12 Comments

I'm not American nor live there; just an overseas subscriber to this publication. You really seem to know what you're talking about, even more evident from the way you respond to comments. It would be great if more Americans could read what you have to say.

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A few months ago I watched a ten-part documentary about the Silk Road produced around 2017. There was a deep dive into Iran. What struck me was the point you make, there are a lot of young people. Many were shown skateboarding with their version of the hip-hop culture but they are still Iranians. A war with Iran would be disastrous. It would be Vietnam on steroids. I stupidly didn't oppose the Iraq invasion. Colin Powell seemed so trustworthy. And Condoleezza Rice, I admired her and still do, but I hope she has given up her Neo-Con beliefs focusing only on battles on the court as co-owner of a basketball team. I will never vote for Nikki Haley or any warmonger. Let Lindsay Graham and the rest of them put on battle gear and fight.

Just saw that ships were hit by Syria. Any takes on this? I cannot believe we might be on the verge of a world war and we have no idea who is running the executive branch. We are sitting ducks.

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US strikes against Houthi’s operating in the region. But that’s as far as I see it going. But it does show that in a major war Iran and these groups supported by Iran will not shy away from attacking US vessels. They understand the difference between a warship and logistical vessels/troop carrying vessels. Imagine hundreds of allied vessels off the coast of Iran staging for an invasion. I do not believe they would significantly halt a naval invasion at sea however it would not be uncontested.

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I saw a segment on military history arguing that the US loaded English passenger ships with ammunition supplies to push Germany into sinking them and thus a pretext for war. I don't know the veracity but I fear something like this could push us into war.

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Yea it was a merchant vessel. Also I share your concern, it wouldn’t be the first time a US naval vessel being sunk under suspicious circumstances was used as a pretext for war.

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Trump may have been a brass loudmouth, but I can't imagine we would be facing the possibility of war under him. Every action was put under scrutiny which is good. I think every official should be. We have no idea who, or what - giving a nod to an old Star Trek episode, is running the executive branch and that is frightening. Look forward to more posts from you.

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I was in error. I think Yemen hit some commercial ships. Is that right?

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I have seen the arguments for and against military action my whole life, having been born into the era of American involvement in Vietnam. Human blood is precious, military solutions are often ugly, and people you like die in them. It is, however, necessary at times, and frequently at times and in places we would rather not precisely because our enemies know this.

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I'm confused. What about Iran's topography makes the Strait of Hormuz the only viable landing point?

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The straight is one of the few possible landing sites that offer enough space to land multiple divisions in a wide front. Other landing sites along the coast are poor sites because they restrict movement due to the topography canalizing movement into one road. Some sites could split divisions and logistical assets due to landing sites being too narrow. These sites other also provides Iran with perfect fields of fire and overwatch during to the terrain over looking any landing site.

That is why the straight in my view is the only viable landing site.

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You didn't mention who in the Iraqi government is wanting the U.S. presence out of Iraq. The Iranian supported groups are the ones. They don't want a U.S. presence or Shia presence or a Christian presence in Iraq. The same groups we fought after Saddam was out of power. It wasn't Iraqi's we were fighting. The Iraqi's wanted peace no longer under the oppressive dictator. Iran won't leave them alone. They want to oppose their will.

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If I made it seem as though all Iraqis want US presence to end that wasn’t my intention. Only that Iraq is not under US control and that there are significant factions that call for the end of US presence. Factions that have fired on US forces, factions that exist within the Iraqi government.

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