| Kensington Review |
16 June 2026 |
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Cogito Ergo Non Serviam |
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Latest Commentary: US-Iran Peace up to Netanyahu -- Chess players are familiar with the concept of a "fork," a position on the board whereby a piece can attack two or more pieces of the opponent on the next move. The opponent must decide which loss he would prefer to suffer, losing a rook instead of a queen for instance. The recent announcement from Pakistan that the US and Iran have agreed on a memorandum of understanding regarding peace talks has forked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The PM must either continue his war in Lebanon and wait for Iran to blow up the peaec talks or he must stop his war against Hezboallah right before an election, risking defeat for being soft on the enemy. The peace memo with succeed or fail based on what he does. Right now, he is more likely to blow things up than acquiesce, but that could change instantly. [16 June] US, Iran Exchange Fire -- The United States and Iran continue fighting each other during the ceasefire that allegedly came into effect in April. The Iranians appear to have shot down a US helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz, despite the White House claiming Iran has no military left. So, Mr. Trump felt he had to retaliate, striking several targets in Iran, including two reservoirs leaving many non-combatants without drinking water. Iran, therefore, let fly some missiles that hit US bases in the Gulf. If Mr. Trump wants to escalate, here is his chance, but it is TACO day everyday at the White House. Trump Always Chickens Out is why this will peter out here. [10 June] Belfast Erupts in Violence -- That headline looks like something from the 1970s or 1980s, before the Good Friday Agreement that ended the sectarian violence between Protestants and Catholics. Today, that headlines speaks to a more recent issue, the inability of the immigrants who have settled in Northern Ireland to find a place in a new land. Anti-immigrant feeling is, of course, stupid, but that does not prevent it from being widespread. Despite the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, one need not love each and every neighbor; toleration is an acceptable response. If Northern Ireland is to avoid a return to violence, this nonsense has to stop now. [2 June] Dems, Not GOP, Looking for Post-Trump Paths-- The United States has begun its primary season in earnest, setting the stage for the November general election. With Mr. Trump done as president after this term, both parties are looking for a formula, package or simply an image that will help them succeed after he is gone. Do the Democrats run toward the center as they did in 1992 (prefering Bill Clinton to Jerry Brown – a poor decision) or do they go full-blown AOC, Mamdani Bernie Sanders? Does the Republican't Party continue as a cult of personality without the personality? Or does it return to its pro business, small government mantra? Or is there some other thing lurking out there? The results of the primaries suggest that no one really knows, yet. [10 June] Israel, Iran Trade Missile Shots -- The ceasefire between Israel and Iran (and the US) fell apart for a bit last night and early this morning. Iran launched a few missiles at Israel, and the Israelis returned fire. Iran claims to have hit an Israeli Air Force base, and the Israelis say they hit a chemical plant in Iran. Both sides have said that they will hold their fire for now, but if there is anything more coming from the other side, they will retaliate. The whole kerfuffle stems from a basic problem in defining what war is having a ceasefire: the one in the Persian Gulf or the one in the Persian Gulf and in Lebanon. Israel says it is the former, while Iran says it is the latter. What happens in Lebanon holds the key. [8 June] © Copyright 2026 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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23 Years Online Volume XXIV, Number 86
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