(06-22-2025, 09:55 AM)americus 2.0 Wrote: I was hoping we would stay out of this Iran/Israel mess but as of last night we're in it. I figure it will be a topic of news and discussion for some time so I decided to start a thread about it separate from the Let's Talk Politics thread. 

Trump had said he was going to make a final decision on the matter in two weeks but, surprise! We came home last night from being out and about and saw what happened. I have a love/hate relationship with Trump's behavior; much like one with bipolar disorder has manic and depressive phases and I really hope he made this decision with a clear mind and with irrefutable evidence that the alternative (not taking action right now) would be highly detrimental.

The rest of the ME and Europe give it 5 stars. I would have preferred we stay out of it, but the uranium enrichment was a festering sore with a lot of the world. There was no way the Iranians were going to lay it on the bargaining table and now was the prime opportunity to destroy it (forthcoming damage assessments notwithstanding). Had we not taken action and Iran then demonstrated a nuclear bomb in the future, the regret and dread would flow like a river. 

Israel will now most likely cease their attacks since the nuclear development sites were the main objective. The U.S. has no other reason to attack unless damage assessments show more destruction is needed. The big threat now is Iranian sleeper cells within the U.S. and abroad. Made much easier by Meat Puppets handlers during the previous four years. While Iran still has a network of proxies, they are severely weakened with the absence of Iranian money, arms and military action by the U.S. and its allies. Regardless, Muslim fundamentalism always presents a threat. 

Now we wait. The ball is in Iran's court to act - without the big hammer of nuclear threat as a bargaining tool. They can continue to carry on in a petulant manner, slinging missiles at Israel and coordinating terrorist attacks until they run out of resources or come to the negotiation table. Additionally, the time is ripe for an overthrow. There is a significant undercurrent of grievance among Iran's generations who came along after the overthrow of the Shah. Persians are intelligent, ambitious people yet they live in a country constantly hobbled by economic woes brought about by sanctions and corruption from a theocracy which no longer resounds with a large portion of the population. 

It's a thorny situation, for sure. My personal opinion is this was a time to act, and I would feel no differently if a Democrat POTUS made the same decision.

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