Hot Air,
by
John Sexton
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/14/2026 8:54:50 PM
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There have been some panicky recent reports emanating from Russian sources about a new Ukrainian drone. The Russians call them "Martians" and the seem to be a significant upgrade over the drones that Russian forces have become used to dealing with.
Sergei ‘Zergulio’ Kolyasnikov, military correspondent for pro-Putin newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, warned of a “qualitative change at the front”.
He admitted: “Ukraine has introduced a new generation [of drones], which is creating serious logistics challenges.”...
He added: “From what we currently know, these drones operate day and night, and are inaudible — except in the final seconds, when they dive….
“They are undetectable
Associated Press,
by
KAREEM CHEHAYEB
&
Matthew Lee
Original Article
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Dreadnought
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4/14/2026 7:35:52 PM
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WASHINGTON — Lebanon and Israel held their first direct diplomatic talks in decades on Tuesday in Washington following more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it a “historic opportunity” but making clear that no breakthrough agreement would happen right away.
In a statement after the two-hour session ended, the State Department praised the two sides for what it called “productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.” Hezbollah opposed the direct talks and was not represented, appearing to step up its fire on northern Israel as the discussions began.
Fox News,
by
Benjamin Weinthal
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/14/2026 7:32:10 PM
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France’s President Emmanuel Macron is facing renewed criticism for his lack of support for President Donald Trump’s war against Iran and demands to include Lebanon in the current ceasefire as historic talks between Israel and Lebanon are set to begin Tuesday.
The historic meeting brokered by President Trump between Lebanon, a former French mandate, and Israel will take place at the ambassador level as hopes for an agreement evolve — most noticeably without French involvement. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to host both nations' ambassadors.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel’s government requested that France be excluded
Hot Air,
by
David Strom
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/14/2026 5:59:49 PM
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The European Union has placed a huge bet on Iran coming out on top in its war with the United States and Israel.
In all but name, the big countries in Europe have chosen Iran, and to a great extent China, as their preferred winners. They have spoken about closer relations with China, barred the US from using bases and even airspace, and are now siding with Iran in its negotiations with the United States, particularly in its demand that Hezbollah be left alone.
The thing is, aside from perhaps Turkey and Iran, no country in the Middle East is happy with their choices.
Hot Air,
by
David Strom
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/14/2026 5:14:17 PM
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It has amazed me how incredibly stupid Trump's critics have been.
This is especially true when it comes to understanding Trump's foreign policy strategy, which is not that difficult to understand if you get past your obsession with wanting to be liked by the Very Best People™ in the transnationalist camp.
There is so much wrong with how the media, the diplomatic types, and the NATO-obsessed analyze Trump's America-first approach. They see in it an irrational xenophobia or a misguided "Fortress America" attitude, when in fact Trump is pursuing a policy of reestablishing
Hot Air,
by
Ed Morrissey
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/14/2026 5:06:07 PM
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The Department of Justice launched a corrupt campaign to weaponize its prosecutorial power against its political opponents. According to a new internal investigation, the Attorney General partnered with political organizations to deny dissenters their civil rights, cooked up criminal cases out of whole cloth, and used federal law enforcement to terrorize their opponents and shut down protests and dissent.
So when do we see action against Donald Trump and Pam Bondi? Hold up there, pardner. This took place in Joe Biden's administration under the direction of Merrick Garland, and the targets were pro-life activists. Biden and Garland used the FACE Act to punish pro-life activists
National (Abu Dhabi, UAE),
by
Adla Massoud
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/14/2026 2:21:53 PM
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Iran is demanding compensation from Gulf states it has attacked repeatedly after accusing them of complicity in the US and Israel strikes that began on February 28.
In the letter to the UN Security Council, seen by The National on Monday, Tehran claimed Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan allowed their territories to be used for attacks on Iran after the US and Israel launched strikes. Iran called that a “flagrant act of aggression” in breach of international law and the UN Charter. “By their internationally wrongful acts, they have breached their international obligations owed to the Islamic Republic of Iran under international law,
Al Jazeera (Qatar),
by
Staff
Original Article
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Dreadnought
—
4/14/2026 2:12:35 PM
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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has hailed the establishment of a “major defence cooperation partnership” with Indonesia, saying it underscores the “strength and potential” of ties with Jakarta to maintain stability in the Asia Pacific region.
Hegseth hosted Indonesian Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin at the Pentagon on Monday, where the deal was signed. “This [partnership] signifies the strength and potential of our security relationship… bolsters regional deterrence, and advances our shared commitment to peace through strength,” Hegeseth said, according to a Defense Department statement.
The US defence secretary also said Washington and Jakarta’s security relationship was “active and growing”, noting that both countries’
Hot Air,
by
Ed Morrissey
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
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4/14/2026 1:01:36 AM
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Donald Trump claims that the "right people" in Iran have reached out to cut a deal for real after imposing a naval blockade and cutting off Iran's income stream. Who are we talking with in Tehran? Mahdi al-Hall?
That's what Trump claimed in an ad-hoc press conference on the veranda of the Oval Office this afternoon. Trump didn't specify the identities of the "right people," but hinted that the blockade may have changed some minds over the last few hours: One can understand why some Iranian regime remnants may want to cut a deal with Trump that meets his demands. As Trump himself put it, "Iran is doing absolutely no business
Hot Air,
by
Duane Patterson
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/13/2026 10:55:35 AM
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Almost 40 years ago, one of the great buddy cop franchises was born. Lethal Weapon, starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, hit the screens for the first time. It made a whole bunch of money and spawned three sequels over the next dozen years.
In one early scene, Gibson's character, a L.A. cop going through an immense amount of personal and mental grief and trauma, is up on a roof with a potentially suicidal jumper. The conventional wisdom, of course, is to talk to him, keep talking, and wear him down by talking until he gives up and lets himself be taken away in a rubber truck. Gibson's Martin Riggs
Hot Air,
by
Ed Morrissey
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/13/2026 10:51:18 AM
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No kidding. Man, you can't put anything past those mullahcrats! Imagine how embarrassed they'll feel when all of their neighbors explain that firing missiles and drones at their energy production facilities and hotels are also acta belli.
The US will impose a blockade on all Iranian ports, effectively cutting off all income to the Iranian regime and the IRGC, starting in less than an hour. The IRGC junta responded from its fainting couch that it considers a blockade "an act of war," and threatened escalation:
The spokesman for the National Security Commission in Iran’s Parliament said President Trump’s threat to impose a naval blockade could be nothing more than “bluster,”
PJ Media,
by
Stephen Green
Original Article
Posted by
Dreadnought
—
4/13/2026 10:48:32 AM
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"The spice must flow."
Fans of Frank Herbert's Dune know that melange makes interstellar travel and trade possible. Its only source is the desert world of Arrakis, which makes it the most valuable real estate in the known universe. The spice is addictive. Arrakis is home to crusading religious fanatics whose supreme leader holds the spice hostage.
If you're thinking, "That sounds an awful lot like Persian Gulf oil," Herbert is way out ahead of you.
President Donald Trump gets it. But what if, instead of spending another 40 or 50 years letting religious fanatics keep a stranglehold on the world's supply of melange — er, oil — we just sort