[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jedrider', 'O')ne does have to ask oneself who the terrorist is? "We will bomb cultural sites. 52 of them." Reminds one of virgins in heaven, doesn't it?

[asg70]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jedrider', '
')So, final words is that 'Trump is a Bully and not very good at his job'. I have to wholeheardedly agree with that assessment.

[careinke]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rockdoc123', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')aid about a region that has been home to zealotry before Christ was born. How does that select out Iran from the rest? Who bombed the Twin Towers BTW?

[careinke]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jedrider', 'B')right person, tell me how Iran is the cause of instability in EVERY Middle Eastern nation? As I recall, there were problems there when the Shah was our friend. Again, the Twin Towers were bombed through rivalry from another sect entirely. Iraq was no fault of Iran. The US has just messed things up through regime change wars as far as I can tell. It's obviously a volatile and important region that needs cool heads and not an inflammatory dick calling the shots

Well, listen to this. I see nothing wrong with Tulsi's opinion on this. https://youtu.be/LeSSQZMqov4

So, final words is that 'Trump is a Bully and not very good at his job'. I have to wholeheartedly agree with that assessment.

[derhundistlos]

I remember during the 2016 campaign Trump promising over and over to end the wasteful Afghanistan war. Here we sit in 2020 and the only thing Trump has done is to increase US troop concentrations in Afghanistan. Another Dump bait and switch.

Regarding Syria, there remains a significant US military presence so have no idea what Cog is bragging about. All Trump did was disengage from the NW of Syria to new positions and in the process stab in the back America's single reliable ally, the Kurds.

Cog brags about Trump's assassination. Suleimani was visiting Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, which is why a high ranking Iraqi general was killed in the assassination. It's equivalent to a US five-star general visiting the United Kingdom on an official visit and Iran launches a drone attack killing the US commander and his UK counterpart. Yeah, real smart Cog.

Trump did a huge favor for the Iranian leadership. Trump's assassination of a wildly popular general has solidified the support of the people behind their government.

The Iranians are smart. They never make rash decisions. They will wait for the right opportunity then strike.

[Cog]

If the Iranian military want to martyr themselves in pointless attacks on Americans I'm sure we can accommodate them.

Threads like this are useful in that it brings out the left in droves to defend Islamic terrorism. Too bad you don't have Obama around to conduct ME apology tours and to hand out $150 Billion to a terrorist country. But elections have consequences, don't they?

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Newfie', 'R')oc,
Your noting Iran’s escalation is in line with my thinking. Once USA pulled out and out tight sanctions in the Iranians had little they could do except to annoy through their silly attacks.

Trump showed restraint but was ultimately pushed to a point where he needed to respond.

He put the ball back in Iran’s court. If they loose their cool and do something significant the Trump will have the green light to take out their nuclear production facilities.

[Newfie]

I recall a while back, a year or two, reading a Leftish article very critical of Trump on the ME. One of the accusations it made was that the State Department had to keep 2 full time advisers in the White House to keep a Trump from pulling out of Syria.

The head snapping turnarounds abound.

[Tanada]

How about an Iranian-American perspective?

https://youtu.be/1C888mSyD7s

Youtube

[Newfie]

Above I opined about the consequences of the USA denying Iran it’s nuclear capability.

The other side of that is that if after all this mess Trump does NOT remove Iran’s nuclear threat then that is going to reflect very badly upon him.

This is to say that they way I see it both sides have high stakes, neither is likely to back down easily. Letting Iran have nukes is viewed, in some quarters, as a death knell for Israel. And I believe that this thought is a deeply motivating factor, beyond the terrorist threat, is Israel’s existence.

It should be interesting. Glad I don’t live over there.

[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Newfie', 'A')bove I opined about the consequences of the USA denying Iran it’s nuclear capability.

The other side of that is that if after all this mess Trump does NOT remove Iran’s nuclear threat then that is going to reflect very badly upon him.

This is to say that they way I see it both sides have high stakes, neither is likely to back down easily. Letting Iran have nukes is viewed, in some quarters, as a death knell for Israel. And I believe that this thought is a deeply motivating factor, beyond the terrorist threat, is Israel’s existence.

It should be interesting. Glad I don’t live over there.

[asg70]

The idea that nuclear proliferation is good is very much open to debate.

I've actually lost count of how many futurists predicting that nuclear weapons would get used sooner or later in the 21st century despite the end of the cold war due to proliferation alone. Events like this, tension between India and Pakistan, and the NK situation all point towards this eventuality. It might not be WWIII per se, probably a limited exchange (which would be of no solace to those at ground zero or within fallout range) but don't assume that MAD renders nukes unusable. Just because it's ill-advised to use a weapon doesn't mean a leader won't opt to do so anyway. Don't overestimate the prudence of world powers, especially those motivated by fundamentalist religions that fetishize martyrdom.

[rockdoc123]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'J')ust because it's ill-advised to use a weapon doesn't mean a leader won't opt to do so anyway. Don't overestimate the prudence of world powers, especially those motivated by fundamentalist religions that fetishize martyrdom.

[Plantagenet]

56 Iranians crushed to death when crowd stampedes at Solemanni funeral

at-least-56-killed-in-stampede-at-iranian-generals-funeral-

I suppose Iran will now demand revenge for the 56 people crushed to death as well.


Death to America! But first we have to stampede and crush ourselves to death!

Cheers!

[Plantagenet]

The Iranian parliament just passed a bill labeling all US military personal as terrorists. The bill also decrees that all US institutions and corporations that aid the US military will also be henceforth considered to be terrorists.....that would presumably include the US government and companies with Pentagon contracts like Google, Apple, Micostoft, Boeing, McDonalds, Walmart, etc. etc.

iran-declares-pentagon-government-corporations-terrorists-amid-retaliation-fears

Thats actually similar to the longstanding policy of groups like Al Quaida and ISIS. They justified their attacks on US civilians on 9/11 and subsequent attacks on people on trains in Spain and Christmas markets in Germany and bars in Bali and pop band concerts in England and watching fireworks in France by saying that anyone who is a citizen of a western country participates in the evil activities of those western countries and so deserves to die.

Its really no surprise to see Iran now officially taking the same position as ISIS and Al Qaida, as this kind of perverse logic pervades modern Islamic thought on the rules of war.


Anyone in the US military or anyone who supports the US military has just been designated a terrorist by Iran

Cheers!

[onlooker]

https://7news.com.au/news/conflict/iran ... 8442924754

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ') Iran launches multiple missiles at US base in Iraq, Iran state TV reports

[Cog]

This is no simple mortar or rocket attack on our airbase but a ballistic missile attack launched from Iran itself. If Iran wanted to majorly escalate, this is the way to go about it. Our response will be interesting to watch unfold.

[onlooker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', 'T')his is no simple mortar or rocket attack on our airbase but a ballistic missile attack launched from Iran itself. If Iran wanted to majorly escalate, this is the way to go about it. Our response will be interesting to watch unfold.

[Cog]

If, as is being reported, there were no American casualties, then our response will be more muted than some people expect. There are some juicy targets in Iran that are purely military in nature, but IMO we won't be doing a Desert Storm type total war air campaign like we did in Iraq. Some selected military targets unless Iran goes full retard. This will not please the Neocons but it will be a prudent response to what the Iranians have done so far.

[onlooker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cog', 'I')f, as is being reported, there were no American casualties, then our response will be more muted than some people expect. There are some juicy targets in Iran that are purely military in nature, but IMO we won't be doing a Desert Storm type total war air campaign like we did in Iraq. Some selected military targets unless Iran goes full retard. This will not please the Neocons but it will be a prudent response to what the Iranians have done so far.