Iran--puppet master? US has 'proof' of Irans help in the insurgent community

[maineman]

Do you disagree? Other than the Spartans, the middle east have been the best at the 'enemy of my enemy' philosophy. It's the reason that Saddam and Osama met so often on their way to work, no?

I absolutely disagree.... Assad would never allow Syria to become the client state of Iran...his ba'ath party would have him assassinated.

In the middle east, the enemy of my enemy is only my friend if he is not also my equally feared and distrusted enemy.

 

[maineman]

when in the middle east, I learned that arabs HATE and distrust persians.... and that sunnis intensely dislike shiites. Sunni arab baathist Syria might talk with Iran... and they might make nice at middle eastern summits, but the syrians would NEVER allow themselves to become subsumed into Iranian (persian shiite) regional hegemony.

 

[Annie]

I absolutely disagree.... Assad would never allow Syria to become the client state of Iran...his ba'ath party would have him assassinated.

In the middle east, the enemy of my enemy is only my friend if he is not also my equally feared and distrusted enemy.

Now you are being silly. Hizbollah is being armed through Syria, which is channeling the weapons from Iran. Even the UN acknowledges that.

 

[maineman]

Now you are being silly. Hizbollah is being armed through Syria, which is channeling the weapons from Iran. Even the UN acknowledges that.

so what? that makes Syria an Iranian PROXY? I doubt it.

Both Syria and Iran have reasons for wanting Lebanon to be destabilized.... that does not mean that Syria would EVER allow itself to become subjegated to the wishes of Tehran.

 

[Annie]

so what? that makes Syria an Iranian PROXY? I doubt it.

Both Syria and Iran have reasons for wanting Lebanon to be destabilized.... that does not mean that Syria would EVER allow itself to become subjegated to the wishes of Tehran.

That may be the case, but in this case, Syria is allowing itself to be used by S'hia, with 0 repercussions the their regime. 'The enemy of my enemy...'

 

[maineman]

That may be the case, but in this case, Syria is allowing itself to be used by S'hia, with 0 repercussions the their regime. 'The enemy of my enemy...'

they aren't being 'used" anymore or less than they are 'using" Iran. Every piece of weaponry that Iran funnels to Lebanon is one less that Syria needs to provide..... and have no doubt...if Hezbollah begins to gain too much of an advantage in Lebanon besides being a disruptive influence, Syria will start dumping arms into sunni militias within Lebanon

 

[Annie]

they aren't being 'used" anymore or less than they are 'using" Iran. Every piece of weaponry that Iran funnels to Lebanon is one less that Syria needs to provide..... and have no doubt...if Hezbollah begins to gain too much of an advantage in Lebanon besides being a disruptive influence, Syria will start dumping arms into sunni militias within Lebanon

you are begging the question. While I do enjoy conversing with you, I'll not be drawn into a semantics argument. I don't like 'fine points' otherwise I'd be applying at State Dept.

 

[maineman]

you are begging the question. While I do enjoy conversing with you, I'll not be drawn into a semantics argument. I don't like 'fine points' otherwise I'd be applying at State Dept.

and the difference between comparing Syria's limited cooperation with Iran vis a vis arms to Lebanon and somehow extrapolating that into Saddam cooperating with Al Qaeda is quite fundamental: the raison d'etre of neither Syria nor Iran is the annihilation of the other, whereas that is precisely what the strategic mission of Al Qaeda was with respect to Iraq.

 

[Annie]

and the difference between comparing Syria's limited cooperation with Iran vis a vis arms to Lebanon and somehow extrapolating that into Saddam cooperating with Al Qaeda is quite fundamental: the raison d'etre of neither Syria nor Iran is the annihilation of the other, whereas that is precisely what the strategic mission of Al Qaeda was with respect to Iraq.

Again, I'll not be drawn into the rabbit hole. I used your analogy of meeting at a corner on the way to work. Do NOT twist to something not written.

 

[maineman]

understood.

 

[Annie]

understood.

Thank you! We are good foils for each other.

 

[maineman]

Thank you! We are good foils for each other.

I agree..... it is amazing how respect is so easily repaid

 

[Annie]

I agree..... it is amazing how respect is so easily repaid

and it's so much easier than calling names! Go figure?!

 

[maineman]

and it's so much easier than calling names! Go figure?!

it really isn't all that much easier, but it is better for one's soul, to be sure.

 

[Annie]

it really isn't all that much easier, but it is better for one's soul, to be sure.

Yeah, it's easier and more rational. Read some of those threads, not worth it. I don't care about the stance, well sure I do, but not on messageboard to make a point. All the 'calling out' and 'images' and 'copy and paste', now this is coming from someone that is second to none in copy and paste, yet it doesn't serve a purpose in this type of argument.

 

[maineman]

Yeah, it's easier and more rational. Read some of those threads, not worth it. I don't care about the stance, well sure I do, but not on messageboard to make a point. All the 'calling out' and 'images' and 'copy and paste', now this is coming from someone that is second to none in copy and paste, yet it doesn't serve a purpose in this type of argument.

In one sense you are correct. I find it much more easy and much more effective to speak my own truth and not rely on cutting and pasting voluminous stuff in some effort to inundate my opponent. In another sense, it doesn't take much more time to type "asshole" than it does "darlin'"... although the latter certainly makes one feel more peaceful.

 

[Annie]

In one sense you are correct. I find it much more easy and much more effective to speak my own truth and not rely on cutting and pasting voluminous stuff in some effort to inundate my opponent. In another sense, it doesn't take much more time to type "asshole" than it does "darlin'"... although the latter certainly makes one feel more peaceful.

Well I like the latter more than the former, have received both. The problem is that the darlin makes one smile, while the as*hole makes for a nasty reply, though likely brings nothing to the table. Which is why, I've been trying to avoid giving or receiving messages like that. It's called baiting in my lexicon.

 

[maineman]

Well I like the latter more than the former, have received both. The problem is that the darlin makes one smile, while the as*hole makes for a nasty reply, though likely brings nothing to the table. Which is why, I've been trying to avoid giving or receiving messages like that. It's called baiting in my lexicon.

you know.... you're a doll.

that's a fact.

and I wish that others on the right had your wisdom and maturity - hell I wish I did.... because I really don't think they know how much anger it incites in patriotic liberals - especially veterans like myself - to be called treasonous or traitorous.... it is worse than any obscene insult I can imagine.

 

[Annie]

you know.... you're a doll.

that's a fact.

and I wish that others on the right had your wisdom and maturity - hell I wish I did.... because I really don't think they know how much anger it incites in patriotic liberals - especially veterans like myself - to be called treasonous or traitorous.... it is worse than any obscene insult I can imagine.

I agree. Then again, you must realize that when you call those on the right 'idiots' and worse you are asking for more of the same? I don't think either side has the dibs on either morality or 'right'. Like I've said repeatedly on this site and others, the reasons for the Iraq war I think were solid, (wmd was part, but not largest, defining), but the execution after the intial has been disasterous. What I'm very concerned with now is that they, (meaning the administration), may have finally decided on something that will work, but with the change in Congress, the dynamics will not support. We'll all lose, Iraqis, US (which includes dems, reps, and I don't knows), world.

 

[maineman]

I agree. Then again, you must realize that when you call those on the right 'idiots' and worse you are asking for more of the same? I don't think either side has the dibs on either morality or 'right'. Like I've said repeatedly on this site and others, the reasons for the Iraq war I think were solid, (wmd was part, but not largest, defining), but the execution after the intial has been disasterous. What I'm very concerned with now is that they, (meaning the administration), may have finally decided on something that will work, but with the change in Congress, the dynamics will not support. We'll all lose, Iraqis, US (which includes dems, reps, and I don't knows), world.

I stand guilty as charged and will try to behave going forward. You almost shame me into it!

re: Iraq.... I really do hope for brilliant success...but I have almost no realistic expectation of any successes in Iraq simply because the nature of the "mission" is not one for our military. It is really for some enormous bionic police force but soldiers were never really trained to be policemen. Unfortunately, I really and truly believe that Iraqis will keep killing each other in greater and greater numbers until they have a bellyful of it, and begrudgingly agree to stop...and as long as Americans are there, in the midst of all that, they will be killed in greater and greater numbers as well.... and sending 21.5K more merely means that there are 21.5K more American targets.