The Nuclear Iran Situation

[newtothis]

She get a a pass because she's an idiot. What do we call it when the president does it? ...or do we simple call him an idiot too?

Kut, I believe she should be ridiculed for the parroting... but even more so for believing it. It’s one thing to do it out of ignorance... but her position requires more screening and a further degree of fact checking.

as for DJT. He’s been ridiculed for the duration of his presidency. Do you believe a little finger wagging will change that?

 

[Thor]

Much like the Stuxnet virus it's going to be difficult to tell what we did unless the Persians come out and admit it publicly. I wouldn't be surprised if their military was having a hard time communicating right now.

 

[T.Lex]

Naturally, Iran is saying that the cyber-efforts were unsuccessful. For them to even confirm there was an attempt lends credence to the reports that we did something.

The funny thing about cyber attacks, though, is that the victim might THINK they denied it, but the reality can be very different.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Kut, I believe she should be ridiculed for the parroting... but even more so for believing it. It’s one thing to do it out of ignorance... but her position requires more screening and a further degree of fact checking.

as for DJT. He’s been ridiculed for the duration of his presidency. Do you believe a little finger wagging will change that?

I'm dead serious about Maxie Waters being an idiot.... or maybe she's senile. I haven't really looked at her history, but I'm assuming that at some point she had to be somewhat competent. Now? Not so much. The fact that she keeps getting elected is testament to how dumb, generally, the voting public is; often relying on name recognition rather than ability.

Yes, Donald J Trump has been ridiculed for most of his presidency. With a few exceptions, in my opinion, that ridicule is well-earned. He not Republican, he's a flip-flopping populist, prone to starting fires and then putting them out so he can play the hero.

 

[Trigger Time]

Iran says they will shoot down more U.S. aircraft with the new sanctions. I changed my avatar to reflect what I think about that.
Lets go!

 

[T.Lex]

At least publicly, Trump has confirmed that destroying unmanned assets begets no response. (Again, we may have classified-level ops going, but this is just based on his public flip-flop.) So, publicly, there's no downside to Iran saying that they're going to keep targeting them.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

Iran is poking the bear for a reason. They seem to want an open conflict with the US, but why would they want that? Perhaps they think they have a functioning nuclear weapon and want an excuse to field test it on the world stage? Next question is...where would they set it off? Israel, one of our carrier groups, or just out in the desert?

Food for thought. Iran's motives need to be determined.

 

[T.Lex]

There is an ongoing battle for influence in that area of the planet. By making us look weak, Iran looks strong. That gives them more influence.

I don't think they have a functioning nuke. If they did, we'd already have no doubt about it. But, I do think they are relatively close - or think they are relatively close.

 

[jamil]

I'm dead serious about Maxie Waters being an idiot.... or maybe she's senile. I haven't really looked at her history, but I'm assuming that at some point she had to be somewhat competent. Now? Not so much. The fact that she keeps getting elected is testament to how dumb, generally, the voting public is; often relying on name recognition rather than ability.

Yes, Donald J Trump has been ridiculed for most of his presidency. With a few exceptions, in my opinion, that ridicule is well-earned. He not Republican, he's a flip-flopping populist, prone to starting fires and then putting them out so he can play the hero.

Maxine Waters competent? She, like any politician, doesn’t have to be competent to win elections. She just has to convince enough voters that she’s one of them. Thereafter competency is assumed and she gets all benefit of doubts. For her to lose her seat, she has to be seen as a lesser advocate of the tribe than a challenger, or be seen as a traitor to the tribe. That pretty much goes for any candidate. People aren’t objective.

 

[jamil]

There is an ongoing battle for influence in that area of the planet. By making us look weak, Iran looks strong. That gives them more influence.

I don't think they have a functioning nuke. If they did, we'd already have no doubt about it. But, I do think they are relatively close - or think they are relatively close.

Not to mention they may understand our politics more than we understand theirs. A conflict with the US on Trump’s watch weakens Trump with moderates. Given a choice, a ***** ass ***** in the White House who eagerly, let’s say, orally pleases Iran, is preferable to the Iranians than a POTUS who doesn’t.

 

[BugI02]

Not to mention they may understand our politics more than we understand theirs. A conflict with the US on Trump’s watch weakens Trump with moderates. Given a choice, a ***** ass ***** in the White House who eagerly, let’s say, orally pleases Iran, is preferable to the Iranians than a POTUS who doesn’t.

And if they didn't clearly understand that, Kerry is busily servicing them in lieu of a Mullah-****ing Dem POTUS

 

[T.Lex]

If that's their strategy, I don't think they understand US politics as much as you might give them credit for.

Wars and rumors of war tend to favor Republicans, IMHO (and, Trump was elected as one of those). Trump's numbers have bumped up since the drone was shot down.

Looking at the Dem field, it would take one of the former servicemembers in the mix (I think there are a few), to push really hard for a strong military response to separate themselves from the progressives. Even then, there's no way they can match Trump's promise of "obliteration."

Moderates would likely have many other issues with Trump higher on their list than Iran. But, conflict with Iran would almost certainly bolster his base.

 

[AmmoManAaron]

There is an ongoing battle for influence in that area of the planet.
^No disagreement there.^

By making us look weak, Iran looks strong. That gives them more influence.
^This is true to an extent, but I think it's more complex than that. Iran can't keep poking the bear and not expect to get seriously mauled at some point in the very near future. If they are going to continue with the provocations, they have to be anticipating that mauling. My concern is, what do they have planned for that day? Surely they can't be so short-sighted as to think they can keep blowing up oil tankers and shooting down drones without consequence...which leads me to think that they have some ace up their sleeve (or at least they *think* they have one). Yes, they have gotten away with it so far, but that is typical of all bullies and blowhards - and it only lasts so long. They either straighten up, or a day of reckoning is coming. From the sounds they are making, I don't think they will be straightening up.^

In red.

 

[Brad69]

So meanwhile in Iran viruses are reporting back to the US and laying dormant just waiting to be unleashed.
The effect of the cyberattacks will make a air strike look silly when all the ATM’s won’t work and all the bank balances are zero.

 

[T.Lex]

In red.

I don't think Iran is expected to be mauled by us. We haven't really mauled anyone since Iraq, and Trump was elected on a platform of non-intervention. More importantly, despite his words, he has followed a non-interventionist policy for the most part.

So, they're going to test that.

Sometimes it seems like the collective "we" overthink other countries' motivations. They're going to act in what they see as the best interests of their country. They see their best interests as being served by standing up to us in limited, but pointedly confrontational, ways right now.

 

[tsm]

Perhaps the mullahs are getting concerned their people are starting to get fed up with the living situation inside the country and having the US attack may mitigate those feelings by letting them appeal to Persian patriotism?

 

[raider600]

Is cocked and loaded a thing? Have you ever cocked your gun before loading it?

 

[printcraft]

Is cocked and loaded a thing? Have you ever cocked your gun before loading it?

Yeah, every time you chamber the first round on a semi or auto.

 

[Leadeye]

My thought is that somewhere in all of this Trump has a hole card.

I don't know if they play poker in Iran, but I would be looking for something coming from an as yet unexpected direction.

Rattling sabers makes noise, drawing them does not.

 

[KellyinAvon]

Is cocked and loaded a thing? Have you ever cocked your gun before loading it?

Cocked and locked was the term used for alert aircraft with nukes. It sounds like cocked and locked and locked and loaded had a merger.