I Don’t Understand
In recent days Iran has been bombed and missiled by both Israel and the U.S. without prior warning or declaration of war. Iran has responded in kind, even to the point of warning a US base in Qatar to evacuate hours before their missiles clobbered it, so there would be no casualties.
An Aside—Just to show how our news is slanted the reports stated that “No, Iranian missiles did not land inside the US base in Qatar, according to US and Qatari officials.” And then go on to state” One missile was not intercepted and landed in an uninhabited area of the base, causing minimal damage and no casualties.” So, no missiles hit the base, but one missile did. WTF? And the base was totally uninhabited because Iran warned them they were going to shoot it up so they had time to evacuate, which is why there were to casualties, Iran wanted no casualties, they just wanted to establish that they could hit such targets any time they wanted. If they had wanted casualties, they could have launched dozens of missiles with no prior warning and overwhelms the missile defenses, causing deaths and destruction … but they did not.
Iran has taken casualties and still uses kid gloves most of the time and yet …
… political cartoons like the above promote a view of Iran as the trouble maker. Iran was complying with the treaty with the US and other western countries to not enrich uranium past a certain point and only a certain amount, yet Trump voided that agreement so that Iran could enrich all of the uranium it wanted.
Both US and Israeli leaders claim Iran is making an atomic bomb. The US Intelligence agencies and the International commissions say it is not.
So, why is Iran being painted as the “bad guy”? I am not a fan of theocracies. I am not a fan of hugely restricted personal freedoms, but those are Iran’s business, not ours. It seems that we are producing “fake news” and propaganda against Iran and I wonder why.
In addition the nuclear super powers: the US and the USSR avoided nuclear war for over a half of a century through the prospect of “Mutually Assured Destruction” (MAD). Anyone starting a nuclear war would be committing suicide because the response would have been massive. So, Israel has nuclear weapons, why should not its neighbors, so they can have the protection of MAD, too.
Uncommon Sense 
Why wonder? Trump has a chokehold on the general media and since they are predominantly what most people read, he and his cronies make sure “we” read Trump’s version.
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Comment by Nan — June 29, 2025 @ 12:28 pm |
Why is Iran being painted as the “bad guy”? Maybe – just spitballin’ here – because of reality?
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Comment by tildeb — June 29, 2025 @ 3:39 pm |
Let’s be absolutely clear here. What this post and others do, that pretend Islamism is somehow benign or innocent of being a death cult dedicated to destroying human freedom in all its forms and demanding through terror the submission to this end goal, is first excuse and then appease the very worst religious zealotry. That’s what’s being promoted here: religious zealotry.
What we are facing is a movement busy capturing the minds of people susceptible to it. The ‘hands off Iran’ and ‘free Palestine’ are central to this. But the branding is a complete smoke screen. Notice that we’re not facing a grassroots plea for peace and cooperation and tolerance. We are facing calls for the death of Jews. For the death of gays. For the death of lesbians., For the death of the US. The death of Israel. The death for apostates and blasphemers. Death to anyone who dares criticize the death cult. That’s why we see the flags of designated terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and the Houthis.
But we’re facing today is a novel kind of Islamism. It is soaked in Maoism and now through social media weaponized. Its soldiers are those who are ideologically captured and think a death cult’s goals are reasonable. I know. The level of intellectual capture combined with the rejection of liberal values is now a cultural movement. This is what this kind of post, this ideological narrative immune from reason and compelling contrary evidence from reality, is helping to bring about.
Islamism is fueled by absolutist theocracy and tribal vengeance; Maoism is fueled by class warfare and ideological conformity. Islamism invokes the divine; Maoism pretends to be secular. But look a little closer: both demand submission. Both excuse bombs, blood, and barbarity. Islamism seeks to conquer using culture; Maoism seeks to conquer using equity. Both have to be enforced not by reason and cooperation based on mutual respect of differences but enforced through surveillance, humiliation, and fear. Islam function through belief paradise after death. Maoism function by pretending we can achieve utopia after sufficient social, political, and cultural purges are accomplished. (That’s what cancel culture is all about!). Both need to seize control of the narrative (what’s true either doesn’t matter or is relative/equivalent to each as long as the ‘truth’ aligns with the ideology). And what stands first and foremost against this is Judaism and hatred for it by Islamists predates Israel by centuries. So let’s not pretend either Israel or the US is somehow a causal factor in this movement of either total submission or death.
Maoism has brought the techniques of social and political conquering we the west are currently facing to Islamism. It shows the strategy used to perfection by Hamas convincing westerners that kidnapping, murdering, and committing terror against civilians isn’t what they are (contempt for life) but represent what they are not (acceptable resistance to those who refuse to submit).
This hybrid movement is far more dangerous than a political protest. And it’s using Israel to set the stage to coopt western ‘vibes’ to help in its own destruction.
This is what this kind of post is helping the hybrid movement to achieve. And it is suicidal to think it has any ethical justification whatsoever beyond being a supportive mouthpiece for helping totalitarianism destroy human dignity and respect. This post excuses the Islamist portion. I have no doubt the same excuse will be provided to China’s global quest. But imagine what happens when Islamists and Maoists compete for power?? Yup, the Uyghurs… and look at the west’s ‘nice’ people who read posts like this and are not outraged at the hypocrisy who don’t really give two shits about these enslaved Muslims making their iPhones nice and cheap, or the Christians in Nigeria being slaughtered at churches by Islamists; nope, the movement is all about condemning those nefarious Jews who shoot back and those who dare to support their right to do so. They are the REAL problem!
Seriously. That’s how captured the minds and hearts of so many duped westerners have become. And it’s no longer a trivial issue but a central problem of our time. And our generation is letting it all slip away. For shame, people. For shame.
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Comment by tildeb — June 30, 2025 @ 11:24 am |
Re “Let’s be absolutely clear here. What this post and others do, that pretend Islamism is somehow benign or innocent of being a death cult dedicated to destroying human freedom in all its forms and demanding through terror the submission to this end goal, is first excuse and then appease the very worst religious zealotry. That’s what’s being promoted here: religious zealotry.” That is a problem for Iranians to solve. The only people threatening American freedoms is the Republican Party, the party of forced births, arresting people who drive other out-of-state to get legal medical treatment, deporting people who say things The Donald doesn’t like, with no due process. Writing an EO ending birthright citizenship which is in the Constitution for Pete’s sake, and on and on. I don’t see any Iranians trying to radically change American Culture, only Republicans.
And for the record, I do not like theocracies … at all, but that is their business. If they are stupid enough to tolerate such idiocy, they bear the brunt of their decision. If they don’t like it, rise up and throw off the yoke … but then that is their decision.
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Comment by Steve Ruis — June 30, 2025 @ 11:43 am |
No it’s not, Steve. This is not an ‘Iranian’ problem. It’s not an Israel problem or a class problem or a Trump problem or capitalism problem. It’s a western problem. It’s a problem of survival for human rights and human dignity. And, like every other problem, the first order of business is to identify the PROBLEM and not rationalize and excuse its myriad symptoms.
From Ayaan Hirsi Ali, we get what I think is excellent advice:
“So what do we do?
We name it. We expose it. And we snuff it out. That means rejecting the lie that the “Free Palestine” (ed. or the ‘hands off Iran’) movement is a harmless expression of solidarity with oppressed people. It’s not. It is a political warfare operation run on Maoist principles and Islamist grievances.
We must stand with the Jewish community. Not quietly, not conditionally, but unequivocally. Because the alternative is absolute hell on Earth. Jews are once again being cornered, othered, and isolated. Not in the shadows, but in classrooms, boardrooms, and brunch tables (ed. and in blogs and their comment sections)—masked by politeness, cloaked in progress, and met with applause.
History doesn’t repeat. It evolves. The next pogrom won’t start with a storm trooper. It will start with a stare across the room, a whisper in the hallway, a question that isn’t really a question. It will start with a meme. “Never again” was never meant to be symbolic. It was a vow.”
And it’s that vow that I think every single person in the west who wants to be respected as the individual he or she is must choose to either honour it or submit. The Jews are simply on the front line. But the rest of us are there, too, and that line marches towards all of us. If anyone wants to honour this vow, he or she must – MUST – take a stand now and stop being an apologist for either of these totalitarian cults they currently empower with their support and activism. If we don’t man the walls of individual autonomy defended in law now, no one is going to do it for us.
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Comment by tildeb — June 30, 2025 @ 11:55 am |
How does one stand firm against Islamic fundamentalism and the vile actions perpetrated by its followers while sitting on our metaphorical hands and offer tacit acceptance as Israel seems dead set on the path of total obliteration of Palestinians?
Surely there is a huge degree of hypocrisy present when Iran is bombed while Saudi Arabia, for example, which operates under strict Sharia guidelines, is not only tolerated but supplied with arms by the US?
🤦
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Comment by Ark — July 3, 2025 @ 3:20 am |
Ark, you’ve combined things and presumed two things cannot be true at the same time (walking AND chewing gum). Put another way, if Saudi Arabia announced its intentions to eliminate Israel and then tried to build nuclear weapons, would the US just go along? No. In other words, Saudi Arabia is not equivalent to Iran regarding nuclear weapons and the threat it it presents nor equivalent in ambition to eliminating Israel (they will soon join the Abraham Accord and recognize Israel’s right to exist (Zionism) as a precondition).
Yes, Saudi Arabia is an atrocious ‘ally’ and yes, it implements Sharia law. Saudi Arabia (Sunni) is Iran’s main religious competitor (Shia) and is home to Mecca, making it a vital part of both Islam AND bringing peace to the region. From the US’ POV (and Israel’s) the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And it offers oil in return. So yes, a deplorable friend but a necessary friend (realpolitik) nevertheless.
From Saudi’s POV, the Americans AND Israelis are equally deplorable and equally necessary friends but still the most capable enemies of their enemy. This alliance of such ‘friends’ only works if mutually beneficial whereas Iran offers nothing equivalent but remains a dedicated anti-Zionist enemy working diligently to cause mass death. Apples and oranges.
You second part continues to blame Israel for this ongoing conflict, ignoring or forgetting or refusing to recognize that Hamas could end this conflict today by surrendering the hostages and laying down their weapons. Israel cannot do the same; releasing all the criminals and mass murderers from Gaza and then laying down its weapons would only invite genocide. Apples and oranges.
So it’s frustrating to have people assume that Israel must lay down theirs against a foe formed and dedicated to the absolute destruction of Israel but who criminally use civilians to shield them from those who would shoot back. Your concern is and remains exactly backwards. Israel is the victim. Palestinians are the fodder used by Hamas. The UN helps maintain this deplorable situation. Western governments (as well as several Muslim countries) support and fund Hamas as if it were a government representing rather than terrorizing the good people of Gaza (that’s why they remain perpetual ‘refugees’ and the UN treats them as such, which plays right into Hamas’ primary goal of eliminating Israel by mass murder). Until and unless Hamas is eliminated as a political force in Gaza, until we see what it is in reality, what it does to the Palestinian people, nothing has changed. It remains dedicated to the elimination of Israel and refuses to acknowledge its right to exist (anti-Zionist) and will murder and murder and murder anyone who interferes with this reason for being, most especially Palestinians! Hamas kills Palestinians and intentionally puts them front and centre to be killed should Israel shoot back. Hamas, not Israel, is the Bad Guy here.
If you are truly concerned with the welfare of Palestinians, then the elimination of Hamas as a force able to commit mass murder must be central to this end. And I am not hearing or seeing condemnation of Hamas as the principle aggressor. What I am seeing and hearing from so many ‘kind’ people is a never-ending stream of excusing Hamas as the primary source of conflict and omitting its central responsibility for maintaining this ongoing conflict. Rarely do I see or hear people consistently condemning Hamas it for its continued use of terror against the Palestinians themselves. What I do see and hear from so many people is accepting the Hamas talking points and going along with the deplorable rise in anti-Semitism disguised and excused as if anti-Zionist… not grasping that Zionism is recognizing the right of Israel to even exist. People against that right and with Hamas and in spite of words to the contrary very much against the safety and security and best interests of Palestinians.
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Comment by tildeb — July 3, 2025 @ 7:39 am |
I was pointing out the hypocrisy.
I was also pointing out the overkill and indiscriminate slaughter of the IDF
250 kg bomb dropped on a beachfront Cafe?
I would appreciate if you could point to the specific sentence where I “… continue to blame Israel..”
Thanks..
Maybe it might do you good to take a breath, read my comment and simply address what I wrote?
🤷You have once again taken hold of the loose thread and pulled……
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Comment by Ark — July 3, 2025 @ 10:48 am |
The hypocrisy is based on a false equivalency.
Although there are occasions of what you call ‘overkill’, no other army in the history of the world has waged an urban war as the IDF with such a low ratio between deaths of combatants and civilians. But, sure, maintain the fiction that the IDF is ‘slaughtering’ Palestinians.
These are the kind of references you make that demonstrates the unreasonable blame you assign to Israel waging a war against a dedicated death cult hiding in and using the civilian population. That’s where the blame is deserved: on Hamas.
These are not some secondary loose threads in your comment. They are central features of the opinion you hold and demonstrates the unlevel playing field by which Israel in your mind is held to account. There’s the hypocrisy in action.
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Comment by tildeb — July 3, 2025 @ 11:49 am |
Again, if you are going to go off one one of your Tildeb style rants I am simply going to say Fuck it… and walk away.
You’re done, my old son. Cheers!
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Comment by Ark — July 3, 2025 @ 12:01 pm |
I responded point by point you raised.
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Comment by tildeb — July 3, 2025 @ 1:20 pm |
I tend to prefer simple rather than tome.
And while not strictly a “meat an’ two veg” kind of bloke neither am I the five course gourmet diner interspersed with various dips and other tastings I did not ask for, but we’re brought to the table nonetheless by an overly fussy, somewhat pedantic server who seemed convinced it was necessary I partake of his offerings.
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Comment by Ark — July 3, 2025 @ 1:58 pm |
👍👏👏
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Comment by Nan — July 3, 2025 @ 4:02 pm |
How’s this to consider?
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Comment by tildeb — July 4, 2025 @ 11:42 am |
A too soon knee jerk reaction to the pending nuclear threat. A hell of a lot of testing of nuclear warheads, the launching and delivery systems has to be done as every other nuclear capable country has done. Iran I doubt will be capable of building a weapon underground and then suddenly launching it without knowing that it works, and if Trump had not reneged on the treaty inspectors would have been able to access what is going on, not to mention our high tech satellite spy network constantly on the job.
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Comment by sklyjd — July 2, 2025 @ 8:44 pm |
Here’s the same talking point similar to arguments for creationism: PRATT. Point Refuted a Thousand Times (and to absolutely no effect on the True Believer). Nuclear inspectors have NOT had access to Iran’s nuclear facilities involved with enriching plutonium past 20%. Nuclear inspector from the UN’s IAEA have been barred from inspecting those parts of the nuclear program making weapons grade plutonium. This is not a secret. And the IAEA has published as much repeatedly. But it doesn’t fit the ‘hands off Iran’ propaganda campaign, the anti-US, anti-Trump believer’s preferred narrative. What’s true seems to no longer matter… just like the creationist beliefs immune from reality’s arbitration of them and just as much taken on faith. The IAEA inspectors have been barred from being able to determine the size and extent of the processed uranium. They have pointed out in their latest report that the heavy water processing plant required for cooling domestic nuclear energy rods remains in mothballs as do the nuclear sites and plans for reactors for domestic energy. And they have been this way for well over 3 years and prior to Trump’s election. The only reason to bar the atomic energy inspectors from being able to inspect the ongoing upgrading is to hide their progress in developing nuclear weapons. That’s why the site were bombed: because enrichment was already well past the 60% enrichment needed for bombs and tens of millions already spent on obtaining and installing further specialized enrichment equipment. Iran already has ballistic missiles (the delivery system). The country was on the brink of obtaining the very weapons needed to eliminate Israel – a stated goal of the Iranian government. Bombing these sites was the only responsible thing to do since ‘negotiations’ had already failed spectacularly and Iran’s death cult government was on the cusp of becoming a nuclear threat to and promise to use them on the ‘large and small Satans’ (the US and Israel).
Please note that none of the other Muslim governments have condemned either Israel or the US for bringing about this action. Only propagandized westerns sympathetic to this anti-Semitic, anti-western Islamist/Maoist movement think this was a bad thing to do. And it seems few if any will be convinced otherwise by compelling evidence from reality.
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Comment by tildeb — July 3, 2025 @ 11:27 am |
While Iran possesses missiles capable of carrying significant payloads and with ranges that could reach regional targets, the claim that they can easily launch a nuclear warhead without testing is not accurate.
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Comment by sklyjd — July 5, 2025 @ 7:59 am |