Iraqi uprising against US military presence is increasing. Are geopolitical interests justification good enough for waging war against Iraqi nation on Iraqi soil ?

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

18 minutes ago, Daniel Ryslink said:

Tom Kirkman - on the contrary. Everything was working quite well, there was a multilateral contract between the EU, USA and Iran, Iran was fulfilling its end of it. 

Then the disaster in the form of Trump election happened, Trump came and stabbed his European allies in the back (because why would you respect some treaties or international law if you have the strongest army in the world, right?), and started with what could be only named as bullying Iran. The Iran of course refuses to negotiate with him now - why would you negotiate with someone whose word may not last more than a single day?

So instead of focusing on domestic problems, like the bizarre opiate abuse epidemic ongoing in the USA, Trump wastes resources in escalating conflicts that will ultimately spin out of control. 

 

Looks like we won't agree on much of anything relating to Obama, Trump, Iran, EU.  No issue, I'm used to it.  Please feel free to voice your views.

 

Meantime...

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1213241469840089089

 

https://twitter.com/lookner/status/1213236125432721408

 

https://twitter.com/Imamofpeace/status/1213234965233582081

 

[remake it + 288]

40 minutes ago, Marcin said:

When Suleimani was killed, there were his pictures in military uniform all over the media.

I asked myself 1 question, Why so much media attention about just major general, 2 star general ?

Iran is a theocracy and Suleimani was effectively the most powerful person in Iran outside it so there will be repercussions of a commensurate magnitude.

2 hours ago, Marcin said:

At the end of the day who cares, US has capacity to kill ALL 80 million of Iranians and ALL 40 million of Iraqi so US wins in any scenario.

That is only possible if the USA were to exert a nuclear option and while Trump has proven himself a international laughing stock it is unlikely he would literally wipe out Israel with the fallout.

[Papillon + 485]

34 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

What was between his ears, and is now smeared on the wall at Baghdad airport is also not so easily replaced. And oh by the way, his next replacement is now going to worry where his brains are going to get splattered. 

@DayTrader , I presume this is the wonderful Christian way of thinking as we discussed this morning sir? A beautiful sentiment. God Bless America. 

[remake it + 288]

51 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

People arguing here and elsewhere are uninformed and ignorant about one critical point. An attack on a country's embassy is an attack on that country's sovereign soil and thus, an act of war. Iran got away with it, once because of a no balls President in office and the ridiculously thin veneer that it was "students" doing the attack and not condoned by the government. Both statements were of course, thoroughly false. They weren't students and the govt most certainly condoned the act. 

There was no such attack as you call it because it was instead a rowdy protest that occurred within the confines of the supposedly impenetrable Green Zone and it was carried out by Iraqis not Iranians so your commentary is lackluster.

51 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

Soleimani has been playing American presidents since Carter. He finally met his match.

Not only has Trump sanctioned an extra-judicial killing of military leaders he has also unwittingly condoned this as a legitimate practice for any nation who chooses the language of Trump against an adversary.

Edited January 4, 2020 by remake it
To emphasize the legitimization of a dangerous practice.

[Papillon + 485]

33 minutes ago, Tom Kirkman said:

Looks like we won't agree on much of anything ...   No issue, I'm used to it.  Please feel free to voice your views.

Well put sir. If only the many rather than the few showed this level of maturity, openness and a willingness to read an alternate opinion. 

[Ward Smith + 6,615]

48 minutes ago, Papillon said:

I have received another. Wonderful. From the user who called another 'needledick' with his famous charm and wisdom if my memory serves.

I am grateful beyond words, feel free to grace every post of mine with the famous red arrow sir, as it is comforting to know the playground is slowly becoming vacant.

What? You weren't amused? I thought it was funny

Oh, and if it wasn't already obvious to everyone you are the other handler for remake it. Between you and Marcin, you've managed to make it almost seem human. Almost. You've failed at hiding your tracks however. 

Carry on good sir, still amusing to read your fanciful "backstory". Konichiwa

[remake it + 288]

7 minutes ago, Ward Smith said:

What? You weren't amused? I thought it was funny

As do those noting the heritage of your avatar.

[Papillon + 485]

Finally, the bot accusation, as anyone who expresses a differing opinion must be a bot yes? I didn't think it would take long. What a ridiculous place this is at times. You may as well enter a large church or similar sir and bellow out your views as you clearly enjoy the echo of them.

Marcin is too, yes, we were all hired by the Chinese to infiltrate an oil website with few views and primarily Republican supporters to sway a small number of Americans' opinion about oil and gas. Your logic and conclusions are truly astounding as ever. You sound as if you have never heard a differing opinion to your own in your entire life in all honesty. I cannot quite get over the arrogance that a different opinion to your own cannot possibly be a person. Please ponder that ridiculous thought process everyone. 

3 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

Konichiwa

Is this the part where you dazzle us with your ignorance of Japan as well as China? I fear you sound like a racist child, are you aware of this detail? It is not an admirable trait.

3 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

I thought it was funny

That is not a surprise to me in the slightest. When puberty starts however you may see it differently? We can all only hope that this occurs soon.  

3 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

You've failed at hiding your tracks however. 

Please elaborate as it will be most amusing to hear your reasoning here. 

@Marcin @Rasmus Jorgensen @Enthalpic @frankfurter  @Rob Plant - you have agreed with the user Remake It with regard to some topics so you may be accused next, just to warn you gentlemen. Allegedly this website is accepting of all views, as long as they agree with others'.

@Tom Kirkman - recently sir you suggested you have never restricted others' differing views and I commend that, but is this how conversation is going to progress here, that being if views differ from the self appointed apparent sage Mr Smith then they will face these ridiculous accusations? (And most notably when they have no argument or reply or do not appreciate reading facts).

Edited January 4, 2020 by Papillon
User not worthy of further effort and possibly merely a racist buffoon.

[Guest]

Guys this bot stuff is kinda mental. I added some commas into one of Remake's posts the other day and agree with him more than in the past in fairness. Read what he says rather than just seeing his name and assuming you will disagree.

Does that mean I'm a bot or not real too? Or have I been infiltrated?!!

And Pap is right, the Chinese are trying to sway opinion on an oil forum with few views are they? You don't think they might have better things to do? I clearly still don't get the bot stuff either as I think it's verging on the Area 51 and Bigfoot shite. If you disagree with him or question his motive, block him. Arguing with someone you think is a bot is f**king ridiculous isn't it?? Sort it out.

DT2020 (if only for the truthbombs)   x

You all need to chill with my Political Correctness thread ...  

Edited January 4, 2020 by Guest

[remake it + 288]

54 minutes ago, Papillon said:

 

@Rasmus Jorgensen @Enthalpic @frankfurter  @Rob Plant - you have agreed with the user Remake It with regard to some topics so you may be accused next, just to warn you gentlemen. Allegedly this website is accepting of all views, as long as they agree with others'.

Even the commatose @DayTrader has been known to confuse red and green arrows.

[Guest]

LOL what's this ukelele obsession? 🤣

I was comatosed for most of my 20s, you're right. Weed will do that to you.

I don't misuse or confuse red arrows though.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Guest

[remake it + 288]

3 minutes ago, DayTrader said:

LOL what's this ukelele obsession? 🤣

Sorry sir but that big ukulele in your avatar fools nobody playing the good bad and the ugly and the homonyminous reference was to commas which you need to master so that the green arrow is not confused with George which is a far more sensible Kristian name.

[Guest]

LOL wtf? Firstly I admit I had to google homonyminous 🤣. Secondly, YOU need to master the comma. Thirdly, why George?! 🤣 Fourthly, that is not a ukelele but I did have a mandolin at one point. I still have a 12 string and 5 other guitars.

I tried to post a video of me playing guitar to prove it. but it's 5MB max. 

Jan knows, he has seen some stuff of mine, like Fur Elise by Beethoven. Oh that reminds me, we can add users being the same person to the accusation list too. Or me being accused of posting to attract views LOL, that's my favourite one. Yeah, OilPrice thought ''let's get this guy who takes no shit and argues with half the forum to get people in''. Loving that strategy. 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Guest

[Papillon + 485]

2 hours ago, DayTrader said:

Arguing with someone you think is a bot is f**king ridiculous isn't it??

In my universe it is sir but also it is important to have a hobby.

2 hours ago, DayTrader said:

Does that mean I'm a bot or not real too? Or have I been infiltrated?!!

But of course, you vocalise differing views. What other explanation could there be? 

[remake it + 288]

52 minutes ago, Papillon said:

But of course, you vocalise differing views. What other explanation could there be? 

@DayTrader created @remake it after realizing Nathan Poe allowed the fullness of his multiple personalities to be expressed at a website he thought would help him source the best cooking oils available in a post Brexit universe and upon drilling down discovered it just gave him a lot of gas?

Edited January 4, 2020 by remake it
That would explain it wouldn't it?

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

The last forum I was a moderator at was Oilpro.  Had over 1 million registered members.  All members were required to use their real name, and were generally expected to fill in their general profile, such as work experience, area of expertise, various projects they had worked on, etc.  It was kinda like LinkedIn but specifically for oil & gas professionals.  Pseudonyms were not allowed.  Many of the threads were fairly technical.

In contrast, this Oil Price forum allows pseudonyms, which complicates conversations.  Other members and lurkers cannot look of the profile of a commenter and see if his or her work experience suggests that they know what they are talking about.

As an example, some members here have clearly and repeatedly recounted their work experiences in Saudi Arabia, and have offered their views on the quirks of working in Saudi Arabia, and Saudi culture.  In a thread on Saudi Arabia, I tend to give far more weight to that type of real life experience than to someone who has probably never travelled overseas or perhaps never even worked in oil & gas at all.

As far as bots, they are not imaginary.  And they are not going away.  I still don't know with 100% certainty if a particular user here is a bot, but there have been obvious bots on this forum before.  

Calling someone you don't agree with a bot seems akin to giving a red downvote arrow to a comment you don't agree with.  As a moderator, when I see a probable (or painfully obvious) bot, and decide to publicly call out the bot, I make it clear my reasoning.  My views on bots are similar to Twitter's policy on bots: so long as they do not disrupt the forum or try to impersonate someone else, I let them comment.

Much of this above could be resolved by requiring all members to use their real names and real profiles, but that will not happen.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Tom Kirkman said:

All members were required to use their real name, and were generally expected to fill in their general profile, such as work experience, area of expertise, various projects they had worked on, etc.

Kristian Smith. Work experience - poker and trading. Area of expertise - see previous. Projects - umm ... a several decade-long enterprise of English sarcasm intertwined with truthbombs.

1 hour ago, Tom Kirkman said:

In a thread on Saudi Arabia, I tend to give far more weight to that type of real life experience than to someone who has probably never travelled overseas or perhaps never even worked in oil & gas at all.

Outrageous, my views on SA have as much weight as many others here surely?

I know for example there is a lot of sand and oil there and my expertise in these matters is clearly unparalleled. 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Guest

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

9 minutes ago, DayTrader said:

Kristian Smith. Work experience - poker and trading. Area of expertise - see previous. Projects - umm ... a several decade-long enterprise of English sarcasm intertwined with truthbombs.

Outrageous, my views on SA have as much weight as many others here surely?

I know for example there is a lot of sand and oil there and my expertise in these matters is clearly unparalleled. 

Hmmm, can't wait for someone from Saudi Arabia to start a thread about playing poker / gambling.  Should be informative and fun.

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Tom Kirkman said:

someone from Saudi Arabia to start a thread about playing poker

''I raise you a Lamborghini''

Gulp.

[Marcin + 519]

18 hours ago, remake it said:

It appears that you and President Trump are equally inept in assessing the Iraqi situation and the impact of the drone strike as while Trump might win a game of checkers against a small child he has no capacity to think the necessary number of moves ahead to even be competitive in a game of chess.

I have chosen this really true statement, because it had 3 red arrows. But I think remake it was to nuanced so I will explain it in more straightforward way.

What Trump did was similar to making a poop by himself at the center of ballroom at the major international meeting. Is this type of "action" available for anybody ? Yes. So why nobody but Trump is using this way of "expressing" themselves ? Because others think 3-5 moves ahead, are not that impulsive, eager for instant gratification, etc.

Was it strategically important to kill Suleimani and Al-Muhandi?  If Yes, there were thousand opportunities to do it in a better, more nuanced way. And Trump did it in the worst possible way: through terrorist attack, public assassination at major airport, and later bragging about this assassination as a patriotic way, American way of solving problems in international relations. Trump twitted US flag as a way of bragging about this horrible act !!! Was it Al-Qaida leader, Osama bin Laden doing this or President of large and democratic nation  ?

There were very few real reactions from around the world relating to this action, apart from typical diplomatic blah, blah: "We are concerned about this, and all sides should show restraint, etc."

Why ?

Because all are shocked, because they never seen Trumps poop in the ballroom before.

All countries allies and enemies need time for this very information to sink in, so to speak.

There is shortage of Don Perignon in Beijing, for a reason.

And Iran will probably do nothing in the near term like next month, stay low profile, although there are news that US is continuing its terrorist rampant spree of assassinations and kidnapings the following day.

The best action for Iran is to let US show more to the world that US is a new terrorist force in town. And I am sure that was the message from Moscow and Beijing to Iranian authorities.

The best international community action would be no action to let the US domestic politics (this impeachment circus) to return to town.

Test question before any of you will start critisizing this comments ?

Try to google when it was last time that major global power used terrorist tactics, assassinations to pursue their foreign policy goals ?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Marcin
typo

[Boat + 1,324]

13 hours ago, Papillon said:

Finally, the bot accusation, as anyone who expresses a differing opinion must be a bot yes? I didn't think it would take long. What a ridiculous place this is at times. You may as well enter a large church or similar sir and bellow out your views as you clearly enjoy the echo of them.

Marcin is too, yes, we were all hired by the Chinese to infiltrate an oil website with few views and primarily Republican supporters to sway a small number of Americans' opinion about oil and gas. Your logic and conclusions are truly astounding as ever. You sound as if you have never heard a differing opinion to your own in your entire life in all honesty. I cannot quite get over the arrogance that a different opinion to your own cannot possibly be a person. Please ponder that ridiculous thought process everyone. 

Is this the part where you dazzle us with your ignorance of Japan as well as China? I fear you sound like a racist child, are you aware of this detail? It is not an admirable trait.

That is not a surprise to me in the slightest. When puberty starts however you may see it differently? We can all only hope that this occurs soon.  

Please elaborate as it will be most amusing to hear your reasoning here. 

@Marcin @Rasmus Jorgensen @Enthalpic @frankfurter  @Rob Plant - you have agreed with the user Remake It with regard to some topics so you may be accused next, just to warn you gentlemen. Allegedly this website is accepting of all views, as long as they agree with others'.

@Tom Kirkman - recently sir you suggested you have never restricted others' differing views and I commend that, but is this how conversation is going to progress here, that being if views differ from the self appointed apparent sage Mr Smith then they will face these ridiculous accusations? (And most notably when they have no argument or reply or do not appreciate reading facts).

Oh give me a break. All this hair pulling over some insulting comments that you know you will read before you even go online. Embrace all forms of critique. That’s what freedom of speech is all about. I mostly ignore personal insults and try to attack ideology I find offensive in nature as a group. But hey that’s just me as a mellower version of a younger rowdy self. 
When ignorance speaks, like the defense of Iran for example, it’s just motivation to attack that senseless support of religious fanatics and their actions. It is not a call for holding hands and thanking polite dialogue.

[Papillon + 485]

13 hours ago, Ward Smith said:

obvious to everyone you are the other handler for remake it. Between you and Marcin, you've managed to make it almost seem human.

May I suggest sir that you try to refrain from speaking for the entire website as it seems to me to show a level of arrogance close to beyond words. It also appears that it proves my point yet again that not only do you think everybody thinks as you do but that you also want that to be the case, and I fear you will be nothing but disappointed in your desire to be surrounded by echoes. You seem unaware of the freedom of speech and the concept that someone can think differently to yourself and I find this astounding.

4 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

I still don't know with 100% certainty if a particular user here is a bot

As proved a few hours later here and by the various users who often agree with Remake It, rather than those who award red arrows or insults and nothing more as their argument clearly is precisely zero. This appears to be the same bullying mentality here that is also cast onto a teenage girl and is quite pathetic and telling of personalities.

4 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

Calling someone you don't agree with a bot seems akin to giving a red downvote arrow to a comment you don't agree with.

I would totally agree sir and will from now on see them as a compliment and precisely the same thing, that being a lack of credible argument from the user who gave them and admission that what they read was nothing but fact and they merely didn't like reading it. I now welcome the red arrow and ridiculous accusations as it will strengthen all my points.

4 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

As a moderator, when I see a probable (or painfully obvious) bot, and decide to publicly call out the bot, I make it clear my reasoning. 

Of course you do, this is what happens when logic takes hold. Other users, not so much, merely juvenile insult and accusation.

4 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

In contrast, this Oil Price forum allows pseudonyms, which complicates conversations.  Other members and lurkers cannot look of the profile of a commenter and see if his or her work experience suggests that they know what they are talking about.

I agree but could a user simply not invent this work history if they so wished anyway? Also with respect, and I appreciate you are most likely talking of the technical threads you mention, I don't see why experience in oil or gas is necessary to comment on unrelated geopolitical threads.

4 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

As far as bots, they are not imaginary.  And they are not going away.

I am sure they are not sir but they would 'go away' by using the 'ignore user' feature here if one so wished. The fact that users clearly do not do this, (and that some would rather insult or argue with 'it' everyday), speaks volumes as to their belief of this bot accusation surely? It certainly tells me a hobby for some may be a wise choice for starters. All that said, I thank you for your detailed reply as always Tom.

36 minutes ago, Marcin said:

I have chosen this really true statement, because it had 3 red arrows. But I think remake it was to nuanced so I will explain it in more straightforward way.

Of course it did sir, it was factual, probably made sense and undoubtedly had no replies.

4 minutes ago, Boat said:

insulting comments that you know you will read before you even go online. Embrace all forms of critique. That’s what freedom of speech is all about.

Very true, although being accused of barely being a person is quite the 'critique' sir, and surely it is my right to comment on insults and accusations? Therefore the 'give me a break' comment alongside your 'freedom of speech' comment is a little contradictory, but I see your point. It is simply a sorry state as you rightly say that insulting comments are to be expected in this day and age.

Respectfully, Papillon. 

[Boat + 1,324]

1 hour ago, Marcin said:

I have chosen this really true statement, because it had 3 red arrows. But I think remake it was to nuanced so I will explain it in more straightforward way.

What Trump did was similar to making a poop by himself at the center of ballroom at the major international meeting. Is this type of "action" available for anybody ? Yes. So why nobody but Trump is using this way of "expressing" themselves ? Because others think 3-5 moves ahead, are not that impulsive, eager for instant gratification, etc.

Was it strategically important to kill Suleimani and Al-Muhandi?  If Yes, there were thousand opportunities to do it in a better, more nuanced way. And Trump did it in the worst possible way: through terrorist attack, public assassination at major airport, and later bragging about this assassination as a patriotic way, American way of solving problems in international relations. Trump twitted US flag as a way of bragging about this horrible act !!! Was it Al-Qaida leader, Osama bin Laden doing this or President of large and democratic nation  ?

There were very few real reactions from around the world relating to this action, apart from typical diplomatic blah, blah: "We are concerned about this, and all sides should show restraint, etc."

Why ?

Because all are shocked, because they never seen Trumps poop in the ballroom before.

All countries allies and enemies need time for this very information to sink in, so to speak.

There is shortage of Don Perignon in Beijing, for a reason.

And Iran will probably do nothing in the near term like next month, stay low profile, although there are news that US is continuing its terrorist rampant spree of assassinations and kidnapings the following day.

The best action for Iran is to let US show more to the world that US is a new terrorist force in town. And I am sure that was the message from Moscow and Beijing to Iranian authorities.

The best international community action would be no action to let the US domestic politics (this impeachment circus) to return to town.

Test question before any of you will start critisizing this comments ?

Try to google when it was last time that major global power used terrorist tactics, assassinations to pursue their foreign policy goals ?

 

 

 

 

 

Isn’t it almost daily a rock to a rocket supplied by Iran attacking Israel? Go to the US gov sanction list for a few more enemies.

If you read my posts you know I am no Trump fan but one of my criticisms of Obama was not addressing foreign aggression. I like the fact he killed the Iran agreement because that agreement did not address Iran’s support of terrorism by many groups around the world. In fact Trump does not go nearly far enough against a host of nations like Syria, Yemen, Turkey, Russia, China etc. 

I support over time a complete disengagement with rogue nations. A complete separation of banking and trade. Every nation needs to decide who they want to deal with. 

[Marcin + 519]

15 minutes ago, Boat said:

Isn’t it almost daily a rock to a rocket supplied by Iran attacking Israel? Go to the US gov sanction list for a few more enemies.

If you read my posts you know I am no Trump fan but one of my criticisms of Obama was not addressing foreign aggression. I like the fact he killed the Iran agreement because that agreement did not address Iran’s support of terrorism by many groups around the world. In fact Trump does not go nearly far enough against a host of nations like Syria, Yemen, Turkey, Russia, China etc. 

I support over time a complete disengagement with rogue nations. A complete separation of banking and trade. Every nation needs to decide who they want to deal with. 

You are against state sponsors of terrorism ?

You should love Trump, he got 1 level up in this dubious ranking.

United States of America=terrorist organization proud of conducting targeted assassinations in foreign countries,

(mind you, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Turkey, Russia never achieved this status, they are somehow "afraid" of acting as terrorist organization)

Donald Trump=Osama bin Laden bragging about terrorist acts online,

that is something we are still trying to chew around the world...

[Marcin + 519]

@Boat People build organizations like UN, International Court of Justice etc. for a reason. Cause we believe in justice, law, human rights, sovereignty etc.

And sometimes countries need to do sth dirty to take care of their interests, it happens all the time.

But again they are not bragging about it, like people sometimes do fart in ballrooms, cause they need, but try to assure plausible deniability.

Yet Trump, like Tarzan, was brought up in New York real estate jungle, so he was not educated about basic manners.

And because Trump is, unfortunately for US citizens, the face of the nation, US is going down the drain with him.