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Israel and Iran
- Thread starter TLDR20
- Start date
Blizzard
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This is one of the more interesting aspects to the strikes on Iran:
Rubio's point is a fair one and, like it or not, the administration is using the opportunity to call out the duplicatous nature of several prominent allies. France has always been a pain in the ass, especially when it comes to using their airspace. But, Germany, Spain, the UK, and even Italy now have been unnecessary obstructions.
It's not just the use of bases/airspace either. It's their adherence to sanctions, diplomatic relations, etc. Rubio doesn't use this term specifically, but he's right, they're takers.
The larger, long-term potential relationship implications will be interesting to watch.
Rubio's point is a fair one and, like it or not, the administration is using the opportunity to call out the duplicatous nature of several prominent allies. France has always been a pain in the ass, especially when it comes to using their airspace. But, Germany, Spain, the UK, and even Italy now have been unnecessary obstructions.
It's not just the use of bases/airspace either. It's their adherence to sanctions, diplomatic relations, etc. Rubio doesn't use this term specifically, but he's right, they're takers.
The larger, long-term potential relationship implications will be interesting to watch.
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ThunderHorse
Verified Military
Clearly I should stay off this site on this day...or better yet off the internet.
Bro, this was awesome. Totally got me. It was completely in line with the thread theme, it was plausible, and it was inflammatory. I totally fell for it. Well done.
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
They stopped the auto promotion to major texts after the election, but are offering BN XO and Co CMD slots for active reserve texts...should have taken the auto promotion to O-4 and done a year...but I was fatter at the time. Maybe this time next year I might be un-fat and they will begin the auto promotion offers.
Don't just stop at one day.
Anyone remember France in Mali a decade-ish ago? Our C-17 and KC-135 crews remember... I know, what about that little dustup between the UK and Argentina? Our intel folks remember. Ah! What about NATO "helping" us in Afghanistan and then MULTIPLE PARTNERS bribed the Taliban to not attack them. Not the US, that didn't extend to us, but the other NATO nations? That's the NATO I'm here to talk about.
I'm sure I could go on, but I'll close with NATO can go fuck itself. It needs to do some soul searching.
Blizzard
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Or the under the table $150M arms deal the French made with Iraq circa 2003? Pepperidge Farm remembers. How about the feckless NATO command in Bosnia? Continuing to buy Russian oil despite sanctuons. The history of ineptitude, indifference, and appeasement is long.
France has long tried to position itself as a key player in military arms. Always skirting the line or flat out undermining acceptable activity. The fact Israel just told them to fuck off and is important as well; ended all defense procurement from France and terminated existing contracts.
We've all had people like this in our lives at some point. It's a one way relationship. They're "takers".
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Box
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Is it possible that the entire Israel, Iran, USA love triangle has just been a huge build up to the biggest, most funniest, most in your faceest April fools joke in history?
...part of King Trumps 7 dimensional chess strategery ???
I think, "possibly YES"
...maybe even "definitely" YES
...definitely yes
Definitely
YES
...part of King Trumps 7 dimensional chess strategery ???
I think, "possibly YES"
...maybe even "definitely" YES
...definitely yes
Definitely
YES
Blizzard
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Trump's positioning on Hormuz is interesting. You want oil? Come get it yourself (ie. pitch in, we'renot doing your work for you), we have plenty of our own.
Listening to the media, you'd think this is a big deal, but it's not really. We aren't particularly dependent on oil coming through the Strait (only like 2%). So, opening it isn't a huge priority. Others, like China, on the other hand...
Listening to the media, you'd think this is a big deal, but it's not really. We aren't particularly dependent on oil coming through the Strait (only like 2%). So, opening it isn't a huge priority. Others, like China, on the other hand...
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
It's a massive deal if you care about maintaining American hegomonic power. It's true, we don't need the oil coming out of the Middle East, but it's not about us buying; it's about making sure the oil trade happens in USD.
If you want the petrodollar to remain, it helps if the trade of oil is protected.
As it stands now, the IRGC is charging Tolls in Yuan for ships to leave the Strait. If we don't do something (militarily or diplomaticly), we effectively encourage competition of the petrodollar, give China strategic inroads with allies in the area because we'll "look weak", and have created a funding method for the IRGC that we didn't have before.
That's before we even get into what we'll see as end results with our allies in Europe. Maybe it'll all blow over, or maybe they pull away from us. @RackMaster has got plenty of posts about how that's happening with Canada.
The Quartermaster
Verified Military
I forgot today was the day of rickrolls.
Could not agree more with that line of thinking. The US is tired of being "someone" every time "someone needs to do something" about X, and then everyone else complains about what we did/how we did it.
Jaknight
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I have to say, Trump’s ability to just reshape reality to fit whatever’s in his head is honestly wild. He starts a war, probably thinking he can get some kind of payoff to stop the bombing, then gets stuck when nobody pays. The strait ends up closed, he can’t reopen it, he tries to pressure the same allies he was almost ready to fight, and now he’s claiming he won and is pulling out, even though the Iranian regime is still there and oil prices have gone up.
Truly amazing to me.
Truly amazing to me.
Blizzard
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That is a pretty wild and highly speculative view.
The stated objective was to eliminate the potential for Iran to achieve a nuclear weapon. Period.
The goal wasn't regime change. It wasn't to obtain oil rights or lower oil prices. These just happen to outcomes from the original objective; happy secondary effects. If they happen, great. If not, no big deal either.
As it is, the U.S. and Israel have done the world a huge favor. Hopefully, the action wraps up soon. It may take a bit longer to get clarity on the effectiveness.
