Uncensored Free Speech Platform

David Gauke: Donald Trump is not our friend and all parties should be wary of being too close
Trust is earned, not demanded.

David Gauke is a former Justice Secretary and was an independent candidate in South-West Hertfordshire at the 2019 general election.

The Iranian regime is loathsome.

It suppresses its people with extraordinary brutality; it exports terrorism that destabilises its region; and it provides a potentially existential threat to the only true democracy in the region – Israel. If and when the mullahs and Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps lose power, the long term prospects for the Iranian people and the wider world should be much improved.

There are also very good reasons for the UK to maintain close relations with the US.  It is our most important security ally and, for all the ups and downs, we have benefited enormously from the protection the US has provided.  Without the US, there are many ways in which we are exposed and vulnerable.

One can also make the case that the response of the UK Government to recent events in Iran has been slow and unconvincing.  Seeing President Macron portray himself as the defender of Cyprus is an uncomfortable experience.  Gulf allies have felt unsupported. Keir Starmer’s position – ‘we cannot act one day, we can act the next’ – is complicated and is consistent with the critique that he is unduly constrained by obstacles that other leaders might overcome.  It is not implausible to suggest that party management decisions were a consideration in determining the Government’s approach.

All of these factors meant that Starmer was severely criticised in the opening days of the Iranian conflict for being insufficiently supportive of the US.  For many on the right, the UK should have been more hawkish.  Nigel Farage told a press conference on 2 March that “we have to take the gloves off… we have to get rid of this regime”.  On the same day, Kemi Badenoch told the Commons that there is “no point wanting action to make the world a safe place while being too scared to do anything except stand by and watch others” and at the Conservative spring conference five days’ later stated that Starmer was “too scared to make foreign interventions for fear of upsetting a tiny section of the electorate”.

Both Farage and Badenoch have rowed back.  On 10 March, Farage told reporters that “we cannot get involved directly in another foreign war”, while Badenoch insisted that she “never said we should join” the war.

There is no denying that this is a very substantial shift in tone.  For all the desire to remove a totalitarian enemy of the West, determination to stay close to the US, and relish in exploiting the Prime Minister’s uncomfortable position, neither Farage nor Badenoch are taking a markedly different approach than the Government.  All parties are cautious about British involvement.

It is worth identifying why both Farage and Badenoch …

US is ‘steadily destroying’ Iran’s ‘most essential’ war tools: Report
This deserves loud pushback.

Progress in Operation Epic Fury has been “relatively positive” with U.S. and Israeli forces causing significant damage to Iran’s military capabilities, according to a new assessment released by the Institute for the Study of War. However, more time is required for the joint U.S.-Israel military operation to achieve its objectives.

NEW | Special Report: The war in Iran is currently in a phase in which the military trajectory is relatively positive: the United States is steadily destroying Iran’s ability to use its most essential tool in the war — drone and missile attacks — which in turn underpin the entire…
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) March 15, 2026

“The war in Iran is currently in a phase in which the military trajectory is relatively positive: the United States is steadily destroying Iran’s ability to use its most essential tool in the war — drone and missile attacks — which in turn underpin the entire Iranian strategy,” read a post on X by the Institute for the Study of War. 

“Iran has still done some damage to U.S. forces, and it is still firing drones and missiles, though the overall attack rate is slowly decreasing,” ISW claimed. “These attacks still pale in comparison to the major attacks Iran sought to conduct in an existential war and have caused neither operationally significant damage nor widespread casualties.”

ISW’s report comes amid criticism of Operation Epic Fury, including some who have insinuated that the military operation is a failure or that things are going badly. For example, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) posted on X on Saturday, criticizing the military strikes, stating that President Donald Trump “lost control of the war.”

It’s crystal clear now that Trump has lost control of this war. He badly misjudged Iran’s ability to retaliate. The region is on fire.

1/ I’m going to explain to you in thiswhat I’ve learned – in part from closed door briefings – about the four biggest current crises.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) March 14, 2026

“It’s crystal clear now that Trump has lost control of this war,” said Murphy. “He badly misjudged Iran’s ability to retaliate. The region is on fire.”

The ISW report paints a different picture of the operation than Murphy, highlighting many successes of the military strikes and how they have hampered much of Iran’s war strategy. Furthermore, ISW’s assessment noted that any categorizations declaring Operation Epic Fury as a failure were hasty …

Iranian women’s soccer team captain becomes latest member to withdraw asylum bid
This affects the entire country.

The captain of Iran women’s national soccer team became the fifth team member to withdraw her asylum bid in Australia on Sunday.

Zahra Ghanbari, 34, is “returning to the embrace of the homeland,” Iran’s IRNA news agency reported.

Ghanbari’s decision comes after four other team members also left Australia. The team of 26 players went to the country for the Women’s Asian Cup in February, arriving before the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

Six players and a support staff member received humanitarian visas to stay in Australia while the rest of the group flew to Malaysia on March 9. Since then, four of these members, besides Ghanbari, have left Australia, according to Associated Press.

FILE – Iran players pose for a team photo ahead of the Women’s Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP,File)

“Several of the players decided to go back because the threats against their families became unbearable and the intimidation was relentless,” Shiva Amini, an exiled Iranian former soccer player, posted on X.

President Donald Trump praised Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for taking the Iranian players in, writing on Truth Social, “God bless Australia!”

OLYMPIC BOBSLEDDER AWARDS TRUMP HER ‘ORDER OF IKKOS’ MEDAL

Trump initially gave the Iranian men’s soccer team the green light to compete in the FIFA World Cup this summer, but has since said it may be unsafe for players amid the war in Iran.

The World Cup is scheduled to be held this year from June 11 through July 19, with games played across 16 different cities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Brother of Michigan synagogue attacker was Hezbollah commander, Israel says
Equal justice apparently isn't equal anymore.

The Israeli military has determined that the brother of the man who drove his truck through a Michigan synagogue last week was a commander for Hezbollah, the terrorist group and Iranian proxy force based in Lebanon.

Last Thursday, 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Lebanon, rammed his vehicle into the Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan, driving through the halls before exchanging fire with security officers. His vehicle, loaded with explosives, caught fire and was jammed in the hallway, leading to Ghazali killing himself. One security guard was injured in the attack, but all children and staff at the temple’s preschool had been safely evacuated.

At the time, reports circulated that Ghazali was “devastated” after some of his family members in Lebanon were killed in an Israeli airstrike. The FBI has been investigating this reporting in relation to the attack, which they called a targeted act of violence against the Jewish community.

Now, Israeli intelligence has found that his brother, Ibrahim Muhammad Ghazali, was part of Hezbollah and was “responsible for managing weapons operations within a specialized branch of the Badr Unit.”

That unit “is responsible for launching hundreds of rockets toward Israeli civilians throughout the war,” the Israel Defense Forces said.

Ibrahim was killed last week in an Israeli strike on a Hezbollah “military structure,” the IDF added.

Hezbollah denied the connection when speaking to the New York Times but said Ghazali’s motive for the synagogue attack was revenge for his family.

Besides Ibrahim, three other members of his family were killed in the strike, including Ibrahim’s two children and another brother, Qassem, according to a Lebanese official. Ibrahim’s wife was also seriously wounded.

That strike came as Israel and Hezbollah have been warring for almost a month, resuming a conflict that began shortly after Hamas’s terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

ISRAEL AND LEBANON TO HOLD TALKS AS ISRAEL PREPARES INVASION

Hezbollah began launching missiles at Israel in solidarity with Iran, which has sustained dual bombing campaigns from the U.S. and Israel. Israel has responded with retaliatory strikes targeting the terrorist group.

Those strikes have killed over 800 people, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

WHO provides $2 million in emergency funds to Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria
This isn't complicated—it's willpower.

The World Health Organization announced Sunday it is releasing $2 million in emergency funding to support health services in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria as the widening Iran conflict strains already fragile healthcare systems across the region. 

The funding comes from WHO’s Contingency Fund for Emergencies, which is used to rapidly deploy resources during humanitarian crises. The agency said the money will help sustain front-line health services, improve disease monitoring, and respond to mass-casualty incidents linked to the war in Iran. 

Lebanon will receive $1 million, the largest share of the funding, as Israeli airstrikes tied to the war with Iran expand into the country and fighting involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group intensifies along Israel’s northern border. 

TRUMP MAKES RISKY BET TRYING TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC HIGHER OIL PRICES ARE GOOD

The funds will also help strengthen disease surveillance systems and assist the country’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre as hospitals handle a growing number of inquiries and displaced civilians. 

Iraq and Syria will each receive $500,000 to bolster emergency response capabilities, including managing mass-casualty events, providing healthcare services for displaced populations, and expanding community outreach and disease surveillance. 

Both countries have faced security risks and instability during the conflict. Iranian missile and drone attacks have targeted several U.S. and allied positions in the region since the war began, while governments have raised concerns about potential retaliation or spillover violence affecting nearby states. 

The WHO said the funding comes as the conflict has triggered large-scale population movements across the region, with more than 100,000 people relocating from Iran and up to 700,000 people internally displaced in Lebanon. 

Healthcare systems in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria were already under pressure before the war in Iran broke out due to years of economic hardship, political instability, and previous conflicts. Syria’s healthcare infrastructure has been severely damaged during its long-running civil war, while Lebanon’s hospitals have struggled with economic collapse and refugee pressures. 

The emergency funding announcement comes amid shifting dynamics surrounding the WHO itself. Earlier this year, the United States formally withdrew from the organization, ending decades of membership and leaving a major gap in funding and global health …

Araghchi says Iran never asked to reopen talks with the US: ‘Don’t see any reason’
This isn't complicated—it's willpower.

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Iran “never asked” for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict with Israel and the United States.

Araghchi denied President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran wanted a deal to end the conflict, but he rejected it. The foreign minister accused Trump of engaging in this conflict because he “wants to have fun,” and Iran will continue its “self-defense.”

“We are only defending our people from this act of aggression, and we don’t see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us, and that was for the second time,” Araghchi said on CBS News’ Face the Nation. “There is no good experience talking with Americans. 

SALENA ZITO: OUR CIVILIAN-MILITARY BOND IS CRACKED

“We were talking, so why they decided to attack us? So what is good if we go back to talk once again?” Araghchi said.

Araghchi joined the interview via Zoom, prompting CBS News host Margaret Brennan to ask why he has access to the internet while the Iranian people don’t. He said this is “because I’m the voice of Iranians,” and the internet is shut down for security reasons as he seeks to “defend” the Iranian people.

IRAN’S REVOLUTIONARY GUARDS PLEDGE TO KILL NETANYAHU

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the increase in gas prices will continue for “a few more weeks” due to the Iran conflict and the Iranian regime’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. He said this increase is “a short-term disruption in the flow of energy,” but that the U.S. will ultimately “have removed the greatest risk to global energy supplies.” 

The U.S. national average price of gasoline is $3.69 per gallon. The average price last week was at $3.45, and last month’s average was at $2.93, according to the American Automobile Association.

String of attacks connected to naturalized citizens raises national security questions
What's the administration thinking here?

The United States is left vulnerable even by its own naturalized U.S. citizens from hostile foreign lands, proving a free country can be exposed to security risks by the very freedoms the Constitution endows, an expert warned on Fox News.
"That's partially because of legal reasons: They can't just monitor constitutionally protected free speech and opinions after they become a naturalized citizen, indefinitely, just to keep tabs on them," Mauro Institute president Ryan Mauro told Fox News on Saturday.
"They legally can't do it, and they also don't have the resources to do it."
Just this month alone, the U.S. has experienced four attacks with ties to naturalized citizenship.
TULSI GABBARD WARNS OF 'DIRECT THREAT' FROM SUSPECTED TERRORISTS NOW LIVING IN UNITED STATES
"There's a bit of a jihad olympics going on, which is where you have the Sunni radicals like ISIS competing with the Shiite radicals of the Iranian regime because they need attention in order to survive and in order settle the argument of who has Allah's blessing so that they can trigger the apocalypse," Mauro said.
"That's what they both want to do," Mauro said.
NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT URGES DHS TO RAISE TERROR THREAT LEVEL, WARNS OF SLEEPER CELL RISKS IN US
The process of citizenship revocation has been a hotly debated topic during the second Trump administration, and the spate of four terror attacks amid the latest Israel-U.S. war on Iran may increase scrutiny on the vetting process.
"A person is subject to revocation of naturalization if the person becomes a member of, or affiliated with, the Communist party, other totalitarian party, or terrorist organization within five years of his or her naturalization," the U.S. Grounds for Revocation of Naturalization reads.
ODU GUNMAN WHO KILLED ROTC INSTRUCTOR HAD PRIOR ISIS CONVICTION, WAS RELEASED EARLY
Mauro's institute is not constrained by federal law in vetting potential terrorist ideology of naturalized citizens like the Justice Department is, he noted.
"That's why I personally have set up a civilian intelligence team that does do that type of thing," Mauro said. "And why we've been so successful is because whereas the government has to be very careful not to launch investigations based off of just a mere suspicion or an unpopular opinion, civilians are free to comb through social media and just find people and report them."
U.S. freedoms even protect suspected terrorists, he added.
"If they do come across someone who is expressing support for a terrorist organization, it still gets tricky," he lamented. "You would think, oh, at that point …

IRGC leaders try to calm fears after Israeli strikes target Basij checkpoints
This framing isn't accidental.

Leaders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sought to reassure the public after Israeli strikes targeting Basij checkpoints and security facilities across Iran, raising concerns about the regime’s ability to maintain internal control during the widening conflict. 

Iranian state media and IRGC officials said security forces remain in control following the strikes, which reportedly hit several Basij positions used to enforce checkpoints and monitor public activity. 

The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force subordinate to the IRGC and has played a key role in suppressing protests and enforcing government authority inside Iran. 

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFERS $10 MILLION BOUNTY FOR IRAN REGIME LEADERS

In a message posted on Telegram, a Basij leader commanded his forces to not abandon their posts. He told forces that Israel is “clearing the way so that by creating fear and terror, they can move operational teams across the city to the intended areas,” adding that there is “no reason” to be scared. 

Israeli-linked channels and intelligence accounts indicated that strikes had targeted multiple Basij checkpoints, a development that analysts say could weaken the government’s ability to police cities and deter demonstrations. 

The attacks come as Israel and the United States continue a broader campaign against Iranian military, industry, and leadership components. 

The Basij force has long been used by Iran’s leadership to control dissent, particularly during periods of unrest. Members frequently operate checkpoints, conduct surveillance, and assist security forces in cracking down on protests. 

NEWS COVERAGE ‘DISTORTING’ OPERATION EPIC FURY SUCCESS: GUY BENSON

John Hannah, a former national security adviser to the late Vice President Dick Cheney, said attacks on those security structures could place the Iranian government under new internal pressure. 

“Nothing good,” Hannah said when asked about the impact on the regime’s control. “The question is, is this the start of a potentially fatal blow that will catalyze major defection in security services?” 

He said weakening the Basij and other internal security units could test the cohesion of the Iranian government’s enforcement apparatus. 

“Will Basij members begin not showing up at these checkpoints, abandoning their posts, or will the regime manage to maintain its cohesion?” Hannah said. 

Hannah said the effort by Israel Defense Forces to target IRGC facilities and command structures appears to be …

Netanyahu posts proof of life video to shut down rumors of his death
This framing isn't accidental.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video of himself to shut down rumors of his death on Sunday.

The video depicts Netanyahu picking up a drink at a shop, showing both of his hands to the camera. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also shared the video to debunk the “ridiculous” rumblings of Netanyahu’s death.

אומרים שאני מה? צפו >>
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 15, 2026

“Proof positive that some of the most ridiculous things ever are on the ‘interweb!’ Huckabee said on X. “Reports of @IsraeliPM being dead or having 7 fingers were as loony as some of Tucker Carlson’s nonsense. Maybe @IsraeliPM only needed to hold up ONE finger to those saying he was dead!”

Proof positive that some of the most ridiculous things ever are on the "interweb!" Reports of @IsraeliPM being dead or having 7 fingers were as loony as some of Tucker Carlson's nonsense. Maybe @IsraeliPM only needed to hold up ONE finger to those saying he was dead!
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) March 15, 2026

Netanyahu shared proof of life two weeks into Israel and the United States’ strikes on Iran, which killed former Ayatollah Ali Khamenei early in the conflict. Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has since been selected as his successor.

TRUMP SHOULD FINISH THE JOB IN IRAN

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said via Iranian state media that it “vows to pursue and kill ‘child-killer’ Netanyahu if he is still alive.” Israel refuted this statement, saying its prime minister is fine. 

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr is urging broadcasters to “correct” their coverage of the U.S.’s involvement in the Iran conflict. He warned those that don’t do this “will lose their licenses.”

Rising gas prices from Iran conflict put GOP on defense after previous Biden attacks
Trust is earned, not demanded.

Republicans sharply criticized former President Joe Biden over rising prices at the gas pump, but a spike in energy prices amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict in Iran threatens to scramble the party's affordability messaging.
The Iran conflict has led to a surge in gas prices for Americans, leading to an average 50 cents a gallon increase since Operation Epic Fury began on Feb. 28.
The average price of gas reached $3.63 per gallon on Friday, according to AAA. Diesel prices have also risen to $4.89 per gallon. The increases have been mostly fueled by volatility in oil prices, which closed above $100 per barrel Thursday for the first time since 2022 as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shuttered from the conflict.
The president characterized the gas price hike amid the Iran conflict as "a very small price to pay" in a Truth Social post Sunday.
THE WAR HITS HOME: WHY FINANCIAL PAIN AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY THREATEN TRUMP’S DRIVE TO TOPPLE IRAN’S REGIME
That statement represented a sharp break with Trump's typical messaging touting low gas prices prior to Operation Epic Fury.
"Gasoline, which reached a peak of over $6 a gallon in some states under my predecessor — it was quite honestly a disaster — is now below $2.30 a gallon in most states. And in some places, $1.99 a gallon," President Donald Trump said during his Feb. 27 State of the Union address. "And when I visited the great state of Iowa just a few weeks ago, I even saw $1.85 a gallon for gasoline."
The surge in gas and diesel prices threatens to undermine the economic message of President Trump and congressional Republicans, who have touted low gas prices as a major win in the lead-up to November’s midterm elections. Cost of living issues are expected to be a key concern among voters as both parties claim to be laser-focused on making everyday life more affordable.
Trump directed the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to release 172 million gallons of crude oil Wednesday in an effort to lower oil prices.
"I filled it up once, and I’ll fill it up again, but right now, we’ll reduce it a little bit, and that brings the prices down," Trump told Cincinnati news station WKRC.
During the 2024 presidential contest, Trump frequently campaigned on ending Biden’s "war on American energy" and pledged to reverse a surge in gas prices that occurred under his predecessor’s tenure.
Gas prices averaged $3.45 per gallon across all fuel grades during Biden’s four-year term, surging to a record high of more than $5 per gallon in June 2022 after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, according to the U.S. Energy …

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards pledge to kill Netanyahu
Be honest—this is ridiculous.

Iranian leadership on Sunday threatened to kill Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the war in the region continues to escalate. 

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said via Iranian state media that it “vows to pursue and kill ‘child-killer’ Netanyahu if he is still alive,” while simultaneously suggesting — without evidence — that the Israeli leader might already be dead.

Israel called the suggestion that Netanyahu is dead “fake news” and said the prime minister is fine.

Iran’s statement marks one of the most direct threats against Netanyahu since the war began late last month with coordinated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. The attacks killed Iran’s longtime supreme leader Ali Khamenei, whose son replaced him as supreme leader. 

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFERS $10 MILLION BOUNTY FOR IRAN REGIME LEADERS 

Israel’s Defense Force said on X it had conducted attacks on Iran over the weekend that targeted Iranian officials, including Abdollah Jalali-Nasab & Amir Shariat, senior intelligence officials of the “Khatam al-Anbiya” Emergency Command. The IDF also said it struck Iran’s Space Agency and aerial defense system production factory.  

Iran had launched waves of retaliatory attacks against Israel, but Israel’s Defense Forces said it is working to intercept Iranian “missile barrages.” Iran fired five missile attacks in the span of nine hours.

The conflict has rapidly widened beyond Iran, with Israel turning its focus to Lebanon to target the  Lebanese terrorist organization Hezbollah, which launched missiles against the Jewish state on March 2. Israel and Lebanon have since agreed to hold face-to-face peace talks. 

The broader war has already caused significant casualties and humanitarian concerns across the region. More than 1,800 people have been killed since the conflict began, and attacks have damaged energy infrastructure and disrupted shipping through key waterways. 

Energy markets and maritime shipping have been rattled as well, particularly around  the Strait of Hormuz, which is a critical waterway through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply normally passes. Iran has threatened to disrupt traffic and has attacked boats moving through the passage. 

IRAN FACES FINANCIAL DEATH BLOW BECAUSE OF WAR

On Friday, President Donald Trump said U.S. forces had bombed Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil facility in the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Central Command said it struck 90 Iranian military targets on the island. 

Iranian Foreign Minister …

Do the Houthis Want a Piece of the Iran War or Are They Just Shooting Their Mouth Off?
How is this acceptable?

Houthi leaders are making noises like they are about to jump into the Iran War. Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, the governor of Yemen's Dhamar province and spokesman for Yemen’s Houthi rebels, also known as Ansar Allah, said in an interview on Friday that the decision to stand with Iran “has been made,” saying the “zero hour” declaration will occur when the time is ripe. He further elaborated in Kamala-esque word salad that the war “is not an aggression against Iran alone, but a broader battle targeting the countries of the region." Considering Iran is flinging missiles at every nation in the Persian Gulf, plus Cyprus and Turkey, it is sort of difficult to unpack who, other than Iran, is being targeted by the U.S. and Israel.