Has The US Just Declared War?

[Revoltingest]

You do realize that this Iranian thug was actively planning to kill American diplomats who were trying to "be nice" in our dealings with that part of the world?

We actively plan to kill them.... they actively plan to kill us....so it goes.
As the far far greater killers, we've no moral high ground.
But even if we had, is continual conflict the answer?
It hasn't worked yet.
Consider how we gained peace with the USSR & Vietnam....
We ramped down conflict, & talked.
Odd....we lost the Vietnam War, & gained an allie...& many restaurants offering pho.

 

[BSM1]

You have a very odd view of american diplomats.

Please, elaborate.

 

[columbus]

nor were these diplomats a direct threat to him or his country.

Sure they were a threat.
The USA has been attacking Iran for decades and those people represented the USA.

The USA and our representatives are existential threats to Iran and have long been. The best way to head off their nuclear defense program is to stop attacking them. Apparently, Trump and the Republicans aren't smart enough to understand that.
Tom

 

[BSM1]

We actively plan to kill them.... they actively plan to kill us....so it goes.
As the far far greater killers, we've no moral high ground.
But even if we had, is continual conflict the answer?
It hasn't worked yet.
Consider how we gained peace with the USSR & Vietnam....
We ramped down conflict, & talked.
Odd....we lost the Vietnam War, & gained an allie...& many restaurants offering pho.

We didn't "lose" the Viet Nam war; we weren't allowed to win it ... Unfortunately, there are still open wounds in many from that conflict that haven't healed.

 

[BSM1]

Sure they were a threat.
The USA has been attacking Iran for decades and those people represented the USA.

The USA and our representatives are existential threats to Iran and have long been. The best way to head off their nuclear defense program is to stop attacking them. Apparently, Trump and the Republicans aren't smart enough to understand that.
Tom

Again, he was a foreign military entity in Iraq making lethal threats against that nation and the US. That made him a combatant by any definition; therefore, he was a bonifide threat and target. If this had happened in Iran, then you might have a valid point. Good riddance. BTW, try to stay on subject.

 

[Revoltingest]

We didn't "lose" the Viet Nam war; we weren't allowed to win it ...

That's merely the reason we lost it.
Military defeat isn't always about running out of soldiers & weapons.
Sometimes it's about losing the will to continue.
(Whichever it is that causes a loss, it's still a loss.)
It was the best decision Nixon ever made...other than ending the draft.

 

[ChristineM]

Please, elaborate.

Diplomats can provide the leverage to enable peace talks, of course that didn't happen, what they do is mirror trump's belligerent rhetoric.

 

[columbus]

We didn't "lose" the Viet Nam war; we weren't allowed to win it ...

By Ho Chi Minh?

Unfortunately, there are still open wounds in many from that conflict that haven't healed.

Especially amongst the Vietnamese, no doubt.
Tom

 

[columbus]

Again, he was a foreign military entity in Iraq making lethal threats against that nation and the US. That made him a combatant by any definition; therefore, he was a bonifide threat and target. If this had happened in Iran, then you might have a valid point. Good riddance. BTW, try to stay on subject.

If Trump were assassinated in London, would you agree that he was a valid target? Good riddance?
Lots of people would think so. I'm not one, I think Pence would be worse. But still....
Tom

 

[Cooky]

Seriously, kid? Try Russia.

Ever heard of a proxy war?

LOL, Iran wishes Russia would come to their aid.

...Not gonna happen though. Iran's only real friends are other wacko, Islamic theocracies like Lebanon.

 

[Cooky]

So who's replacing him?

Some other guy without a frontal cortex.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Some other guy without a frontal cortex.

You know this, how?

 

[Revoltingest]

Some other guy without a frontal cortex.

There's too common a belief the the enemy is stupid.
(But look at our leaders....are they all that smart?)
This leads to under-estimation, & that leads to mistakes.
Mistakes lead to things like defeat...or even
worse...endless unproductive war.

Think of simulations of war as training for victory.
Some competitive games do that well.
I've found it essential to believe my opponent is smart.

 

[columbus]

LOL, Iran wishes Russia would come to their aid.

...Not gonna happen though. Iran's only real friends are other wacko, Islamic theocracies like Lebanon.

I think you're kidding yourself.
An alliance between Russia and Iran could dominate the Gulf oil region. Add in other countries around the region with no love for the U.S., like Iraq and Syria, and those quaint little countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and UAE will fall into line with the new world order.
Tom

 

[Father Heathen]

LOL, Iran wishes Russia would come to their aid.

...Not gonna happen though. Iran's only real friends are other wacko, Islamic theocracies like Lebanon.

And you know this how?

Iran–Russia relations - Wikipedia

 

[Father Heathen]

You know this, how?

He imagines the enemies of the U.S. to be comical cartoon villains like Cobra Commander.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

No idea.

Someone with a lot less experience of doing what he did though. You can't be the king until you're the king.

There is the real possibility his successor could be more violent and bloodthirsty than he was. He could have a better mind for war. He could be worse, but there is no reason to assume the worst is over. The next one could be the next Himmler.

 

[Father Heathen]

There's too common a belief the the enemy is stupid.
(But look at our leaders....are they all that smart?)
This leads to under-estimation, & that leads to mistakes.
Mistakes lead to things like defeat...or even
worse...endless unproductive war.

Think of simulations of war as training for victory.
Some competitive games do that well.
I've found it essential to believe my opponent is smart.

It's a childish ego thing.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

He imagines the enemies of the U.S. to be comical cartoon villains like Cobra Commander.

That is the only thing I can think of to explain such naivete.

 

[columbus]

He imagines the enemies of the U.S. to be comical cartoon villains like Cobra Commander.

One of the things I can't figure out is how quickly Trump supporters went from recognising Putin's Russia as a dangerous enemy to considering them a friend, if not an ally.

It's just one of those crazy American things.
Tom