Politics

[mdwest]

I agree he was a bad pick. I thought Rubio would have been far better.

But oddly, I was under the impression that Trump was an isolationist as well. It certainly doesn't look that way anymore.

Picking VPs isn’t really about policy… it’s about winning elections…

Rubio is doing a great job… but during the election he wasn’t seen as far right enough to keep trumps base motivated or to keep major campaign contributions flowing…

Vance brings the “average Joe”… the union worker.. the coal miner.. the mechanic… he’s a guy that grew up dirt poor, raised by a drug addicted mother, etc etc..

Those average joe, long time centrist D voters are who came over in large numbers to support Trump…

For the purpose of getting elected, Trumps move on Vance I think was brilliant (he clearly got elected, took every single swing state, etc etc)…

For the purpose of pursuing policy while in office… there are a number of better choices..

But you can’t pursue policy unless you’re the President…

Getting elected is the bigger priority..

If the next presidential election was happening tomorrow, I think Rubio would likely be sitting at the top of the ticket… he’s far more popular.. and has been in the public eye a lot more.. and I think has largely been seen as successful by both left and right (whether the left agrees with him or not, they can’t deny his success)..

 

[Aaron N]

I don’t disagree. I’m not a fan of isolationists or libertarians and I think he’s both. Sort of a snake in the grass IMHO.

He heard the White House had nice couches, so he couldn’t say no!

 

[Tanks]

If this war drag out with crude stabilizing at ca. $100 (best scenario) it could result in a global recession..but I guess that mean nothing to you..

Well, considering over 200% of cost per liter is taxes by European governments all it would mean is that your governments will make more money to fund your "free" healthcare.

 

[Brent in Az]

I can certainly sleep better at night knowing the backseat drivers north of the border are not happy with Vance as a V.P

The pot calling the kettle black, certainly springs to mind.

 

[wesheltonj]

Being a dinosaur, we should keep bombing Iran. This should have been done 47 years ago, it's better late than never. Iran has been nothing but inflicting terror around the world. We should due whatever it takes to remove that government.

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

So this is a war to stop the spread of Sharia Law, not a war to stop Iran from becoming nuclear armed?

Or is that just you?

That is me thinking a few years ahead.
Iran clearly wants to control the Middle East if not the world.

Now, what would the world controlled by Iran be like? Can you say Sharia?

 

[pilar]

That is me thinking a few years ahead.
Iran clearly wants to control the Middle East if not the world.

Now, what would the world controlled by Iran be like? Can you say Sharia?

Texas just had an amendment on the state ballot to vote yes or no on allowing Sharia law to be implemented in districts that are wanting it.( WTF )

 

[RLD]

If the next presidential election was happening tomorrow, I think Rubio would likely be sitting at the top of the ticket… he’s far more popular.. and has been in the public eye a lot more.. and I think has largely been seen as successful by both left and right (whether the left agrees with him or not, they can’t deny his success)..

I hope you are right about Rubio. But the polling I see amongst Repubs right now shows Vance with a substantial advantage over Rubio. And my memory might be wrong but I seem to recall Rubio making some noise about deferring to Vance for the top of the ticket.

 

[mdwest]

I don’t think we’ll remove the government… the Iranians were smart about how they crafted it… the regime is layered deep and is well protected by a large number of loyalists…

But… we can effectively neuter them…

Remove the best and brightest… destroy all of their military assets.. and destroy the infrastructure that would give them the money to rebuild…

Destroy their banking infrastructure as well… and destroy their global communications capability…

Turn Iran into Space Commands happy hunting ground for offensive cyber operations… and continue to dismantle anything they attempt to build of value for the next 50 years…

Once they’re led by some despot with a 94 IQ that is supported and advised by a bunch of “generals” and “statesmen” that are blessed to have an 80 IQ or better… that has no tools at his disposal to be of any real harm.. Iran will cease to be a concern for anyone…

And at that point one of their Sunni neighbors will likely finish them off for some reason or another within the next 10-20 years…

If they try to go the unconventional route and wake up sleepers in the US and Europe to conduct bomb or shooting attacks… zap 5 mullahs and 5 generals for each person killed in their attacks… make it personal… an Iranian backed terrorist tries to blow up a shopping mall, kill the sitting Ayatollah and the commander of the IRGC and a couple of each of their aides… then start watching their replacements closely… if another attack happens, take out the replacements… etc etc..

 

[Pondoro]

Sounds like you plan for a prolonged war here.. They will pop up and keep firing missiles at the tankers in Hormuz..

Strait of Hormuz Closure is a Guaranteed Global Recession, Inflation Risks Surge on Rising Oil Prices

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz could impact global energy supply chains and drive up oil prices, which analysts believe could lead to a worldwide recession.

www.ibtimes.co.uk

 

[RLD]

That is me thinking a few years ahead.
Iran clearly wants to control the Middle East if not the world.

Now, what would the world controlled by Iran be like? Can you say Sharia?

Whether or not Iran wants to control the ME or the world is not the question is it?

The question is are they capable of achieving either. I would suggest that both before and after the most recent attacks on Iran the answer was no. They had plenty of potential to be a pain in the ass, but literally zero potential to take over the world. Even in Lex Luther was leading them.

Iran was as likely to control the world as Canada is.

If you really think Sharia Law is a worldwide threat, it must lie from internal implementation in the West, not external. There is no realistic chance of Iran imposing Sharia law on Europe or anywhere else. There are realistic opportunities for Sharia law to be advanced in western democracies based on internal populations agitating for it.

 

[mdwest]

I hope you are right about Rubio. But the polling I see amongst Repubs right now shows Vance with a substantial advantage over Rubio. And my memory might be wrong but I seem to recall Rubio making some noise about deferring to Vance for the top of the ticket.

I think it will all come down to who Trump gets behind and endorses… he’s been pretty clear that Vance isn’t automatic…

I think that’s one of the reasons all of the 2024 hopefuls are playing extremely nice and remaining very loyal… you don’t see DeSantis, Rubio, et al dissenting on anything even slightly… they find ways to remain politically positive and not get caught in the shit slinging when the public gets frustrated, while remaining in line with Trumps agenda..

 

[Aaron N]

What would Iran look like today if the UK and US hadn’t over thrown the government in ‘54 to save their oil interests?

 

[RLD]

Texas just had an amendment on the state ballot to vote yes or no on allowing Sharia law to be implemented in districts that are wanting it.( WTF )

Do you have a source for that? I have not heard anything about it and my google-fu is clearly failing me.

 

[mdwest]

Sounds like you plan for a prolonged war here.. They will pop up and keep firing missiles at the tankers in Hormuz..

Strait of Hormuz Closure is a Guaranteed Global Recession, Inflation Risks Surge on Rising Oil Prices

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz could impact global energy supply chains and drive up oil prices, which analysts believe could lead to a worldwide recession.

www.ibtimes.co.uk

If that sounds like plans for a prolonged war to you, it’s apparent you know nothing about war…

 

[LivingTheDream]

I think most people in the west probably feel that it was the right decision to strike Iran but I am not so sure that the military operation is one of the most efffective in history. Perhaps it was bad intelligence but I think that it should have been possible to make better preparations done to fend of those Shahed drones, perhaps using ukrainian know-how to build up a credible defense against those kind of cheap drones before launching the campaign instead of trying to do it during the campaign. It would seem that using expensive interceptors are just depleting the US inventory and weakening its ability to defend against for example ballistic or interballistic missiles.

How many of those actually got through, we achieved complete air superiority, sunk their navy and reduced their capabilities to even launch anything by over 80% in 2 weeks. As Redleg pointed out they had the equivalent of a couple dozen sorties get through. Your compliant is that we are using expensive technology to do it, just shows how effective we have been.

 

[tinktink12]

 

[Tanks]

I think Trump just believes in walking softly and carrying a big stick.

I would definitely not say Trump believes in walking softly.

 

[Pondoro]

Far-right minister says nuking Gaza an option, PM suspends him from cabinet meetings

Amichai Eliyahu asks why lives of hostages more important than troops; Netanyahu: Comments 'detached from reality'; meanwhile, Smotrich says Israel will control Gaza post-war

www.timesofisrael.com

These are the sort of extreme people you are dealing with in the israeli government.. Some here accuse the regime in Tehran of being messianic (they are..) but yet you support a jewish government who seek the land from Egypt to Iraq because their bible claim they are in their full right to do so..

Perhaps it would be smarter to cool the israelis down instead of headlessly going into this war with Bibi..?

PS - The Brent just passed $100..

 

[LivingTheDream]

It wasn’t unfortunately. Set back from weeks to a bomb yes. Obliterated no.. Sounds like they had enough 60% uranium to get to 10 or so bombs rather quickly. Negotiations did not work. Gotta do what you gotta do.

To this point, that is what their negotiators were saying to Witcoff.