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Israel, Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Politics
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Israel, Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East
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  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    wrote on last edited by Duluth
    #1

    alt text

    1 Reply Last reply
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  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    wrote on last edited by
    #2

    Doubts Dog ‘Confirmed’ Syria Chemical Attacks

    Scott Ritter  /  Jun 19, 2019

    Bias, Lies & Videotape: Doubts Dog 'Confirmed' Syria Chemical Attacks - The American Conservative

    Bias, Lies & Videotape: Doubts Dog 'Confirmed' Syria Chemical Attacks - The American Conservative

    Disturbing new evidence suggests 2018 incident might've been staged, putting everything else, including U.S. retaliation, into question.

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  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    wrote on last edited by
    #3

    UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia unlawful, court of appeal declares

    Jun 20, 2019  /  Law

    UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia unlawful, court of appeal declares

    UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia unlawful, court of appeal declares

    Ruling prompts government to suspend new arms sales to Saudi Arabia while it urgently reviews its processes

    CatograndeC 1 Reply Last reply
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  • CatograndeC Offline
    CatograndeC Offline
    Catogrande
    replied to Tim on last edited by
    #4

    @Tim "Unlawful" seems to be very much the Grauniad spin on things. I read it that the process needs to be reviewed but in the meantime nothing is suspended?

    TimT 1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    replied to Catogrande on last edited by
    #5

    @Catogrande Thanks for the clarification. Was trying to read it on the bus today.

    CatograndeC 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • CatograndeC Offline
    CatograndeC Offline
    Catogrande
    replied to Tim on last edited by
    #6

    @Tim This from the BBC

    "Judges said licences should be reviewed but would not be immediately suspended"

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  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    wrote on last edited by
    #7

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  • Salacious CrumbS Offline
    Salacious CrumbS Offline
    Salacious Crumb
    wrote on last edited by Salacious Crumb
    #8

    Trump held his nerve and did not get war fever when John Bolton and the Pentagon (and the warmongering idiot news media, but that goes without saying) were all beating the war drums and urging him to strike back at the Iranians. He is absolutely on-point to say he held off the planned attack because after he asked and was told about the projected 150 deaths, he rightly thought that cost was ridiculously disproportionate to the downing of an un-manned drone. I have no doubt he’s isn’t afraid to strike. But he is not bloodthirsty, and apparently wants to sit down for talks. I suspect he is now using Rand Paul as counsel on these matters, much moreso than his own WH staff & advisors, and that can only be a good thing.

    canefanC 1 Reply Last reply
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  • canefanC Online
    canefanC Online
    canefan
    replied to Salacious Crumb on last edited by
    #9

    @Salacious-Crumb said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    Trump held his nerve and did not get war fever when John Bolton and the Pentagon (and the warmongering media, but that goes without saying) were all beating the war drums and urging him to strike back at the Iranians. He is absolutely on-point to say he held off the planned attack because after he asked and was told about the projected 150 deaths, he rightly thought that cost was ridiculously disproportionate to the downing of an un-manned drone. I have no doubt he’s isn’t afraid to strike. But he is not bloodthirsty, and apparently wants to sit down for talks. I suspect he is now using Rand Paul as counsel on these matters, much moreso than his own WH staff & advisors, and that can only be a good thing.

    Love him or hate him, I think he handled this pretty well.

    Mick Gold Coast QLDM 1 Reply Last reply
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  • Salacious CrumbS Offline
    Salacious CrumbS Offline
    Salacious Crumb
    wrote on last edited by Salacious Crumb
    #10

    The other calculation is an attack could have looked reckless, (and you can bet the same bozo media who was urging him to attack would easily have flipped and framed it that way regardless), and that exercising restraint displayed more strength. ‘Cos now if the Iranians do anything dirty they’ll be the ones who look reckless. And then a strike would be inevitable and justified. Get the Ayatollahs and Donald over a table. Let Dennis Rodman moderate.

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  • Salacious CrumbS Offline
    Salacious CrumbS Offline
    Salacious Crumb
    wrote on last edited by Salacious Crumb
    #11

    Incredibly, the New York Times is reporting that Trump made the decision not to attack Iran by taking advice from . . . Tucker Carlson??!!

    Urged to Launch an Attack, Trump Listened to the Skeptics Who Said It Would Be a Costly Mistake

    WASHINGTON — He heard from his generals and his diplomats. Lawmakers weighed in and so did his advisers. But among the voices ringing in President Trump’s head was that of one of his favorite Fox News hosts: Tucker Carlson.

    While the president’s national security advisers were urging him to order a military strike against Iran in retaliation for shooting down an unmanned drone, Mr. Carlson in recent days had told Mr. Trump that responding to Tehran’s provocations with force was crazy. The hawks did not have Mr. Trump’s best interests at heart, he said. And if he got into a war with Iran, he could kiss goodbye to getting re-elected. [...]

    At this point Carlson really is the closest thing to a national treasure on mainstream American cable news tv.

    On tonight’s Tucker show he had on guest Glenn Greenwald providing some no-holds-barred truth about warmongers in elite Washington news media.

    TimT 1 Reply Last reply
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  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    replied to Salacious Crumb on last edited by
    #12

    @Salacious-Crumb Don't laugh too much, the idiot John Bolton was once on Fox's Red Eye late night comedy show with Cum Town's Nick Mullen, the guy who made that joke tweet above.

    alt text

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  • mikedogzM Online
    mikedogzM Online
    mikedogz
    wrote on last edited by
    #13

    A bit of humour that my sisters boyfriend shared. He is originally from Iran. I am still getting used to his accent.

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  • Mick Gold Coast QLDM Offline
    Mick Gold Coast QLDM Offline
    Mick Gold Coast QLD
    replied to canefan on last edited by
    #14

    @canefan said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @Salacious-Crumb said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    Trump held his nerve and did not get war fever when John Bolton and the Pentagon (and the warmongering media, but that goes without saying) were all beating the war drums and urging him to strike back at the Iranians. He is absolutely on-point to say he held off the planned attack because after he asked and was told about the projected 150 deaths, he rightly thought that cost was ridiculously disproportionate to the downing of an un-manned drone. I have no doubt he’s isn’t afraid to strike. But he is not bloodthirsty, and apparently wants to sit down for talks. I suspect he is now using Rand Paul as counsel on these matters, much moreso than his own WH staff & advisors, and that can only be a good thing.

    Love him or hate him, I think he handled this pretty well.

    That he did.

    Every President from Lyndon Johnson on has longed for personal military standing similar to Lieutenant John F, Kennedy, who served bravely under fire and demonstrated exceptional leadership in the Pacific during World War II. Americans just love their war heroes.

    For each one who has chanced their arm their moment of glory has deserted them (see Salacious Crumb below "and you can bet the same bozo media who was urging him to attack would easily have flipped") yet the instinct remains.

    All the historical accounts speak of the inordinate power of the military chiefs and the manufacturers who supply them (see Eisenhower's departure speech to the nation in 1961 advising "we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex.") and they have many persuasive tools to convince a president to do their bidding.

    It seems Donald Trump has a crystal clear view of where his talents lie, and it does not include sending young men off to war for no good reason.

    Two outstanding features of Trump's presidency are that he owes no debt to anyone for it, not even the Republican Party; and he has decades of experience making decisions himself in running a monumental commercial enterprise. He is comfortable making decisions (in my business career I was astounded by the number of senior executives who shrink from making decisions) seeing them implemented and then immediately getting on with the next task.

    He is demonstrably capable of performing on multiple unrelated fronts (he now has, simultaneously, North Korea beavering away to reach some accord in the next year or so; China signing up enthusiastically for coal supplies and carefully looking out for approaching battle fleets in the South China Sea; Western Europe scratching about working out what to do without the guaranteed US safety net; and a raft of domestic issues vital to his electorate (jobs, trade protection, infrastructure expenditure, illegals); Pelosi off her mad cow meds; and in no time it will be Friday again and planning for next week's tasks!

    The US is most fortunate to have his steady hand on the tiller for this period. May God protect him.

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  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    wrote on last edited by
    #15

    RembrandtR MajorRageM 2 Replies Last reply
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  • RembrandtR Offline
    RembrandtR Offline
    Rembrandt
    replied to Tim on last edited by
    #16

    @Tim said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    Very concerning

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  • MajorRageM Online
    MajorRageM Online
    MajorRage
    replied to Tim on last edited by
    #17

    @Tim said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    Ok this is officially terrifying.

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    0
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    wrote on last edited by
    #18

    Excellent , Iran is going to be on the hook to China who are bringing in 5000 security officers . They deserve each other, I'm sure this will end well.

    canefanC 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • canefanC Online
    canefanC Online
    canefan
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #19

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    Excellent , Iran is going to be on the hook to China who are bringing in 5000 security officers . They deserve each other, I'm sure this will end well.

    It might. The enemy of my enemy and all that. China tend to at least try to make a fairer deal, as opposed to Western methods of empire building

    jeggaJ 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    replied to canefan on last edited by
    #20

    @canefan said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    Excellent , Iran is going to be on the hook to China who are bringing in 5000 security officers . They deserve each other, I'm sure this will end well.

    It might. The enemy of my enemy and all that. China tend to at least try to make a fairer deal, as opposed to Western methods of empire building

    Yeah nah, I suspect the only reason they backed down in Hong Kong is because the protests looked bad for their anniversary celebration and as soon as the eyes of the world are turned they will be back with a vengeance.

    I'm sure the Ayatollahs are looking forward to the extra surveillance capabilities the Chinese will be bringing with them, a hardline islamic social credit system will be awful to live under.

    JCJ canefanC 2 Replies Last reply
    0
  • JCJ Offline
    JCJ Offline
    JC
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #21

    @jegga Not to mention the Chinese governments well documented love of Islamic freedom to worship.

    canefanC 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • canefanC Online
    canefanC Online
    canefan
    replied to JC on last edited by canefan
    #22

    @JC said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @jegga Not to mention the Chinese governments well documented love of Islamic freedom to worship.

    They do seem to be very happy to do deals with countries with varying political philosophies to themselves, to exchange infrastructure investment for favours of various kinds, or to engage in preferential trade arrangements and bring them into their sphere of economic influence without feeling the need to change their systems (the so called One Belt One Road strategy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belt_and_Road_Initiative). It is the West that have a long and often chequered history of trying to force change by clandestine or obviously military means

    JCJ 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • JCJ Offline
    JCJ Offline
    JC
    replied to canefan on last edited by
    #23

    @canefan And their handling of the Uighurs in Xinjiang? It would seem they are a little less tolerant of Muslims within their own nation. One Belt One Road appears to stop at the border.

    canefanC 1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • canefanC Online
    canefanC Online
    canefan
    replied to JC on last edited by canefan
    #24

    @JC said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @canefan And their handling of the Uighurs in Xinjiang? It would seem they are a little less tolerant of Muslims within their own nation. One Belt One Road appears to stop at the border.

    For sure. I did say other countries..... And I would imagine a big part of that is about control. Just like in HK. They are trying to squash any cause that a significant people could rally around and threaten the current power structure. Outside the borders it's all about the money

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  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    wrote on last edited by
    #25

    Uyghurs are generally sunni, so Iran probably cares little about them.

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • canefanC Online
    canefanC Online
    canefan
    replied to jegga on last edited by Duluth
    #26

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    I'm sure the Ayatollahs are looking forward to the extra surveillance capabilities the Chinese will be bringing with them, a hardline islamic social credit system will be awful to live under.

    Funny, I perceive Iran to more moderate than most. Certainly more moderate than Saudi and Qatar. Yet the USA always see them as enemy 1

    jeggaJ 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    replied to canefan on last edited by
    #27

    @canefan said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    I'm sure the Ayatollahs are looking forward to the extra surveillance capabilities the Chinese will be bringing with them, a hardline islamic social credit system will be awful to live under.

    Funny, I perceive Iran to more moderate than most. Certainly more moderate than Saudi and Qatar. Yet the USA always see them as enemy 1

    They cause a fair bit of trouble with their neighbors especially Israel sponsoring terrorist groups . Unfortunately so do Saudi and Qatar .

    canefanC 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • canefanC Online
    canefanC Online
    canefan
    replied to jegga on last edited by canefan
    #28

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @canefan said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    I'm sure the Ayatollahs are looking forward to the extra surveillance capabilities the Chinese will be bringing with them, a hardline islamic social credit system will be awful to live under.

    Funny, I perceive Iran to more moderate than most. Certainly more moderate than Saudi and Qatar. Yet the USA always see them as enemy 1

    They cause a fair bit of trouble with their neighbors especially Israel sponsoring terrorist groups . Unfortunately so do Saudi and Qatar .

    So that's it I guess. They don't get on well with the Israelis, who are tight with the Yanks. Oh and they are buddy buddy with the Russians too aren't they? I imagine that's where they get their weaponry from

    jeggaJ 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    replied to canefan on last edited by
    #29

    @canefan said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @canefan said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    I'm sure the Ayatollahs are looking forward to the extra surveillance capabilities the Chinese will be bringing with them, a hardline islamic social credit system will be awful to live under.

    Funny, I perceive Iran to more moderate than most. Certainly more moderate than Saudi and Qatar. Yet the USA always see them as enemy 1

    They cause a fair bit of trouble with their neighbors especially Israel sponsoring terrorist groups . Unfortunately so do Saudi and Qatar .

    So that's it I guess. They don't get on well with the Israelis, who are tight with the Yanks. Oh and they are buddy buddy with the Russians too aren't they? I imagine that's where they get their weaponry from

    There’s a big difference between not getting on with someone and using terrorist groups to sponsor proxy wars in Lebanon and Gaza with Israel.

    I’m not saying I see the us or Russia as blameless for the troubles in the region either btw .

    canefanC 1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • canefanC Online
    canefanC Online
    canefan
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #30

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @canefan said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @canefan said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @jegga said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    I'm sure the Ayatollahs are looking forward to the extra surveillance capabilities the Chinese will be bringing with them, a hardline islamic social credit system will be awful to live under.

    Funny, I perceive Iran to more moderate than most. Certainly more moderate than Saudi and Qatar. Yet the USA always see them as enemy 1

    They cause a fair bit of trouble with their neighbors especially Israel sponsoring terrorist groups . Unfortunately so do Saudi and Qatar .

    So that's it I guess. They don't get on well with the Israelis, who are tight with the Yanks. Oh and they are buddy buddy with the Russians too aren't they? I imagine that's where they get their weaponry from

    There’s a big difference between not getting on with someone and using terrorist groups to sponsor proxy wars in Lebanon and Gaza with Israel.

    I’m not saying I see the us or Russia as blameless for the troubles in the region either btw .

    Yeah, not trying to trivialize it. Syria is in the same boat then as far as Israel and the USA are concerned. You are right about the US and Russia, they and the other Western powers have been very active in creating instability in their pursuit to control the oil

    1 Reply Last reply
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  • RembrandtR Offline
    RembrandtR Offline
    Rembrandt
    wrote on last edited by
    #31

    Also very concerning.

    Middle East

    Saudi Arabia oil and gas production reduced by drone strikes

    Saudi Arabia oil and gas production reduced by drone strikes

    The kingdom's crude oil output is reduced by 5.7 million barrels a day - about half its output.

    Kinda glad Trump gave Bolton the flick.

    1 Reply Last reply
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  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    wrote on last edited by
    #32

    RembrandtR BonesB 2 Replies Last reply
    0
  • RembrandtR Offline
    RembrandtR Offline
    Rembrandt
    replied to Tim on last edited by
    #33

    @Tim said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    How on earth do they do an article on a swimwear model being paid millions by a politician and not even include a picture of the lass? Journalism really is trash.

    Google tells me that it was worth it.

    jeggaJ 1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • BonesB Online
    BonesB Online
    Bones
    replied to Tim on last edited by
    #34

    @Tim said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    You're my boy blue!

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    replied to Rembrandt on last edited by
    #35

    @Rembrandt said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    @Tim said in Iran, Syria, and the rest of the ... Middle East:

    How on earth do they do an article on a swimwear model being paid millions by a politician and not even include a picture of the lass? Journalism really is trash.

    Google tells me that it was worth it.

    alt text

    1 Reply Last reply
    2
  • TimT Away
    TimT Away
    Tim
    wrote on last edited by
    #36

    1 Reply Last reply
    1
  • Baron Silas GreenbackB Offline
    Baron Silas GreenbackB Offline
    Baron Silas Greenback
    wrote on last edited by
    #37
    Dexter Filkins  /  Sep 22, 2013  /  tags

    The Shadow Commander

    The Shadow Commander

    Dexter Filkins’s 2013 Profile of Qassem Suleimani, whom a former C.I.A. officer called “the single most powerful operative in the Middle East.”

    1 Reply Last reply
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  • jeggaJ Offline
    jeggaJ Offline
    jegga
    wrote on last edited by
    #38

    CatograndeC gt12G boobooB 3 Replies Last reply
    0
  • CatograndeC Offline
    CatograndeC Offline
    Catogrande
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #39

    @jegga

    There is a considerable chasm between a tosser and a piston wristed gibbon. This has now been clearly defined. Thank you.

    1 Reply Last reply
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  • gt12G Offline
    gt12G Offline
    gt12
    replied to jegga on last edited by
    #40

    @jegga

    Jesus.

    SnowyS 1 Reply Last reply
    0

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