Iran Attack on Israel

[BerkshireBlue]

I’m struggling to see why you are being so argumentative. All I’m saying is I don’t think Iran will directly attack Israel because of the repercussions if it does.

Don't they have a right to protect themselves like Israel does?

 

[BayernMan]

 

[mexico1970]

I’m struggling to see why you are being so argumentative. All I’m saying is I don’t think Iran will directly attack Israel because of the repercussions if it does.

And IMHO you'd be right, Iran would be stupid to take Israel on in a head on war. The Mouse That Roared springs to mind here.

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

It's a good strategy. Make living in Israel as difficult as possible without going to war.

Israel must learn that it's days of acting as a regional power are numbered.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

It's a good strategy. Make living in Israel as difficult as possible without going to war.

Israel must learn that it's days of acting as a regional power are numbered.

Most people in Israel really aren't too concerned. They know the drills and accept their lot. But looking at the Middle East, I think for all its many faults, I suspect most would rather have a western-facing modern, technocratic democracy as the regional power, than some theocratic dictatorship like Saudi or Iran, or an unstable state like Syria or Iraq.

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

Most people in Israel really aren't too concerned. They know the drills and accept their lot. But looking at the Middle East, I think for all its many faults, I suspect most would rather have a western-facing modern, technocratic democracy as the regional power, than some theocratic dictatorship like Saudi or Iran, or an unstable state like Syria or Iraq.

Israel is already an unstable state. At least Iraq doesn't pretend it has a moral right of buggery as a punishment.

Iran isn't a liberal and free society but neither is Israel.

If Israel had stopped kicking the palestine down the road there wouldn't be as many Palestinians and it wouldn't be as big a problem for them.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

And IMHO you'd be right, Iran would be stupid to take Israel on in a head on war. The Mouse That Roared springs to mind here.

Iran has a problem. While (presumably) Israel was behind Haniyeh's execution while he was in Iran, it was very targeted and no Iranians were seemingly harmed. So a general retaliation against Osrael is not really proportionate. And Israel can hurt Iran far more than Iran can hurt Israel.

The other side of the coin is that Netanyahu would love Iran to attack Israel, either directly or via its proxies, as this keeps him in power that bit longer. As we've said before, once this shit is over, he's finished for good. The Iranian regime however isn't popular with the Iranian people and the Ayatollahs know that large scale dissent over dragging them into a war they don't want could see them toppled. And the Saudis would be rubbing their hands in glee at that prospect.

They could use Hezbollah in South Lebanon but Israel is far better equipped and prepared than the last time it took Hezbollah on. There is no doubt that the vast majority of Lebanese hate Hezbollah and would love to see its power and armoury severely degraded, like Hamas in Gaza.

I suspect the Iranians are very nervous about launching any sort of major attack. They may make some token effort but they'd be very foolish to do anything major.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Israel is already an unstable state. At least Iraq doesn't pretend it has a moral right of buggery as a punishment.

Iran isn't a liberal and free society but neither is Israel.

If Israel had stopped kicking the palestine down the road there wouldn't be as many Palestinians and it wouldn't be as big a problem for them.

Israel is certainly a state where there are tensions. Between the secular and religious, the politically liberal and the strident right. Their electoral system doesn't help.

But that's the same as us, the USA and other countries. But it's definitely not unstable. I bumped into one of my daughter's friends, who lives over there and was over fpr a while to visit her family (all big Blues by the way). I asked her what it was like and she just shrugged her shoulders and said "We just get on with life". My nephew lives over there and his attitude is the same.

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

Israel is certainly a state where there are tensions. Between the secular and religious, the politically liberal and the strident right. Their electoral system doesn't help.

But that's the same as us, the USA and other countries. But it's definitely not unstable. I bumped into one of my daughter's friends, who lives over there and was over fpr a while to visit her family (all big Blues by the way). I asked her what it was like and she just shrugged her shoulders and said "We just get on with life". My nephew lives over there and his attitude is the same.

That's the same attitude the world over.

Just getting on with it, whether people live in Reykjavik, Zurich or Mogadishu.

Even Gazans are "just getting on with life" until their neighbourhood has its turn to be bombed.

It doesn't mean Israel is a stable country though. It fundamentally isn't and perhaps never will be again.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Most people in Israel really aren't too concerned. They know the drills and accept their lot. But looking at the Middle East, I think for all its many faults, I suspect most would rather have a western-facing modern, technocratic democracy as the regional power, than some theocratic dictatorship like Saudi or Iran, or an unstable state like Syria or Iraq.

Whilst I agree most people I know in Israel aren’t that concerned by Iran’s threats right now (I posted to that effect a few days ago), I think Israel is currently on the slide in to a functional theocratic dictatorship (with sham elements of democracy) not unlike Iran’s, tragically. It’s not there yet, but it is also not really currently a free technocratic democracy, either.

It is closer to Putin’s Russia under Netanyahu (and the strengthening ultra-right) than it is to the UK right now.