Iran: Iraq 2 electric boogaloo.

[travis]

Here we go again. Interested to hear your thoughts.

 

[Pheonix]

I'm more worried about what's happening closer to home.

 

[CXR1037]

I don't think Iran is anything to worry about now. They don't seem to have allies. China? Not happening - they rely on the US too much, they won't spoil that by supporting Iran. Russia? Who cares? Sanctions on Iran in general are going to starve their people, create civil unrest. I can't imagine Iran would want to block the Strait of Hormuz - wouldn't that fuck over China?

It's a problem, it's serious, and it's worth watching but I think Phoenix is right, a lot more going on right now.

cxR - NUKES NUKES NUKES

 

[travis]

I'm more worried about what's happening closer to home.

Care to elaborate? I hate to assume that I understand your position. Another war is another unaffordable money pit which will have a continued negative effect on things "closer to home", no?

 

[frzrbrnd]

iran isn't trying to get a nuclear bomb. if they are, who cares? it's none of our business. only one country has ever used an atomic bomb in anger, and i don't think they really have a moral high ground here. north korea has nuclear weapons, for christ's sake, -- a nation that perpetually has leaders that are literally out of touch with reality -- and has never used them in anger.

we will all be fine until we die or shortly before.

 

[Pheonix]

It's a problem, it's serious, and it's worth watching but I think Phoenix is right, a lot more going on right now.

cxR - NUKES NUKES NUKES

Damn CXR1037, I just noticed you have more likes then me you must be even more of a sarcastic son of a bitch then I am. I bow my hat to you sir.

 

[CXR1037]

pheonix, they hate me 'cuz i'm free.

cXr - in all seriousness, can we develop some alternative energy and kiss oil goodbye?

 

[frzrbrnd]

if we get off oil, does that mean no more trainhopping?

 

[outskirts]

Iran is more a danger to themselves! Wanting to build atomic energy plants in an earthquake prone country is just plain stupid!
frzrbrnd is right about North Korea! Their leadership is just insane and people arn't making as big a stink of it as they are Iran's
nuclear energy program. I never hear anyone complaining about countries such as India, Pakistan and Israel refusing to sign the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. All these governments and leaders don't give a shit what any of us think anyway.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not being apathetic, it's just way out of our hands. Einstein is rolling in his grave over it.
I recomend getting a copy of Nuclear War Survival Skills by Cresson H. Kearny for some nice reading with some morning
coffee. Hey it will give you an edge in survival if these fools do reduce most of the planet to a radioactive post apocalyptic wasteland.
That is if any of us survive?

 

[hunter]

the impending solar storm is more of a cause for worry than iran. our military is far more powerful then theirs.

 

[travis]

I'm well aware that there are other issues of concern, but this doesn't deter my intellectual curiosities on the subject of (another) potential preemptive war in the middle east.

 

[scatwomb]

Yeah, debating the merits or suspicions of a nuclear program isn't really the point. The point is that there could be another war in the Middle East and Israel could be involved. And, if Israel gets involved, the United States is automatically involved because we have an idiotic military alliance with that shit country. And, also, if Israel is involved, I have a feeling other volatile countries in the Middle East would be affected by this.

Geopolitics is a bitch. Oil is also a bitch. CNN says gas is going to be 5$ a gallon this summer - that's enough to start World War III for our idiotic public.

Ha, I am glad I live in Idaho. We are all heavily armed. There are mountains and forests to hide in if shit hits the fan. People say that the valleys of mountains would be safe in the event of a nuclear winter (I am skeptical about that, ha). And, basically, I am pretty sure Idaho and Montana would turn into the Afghanistan of America if anyone ever invaded. So, at least we could have pride that some people are fighting back.

So, in conclusion, if a war happens, come to Idaho and fight. If you think whatever country would be invading the US would be better than the US, they will still be a nation state inhibiting real freedom, no matter what.

 

[outskirts]

The U.S. (under the current administration) is not gonna attack Iran.
Israel might though. It's hard to say, even the U.S. government probably won't know if Israel does decide to strike.
After all, Israel is not officially a U.S. ally, which means that they do not have to inform the U.S. before they launch an
attack on another country. (there are particular requirements for U.S. ally status)
Unless Iran were to overreact in the event of Israel bombing them, and thus attack U.S. interests in the Persian Gulf,
I don't see the U.S. getting into it. The whole thing if it does happen, will probably remain just Israel and Iran trading
some blows while the Saudis sit ringside chuckling because they despise them both.

It is not something that I would worry about, we'll just see it in the paper or hear about it on the news if it all goes down.

 

[frzrbrnd]

if the u.s. wasn't going to get into it, then why does the u.s. government spend so much time shit-talking iran? it makes no sense to ratchet up tensions with iran and then not even "get into it" when israel actually starts some shit.

 

[travis]

if the u.s. wasn't going to get into it, then why does the u.s. government spend so much time shit-talking iran? it makes no sense to ratchet up tensions with iran and then not even "get into it" when israel actually starts some shit.

According to (among others) a Huffington Post article titled "Iranian scientists Killed: Israel teamed with Terror Group to Coordinate Deadly attacks." Israel has apparently already begun starting shit, by assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists. And despite the fact that I'm aware that Ahmadinejad has said some stupid shit about wiping out Israel, the guy seems like a fuckjob and I have significant doubts as to his capability/willingness to actually do so.

From what I understand, Iran has undergone rigorous inspections at all of it's proposed nuclear power sites and there has been no evidence to support that Iran has any intentions of developing nuclear weapons, at least at this point = no wmd's. Sound familliar??? If Iran and Israel go to war with eachother, so be it. I just hope that the US doesn't get dragged into this shit. But with the way the media has been consistently driving home the whole "Iran is Bad" propaganda over and over and over... I regretfully expect that history is about to repeat itself.

 

[frzrbrnd]

however much ahmadinejad might want to wipe israel off the map (and there's some contention about whether or not he actually said that -- some say that was a bad translation), regardless of iran's military strength, ahmadinejad doesn't have the power to do that. iran's supreme leader would have to authorize that, and ahmadinejad is not iran's supreme leader.

note also that iran's supreme leader issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons and as far as international law is concerned, there is no reason to deny iran the right to have them: iran signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, but between now and that time a revolution occurred, which any sane person would consider a nullification of treaties signed prior to. either way, north korea was a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and backed out under terms that are contrary to how the treaty specifies nations may exit the treaty. and in that case we did not go to war with north korea.

 

[travis]

however much ahmadinejad might want to wipe israel off the map (and there's some contention about whether or not he actually said that -- some say that was a bad translation), regardless of iran's military strength, ahmadinejad doesn't have the power to do that. iran's supreme leader would have to authorize that, and ahmadinejad is not iran's supreme leader.

note also that iran's supreme leader issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons and as far as international law is concerned, there is no reason to deny iran the right to have them: iran signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, but between now and that time a revolution occurred, which any sane person would consider a nullification of treaties signed prior to. either way, north korea was a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and backed out under terms that are contrary to how the treaty specifies nations may exit the treaty. and in that case we did not go to war with north korea.

I heard about how the quote might have been a mistranslation or taken out of context. Who knows?? The reason I mentioned it is because a lot of people I've spoken with about this issue seem to be using that as personal justification for Israel's purported attacks on Iran, so if it is a mistranslation to begin with... that's fucked. And yeah, the whole North Korea hypocrisy has been plaguing me for years. They justified taking out Saddam because they thought he MIGHT have weapons, all the while Lil' Kim was blowing up nukes every other weekend. Blah.

 

[outskirts]

if the u.s. wasn't going to get into it, then why does the u.s. government spend so much time shit-talking iran? it makes no sense to ratchet up tensions with iran and then not even "get into it" when israel actually starts some shit.

Because Netanyahu is giving Obama a fucking headache and Obama just wants him to shut up, lol.
In reality, because the U.S. just wrapped up with Iraq, is still dealing with Afghanistan, and is playing chess with Iran's friends Russia and China. Besides the U.S. don't have to do shit, they've already armed Israel to the teeth! Israel is the only country in the Middle East with
Nuclear weapons.
Actually I found the Israel-Turkey tensions more interesting. Anybody notice how quiet the U.S. got with that one?

 

[Pheonix]

Actually I found the Israel-Turkey tensions more interesting. Anybody notice how quiet the U.S. got with that one?

Now that's what I wanna see. Turkey has a long history of military genius, they once took out several thousand British soldiers with just a handful of well placed snipers.