2 minutes ago, elmrfudd said:

What makes you think that he still doesn't want to be in a prolonged war in the middle east like the past decades of stupidity have started? 

He promised to be reducing the number of US troops in the mideast. Instead he has increased it.

4 minutes ago, elmrfudd said:

They can't, they don't have a military to speak of. They depend on the us for protection so they can spend gdp on free stuff. 

Someone on here makes a remark about Europeans to deflect from his own position. You fall for that with your eyes wide open and run away with it.

1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

He promised to be reducing the number of US troops in the mideast st. Instead he has increased it.

So you think he has had this as a goal since the beginning? He let several Iranian attacks slide without a response. 

 

I think he will respond then pull back unless they begin to escalate. 

3 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

He promised to be reducing the number of US troops in the mideast. Instead he has increased it.

He did just that couple of months ago when he took all but few soldiers out of Syria and the Kurdish controlled areas and than the whole world erupted in laud roar how dare he leave the Kurds to the mercy of the Syrian/Russian/Turkish armies? so not what always seems to be the right thing to do is the necessary right thing by everyone and everybody... 

16 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Let's cross our fingers and pray this won't weaken the dollar. Otherwise some American expats living in Thailand are going to feel it.

US is in the fortunate position where it can protect itself from too much increase in the price of oil as it produces the majority (>80%) of oil consumed internally & it's largest imports come from Canada/Mexico where it obviously has a lot of political clout it can use to help keep things stable.

 

A quick search for stats on Imports Vs Exports shows... 

In the third quarter of 2018, the U.S. imported roughly 10.2 million barrels of petroleum per day,3 with the largest amounts coming from Canada (41%) and Saudi Arabia (10%).4

In the third quarter of 2018, the U.S. exported roughly 7.5 million barrels of petroleum per day.3 The largest markets for U.S. petroleum exports are Mexico and Canada, but the U.S. exports petroleum to 180 countries.5

 

Edit to add link: https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/how-much-oil-does-us-export-and-import

 

 

P.S. the USA is a single country so only has 1 capital... Wall Street ???? 

 

1 minute ago, elmrfudd said:

So you think he has had this as a goal since the beginning? He let several Iranian attacks slide without a response. 

 

I think he will respond then pull back unless they begin to escalate. 

They begin to escalate? The ones escalating here are the US.

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

Deflect away from your own remarks.

Deflect what? We know the EU wants those billions of dollars in contracts in Iran, that was the reason to push the Iran deal. 

 

Why so sensitive? 

1 minute ago, ezzra said:

He did just that couple of months ago when he took all but few soldiers out of Syria and the Kurdish controlled areas and than the whole world erupted in laud roar how dare he leave the Kurds to the mercy of the Syrian/Russian/Turkish armies? so not what always seems to be the right thing to do is the necessary right thing by everyone and everybody... 

There is no plan, that is the problem.

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

They begin to escalate? The ones escalating here are the US.

You mean like attacking an embassy? 

Just now, elmrfudd said:

You mean like attacking an embassy? 

It's bizarre how Trump supporters ignore the fact that not only did the US withdraw from the nuclear agreement, but that it is waging an aggressive economic war on Iran. That's a far, far more serious escalation than an attack on on embassy.

8 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

US is in the fortunate position where it can protect itself from too much increase in the price of oil as it produces the majority (>80%) of oil consumed internally & it's largest imports come from Canada/Mexico where it obviously has a lot of political clout it can use to help keep things stable.

 

A quick search for stats on Imports Vs Exports shows... 

In the third quarter of 2018, the U.S. imported roughly 10.2 million barrels of petroleum per day,3 with the largest amounts coming from Canada (41%) and Saudi Arabia (10%).4

In the third quarter of 2018, the U.S. exported roughly 7.5 million barrels of petroleum per day.3 The largest markets for U.S. petroleum exports are Mexico and Canada, but the U.S. exports petroleum to 180 countries.5

 

Edit to add link: https://www.americangeosciences.org/critical-issues/faq/how-much-oil-does-us-export-and-import

 

 

P.S. the USA is a single country so only has 1 capital... Wall Street ???? 

 

All very nice for the US maybe. But  the rest of the world?

23 minutes ago, ezzra said:

He did just that couple of months ago when he took all but few soldiers out of Syria and the Kurdish controlled areas and than the whole world erupted in laud roar how dare he leave the Kurds to the mercy of the Syrian/Russian/Turkish armies? so not what always seems to be the right thing to do is the necessary right thing by everyone and everybody... 

What's your point? That Trump should pay attention to his critics? The relevant issue is the hypocrisy of Trump supporters. The same people who were applauding his withdrawal from Syria are now defending his escalation. 

13 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

It's bizarre how Trump supporters ignore the fact that not only did the US withdraw from the nuclear agreement, but that it is waging an aggressive economic war on Iran. That's a far, far more serious escalation than an attack on on embassy.

The "deal" was a ridiculous front end loaded to give billions of dollars to Iran upfront for a promise not to develop a nuke. The EU wanted it so they could get billions in contracts. 

 

The deal wasn't a legal treaty, they knew it would not be passed so they created this nonsense. 

 

I do not want any wars. I also don't want to keep tolerating constant proxy attacks. 

 

So, slowly withdrawal and have hundreds of cruise missiles queued up and begin to make it clear they will be used only if they attack. 

 

Just now, elmrfudd said:

The "deal" was a ridiculous front end loaded to give billions of dollars to Iran upfront for a promise not to develop a nuke. The EU wanted it so they could get billions in contracts. 

 

The deal wasn't a legal treaty, they knew it would not be passed so they created this nonsense. 

 

I do not want any wars. I also don't want to keep tolerating constant proxy attacks. 

 

So, slowly withdrawal and have hundreds of cruise missiles queued up and begin to make it clear they will be used only if they attack. 

 

Whatever the merits of the deal, what's that got to do with the economic warfare that the US is waging on Iran? Who in their right mind wouldn't expect that Iran would ultimately respond?

1 hour ago, Chazar said:

Iran spent  years  fighting their  neighbours and neither side learnt anything.

I am not sure of that. Someone better have learnt Iran can take a million casualties; I don't think America or any western country would do that a second time. 

Will be interesting if no one was killed in the Iranian missile attack. It is Iraq base on Iraq territory; it is up to Iraq to respond not the USA. 

23 minutes ago, Dumbastheycome said:

All very nice for the US maybe. But  the rest of the world?

We're screwed ???? 

 

Actually, UK gets most of its oil from Norway but any slow down in the oil coming out of the Middle East will obviously make this more expensive (basic supply & demand) so price of goods/Inflation will go up (on top of any increases caused by uncertainties around Brexit), which would force the BOE to raise interest rates so GBP may even rise. 

 

 

20 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

What's your point? That Trump should pay attention to his critics? The relevant issue is the hypocrisy of Trump supporters. The same people who were applauding his withdrawal from Syria are now defending his escalation. 

The biggest hypocrisy I see nowadays is people believing and repeating Trump administration talking points on the war, when we all know these are the same types of people who lied us into the Iraq War. 

 

We literally all know for a fact that these politicians will lie, cover up and stop at nothing to invade countries where there are oil reserves involved. Yet, they still repeat the talking points as if they are facts. 

 

You can listen to Pompeo talk and astonishingly every single thing that comes out of his mouth is obviously a lie or a prevarication. It is ridiculous they think citizens are that stupid, and even more ridiculous when people repeat what he says as if it were true. 

10 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Whatever the merits of the deal, what's that got to do with the economic warfare that the US is waging on Iran? Who in their right mind wouldn't expect that Iran would ultimately respond?

Sanctions were in place long before this president took office, with Iranians beginning to protest in the streets, then the Obama administration told them that they would drop the sanctions as soon as they were in office. What was the result of the appeasement? Any reduction in the proxy wars? 

If American voters were forced to watch this <deleted> the world may be a better place. Imagine what these <deleted> talk like when there are no cameras and reporters! 

 

 

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

Reported on CNN no American casualties.

I believe CNN qualified that statement with words something like "that we know of".

 

Excuse me please, I must look at my portfolio and see how I can make "a tidy little sum out of this attack".

2 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

Reports coming in that there are US planes in the air now.

What is your source on that?

I remember when I was a young man seeing on the 6 o'clock news video of Iraq heavy howitzers pounding some target in Iran.  A lot of the goings on before then and after could have been left to the middle eastern ratbags to sort out one way or the other.  Hopefully POTUS will hit em with a big wammy then pull back...and wait for a chance to bump off the leaders.  ????

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Someone on here makes a remark about Europeans to deflect from his own position. You fall for that with your eyes wide open and run away with it.

I have no need to Deflect anything. If you are going to comment on this situation and try to tell us how virtuous you are, then you have to own your colonial past and the horrible things that happened on a much longer time line. Own it

41 minutes ago, meand said:

You can listen to Pompeo talk and astonishingly every single thing that comes out of his mouth is obviously a lie or a prevarication. It is ridiculous they think citizens are that stupid, and even more ridiculous when people repeat what he says as if it were true. 

It's been 3 years now.  I've felt this way since the beginning, but there as these people, that solid 35%, that behave as if mesmerized by this guy.  I'm not anticipating that to change.

At his next rally will he have the crowd chant "war! war! war!"  ?

 

Pretty clear this is a wag the dog moment.

 

 

Just now, elmrfudd said:

I have no need to Deflect anything. If you are going to comment on this situation and try to tell us how virtuous you are, then you have to own your colonial past and the horrible things that happened on a much longer time line. Own it

Just possibly it might be considered a deflection because while these European misdeeds are a thing of the past, those of American are an ongoing and current concern. 

Fellow AMERICAN'S beware. Attached is a former Pentagon expert warning us here in Thailand. We are now as likely a target as any for retaliation,

https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/01/07/iran-america-threats-qasem-soleimani-brian-todd-sr-pkg-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/tensions-with-iran/

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Let's cross our fingers and pray this won't weaken the dollar. Otherwise some American expats living in Thailand are going to feel it.

Baht up today though.

1 hour ago, elmrfudd said:

So you think he has had this as a goal since the beginning? He let several Iranian attacks slide without a response. 

 

I think he will respond then pull back unless they begin to escalate. 

Escalation already is upon us.

1 hour ago, bristolboy said:

What's your point? That Trump should pay attention to his critics? The relevant issue is the hypocrisy of Trump supporters. The same people who were applauding his withdrawal from Syria are now defending his escalation. 

Better known as his cult following.

15 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

Problems can be traced to at least 1979, when Iran's US-backed shah was overthrown and the country became an Islamic republic.

 

Try 1953.  And then the relationship with the CIA and Savak.  If you were Iranian you would have been against the US.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Mosaddegh