Smurf
Private Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2003
The hypocrisy that's been exposed is off the page.c'mon Smurf you're better than JHB and others like her who'd rather fight the culture wars than focus on the issue.
The hypocrisy that's been exposed is off the page.c'mon Smurf you're better than JHB and others like her who'd rather fight the culture wars than focus on the issue.
Well that depends. In principle is it valid to intervene to stop a despotic state mass slaughtering it's population to prevent them from overthrowing that regime? To me it's certainly no less so than intervening on other humanitarian grounds such as invasion by one country of another.I'll explain chief. When I clicked in here and read the last few posts, Trump was the subject. I posted in that vein, then you followed up, so it appeared to me like you were referring to me. If you weren't, fair enough.
I am genuinely interested in your take on US intervention though. Worth it here do you think?
A strange target to pick in the context of this cluster of a thread. And so is JHB for that matter, in terms of the wider context.c'mon Smurf you're better than JHB and others like her who'd rather fight the culture wars than focus on the issue.
really - on one level you might be right but a) Greta is just a wee lassie (and i dont mean that in an insulting way) with a strong sense of obligation to activism and it really shouldn't trigger you and b) her activism is very unlikely to have an impact on the Iranian regime (you could argue similar i suppose re the Israeli regime but i'd argue she's trying to influence western audiences - are there any/many in the west supporting the supreme leader of the IRI?).The hypocrisy that's been exposed is off the page.
i'll admit my replies are rather random as i'm dipping in and out of threads this eve - i've expanded in my reply to Smurf dunno if that helpsA strange target to pick in the context of this cluster of a thread. And so is JHB for that matter, in terms of the wider context.
This uprising has certainly caused a few masks to slip in the wider world as well, and to underscore what we all knew about various 'humanitarians' and sectarian political movements.
You are one of the loudest voices often questioning why the world ignores all the bad governments and brutal regimes throughout the world, but concentrate on the Israelis actions.History is unfolding before our eyes as brave freedom fighters walk into the guns of an islamist regime behind much of the world's ills for 45 years and some aren't interested in anything bar Donald fucking Trump. Oh and the eternal obsession an all.
Odd jobs.
Not sure if serious. Im rather more given to pointing out the obsessive 'concentration' on Israel.You are one of the loudest voices often questioning why the world ignores all the bad governments and brutal regimes throughout the world, but concentrate on the Israelis actions.
Because of its massive geopolitical significance and because it's clear cut in every way - a despotic enemy of the West and destabiliser of an entire region now turned on its own people (which is very different to saying that the outcomes of intervention are clear cut). Trump is also musing out loud about intervening in Africa mind.Why then do you think the orange one is suddenly so interested in this uprising. As you have stated many times, why isn’t he sorting out the ones in Africa, for example?
if you want to discuss Greta ad nauseum in this thread crack on - I'll say this though - proclaiming with certainty on her motives is I think foolish - I assume you dont know her so it's speculative at best - framed as assertion it's dishonest. The 'appeal to motive' is of course a well kent logical fallacy, that (purposefully) avoids engaging in the merits or weaknesses of a view/action - its very negative as well where the mere possibility of a bad motive is enough to invalidate an entire position or person (its a classic cancel culture tactic) - I'm assuming you're not telepathic but if you are i take that back and apologise?Greta is not a wee lassie she's a fully grown woman. She would be insignificant were she not also Joan of Arc for whole swathes of lobotomised people.
She's a power player and perhaps we should acknowledge that rather than patronising her due to her gender. She deserves to be taken as seriously and thus criticised as seriously as your Tommy Robinsons, Zack Polanksis, Nick Fuentes' or Owen Jones'. She is a real influence on society and a fully grown adult.
She didn't Palestine because she could be most effective there, and you know it R.
Can I just note at this point, that strange as it may seem, my thoughts on Iran don't begin, end or get led by what Trump or Zionists think about it all.
My hope is the people of Iran can throw off their oppressors who are also authors of slaughter and mayhem across the entire region.
I don't give a feck about Greta and only mentioned her in response to your dig at Smurf. This thread is a binfire of people wanting to talk about everything bar the plight of the Iranian people. This reflects the wider world where response has been muted from the usually ostentatious 'humanitarians' to the msm.if you want to discuss Greta ad nauseum in this thread crack on - I'll say this though - proclaiming with certainty on her motives is I think foolish - I assume you dont know her so it's speculative at best - framed as assertion it's dishonest. The 'appeal to motive' is of course a well kent logical fallacy, that (purposefully) avoids engaging in the merits or weaknesses of a view/action - its very negative as well where the mere possibility of a bad motive is enough to invalidate an entire position or person (its a classic cancel culture tactic) - I'm assuming you're not telepathic but if you are i take that back and apologise?
1) I dont really know enough on this, I can imagine it'll still cast a shadow? And you've got to think the younger generations will be less influenced by it and will react to their current conditions more? But not sure tbh.to shake things up a bit
1) is it true/false that the legacy of the American/western support of the 1953 coup makes it more difficult for a) democratic movements to thrive and b) that western support for former to be viewed as toxic?
2) sanctions may have precipitated this by inflicting 'intolerable' economic hardship on the Iranian people?- is that a good or bad thing?
3) does the dialectical materialism explain these protests better than other analyses which tend t focus on western values?
I don't give a feck about Greta and only mentioned her in response to your dig at Smurf. This thread is a binfire of people wanting to talk about everything bar the plight of the Iranian people. This reflects the wider world where response has been muted from the usually ostentatious 'humanitarians' to the msm.
[engaging restraint-o-meter] I'll pass [grits teeth]I can't help suspecting this reflects an ambivalence arising from the fact that freedom for the Iranians benefits Israel and the rest of the region, America and the West generally. And I think this comes ahead of whatever happens to brown people in the middle East and always did. Greta exemplifies those tendencies. We shouldnt be wasting breath on her but I do find it odd you should focus on the people pointing out this tendency, like Smurf, while what he is pointing out is all over this thread.
please open this up in the Israel thread again - its not like we havent been over this ad nauseum already. my position is 1) appeals to motive are disingenuous and an avoidance tactic 2) anti-semitism is a cancer but its use as a way to shut down debate and criticism is also toxic - we have never got past this on the boardPs - it was you that suggested Greta's motive, with some specificity. I suggested that we both know there are rather more obvious explanations for why she happened to land on the same preoccupation as every other bouregois rentacauser and establishment poppet.
I don't have telepathy and if this genuinely hadn't occurred to you I apologise, but I'm also surprised...unless you have it yourself
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thats a disappointingly sensible answer1) I dont really know enough on this, I can imagine it'll still cast a shadow? And you've got to think the younger generations will be less influenced by it and will react to their current conditions more? But not sure tbh.
2) Sanctions wherever are shit imo, they just can't be good in any sense. In so many ways, they hurt the common person far more than the purported targets, but also allow those targets to maintain narratives that designate dissent as foreign-backed etc. Have they ever worked? Maybe somewhere but aye, not for me.
3) Yes I think it does explain a lot of it. It has to. Falling living standards, corruption, blocked futures, sanctions, inequality between elites and everyone else etc. Not all of it though; I dont think if fully explains why these protests take the shape they do. Issues of dignity, gender, humiliation, identity and autonomy clearly matter, and people don’t risk their lives purely over GDP graphs etc. I know I'm simplifying it a bit there but you know what I mean.
So aye, material conditions matter massively, but values identity and memory aren’t just Western overlays either; I think they’re part of how people understand injustice and decide when enough’s enough.
never-mind the bounce far right will be a long in a mo 
No idea but it's a long time ago and I think if you get stuck on this you end up with everything being fine until Cain turned on Abel. I also think that we need to grant brown people more agency and not assume them captive to honky actions from the distant past.to shake things up a bit
1) is it true/false that the legacy of the American/western support of the 1953 coup makes it more difficult for a) democratic movements to thrive and b) that western support for former to be viewed as toxic?.
Well it's not good in the sense that people suffering isn't good. But it may be good in the sense of having been an effective way to topple a horrific regime without the horrors of war, should that come to pass.2) sanctions may have precipitated this by inflicting 'intolerable' economic hardship on the Iranian people?- is that a good or bad thing?
Dialectical materialism is literally the most western possible lens on all this. That said I suppose a question back to you might be: did it get them into this to begin with given leftists were kingmakers for the mullahs?3) does the dialectical materialism explain these protests better than other analyses which tend t focus on western values?
Dude, once more, it was you who posited her motive. I think it more likely she's just following the herd and switching to an adjacent facet of the omnicause which appeals to her existing base and grows her franchise. Tbh I don't think she's much of a thinker and seems to have a somewhat rudimentary grasp of the whole situation even by activist standards. I suspect it could be easy to overestimate the contemplation that's gone into it.hurrah - oh wait there's more....?
[engaging restraint-o-meter] I'll pass [grits teeth]
please open this up in the Israel thread again - its not like we havent been over this ad nauseum already. my position is 1) appeals to motive are disingenuous and an avoidance tactic 2) anti-semitism is a cancer but its use as a way to shut down debate and criticism is also toxic - we have never got past this on the board
Your narrative is dynamic. And like a skilled politician you can make it sound like what you want . ( I think that was a complimentNot sure if serious. Im rather more given to pointing out the obsessive 'concentration' on Israel.
The regime now murdering its citizens in Iran is also the principle party responsible for that mess BTW.
Because of its massive geopolitical significance and because it's clear cut in every way - a despotic enemy of the West and destabiliser of an entire region now turned on its own people (which is very different to saying that the outcomes of intervention are clear cut). Trump is also musing out loud about intervening in Africa mind.
Can I just note at this point, that strange as it may seem, my thoughts on Iran don't begin, end or get led by what Trump or Zionists think about it all.
My hope is the people of Iran can throw off their oppressors who are also authors of slaughter and mayhem across the entire region.
Things really seem to be escalating. Currently in Basra which is pretty close to the Iranian border as the crow flies albeit much longer on road as the Shatt Al Arab river separates the 2 countries. Have heard Iranians have been congregating near the river to pick up Iraqi mobile coverage. Flying home today after my 4 week rotation in Iraq - hopefully uneventful!
Firstly, I have to say this all seems a bit pathological. No matter how much you would prefer it were so, this is not about Donald Trump.Your narrative is dynamic. And like a skilled politician you can make it sound like what you want . ( I think that was a compliment)
Let’s not kid me, or yourself, that you think tangoman is doing ( or threatening) this because he cares about the Iranian youth. He cares not a jot about them. And if you do, I think you would accept that American intervention is the last thing they need.
Iraq ! Short memories eh![]()
'massive geopolitical significance'
I think they very possibly are. There are of course a million other challenges to then navigate, but with mullahs out of the picture the biggest obstacle to peaceful coexistence in the region is gone. And we can't have that.Indeed. Which makes me wonder that that's exactly why the Corbyn’s, Yousaf's & Sultana’s of this mad world are quite comfortable with the status quo in Iran?
How is talking about Trump threatening to attack Iran nothing to do with TrumpFirstly, I have to say this all seems a bit pathological. No matter how much you would prefer it were so, this is not about Donald Trump.
But you asked me a question and I answered it. I have explicitly referred to the history of American intervention in other posts, but you asked me why I thought he was taking and interest in Iran rather than Africa (which he actually is taking an interest in) and I answered.
You also seem to have somewhat skated over the 'massive geopolitical significance' which was the first reason I gave, because it is the most important.
I wasn't talking about Trump, I answered your question on Trump. When not fielding various preoccupations aired by others I've only ever been talking about Iran and the Iranians. Go back and check it you dispute that.How is talking about Trump threatening to attack Iran nothing to do with Trump
Your double standards are of the scale..You've been caught out just put your hands up instead of writing wind and pish
Mask dropping indeedI wasn't talking about Trump, I answered your question on Trump. When not fielding various preoccupations aired by others I've only ever been talking about Iran and the Iranians. Go back and check it you dispute that.
It is a pretty damning indictment of where we are now that those preoccupations have dominated the thread despite my frequently expressed frustrations at that.
Its not me being caught out fella, this whole episode is loaded with mask dropping potential for the right on, and so it is proving to be.
Indeed.Mask dropping indeed
Reuters reporting a US attack on Iran within next 24hrs....sources include European and Israeli officials
No doubt supported by UK whilst US also threatens Greenland, my head is spinning.Reuters reporting a US attack on Iran within next 24hrs....sources include European and Israeli officials
seems us has pulled back slightly from action. Shame for people trump riled upReuters reporting a US attack on Iran 'could be' within next 24hrs....sources include European and Israeli military officials
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Iran warns of retaliation if Trump strikes, US withdraws some personnel from bases
Two European officials said U.S. military intervention could come in the next 24 hours.www.reuters.com
edited to better reflect what they are saying rather than what social media is saying about their report
In Dubai now en route back to Embra. Was told at the site security briefing last night they mentioned closing Iraqi airspace. Looks like I got out just in timeSafe travels
We sent 1 guy tae Greenland. I hope they give him a big coat as well as a gun… and extra bullets.No doubt supported by UK whilst US also threatens Greenland, my head is spinning.
Ifs from the WSJ, certainly the main one of - and possibly the only one of - America's flagship papers that didn't go post-truth radge bongo after the awokening.This was an interesting read* whilst guzzlin my morning cup of tea.....
*It's not from the telegraph or GBNews though so it's maybe not true.

Its more relevant to them than Ukraine but we want them involved there?What has the goings on in Iran got to do with Donald Trumps Amerikkka?
What justification do they have in respect of potentially bombing that country?
Oh dear.Its more relevant to them than Ukraine but we want them involved there?

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