RayC

The uprising certainly included Marxists and Islamists, but it also included peasants, merchants, academics, etc. Basically, the Shah was despised by all the Iranian population except for his favoured few.

Exactly. Early indications are that this has all the makings of the debacle which followed the overthrow of Saddam.

Let's not try to rewrite history and portray the Shah as some sort of popular hero. In reality, he was a weak, authoritarian, anti-democratic narcissist, who came to power via a coup and was deposed as a result of a popular uprising. What followed was worse, but Iran was no beacon to the world under the Shah's rule either.

In which case, there is even more reason for having a robust plan for what happens next. To repeat again, the evidence of recent history and the comments emanating from The White House suggest otherwise.

You are guilty of exactly what you accuse me of, namely letting your bias - i.e. your support for Trump - get in the way of rational judgement. Seemingly you are happy to rely on blind faith and believe Trump when he says that everything will turn out fine. Recent utterances from the White House and recent history suggests otherwise. The nativity is to think that after the mess that the US has made of the Middle East (viz Afghanistan and Iraq) that Trump has any sort of plan for a post-war Iran. Indeed, Trump's and his administration have stated that they are not in the business of nation building. How else to interpret that other than the US has no plan for what happens next? The world will almost certainly be a better place without the current Iranian regime, however, the caveat is that there must be a succession plan if the problems which still persist in Afghanistan and Iraq are to be avoided/ minimised.

If the justification for action at this time is that the insane Mullahs are close to producing nuclear weapons, then the evidence should be produced. Iran has supposedly been 5 minutes away from having a nuclear arsenal for the past 40 years. Blair and WMD comes to mind.

The Iranian regime - like Saddam's Iraq - is despicable and has a destabilising effect in the region but - and it is a big 'but' - it is no good simply removing it unless there is a plan to ensure that stability follows. Given the utterances coming out of the White House I e. that regime change will have to be instigated by the Iranian people, it seems very unlikely that Trump has given any thought to what happens next. I think that you are hoping against hope that the Iranian regime will sue for peace.

You are attempting to draw parallels between this conflict in Iran and the two World Wars which don't exist. Given the bi-lateral treaties which existed, once the ball started rolling conflict was inevitable in Europe in 1914 and 1939. There is no such inevitability - or shouldn't be - about a conflict in Iran involving the US (at least not at this time).

I seem to recall similar statements being made about Afghanistan and Iraq. It is, of course, possible that things might be different this time and that there is a plan for post-war Iran but somehow I doubt it.

Who knows what would have happened next if WW1 hadn't occurred? The US's elevation to the world's leading power would probably have been delayed? France, Germany and Britain probably would have continued their battle for colonies. Would the Nazis have risen to power? Who knows? Perhaps, a major conflict in Europe would have been inevitable but, as I said previously, the idea that WW1 brought peace to Europe does not stand up to scrutiny.

WW1 certainly didn't bring peace, quite the reverse. WW2 may have been instrumental in the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community, which forced the French and Germans to stop their regular dust-ups but Uncle Joe ensured that Europe was always on edge.

Genetically modify anthrax so that it only kills immigrants; that way the costs of deportation are avoided🤦 Sorry must go. Rupert Lowe is on the line. I expect that he's about to offer me the choice of being Chancellor, Home Secretary or Minister for Science in Restore's shadow cabinet.

I mentioned Cable Street and Lewisham to illustrate that ordinary working class people don't want anti-semites, racists, xenophobes, etc wandering around their communities trying to sow division. Despite my fears - since realised - that Brexit would be a monumental mistake, I did not call for a second referendum. I hoped that my fears would prove groundless and that Brexit would be a success. What I expected - as a minimum - was that Brexit supporters would take accountability and responsibility for the outcome. What I actually got was none of the above. I've said on many occasions, imo Alex Salmond's 'once in a generation' gap between referendums seemed about right. Assuming that politicians adopt the same principle, the only remaining question is how much more damage will be done by Brexit before we inevitably rejoin the EU sometime in the late 2030s. The racial mix in boroughs such as Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Tower Hamlets hasn't changed that much: There were a large number of immigrants in those boroughs 50 years ago - including many of Afro-Caribbean and Muslim heritage - and these boroughs still have a high proportion of immigrants now. Things were different in the '70s and '80s in the sense that most areas of Inner South and East London were dumps. Those living in Lambeth in the late 20th century had 'the best of it'? I don't think so. What's nasty and diversive is your continual and continuous scapegoating of immigrants - especially those of Muslim extraction - and the implication that they are responsible for the problems in the UK today. This government has been a major disappointment and its' inept handling of issues such as the Pakistani rape gang, the Mandelson affair, the lack of a clear strategy, etc deserves reprimand. However, the idea that it is anti-white, against free speech and is systematically trying to freeze its' elderly citizens to death and drive its' farmers to suicide as you state is as ridiculous as it sounds: The young mother was not jailed for a rude tweet. She was jailed for inciting a riot and promoting arson. Unfortunately, too many individuals from many sectors commit suicide due to financial problems but to blame this sad outcome on government action is wrong and distasteful. No British government in my lifetime has sought to deliberately kill its' citizens. Would you blame Thatcher for the suicides of miners and steel workers in the '80s? Wrt the farmers, this government has merely removed the favourable treatment afforded to them so far as inheritance tax is concerned.

Demonstrations deliberately held in areas populated by large numbers of immigrants by the anti-Semitic and racist Blackshirts and National Front with the clear intention of provoking the local residents. Yes, what could be more "peaceful" than that. But of course, those groups were simply enacting their right to freedom of speech and should not be held accountable or responsible in any way for the violence which ensured. My old (white) man had no need of a mobile phone but in the 50+ years he wandered around Brixton he didn't get mugged either. I'm pretty sure that if he had been, his black friends in the betting shop would have been appalled. The bottom line is that decent Brits reject your nasty, diverse, insular vision of what the UK should look like.

No we don't both know that. That is the false narrative that you use to try to sow division. The overwhelming majority - including both the vanishing small number of indigenous people and the vast number of 'mongrels' - who constitute the UK population are welcoming of LEGAL immigrants. These immigrants have not been forced upon them against their will. The concept of a two-tier justice system exists only in the minds of people such as yourself. As for "racist DEI policies", any racism and xenophobia is clearly demonstrated by those who continually complain about diversity. Indeed, every action has a reaction. The extreme right should learn from events such as Cable Street, Lewisham and Brixton that they are not wanted in our communities.

Imo the Sky Australia piece is a good precise of the Mandelson affair but to suggest, as you do that, only the " alternative news outlets (Sky News is alternative?) that report on the obvious elephant in the room despite the international left media ignoring it", is complete and utter nonsense. There is head-to-toe coverage of this news in the media - UK and international - be that print, podcast or TV and irrespective of whether the media outlet is politically left, right or centre leaning.

Where did I mention neo-Nazis? You seem to have cornered the market in deluded fantasies. You're becoming increasingly ageist. (However, I do prefer Hua Hin to Pattaya). "... no lefties stirring up racial divides ..." said without irony by the man who's favourite saying is a sarcastic, "diversity is our strength".

You appear to be replying to yourself.

That's what comes of being so insular, Jonathan; you don't get to meet new and interesting types of people. Once again, you're jumping to conclusions without any supporting evidence. Actually I've never really cared much for Pattaya. You're almost certainly chronologically younger than me, Jonny. Anyway, I'm a bit surprised. I wouldn't have thought that you would have cared much for all the EU-loving politicians and the Labour-loving 'Cool Britannia' arts crowd of the '90s.

I believe that that group you mention are usually referred to as 'luvvies' - not the establishment - but then you can be forgiven that error as terminology isn't your strong suit. The real British establishment obviously has nothing to fear while there exist insular simpletons, who endlessly bemoan their lot as an Englishman and have a longing to return to the good old days of the 19th century.

The "lefty establishment"? What's its' membership and when was it formed? Presumably it's meant to act as a counterweight to the right-wing British establishment, whose membership (not an exhaustive list) contains the monarchy, the aristocracy, media barons, financiers, industrialists, the leaders of the armed forces, etc?

(Mohammed) Zia Yusef's real name is 'Jack Smith'?

How ungrateful can you get? This is not just any old hospital ship, this is a "great" hospital ship🤦

No.

Why should a HoS's role be any different if s/he were directly elected?