Marc2b
Posts: 6660
Joined: 8/7/2006 Status: offline
|
DCWoody (AKA Profile Not Found) said: quote:
I take issue with people saying Iran is the biggest player in Islamic terrorism......this is an opinion that has only come about over the last year or two......and seemingly without much evidence to support it........before that it was supposedly Pakistan and Saudi Arabia who were the main funders. I have no idea how old you are but since you see Iran as the biggest player in Islamic terrorism as a recent opinion I’m guessing that you’re a generation down from me. I’ve been watching Iran fuck with the west since I was thirteen. Even if I’m wrong the fact is that ever since the hostage crisis of 1979 the Iranian Government has been dedicated to exporting Islamic Fundamentalism. They practically run Hizballah and also supply money, weapons and training to several other terrorist organizations including Hamas. Iran was behind the kidnapings in Beirut (that’s why the weapons in the Iran-Contra scandal were given to Iran and not Lebanon). Iran has carried out assassinations of opposition leaders on foreign soil. Nor is everything they do in support of terrorism directly related to attacks. They fund many of the radical "death to the West" (the name slips me right now) schools. Syria, Saudi Arabia, and others are all involved but Teheran is, in a sense, the capitol of Islamic terrorism. Thompsonx said: quote:
Are you sugesting that it is ok for the U.S. to invade Iran if they refuse to sell us oil? Oh, Jeeze, here we go again. Let me see if I can differentiate between the philosophical and the personal. As for the big picture, the philosophical, all I see are human beings behaving like human beings. Good old fashioned primate politics driven by our evolutionary "upbringing." My point is that if one group (in this case nations) is cut off from a vital resource (food, water, or now-days, oil) you can expect a violent reaction to secure the resource. "Okay," in the philosophical sense, has nothing to do with it. I say "guarantees an invasion" in the same sense I would say that a wounded gazelle chanced upon by a hungry lion is guaranteed to be eaten. I do not believe that Iran has the power to cut us off from all sources from oil but they could (through both terrorist activity and market manipulation) drive the price of oil up to where our economy is crippled (taking the world economy with it, if they’re smart, they’ll consider that but with fanatics, you never can tell). In such circumstances, not just the United States but the entire western world will look for a quick and easy source of oil and conquest is one of the human races favorite methods (tried and true, you might say) for getting what it wants. If that lion is hungry enough, that gazelle is going to get eaten. Personally, I don’t want to get into a war with Iran. I hope we don’t get into a war with Iran. I would like to see us – and the Iranians – adopt a saner foreign policy that would prevent war. If, however, things come to a head and we do go to war, if I have to choose between us and them – then I choose us. I’m going to root for the home team. Some people apparently consider that ignoble. I don’t give a shit. I’ve never exempted myself from being human and I am incredulous about others who claim to. SimplyMichael said: quote:
Iran doesn't want to take us head on not because they can't but they have no interest in doing so. Why would they? There isn't anything in it for them. The same thing that’s in it for everybody – power (AKA: good old fashioned primate politics). quote:
As for terrorism, they fuck with Israel but name a major Iranian effort against the West, name ONE? Saying "they support terrorism" has as much meaning as "they like little dogs". Everyone does, we sure as hell do, why shouldn't they? The only question that matters is "are they supporting terror against the US" and the answer is a resounding NO. I realize it is an inconvenient fact, but they HELPED us invade Afghanistan, it killed two birds and they didn't have to risk anything. We got rid of a thorn in their side, Al Queda, a Sunni threat, and won, or at least they thought it would, brownie points from America. They just forgot that the Bushies word doesn't mean shit, just ask Turkey. You qualify your statement with the word "major." What is the definition of "major" in this context? The fact remains that Iran is a driving force, if not the driving force, behind Islamic terrorism. quote:
Oh, thats right, I forgot, oil is so plentiful you can get it everywhere, we will just go shopping at the big oil wholesaler in the sky. Oil is plentiful. The supply of oil distillates readily available for distribution , however, is a completely different matter. quote:
Oh, and how the fuck are we going to invade and hold Iran? Of course the Devil is in the details but I was never commenting on whether or not we could (short of all out war – i.e. on the scale of World War Two). We certainly won’t be able to if we continue to adhere to a politically correct doctrine of fighting wars. quote:
We going to force the troops to send their wives over to fight with them? What? Are you talking about the numbers necessary? If so, there is the draft. quote:
I mean somebody has to do it and we all know how much Republicans hate wearing uniforms. If you look at the big picture (i.e. good old fashioned primate politics) I think you’ll find that Democrats don’t like wearing uniforms either. Those in power are rarely those who do the actual dying. Sure, you can find exceptions (on both sides) but the overall point remains. quote:
Easy, you reason with them by appologizing to them for blowing up their children in the first place and for supporting brutal dictators who enjoyed blowing them up as well. You appologize to them for overthrowing every attempt at Democracy they have tried over the last fifty years. I don't know for sure but that just might be a start. I mean, if some superpower had overthrown my government and installed a brutal dictator who gassed my villiage, and I knew I was never likely to be free and that by blowing up my son I might at least ensure a better life for my other children that it would seem more like an honor to have the chance to strike a blow for freedom in any way I could. You are looking for a first cause and have placed it upon the West. The truth is that the Islamic World and the Christian world have been perpetuating atrocities upon each other since they came into contact with each other. The back and forth of blame continues even further back, all the way back to the dawn of the human race. The first cause is – you’ve guessed it – good, old fashioned, primate politics. You’ve chosen sides and so cast blame upon the other. On a personal level I’ve chosen sides too with self interest (AKA good old fashioned primate politics) being the motivator but on the philosophical sense, I will not give a pass to either side. Ultimately, there are no good guys here. There are no bad guys. There is only a species of primate engaging in good old fashioned primate politics. and quote:
Oh, and for those who advocate invading Iran over cutting off oil...that was Japan's motive for Pearl Harbor. Doesn't history just suck sometimes? History. Just another name for... do I really have to say it?
_____________________________
Do you know what the most awesome thing about being an Atheist is? You're not required to hate anybody!
|