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Posted by: binners

have the Americans learnt nothing from Iraq? It would appear not. Again they’ve instigated regime change without the remotest clue what will replace it and without even the outline of a plan.

They’ll just cross their fingers and hope for the best, that somehow, magically, a democracy will emerge.

This US government has learned from Iraq and Afghanistan too. They've learned that it's a lot easier if you just don't bother pretending you have a plan for, or interest in, anything that happens after Part 1 (military destruction). Part 2 sounds like someone else's problem to them.

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 1:07 pm
Del reacted
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The Iran regime are/were a group of wrong uns for sure. However, how Dementia Don has gone about this has not made the USA look good at all. I hope the UK stays well out of it - which i`m not too confident that they will given how soppy and useless Starmer is.

Iran have got to be feeling cheated by Russia and China about now too ... 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 1:15 pm
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Posted by: politecameraaction

This US government has learned from Iraq and Afghanistan too. They've learned that it's a lot easier if you just don't bother pretending you have a plan for, or interest in, anything that happens after Part 1 (military destruction). Part 2 sounds like someone else's problem to them.

I thought that step 2 was personal and corporate enrichment?

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 1:17 pm
Cletus reacted
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They’ll just cross their fingers and hope for the best, that somehow, magically, a democracy will emerge. In all likelihood what they’ll get is a repeat of Iraq… civil war, chaos and a huge death toll

 

Trump doesn't want democracy in oil rich nations any more than he wants it in the US, they want the returns of the Shah's to run a puppet government that primarily benefits US corporate shareholders, they don't give a flying **** about the Iranian people.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 1:22 pm
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Posted by: MoreCashThanDash

Will Congress have the balls to call him out for going to war without their approval? Especially if there are American and other western casualties?

I wouldn't be surprised if enough Republicans in the House opposed it to pass something, but getting it through the Senate is a different matter. Will depend on how things go though. If they go badly and it turns into a quagmire, public opinion will turn against it and it will be easy for Republicans to vote against it. It's quite likely, though, that Trump will get bored in a week or two, declare victory, and turn his attention to something else. If there are a lot of U.S. casualties, it will be unpopular. If there aren't voters will forget about it pretty quickly and Republicans in the Senate will stick with Trump.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 1:23 pm
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Posted by: binners

Binnerette number 2 was meant to be flying to Malaysia at 6 this morning, via Qatar.

While this has buggered up her travelling plans (#first world problems and all that) were all just very relieved she wasn’t flying out at the same time yesterday morning instead 

Daughter #3 lives and works in Dubai (currently 'stuck' in Hanoi waiting to get back).
We're supposed to be transiting through Dubai on Thursday morning (picking up daughter #3 on the way).

First world problems indeed though!

Interesting how it seems Trump and his cohorts 'simply' drop some bombs and then expect the locals to go in to do the dirty work (and get shot at). 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 1:24 pm
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If you recall, they did the same with the Kurds in Iraq. Egged them on to rise up, then sat back and watched as Saddam slaughtered them all.

I expect that will be in everyone’s mind in Iran, given the brutality which the regime has been happy to deal out when challenged


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 1:51 pm
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Reports coming in that 150 girls at a school have been killed, with over 90 injured. The school is close to an Iranian military base. Dreadful.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:00 pm
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Ok - so my first thought yesterday was, what about the straights of Hormuz? 20% of the worlds oil passes through ther, - what’s the plan to secure it? Apparently, none 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:01 pm
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These retaliatory attacks from Iran... Do we feel these are largely genuine, or could they have been orchestrated by Israel / USA in an attempt to say, look how evil Iran is they're attacking all their neighbours! Kind of a false flag thing? I'm not sure what Iran gains by attacking all of their neighbours whilst simultaneously getting bombed by Israel/USA? Surely that just makes more Arab nations want to return fire? I honestly don't know what to believe these days. 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:02 pm
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Posted by: futonrivercrossing

what’s the plan to secure it?

Price of oil goes up, the US oil companies and Trump profit. American oil business has no downside, the rest of them can GTF. Trump also benefits from the stolen Venzuelan oil being worth more.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:33 pm
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I'm not sure what Iran gains by attacking all of their neighbours whilst simultaneously getting bombed by Israel/USA? Surely that just makes more Arab nations want to return fire? I honestly don't know what to believe these days. 

theres a few things going on

iran knows that theres nothing they can do about the us/Israel bombing campaign, but they are trying to pressure neighbouring arab states into asking them to stop, it won't work 

also a wider conflagration across the region pleases no one


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:49 pm
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iran knows that theres nothing they can do about the us/Israel bombing campaign, but they are trying to pressure neighbouring arab states into asking them to stop, it won't work 

All the surrounding countries virtually begged Trump not to do this. He did it anyway. He didn’t listen to them then and he won’t listen to them now. Does he listen to anyone? Certainly not his own military who had no enthusiasm for this latest adventure either 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:53 pm
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Posted by: aphex_2k

These retaliatory attacks from Iran... Do we feel these are largely genuine, or could they have been orchestrated by Israel / USA in an attempt to say, look how evil Iran is they're attacking all their neighbours! Kind of a false flag thing? -

well if Iran didn’t launch them they haven’t denied it which seems odd if they might have hoped those neighbours would take their side.

I'm not sure what Iran gains by attacking all of their neighbours whilst simultaneously getting bombed by Israel/USA? Surely that just makes more Arab nations want to return fire? I honestly don't know what to believe these days. 

well I’m not sure any Middle East politics is based on rational thought!  But the attacks are on Arab countries who are friendly to the USA.  A clear message that if you are not with us you are against us, and if you start helping the US expect worse.  IF the Iranian regime makes it through it’s a clear message to anyone who might help Israel / US in the future.   I don’t know how the local population in those countries feel towards Iran v Israel/USA?  Presumably it also has the consequence that a lot of the western ecconomic migrants in the Middle East are now serious considering leaving - which must leave some of the oil producers etc with difficulties and I’m guessing that they have the ear of people with connections to trump?  

Not many people will have much sympathy for the Iranian regime but I’m actually quite pleased to see them but up a bit of resistance just so that US/Israel don’t assume that every time they decide to solve a problem with force the other side will just capitulate.

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:55 pm
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These retaliatory attacks from Iran... Do we feel these are largely genuine, or could they have been orchestrated by Israel / USA in an attempt to say, look how evil Iran is they're attacking all their neighbours! Kind of a false flag thing?

I know it's an unpopular opinion given the events of the past couple of years but not everything is a Zionist conspiracy.

The USA and Israel are unhinged but that doesn't mean the Iranian leadership are the good guys here. They've seen decades of hard work funding and directing their proxies comprehensively undone in just a few short months, they've just had their theocratic figurehead killed, they realise it's over for them. I think they're lashing out at anyone they perceive as enemies in one last desperate stand. 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:58 pm
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Putting up a bit of resistance or in other words killing more entirely innocent people


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:58 pm
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matter. Will depend on how things go though. If they go badly and it turns into a quagmire, public opinion will turn against it and it will be easy for Republicans to vote against it.

(both Venezuela & now) Iran will take a while to shake out before anyone knows what will follow,

a more moderate regime, 

a violent crackdown & business as usual

a civil war, ISIS coming over from syria

a wider regional war, theres currently fighting between Afghanistan & ****stan 

and the effects globally will be just as hard to figure out- what does it mean for china & Russia, 

even by the midterms it might not be clear 

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 2:59 pm
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Sheer number of missiles/ drones being shot at UAE makes it way more than a few warning shots. 

‘UAE’s Ministry of Defence said that 165 ballistic missiles, 2 cruise missiles, and 541 drones had been launched from Iran towards the country so far. ‘ from the independant

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 3:00 pm
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Posted by: futonrivercrossing

Ok - so my first thought yesterday was, what about the straights of Hormuz? 20% of the worlds oil passes through ther, - what’s the plan to secure it? Apparently, none 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

Saw in a report that Iran has already contacted the relevant people to say no boats are to sail through there.

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 3:02 pm
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These retaliatory attacks from Iran... Do we feel these are largely genuine, or could they have been orchestrated by Israel / USA in an attempt to say, look how evil Iran is they're attacking all their neighbours! Kind of a false flag thing?

I doubt it.

I'm not sure what Iran gains by attacking all of their neighbours whilst simultaneously getting bombed by Israel/USA?

Their neighbours are not necessarily their friends and allies.

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 3:09 pm
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they've just had their theocratic figurehead killed, they realise it's over for them.

Really? I wouldn't bet my house on it.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 3:12 pm
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I think they're lashing out at anyone they perceive as enemies in one last desperate stand. 

 

Which is why leaving them with nothing to lose isn't a very smart strategy.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 3:12 pm
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Seeing quite a few western social media’s about how terrible it is to be in Dubai and bombs dropping

 

On one level I very much sympathise on others, did they really think the Dubai theme park is immune to the real world?

 

Certainly not condoning what Iran are doing but it would appear they have Trumped Trump in their response 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 3:20 pm
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On account of its constant antagonistic and aggressive behavior towards its neighbours for decades now, Iran doesn’t have any friends or allies in the region. 

That doesn’t mean they want a war with them though, hence none of them wanting Trump to kick one off, because they knew full well how Iran would react 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 3:29 pm
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My right wing, Farage voting, GBeebies watching ex. Mother in law is in Dubai on a golfing holiday. The dildo of unintended consequences rarely arrives lubed. 

Israel makes me shudder though.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 4:21 pm
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Will the US military start to question orders any time soon or have those that have done so already been removed? If the strike on the school was conducted by a US weapon surely any sensible person would start to question the legality and morality of this operation?


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 4:33 pm
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Posted by: binners

 Iran doesn’t have any friends or allies in the region. 

Iraq is in the Iranian camp, and that's not nothing.

https://mecouncil.org/publication_chapters/from-rivals-to-allies-irans-evolving-role-in-iraqs-geopolitics/

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 4:49 pm
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Posted by: munkyboy

Sheer number of missiles/ drones being shot at UAE makes it way more than a few warning shots. 

That would be a peaceful couple of nights in Ukraine.

Iran is lashing out at anything within easy reach to pressure the US, IMHO, even trading partners.

Israel is a tougher nut to reach 

Frankie says no more wars!


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 5:57 pm
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Posted by: futonrivercrossing

Ok - so my first thought yesterday was, what about the straights of Hormuz? 20% of the worlds oil passes through ther, - what’s the plan to secure it? Apparently, none 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

This is exactly why decarbonisation is a national security issue.

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 6:50 pm
convert and kelvin reacted
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Ok, so the main muller is mullered, what’s next? What’s the plan? Is there a plan?


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 7:46 pm
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Posted by: futonrivercrossing

Ok, so the main muller is mullered, what’s next? What’s the plan? Is there a plan?

 

1. Bomb

2. ????

3. Profit

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 8:21 pm
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Posted by: dakuan

Posted by: futonrivercrossing

Ok, so the main muller is mullered, what’s next? What’s the plan? Is there a plan?

 

1. Bomb

2. ????

3. Profit

 

 

You left out "underpants"

 

 

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 8:28 pm
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fortunately those megabrains at the pentagon wouldnt make such a foolish oversight


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 8:37 pm
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Posted by: futonrivercrossing

Ok, so the main muller is mullered, what’s next? What’s the plan? Is there a plan?

I'm not really sure..I mean I guess they want to see a more friendly (to them ) administration, so that's one thing.

But then wasn't most of this due to WMD's, and that they were building deeper bunkers to store /build the things, that bombs cant really penetrate?

Surley they can't trust a new administration to assure them that's not an issue any more? They'd have to send in teams to verify there's s no WMDs, bunkers are actually destroyed etc?

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 8:38 pm
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Posted by: Cletus

Will the US military start to question orders any time soon or have those that have done so already been removed? If the strike on the school was conducted by a US weapon surely any sensible person would start to question the legality and morality of this operation?

Trump has gone to war in support of Israel without running it via Congress/Senate, which already makes the orders questionable. He arguably was acting for the greater good last time by allegedly obliterating their nuclear programme. This time they are blatantly going for missiles that can't hit the US, and regime change, without any internationally recognised authority. It's an illegal war under US and international rules as far as I can see, and the UK needs to make a statement saying that they cannot support it to ensure we do not get dragged into Iran and it's supporters lashing out in self defence.

Trump has set this up to protect Israel - and maybe whatever Israel has over him - while hoping it will distract the US from the Epstein files and the economy, and maybe give him an excuse to cancel the mid-terms. The Democrats need to be shouting this from the rooftops - he was brought in on a "no more wars/US personnel being killed" ticket and it's just another lie.

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 8:48 pm
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Posted by: mattyfez

I'm not really sure..I mean I guess they want to see a more friendly (to them ) administration, so that's one thing.

But then wasn't most of this due to WMD's, and that they were building deeper bunkers to store /build the things, that bombs cant really penetrate?

Surley they can't trust a new administration to assure them that's not an issue any more? They'd have to send in teams to verify there's s no WMDs, bunkers are actually destroyed etc?

Sadly, I feel like this exact post could have applied 24 years ago in a neighbouring middle east country...

Sometimes I think I'm too cynical, and then world events assure me that I'm actually not.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 8:56 pm
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Posted by: mattyfez

Surley they can't trust a new administration to assure them that's not an issue any more? They'd have to send in teams to verify there's s no WMDs, bunkers are actually destroyed etc?

 

Perhaps something like the previous plan that trump tore up when he came into office?


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 9:11 pm
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I think part of this is Trump being manipulated by netenyahu, that lunatic Hegseth cant help either ,the other part is that he has a massive chip on his shoulder about Obama and his nuclear deal Trump tore up. Trump is also just a loon.

That said if anyone deserves it, its the Iranian regime, their decades of brutally to their own people, including machine gunning probably 10s of 1000s of protesters over the past month. Their proxies have probably killed way more; Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah, Hamas and the October 7th massacre, Militias in Iraq , supplying Russia with drones that have killed 1000s and supporting Assads brutal regime in Syria..... 

Regime change probably is the 'right ' thing to do, probably way more justified than it was taking out Saddam 

Im not sure trump cares so much about any of that, he started something when he bombed them last time, he would've bombed them again but got distracted by Maduro doing a piss take dance, so he sent all his warships to Venezuela, the minute they were back in the gulf they started bombing again. 

What trump doesnt give a shit about is the Iranian people, this is all for his glory, he will happily do a deal with the regime if they promise to not make any more nukes and sell him oil on the cheap, with some token appeasement for domestic opposition, pretty much exactly what he's done in Venezuela and that's probably just a short term thing, the likelihood of years of civil war is not small.

 

 

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 9:24 pm
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Posted by: steezysix

Posted by: mattyfez

I'm not really sure..I mean I guess they want to see a more friendly (to them ) administration, so that's one thing.

But then wasn't most of this due to WMD's, and that they were building deeper bunkers to store /build the things, that bombs cant really penetrate?

Surley they can't trust a new administration to assure them that's not an issue any more? They'd have to send in teams to verify there's s no WMDs, bunkers are actually destroyed etc?

Sadly, I feel like this exact post could have applied 24 years ago in a neighbouring middle east country...

Sometimes I think I'm too cynical, and then world events assure me that I'm actually not.

 

Yeah I used the acronym 'WMD' on purpose.. I too am starting to see some parralels!

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 9:46 pm
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Posted by: ChrisL

I thought that step 2 was personal and corporate enrichment?

I refer the honourable member to the recent events in oil rich Venezuela.

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 9:47 pm
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Posted by: kimbers

Regime change probably is the 'right ' thing to do, probably way more justified than it was taking out Saddam 

Iraq, Libya, and pretty much every other enforced regime change has been a ****ing disaster for the country involved, the region around it, and ultimately for the western nations trying to do it.

We can't keep making the same ****ing mistake and expecting a different outcome.

 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 10:03 pm
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We can't keep making the same ****ing mistake and expecting a different outcome.

im under no illusions about the likely outcome of it all 

and I have no other ideas about how the Iranian people can be helped, i just know we probably should 


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 10:31 pm
 Sui
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I see Starmer has bent over to Trump and Bibi and is now joining in..  ref BBC news..  twunk.


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 10:53 pm
 Sui
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqj9g11p1ezo


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 10:54 pm
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He really has no moral compass, no spine but oodles of cash in the future from his Zionist mates


 
Posted : 01/03/2026 11:00 pm
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