News Vérité

While we’re mired in a campaign in the Middle East (granted, for legitimate reasons, even if they could’ve waited), the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is showcasing the future of automobile technology at the Beijing Auto Show. The show is being held in the Capital International Exhibition Center, a new venue for the gathering that began in 1990. The center totals 4.1 million square feet of exhibition space. Some 181 new Chinese and global automobiles are on display, along with 71 concept vehicles. The PRC is far ahead of the U.S. and every other country in developing both EVs (electric vehicles) and self-driving vehicles. A news report in China about the event noted that “It almost feels like if you are not currently offering a large, full-size, three-row, six-seater electric SUV, your product planning team has failed at doing its job ….” Chinese EVs — and yes, they have hybrids as well — are seriously gorgeous and beautifully equipped for creature comfort and driving experience (see interior photo of a BYD brand SUV). Meanwhile, EV sales in the U.S. tanked after the Trump team eliminated tax credits for purchasing them. As a result, manufacturers not only canceled EV production plans

The Islamic Republic of Iran never wins wars, as the saying goes, but always wins negotiations. In the first peace talks in Islamabad with Iran, the U.S. walked away as the Mullahs closed the Strait of Hormuz and refused to agree to Trumpian terms. Round One to the Shia Muslims. Trump responded with a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, designed to strangle Iran’s economy.  That looked to be working, as Iranian moderates announced the Strait of Hormuz was open to all traffic this past Friday. Within hours, however, the IRGC shouted a loud “no way,” and the passageway was again subject to Iranian tolls and permission to pass. Following that standoff, President Trump announced he was sending his negotiators, led by Vice-President JD Vance, back to Islamabad to wrap up a peace deal. Trump viewed a U.S.-favorable deal as all but certain to happen. But guess what? The Iranians said they weren’t coming so long as the blockade was in force. Negotiations were set to start today, but the U.S. team remained at home, as did the Iranian team. Trump kept threatening the destruction of all of Iran’s bridges and electrical power plants if no Iranian negotiators showed up, but

In a last-minute effort before the ceasefire ceases on Wednesday, President Trump is sending his negotiating team led by Vice-President JD Vance to Islamabad. The aim is to work on a deal before ending Iran’s civilization, as Trump previously warned, becomes necessary. The problem is, Iran has just issued a statement pooh-poohing any negotiations. Iranian negotiators may still show up, or they might just be calling Trump’s bluff, thinking President TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) will have the final say, and unilaterally extend a pause of some sort. Even before today’s announcement, which just came moments ago, Iran was downplaying the possibility of a deal. Said Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, “… we are far from a final agreement.” All this comes one day after Iran closed down the Strait of Hormuz once again, prompting the president to say he will not be “blackmailed.” Let’s see how the stock markets respond to all this tomorrow. My guess: “… down, down, down like and the flames went higher,” to steal from Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.”

Iranian diplomats can promise one thing, but the country’s revolutionary defenders can counter with a punch of their own. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) evidently disagreed with the country’s announced “open” policy for the Strait of Hormuz and today fired upon a vessel trying to take advantage of the sea passage’s new openness. The IRGC put out the word that the strait will remain closed so long as there is a U.S. naval blockage. Ouch! In one fell swoop, or blow, the IRGC in essence just put U.S. policy in another “strait”-jacket. The country also announced that President Trump’s announced plans for returning to the bargaining table are nowhere on the nation’s upcoming agenda. Trump’s very good Friday is thus now a very bad Saturday. “They wanted to close up the strait again … as they’ve been doing for years,” Trump told reporters on Saturday morning at the White House. “They can’t blackmail us.” The ever-glossing-over-the-truth Trump then went on to say that chances for a deal remained “very good.” Tell that to the IRGC, Mr. President. [PICTURED: A scene from an Iranian Lego cartoon showing IRGC boats attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz]