Iran v US confrontation

Sir Matt

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I hope this is true...

I think this is overestimating Iran's military capabilities and intent. If the intent was to avoid casualties, why did they hit Iraqi soldiers? Hitting Iraqis (not that they really care about the Iraqi people obviously) will also harm their position with the Iraqi government and potentially boost the chances of the US staying put.

The missiles launched towards Erbil apparently landed in empty fields and one unexploded. I guess it could give Iran some propaganda for domestic consumption along with all of the talk of widespread retaliation.
 

do.ob

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What are the chances of Trump cutting everyone's losses though.
 

Beachryan

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What are the chances of Trump cutting everyone's losses though.
Just have to hope Graham and McConnell call him up and say they'll dump him tomorrow if he does anything different.
 

LARulz

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I think that's it (hopefully). By not doing a press conference they've managed to tie Trump to his chair and away from his phone. It seemed to give Iran enough time to say "we'll drop it if you do" in terms of military action.

Trump tomorrow will say something strongly worded but no military action
 

maniak

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Becuase they're so insulated from reality. The average westerner lives in their own bubble.

Its sickening
I look at my group of friends and notice this very clearly. Those like me, who have been abroad and know people from all over the place talk about these issues seriously and care about the human suffering. Those who never left Portugal don't really care about what happens elsewhere, it's not like they don't feel sorry for people when they see the images on TV, but they just see it as the status quo and and move on. It's like "oh it's one of those countries, always at war, what are you gonna do..."

If all school systems included a couple of years learning abroad in different continents and places with different religions, the world would be a much peaceful place.
 

berbatrick

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just had a more positive thought, relating to 11 months ago in india.

in 2019 february some terrorists crossed the kashmir border and murdered indian troops. in retaliation the indian air force tried to hit a base in pakistan (leaving in bad weather after modi insisted and overruled the generals). anyway they missed and hit some trees. then pakistani jets hit indian jets, downed one and captured the pilot.
all-in-all, a total embarrasment. but because of how compliant and jingoistic our media is, modi got a massive boost from this and won election easily in april/may.

so the moral is that if the media is servile enough, maybe trump can also do a half-hearted failed bombing and that will be enough to satisfy everyone.
 

P-Nut

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The fact it is being reported as only Iraqis tells you everything about that slimy excuse of a man.

It'll be a lot easier for Trump to climb down from here and I expect that's the reason no speech was given, once he had confirmation that none of his own were hit.
 

milemuncher777

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I think that's it (hopefully). By not doing a press conference they've managed to tie Trump to his chair and away from his phone. It seemed to give Iran enough time to say "we'll drop it if you do" in terms of military action.

Trump tomorrow will say something strongly worded but no military action
This has already happened. Agree with your post.
 

friendlytramp

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This will be an agreed play to allow the deescalation without Iran losing face. All Americans evacuated in advance so no damage taken, Iran can say it’s done it’s thing and they can then agree a way forward that doesn’t involve war and further destruction.
 

MTF

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just had a more positive thought, relating to 11 months ago in india.

in 2019 february some terrorists crossed the kashmir border and murdered indian troops. in retaliation the indian air force tried to hit a base in pakistan (leaving in bad weather after modi insisted and overruled the generals). anyway they missed and hit some trees. then pakistani jets hit indian jets, downed one and captured the pilot.
all-in-all, a total embarrasment. but because of how compliant and jingoistic our media is, modi got a massive boost from this and won election easily in april/may.

so the moral is that if the media is servile enough, maybe trump can also do a half-hearted failed bombing and that will be enough to satisfy everyone.
They're not Jedis, but I do think that the USAF could do a better showing than that... unfortunately in this case.
 

Redplane

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Iran knows what it's doing. By saying it will stop if the US doesn't strike back it forces Trump to make himself to look weak if he doesn't respond - while providing a counter argument for further attacks if he does. It's a PR and ego battle with the unfortunate result that people die because of it.
 

Revan

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Iran really talk shit though. They should have either made their nukes, or purchase some of them from Russia or Pakistan. The only long-term Protection they can get is if they get nukes. Otherwise they are going to be treated like shit and be in an always danger.
 

Organic Potatoes

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I think this is overestimating Iran's military capabilities and intent. If the intent was to avoid casualties, why did they hit Iraqi soldiers? Hitting Iraqis (not that they really care about the Iraqi people obviously) will also harm their position with the Iraqi government and potentially boost the chances of the US staying put.

The missiles launched towards Erbil apparently landed in empty fields and one unexploded. I guess it could give Iran some propaganda for domestic consumption along with all of the talk of widespread retaliation.
I don’t think it’s overestimating them. They have better intel on the ground than anyone, and a paper tiger show of force would be their natural response.
 

sammsky1

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Ilan Goldenberg, who oversaw Iran policy in the Pentagon under the Obama White House


 

sammsky1

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Saeed Jalili @DrSaeedJalili
Representative of the Supreme Leader to the Secretary of Supreme National Security Council, Iran

 

Carolina Red

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Anybody else seeing Trump supporters suddenly walking it back from “oh well the president tweeted he’d strike back so this is it!”...to... “well there’s no American casualties so technically we don’t have to strike back” ?
 

Relevated

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America says 0 American casualties and some iraqi casualties

Iran says 30 American casualties

Iraq says 0 iraqi casulities

The truth is obviously somewhere in the middle. I also hear that the Iraqis were warned to stay away from us bases.
 

Relevated

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The interesting question then is how does Iraq respond to Iranian attacks that have cost them casualties. I'd imagine they weren't warned beforehand.
Someone said they were warned beforehand and also that 0 iraqi casulities.
 

Relevated

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I hope this is true...

Who is this guy? Does he realise how the real world works? He's looking way too much into it. They bombed a us base hoping to kill 0 us soldiers and then further hoped that America would go 'hey guys let's end it here none of ours died'?

Come on