Senate The Middle East Discussion Thread

I think that drone that killed the US soldiers was basically a fluke where it entered at the same time a US drone was going in, generally they can spot when an enemy drone is en route

 

Followed by it's cousin, "re-escalation".

 

Iran draws the line.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...ning-suspected-spy-ship-us-strikes-rcna137150


After a weekend of U.S. strikes against its proxies in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, Iran has issued a strongly worded warning not to target a ship that U.S. officials and analysts suspect of providing real-time intelligence for attacks on other vessels in the Red Sea and serving as a forward operating base for its commandos.

In a slickly produced video published on the Iranian army’s Telegram channel Sunday, a narrator says in English that “those engaging in terrorist activities against the MV Behshad or similar vessels, jeopardize international maritime routes, security and assume global responsibility for potential future international risks.”

Describing the Behshad as a “floating armory,” the narrator says it is involved in missions to “counteract piracy in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden,” although Iran is not publicly known to have taken part in any recent anti-piracy campaigns in the region.

The video ends with footage of what appears to be ships in an American carrier group flashing red as though they are being targeted. A man then lowers the U.S. flag.

 

If you’re going to draw the line at attacking your ship, maybe don’t use the justification of ‘maritime norms’ when said ship is providing intelligence to assist in the disruption of trade routes.

 

To be fair, the U.S. does shady stuff too, and we’ve already bombed like a hundred of what we claim to be their affiliates in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Including in Baghdad again just today.

 

I never said that the US doesn’t, but the Iranian government is hardly a reasonable actor here. Just the other week they bombed Iraq and Pakistan, after they discovered that ISIS carried out a bombing they had immediately blamed on the US and Israel.

 

Just to clarify - three American soldiers killed. The perpetrators found and brought to justice.

You think that is 'shady' of the USA?

 

I believe he is talking about the various shady things that the United States does in the region, including not stopping Israel’s excesses, support of the Saudi campaign in Yemen, the invasion of Iraq, etc. I could go on.

 

Cool story, but wasn't the question that was asked.

 

I mean your question doesn’t make sense on its face. ‘Brought to justice’ implies a court of law. As far as I’m aware the perpetrators of the attack on the Jordanian base, were not captured and awaiting trial.

 

Well you’re responding to something I didn’t say.

 

You insinuate hitting Iranian militia hiding in Baghdad (responsible for killing Americans) is 'shady.'

Perhaps I misunderstood. Or maybe the details weren't clear. The Senate of the 2000s this is not.

Wishing you a healthy and prosperous year ahead.

 

This is a misreading. "The US does shady stuff too, and we've already bombed...."

The shady stuff is separate from the bombing of the militants.

 

You are truly getting fixated on a strawman.

My statement was clear, and far from controversial.

I'm not sure why you're getting so frustrated by it.

Nor is it opposed to the standards of the 2000s Senate.

 

So, this is bad, right?

The Biden administration believes that an Iranian attack on Israel is imminent, according to a Bloomberg report released Wednesday.

The dramatic escalation would come days after a strike on an Iranian mission in Damascus killed a top Iranian commander and other IRGC officials. Iran has blamed Israel for the attack and vowed to retaliate

 

Yes, it’s very bad, and while it’s hard to say anything between Iran and Israel is ‘unprovoked,’ the reckless and dangerous escalation by Israel the other week is the direct cause for this. It won’t be this likely strike by Iran, but what the Israelis do in response, that will determine if this escalates into an actual war between the two.

 

They should take a page from the de escalation with Pakistan. Is there an ethnic group that Iran and Israel both hate that no one else cares about that they can drop missiles on together?

 

"You question my loyalty?"
- Dooku

"Always."
- Palpatine

Us in America: "You question our loyalty for not wanting to go to war with Iran?"

Democrats and Republicans: "Always."

 

Palestinian Christians

 

Netanyahu has already said if Iran strikes Israel, Israel will strike inside Iran. So war is probably coming.


One thing worth mentioning here is the distinct possibility that Iran may in part respond by closing the Straits of Hormuz. This would send oil prices skyrocketing and affect the entire global economy. It would certainly complicate things for the Biden administration in terms of his economic re-election message.

 

Iran was already doing that through their Yemeni proxies. However, their lashing out at their enemies following the ISIS attack backfired; while they want to dominate the region, they also have no desire to chance involvement in direct warfare - witness how they were tripping over their own feet smoothing things over with Pakistan.

 

The Strait of Hormuz is between the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. Yemen is on the opposite side of the peninsula on the Red Sea, traffic through which Ansar Allah was disrupting.

 

No, they were trying to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait with the Houthis. The Strait of Hormuz would be even more catastrophic.

Edit: just beaten

 

I know where it is, Guy. I should've clarified I was referring to the "affect global economy" part, that's my mistake.
While they've disrupted trade through the Gulf of Hormuz before, right now they probably don't want to expand the disruption, especially when they would be doing it directly. Again, they know they overreached with their missile strikes on Iraq, Syria and Pakistan and almost escalated the war further.
They will respond in some way, obviously. That's a given. I just don't think it's likely they will take that particular action this time around.