The US and IDF need to be mindful that killing loads of Iranian civilians could backfire .
The argument that Iran has been killing its own civilians isn’t a reason to treat Iran like Gaza .
The IDF don't give a shit about democracy in Iran. They're just trying to degrade an adversary's military capacity while a useful idiot in the WH will allow them. I'm not sure what the US's objective is here apart from to distract from Epstein and let Trump play with some new toys.
It's a facet of the right in general not really giving a shit about sexism, homophobia, antsemitism, racism, democracy etc except for cynical postioning purposes. About the only prejudice they genuinely care about is no one wanting to kiss them.
I don't think that's true at all, but in particular I'd say at least on this board, the right are the ones who are keenest on democracy.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That's way off historically, and massively naive. But i think you know that.
Japan was transformed by occupation for 7 years by up to 400k allied soldiers and other personnel? For a population of 70 million (Iran: 90 million).
What has Trump proposed?
Oh .. 'we will not put boots on the ground'. Ooops.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
John Healey says that the "increasingly indiscriminate bombing" by Iran is a threat to British personnel and civilians in the region on Kuenssberg this morning. This to a background of missile attacks around Tehran and the murder of their deeply, deeply unpleasant religious leader.
I am just bewildered that anyone can say this sort of nonsense with a straight face. We have had a completely unprovoked attack by the US and Israel on Iran. No one has even bothered to find a vestige of a legal justification for this attack. No UN resolutions, not even any attempt at negotiations and discussions. Just a US President who is desperate to change the news agenda in his country. The man is a war criminal as, of course, is Netanyahu .
I find it shocking (if not surprising) that the US are not being called out for this criminal conduct. Instead we have SKS wittering about UK planes being "in the air" to protect allies from retaliation and this nonsense this morning. The hypocrisy is rank. We should be ashamed.
We should be “ashamed” that our brave allies have decapitated probably the most hated, evil regime in the world??
We should be ashamed we didn’t give them proper support
You can't spend months insulting and bullying your former allies and then expect them to jump to the moment it suits you.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There’s a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That's way off historically, and massively naive. But i think you know that.
Japan was transformed by occupation for 7 years by up to 400k allied soldiers and other personnel? For a population of 70 million (Iran: 90 million).
What has Trump proposed?
Oh .. 'we will not put boots on the ground'. Ooops.
Someone asked for an example of a country bombed into defeat and then democracy. Japan is it
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
You may be right but nature abhors a vacuum. Which ideology will replace it?
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
The US and IDF need to be mindful that killing loads of Iranian civilians could backfire .
The argument that Iran has been killing its own civilians isn’t a reason to treat Iran like Gaza .
The IDF don't give a shit about democracy in Iran. They're just trying to degrade an adversary's military capacity while a useful idiot in the WH will allow them. I'm not sure what the US's objective is here apart from to distract from Epstein and let Trump play with some new toys.
It's a facet of the right in general not really giving a shit about sexism, homophobia, antsemitism, racism, democracy etc except for cynical postioning purposes. About the only prejudice they genuinely care about is no one wanting to kiss them.
I don't think that's true at all, but in particular I'd say at least on this board, the right are the ones who are keenest on democracy.
In Scotland we have special insight into the right's keenness on democracy.
The UK government is hugely overstating how many people their new ‘AI Growth Zone’ will employ.
They announced that it will create 800 full-time jobs. I submitted an FOI request for their calculations, and the real number is probably below 300. Their headline figure was even bigger - 3,400 jobs. Most of these, though, are temporary construction jobs while the data centres get built. Spinning <300 permanent jobs as “3,400 jobs” is wild.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
You may be right but nature abhors a vacuum. Which ideology will replace it?
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
A return to civilised Persian royalism would be just fine, thanks
I hope they rename it Persia, as well. If the Persians do get their freedom it could be a magnificent country
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That's way off historically, and massively naive. But i think you know that.
Japan was transformed by occupation for 7 years by up to 400k allied soldiers and other personnel? For a population of 70 million (Iran: 90 million).
What has Trump proposed?
Oh .. 'we will not put boots on the ground'. Ooops.
Someone asked for an example of a country bombed into defeat and then democracy. Japan is it
Simon Schama made a similar zinger yesterday. Tbf to him he was turned into a twitter edgelord and maker of adolescent points only relatively recently.
The Tories just need to sit tight and wait for Reform to implode .
Farages Trumpification of the UK will hopefully do that .
Tories are unelectable for at least another electoral cycle. Their ceiling is around 22%. That's lower than 2024. Their ceiling with Cleverly orvMordaunt (let's call her Tories Burnham as that's what she is) is probably high 20s
Labour with a new Centre left leader a centrist Chancellor and Home Secretary and Centre left in other roles will be electable with a ceiling in high 20s.
LD ceiling as now
Reform reality probably 20% Green ceiling probably 18%
Throw in Nats who won't touch Tory Reform with a barge pole and your probably looking at 45 tops right 55 bottoms left
There will definitely be a loose centre left coalition in 2029 election
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
Sssssssh. You'll give Trump ideas...
That would not surprise me.
Trump is enough of a deranged psychopath to nuke a country before he admitted he was wrong.
That is who the USA elected, and we all have to live with it.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
You may be right but nature abhors a vacuum. Which ideology will replace it?
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
A return to civilised Persian royalism would be just fine, thanks
I hope they rename it Persia, as well. If the Persians do get their freedom it could be a magnificent country
Why would they do that? It was the old Shah that requested foreigners to stop using the name Persia and use the name that they'd always called themselves: Iran.
The Tories just need to sit tight and wait for Reform to implode .
Farages Trumpification of the UK will hopefully do that .
Tories are unelectable for at least another electoral cycle. Their ceiling is around 22%. That's lower than 2024. Their ceiling with Cleverly orvMordaunt (let's call her Tories Burnham as that's what she is) is probably high 20s
Labour with a new Centre left leader a centrist Chancellor and Home Secretary and Centre left in other roles will be electable with a ceiling in high 20s.
LD ceiling as now
Reform reality probably 20% Green ceiling probably 18%
Throw in Nats who won't touch Tory Reform with a barge pole and your probably looking at 45 tops right 55 bottoms left
There will definitely be a loose centre left coalition in 2029 election
Labour are likely to lose many of their Scottish gains, and many of their current Welsh seats in 2029, even if they recover in England.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That's way off historically, and massively naive. But i think you know that.
Japan was transformed by occupation for 7 years by up to 400k allied soldiers and other personnel? For a population of 70 million (Iran: 90 million).
What has Trump proposed?
Oh .. 'we will not put boots on the ground'. Ooops.
Someone asked for an example of a country bombed into defeat and then democracy. Japan is it
Simon Schama made a similar zinger yesterday. Tbf to him he was turned into a twitter edgelord and maker of adolescent points only relatively recently.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That* rather skirts over the whole military occupation thing. The democracy bit wouldn't have happened otherwise - indeed Japan might well have gone communist. So it literally didn't.
There is simply no precedent for bombing a despotism into becoming a democracy.
*And the seven month bombing campaign which preceded it, along with the years of open warfare.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
Sssssssh. You'll give Trump ideas...
That would not surprise me.
Trump is enough of a deranged psychopath to nuke a country before he admitted he was wrong.
That is who the USA elected, and we all have to live with it.
The Tories just need to sit tight and wait for Reform to implode .
Farages Trumpification of the UK will hopefully do that .
Tories are unelectable for at least another electoral cycle. Their ceiling is around 22%. That's lower than 2024. Their ceiling with Cleverly orvMordaunt (let's call her Tories Burnham as that's what she is) is probably high 20s
Labour with a new Centre left leader a centrist Chancellor and Home Secretary and Centre left in other roles will be electable with a ceiling in high 20s.
LD ceiling as now
Reform reality probably 20% Green ceiling probably 18%
Throw in Nats who won't touch Tory Reform with a barge pole and your probably looking at 45 tops right 55 bottoms left
There will definitely be a loose centre left coalition in 2029 election
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That rather skirts over the whole military occupation thing. The democracy bit wouldn't have happened otherwise - indeed Japan might well have gone communist. So it literally didn't.
There is simply no precedent for bombing a despotism into becoming a democracy.
Japan's homeland was never invaded and they unconditionally surrendered purely from bombing, so it's not such a bad example.
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
You may be right but nature abhors a vacuum. Which ideology will replace it?
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
A return to civilised Persian royalism would be just fine, thanks
I hope they rename it Persia, as well. If the Persians do get their freedom it could be a magnificent country
Given the system of elections in Iran (controlled by the regime by only allowing regime adjacent candidates), it does not seem beyond belief that a post mullah political system would be elective.
Note that one way the regime has tried to create a safety valve is allowing popular (but regime friendly) candidates, and not relying on obvious fraud in the counts.
Several “reformist” candidates achieved wide appeal - though that mainly resulted in the mullahs restricting the liberty to elect such people.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
You may be right but nature abhors a vacuum. Which ideology will replace it?
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
A return to civilised Persian royalism would be just fine, thanks
I hope they rename it Persia, as well. If the Persians do get their freedom it could be a magnificent country
Why would they do that? It was the old Shah that requested foreigners to stop using the name Persia and use the name that they'd always called themselves: Iran.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That rather skirts over the whole military occupation thing. The democracy bit wouldn't have happened otherwise - indeed Japan might well have gone communist. So it literally didn't.
There is simply no precedent for bombing a despotism into becoming a democracy.
Japan's homeland was never invaded and they unconditionally surrendered purely from bombing, so it's not such a bad example.
You're expecting this to carry on until the simmer, then ?
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
You may be right but nature abhors a vacuum. Which ideology will replace it?
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
A return to civilised Persian royalism would be just fine, thanks
I hope they rename it Persia, as well. If the Persians do get their freedom it could be a magnificent country
Why would they do that? It was the old Shah that requested foreigners to stop using the name Persia and use the name that they'd always called themselves: Iran.
It was to curry favour with Hitler.
Iran = Aryan.
Well, we Shah'n't continue to curry favour with Nazis.
The Tories just need to sit tight and wait for Reform to implode .
Farages Trumpification of the UK will hopefully do that .
Tories are unelectable for at least another electoral cycle. Their ceiling is around 22%. That's lower than 2024. Their ceiling with Cleverly orvMordaunt (let's call her Tories Burnham as that's what she is) is probably high 20s
Labour with a new Centre left leader a centrist Chancellor and Home Secretary and Centre left in other roles will be electable with a ceiling in high 20s.
LD ceiling as now
Reform reality probably 20% Green ceiling probably 18%
Throw in Nats who won't touch Tory Reform with a barge pole and your probably looking at 45 tops right 55 bottoms left
There will definitely be a loose centre left coalition in 2029 election
Zack Polanski yet to apologise for his deputy leader’s actions. Greens are not fit.
Too many progressives/hard left have had their brains addled and now seem to support the Iranian regime because it's "not Trump" despite the tens of thousands of protesters they murdered just weeks ago - I mean you can see it here. Until that changed they are at no risk of splitting their voter alliance of Islamists and progressives. If anything I think their voters will very much agree with the actions of the Green leadership.
Too often the adage 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' applies. Sometimes it works, for a while at any rate; Stalin's Soviet Union (after Hitler's attack anyway) is an example. Having watched Iranian politics, as much as any other dedicated follower of politics over the last seventy or so years, I would say that didn't apply to the mullahs; under them Iran wasn't anyone's friend except possibly other Shia dominated countries. They would trade with anyone, if necessary and weren't particularly scrupulous about with whom they traded. Putin's Russia doesn't strike me as particularly pro-Moslem for example. Rather their foreign policy was about identifying those they disliked (?hated) most and doing whatever they could to harm those they hated most. And they bore (?bear) grudges; we and the Americans did our level best to assist the late Shah, and we tried to cheat them out a considerable sum of money...... see Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. The mullahs ran a peculiarly unpleasant regime, behind a facade of democracy, and I won't be sorry to see it go, always assuming that it'll be replaced by something more akin to democracy.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That rather skirts over the whole military occupation thing. The democracy bit wouldn't have happened otherwise - indeed Japan might well have gone communist. So it literally didn't.
There is simply no precedent for bombing a despotism into becoming a democracy.
Japan's homeland was never invaded and they unconditionally surrendered purely from bombing, so it's not such a bad example.
You're expecting this to carry on until the simmer, then ?
The US and IDF need to be mindful that killing loads of Iranian civilians could backfire .
The argument that Iran has been killing its own civilians isn’t a reason to treat Iran like Gaza .
The IDF don't give a shit about democracy in Iran. They're just trying to degrade an adversary's military capacity while a useful idiot in the WH will allow them. I'm not sure what the US's objective is here apart from to distract from Epstein and let Trump play with some new toys.
It's a facet of the right in general not really giving a shit about sexism, homophobia, antsemitism, racism, democracy etc except for cynical postioning purposes. About the only prejudice they genuinely care about is no one wanting to kiss them.
I don't think that's true at all, but in particular I'd say at least on this board, the right are the ones who are keenest on democracy.
In Scotland we have special insight into the right's keenness on democracy.
Most UK Muslims are Sunnis so I doubt they’ll be in tears over Khamenei being killed .
There are scenes of celebration in… Damascus
That I did not expect
You didn't? The Sunni nexus - Al Qaeda, Saudi Arabia, etc. hates the Shia Iranian regime. The fact that the regime is hated by nasty people shouldn't blind us to the fact that it is itself wicked, but there is certainly a fair bit of hypocritical bollocks around in the condemnations of Iranian state-sponsored terror, when Saudi Arabia has a far worse track record.
"...Any kinetic attack that kills or removes a figure like the supreme leader or a senior military official would certainly create shock, but it would also play into the Shia Islam martyrdom culture and thereby galvanize unity. What's more, taking out the Supreme Leader, as much as a symbolic figure he is, wouldn't trigger the government's collapse. Iran's political machine is highly institutionalized, and the IRGC has a contingency plan to move into position and consolidate control over the clerical security elite. Once the IRGC takes power and de facto assumes guardianship of the state, they would then select a new supreme leader. So assassinating Iran's top leader would only create a short-term crisis while rallying hardliners around the flag and sparking a wider display of nationalism and unity..."
The US and IDF need to be mindful that killing loads of Iranian civilians could backfire .
The argument that Iran has been killing its own civilians isn’t a reason to treat Iran like Gaza .
The IDF don't give a shit about democracy in Iran. They're just trying to degrade an adversary's military capacity while a useful idiot in the WH will allow them. I'm not sure what the US's objective is here apart from to distract from Epstein and let Trump play with some new toys.
It's a facet of the right in general not really giving a shit about sexism, homophobia, antsemitism, racism, democracy etc except for cynical postioning purposes. About the only prejudice they genuinely care about is no one wanting to kiss them.
I don't think that's true at all, but in particular I'd say at least on this board, the right are the ones who are keenest on democracy.
In Scotland we have special insight into the right's keenness on democracy.
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
It is a somewhat modern take that art must disturb and challenge to be regarded as art. Art used to be commissioned by wealthy patrons just to give pleasure. Vettriano's work does that. The disdain for beauty applied to architecture in the post-war era has left our cities scarred with monstrosities.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
You may be right but nature abhors a vacuum. Which ideology will replace it?
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
A return to civilised Persian royalism would be just fine, thanks
I hope they rename it Persia, as well. If the Persians do get their freedom it could be a magnificent country
They might need some writers to help kick-start their new tourist industry!
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Leon is a professional tourist, not a traveller; he’s not there to learn or understand anything about wherever he’s been sent for just a few days; his mission is merely to scribble down some superficial observations for those couples who can’t be bothered to have a shag to read in bed of a Sunday morning.
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
It is a somewhat modern take that art must disturb and challenge to be regarded as art. Art used to be commissioned by wealthy patrons just to give pleasure. Vettriano's work does that. The disdain for beauty applied to architecture in the post-war era has left our cities scarred with monstrosities.
I knew someone who was furiously attacked by her “teachers” at the Slade, for her love of producing representational paintings.
Why? It’s not as if abstract art is cowering in a corner, unrepresented.
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
It is a somewhat modern take that art must disturb and challenge to be regarded as art. Art used to be commissioned by wealthy patrons just to give pleasure. Vettriano's work does that. The disdain for beauty applied to architecture in the post-war era has left our cities scarred with monstrosities.
I knew someone who was furiously attacked by her “teachers” at the Slade, for her love of producing representational paintings.
Why? It’s not as if abstract art is cowering in a corner, unrepresented.
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Iranians are not Arabs.
The Khuzestanis are.
Yeah there are loads of non Persian minorities in Iran including Arabs and Kurds, there is every chance that Iran could collapse into a failed state with IS and other bad actors gaining a foothold. The idea that Iran can be bombed into becoming a stable liberal democracy is utter idiocy.
This literally worked in Japan. And it wasn’t just bombed, it was NUKED into liberal democracy
That rather skirts over the whole military occupation thing. The democracy bit wouldn't have happened otherwise - indeed Japan might well have gone communist. So it literally didn't.
There is simply no precedent for bombing a despotism into becoming a democracy.
Japan's homeland was never invaded and they unconditionally surrendered purely from bombing, so it's not such a bad example.
It is a bad example and it's also the best one - which tells the story.
FrontlinePulse 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 @frontlinexpulse · 2h Iran is speedrunning “make every Gulf state hate you permanently.”
Yes indeed they are!
UAE forces say that over 700 objects (c.550 drones and c.150 missiles) have been sent from Iran in the last 30 hours. All but a dozen were intercepted.
Everyone in the region already hated Iran, but you can’t send 700 bombs to your neighbour and not expect a serious reaction.
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
It is a somewhat modern take that art must disturb and challenge to be regarded as art. Art used to be commissioned by wealthy patrons just to give pleasure. Vettriano's work does that. The disdain for beauty applied to architecture in the post-war era has left our cities scarred with monstrosities.
I knew someone who was furiously attacked by her “teachers” at the Slade, for her love of producing representational paintings.
Why? It’s not as if abstract art is cowering in a corner, unrepresented.
Ghouls.
Massive insecurity is my thought. The obsessed anger with anyone not conforming to their “rules”.
Bit like the thought process of the Iranian Mullahs - everyone must conform to my revolution. Otherwise the revolution is at risk.
'Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice.
Some of the tourist areas appear to be seeing more ‘action’ than me, but most of the reaction to it, is that to them it was unexpected. To those who live here it’s been something we’ve thought about for years, and especially in the last few weeks and months.
Oh, and I’ve been on holiday in Ukraine a couple of times since the war started, so I don’t get scared by emergency alerts.
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
It is a somewhat modern take that art must disturb and challenge to be regarded as art. Art used to be commissioned by wealthy patrons just to give pleasure. Vettriano's work does that. The disdain for beauty applied to architecture in the post-war era has left our cities scarred with monstrosities.
I knew someone who was furiously attacked by her “teachers” at the Slade, for her love of producing representational paintings.
Why? It’s not as if abstract art is cowering in a corner, unrepresented.
Ghouls.
Massive insecurity is my thought. The obsessed anger with anyone not conforming to their “rules”.
Bit like the thought process of the Iranian Mullahs - everyone must conform to my revolution. Otherwise the revolution is at risk.
The sort of people that read 1984 and think “what a good idea”.
'Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice.
I rather think destroying Iran's ability to close the straits should have been number one on the agenda.
This is great news for oil producing countries - Putin's Russia included.
And yet another reason to get fracking.
And exploit our oil in the north sea
This is insane. The damage an oil shock will do to the UK economy is many multiples the potential gains to our domestic oil industry. That's the the case in the US, where oil production is about 30x times higher than it is here. We are not Russia or Saudi Arabia, even if we maxxed out development and production.
Thankfully, our domestic renewables are on fixed price contracts and are invulnerable to Iranian drone strikes . It's mad that we could live through a gas shock (Ukraine) and an oIl shock (Iran) and you'll still be banging on about fossil fuels.
Wow. It's happening. #FreeIran I cannot sleep. This is history. Massive. God bless everyone in Iran and the US military. Of course I hate war but this is liberation.
'Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice.
Being as it's Trump I am sure he will sell an Iraq-style fiasco as a win. Early days, and he might be lucky. With Qatar and the UAE on fire, the early signs are not great
I rather think destroying Iran's ability to close the straits should have been number one on the agenda.
This is great news for oil producing countries - Putin's Russia included.
And yet another reason to get fracking.
And exploit our oil in the north sea
This is insane. The damage an oil shock will do to the UK economy is many multiples the potential gains to our domestic oil industry. That's the the case in the US, where oil production is about 30x times higher than it is here. We are not Russia or Saudi Arabia, even if we maxxed out development and production.
Thankfully, our domestic renewables are on fixed price contracts and are invulnerable to Iranian drone strikes . It's mad that we could live through a gas shock (Ukraine) and an oIl shock (Iran) and you'll still be banging on about fossil fuels.
It’s not ‘insane’ you just disagree.
More supply would help when there’s a constraint somewhere
'Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice.
Being as it's Trump I am sure he will sell an Iraq-style fiasco as a win. Early days, and he might be lucky, with Qatar and the UAE on fire, the early signs are not great
Remarkably some people will buy it too.
A possible outcome is that Middle Eastern countries decide they no longer want US bases on their territory, which would make Cyprus and Chagos more strategically valuable. Of course, useless Starmer will give away any advantage we may have.
I rather think destroying Iran's ability to close the straits should have been number one on the agenda.
This is great news for oil producing countries - Putin's Russia included.
And yet another reason to get fracking.
And exploit our oil in the north sea
This is insane. The damage an oil shock will do to the UK economy is many multiples the potential gains to our domestic oil industry. That's the the case in the US, where oil production is about 30x times higher than it is here. We are not Russia or Saudi Arabia, even if we maxxed out development and production.
Thankfully, our domestic renewables are on fixed price contracts and are invulnerable to Iranian drone strikes . It's mad that we could live through a gas shock (Ukraine) and an oIl shock (Iran) and you'll still be banging on about fossil fuels.
It’s not ‘insane’ you just disagree.
More supply would help when there’s a constraint somewhere
Crank up the solar Crank up the wind turbines Crank up the tidal buoys Build another 5 electric hydro mountain like Llanberis
'Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice.
Being as it's Trump I am sure he will sell an Iraq-style fiasco as a win. Early days, and he might be lucky. With Qatar and the UAE on fire, the early signs are not great
Remarkably some people will buy it too.
Are you hoping some people will buy what you just wrote ?
BREAKING: Palestinian Authority condemns Iranian attacks on Arab countries
Of course they do you muppet. The Iranians are behind Hamas. The PA are much more popular with Arabs. If the Iranians go, then the PA probably gets to be top dog in the Palestinian Territories by default.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
Oh come on. I’m enjoying the dramatic irony
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
You may be right but nature abhors a vacuum. Which ideology will replace it?
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
A return to civilised Persian royalism would be just fine, thanks
I hope they rename it Persia, as well. If the Persians do get their freedom it could be a magnificent country
Bring back the Parthian Empire or even the Arsacid Empire. Imagine a country called Arseacid - I mean, who wouldn’t want to visit?
The Tories just need to sit tight and wait for Reform to implode .
Farages Trumpification of the UK will hopefully do that .
Tories are unelectable for at least another electoral cycle. Their ceiling is around 22%. That's lower than 2024. Their ceiling with Cleverly orvMordaunt (let's call her Tories Burnham as that's what she is) is probably high 20s
Labour with a new Centre left leader a centrist Chancellor and Home Secretary and Centre left in other roles will be electable with a ceiling in high 20s.
LD ceiling as now
Reform reality probably 20% Green ceiling probably 18%
Throw in Nats who won't touch Tory Reform with a barge pole and your probably looking at 45 tops right 55 bottoms left
There will definitely be a loose centre left coalition in 2029 election
I rather think destroying Iran's ability to close the straits should have been number one on the agenda.
This is great news for oil producing countries - Putin's Russia included.
And yet another reason to get fracking.
And exploit our oil in the north sea
This is insane. The damage an oil shock will do to the UK economy is many multiples the potential gains to our domestic oil industry. That's the the case in the US, where oil production is about 30x times higher than it is here. We are not Russia or Saudi Arabia, even if we maxxed out development and production.
Thankfully, our domestic renewables are on fixed price contracts and are invulnerable to Iranian drone strikes . It's mad that we could live through a gas shock (Ukraine) and an oIl shock (Iran) and you'll still be banging on about fossil fuels.
It’s not ‘insane’ you just disagree.
More supply would help when there’s a constraint somewhere
Crank up the solar Crank up the wind turbines Crank up the tidal buoys Build another 5 electric hydro mountain like Llanberis
Renewable Renewable Renewable
Ed knows!
If oil and gas prices spike we should maximise both renewable and fossil fuel production temporarily. Why not try and get a commercial advantage while we can?
I rather think destroying Iran's ability to close the straits should have been number one on the agenda.
This is great news for oil producing countries - Putin's Russia included.
And yet another reason to get fracking.
And exploit our oil in the north sea
This is insane. The damage an oil shock will do to the UK economy is many multiples the potential gains to our domestic oil industry. That's the the case in the US, where oil production is about 30x times higher than it is here. We are not Russia or Saudi Arabia, even if we maxxed out development and production.
Thankfully, our domestic renewables are on fixed price contracts and are invulnerable to Iranian drone strikes . It's mad that we could live through a gas shock (Ukraine) and an oIl shock (Iran) and you'll still be banging on about fossil fuels.
It’s not ‘insane’ you just disagree.
More supply would help when there’s a constraint somewhere
Crank up the solar Crank up the wind turbines Crank up the tidal buoys Build another 5 electric hydro mountain like Llanberis
Renewable Renewable Renewable
Ed knows!
Dinorwig (I assume you mean that) is pumped storage, not hydroelectric per se.
I rather think destroying Iran's ability to close the straits should have been number one on the agenda.
This is great news for oil producing countries - Putin's Russia included.
And yet another reason to get fracking.
And exploit our oil in the north sea
This is insane. The damage an oil shock will do to the UK economy is many multiples the potential gains to our domestic oil industry. That's the the case in the US, where oil production is about 30x times higher than it is here. We are not Russia or Saudi Arabia, even if we maxxed out development and production.
Thankfully, our domestic renewables are on fixed price contracts and are invulnerable to Iranian drone strikes . It's mad that we could live through a gas shock (Ukraine) and an oIl shock (Iran) and you'll still be banging on about fossil fuels.
It’s not ‘insane’ you just disagree.
More supply would help when there’s a constraint somewhere
To what extent? We produce about 0.7% of the world's oil. If we exploited every possible reserve, included future discoveries, we could increase our production by perhaps 10-15% in the next 10 years, relative to a steeply declining baseline. This would have infinitesimally small impact on world oil prices.
I disagree with the restriction of new developments but I disagree even more with the bampot idea that reversing that decision would have any material impact on our energy costs. It would be a good thing for the NE of Scotland but nothing more. The only solution we have is reducing our exposure as quickly as possible.
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
It is a somewhat modern take that art must disturb and challenge to be regarded as art. Art used to be commissioned by wealthy patrons just to give pleasure. Vettriano's work does that. The disdain for beauty applied to architecture in the post-war era has left our cities scarred with monstrosities.
My own taste and such art that I make nowadays tends towards the figurative, the trouble is Vettriano’s work wasn’t very good even in those terms. If AI was given a little robotic hand and a palette.. It was sad that JV had massive commercial success but it went with a huge chip on his shoulder about lack of respect as a serious artist, bit like if Dan Brown moaned about not being up for the Booker. Take what positives fate and one’s talents provide I say and stop moaning.
'Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice.
Being as it's Trump I am sure he will sell an Iraq-style fiasco as a win. Early days, and he might be lucky. With Qatar and the UAE on fire, the early signs are not great
Remarkably some people will buy it too.
Are you hoping some people will buy what you just wrote ?
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
It is a somewhat modern take that art must disturb and challenge to be regarded as art. Art used to be commissioned by wealthy patrons just to give pleasure. Vettriano's work does that. The disdain for beauty applied to architecture in the post-war era has left our cities scarred with monstrosities.
I suppose so, if you see Caravaggio as a 'modern'.
Ooer, cat amongst artistic pigeons (a smallish flock I accept).
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK @JANUSZCZAK The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
It is a somewhat modern take that art must disturb and challenge to be regarded as art. Art used to be commissioned by wealthy patrons just to give pleasure. Vettriano's work does that. The disdain for beauty applied to architecture in the post-war era has left our cities scarred with monstrosities.
There is a view that a work only counts as art, music, or literature, so long as viewing, listening to, or reading it is a punitive experience.
I rather think destroying Iran's ability to close the straits should have been number one on the agenda.
This is great news for oil producing countries - Putin's Russia included.
And yet another reason to get fracking.
And exploit our oil in the north sea
This is insane. The damage an oil shock will do to the UK economy is many multiples the potential gains to our domestic oil industry. That's the the case in the US, where oil production is about 30x times higher than it is here. We are not Russia or Saudi Arabia, even if we maxxed out development and production.
Thankfully, our domestic renewables are on fixed price contracts and are invulnerable to Iranian drone strikes . It's mad that we could live through a gas shock (Ukraine) and an oIl shock (Iran) and you'll still be banging on about fossil fuels.
It’s not ‘insane’ you just disagree.
More supply would help when there’s a constraint somewhere
To what extent? We produce about 0.7% of the world's oil. If we exploited every possible reserve, included future discoveries, we could increase our production by perhaps 10-15% in the next 10 years, relative to a steeply declining baseline. This would have infinitesimally small impact on world oil prices.
I disagree with the restriction of new developments but I disagree even more with the bampot idea that reversing that decision would have any material impact on our energy costs.
We should be maximising production from our existing wells, not leaving the oil in the ground.
International law is less relevant now in the era of Trump .
It’s really more about norms that countries used to prescribe to in case it came back to bite them later . Things you shouldn’t do in case someone else did them to you in the future .
We’re living now in an era where might is all that matters .
The UN Security Council is now a complete joke , indeed one wonders what the point is of the UN itself .
We get constant vetoes in the former and the latter is a talking shop where resolutions are simply ignored .
International law has never mattered.
The UN Security Council has always been a joke.
There has never been much point to the UN itself.
The only thing that has changed is the scales are falling from your eyes and you are realising that truth.
Vetoes in the former and the latter being a talking shop has been the case for the past ~80 years.
International law should never have developed beyond fundamentals of rules of engagement, banning chemical weapons and treating PoWs etc.
Might is not right, but might is might. If you want right, you need the might to enforce it. Or someone else will enforce what they want.
The problem is might is often used for less laudable endeavours. This morning a good point was raised that countries tend to care about international law when it suits them and they ignore it when it doesn’t .
I had this argument years ago with my uncle. He believed that the UK should stick to international law otherwise China would feel free to break it in future. I took the view that China didn’t give a fig about the UK and would break it if it was in its interests at the time…
Thick black smoke seen rising from the site of Iranian drone and/or missile strike on Camp de la Paix, a French naval base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
John Healey says that the "increasingly indiscriminate bombing" by Iran is a threat to British personnel and civilians in the region on Kuenssberg this morning. This to a background of missile attacks around Tehran and the murder of their deeply, deeply unpleasant religious leader.
I am just bewildered that anyone can say this sort of nonsense with a straight face. We have had a completely unprovoked attack by the US and Israel on Iran. No one has even bothered to find a vestige of a legal justification for this attack. No UN resolutions, not even any attempt at negotiations and discussions. Just a US President who is desperate to change the news agenda in his country. The man is a war criminal as, of course, is Netanyahu .
I find it shocking (if not surprising) that the US are not being called out for this criminal conduct. Instead we have SKS wittering about UK planes being "in the air" to protect allies from retaliation and this nonsense this morning. The hypocrisy is rank. We should be ashamed.
We should be “ashamed” that our brave allies have decapitated probably the most hated, evil regime in the world??
We should be ashamed we didn’t give them proper support
You can't spend months insulting and bullying your former allies and then expect them to jump to the moment it suits you.
And yet Carney was principled enough to set aside his (far more serious and entirely justified) differences with Trump, and came out clearly and unambiguously in favour of the attacks.
And yet we have people here like @DavidL using Carney's name to argue that the attacks were "unprovoked" and "illegal" when Carney himself has said quite clearly and eloquently how Iran provoked the situation and why Canada fully supports the attacks.
Comments
Farages Trumpification of the UK will hopefully do that .
Turnout isn’t going to be that low and likely will be much higher as the anti -Reform vote comes out to stop them .
Japan was transformed by occupation for 7 years by up to 400k allied soldiers and other personnel? For a population of 70 million (Iran: 90 million).
What has Trump proposed?
Oh .. 'we will not put boots on the ground'. Ooops.
They're probably quietly hoping the Israeli strikes destroy the regime, and the attacks by Iran on random Arabian countries allows them to say that without saying it.
All the Pro Palestinian lefty twats are out protesting for Iran on the streets of the west and writing on PB in a similar way, and yet the actual Palestinians revile Iran and are not afraid to say so. It’s delicious
There’s a deeper point here. If islamism can be overturned in Iran then Islamism everywhere will suffer an enormous, perhaps permanent reversal. Like communism falling in the 1980s
No ideology is forever. Let’s pray this happens
Christian fundamentalism, ethno-nationalism, centrist dadism?
Date Lab Con Ref Grn
25-Feb 15% 18% 26% 18%
18-Feb 16% 16% 28% 18%
11-Feb 16% 19% 29% 18%
04-Feb 16% 18% 31% 18%
28-Jan 17% 17% 29% 19%
21-Jan 14% 18% 32% 17%
14-Jan 15% 19% 28% 18%
7–8 Jan 15% 18% 32% 17%
They announced that it will create 800 full-time jobs. I submitted an FOI request for their calculations, and the real number is probably below 300. Their headline figure was even bigger - 3,400 jobs. Most of these, though, are temporary construction jobs while the data centres get built. Spinning <300 permanent jobs as “3,400 jobs” is wild.
https://x.com/ednewtonrex/status/2028087539337159092?s=20
Reminds me of Mandy and his 100,000s of new green jobs that included people working at petrol stations and those working in shoe shops.
I hope they rename it Persia, as well. If the Persians do get their freedom it could be a magnificent country
Tbf to him he was turned into a twitter edgelord and maker of adolescent points only relatively recently.
https://x.com/simon_schama/status/2027777131237842995?s=46&t=fJymV-V84rexmlQMLXHHJQ
Host Deon Cole opens the #NAACPImageAwards with a prayer.
https://x.com/THR/status/2027925736758382807?s=20
Labour with a new Centre left leader a centrist Chancellor and Home Secretary and Centre left in other roles will be electable with a ceiling in high 20s.
LD ceiling as now
Reform reality probably 20%
Green ceiling probably 18%
Throw in Nats who won't touch Tory Reform with a barge pole and your probably looking at 45 tops right 55 bottoms left
There will definitely be a loose centre left coalition in 2029 election
Trump is enough of a deranged psychopath to nuke a country before he admitted he was wrong.
That is who the USA elected, and we all have to live with it.
https://x.com/wallstreetmav/status/2027890172042342460?s=46
J D Vance on bass. lol
So it literally didn't.
There is simply no precedent for bombing a despotism into becoming a democracy.
*And the seven month bombing campaign which preceded it, along with the years of open warfare.
WALDEMAR JANUSZCZAK
@JANUSZCZAK
The National Gallery of Scotland has announced it is paying tribute to the Scottish painter Jack Vettriano with a big display of his self portraits. What a collapse of judgement! Here's a ghastly 'smoker's' portrait they're showing. And something I wrote about Jack in 2004.
https://x.com/JANUSZCZAK/status/2028099463668019523?s=20
Note that one way the regime has tried to create a safety valve is allowing popular (but regime friendly) candidates, and not relying on obvious fraud in the counts.
Several “reformist” candidates achieved wide appeal - though that mainly resulted in the mullahs restricting the liberty to elect such people.
Iran = Aryan.
With a few hundred thousand civilian casualties ?
It’s now official: former Iranian president and Israel-hater Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was eliminated last night in the opening strike.
The amazing fact is that his whereabouts were known because he had been under house arrest since he tried to carry out a coup a few weeks ago.
Except Trump, of course.
I will mourn him solely for his name
Yes 45%
"...Any kinetic attack that kills or removes a figure like the supreme leader or a senior military official would certainly create shock, but it would also play into the Shia Islam martyrdom culture and thereby galvanize unity. What's more, taking out the Supreme Leader, as much as a symbolic figure he is, wouldn't trigger the government's collapse. Iran's political machine is highly institutionalized, and the IRGC has a contingency plan to move into position and consolidate control over the clerical security elite. Once the IRGC takes power and de facto assumes guardianship of the state, they would then select a new supreme leader. So assassinating Iran's top leader would only create a short-term crisis while rallying hardliners around the flag and sparking a wider display of nationalism and unity..."
see timestamp 8:18 at https://youtu.be/GZ7wE3XOwFU?si=9nKo4xEbyr8-J05A&t=498
Let's see if this prediction from four weeks ago is correct
Leave 32%
💩
Well done Trump. A price worth paying. Gas prices through the roof for the midterms
https://x.com/kobeissiletter/status/2028108550820499774?s=46&t=d8CnRhyZJ-m4vy0k55W8XQ
FrontlinePulse 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
@frontlinexpulse
·
2h
Iran is speedrunning “make every Gulf state hate you permanently.”
This is great news for oil producing countries - Putin's Russia included.
And yet another reason to get fracking.
Why? It’s not as if abstract art is cowering in a corner, unrepresented.
UAE forces say that over 700 objects (c.550 drones and c.150 missiles) have been sent from Iran in the last 30 hours. All but a dozen were intercepted.
Everyone in the region already hated Iran, but you can’t send 700 bombs to your neighbour and not expect a serious reaction.
Bit like the thought process of the Iranian Mullahs - everyone must conform to my revolution. Otherwise the revolution is at risk.
Read my full statement:'
https://x.com/KamalaHarris/status/2027820065886777456?s=20
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/5470792/#Comment_5470792
Some of the tourist areas appear to be seeing more ‘action’ than me, but most of the reaction to it, is that to them it was unexpected. To those who live here it’s been something we’ve thought about for years, and especially in the last few weeks and months.
Oh, and I’ve been on holiday in Ukraine a couple of times since the war started, so I don’t get scared by emergency alerts.
Thankfully, our domestic renewables are on fixed price contracts and are invulnerable to Iranian drone strikes . It's mad that we could live through a gas shock (Ukraine) and an oIl shock (Iran) and you'll still be banging on about fossil fuels.
https://x.com/BoyGeorge/status/2027657390582055193
Wow. It's happening. #FreeIran I cannot sleep. This is history. Massive. God bless everyone in Iran and the US military. Of course I hate war but this is liberation.
Remarkably some people will buy it too.
More supply would help when there’s a constraint somewhere
Crank up the wind turbines
Crank up the tidal buoys
Build another 5 electric hydro mountain like Llanberis
Renewable
Renewable
Renewable
Ed knows!
Qatar and UAE on fire ???
A truly bizarre comment.
Anyone who doesn’t have to be at work is told to work remotely. At my business the critical operation will work with minimum possible staff on site.
This could last a while folks.
As happened in Gaza.
I disagree with the restriction of new developments but I disagree even more with the bampot idea that reversing that decision would have any material impact on our energy costs. It would be a good thing for the NE of Scotland but nothing more. The only solution we have is reducing our exposure as quickly as possible.
It was sad that JV had massive commercial success but it went with a huge chip on his shoulder about lack of respect as a serious artist, bit like if Dan Brown moaned about not being up for the Booker. Take what positives fate and one’s talents provide I say and stop moaning.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVVpcl_CQHe/?igsh=MXNwaHN5cjRmanh6eA==
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c204px4zddro
https://youtu.be/Nc48DKYep_0?si=X01MuCs1qRUqSLN2
Thick black smoke seen rising from the site of Iranian drone and/or missile strike on Camp de la Paix, a French naval base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
And yet we have people here like @DavidL using Carney's name to argue that the attacks were "unprovoked" and "illegal" when Carney himself has said quite clearly and eloquently how Iran provoked the situation and why Canada fully supports the attacks.
Funny that.
Should we crowd-fund another holiday for you?