Conservative scholar and historian Victor Davis Hanson is recovering from a serious illness and is back to comment on world events just in time.
During a recent conversation, Hanson talked about what is happening with Iran and explained why you can’t negotiate with them. Mainly because they live in a fantasy where they believe God is on their side.
He also explained why Trump’s strategy is working and Iran is losing badly.
Citizens of China, Iran, and Russia made close to 30,000 trips to sensitive American research facilities during the Biden administration, new data show.
Between Sept. 1, 2021, and Aug. 31, 2024, 28,028 Chinese nationals, 304 Iranians, and 1,608 Russians visited laboratories run by the Department of Energy, according to the office of Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).
“While Iran’s regime chanted ‘Death to America,’ the Biden administration rolled out the red carpet for Iranian foreign nationals to enter our National Labs,” Ernst told The Post.
They also gave entry to thousands of Chinese nationals and hundreds of Russians, who could then access and potentially steal American research.”
The length of the visits ranged from hours to months, with remote access provided in some cases, according to the Department of Energy’s Foreign Access Central Tracking System (FACTS) database.
The Energy Department oversees 17 federally funded laboratories across America.
Under the Unclassified Foreign National Access Program, foreigners from adversarial countries are subject to counterintelligence assessments.
“This process includes, at a minimum, the completion of intelligence indices checks, with additional local counterintelligence vetting conducted when dictated by factors such as the facility being visited, the duration of the visit, and the science and technology involved,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright informed Ernst in a letter.
“Due to Iran’s status as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, all Iranian citizens undergo enhanced counterintelligence review prior to access approval as required by the DOE order.”
Ernst initially sought data on visits from foreign adversaries to US labs in 2024, pointing to a report from the Senate Intelligence Committee that found “approximately 40,000 citizens of foreign countries, including more than 8,000 citizens from China and Russia, were granted access to … premises, information, or technology” in fiscal year 2023.
After COVID-19, we should have learned our lesson about trusting Communist China’s scientists,” she told The Post at the time. “We know our adversaries run sophisticated espionage programs to steal research, we do not need to invite them in.”
ARTICLE AND VIDEOSHow American and Israeli intelligence agencies closely monitored Khamenei for months before his assassination
OAN Staff Katherine Mosack and Brooke Mallory March 3, 2026Intelligence agencies from the United States and Israel, spearheaded by the CIA, reportedly monitored the now-deceased Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for months to identify the optimal window for a decisive strike on his Tehran compound.
Khamenei’s tenure as supreme leader, spanning over 36 years, made him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East at the time of his death.
The operation culminated on Saturday morning when Israeli fighter jets first bombed the complex, killing the 86-year-old Iranian supreme leader along with several family members and dozens of senior Iranian officials — 48 Iranian leaders to be exact.
Although it was a synchronized joint operation, the specific strike that killed Ayatollah Khamenei was carried out by Israeli fighter jets using intelligence provided by the United States.
Nonetheless, the U.S. launched the first wave of the broader campaign, firing over 100 Tomahawk missiles from warships and launching B-2 stealth bombers from the continental U.S. to neutralize Iranian air defenses and missile sites.
The attack was a masterclass in inter-agency cooperation. While the CIA provided the high-fidelity tracking that pinpointed the “daylight window,” the operational success on the ground and in the air relied on three primary Israeli intelligence branches:
- Mossad: The Mossad was the “boots on the ground” for this mission. Reports from the Financial Times and Times of Israel indicate that the Mossad had successfully embedded assets within Tehran. These operatives provided the final visual verification that Khamenei had entered the compound just minutes before the strike. The agency reportedly leveraged “gray market” routes to smuggle in specialized hardware — including encrypted “software bridges” — to maintain communication with local assets despite the regime’s digital blackouts.
- Aman (IDF): Aman provided the technical and tactical “jigsaw puzzle” pieces that made the strike possible. Israel’s elite signals intelligence (SIGINT) unit was instrumental in hacking almost all traffic cameras in Tehran to monitor the movements of Khamenei’s security detail in real-time. Aman’s Intelligence Directorate built the “pattern of life” files for the other 48 senior officials killed in the strike, ensuring that the 30 precision-guided bombs dropped by the IAF hit multiple buildings within a 60-second window.
- The IAF Intelligence Wing: While the Mossad and Aman found the target, the Air Force’s internal intelligence coordinated the flight paths. They worked alongside the U.S. to “blind the blinder,” using electronic warfare platforms to suppress Iranian air defenses so that Israeli F-35s could operate directly over Tehran with “impunity.” IAF intelligence was responsible for the last-minute shift from a “dark-of-night” assault to the 9:40 AM daylight strike, betting correctly that the surprise of a morning attack would catch the leadership before they could retreat to deeper bunkers.
U.S. Agencies Involved
- The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): The CIA acted as the primary architect for the “decapitation” phase of the operation. The agency spent over eight months mapping Ayatollah Khamenei’s “pattern of life,” utilizing human assets and advanced behavioral analytics. It was a CIA “high-fidelity” intelligence report that confirmed the Saturday morning meeting, prompting the pivot from a night mission to a daylight strike to catch the leadership above ground.
- The National Security Agency (NSA): The NSA provided the “digital backbone” for the strike by intercepting the regime’s most secure communications. The NSA successfully cracked the encrypted mobile and radio networks used by the IRGC leadership. This allowed the U.S. and Israel to listen in as the meeting was being scheduled, confirming that Khamenei, the Defense Minister, and the IRGC Chief would all be in the same room. Working with U.S. Cyber Command, the NSA deployed non-kinetic effects to disable Iranian communication towers in the Pasteur Street district just before the missiles hit, ensuring the guards couldn’t call for reinforcements or warn the target.
- The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA): While the CIA watched the leader, the DIA focused on the regime’s weapons. The DIA provided the “target packages” for the broader operation, identifying over 1,000 strategic sites, including hidden missile silos and naval bases in the Persian Gulf. Following the strike, the DIA has been responsible for confirming the deaths of the 48 regime officials and assessing the degradation of Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
- U.S. Space Command & National Reconnaissance Office: The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) provided 24/7 high-resolution satellite surveillance. This allowed pilots and commanders to see “real-time” movements at the Tehran compound, ensuring the strike hit the specific buildings where the meeting was taking place. Before physical bombs or missiles hit their targets, USSPACECOM, in coordination with U.S. Cyber Command, also launched non-kinetic effects to “blind” the Iranian military.
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HOW KHAMENEI WAS CLOSELY MONITORED BY AMERICAN AND ISRAELI INTELLIGENCERead More »
ⁿᵉʷˢ Barron Trump 🇺🇸 @BarronTNews_ 🚨 BREAKING: SecWar Pete Hegseth just ordered the immediate cancellation of all Department of War attendance at elite universities like Yale, Princeton, Columbia, MIT, and Brown. No more funneling military dollars into institutions that openly sneer at the very warriors pic.x.com/XQgcD1XQDV
2/27/26, 4:11 PM
Subject: Live map Iran
Following President Trump’s strikes on Iranian targets, the FBI has moved quickly to tighten security at home, raising its alert posture nationwide amid concerns about potential retaliation.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Saturday that he placed the bureau’s counterterrorism and intelligence teams on high alert as U.S. operations against Iran continue overseas. “Last night, I instructed our Counterterrorism and intelligence teams to be on high alert and mobilize all assisting security assets needed,” Patel wrote on X. “Our JTTFs throughout the country are working 24/7, as always, to address and disrupt any potential threats to the homeland.”
That is not routine language. It signals a serious shift in posture.
According to a law enforcement source cited by Fox News, such a move typically involves increased surveillance of priority suspects, activation of confidential informants, and a review of technical intelligence collection. In short, the bureau is widening its net to detect and deter any possible threats before they materialize.
While the U.S. military is focused on force protection for troops and assets overseas, Patel emphasized that the FBI remains “at the forefront of deterring attacks here at home.” The bureau’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country are operating around the clock.
This heightened alert comes as tensions with Iran escalate following U.S. strikes. Iran has a history of asymmetric responses, often relying on proxies, cyber operations, or lone actor sympathizers rather than conventional military retaliation against the American homeland. That reality is clearly weighing on federal officials.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she is “in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely monitor and thwart any potential threats to the homeland.” Her statement underscores the interagency effort now underway.
The timing adds another layer of complexity. The alert unfolds during a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which could complicate certain administrative or logistical operations. Still, core national security and counterterrorism functions remain active.
Security analysts note that when the United States conducts direct military strikes against a state actor like Iran, especially one with a global network of allies and proxies, it is standard practice to assume some form of retaliatory effort could follow. That does not mean an attack is imminent. It does mean vigilance is necessary.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Trump has been in contact with allies in the region following the strikes, signaling diplomatic coordination alongside military and domestic security measures.
For Americans at home, there is no specific public threat warning at this time. But federal authorities are clearly taking no chances. As tensions abroad rise, the focus now shifts to ensuring that any blowback does not land on U.S. soil.
She added:
When it comes to the elites, you know, the corporate interests, the law firms, the universities, the media … it’s not going to end well for them, for those that decided that they would act in their perceived very narrow self-interest, which I would underscore, is very short-term self-interest, and, you know, take a knee to Trump.
The promise to crackdown on political opponents is hardly unexpected in this age of rage. Indeed, Democrats can point to the purging of the federal ranks, particularly at the Justice Department, as further justification for a tit-for-tat response.
Democratic politicians and pundits have been fueling the anger of their base with ludicrous claims that democracy is about to die since the 2020 election. They have now used anti-ICE protests to stoke the anger in the hope that it will return them to power in the midterm elections.
Bravo star and liberal podcast host Jennifer Welch praised footage of a “No Kings” protester celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk. After playing the clip, Welch laughed with joy and declared, “So listen up, Democratic establishment. You can either jump on board with this s—, or we’re coming after you in the same way that we come after MAGA. Period.”
The pledge for revenge purges is an obvious way to further motivate a mob. In my book, Rage and the Republic, I discuss how elected officials often try to enlist mobs to advance their political agendas — only to be consumed by the unrest they helped fuel. This yielding to a “mobocracy” was one of the critical dangers that the Framers sought to deter through protections against majoritarian tyranny.
It is a history that figures like Rice are ignoring in the hope of riding this rage wave back into power. The fact is that history has shown that “it’s not going to end well” for establishment figures like Rice who believe that they can control a mob.
Islam is a male-centric theocracy which is posing as religion.
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Virginia Bill Would Create “Sharia Lite” in the Old Dominion
Amid rising concerns nationally about efforts to institute elements of Sharia law in American communities, a bill introduced in the Virginia State Senate could effectively make it illegal to criticize Islam under the guise of combatting “Islamophobia.”
SB 624, which was introduced at the start of the Virginia legislative session in January, “Defines ‘Islamophobia’ as it relates to the crime of assault and battery as malicious prejudice or hatred directed toward Islam or Muslims,” according to an online summary. Notably, the definition applies “regardless of whether the victim is actually a practitioner of Islam” and “directs the Department of State Police, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, to include the bill’s definition of ‘Islamophobia’ in its hate crime reporting central repository.”
The bill’s patron, Senator Saddam Azlan Salim, is a 36-year-old Muslim immigrant from Bangladesh who was first elected in 2023. He also generated controversy this year for sponsoring a bill, SB 749, which was billed as an “assault weapons ban” but included most commonly owned firearms used for hunting, sport shooting, and self-defense. That legislation has since passed the State Senate and is now under consideration in the House of Delegates.
It may be tempting to dismiss SB 624 as just another liberal virtue-signaling bill. But by incorporating “Islamophobia” as defined in the bill under the category of “assault and battery,” it takes the radical new step of effectively criminalizing anything that can be construed as “hatred” of Islam.
In other words, displaying “malicious prejudice and hatred” toward not only Muslims, but also anyone who could be perceived as Muslim, would be treated the same under Virginia law as physically attacking or harming someone.
It’s not difficult to see how, if this bill became law, it would create a sort of “Sharia Lite” in Virginia. The definition of what counts as “malicious prejudice” is left intentionally vague to allow for activist-minded prosecutors and judges to target anyone who dares criticize Islamic culture or teachings and charge them with a hate crime.
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Montgomery County agrees to pay parents who sued to stop LGBT school lessons
– The Washington Times –Montgomery County in Maryland has agreed to pay the parents who had to sue to force the schools to allow their kids to opt out of pro-LGBT lessons.
The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which sided with the parents last year, ruling that the county violated their rights by not giving them the chance to keep their kids from hearing messages that conflicted with their religious beliefs.
In a settlement reached this week, the county Board of Education agreed to give advance notice when students will be taught potentially controversial subjects on sexuality and will give parents a chance to opt out. The board agreed to submit itself to the court for compliance.
The board also agreed to pay “damages” to the families, to the tune of $1.5 million, according to Becket, a religious liberty organization that argued the case for the families.
“Public schools nationwide are on notice: running roughshod over parental rights and religious freedom isn’t just illegal — it’s costly,” said Eric Baxter, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the parents. “This settlement enforces the Supreme Court’s ruling and ensures parents, not government bureaucrats, have the final say in how their children are raised.”
Becket said the settlement carries out the wishes of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The case that reached the justices, Mahmoud v. Taylor, resulted in a 6-3 ruling that said the county had placed a burden on the families’ rights by forcing them to send their kids to lessons that contradicted their religious teachings.
The lessons were taught to children of all ages, including in preschool. One of the books the county used, and which made it into the Supreme Court oral argument, was “Pride Puppy,” which introduces 3- and 4-year-olds to pride parades. Students can try to spot an “intersex flag,” “drag queen,” “underwear” and “leather.”
The county had said its goal was to promote tolerance. It pondered an opt-out but ultimately didn’t allow one.
Parents from Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths were among the challengers.
As part of the settlement the county said it has agreed to send out quarterly notices on the materials it is using so families can make informed decisions about their children’s participation.
“With the legal process concluded, our focus remains on the steps that we have taken to meet the court’s mandate,” said Liliana Lopez, a school spokesperson. “We have implemented proactive measures to ensure compliance and improve responsiveness. This work is ongoing, and we remain dedicated to partnering with our families to guarantee we are moving forward in a way that aligns with the court’s decision.”
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
