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Culture War Roundup for the week of April 13, 2026

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Iran is blockading countries that participated in the attacks against them. Saudi, Bahrain, UAE can't claim that they aren't participants. They were a part of the war from day one and it is reasonable for them to pay for the damage they helped create.

As for the war I don't see it ending any time soon. The expectation is always that the next war is going to be short and end in a few weeks yet these wars generally drag on for years. Gaza is still ongoing 2.5 years later. Afghanistan dragged on for 20 years. Iraq was going 8 years after mission accomplished. Ukraine is on year 12 and 4 in terms all out war. Syrian civil war went for 14 years.

Trump has created a mess that isn't going to disappear and that will simply continue to deliver headache for years to come. George Bush at least started with popular support for his war. Trump has a war with 38% support in the first month. Trump has effectively shot himself in the foot and wrecked his second term.

As for China the pivot to Asia has become a pivot to the middle east and Ukraine. The US can't be the industrial base for Ukraine's military, fight a forever war in the middle east and compete with the world's largest industrial super power in terms of military might.