Politics

[spike.t]

So now he has to come up with something pretty fast....encouraging the protesters to ramp it up.....

'Help is on the way,' Trump says as he urges Iranians to 'keep protesting' - live updates

It comes as an Iranian security official says 2,000 people have been killed so far after a crackdown on anti-government protests.

www.bbc.com

 

[Red Leg]

If this set of riots fail to topple the government as the current trajectory would seem to indicate, it is worth remembering that republicans were scathing in their criticism of Obama for not acting to support the protests of 2009.

 

[LivingTheDream]

If this set of riots fail to topple the government as the current trajectory would seem to indicate, it is worth remembering that republicans were scathing in their criticism of Obama for not acting to support the protests of 2009.

And I would be scathing in my criticism now. IMO would be a huge strategic blunder, and would be a giant setback in our world standing.

 

[Tanks]

This is so off the scale ...it is pretty terrifying people can live/think like this......

Lamar wants to have children with his girlfriend. The problem? She’s entirely AI

As synthetic personas become an increasingly normal part of life, meet the people falling for their chatbot lovers

www.theguardian.com

Hmmm, I think I might get an AI girlfriend programmed to just say: "Sorry, I was wrong and you were right."

 

[CJW]

UAE no longer sponsoring it's students who wish to study in Britain over fear of being radicalized by muslim brotherhood.

Middle Eastern country stops sponsoring students studying in Britain over fear of radicalization: report

UAE stops funding students to study in Britain, claiming fears of radicalization by Muslim Brotherhood. The nation will sponsor education elsewhere.

www.foxnews.com

 

[skydiver386]

Without any real means of coercive force, the protests in Iran will inevitably fail.

At this point, there are only two alternatives.
1. Arm the population of Iran
2. Watch the slaughter from the sidelines

 

[Tanks]

And I would be scathing in my criticism now. IMO would be a huge strategic blunder, and would be a giant setback in our world standing.

We have world standing left now?

 

[steve white]

Khamenei

Thank you, as my wife says after she calls linoleum aluminum...."you know what I'm talking about"
We've both got a little Yogi Berra in us!
Call the cretin what you will, it's still hard to see the right people being knocked around by the wrong bullies.

 

[mdwest]

Without any real means of coercive force, the protests in Iran will inevitably fail.

At this point, there are only two alternatives.
1. Arm the population of Iran
2. Watch the slaughter from the sidelines

Agree… as long as the IRGC remains loyal, and the world refuses to physically intervene, the protests will fail….

I don’t believe the IRGC will break ranks…

 

[Tanks]

Agree… as long as the IRGC remains loyal, and the world refuses to physically intervene, the protests will fail….

I don’t believe the IRGC will break ranks…

The problem is that without troops on the ground I doubt IRGC will be gone. Bombing will not do it.

 

[mdwest]

The problem is that without troops on the ground I doubt IRGC will be gone. Bombing will not do it.

Concur... between IRGC and the Basij (thier "reserve" paramilitary component) youre talking +/- a quarter million loyalists to the Ayotollahs that are all armed, reasonably well trained, well equipped, etc..

You could surgically strike key leadership and render them much less capable pretty easily (through a variety of means).. but without arming large groups of protestors and/or putting substantial numbers of boots on the ground, youre not winning that fight..

 

[LivingTheDream]

We have world standing left now?

Yes

 

[LivingTheDream]

The problem is that without troops on the ground I doubt IRGC will be gone. Bombing will not do it.

Will IRGC remain loyal if there is no one there to pay them?

 

[mdwest]

Will IRGC remain loyal if there is no one there to pay them?

Most will.

They'll simply take from others the things they need (specifically the protestors and/or anyone else not directly affiliated with them).

And... while sanctions hurt Iran.. theyve never crippled Iran.. China will continue to buy their oil as will the Russians.. religious zealot millionaires and billionaires will continue to write checks, etc.. etc..

They may see themselves moving back into the stone age over time.. but they will continue to eat and clothe and house themselves.. while the loyalists live well and those unloyal suffer the consequences..

Not really all that different than Cuba, North Korea, etc..

 

[Red Leg]

Will IRGC remain loyal if there is no one there to pay them?

The IRGC will. They are the true believers. The Basij are a militia, and however fundamentalist, are not nearly as disciplined a force. Should things start to go south, like most militias, most would head for the city slums and countryside.

The challenge is getting weapons into the hands of the rebellion.

 

[deewayne2003]

If this set of riots fail to topple the government as the current trajectory would seem to indicate, it is worth remembering that republicans were scathing in their criticism of Obama for not acting to support the protests of 2009.

US state department has issued warning, advising all US citizens to exit Iran immediately.

 

[fourfive8]

For perspective and comparison… since it was brought up. I remember BHO dumping a huge pile of cash on the Ayatollah in Tehran. I also noticed, not too long ago, US eliminated Iran’s nuke program.

 

[Red Leg]

For perspective and comparison… since it was brought up. I remember BHO dumping a huge pile of cash on the Ayatollah in Tehran. I also noticed, not too long ago, US eliminated Iran’s nuke program.

For perspective, if we do try to decapitate the Iranian leadership, there is a good chance that Iranian retaliation will be directed against Israel. I have no idea what Israel's stocks of medium and exoatmospheric interceptors are after the last engagement (Iron Dome offers no defense against ballistic missiles). Neither of the more sophisticated Arrow family or David's Sling can be turned out by the dozens overnight. I believe two US THAAD batteries remain in country to augment those defenses, but Iran is still capable of launching hundreds of ballistic missiles.

Hitting the Iranian leadership is a far more difficult task than hitting a limited number of fixed nuclear sites. Such targets are far more numerous and fleeting from a targeting perspective.

 

[wesheltonj]

I am a Texas republican who has held his nose and voted for Trump three different times. I am a fan of John Cornyn. The intellectuals in the MAGA movement seem to hate him, I assume because he actually knows how to get things done in Congress as opposed to simply shouting platitudes. But their lack of enthusiasm is a potential issue in November. The good senator has to be on his knees thanking God for his opponent this year.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2010813900879548683

He has to win in the primary. And he's third in a 3 way race.

Crockett knows she can't win no matter who the R is in the race. She will win the D primary.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

This sounds like not just no but "Hell No!"

How will Donroe react to such defiance in his own house? Will JD go all first Zelensky meeting on them for their disrespect?