“The fourth estate is dead long live the fourth estate.”
“About time – it’s a medieval concept isn’t it – with the first three being the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners that in modern times are defined as the legislative, the executive and the judicial. Why the smirk?”
“The executive, defined according to ground realities, appears to be following the guidelines of the deep state and has taken over all projects and operations with a capital O.”
“If this is a veiled reference to Operation Zarbul Haq then let me caution you as a friend that…”
“No it isn’t I fully support that operation, I mean the number of terror attacks in the country have increased massively in recent months, I was referring to Operation Epic Fury.”
“President Trump is angry at long term allies of the US for refusing to do his bidding – to ride shotgun for tankers on the Strait of Hormuz…”
“Several European governments have already gotten Iranian permission to sail their cargo through the Strait of Hormuz – now had Trump said give over Greenland they would have given that up.”
“True Denmark administers Greenland and has only 550 soldiers there, this is after Trump’s threat to take over Greenland, Germany sent 13 soldiers, France deployed 15 personnel, Netherlands sent one naval officer and one British officer also reported.”
“A formidable force hunh! Anyway going back to the death of the fourth estate I find it incredible that they are talking of Iran’s major demand for a ceasefire would be the ending of sanctions. My question is why isn’t Iran looking Eastward as well – considering that Russia has done so well by reorienting its economic ties from the West to the East – Russian growth is double that of European countries and the US and…”
“OH so what do you reckon is Iranian main demand?”
“Israel and US bases in the six Gulf cooperation countries have been decimated, the fancy expensive radars installed there destroyed and…”
“You mean Iranians want the US out of the region – but that decision would depend on the Gulf countries.”
“Who now know that the US bases are not a protection against an attack, especially not if Israel is a party to a conflict, but is a magnet for attacks.”
“But Egypt and Jordan get a lot of US funding so…”
“Egyptians do know they are part of the Greater Israel project. And at some point the state would have to listen to the will of their people.”
“If that is not happening in advanced democracies then how can you expect it in fragile democracies!”
“You have a point – but we agree that the fourth estate is dead and courtesy the telecommunication revolution long live the fourth estate (social media).”
“I guess I agree.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026