Iran continuing purges

[Orwell]

Jocko, you're not taking into account the fact that, because of the Iraq debacle, the willingness of the US public to support large scale military actions is now next to nil.

The Iraqi occupation actually made it politically harder to go on and invade neighbouring countries.

 

[Jocko]

Jocko, you're not taking into account the fact that, because of the Iraq debacle, the willingness of the US public to support large scale military actions is now next to nil.

The Iraqi occupation actually made it politically harder to go on and invade neighbouring countries.

I imagine that public response to military intervention in Czekoslovakia circa 1986 would have been poor too, but we still had troops in Berlin.

Did you have a point, other than to further confuse polls with strategy?

 

[Mycroft]

Jocko, you're not taking into account the fact that, because of the Iraq debacle, the willingness of the US public to support large scale military actions is now next to nil.

The Iraqi occupation actually made it politically harder to go on and invade neighbouring countries.

On this point, I agree with you.

 

[kalen]

The only option I see to bomb their nuclear sites. Otherwise, suicide nuclear bombing will be a constant threat to millions.

CBL

Hysteria.

 

[CBL4]

Originally posted by kalen
Hysteria.

You might feel differently if a religious zealot armed with nuclear weapons advocated anihilating you own country and had a history of sending arms with the explicit intent of killing civilians. Just a guess.

CBL

 

[CBL4]

Originally posted by Beerina[/i]
Feh. Try six months ago. There was lots of talk just last year about how Iraq was the first domino of tipping, and that Iran's moderates were gaining steam because of it, with college demonstrations in Iran and all sorts of things.

I do not remember that.

The time I was talking about, it was not absurd. I think it was when Khatami was up for re-election in 2001. People were holding up the elections as a sign of rising democracy. I said he had only as much power as the mullahs wanted him to have which effectively meant none. I hoped I was wrong. Unfortunately, Khatmi's impotence demoralized the "moderates" in Iran.

CBL

 

[Orwell]

On this point, I agree with you.

OMG!

 

[joe1347]

I wonder if the recent anti-Israel pronouncements, underground development of nuclear weapons, as well as the latest purges are all indications that Iran is angling to fill the power vaccum in the Middle East left by the "passing" of Saddam? It's certainly not very comforting for Iran to emerge as the dominant force (country) in the Middle East thanks to US policy.

 

[Jocko]

I wonder if the recent anti-Israel pronouncements, underground development of nuclear weapons, as well as the latest purges are all indications that Iran is angling to fill the power vaccum in the Middle East left by the "passing" of Saddam? It's certainly not very comforting for Iran to emerge as the dominant force (country) in the Middle East thanks to US policy.

Wait, I thought Saddam was toothless and harmless for twelve long years while sanctions were in place? Hmm, maybe the Iranians didn't think so...

 

[epepke]

Wait, I thought Saddam was toothless and harmless for twelve long years while sanctions were in place? Hmm, maybe the Iranians didn't think so...

No! It was that sanctions, completely and totally without help from Saddam Hussein, killed 5000 Iraqi children per month, or 60,000 per year. Except that we know from the Lancet study that most of the deaths prior to the invasion were from heart attacks and strokes, and we know how susceptible children are to those. And since then, there have been 98,000 deaths, which is much greater than the 150,000 deaths of just children that could have been expected if sanctions had continued. Why? Because it just is. And what are you, some kind of Bush-lover? Hyulk hyulk hyulk.

 

[Skeptic]

They're not the right kind of religious zealots and power hungry tyrants.

Indeed not.

For example, nobody was executed in the USA for offending Christianity, nor arrested for voting against Bush.

Quite a difference, I would say.

 

[Orwell]

Indeed not.

For example, nobody was executed in the USA for offending Christianity, nor arrested for voting against Bush.

Quite a difference, I would say.

How about Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, etc.?

 

[Kerberos]

It differs in that you are not in jail right now for making that comment.

[joke]An American is talking to an Iranian, and is explaning him that USA is such a great country because they have freedom of speech, fx an American can stand for an hour in Washington and scream "Bush is an evil tyran" without getting arrested. "ohh, that's nothing" says the Iranian, "in Tehran you can scream "Bush is an Evil tyran for days on end without getting arrested". [/joke]