Iran

By any objective measure, this has been an utter asskicking. If we sailed away today, they would be in a vastly weaker position than they were before it began. There is no way anybody objective could call it anything other than a loss for them.
It was a loss for them AND a win for them.

They lost the actual battles. They won the stalemate. The world economy is tanking. But, their navy sits at the bottom of the sea. Doesn't help our gas prices or interest rates, does it? Meanwhile can we actually say that Israel won't claim they're capable of making a nuclear bomb six months from now?
 
Sounds like you are creating a “Trump Win”. Kinda like a “Tiger Slam”.

They have absolutely had their ass kicked. They have neither stopped shooting nor surrendered. They are not defeated.

I never said they won.
No. I don't really think Trump wins unless the regime falls. I said from the start I would not have gone in because I thought it would be more difficult and would take longer to topple the regime than the administration thought. I also thought the odds of this harming the economy and harming the Republicans' chances in the midterm were far too great.

That said, the whole narrative that Iran was "winning" or "humiliating" the Trump administration or any of the rest of it was just wishcasting by the corporate media and those who already hated Trump anyway.
 
It was a loss for them AND a win for them.

They lost the actual battles. They won the stalemate. The world economy is tanking. But, their navy sits at the bottom of the sea. Doesn't help our gas prices or interest rates, does it? Meanwhile can we actually say that Israel won't claim they're capable of making a nuclear bomb six months from now?
You say they won the stalemate. Maybe. Their economy was already in big trouble and now its much much worse. They were also shown to be weak in front of their own people.......their propaganda for years had been that they were making Iran strong/were standing up to Israel/America, etc.

What if the regime falls? It may. It may be able to drag on for 6 months or a year but then collapse. Would they have "won" the stalemate then? I don't think so.

The problem for us is it has done economic harm and has hurt Republicans politically before the midterms. I fear there is not enough time to recover before the elections ensuring the Trump presidency is crippled for its last two years.....which is why I never wanted to go in in the first place.
 
You say they won the stalemate. Maybe. Their economy was already in big trouble and now its much much worse. They were also shown to be weak in front of their own people.......their propaganda for years had been that they were making Iran strong/were standing up to Israel/America, etc.

What if the regime falls? It may. It may be able to drag on for 6 months or a year but then collapse. Would they have "won" the stalemate then? I don't think so.

The problem for us is it has done economic harm and has hurt Republicans politically before the midterms. I fear there is not enough time to recover before the elections ensuring the Trump presidency is crippled for its last two years.....which is why I never wanted to go in in the first place.
It doesn't mater how bad we've fucked them up. If they can wreck us too, it's a double KO. They can't "win" in the sense that they come out better from this. But they can take us down with them, and die happy. That is where we are.

And the longer it goes on, the more likely that outcome.

(And we agree, this was ill advised and timed and Trump torpedoed his ow legacy and Republican chances)
 
You say they won the stalemate. Maybe. Their economy was already in big trouble and now its much much worse. They were also shown to be weak in front of their own people.......their propaganda for years had been that they were making Iran strong/were standing up to Israel/America, etc.

What if the regime falls? It may. It may be able to drag on for 6 months or a year but then collapse. Would they have "won" the stalemate then? I don't think so.

The problem for us is it has done economic harm and has hurt Republicans politically before the midterms. I fear there is not enough time to recover before the elections ensuring the Trump presidency is crippled for its last two years.....which is why I never wanted to go in in the first place.
I have issues with that train of thought. The reason we are in the current situation with Iran is that all of the politicians worried more about the midterms than Iran getting a nuke and nothing gets done. Pick the more important issue at hand, midterms or dealing with Iran and stick with it.
 
I have issues with that train of thought. The reason we are in the current situation with Iran is that all of the politicians worried more about the midterms than Iran getting a nuke and nothing gets done. Pick the more important issue at hand, midterms or dealing with Iran and stick with it.
Getting re-elected should never be on the table when making decisions on long term foreign policy.... but, alas, they are politicians with somebody's dick in their hands, whether it's theirs or surgically implemented....
 
Getting re-elected should never be on the table when making decisions on long term foreign policy.... but, alas, they are politicians with somebody's dick in their hands, whether it's theirs or surgically implemented....
Agreed, but, pragmatically, Trump should realize literally everything good he has done will be immediately reversed if the democrats retake power. And their abiolity to make things go bad can be immediate where as his efforts to make things good are slow and stagnant.
 
Agreed, but, pragmatically, Trump should realize literally everything good he has done will be immediately reversed if the democrats retake power. And their abiolity to make things go bad can be immediate where as his efforts to make things good are slow and stagnant.
For a couple reasons I don't think this will matter in 2028. Firstly that's more than 2 years away. The Iranian regime can't hold out that long, and besides I think there will be a major economic upsurge given all the money that is being invested by companies in rebuilding our manufacturing base. The other big reason is the Republican candidate will likely be JD Vance who everybody knows, does not favor getting involved in foreign conflicts. Therefore if anybody is still PO'd about Trump getting involved in Iran, that blame will not attach to Vance.
 
For a couple reasons I don't think this will matter in 2028. Firstly that's more than 2 years away. The Iranian regime can't hold out that long, and besides I think there will be a major economic upsurge given all the money that is being invested by companies in rebuilding our manufacturing base. The other big reason is the Republican candidate will likely be JD Vance who everybody knows, does not favor getting involved in foreign conflicts. Therefore if anybody is still PO'd about Trump getting involved in Iran, that blame will not attach to Vance.
I fear Vance is no where near as viable as many believe.
 
You think the MAGA base that got Trump elected will show up for Vance?
It Depends on how the economy does in the latter half of Trump's term and it depends on who the Democrats run.

But I don't see the people pissed about Trump going into Iran being pissed at Vance when everybody knows he urged Trump to stay out and has been totally consistent about not wanting to get involved in foreign military operations of choice.
 
It Depends on how the economy does in the latter half of Trump's term and it depends on who the Democrats run.

But I don't see the people pissed about Trump going into Iran being pissed at Vance when everybody knows he urged Trump to stay out and has been totally consistent about not wanting to get involved in foreign military operations of choice.
Fair enough, but there is a small but growing contingency that view Vance as a puppet.
 
Fair enough, but there is a small but growing contingency that view Vance as a puppet.
He's the Vice President. They have no power. As one former VP described it "the Vice Presidency isn't worth a bucket of warm shit".

His job is to advise against it in private but to support the president's position in public. If you notice, when asked about it he never says "I' or "we". He always says "the President decided..........".
 
He's the Vice President. They have no power. As one former VP described it "the Vice Presidency isn't worth a bucket of warm shit".

His job is to advise against it in private but to support the president's position in public. If you notice, when asked about it he never says "I' or "we". He always says "the President decided..........".
Oh I do not deny Vance is polished. I like Vance fine enough but I worry he is not electable.
 
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