If one of them succeeds, is it an act of war?

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
its clearly not good to attack Iran. It screws up the PLAN. Which is for an INTERNALLY generated (perhaps with some modest, subtle help ) revolt to overthrow the regime.

Losing a war usually causes a government to fall.

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


The Indians didn't need stirring up. They have very legitmate grievences.

Don't get off topic.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Lonestar
Don't get off topic.

Where are we again?

[problem_child]

I observed it myself, you Jackass. My entire job in the Navy is to collect signals. A good way to guesstimate where insurgents are going to bomb next is to track AJ crew's comms.

There's no need to start throwing personal insults around fella, it's unessesary and uncivilised. If civilian journalists get a lead, they have a right to follow it up. You can't ban em for reporting the things they have information on. I think it's more worthwhile to criticize em for not warning people when they have information about an attack.

Banning AJ from the area isn't productive, it serves no purpose but those of the Generals and their psyops units. In other words, it's mere control of the media, or propaganda by omission.

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by problem_child


There's no need to start throwing personal insults around fella, it's unessesary and uncivilised. If civilian journalists get a lead, they have a right to follow it up. You can't ban em for reporting the things they have information on. I think it's more worthwhile to criticize em for not warning people when they have information about an attack.

In the states, if you know a murder is about to happen and you don't tell the Cops about it, that makes you an accessory to murder, how is this different?

Banning AJ from the area isn't productive, it serves no purpose but those of the Generals and their psyops units.

The whole point of Banning AJ out was punishment for not telling the authorities when they got tips on bombs. After the 6th or 7th time of this happening, and their continue refusal to help out, (Bear in mind, these car bombs kill a lot of Iraqi noncombatents too) We and the acting Iraq government kicked their ass to the curb. They were (and are) accessoryies to murder. What should we do, pat them on the head and tell them what good boys they are?

In other words, it's mere control of the media, or propaganda by omission.

Spin, actually. AJ is pretty much the only news agency to get kicked out of Iraq. Networks like al-Arabiya are still there.

[problem_child]

Some good points, but this comment:

We and the acting Iraq government kicked their ass to the curb.

makes it impossible for me to take your aguments seriously.

[Lonestar]

It's a fair descirption.

[problem_child]

I still can't bring myself to believe anything uttered by one side or other in a war, so I maintain my air of sneery cynicism, sure in the knowledge that everybody's lying to achieve their own ends.

Certainly a concern for the welfare of Iraqi non-combatants are nothing to do with it.

[chequita guevara]

al Jazeera, the FOXNews of the ME.

[Pax]

Originally posted by lord of the mark


I have two friends/acquintances who've been to iran in recent years. One said he was told they wanted Bush reelected, so hed invade!!!! The other, who seemed to have spoken with a broader range of Iranians, said that unemployment was high, and with it hatred for the Mullahs. One cabbie pointed to some high tower of some kind at the airport, and said "thats where we'll hang the mullahs"

A biased sample, the elite of North Teheran, supplemented by a cabbie looking for a tip? Maybe. But it fits in with alot ive seen about Iran elsewhere. Lots of them ( I cant say if its the majority) dont give a damn about our support for the Shah, most of them are too young to remember the Shah, theyre steamed at the Mullahs and ready for change, though theyre perhaps not steamed enough yet to take their chances with the regimes thugs. Alot of bombs falling on them would change that, but if we can play this right (which there is certainly adequate reason for pessimism about) we could see big changes there.

LOTM,
Don't compare the Iran of today to the fantasy government that we the U.S. government would set up if we had our way in Iran. Compare it to the actual government we supported before the Iranians rebelled.
I believe that every person/nation has the right to self determination. If the iranians don't like the government that rules them then it is there responsibility to rebel against the system not wait for someone to do it for them.