Mid-East News II

Discussion in 'International News' started by Ismitje, Mar 16, 2012.

  1. Ismitje

    Ismitje Super Moderator

    Dec 30, 2000
    The Palouse
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So we're at a new starting point. Please remember that site protocol permits only a brief excerpt from articles to be posted - figure 10% or so - and then provide a link so folks can read the rest if they wish. Related to this, link dumps are not permitted. If you're going to provide a link to a story, blog, or youtube video, please let us know what we'll find there.

    The end of the last thread saw several ugly interactions that seemed to have posters threatening one another with various things. It wasn't all one person, and it wasn't all the same kind of threat. Much of it was veiled, but not too hard to see the intent to intimidate someone ito acting, posting, or believing a particular way that conforms not with the norms on the site, but with a particular political ideology. This stops now. I do recognize the irony of making a threat to get other people to stop making threats, but what I am threatening cuts one's access to BigSoccer, not with things that can impact all aspects of one's life.

    Lots to talk about in a thread like this. I don't post much even though I have an abiding interest in the region (I actually teach a university course about it), because I prefer a give-and-take where people might actually learn from one another and change some of their ideas and approaches to an issue. But being obstinate about one's ideas to the exclusion of all others is very much in keeping with what is acceptable on a message board, so have at it - just give others the courtesy of their POV within the site Terms of Service.
     
  2. valanjak

    valanjak BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 14, 2005
    Perspolis
    I am usually against Israeli foreign policy but in regards to Iran they are playing their cards beautifully. They keep making threats about attacking Iran to put more pressure on Iran by Western powers and with each threat there are new sanctions to please the Israelis not to attack but the reality is that Israel will never attack Iran and they are only making threats so that more sanctions are put on Iran.

    http://www.haaretz.com/print-editio...wave-of-iran-sanctions-officials-say-1.418970
     
  3. Iranianfootie

    Iranianfootie Member

    Sep 8, 2009
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    What is Israeli foreign policy? It seems to me that Israeli foreign policy is actually pretty common sense. If you can take on your enemy by yourself, do it. If the adversary is too strong for you to take on by yourself without incurring a lot of damage to yourself, persuade your ally (who happens to be the world's superpower) to weaken the country economically and if necessary to take military action. Israel is too small and too isolated in the region to seriously have a more hegemonic foreign policy the way Iran/Egypt/Saudi Arabia can afford.

    It looks like US officials will be investigated for their ties to muhajadeen.

    http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_n...over-speeches-to-iranian-group-on-terror-list
     
  4. yasik19

    yasik19 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Chelsea
    Ukraine
    Oct 21, 2004
    Daly City
  5. minerva

    minerva Member+

    Apr 20, 2009
    Denver, CO
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Israel did the same thing with the US during Desert Storm (Gulf War 1.0), when Saddam was raining Scuds down on Israel, and Israel was threatening to retaliate - which would have broken up the Arab coalition Bush Sr. worked so hard to put together. I don't know what it took the US to keep Israel on the sidelines, but I'm sure it included some big concessions from the US.
     
  6. valanjak

    valanjak BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 14, 2005
    Perspolis
    Yes Israel's foreign policy is based on common sense whereas Iran's is based on non-sense . It's obvious Iran is hurting right now and is starting to feel all the bad decisions it's made in regards to its nuclear weapons program that's why they are starting to give in the west demands because they are just starting to figure out the current path will eventually lead to the collapse of the regime .
     
  7. valanjak

    valanjak BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 14, 2005
    Perspolis
    There are a few Iranian members here who keep saying " Iranians are united" about the nuclear program but that's the furthest from the truth , that's what the Islamic republic of rip off wants us to believe . But the truth is more and more people are uniting against the nuclear program and are more worried more putting food on their tables. I've stated many times it's easy for us in the west to talk about irans right for a nuclear program but Iranians in the west who are making these statements are not the ones being impacted and feeling the economic hardship the nuclear weapons program has caused . Here is a intresting articles about the public opinion in Iran turning against the mullahs nuclear program .
    http://m.theatlantic.com/internatio...s-turning-against-the-nuclear-program/254627/
     
  8. Moishe

    Moishe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Boca Juniors
    Argentina
    Mar 6, 2005
    Here there and everywhere.
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
  9. Iranianfootie

    Iranianfootie Member

    Sep 8, 2009
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Yes, that's why Iran was involved in a eight-year war with Iraq...because it was politically isolated from practically the whole world. The only countries that only favored Iran were Syria and Israel. The countries that only favored Iraq were the GCC states (Saudi Arabia, etc). The countries that tilted towards Iraq heavily were the US and NATO, Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. This resulted in many thousands of Iranians dying which didn't need to die. Now, Saddam was obviously the aggressor and was unfortunately widely supported by the world but the reason he was supported by Europe and the US was because of the Iranian hostage situation.

    A commonsense foreign policy would be to realize that you are politically isolated from the world and thus you need to do two things: 1) radically change your policy that will sufficiently satisfy a global superpower so that you become allied with that global superpower. Then you can win a war and continue fighting until you will realistically win. 2) don't change your policy and remain politically isolated but capitalute to Iraqi demands to avoid the deaths of many unneccessary Iranians.

    It was only when they thought that the US would get directly involved is when Khomeini drank the poison.
     
  10. FCMB

    FCMB Member

    Nov 26, 2006
    Beirut, Lebanon
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Lebanon
  11. yasik19

    yasik19 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Chelsea
    Ukraine
    Oct 21, 2004
    Daly City
  12. FCMB

    FCMB Member

    Nov 26, 2006
    Beirut, Lebanon
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Lebanon
    He's Alawite, not Shiite.

    Anyway, we're gonna witness a Saudi-Iranian proxy war in Syria very soon once the FSA gets the Saudi arms.
     
  13. mak9

    mak9 Member

    May 21, 2005
    Toronto, Canada
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    yeah ok :rolleyes:

    using an article from the Atlantic
    which is one of the most anti-iranian agencies out there

    only one person here said iranians are united on the nuclear issue

    most people in Iran (not talking about your buddies in Tehran's velenjak neighborhood) just want a reliable power system
    where they don't face blackouts or brownouts during the hot summer months

    so nuke power plant can provide that stability
    many countries have them, so Iranians have the same right


    {Snip - no more of this}

    btw what is your opinion of Nazanin and her husband who's beating the drums in Canada for war?

    [​IMG]
     
  14. mak9

    mak9 Member

    May 21, 2005
    Toronto, Canada
    Club:
    Real Madrid
  15. persianfootball

    persianfootball Member+

    Aug 5, 2004
    outside your realm
    the guy looks so retarded and ugly compared to her.:confused: why would she go with him? hes rich or something?
     
  16. mak9

    mak9 Member

    May 21, 2005
    Toronto, Canada
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    it was most likely a political marriage
     
  17. yasik19

    yasik19 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Chelsea
    Ukraine
    Oct 21, 2004
    Daly City
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alawite

    Branch of Shia.
     
  18. Mani

    Mani BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 1, 2004
    Club:
    Perspolis
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    Alawites are a great people. Here is to a good new year for the brave Alawite men and women, and the rest of Syrians, in their fight against the Saudi mercenaries and the dark forces of Wahhabism in general. Happy Nowruz to all the Iranians too, and the rest of the Persian-speaking world as well as the Alawites, Sufis, Ismailis, Alevis, Bahá's Zoroastrians, and others who celebrate the Persian new year.

    Oh and here is the latest episode in the Iran-Israel war of words.

    Iran parliament speaker compares Israel to barking dog that won’t dare attack
     
  19. nimaa

    nimaa Member

    Apr 14, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    Iran
    History has shown that arab countries fail at winning wars. Not a single war has been won by an arab country over the past century. The only arab organization with a half decent track record is Hezbollah and they are Iranian trained and armed. Saudis can send whatever they like, the self destructing wahabi terrorists will still get their asses kicked.
     
    1 person likes this.
  20. Anthony

    Anthony Member+

    Chelsea
    United States
    Aug 20, 1999
    Chicago
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes. As lots of real Christians and real Jews do the same. The spirit may be willing, the flesh is weak.
     
  21. Iranianfootie

    Iranianfootie Member

    Sep 8, 2009
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    He's highly ranked politically. I have seen PLENTY of ugly men date very gorgeous women. And Nazanin is a wonderful woman. She is a true crusader for human rights in Iran.
     
  22. Iranianfootie

    Iranianfootie Member

    Sep 8, 2009
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    There has been a Saudi-Iranian proxy war for a LONG time! The most obvious example is in Bahrain. But another example is in the Palestinian terrtories with the Saudis backing the PA and Iran backing IJ and Hamas. It is also seen in Iraq. Syria is simplyl an extension of it.

    But if the Saudis intervene militarily rather than simply providing arms, then things will really escalate.
     
  23. FCMB

    FCMB Member

    Nov 26, 2006
    Beirut, Lebanon
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Lebanon
    They won't, Saudis doesn't have what it takes for a long war. Their defeat in Yemen shows that their military power is non-existent.

    The Saudis and Qataris will contiue to use proxies as they are really serious about getting rid of Bashar (read this). Bashar's regime still puts it's hopes on Russia, which is quite unreliable as partner, and on Iran. The question is wheter these two are going to continue their support him or not.

    Meanwhile: Heavy Fighting Rocks Damascus Neighborhood

    As for the Alewites, they should probably start preparing to revive their state.
     
  24. Mr. Conspiracy

    Mr. Conspiracy Member+

    Apr 14, 2011
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=25363188&postcount=1087

    Read the above post I made in another thread, and then think about how this will impact the situation with iran. Once the US leaves afghanistan, the likelihood of any US invasion of iran must be considered to be very unlikely.

    That alongside the removal of US troops from iraq, and I would say that it makes it unfeasable for the US to mount any invasion of iran.
     
  25. Mr. Conspiracy

    Mr. Conspiracy Member+

    Apr 14, 2011
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/14/assad-emails-lift-lid-inner-circle


    The continued oppression by assad is going to come back and bite him. He can't keep bombing his cities and expect nothing to happen back. He's killed over 8000 of his own people without bothering to check if they are armed fighters or innocent civilians, he just doesn't care.
     

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