Israel and Iran

[Topkick]

want to point fingers at Israel

So, because I believe Iran was not an immenent threat and this "war" is not America first, I'm pointing fingers at Israel? No I'm pointing my finger at a POTUS who promised no new wars, America first, and complete release of the Epstein files.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Do you really think a country that has very few natural resources can control the US? Really? Look closely and you could find an answer, the answer isn't Israel. It's KSA.

My humble opinion, you are coming across as very naive if you don’t believe that anyone (or any nation) can be controlled with the threat of information release. Our President (whom I voted for) has a pretty interesting background long before he considered being a politician. It is not unbelievable to me that China, Russia, Israel, or even other politicians have proof of incriminating information that President Trump may not want released to the public.

I am not claiming he is being overtly blackmailed into policy decisions, but in today’s world I’d never dismiss it as unrealistic.

 

[Cookie_]

What's funny about this thread is so many of you seem to want to point fingers at Israel, why?

Because of the multiple times the administration had said "we had to get involved because Isreal was going to" at the start of the war. That's not to say that the Israeli's secretly pulled strings to force us to join, or they had blackmail on Trump; I think that's a bit ridiculous.

I do think that what Rubio said is highly likely though. The Israelis let us know they were gonna do something, and we knew Iran would hit our bases in retaliation. Instead of playing the regular tit-for-tat, we decided to go all in.

This was a bar fight pur buddy started. Either we'd get popped in the jaw breaking it up, or we grab a poolstick and join in.

Do you really think a country that has very few natural resources can control the US? Really?

I don't think they control us, but I don't think we have a decent number of Christian Zionist politicians (Cruz, Huckabee, Graham, etc) in our own government who prioritize supporting Isreal.

ETA: None of this is to say I agree with how Kent got to his position. 2+2=4, but so does 1+3. It's possible some of us have the same outlook without the Protocols of Zion type stuff going around the internet.

 

[Topkick]

proof of incriminating information that President Trump may not want released to the public.

This isn't lost on me either. It seems very timely and convenient.

 

[ThunderHorse]

My humble opinion, you are coming across as very naive if you don’t believe that anyone (or any nation) can be controlled with the threat of information release. Our President (whom I voted for) has a pretty interesting background long before he considered being a politician. It is not unbelievable to me that China, Russia, Israel, or even other politicians have proof of incriminating information that President Trump may not want released to the public.

I am not claiming he is being overtly blackmailed into policy decisions, but in today’s world I’d never dismiss it as unrealistic.

Brother, you just said I'm coming across as naive because you posit that our Duly Elected Executive could be getting blackmailed. That's some funny shit because I'm the most cynical person on this board. Kent has an agenda. Top has an agenda. I have one (I just need to figure out what that is).

The United States toppled the duly elected government of Iran at the behest of the British Petroleum Corporation. We do vacations in Austere Environments for less.

I'm just calling Kent out for being a Skookum that's full.

 

[SOSTCRNA]

My humble opinion, you are coming across as very naive if you don’t believe that anyone (or any nation) can be controlled with the threat of information release. Our President (whom I voted for) has a pretty interesting background long before he considered being a politician. It is not unbelievable to me that China, Russia, Israel, or even other politicians have proof of incriminating information that President Trump may not want released to the public.

I am not claiming he is being overtly blackmailed into policy decisions, but in today’s world I’d never dismiss it as unrealistic.

He’s sure pissing off a lot of China’s friends if they are the ones controlling them. Personally, I miss the good ole days when he was controlled by Putin.

 

[Topkick]

you just said I'm coming across as naive

Its not personal, but I agree that you are either naive, or purposely not looking. To say Israel does not influence the US is absurd in my opinion. How much influence they have is another question.

And once again I ask, are you good with war profiteering as long as you agree? Because I might agree Kent is doing this for money, but I also know his stance is genuine. So two things can be true at once.

 

[Topkick]

I'm more bewildered that people on this board believe what he says

Sigh.

There are so many smart people who agree with him, to include nearly 60% of Americans. Its fine to disagree, and I value your opinion until you start name calling a great American who just happens to agree with most people. Its you, my friend, in the minority.

 

[ThunderHorse]

Its not personal, but I agree that you are either naive, or purposely not looking. To say Israel does not influence the US is absurd in my opinion. How much influence they have is another question.

And once again I ask, are you good with war profiteering as long as you agree? Because I might agree Kent is doing this for money, but I also know his stance is genuine. So two things can be true at once.

Sigh.

There are so many smart people who agree with him, to include nearly 60% of Americans. Its fine to disagree, and I value your opinion until you start name calling a great American who just happens to agree with most people. Its you, my friend, in the minority.

Serious question, why are you responding to my posts when I haven't responded to yours? Because it appears we're in a circle. We're going to disagree on this issue.

And if you want to think I'm naive and this is some grand conspiracy of the Jews controlling our government...because that's how it's coming off. So let's just disagree.

 

[Topkick]

Serious question, why are you responding to my posts when I haven't responded to yours?

You have been and you just did. But, you made your point, you don't want to be held accountable for the ridiculous things you post. Cool, feel free to hit the ignore button.

 

[The Quartermaster]

Fellas, lets not take this personal. We're all friends here. And if we post something then we are inviting others to respond if anyone is inclined to. We can all disagree and not take it as a slight.

 

[The Quartermaster]

Um... to be clear, I don't "do cardio." Ever. Yes, treadmill=cardio. To some. But I'm just "walking on a treadmill to get my steps because I live in NY and it's still f'ing cold here."

Just for the record.
;)

My bad, I sometimes forget that a treadmill isn't just for running.

 

[DA SWO]

IED placed at the MacDill Visitor Center by a Chinese National who fled to China, his sister is in custody.
Wonder if Trump will respond.

 

[Marauder06]

IED placed at the MacDill Visitor Center by a Chinese National who fled to China, his sister is in custody.
Wonder if Trump will respond.

That's really interesting. I wonder what the motivation was.

 

[Cookie_]

IED placed at the MacDill Visitor Center by a Chinese National who fled to China, his sister is in custody.
Wonder if Trump will respond.

Happened about a week after Someone called in a bomb threat to the same visitor center.

That's really interesting. I wonder what the motivation was.

Official CCP response.

 

[Box]

I'd say part of the response to a rogue Chinese national performing an act of international terrorism has been the USA massaging the situation that pushed China's controlling interest in the Panama canal back a few big steps...
...disrupting China's influence over Venezuela
...disrupting China's influence and trade agreements in Iran
...slowly disrupting China's influence in Cuba

For all of the wailing and pearl clutching that Americans are doing over the economic impacts of a conflict in the Straight of Hormuz, I think all of us self declared global policy experts are forgetting that China relies on the Strait of Hormuz for roughly 45% of its seaborne oil. Conflict in Iran also disrupts China's 'Belt/Road' effort. Sure, prolonged conflict hurts everybody. Prolonged conflict can turn a curse into a benefit at the turn of a hat - but right now, every stroke of the butt fucking that we are giving those dirty rotten Persians is felt in Bejing as much or more than it hurts the USA.
It's almost as if this is proof that an "Energy Independent America" is a strategic goal that shouldn't be cursed at the alter of 'muh climate change.

Democratic trade practices and foreign policy efforts would cripple the USA in a prolonged conflict like this. Republican policy efforts could drive Chinese plans for global economic domination back by at least ten years.
...but, it's just a lot easier to blame everything on those rotten Israeli's and the corrupt Orangeman.

With the amount of Sabre rattling that China does - I'm thinking it is interesting that a single dissident planting an IED is a pretty low key response from China for all of the trouble we have been causing them lately.

Joe Kent was right - this is all Trumps fault for being an Israeli puppet. I don't know HOW the Democrats haven't been able to shed light on this with as much effort as they have put into silencing Donald Trump over the last ten years. Clearly, Trump is compromised and Joe Kent knows it !!!
...and all Joe Kent had to do was QUIT his job on social media.

Sort of like a high school boy dumping his girl friend via text - who knew it was just that easy.
...or maybe I'm just to politically biased to see past my veil of cognitive dissonance.
Who knows.


Joe Kent for President !!!

 

[ThunderHorse]

Maduro out - disrupts flow of oil to China
Bombing Iran - disrupts flow of oil to China

China Getting Less Oil - disrupts flow of various chips and boards flowing to Iran
China Getting Less Oil - disrupts flow of various chips and boards flowing to Russia
Bombing Iran - disrupts flow of drones to Russia

And we wanting him to end the War in Ukraine?

Well idk, seems like a lot of positives.

Unlike the Palestinians who have been brainwashed since gestation. There is a significant portion of the Iranian population that doesn't hate the Unite States. Whether or not we will do enough to keep pressure on the Theocratic Government for a sustained period to lead to a regime change is one thing and I'm even sure that's the goal.

What I know is the enemies of our nation are being degraded and that is a good thing. Just as Joe Scarborough told Chuck Schumer.

 

[Marauder06]

Not a response to anything anyone else has said, just my own musings.

Like many of us, I'm not entirely convinced that this "Chinese national planting a bomb at MacDill" has any connection to the government of China. China has far better ways of hurting us--or demonstrating the ability to hurt us than some clown-shoes attempted with a bomb that didn't even go off. If they were Uighurs or some other flavor of Chinese Muslim, I could see that. But this is a chump move. "OH NO YOU PUT A BOMB--THAT DIDN'T GO OFF--IN A PLACE WHERE LITERALLY ANYONE COULD PUT A BOMB THAT DIDN'T GO OFF!!!" China is more subtle and more powerful than that.

 

[757]

It's important to note that Iran is not as monolithic as a lot of individual have commonly assumed. Only around 61% of Iran is Persian. Part of the reason the IRGC is so good at asymmetric warfare is that is also has to, frequently, police within its own borders to prevent Afghanistan levels of tribalism. For-instance, According to some sources, around 90% of those killed in the 2022 protests were minorities within Iran.

The issue going forward is, even if the Persian minority also hates the Mullah's and would like to return to a more western country, how do they view the almost 40% of the country who are not Persian and would like more autonomy? I think that is a critical question for deciding what to do moving forward.

 

[amlove21]

It's important to note that Iran is not as monolithic as a lot of individual have commonly assumed. Only around 61% of Iran is Persian. Part of the reason the IRGC is so good at asymmetric warfare is that is also has to, frequently, police within its own borders to prevent Afghanistan levels of tribalism. For-instance, According to some sources, around 90% of those killed in the 2022 protests were minorities within Iran.

The issue going forward is, even if the Persian minority also hates the Mullah's and would like to return to a more western country, how do they view the almost 40% of the country who are not Persian and would like more autonomy? I think that is a critical question for deciding what to do moving forward.

Additional wrinkle here- Iran's Mosaic Plan. 31 separate military organizations operating without decentralized control across a wide swath of capabilities, desired end states, and willingness to continue the fight.

Makes negotiation nearly impossible, 1 province could negotiate for peace while the province next door sends missiles at the Gulf partners, while 1 province mines the strait and blows up oil tankers.