10 Rockets hit US Air Base in Iraq

[Zhong Lu + 845]

To reiterate: the Iranians living in Iran don't see the killing of Solimani as an attack on their government.  They see it as an attack on their existence as a religion and a tribe. Solimani, right now, as I'm typing this, is being glorified in Iranian television as a martyr of Shiism killed defending his religion against infidels. Do I agree with this? No. Do you agree with this? No. But to the Iranian people watching the news, will many of them agree with this? Yes.  And that's what matters if we are to try to predict what happens next.

Edited January 9, 2020 by Zhong Lu

[remake it + 288]

2 minutes ago, James Regan said:

I met a captain in Heathrow years ago and he was having an off duty pint, we got talking about types of planes ✈️ I asked him what he flew he replied proudly “if it ain’t Boeing in aint going” - Changed Days Indeed.

News Flash: In a magnanimous gesture of goodwill the Ayatollah has agreed to purchase all of Boing's 737 MAX fleet and transport America's soldiers to the Middle East to carry out their peacekeeping role.

[James Regan + 1,776]

6 minutes ago, remake it said:

News Flash: In a magnanimous gesture of goodwill the Ayatollah has agreed to purchase all of Boing's 737 MAX fleet and transport America's soldiers to the Middle East to carry out their peacekeeping role.

I just flew from Houston to Panama on Air China the food was disgusting on a 777, I see China has infiltrated Panama one of the most corrupt dung pits on the planet, and Hauwei are doing well there. Smart move by China 🇨🇳 and I mean that the Silk Road is circling the USA and will control the canal soon.

Edited January 9, 2020 by James Regan
Ooodles of Noodles

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

Weird times indeed when a porn star is the voice of (relative) reason.

[TomTom + 183]

2 hours ago, remake it said:

Is this a new meaning for "victory or just the numeracy of Americans?"

''Victory for his voters''  this doesn't mean I personally believe it's a victory.  He's just been succesful in diverting the attention of the media and a large group of the electorate... and yes, that comes at a price as Zhong Lu is describing. 

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

2 hours ago, Zhong Lu said:

To reiterate: the Iranians living in Iran don't see the killing of Solimani as an attack on their government.  They see it as an attack on their existence as a religion and a tribe. Solimani, right now, as I'm typing this, is being glorified in Iranian television as a martyr of Shiism killed defending his religion against infidels. Do I agree with this? No. Do you agree with this? No. But to the Iranian people watching the news, will many of them agree with this? Yes.  And that's what matters if we are to try to predict what happens next.

I do not believe that the Iranian people, after years of existing under this theocratic regime, are as gullible as you seem to think. They can recognize propaganda for what it is, they are not simply brainwashed automatons like North Koreans.

What they do in public is a matter of survival, I would bet that the private discussions in the coffee shops do not follow the ‘party line’.

Can I prove this? No. This is my opinion based on conversations with ex-pat Iranians.

[Zhong Lu + 845]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1fJ8KIGkoE

Qasem Soleimani: Huge crowds pack Tehran for commander's funeral - BBC News

Key quotes: "They're now saying this funeral is even bigger then Khomeni's death back in 1989."

"3-day procession in cities across Iran.  Drone shots show astonishing length of crowd. Miles and miles of people.  Sea of black.  It just goes and goes and goes."

"Look at this- look at what you have done [Trump].  You have brought the Iranians together."

"The mourning began in SW Iran... which is places where some of the protests against the Iranian regime began... now some of these people that were protesting the Iranian regime and Solemani for their foreign operations... now many of them are out on the streets [for the funeral].

"This is beyond politics," they say. "You have insulted our nation.  This is a day that goes beyond the politics.  This is about all of us."  

 

Edited January 9, 2020 by Zhong Lu

[Zhong Lu + 845]

The ex-pats don't matter. They don't live in Iran now, do they?

What matters are the opinions of the people ACTUALLY living in Iran.  

Edited January 9, 2020 by Zhong Lu

[Zhong Lu + 845]

For those of you Americans who still don't get it:

Just think of how you felt after 9/11.  

That's how the Iranians feel right now towards Solimani's death and Trump's insults.

Edited January 9, 2020 by Zhong Lu

[Zhong Lu + 845]

Iran's about to go all-in for nukes, people. 

Whatever the consequences, and whatever the humiliation, WE MUST GET NUKES.  If that means giving Trump an apparent victory, and keeping American casualties low, fine.  We'll worry about killing the Americans and driving them out of our neighborhood AFTER we get nukes.  

[What the leaders of Iran are thinking]

Edited January 9, 2020 by Zhong Lu

[Rob Plant + 2,756]

7 hours ago, remake it said:

Trump has fomented a new hatred for Americans in the Middle East and your idea about "sanctions" has a history of failures.

This is not “new hatred” it’s been going on for decades!

As for economic sanctions I think they are the best course of action and do actually force those in power to change their course/ policies. Other than sanctions how do you get regime change without an all out war and bloodshed??

I’d be interested in your reply to this question!

[remake it + 288]

2 minutes ago, Rob Plant said:

As for economic sanctions I think they are the best course of action and do actually force those in power to change their course/ policies. Other than sanctions how do you get regime change without an all out war and bloodshed??

The USA has being applying sanctions to Cuba since the 1950s and they have been crippling on the economy in many regards but wrt regime change the effect has been absolutely opposite.

[remake it + 288]

8 minutes ago, remake it said:

Other than sanctions how do you get regime change without an all out war and bloodshed??

This question strikes at the heart of what it is to be a sovereign state and for some time there has been a mechanism for dealing with countries who breach conventions of sound governance and its called the United Nations but interestingly enough the most flagrant abuser of this mechanism continues to be the USA.

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

4 hours ago, Zhong Lu said:

The ex-pats don't matter. They don't live in Iran now, do they?

What matters are the opinions of the people ACTUALLY living in Iran.  

Well, as I am not presently in Iran, Iranian ex-pats are a good source of information.

You seem to think the term ex-pat indicates that they have left Iran for good. I suppose it hasn’t occurred to you that an ex-pat is often a professional working a job in another country with every intention of returning home to his family when his contract is up.

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

20 minutes ago, remake it said:

This question strikes at the heart of what it is to be a sovereign state and for some time there has been a mechanism for dealing with countries who breach conventions of sound governance and its called the United Nations but interestingly enough the most flagrant abuser of this mechanism continues to be the USA.

Get the IS out of the UN NOW! A more useless, hypocritical organization does not exist. Move the UN headquarters out of the US as well.

Fantastic observation re-make it!

[Zhong Lu + 845]

12 minutes ago, Douglas Buckland said:

Well, as I am not presently in Iran, Iranian ex-pats are a good source of information.

You seem to think the term ex-pat indicates that they have left Iran for good. I suppose it hasn’t occurred to you that an ex-pat is often a professional working a job in another country with every intention of returning home to his family when his contract is up.

As elites, they're not exactly representative of the rest of the population.  

[Rob Plant + 2,756]

1 hour ago, remake it said:

The USA has being applying sanctions to Cuba since the 1950s and they have been crippling on the economy in many regards but wrt regime change the effect has been absolutely opposite.

I believe that US citizens can now freely go to Cuba as they once used to do, maybe that is down to economic pressures ie sanctions.

I have been to Cuba and it is a total mess regarding infrastructure, and to get to work each and every day people flock to their nearest crossroads (intersection) and wait for a govt vehicle to pass which they take it turns to flag down and the driver HAS to stop and take them to wherever they work. If nobody goes past then nobody can get to work! Crazy place! 

Yep the regime there is a shining beacon for communism. A leader worth $billions while his people suffer in abject poverty with no hope of a better future. The only thing the locals enjoy is drinking rum at the local shack to drown their sorrows!

They have NO access to any media from outside and still have to go to the main square to hear proclamations from their all powerful leader to know what is going on in their own country and the world at large (according to him obviously).

1 hour ago, remake it said:

This question strikes at the heart of what it is to be a sovereign state and for some time there has been a mechanism for dealing with countries who breach conventions of sound governance and its called the United Nations but interestingly enough the most flagrant abuser of this mechanism continues to be the USA.

Are you seriously saying the best way to get regime change is through the UN???

That of course has never happened and never will as it is a toothless organisation in urgent need of reform.

You did make me chuckle when I read it, I'm actually not sure if you're poking fun or if you are serious, I hope the former.

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

45 minutes ago, Zhong Lu said:

As elites, they're not exactly representative of the rest of the population.  

How do you get ‘elites’ out of people just coming to work a job or contract in their respective fields and then going back home?

I guess any engineer, accountant or truck driver, working outside of their home country is an ‘elite’. When they return home are they still in the ‘elite’ class?

Apparently all of us working in the international arena, outside of our home countries, are ‘elites’ by your definition. Perhaps we should stay home to avoid being politically incorrect.

[remake it + 288]

4 minutes ago, Rob Plant said:

I have been to Cuba and it is a total mess regarding infrastructure

True as a result of sanctions but the rest of your knowledge is deficient and you are here communicating with someone with reciprocal exchange programs if you want to test it.

7 minutes ago, Rob Plant said:

Are you seriously saying the best way to get regime change is through the UN???

Regime change is not the business of other nations except that some think it is their god given right.

[James Regan + 1,776]

8 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

Weird times indeed when a porn star is the voice of (relative) reason.

Key point “bad actors” she forgot the music scores...

[Rob Plant + 2,756]

49 minutes ago, remake it said:

True as a result of sanctions but the rest of your knowledge is deficient and you are here communicating with someone with reciprocal exchange programs if you want to test it.

Regime change is not the business of other nations except that some think it is their god given right.

So you were happy with Nazi Germany?

OK then we know where you stand

Also I'm glad you have changed your mind regarding sanctions, that they do in fact have an affect, thank you!

[Rob Plant + 2,756]

45 minutes ago, James Regan said:

Key point “bad actors” she forgot the music scores...

You were listening to the music???

[Daisy Williams + 1]

On 1/7/2020 at 6:18 PM, Zhong Lu said:

Shorted the S&P late afternoon with SPXS @ 13.14.  That was a good idea. Not covering the other half of the oil short until now. Not such a great idea.  

S&P's due for a correction anyways, and this rocket strikes clearly is helping that along.  

EDIT: I thought Trump campaigned on NOT starting wars in the Middle East and for getting out of there.  Didn't he tell everyone that Bush was a freaking idiot for invading that area? 

 

[Daisy Williams + 1]

I guess you feel kinda " jump the gun- ish" now...on this comment. Smdh..😉❤

[remake it + 288]

17 minutes ago, Rob Plant said:

So you were happy with Nazi Germany?

OK then we know where you stand

Also I'm glad you have changed your mind regarding sanctions, that they do in fact have an affect, thank you!

Wrong on all counts, but keep up your false equivalences.