes, the Iran's DMD strategy is one that empowers regional commanders to operate autonomously if communications with Tehran are disrupted.
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 807
Likes: 425
From: Portsmouth
Nice try. Now remind me again why the RAF requires the Navy to provide defence for the F35 force operating from an unhardened air base within range of a Hezbollah OWAS threat? For the avoidance of doubt this is norlt crab-bashing. The responsibility lies firmly with those in MB who thought that not providing HAS or GBAD on a base within range of Hezbollah was a tolerable risk...
ETA : Not that this absolves the Starmbot of being a bell end.....
Last edited by Not_a_boffin; 5th March 2026 at 20:27.
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 342
Likes: 5
From: West of Suez
Reports on sowshul meeja of an American jet down in Basra area, Iraq. Pilot apparently found ok, having ejected. Rumours of some folks offering a bounty on his head, but it seems the authorities got to him in time.
EDIT: US CENTCOM says reports of a US fighter jet shot down over Basra, Iraq are "baseless and not true."
EDIT: US CENTCOM says reports of a US fighter jet shot down over Basra, Iraq are "baseless and not true."
Last edited by AnglianAV8R; 5th March 2026 at 20:44.
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,446
Likes: 367
From: Wildest Surrey
Thread Starter
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Joined: Jul 2000
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 24,510
Likes: 7,255
From: Peripatetic
Well there’s a surprise - not….
But they’d be supremely stupid to trust him - just use him or he is using them.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5...ffensive-iran/
But they’d be supremely stupid to trust him - just use him or he is using them.
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5...ffensive-iran/
Trump backs Kurdish offensive in Iran: ‘I’d be all for it’
President Trump said Thursday that he would back the Kurds if they launched an offensive inside Iran, as the militias have reportedly been in touch with the administration over a potential incursion into western Iran.
“I think it’s wonderful that they want to do that, I’d be all for it,” the president said during an interview with Reuters.
When asked if Washington would supply or has proposed air support for a potential Kurdish offensive against the Iranian regime, Trump told the news wire, “I can’t tell you that.”
President Trump said Thursday that he would back the Kurds if they launched an offensive inside Iran, as the militias have reportedly been in touch with the administration over a potential incursion into western Iran.
“I think it’s wonderful that they want to do that, I’d be all for it,” the president said during an interview with Reuters.
When asked if Washington would supply or has proposed air support for a potential Kurdish offensive against the Iranian regime, Trump told the news wire, “I can’t tell you that.”
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 419
Likes: 18
From: Retired-ville
It seems the second Iranian vessel, the auxiliary vessel IRIS Bushehr (422), which also attended the February MILAN exercise off the coast of India, has decided to seek shelter in Sri Lanka, The government there has just reported they have interned the vessel and the 208 crew. I had read that after leaving India, and perhaps upon learning of the fate of the Dena, that the support ship somehow developed engine trouble, and was seeking to return to a port.
The Sri Lankans say it is a humanitarian decision.
It seems those 208 crew are, at least for the time being, very lucky indeed.
https://news.usni.org/2026/03/05/sri...ir-deployments
The Sri Lankans say it is a humanitarian decision.
It seems those 208 crew are, at least for the time being, very lucky indeed.
https://news.usni.org/2026/03/05/sri...ir-deployments
Joined: Jan 2008
Aviation Qualifications: Military
Posts: 3,346
Likes: 2,119
From: Glorious Devon
I am reading reports that the IRIS Dena was unarmed at the time of its sinking. It was returning home after a joint exercise with the Indian Navy. Moreover, the US had been invited to participate in the exercise and had withdrawn at the last minute, so they would have been aware that participating ships would not be armed. If true, does this constitute yet another war crime, especially as the submarine failed to surface and render assistance to survivors, even though there was no threat to it?
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: Australia
EDIT: US CENTCOM says reports of a US fighter jet shot down over Basra, Iraq are "baseless and not true."
Right now on flightradar? A big diversion from over Saudi. Coincidence? There is a second one operating in the same area that has disappeared from coverage.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 419
Likes: 18
From: Retired-ville
I agree, it could be possible, but, unless that could be confirmed with 100% certainty, it was a threat
May I ask, did you also read the MILAN exercise included live fire exercises? I personally am unaware whether IRIS Dena participated in that aspect or not, are you from what you have read?
Could you as the US submarine Captain be certain whether they did or not, and, whether even if they did, is it likely they expended all their offensive munitions?
Secondly, I assume you are also aware IRIS Dena was accompanied by a support ship IRIS Bushehr? Such support vessels are known to carry fuel and weapons along with rations and spares etc.
Captain Abuzar Zarri of IRIS Dena would have known of the tensions building in the Middle East and the worsening geopolitical situation, prior to leaving Vishakhpatnam. Therefore, if he is going to be sailing back into a possible war zone, I feel it was a strong possibility, that Captain Zarri would have ensured his vessel was loaded with as full a complement of weapons and fuel, from the support ship IRIS Bushehr, as possible.
The US submarine Captain would no doubt have significantly greater intelligence than us mere keyboard peons, and at the very least assumed similar.
Even if it was unarmed, I’d opine that in the circumstances, the submarine Captain would not have the luxury of giving them the benefit of doubt.
Moral: Don’t bring an empty tin can to a submarine fight.
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 904
Likes: 315
From: Virginia, USA
I am reading reports that the IRIS Dena was unarmed at the time of its sinking. It was returning home after a joint exercise with the Indian Navy. Moreover, the US had been invited to participate in the exercise and had withdrawn at the last minute, so they would have been aware that participating ships would not be armed. If true, does this constitute yet another war crime, especially as the submarine failed to surface and render assistance to survivors, even though there was no threat to it?
As to the failure to surface after the attack, a modern SSN has little ability to render assistance in the open ocean.
Joined: Jan 2008
Aviation Qualifications: Military
Posts: 3,346
Likes: 2,119
From: Glorious Devon
Here is one such allegation.