Iran

Periodic World Craziness Update # 5

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The last month’s wackiness in the world of international relations and brinkmanship. Israel becomes a target in Egypt’s presidential vote:  Stories such as this highlight two things.  1. The true nature of the supposed Arab Spring of 2011 and the way Islamists are subverting an infant democratic process if one ever existed and… 2. Why Israel should be worried.  Even supposed moderate candidates gain political traction from demonizing Israel thus illustrating the level of mainstream support for what the west like to call extremists but who are actually not within an Arab context. Can Obama Safely Embrace Islamists?:  I don’t quite know what to think about this quote from the state department informant. “The war on terror … More after the Jump…

The Moral Quandary?

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Lately I have been somewhat preoccupied thinking about the geostrategic position the US and even the wider Western world find themselves in.  While I do not believe that the world is on the cusp of some massive catastrophe, it does seem to me that the rise of Militant Islam in the last ten years presents problems that are new or that at least have not been faced on such a scale by Western countries since before the rise of the modern nation state. Essentially, I think that Islam is facing the West with a crucial choice, one the West would rather not have to make as it goes against all … More after the Jump…

Periodic World Craziness Update # 4

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The latest installment of updates on the wackiness of Iran and the wider Muslim World.  I have also decided to change the title of this series and just make it a monthly installment, it will be an aggregation of what I consider the most relevant news pieces with my analysis and criticisms attached. George Kerchner and the Lessons of Afghanistan: This is not strictly about Iran and their idiocy but a good point is made about the lack of strategic focus of US and Western War Planning over the past decade. Obama Needs to Stay the Course in Afghanistan:  This article contains perhaps the most asinine sentence I have read regarding the deaths of our soldiers in a long time, perhaps … More after the Jump…

Periodic Iran Craziness Update #3

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The next round of news and intelligence updates about Iran and their seemingly stupid game of brinksmanship with Israel and the West. DM: Iran Has Defensive Secrets for Rainy Days Bluster, but maybe all they need to keep the US out of the initial stages of any conflict before the Presidential election is over. Iran diplomats see suspects in Thai bombings Apparently proof of some level of Iranian complicity in the recent bombing campaign against Israeli diplomats. Iran’s underground nuclear sites not immune to U.S. bunker-busters, experts say Signal or bluster? I cannot tell but tend to think the latter. I get the sense that the current Admin. actually likes … More after the Jump…

Periodic Iran Craziness Update #2

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The next in the series of updates on doings with Iran. I even half thought about putting up some kind of war countdown clock. I then decided against it because I am not sure I can read the tea leaves well enough to really judge how close to war we are. US officials believe Iran sanctions will fail, making military action likely This article says an Israeli attack will likely come in September or October because of political factors. I think an attack is likely but it will be based more on perceptions of Iran’s capabilities and intents with politics being a minor concern, The sad fact is that Israel … More after the Jump…

Periodic Iran Craziness Update # 1

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Links to articles of interest about Irans continuing hijinks and the World’s response. Intel Official: Iranian Missiles Could Hit Nearby U.S. Targets, Europe, Now what would happen were Iran to launch a missile at Israel or a US warship? At this point I am only certian that if they hit Israel, Iran would regret it. Thailand: Iranians’ targets were Israeli diplomats, Aparrently the Iranians are not so good at actually carrying out Terrorist attacks as the three essentially failed attacks in India, Georgia, and Thailand this week show. Perhaps they should have got some of their Hezbollah puppets support. On the plus side, if these attacks were carried by members … More after the Jump…

The Developing Situation with Iran – The Craziness Continues

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I don’t necessarily want to make a habit of talking contemporary issues on a regular basis but the events in, around, and about Iran over the past few weeks have really got me thinking.  There are a couple of points I would like to bring up. The US administration and European leaders don’t seem to really have a clue what they are doing.  They keep making statements about what they will not tolerate, and hen tolerate it anyway.  This has been going on for years and on the US side started with the Clinton administration as far as I can see.  A clear line has not been drawn and stuck to, that is probably the root of Iran’s boldness, … More after the Jump…

Intriguing question: What happens if Iran develops the bomb?

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What happens if Iran develops the bomb? That is a question often asked in the press but never really answered.  A new report from the RAND Corporation seems to suggest that Iran may be in possession of a nuclear warhead within the next eight weeks.  Admittedly, that link is from an Israeli and thus not necessarily objective news source but the original question still stands.  What would the response of the world be to an Iranian announcement that they are now in possession of a nuclear weapon?  I don’t have any great confidence that it would be anything effective.  I foresee much gnashing of teeth in Western capitals, the Chinese … More after the Jump…

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