Expert: The war of words between Washington and Tehran could easily become shooting war

"Both sides, the American leadership and the Iranian leadership, are playing with fire," Fawaz A. Gerges, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, told NBC News. "There's a real danger that the war of words between Washington and Tehran could easily escalate into a shooting war."

There also seems to be a shift in attitude among regular Iranians, many of whom are traditionally pro-American.

"For the past 40 years, the Iranian government has tried to establish a nationwide hatred for the U.S. government and failed," Meisam Jebelli, 37, an English teacher in Tehran, told NBC News.

"Trump managed to do it in two weeks," he said.

View from Tehran: Iran Defiant in Face of ‘Political Novice’ Trump Threats

This story is not fearmongering. The way some people on this forum react to bad news, I wouldn't be surprised if they could accuse a doctor who told them they had cancer of fearmongering.

In related news...

Trump administration looks to divide Russia's relations with Iran

Putin appears to have answered the Trump administration concerning Russia's relationship with Iran.

PUTIN DISAGREES WITH TRUMP: IRAN NOT A TERRORIST STATE

Kremlin breaks with Trump on Iran

It looks like those who think that Russia will not stand by Iran in the long run may be wrong.

Please consider the next two stories.

Russia, Turkey, Iran discuss Syria ceasefire implementation in Astana

Saudi king agrees in call with Trump to support Syria, Yemen safe zones: White House

In my opinion, those last two stories may be telling us a lot about what's going on behind the scenes. Please recall that just a few months ago diplomats from the United States, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, as well as the United Nations’ special Syrian crisis envoy met together to discuss what to do about Syria.

Syria talks in Switzerland produce only a decision to keep talking

Why aren't all of those parties still discussing Syria together? Has something important changed behind the scenes?

There has been a war of words between Iran and America since the US-backed Government was overthrown in 1979. This is just "same old same old" in my opinion.

The worst time for this was in the Bush years where Bush openly announced that his intention was Iraq-style regime change in Iran.

As for this:

"For the past 40 years, the Iranian government has tried to establish a nationwide hatred for the U.S. government and failed," Meisam Jebelli, 37, an English teacher in Tehran, told NBC News.

Is pretty much false. Anti-American sentiment has been the majority viewpoint in Iran since the Shah and his CIA friends decided to start shooting people.

a reply to: Profusion

Yeah , a Shooting War that would End in 2 Minutes with a lot of Iranians Dead . Tehran is Full of Bravado , and their Bark is Worse that their Bite.......

originally posted by: Profusion

"Both sides, the American leadership and the Iranian leadership, are playing with fire," Fawaz A. Gerges, a professor of international relations at the London School of Economics, told NBC News. "There's a real danger that the war of words between Washington and Tehran could easily escalate into a shooting war."

There also seems to be a shift in attitude among regular Iranians, many of whom are traditionally pro-American.

"For the past 40 years, the Iranian government has tried to establish a nationwide hatred for the U.S. government and failed," Meisam Jebelli, 37, an English teacher in Tehran, told NBC News.

"Trump managed to do it in two weeks," he said.

View from Tehran: Iran Defiant in Face of ‘Political Novice’ Trump Threats

This story is not fearmongering. The way some people on this forum react to bad news, I wouldn't be surprised if they could accuse a doctor who told them they had cancer of fearmongering.

In related news...

Trump administration looks to divide Russia's relations with Iran

Putin appears to have answered the Trump administration concerning Russia's relationship with Iran.

PUTIN DISAGREES WITH TRUMP: IRAN NOT A TERRORIST STATE

It looks like those who think that Russia will not stand by Iran in the long run may be wrong.

Please consider the next two stories.

Russia, Turkey, Iran discuss Syria ceasefire implementation in Astana

Saudi king agrees in call with Trump to support Syria, Yemen safe zones: White House

In my opinion, those last two stories may be telling us a lot about what's going on behind the scenes. Please recall that just a few months ago diplomats from the United States, Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, as well as the United Nations’ special Syrian crisis envoy met together to discuss what to do about Syria.

Syria talks in Switzerland produce only a decision to keep talking

Why aren't all of those parties still discussing Syria together? Has something important changed behind the scenes?

Looks like we get to find out who putin likes more, Iran or trump....

Wouldn't it be "fitting" for the one real benefit of trump (better relations with Russia) blowing up in our faces as trump bungles us into a nuclear war...

Looks like just with a bad child Donnie needs his cell phone taken away until he learns how to play with others.

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: Profusion

Yeah , a Shooting War that would End in 2 Minutes with a lot of Iranians Dead . Tehran is Full of Bravado , and their Bark is Worse that their Bite.......

No it would not, Iran is one of Russia's main sources of oil. Meaning they really can't drop their alliance on a whim.

Plus Iran is way more populated than iraq with a FAR better military...and Iran and Afghanistan have continued for 17 years...

Iraq and Afghanistan togather are easier than Iran would be, we prob would have to use nukes.

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: Profusion

Yeah , a Shooting War that would End in 2 Minutes with a lot of Iranians Dead . Tehran is Full of Bravado , and their Bark is Worse that their Bite.......

Iran has sleeper cells in the USA and West and promises within 48 hours of attack that every US base will be under suicide attack according to Brigadier General Naghdi of the Al Quds force they've been ready since 2012

# or get off the pot.

originally posted by: khnum

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: Profusion

Yeah , a Shooting War that would End in 2 Minutes with a lot of Iranians Dead . Tehran is Full of Bravado , and their Bark is Worse that their Bite.......

Iran has sleeper cells in the USA and West and promises within 48 hours of attack that every US base will be under suicide attack according to Brigadier General Naghdi of the Al Quds force they've been ready since 2012

I doubt it..

Not that I am down playing the insane difficulty of an Iran invasion, I just doubt that Iranian suicide bombers is the real risk.

Russia gets their oil from Iran , so they prob will back Iran before trump.

Also Iran is huge and vastly populated, it has taken 17 years in Iraq and Afghanistan and we still haven't done any real good..

We will spend 50 years fighting Iran.

originally posted by: Zanti Misfit
a reply to: Profusion

Yeah , a Shooting War that would End in 2 Minutes with a lot of Iranians Dead . Tehran is Full of Bravado , and their Bark is Worse that their Bite.......

Man I just keep reading this post over and over...

Really?!?!

17 years in Iraq and Afghanistan and we beat a way tougher Iranian 2 min?!?!


What?!?!

Lol

The key here is to get Russia to side with the US on Iran. Make Russia a deal they cannot refuse and Iran will fall like dominoes.

originally posted by: 4N0M4LY
The key here is to get Russia to side with the US on Iran. Make Russia a deal they cannot refuse and Iran will fall like dominoes.

But then the Middle East will belong to the Wahhabis.

You know, the people blowing stuff up and shooting people in the West?

Some of this I agree with even though the majority is a hit piece on the new administration's policies. I also agree that Russia and China will not sit by as Iran is bombed back into the dirt age..
To me it is amazing how fast countries can be at each others throats.. Isolationism ain't all that bad IMO. Buggars want to kill each othe then have at it.. Natural selection is still a force to be reckoned with IMO.

For one thing, Iran has been living with the threat of a AngloZionst attack for 38 years, including 23 years of Neocon power in the USA. To think that right now they will be suddenly really be frightened and will meekly comply with Uncle Shmuel’s demands is very naïve. The Iranians have been preparing for a war against the US and Israel for almost a quarter of a century – they are fine ready, both militarily and psychologically. Oh sure, the US can most definitely strike at Iran with cruise missile and air-strikes, but at what cost and what would that exactly achieve? In terms of achievement, it would have a beneficial psychotherapeutic effect on those Americans who feel insecure about their military size and who want to feel big and powerful again. It will also kill plenty of Iranians and destroy some unknown amount of Iranian targets, including possibility missile technology or nuclear technology related ones. But it will not change Iranian policies by even a tiny amount, nor will it prevent Iran from further pursuing nuclear or missile technologies.

So here is the ugly secret that everybody knows or, at least, ought to know: the only boots on the ground to defeat Daesh have been, still are and will be, Iranian boots. That is a fact of life, sorry. The Turks are out, after the attempted coup against Erdogan and the subsequent purges the Turkish military is only a shadow of what it used to be. The Kurds have no desire whatsoever to be used as cannon fodder in a dangerous and difficult war against Daesh. The Saudis and the rest of them are a joke, barely capable of terrorizing civilians, but they will be instantly defeated by Daesh in the first skirmish. So unless the Canadians, the Brits, the Poles, the Lithuanians and, say, the Georgians want to lead the struggle against Daesh (just kidding!), the only country which can make Trump’s campaign promise happen is Iran (and Hezbollah, of course).

www.unz.com...

Only a fool would use nuclear weapons .... unfortunately there are fools aplenty...

originally posted by: Ohanka

originally posted by: 4N0M4LY
The key here is to get Russia to side with the US on Iran. Make Russia a deal they cannot refuse and Iran will fall like dominoes.

But then the Middle East will belong to the Wahhabis.

You know, the people blowing stuff up and shooting people in the West?

That is only because they are able to get through security and it is also an idiological problem that has to be dealt within their own culture. Military might can destroy people and nations. It cannot fight an idiology. Only the people who practice it can change the violence.

originally posted by: 4N0M4LY

originally posted by: Ohanka

originally posted by: 4N0M4LY
The key here is to get Russia to side with the US on Iran. Make Russia a deal they cannot refuse and Iran will fall like dominoes.

But then the Middle East will belong to the Wahhabis.

You know, the people blowing stuff up and shooting people in the West?

That is only because they are able to get through security and it is also an idiological problem that has to be dealt within their own culture. Military might can destroy people and nations. It cannot fight an idiology. Only the people to practice it can.

An ideology can certainly lose it's ability to spread and organise. Cut off the head and the entire system is thrown into chaos. Long-term security from Wahhabi attacks in the West must focus on ending the House of Saud and their rule of Arabia.

Bringing down Iran will only strengthen their cause in the short and long term. Since Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya will almost certainly see Wahhabi-friendly regimes come to power. They will probably be emboldened in Egypt as well.

a reply to: Ohanka

Bringing down Iran will only strengthen their cause in the short and long term. Since Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya will almost certainly see Wahhabi-friendly regimes come to power. They will probably be emboldened in Egypt as well.

Which might have been the plan all along ? Well said.

originally posted by: 4N0M4LY

That is only because they are able to get through security and it is also an idiological problem that has to be dealt within their own culture. Military might can destroy people and nations. It cannot fight an idiology. Only the people who practice it can change the violence.

It can actually, see WWII. I dont see nazis or Bushido waging war anymore.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox


No it would not, Iran is one of Russia's main sources of oil. Meaning they really can't drop their alliance on a whim.

Where in the world do you get that information? Russia is an exporter of oil....

Plus Iran is way more populated than iraq with a FAR better military...and Iran and Afghanistan have continued for 17 years...

Those 'wars' did not last long militarily. The politicians got a hold of the situation and drug it out. Iraq was defeated within historical context within a flash, Afghanistan (which the soviets could not bring down) fell just as rapidly.

Iran has no military power projection and must use it's 'support' to radical/idealized groups to inflict damage to its' enemies. Their Air forces would be gone in days, Naval craft (mostly coastal boats) in weeks; after such time their standing force of a little over 1/2 million would fall apart.

The population of Iran does not fully support the Theocracy.

mg

originally posted by: missed_gear

originally posted by: JoshuaCox


No it would not, Iran is one of Russia's main sources of oil. Meaning they really can't drop their alliance on a whim.

Where in the world do you get that information? Russia is an exporter of oil....

Plus Iran is way more populated than iraq with a FAR better military...and Iran and Afghanistan have continued for 17 years...

Those 'wars' did not last long militarily. The politicians got a hold of the situation and drug it out. Iraq was defeated within historical context within a flash, Afghanistan (which the soviets could not bring down) fell just as rapidly.

Iran has no military power projection and must use it's 'support' to radical/idealized groups to inflict damage to its' enemies. Their Air forces would be gone in days, Naval craft (mostly coastal boats) in weeks; after such time their standing force of a little over 1/2 million would fall apart.

The population of Iran does not fully support the Theocracy.

mg

Well they have fairly significant military and power projection capabilities, not near the US in level but it's still there. While being a losing war they'd be able to inflict a lot of losses on America.

They may not all support the current system, but they pretty much all hate America, I don't think they'll be too happy being occupied by the state they view (sometimes rightfully so) as the puppets of the Saudis and Zionists, do you?

originally posted by: Ohanka

By projection of power. Iran's only ability to effectively operate in other countries is to support various groups. They have no ability to invade militarily and Iran would be hard pressed to logistically support any such incursions.

I doubt the US would occupy Iran; most likely the scenario would be very similar to Gulf War 1. The military gutted.

Openly, the citizenry MUST seem to support the regime; if not they face multiple consequences. Once the regime is brought down to its knees the populace would arise.

Russia, I suppose, would see the money making side of this and help them to re-arm and re-build.

mg