Ed Israel/US Attacks Iran /Yet Another Country/Iran

[llwyd]

Oh, I hate those primitive and sadistic fundamentalists from the bottom of my heart! And I mean Iran is almost as bad as them with their enthusiastic spreading of poisonous Wahhabitism all over the world...

Though to be honest it is hard to top in depravity what that disgusting terror regime did to those brave demonstrators in January, slaughtered like animals in the streets - and we are talking about the flower of the nation. Such a gigantic, shameful crime against humanity, hopefully never forgotten or forgiven. But as societies go Iran is about a thousand times more modern than Saudi Arabia, more civilized and educated (and even women educated). It was such a tragedy that those religious maniacs captured the power there, such waste.

 

[Roger Ramjets]

Any bridge that can be used for military traffic is a legitimate military target.
You seem to think that only actual military units are ligitmate targets,
Trump is insane, of course, but the bridge was a legit target.
You don't seem to know much about modern warfare.

Any bridge, any power plant, any desalination plant, any school, any hospital - right? No, it's only a legitimate target if being used primarily for military purposes. But the B1 bridge wasn't even a bridge yet - it was under construction. That means any military equipment going into Iran is already being transported via existing routes. Blowing up a bridge that isn't even operational doesn't meet any immediate military objective - it's just blowing up things to scare the country into submission - ie. terrorism.

I know plenty about 'modern' warfare. The US loves blowing things up. They dropped over 5 million tons of bombs on Vietnam, twice as much as was used during the whole of WWII. In 1964 US Air Force general Curtis LeMay said "they've got to draw in their horns and stop their aggression, or we're going to bomb them back into the Stone Age". 61 years later Trump announced that the US was going to "bring them [Iran] back to the Stone Ages, where they belong”, which US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed with "Back to the Stone Age."

That tactic worked so well in Vietnam that they are repeating it now for the win. Oh wait...

 

[jt512]

I think the Iran was a horrible, horriblem mistake, and I despise Trump and Hesgarth as much as anybody, but I donlt think the Ayatalloahs are the good guys here. They got plenty of blood on their hands. Trump and the Ayattolahs, deserve each other.

Trump, who is attempting to free the Iranian people from the murderous Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East and the entire civilized world from terrorism sponsored by the fanatical Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East (and beyond) by the horrors of a nuclear attack from the fanatical death cult led by the Ayatollahs—that Trump and those Ayatollahs deserve each other? That is depraved.

 

[The Great Zaganza]

Many have defined the use of human shields as positioning troops and military assets in the same location as civilians, with or without their knowledge.

The US moving their troops out of bases and into Hotels in the region ticks all the boxes. Troops, according to the Pentagon, are "working remotely", explicitly waging war against Iran from behind the bodies of civilians.

Neither Israel nor the US have any qualms about attacking enemy fighters in such a location, as they have done over and over.

 

[Planigale]

Oh, I hate those primitive and sadistic fundamentalists from the bottom of my heart! And I mean Iran is almost as bad as them with their enthusiastic spreading of poisonous Wahhabitism all over the world...

Though to be honest it is hard to top in depravity what that disgusting terror regime did to those brave demonstrators in January, slaughtered like animals in the streets - and we are talking about the flower of the nation. Such a gigantic, shameful crime against humanity, hopefully never forgotten or forgiven. But as societies go Iran is about a thousand times more modern than Saudi Arabia, more civilized and educated (and even women educated). It was such a tragedy that those religious maniacs captured the power there, such waste.

For all that Israel claims to have the 'most moral' army in the world, the evidence doesn't support this.

IDF Suspends Reservist Who Promoted His Business Using a Blindfolded Palestinian​

The soldier posted a story on Instagram showing the detained Palestinian holding a sign with the social media handle of his business, and the words 'Happy Holidays' in Hebrew. The IDF said it considered the incident 'very serious'.
An Israeli reservist stationed in the West Bank earlier this week posted a photo on social media using a handcuffed and blindfolded Palestinian man to advertise his business.

IDF suspends reservist who promoted his business using a blindfolded Palestinian

The Soldier Posted a Story on Instagram Showing the Detained Palestinian Holding a Sign With the Social Media Handle of His Business, and the Words 'Happy Holidays' in Hebrew. The IDF Said It Considered the Incident 'Very Serious'

www.haaretz.com

Blindfolded Palestinian used to advertise Israeli business in photo

Image of man detained in occupied West Bank holding business sign fuels anger online

www.middleeasteye.net

This on the background of a whole battalion being withdrawn for 're-education'.

The Israeli military’s top general suspended all operational activities of a reserve battalion involved in the detention and assault of a CNN team in the West Bank last week – including dismissing one soldier from military service – the Israeli military said Monday.
The reserve battalion, which is comprised of hundreds of reservists who served in the ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda battalion, will be immediately withdrawn from the West Bank and reassigned to training until further notice, an Israeli military official said.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/29/middleeast/idf-suspends-battalion-assaulting-cnn-crew-in-west-bank-intl

 

[llwyd]

Trump, who is attempting to free the Iranian people from the murderous Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East and the entire civilized world from terrorism sponsored by the fanatical Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East (and beyond) by the horrors of a nuclear attack from the fanatical death cult led by the Ayatollahs—that Trump and those Ayatollahs deserve each other? That is depraved.

I don't want to accuse you of disloyalty but you did leave out healing the sick and turning water into wine.

 

[angrysoba]

Trump, who is attempting to free the Iranian people from the murderous Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East and the entire civilized world from terrorism sponsored by the fanatical Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East (and beyond) by the horrors of a nuclear attack from the fanatical death cult led by the Ayatollahs—that Trump and those Ayatollahs deserve each other? That is depraved.

He is not attempting to do any such thing and you know it!

OR....

Don't worry. Those Trump coins are sure to rise in value again someday.

 

[Roger Ramjets]

I am oppoased to the blockage of Cuba, but a lot of it's economic problems are due to a government which cotinues along the Marxist path which has always failed.

The US put a naval blockade on Cuba in 1962, and has imposed economic, commercial, and financial restrictions (effectively also a blockade) on it since 1960. This was a big blow to Cuba's economy, as 85% of their exports had previously gone to the US. These restrictions were then extended to other countries too, making it even harder for them. The US deliberately did this in an attempt to achieve regime change, the goal being both to 'starve them out' and to prove that Communism doesn't work. 66 years later they are still trying...

But the blockade would have severely hurt Cuba's economy even if the government wasn't Marxist. Saying that Cuba is an example of the Marxist path always failing is disingenuous when it was deliberately prevented from succeeding. It's also a lie. Vietnam has a Marxist government and is the 34th-largest economy in the world with a GDP of US$476 billion and exports of $475 billion in 2025.

As much as I despise Trump and think his Iran adventure was a horrid mistake, there is no such thing as 100% knocking out air defense. Some will always survive. Even if you have overall control of the air, casualties will happen.
A lot of people here are very ignorant about the realaties of war.
And if there is a backlash,Trump deserves it for selling the myth of invincibility. No such animal has ever existed.

Not totally true. Problem is that to knock out all defenses you need to literally 'bomb them back to the stone age'. About 1,200 nukes should do it. That's only 1/4 of the US nuclear arsenal. But the backlash would be extreme. Even Trump and Hegseth aren't stupid enough to start a global nuclear war. Trump's mistake was thinking he only needed a few punches to get a knockout. But that didn't work and all out war is unthinkable, so he's painted himself into a corner.

 

[Roger Ramjets]

Trump, who is attempting to free the Iranian people from the murderous Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East and the entire civilized world from terrorism sponsored by the fanatical Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East (and beyond) by the horrors of a nuclear attack from the fanatical death cult led by the Ayatollahs—that Trump and those Ayatollahs deserve each other? That is depraved.

Even assuming that's true, an 'attempt' that leaves things worse than before you started is not to be lauded. Even if Trump's motives are pure, his methods aren't. The end does not justify the means - especially when those means cannot achieve the end.

I don't believe that Trump and those Ayatollahs deserve each other. But we all deserve not to have Trump. Anyone who supports him is on the wrong side of all that's decent, moral and desirable. Or as Hillary described it, Deplorable. Do you really want to be one of them?

 

[jt512]

I don't want to accuse you of disloyalty but you did leave out healing the sick and turning water into wine.

I hate it when I forget that stuff.

 

[jimbob]

I bet you felt more stupid after writing that

That was in response to a Trump quote but it certainly does for this take on it

https://twitter.com/x/status/2040029898295632377

It's a lot of ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊ that misses so much, but it does contain this gem.

For half a century, Western strategists have known that the Strait of Hormuz is the acute point where energy, sea power and political will intersect. That knowledge is not in dispute. What is new in this war with Iran is that the United States, under Donald Trump, has chosen not to rush to “solve” the problem. In Hegelian terms, he is refusing an easy synthesis in order to force the underlying contradiction to the surface.

 

[Safe-Keeper]

He is not attempting to do any such thing and you know it!

The US-Iran conflict and the way the trumpkins sit on their high horses pretending to save the Iranians from their rulers and bring about the freedom of America just highlights how self-unaware and self-contradictory they really are. Is there a single thing you can criticize fanatical islam for that aren't also key tenets of present-day trumpism?

Religious doomsday zealots ruling the country? Check.
Political indoctrination in schools? Check.
Fear and hatred of, and systematic oppression of women, even though they can work and take an education? Check.
Abortion bans? Check.
Fear and hatred of LGBTQ+? Check.
Authoritarianism? Check.
Killing people in the streets for protesting? Check.
A police force that don't have to face accountability for their actions? Check.
No tolerance whatsoever for criticism or ridicule? Check.
Detention centres with horrid human rights abuses and no due process for its detainees? Check.
Wantonly killing people in strikes on other countries? Check.
Promising to invade and annex neighbouring states? Check.
Propaganda posters and statues of the current leaders? Check.
Corruption as 'an instrument of national strategy and a core feature of the political order'? Check.
Sponsoring other states that wantonly kill civilians? Check.
Sham elections? Check.
Wahhabitisms or whataboutisms? Check.
A holy figure they worship like a god who was unfortunately also known for statutory rape (Muhammed and Donald, although to be more fair than I feel like being you could argue that the former lived in a different time)? Check.
ETA-ing because the more I add, the more I come up with. Think I have to stop now.

Sure, Drumpf is attacking Iran because he wants it to be the kind of free, progressive, democratic country he's been deriding and working against for 10 years straight. Seriously, local trumpkins and totally-not-trumpkins, pray tell, what exactly do you dislike about Iran and islamism? Do you just dislike competition? Like, is it a first commandment thing, 'thou shalt have no dictators before Drumpf?' Should the new ayatollah and Donald meet for a rap battle or dance duel or something because There Can Be Only One?

 

[Jack by the hedge]

That was in response to a Trump quote but it certainly does for this take on it

https://twitter.com/x/status/2040029898295632377

It's a lot of ◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊ that misses so much, but it does contain this gem.

That's a really pretentiously-worded way to say there was always a good reason not to grasp that nettle but Trump decided to do it anyway. So now we're holding a nettle. Thanks Trump.

(And thanks jimbob for noting the entire quote may be AI fantasy.)

 

[P.J. Denyer]

The US-Iran conflict and the way the trumpkins sit on their high horses pretending to save the Iranians from their rulers and bring about the freedom of America just highlights how self-unaware and self-contradictory they really are. Is there a single thing you can criticize fanatical islam for that aren't also key tenets of present-day trumpism?

Religious doomsday zealots ruling the country? Check.
Political indoctrination in schools? Check.
Fear and hatred of, and systematic oppression of women, even though they can work and take an education? Check.
Abortion bans? Check.
Fear and hatred of LGBTQ+? Check.
Authoritarianism? Check.
Killing people in the streets for protesting? Check.
A police force that don't have to face accountability for their actions? Check.
No tolerance whatsoever for criticism or ridicule? Check.
Detention centres with horrid human rights abuses and no due process for its detainees? Check.
Wantonly killing people in strikes on other countries? Check.
Promising to invade and annex neighbouring states? Check.
Propaganda posters and statues of the current leaders? Check.
Corruption as 'an instrument of national strategy and a core feature of the political order'? Check.
Sponsoring other states that wantonly kill civilians? Check.
Sham elections? Check.
Wahhabitisms or whataboutisms? Check.
A holy figure they worship like a god who was unfortunately also known for statutory rape (Muhammed and Donald, although to be more fair than I feel like being you could argue that the former lived in a different time)? Check.
ETA-ing because the more I add, the more I come up with. Think I have to stop now.

Sure, Drumpf is attacking Iran because he wants it to be the kind of free, progressive, democratic country he's been deriding and working against for 10 years straight. Seriously, local trumpkins and totally-not-trumpkins, pray tell, what exactly do you dislike about Iran and islamism? Do you just dislike competition? Like, is it a first commandment thing, 'thou shalt have no dictators before Drumpf?' Should the new ayatollah and Donald meet for a rap battle or dance duel or something because There Can Be Only One?

To be fair I think Trump is still living in a different time, in his mind I think it's still the late 80s/early 90s.

 

[jimbob]

That's a really pretentiously-worded way to say there was always a good reason not to grasp that nettle but Trump decided to do it anyway. So now we're holding a nettle. Thanks Trump.

(And thanks jimbob for noting the entire quote may be AI fantasy.)

That was this tweet that pointed that out to me.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2040251527034753121

It has to use a lot of words because if it was said concisely, it would be clear rubbish.

Taking the headline, because he is trying to give a load of blether saying things that are trivially true (but said pretentiously) and utterly wrong (but said so obtusely that it's hard to spot) in order to convince fools he's got a reasoned argument to support Trump's claim that the rest of the West is freeloading on the US security guarantees. In reality, the US is in part wealthy because of the trade it guarantees. Also the rise in price of fuel in the US highlights the hollowness of his claims of the US independence of the Strait

 

[Wudang]

https://bsky.app/profile/chriso-wiki.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3minwqf2gew2q

 

[jimbob]

https://bsky.app/profile/chriso-wiki.bsky.social%2Fpost%2F3minwqf2gew2q

They have a point

 

[Planigale]

Any bridge, any power plant, any desalination plant, any school, any hospital - right? No, it's only a legitimate target if being used primarily for military purposes. But the B1 bridge wasn't even a bridge yet - it was under construction. That means any military equipment going into Iran is already being transported via existing routes. Blowing up a bridge that isn't even operational doesn't meet any immediate military objective - it's just blowing up things to scare the country into submission - ie. terrorism.

I know plenty about 'modern' warfare. The US loves blowing things up. They dropped over 5 million tons of bombs on Vietnam, twice as much as was used during the whole of WWII. In 1964 US Air Force general Curtis LeMay said "they've got to draw in their horns and stop their aggression, or we're going to bomb them back into the Stone Age". 61 years later Trump announced that the US was going to "bring them [Iran] back to the Stone Ages, where they belong”, which US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed with "Back to the Stone Age."

That tactic worked so well in Vietnam that they are repeating it now for the win. Oh wait...

Not to mention the covert bombing of neutral Cambodia which drove the people into the arms of the communist Khmer Rouge.

The data released by Clinton shows the total payload dropped during these years to be nearly five times greater than the generally accepted figure. To put the revised total of 2,756,941 tons into perspective, the Allies dropped just over 2 million tons of bombs during all of World War II, including the bombs that struck Hiroshima and Nagasaki: 15,000 and 20,000 tons, respectively. Cambodia may well be the most heavily bombed country in history.

https://gsp.yale.edu/sites/default/files/walrus_cambodiabombing_oct06.pdf

 

[Jack by the hedge]

They have a point

They kinda do, but I'm a little surprised at their surprise.

Ukraine has demonstrated that Russia was, if not a paper tiger, at least not nearly so stronk as it would have everyone believe. Maybe they tell themselves they already knew that. But did they also think the US was invincibly hypercompetent and would take no losses in war?

Perhaps I'm being unfair. They've had four years of ◊◊◊◊-ups to learn the hard way what Ukraine can do and to re-calibrate how vulnerable they are. I guess they assumed that even if Trump and Hegseth weren't paying attention they would have smart people paying attention for them and explaining things not to do so the Iranians got no easy wins.

 

[Planigale]

Trump, who is attempting to free the Iranian people from the murderous Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East and the entire civilized world from terrorism sponsored by the fanatical Ayatollahs, who is attempting to free the Middle East (and beyond) by the horrors of a nuclear attack from the fanatical death cult led by the Ayatollahs —that Trump and those Ayatollahs deserve each other? That is depraved.

This is just propaganda.

The Ayatollahs opposed WMD. They were clear that it was incompatible with Islam. They forbade the development or use of nerve gas in response to the mass Iraqi use of nerve gas, including attacking civilian targets, although the army wanted to respond in kind. They forbade the manufacture or use of nuclear weapons which the army wanted to deploy. The reality is if Iran had wanted nuclear weapons they could have made them decades ago. What Iran wanted was the ambiguity of being able to develop a bomb if pushed to; they wanted a Schroedinger's bomb if you want.

Shia Islam is no more a death cult than Christianity. Shia Islam did not originate suicide bombing. The circumstances justifying a suicide attack within Hezbollah (a Shia resistance movement) was given by Muhammad Hussein Fadalallah, a spiritual guide of Hezbollah, ‘We believe that suicide operations should only be carried out if they can bring about a political change in proportion to the passions that incite a person to make his body an explosive bomb.’ The justification is primarily political not religious. There are well attested condemnations of suicide within Islam, suicide is in itself not virtuous, but the circumstances may justify the death so that it is not a sin. the same justification can be found in Christian theology, that one can sacrifice ones own life to save others, and that doing so is not the mortal sin, that suicide would otherwise be.