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New rule: No starting any new wars until you've finished fighting all your current ones.

Kangaroo Feathers

Yea, it is written in the Book of Cyril...
The first time I heard anyone in the Bush administration mention Iraq, in 2002, I knew they were going to invade it. Lately, certain members of the Trump administration have been talking the same way about Iran, and just recently some fortuitous incidents have handed them a convenient casus belli. So this essay is for the benefit of readers for whom what’s going to happen over the next months might seem bizarre, horrific, or inexplicable if you aren’t old enough to have lived through it before, or read enough to know that it’s a syndrome with an etiology as predictable as that of any other disease. In fact, it’s one of the commonest civilizational afflictions, the equivalent of the cold, one that’s been documented since history began.

Here’s how this goes...

Here’s How the Government Will Sell Us the Iran War

In 2001 I was a 23 year old unquestioningly nationalist regular army soldier. I literally counterprotested peace marches, and argued publicly in support of coalition invasion (only we always called it "intervention") of Iraq. I volunteered to go, and in 2005 I got my chance. I was sold a bill of goods. I was used as a political pawn by people who couldn't have given less of a **** about either me or the Iraqis I hurt and killed, who I was allegedly there to "liberate" (this was the supposed casus belli after the much hyped "weapons of mass destruction" failed to materialise). We served with honour and distinction for what turned out to be a dishonourable and ignominious cause. Before I went, I was well educated, smart, energetic, knew it all and on a fast track to a distinguished career in health, tentatively tapped for a subsequent representative role with the Australian conservative political party. It was all laid out. Instead, I came home wrecked, completely disillusioned and betrayed. My mental health took a huge hit, which led to a major physical health incident not long after, and my life has been in a generally downward trajectory ever since. I'm now a 41 year old nobody, working a mundane job of little consequence, and with few prospects of achieving anything significant from here on.

And holy ****ing **** does it hurt watching us gearing up to do it all again. Call me Cassandra.

I eagerly await the imminent arrival of the Trumpettes and Usual Suspects to tell me I'm wrong, that it will all be over by Christmas, that we'll be welcomed as liberators, how from the comfort of their armchairs they know how to achieve quick, unambiguous victory with extended supply lines into a large, mountainous country with a large, motivated and engaged population... all the usual stuff. Send your kids, let politicians who won't send their kids send your kids, please don't learn from my example.
 
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Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.
Premium Member

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Sorta reminds me of second son.

This might shock you , but I agree on several fronts for a fair part.

We have too many wars going on that aren't adequately being explained, there's also the trend of bypassing Congressional approval for a fair number of conflicts through which executive action is the new norm.

The United States propensity for offensive military actions comes across as a bit unsettling given our past history of being pretty much a defensive country, where military action is primarily coming at the behest of our allies and only after careful consideration and deliberation.
 

Kangaroo Feathers

Yea, it is written in the Book of Cyril...

Kangaroo Feathers

Yea, it is written in the Book of Cyril...
I didn't say you supported another war. I said you supported warhawks.
#youdontknowhowtoread
And note he didn't actually deny supporting another war, rather, played the imply then deny "Who said I supported another war?" lame game. If he ACTUALLY didn't support another war, presumably he'd have no problem simply stating "I don't support another war".
 

The Reverend Bob

Fart Machine and Beastmaster

Shaul

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
There is no substantive evidence that President Trump is about to start any war. Furthermore there are significant reasons why he will not before November 2020. One is that he could not, short of game changing circumstances, get support for any war from a Congress that is so hostile to him. Two that it would hurt his re-election prospects.

Talk of him wanting to start a war is scare mongering, IMHO.
 

Enoch07

It's all a sick freaking joke.
Premium Member
I just did it again, but sure, hide in snarky sarcasm and imply then deny tactics rather than address the topic or, God forbid, apologise for your gross mischaracterisation.

Nothing to apologize for. Just calling out your BS. If you can't handle some criticism you shouldn't post. :shrug:
 

Kangaroo Feathers

Yea, it is written in the Book of Cyril...
There is no substantive evidence that President Trump is about to start any war. Furthermore there are significant reasons why he will not before November 2020. One is that he could not, short of game changing circumstances, get support for any war from a Congress that is so hostile to him. Two that it would hurt his re-election prospects.

Talk of him wanting to start a war is scare mongering, IMHO.
And hey, I hope and pray I'm wrong. However, it would be foolish not to not the various parallels between current events and previous "justifications" of military actions.

If Trump never attacks Iran, feel free to "I told you so" me.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
I'm not a pacifist. I believe we need to defeat terrorists. But we also don't need to meddle in other nations affairs. Congress should develop a backbone which they're further from then ever.

During Obama's presidency, I heard almost nothing from the right opposing his drone attacks but I did hear from pacifist liberals on the topic.

But now complaining about Obama is justification for what? Supporting a Trump war? Bolton has a hard on to go to war with Iran. Saudi Arabia would love to see us have a nice war with them. Trump was utterly dumb to start pushing Iran into a corner that was not needed but which Israel and Saudi Arabia wanted to happen.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
And hey, I hope and pray I'm wrong. However, it would be foolish not to not the various parallels between current events and previous "justifications" of military actions.

If Trump never attacks Iran, feel free to "I told you so" me.
Pushing Iran into a corner and then complaining about the result is just about equivalent to firing first.
 
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