Time running out for Israeli-Iranian showdown?
 

It... could be.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...559925,00.html

Intresting no one has commented on this.

This is a very serious piece of the middle east puzzle that when plopped down will have an enormous impact on the world economy me thinks not to mention the potential loss of life.

The world appears ripe for kaos.

Put this on top of the Afghanistan leader tired of Taliban peeps coming across from Pakistan and put this all togther and looks very hairy in the middle east almost to the point of boling over.

Doubtful they'd get far with their war.

The majority of the Middle-East should not be known for its hospitality towards the Jews and their practices. I should imagine that not only would the conflict involve Iran, but also Afghanistan, Pakistan, and probably the radical portion of Saudi Arabia. You would probably also have a third of the Iraqis (that third being the religious radical portion) participating to fight against the Israelis, but I would not imagine any sort of official Iraqi government/military involvement.

It's a delicate situation over there right now. Thanks to Bush's movements in Iraq, the entire Middle-East has begun to boil. As Shakespeare wrote, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

Iran said that Israel needs to be wiped off the map. If you were Israel would you just sit there and wait for them to make good on their threat? One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day. Seems like the **** is going to hit the fan and everyone will be drug into it.

We need to build some time capsules with our history documented in a way that will last a million years. When the dust settles and another intelligent humanoid species evolves on the planet, they'll have a better chance of survival by making sure their technology doesn't surpass their humanity. Maybe we can keep future civilizations from making the same mistake we are about to make.

I think it's time to call some friends and go share a few pints, while we still can.

President Ahmadinejad NEVER said that Israel should be wiped off the map. That's a lie which spread all over the news and Internet. This is what he said:

"The Imam said this regime occupying Jerusalem must vanish from the page of time."

I'm going to give you a link to the website that details what he said. It's not a conspirator website or anything like that, but it does have some very interesting and well-researched information. May I suggest you investigate further.

http://www.antiwar.com/orig/norouzi.php?articleid=11025

...... :damn:

1. Iran has never said that. One person, the President has made statements that have been mistranslated (perhaps even innocently)

cf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud...nism.22_speech

Wiped off the map is an English Idiom. There is no equivalent idiom in Persian. Therefore it is most unlikely that the President would use the words that would be translated in to the English "wiped off the map".

As a clarification, President Ahmadinejad compared Israel to the Soviet Union in the first speech. This part is often not included in English translations. Now the Soviet Union was not destroyed by military action, it was "destroyed" from within. What President Ahmadinejad meant was that the people of the area would dissolve the state of Israel and form a new jointly governed state representing all the people of the area.

2. President Ahmadinejad has no authority over the military at all. It is confusing as he holds the title of President which usually means the boss. Even if he did mean that he wanted the destruction of Israel (which was not the meaning in Persian) he simply can't do anything about it.

3. The person who does have authority over the military is the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He has made two separate official declarations that Iran has no intention of attacking Israel. One in 2005 and one in 2007.

So this raises an interesting question

Why do we put credence on the words of the person who does not have control over the military but we don't put credence on the words of the person who does have control over the military?

The answer is that the words of President Ahmadinejad (when mistranslated) support our perception of Iran and the words of the Supreme Leader Khamenei refute our perception of Iran.

However if the media keeps repeating that Iran wants to destroy Israel enough times, it becomes a "fact".

So when they chant "Death to Israel" or "Death to America" they don't really mean it in a threatening way?

Probably not, it is just an emotional outburst as is common in that culture.

That's a problem, because it's common in my culture to take stated threats like that very seriously. Especially when they have a history of violence to go with it.

This is why it is very important that you don't evaluate another culture by applying your cultural biases.

"Especially when they have a history of violence to go with it."

The funny thing is that this is probably what the Iranians are saying about us. :)

Tough it out.:p

Am i reading this right? Are some people here advocating that the Iranians are stupid and have no idea how their words are going to be interpreted? For real? I think i have some Iranian friends in the US that would be most offended by your statements.

Not buying it in the slightest. These people are not stupid, nor ignorant. They mean what they say.

Political Correctness is invading this forum harshly.

-S

But they've been saying these things for a while. They are very far right on the political scale and are playing to their base.

They are smart people. Certainly smart enough to realize what would bring about their destruction.

PD

Yes and no. The are not playing to their base as much as you think however. These are indimidation tactics for Israel, and to a lesser extend, the world. The Ayatolla doesn't care much about playing to the base since they are under his thumb already, and as such, under the presidents thumb in the name of Islam. These words are from the President of the country to the world, and the Iran's neighbors. To inspire hatred and acts of violence to land they see as theirs, which is land the Jews occupy in their minds. The Jews sit on Persian land, and that is how they see it till the end of time.

-S