Maybe the terrorists of Iran will be afraid of our transgenders.
Daniel Greenfield ping
Iran and their allies perceive the US is bluffing.
And they’re right.
The author could apply this same article to domestic US politics right now. Think about it.
BTTT
Cicero, courtesy Taylor Caldwell.
So this fellow’s theory is never withdraw and always escalate. It’s a recipe for total war. Peak Neocon. He might want to add to his analysis something about costs and benefits. And he might want to take into account that the USA is not omnipotent, that there are real limits to American power. Absent a ground invasion and occupation of Iran and absent nuclear strikes, they can absorb any air campaign we mount against them, and will probably be happy to do so.
The recent attack on “Tower 22” in Jordan is a whole different matter. In that case, the author’s point is ludicrous because the U.S. is not some kind of benign spectator in the region. From everything I’ve read about it, the facility in Jordan is a supply depot for a U.S. military outpost in Syria that is a blatant violation of another nation’s sovereignty. The U.S. military has no business being there, and should be considered a legitimate military target by any adversary.
Iran isn’t afraid of escalating. Its leaders and spokesmen don’t constantly express their fear of escalation. Instead, they escalate.
~~~
In the world of strategy, it’s not always as simple as that.
Many times, a weaker opponent will be the one using threat displays and skirmishes in order to provoke a larger retaliation and to measure the response. This serves many purposes, one of which goes toward the premise of the article, which is to gauge the will of the one being provoked, as well as their capabilities. If the response is proportional, then it may result in a tit-for-tat scenario, or measured escalation. If the response is significantly disproportional, they can take umbrage or fein victimhood and claim that they are not the aggressor and don’t want war. Often times, threat displays are meant to intimidate. They are often very risky because they are very often used by those who truly can’t afford significant escalation.
The leadership is compromised and wants the enemy to win, but beleives they have to put up enough of a resistance to give some credibility to the notion they are actually defending their country.
Remember, Obama and Biden gave billions and billions of dollars to Iran, engineered a deal so Iran can continue development of a nuclear bomb, and arranged sanctions and their lack so as to give Iran more ability to sell their oil.
It is sometimes difficult to discern between incompetence and treason.
These idiots want to drag us into a war in the Middle East. But meanwhile they have opened our own borders to any jihadi who wants to tiptoe into our country.
Stop the madness. Spend whatever it takes on shutting down our border and removing each and every illegal/dangerous alien from our own country. Spend the money now going to foreign wars on a border wall that will keep illegals out. Make America great and SAFE again.
“Der Krieg ist eine bloße Fortsetzung der Politik mit anderen Mitteln”
“War Is a Mere Continuation of Policy with Other Means.”
von Clausewitz
Military action is governed by its role as part of broader national policy. Overwhelming military force is not necessarily better than carefully calibrated action in the broader context.
For example, about 4 months ago, Hamas killed about 1200 Israelis. Since then, Israel has killed about 24,000 Gazans, or a 20 to 1 ratio. How is it working out for them in terms of their overall political and economic position?
The fear of escalation can be likened to a huge paper hornet nest hanging outside your entry door. You know from the outset that hornets don’t give a wit if they die in battle and if their nest is disturbed and the alarm is sounded they will all mount out in a coordinated attack. Visualize the hornets and the nest as Allah’s minions and yourself wanting to peacefully use your property but knowing that you have lost control of your life and property if you allow that nest of hornets to remain outside your door. It’s obvious that the nest has to be destroyed but building up the courage to do so is another matter. That’s where the non-Islamic world is with respect to Islam. The hornets have to be eliminated but you are not sure if you are ready yet to bang on that hornet nest. However, you know full well that sooner or later the nest must be destroyed. That’s because the world of Islam is not compatible with the civilized world we live in.
Obama will try to buy them off, which of course will work for say, a week or so.
Same words LBJ SAID IN 1964 regarding Vietnam as he was bombing the north.
Baby milk factories everywhere should be on high alert.
.
Iran has thousands of ballistic missiles and 10s of thousands drones.
They’ll set them loose at every oil facility in range.
It makes for a complicated cost/benefit analysis.
As a retired Navy Captain, I am personally and professionally embarrassed and appalled EVERY time I see/hear the WOKE Rear Admiral Kirby speak/lie on behalf of the Sloe Joe/The Hoe criminal administration.
Because I am an Officer and a Gentleman, I will reFRain FRom further comments, but you FReepers do get my meaning, do you not?
We would not be in the mess we are in had we kicked the crap out of the North Koreans!
Or had we kicked the crap out of the North Vietnamese!
Teddy got it right: “Speak softly and carry a big stick!”
Instead we allowed panty waist Communist politicians to take over and bit by bit nibble away at our world dominance to the point that now we are feckless and unwilling to take the lead in FReeing the world FRom the totalitarian LIEberal/Socialist/Marxist/Fascist/Communist/Democrats who are intent on destroying Western Civilization!
We MUST get it right in 2024 and elect Donald J. Trump POTUS 47 and give him a righteous conservtive House and Senate!
LET’S ROLL!