Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Op-ed:
Victory Not Delivered 
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor
This opinion piece is my opinion alone, and does not necessarily represent the views of blogspot.or google.com

...This deal...this Memorandum of Understanding is, in my opinion, no better than Obama's deal with Iran...the deal that actually set Iran on a path to a nuclear bomb...but for whatever reason Trump and his “Trump can do no wrong” supporters refuse to see that fact.

Houston”...there truly remains a problem, a problem that started with last summer's joint U.S./Israel military partnership where we had the military advantage over the regime, but Trump actually gave said advantage away. How so...by his refusing to finish (or let Israel finish) the job he led us, the Iranian people, and Israel herself to believe would be done.

...as Iran once again tries to play what is the “on again, off again” hoped for extension game, Trump continues saying that the “Memorandum of Understanding” is Iran's “unconditional surrender,” thus turning a rightfully just war into but a mockery of itself for “appeasement” and “capitulation” are now and will always remain the antithesis of victory...Read entire article here. 
Cops could be forced into race-based guessing game after Supreme Court move, Thomas joins dissent
'What about dark-skinned Latinos, other Latinos, and members of other minority groups?' the dissent asked
/ Fox News 

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas on Monday dissented from the Supreme Court’s refusal to take up a case that they said forces police officers to create a separate set of rules for racial minorities.

"It is dangerous to allow an individual to be treated differently based on statistics, studies, or expert testimony that purports to show that members of the racial or ethnic group to which he belongs are more likely to act in a certain way than are members of other groups," Alito wrote on behalf of himself and Thomas. "Here, the special treatment helped the individual; in other situations it will not."

The case, U.S. v. Donte J. Carter, involved a Black man whose firearm and theft convictions were vacated after the D.C. Court of Appeals held that police seized him before they had reasonable suspicion. Officers later recovered a .40-caliber pistol from Carter’s pants and the government said the gun had been stolen from an FBI agent’s vehicle.

US waives Iran oil sanctions for two months in $10 billion payday

WASHINGTON — The US government on Monday formally waived oil sanctions on Iran for two months — allowing for roughly $10 billion in revenue as nuclear talks continued with Iranian officials in Switzerland.

The Treasury Department waiver lasts through Aug. 21 — giving Iran the ability to openly sell its oil for the first time since the 1990s, meaning it will pocket new profits by avoiding discounted sales.

The waiver was announced as Vice President JD Vance prepared to depart peace talks in Switzerland — and follows President Trump last week lifting the two-month US naval blockade of Iranian ports.

The waiver could allow Iran to take in an estimated $60 billion annually — or $10 billion for the two-month window. 

Tehran has long sold its oil to China in violation of US sanctions and now can boost profits by eliminating discounts that reached up to $10 per barrel, according to market analysis cited in US government reports.

RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE! 
Today, Tuesday, June 23rd from 7 to 8:30pm EST, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss 'Victory Not Delivered' 'The Deal - Pragmatism vs. Emotionalism’; Starmer resigns as UK prime minister; and the SCOTUS police race based ruling. Tune in to RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS on https://rspradio1.com Click 'LISTEN LIVE.' 
 

Monday, June 22, 2026

Op-ed:
Victory Not Delivered
By: Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor
This opinion piece is my opinion alone, and does not necessarily represent the views of blogspot.or google.com. 
 
"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."
 
- Sun Tzu, The Art of War, written at the end of China's “Spring and Autumn” period (770–476 BCE),

Words of strength, words of preparation, and words of courage spoken in the quest for military victory all those many centuries ago...words that are the direct opposite of what we have been hearing for months now, as in ”let's make a deal” with Iran.

And sadly, a deal...the “Memorandum of Understanding” (MoU) it's being called...was indeed a deal made with the enemy...a deal that in actuality favors and emboldens that enemy while what is actually our (and Israel's) true military victory is being pushed to the proverbial wayside.

And here I speak of our and Israel's war with Iran...a war that saw bits of the regime's terrorist heads being “taken out” one by one courtesy of Israel's Mossad and bombs that did indeed go boom. However, over the past few months we've been forced to listen to words about deals hopefully being forged with terrorists that saw extension after extension being given to the enemy...and while it pains me to say this, I believe, in part, that it's being done in a quest for one man's hoped for “Nobel Peace Prize.”

"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."
 
- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

And win we have not for we...the United States of America...the world's #1 “Super Power”...have actually lost said war via “appeasement” and “capitulation” to those whose battle cry remains, “Death to America, Death to Israel”...the very words still being chanted in the minds of jihadists even as they sign pieces of paper with fingers crossed behind their backs.

"It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it."
- General Douglas MacArthur words spoken in an address to the cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on May 12, 1962.

And so while the logistics and instruments of war itself have changed greatly over the millennia, MacArthur's words spoken then garner new meaning now as they reach the pinnacle of importance, Why so...because, in my opinion, President Trump never actually intended to win the war with Iran, at least not in the conventional sense, but to reach a stalemate of sorts where both sides could “save face,” and do so while twisting the rhetoric surrounding this war to fit their own personal needs and political agendas.

In the case of Iran the obvious is very clear in that the regime desperately wanted to hold onto power; they wanted all the protests to end; and to bring their death wishes for America and Israel to fruition, or to at least spew the rhetoric surrounding said wishes to help keep the Iranian people in line.

And as for our goal, besides the main issue of Iran not developing a nuclear weapon, I believe our goal was to neutralize, if you will, the politically damaging grip the mullahs had on the people of Iran while hopefully seeing Iranian oil flow more freely so as to help bring down prices at the pump and at the grocery store here at home before November's mid-term elections. Why so...because Trump knows that the majority of people vote, especially at midterm time, with their pocketbook...as in what they can and/or cannot afford to purchase...and that right now the American consumer's pocketbooks continue to take direct hits from Trump's not so wonderful economic policies along with his foreign policy faux pas.

President Trump's “The Art of the Deal” mindset...the central jump off point, and 40-year old formula for his personal economic successes...it has indeed proven that while his formula was extremely successful some decades ago in regards to the making of real estate and construction deals, it is not working out too well now for either our economy, nor our standing on the world stage in regards to the global markets, nor is it in regards to making deals with folks who continue to sign said deals with fingers still being crossed behind their ever deceitful backs.

A battle is won by him who is firmly resolved to win it." 
- These were the words of Russian author Leo Tolstoy in his 1869 novel, War and Peace,” where his belief that moral fortitude and unwavering determination do often become the deciding factors in overcoming challenges faced during times of war.

And President Trump could learn a few things from Tolstoy's words about loyalty, friendship, obligations, and simple right from wrong...that is if he can put his “I, I, I...me, me, me” ego aside for a bit...for at the recent G7 Summit, our president had the unmitigated gall to tell our staunchest ally and war partner Israel...and its great Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu...that Israel should be “thrilled” by the deal that the U.S. signed with Iran because it means, “they’re not going to be nuked.”

And if that's not enough our president had to rub salt into Israel's wounds, with his words that the worst case scenario would be that Israel would still survive any potential Iranian attack no matter their continuing actions in Lebanon. But Trump being Trump could not leave it at that as he had to add that, “Israel's fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed in the fighting." Exasperating for sure.

I guess Trump cannot accept as fact that Israel has been fighting for it's very survival as the “Jewish State” since 1947. And now with Hezbollah directly supported by Iran, it took unmitigated gall to address Israel about its “defensive actions”...especially when it's already been stated by Iran that once sanctions are lifted they pledge to refund and rearm Hezbollah, but not a word from Trump about that.

And how sad is it that Trump's guarantees regarding Israel aren't worth the paper they're printed on nor are his words of Israel's survival, because the fact is that Israel was deliberately left out of any and all negotiations that determined not just our and Iran's fate, but Israel's fate as well,

And to make matters worse Trump did so knowing well that Israel strongly opposed the deal made...the deal that was on “hold” when I started writing this article, what with Iran still demanding that Israel completely leave Lebanon...which is surely not going to happen...along with the fact that said deal only included an Iranian “pledge” not to obtain a nuclear weapon, and to merely discuss making further concessions...nuclear and otherwise...during follow-up negotiations over the next few months.

But now as I finish writing this this article the first round of negotiations are taking place in Switzerland headed by (Israel defaming) JD Vance even after Iran had again shut down the Strait of Hormuz just as the blockade was beginning to be lifted. In fact, President Trump  today warned Iran that the U.S. would hammer the Islamic Republic if it didn’t immediately open the Strait of Hormuz and rein in its terrorist proxies, most especially Hezbollah. 

Another red line of sorts now being drawn, probably just another extension in the making...for threats without action only go so far before they become laughable at best, especially when it's starting to seem that Iran has been playing us all along, Many of us who have questioned Trump's making deals with terrorists from the beginning are no longer standing alone for key players of name are also starting to see the truth that Iran has been playing us all along as witnessed by responses we never thought we would hear.

For example let's start with these words which sum up the situation quite well, “With the United States or without the United States, we will act and will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.” Those were the words of Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, after Netanyahu himself publicly stated that this deal is not and will not be binding for Israel, as Israel will rightfully defend herself, and might I add my own words with no permission from Donald Trump needed.

In fact, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the deal is “bad for Israel and the entire free world;”  while our Secretary of State Marco Rubio...a staunch supporter of Israel...reportedly opposed the deal (and his face at the G7 when standing beside Trump shows both trepidation and disgust); Secretary of War Pete Hegseth opposed the deal and had urged further military action instead, as did CIA Chief John Radcliffe. Also, Senator Lindsay Graham, a staunch supporter and friend of President Trump told him that, “you must remember who you're dealing with;” but apparently Trump did not.

Also, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the deal out after Trump recently stated that, “Israel would not exist without the U.S.” which is arrogance personified; while our former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also opposes this deal, warned Trump against “trusting the regime” as “the radical regime will inevitably weaponize any cash relief to fund global terror.”

Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.
 - Winston Churchill's words spoken on May 13, 1940, during his first speech to the House of Commons as Prime Minister.

Sadly, President Trump refuses to understand that this deal is the very antithesis of survival. Why so...because it gives more power to Iran, while shielding their proxy army Hezbollah as per Trump's own words that, “Iran has a right to limited ballistic missiles” Simply, this deal sets no limit on how many such missiles Iran can have while giving Iran sanctions relief which, in turn, will see them funneling the monies garnered into their war chest instead of helping the Iranian people because the regime remains in place.

This deal...this Memorandum of Understanding is, in my opinion, no better than Obama's deal with Iran...the deal that actually set Iran on a path to a nuclear bomb...but for whatever reason Trump and his “Trump can do no wrong” supporters refuse to see that fact.

Houston”...there truly remains a problem, a problem that started with last summer's joint U.S./Israel military partnership where we had the military advantage over the regime, but Trump actually gave said advantage away. How so...by his refusing to finish (or let Israel finish) the job he led us, the Iranian people, and Israel herself to believe would be done.

And now as Iran will surely once again try to play what is the “on again, off again” hoped for extension game, Trump continues saying that the “Memorandum of Understanding” is Iran's “unconditional surrender,” thus turning a rightfully just war into but a mockery of itself for “appeasement” and “capitulation” are now and will always remain the antithesis of victory. 

Remember, President Ronald Reagan took down the entirety of the Soviet Union and ended the Cold Warwith these six words, "Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall." President Trump has yet to take down the country that is Iran. We had hoped for more from this president, but sadly President Trump has yet to deliver the victory he had promised. Case closed.

Copyright @ 2026 Diane Sori / The Patriot Factor / All Rights Reserved. 
   
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For more political commentary please visit my RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS partner Craig Andrese's latest article, The Deal –  Pragmatism vs. Emotionalism.

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RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...LIVE! 

Tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23rd from 7 to 8:30pm EST, RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discuss 'Victory Not Delivered' 'The Deal - Pragmatism vs. Emotionalism’; and important news of the day. Tune in to RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS on https://rspradio1.com Click 'LISTEN LIVE.' 
 

Saturday, June 20, 2026

White House spars with MAGA allies as Iran deal sparks conservative revolt
 
The Trump White House is lashing out at some of its most reliable allies as a bitter civil war erupts on the right

Conservative commentator Batya Ungar-Sargon became the latest target Friday after she blasted the deal as an “utter humiliation” for the US and accused Vice President JD Vance of unfairly attacking Israel while defending Tehran.

Within hours the official White House rapid-response account on X unloaded on the conservative pundit in a pair of scathing posts.

“The only humiliation here is Batya desperately begging for an additional brain cell because her failing TV show is even more irrelevant than the likes of Kaitlan Collins and Fake Tapper,” the account, Rapid Response 47, wrote.

Collins, CNN’s chief White House correspondent and the host of a primetime show, has been a frequent target of Trump, as has Jake Tapper, the host of the network’s daily political wrap-up show “The Lead with Jake Tapper.”
RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS...Podcast
Here's the podcast of last nights LIVE radio broadcast where RIGHT SIDE PATRIOTS Craig Andresen and Diane Sori discussed Iran updates; inflation rates remain unchanged; Finland's deeper integration into NATO; and our Q & A 'Off the Cuff' segment. Listen to it on https://rspradio1.podbean.com or on our RSP website at https://rspradio1.com/?page_id=39