phenobarb_bambalam wrote: ↑Mon Jan 06, 2020 12:55 am
Why? Does that really need to be asked when you have two an imbecile on a campaign of distraction going up against a bunch of zealots? US-Iran relations have been close to or on the brink for decades, but this pushes things to the precipice - if not over. At least in the past, there was a State Department that was intact, and a cabinet to advise the Commander in Chief.
It's 2020 - the Commander in Chief has all but dismantled the State Department, so there is little to fall back on in terms of diplomacy, there is no voice of reason within the administration, and the CiC has no grasp of history or Middle Eastern politics. War with Iran is a very different proposition to what the US undertook in Afghanistan or Iraq - one that will spill over far beyond Iranian borders.
If you feel that you are right and you truly believe this and Iran truly believes this, we will be okay. Think about it.
As fucked up as it may sound, I think Trump knows what he is doing. I know that sounds totally fucked up.
It is really risky what he did, like the greatest risk of our lifetime, but the alternative was Suleimani eventually controlling the region.
Obama and W wanted to take him out, and I believe would have if they knew the fallout would not be disastrous. It may actually have been disastrous with them doing that, because Iran would know they would always "fall back on diplomacy" and Iran would have carte blanche to create trouble.
Yeah, if the Iranian government decides to go rouge, we are in for a disaster of catastrophic proportions. Or....if not, we may be in for a time of peace we have not seen in our lifetimes. Peace, in a tremendously fraught situation, only comes at the brink of war. Iran was not looking to negotiate. Let me correct that, Iran is looking for peace. Suleimani demonstrated time and time again he was not, the farthest from it in fact. Now he is gone from the picture.
Lets check back in 6 months, I truly believe this will be little to nothing in terms of consequences. Iraq and Iran need to flex their muscles right now, and that makes sense, but both countries powers that be I really believe are breathing huge sighs of relief. Yes, diplomats, expats and Western citizens are at heightened risk, but they have ALWAYS been at heightened risk. Did Death to America start last week?
I am not rah-rahing this action of taking Suleimani out. I think it was ridiculously risky. But I see a silver lining.
Also, let me make it clear, I have no love for Trump and I would never vote for him. He is a fucking asshole of colossal proportions, who doesn't give a shit about his own people and has destroyed our future with his tax cuts, rhetoric on immigration and dismantling environmental regulation directives.
