NOAH SMITH IS ONE OF THOSE ENGAGEMENT FARMERS I USUALLY TRY TO AVOID:
I don't like braggadocious talk about this sort of thing, but we seem to have killed 7,000 Iranian troops and lost 15 people (albeit largely due to armor: 600 hurt). Iran's entire senior leadership is dead. Their nuke program is gone.
This is all being quite openly discussed,… https://t.co/lCtphThVDB
— Wilfred Reilly (@wil_da_beast630) April 12, 2026
AS USUAL IF YOU IGNORE THE NEWS YOU ARE UNINFORMED, IF YOU FOLLOW THE NEWS YOU ARE MISINFORMED:
Many don’t seem to understand this “blockade”.
Trump is NOT blocking the entire strait.
The only ships being blocked are ships attempting to leave/enter Iranian ports, namely oil exports. All other commercial ships will be free to pass.
Trump is squeezing Iran, and… https://t.co/vrCgBU3Zpz
— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) April 12, 2026
Here’s what drives people nuts on both sides: Trump is not the cartoon character. Not the genius his fans worship, not the idiot his critics need him to be.
He's just a stubborn, calculating guy who creates chaos the way a magician creates misdirection. While you’re distracted… pic.twitter.com/mc7KA6ynRb
— Jesús Enrique Rosas – The Body Language Guy (@Knesix) April 12, 2026
EXACTLY WHAT I VOTED FOR: White House: ‘Era of Amnesty Is Over.’
“MODERATE” DEMOCRATS ARE LIKE MODERATE IRANIANS — IT JUST MEANS THEY’RE RELOADING: Abigail Spanberger to her voters: ‘I can do anything I want, get used to it.’ Governor Phony doubles down.
EVERYONE WHO BUYS MILITARY EQUIPMENT FROM CHINA HAS BIG PROBLEMS: Trump threatens China with ‘big problems’ if they arm Iranian regime with air defense systems.
Trump is not so much threatening as running a PSA.
AS IT SHOULD: Fossil Fuels Shine Light of Hope in Africa.
SWALWELL’S A LYING CREEP? WHO SUSPECTED! Eric Swalwell paid illegal Brazilian live-in nanny under the table with campaign funds, complaint alleges.
I know my face is shocked. Look how shocked it is.
IF ONLY SOMEONE HAD WARNED OF THE FRAUD RISKS IN THIS PROGRAM: Michigan Man Charged in Alleged $5M PPP Fraud Scheme.
UH. ARE THEY IN DANGER OF BEING DISEN-FRENCHISED FOR THIS? French Media Outlet: “Today, Donald Trump is the most rational and the most Cartesian national leader on the planet”.
ALWAYS WAS: DEI Is Illegal.
IF YOU LOOK IN THE DICTIONARY UNDER CHUTZPAH, THEIR NAMES ARE ALL LISTED: Rep. Jamie Raskin and Other Dems Laughably Demand Cognitive Assessment of Trump.
AND IT’S BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE: ‘Intersectionality’ – The Destructive Ideology Balkanizing the Country.
IT’S GETTING SPICY OUT THERE: The People of Ireland have had enough.
THIS HAS BEEN OBVIOUS FOR SOME TIME: Borrowed Capital. Secular humanism is Christianity with the load-bearing wall removed.
ON SUNDAYS I RUN A PROMO POST FOR (MOSTLY) INDIE AUTHORS BRAVE ENOUGH TO BE SEEN ON MY BLOG: Book Promo And Vignettes By Luke, Mary Catelli and ‘Nother Mike.
THE LEFT WILL RALLY AROUND ANYONE THEY SEE AS CURRENTLY USEFUL:
It's crazy watching the moderate left defend Piker. This guy is basically Nick Fuentes of the left but he gets invited to Oscar parties, is objectively evil in very obvious ways, and is not very smart
Why circle the wagons for this guy? https://t.co/QufwFs06Of
— PoIiMath (@politicalmath) April 13, 2026
On the other hand, anyone is disposable once they aren’t anymore.
NOT WITH A FANG FANG, BUT WITH A WHIMPER: Eric Swalwell drops bid for California governor after sexual misconduct allegations.
One more resignation to go?
If you’re not fit to run for governor, you’re not fit to serve in Congress. https://t.co/CVEL4ULR8V
— Sunny (@sunnyright) April 13, 2026
Earlier: “The Democrats are doing to Swalwell what they did to Clarence Thomas. And Donald Trump. And Brett Kavanaugh. And who knows how many others. In other words, they may have fabricated another Christine Blasey Ford to come at Swalwell. Don’t put it past them—the California governor’s seat is important enough to throw one of their own under the bus.”
UPDATE:
— Rothmus 🏴 (@Rothmus) April 12, 2026
OPEN THREAD: Ring out the weekend.
WE’RE BLOCKADING IRAN, NOT THE STRAIT:
In the short term, China will have an incentive to lean on whoever is left in the regime to open the Strait. In the meantime, we aren’t destroying Iran’s petroleum infrastructure, merely preventing it from selling any oil. That means that Iran’s supply will be added to the global total before long, one way or another, and if the Iranian people are able to throw off the yoke of Islamic tyranny, they will take over an intact oil infrastructure.
And Trump is making the IRGC “play by their own rules:”
"I don't understand the blockade? Why is Trump doing this, isn't it going to harm him?"
Answer: The IRGC believes they are the only ones who can threaten with extortion, and Trump is showing them two can play this game.
He's playing by their own rules. pic.twitter.com/QOaxTchVE4
— 𝐍𝐢𝐨𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐠 🇮🇷 ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) April 12, 2026
Meanwhile, the man who wrote the “Axis of Evil” speech for GWB has strange newfound respect for the CCP:
Possibly one of the more obtuse, ill-informed things he's said. And that's a high bar https://t.co/5RbkleqVLo
— Northern Barbarian (@xnoesbueno) April 13, 2026
THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF SACRAMENTO’S “TRAVEL BANS” TO THE RED STATES:
Last year, Justin Trudeau set the tone of nationwide fear, telling Canadians not to travel to the US.
Now, he's on vacation in California.
I wonder how long it will take Canadians to realize that the anti-American fear campaign was just a way to score cheap political points. pic.twitter.com/EKx6j598B6
— Fake Mark Carney (@MarkCarney_Ego) April 12, 2026
InstaPundit is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
