Support NeoGAF

[Buggy Loop]

The incredibly high degree of competence and capability on display by the US military, and President Trump demonstrating a willingness to use military force, is likely to deter rather than encourage adversaries to act out. An adversary watching this is likely thinking they would be better off just waiting for a weaker President to come along, like Putin did.

This is one downside of the American system: even with a great President like President Trump, there's a good chance a weak one will be along shortly.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Of course they're not saying that, at least not that we know of, but...do you think even anti-regime folks are glad to be breathing toxic smoke right now?

Tehran Shrouded in Toxic Cloud After Israel Strikes Fuel Depots

The strikes appear to be the most significant attack on Iran's civilian infrastructure of the war to date.

time.com

'Night turned into day': Iranians tell of strikes on oil depots

Fuel depots were hit in Tehran and Karaj overnight, with videos showing huge fires and plumes of smoke in multiple locations.

www.bbc.com

You can explain the purpose of these attacks as a sort of economic pressure tactic, which makes sense, yet that doesn't mean we should close our eyes to the other consequences. Especially when the bombing campaign alone isn't guaranteed to produce the desired results.

So? Do you think people are looking at it and saying - "I wish Khamenei was alive" or something? The people were literally massacred by the regime not so long ago. Nobody expects the regime to go away easily. People were even willing to rise against it and die. Nobody expects IRGC to give up easily and people understand that it won't be easy for them to free themselves from ayatollah's regime.

 

[MisterFalcon]

Finally something to debunk the '4 Million Patriots Shooting $20.000 Drones LOL' crap:



It's actually a few hundred bucks in 30mm ammo shooting down the drones.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

So? Do you think people are looking at it and saying - "I wish Khamenei was alive" or something? The people were literally massacred by the regime not so long ago. Nobody expects the regime to go away easily. People were even willing to rise against it and die. Nobody expects IRGC to give up easily and people understand that it won't be easy for them to free themselves from ayatollah's regime.

It's kind of hilarious to realize those people sit in front of their computers in the West on their comfy chair with their mocha latte and have zero idea what a real totalitarian regime is like

The Iranians in Tehran will happily watch flaming rivers of oil run down the street and watch the IRGC's buildings burn and breathe in the smoke because that smoke is the smell off the freedom they have desperately dreamed of for 47 years

No one who has ever lived under one of these regimes has ever wished the despot was alive. Ever.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

So? Do you think people are looking at it and saying - "I wish Khamenei was alive" or something? The people were literally massacred by the regime not so long ago. Nobody expects the regime to go away easily. People were even willing to rise against it and die. Nobody expects IRGC to give up easily and people understand that it won't be easy for them to free themselves from ayatollah's regime.

Ah yes, evil religious theocracy abusing their own citizens - boy, when the regime will fall people would be for some rude awakening.

 

[daffyduck]

It wouldn't surprise me if Iran self sabotage their own desalination plant so they can blame US.

Still waiting for some sources on this. CBC and CNN would be tripping all over themselves to report it, if they thought there was even the slightest chance of it being true.

 

[daffyduck]

Ah yes, evil religious theocracy abusing their own citizens - boy, when the regime will fall people would be for some rude awakening.

Like the rude awakening they got when they were thinking "Anybody but the Shah."?

 

[DrFigs]

The incredibly high degree of competence and capability on display by the US military, and President Trump demonstrating a willingness to use military force, is likely to deter rather than encourage adversaries to act out. An adversary watching this is likely thinking they would be better off just waiting for a weaker President to come along, like Putin did.

This is one downside of the American system: even with a great President like President Trump, there's a good chance a weak one will be along shortly.

High competence except for that one grade school we bombed. And also probably we should have refilled the petroleum reserves before attacking.

 

[Jaybe]

High competence except for that one grade school we bombed. And also probably we should have refilled the petroleum reserves before attacking.

The school immediately adjacent to an IRGC compound? A basic Sim City tutorial would advise against putting a military base next to a school or vice versa, unless you know your crazy theological dictator doesn't mind civilians dying for Allah.

 

[Jaybe]

So called progressive forums are filled with crazy. Be careful out there, they may be your basement dwelling neighbors. (This is a teacher in Texas btw).

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

So called progressive forums are filled with crazy. Be careful out there, they may be your basement dwelling neighbors.

Sounds like some echo chambers on X that post AI videos.

 

[jason10mm]

The school immediately adjacent to an IRGC compound? A basic Sim City tutorial would advise against putting a military base next to a school or vice versa, unless you know your crazy theological dictator doesn't mind civilians dying for Allah.

To be fair there are schools right next to military bases and airfield here in the us as well. Its not uncommon, probably, for small installations and low security ones.

The notion that advanced armaments are 100% precise and never miss is the fallacy here. 70 years ago the same strike would have taken tens of thousands if pounds if munitions and would have eveled everything around the base.

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Now the ability of Iran's military to actually FIGHT has been severely reduced, many leaders are dead, so your "moderate semi-secular non zealots" have an actual chance now. If they exist.

Wait - wasn't the existence of these people part of the narrative supporting the war? Why the sudden skepticism?

 

[jason10mm]

Wait - wasn't the existence of these people part of the narrative supporting the war? Why the sudden skepticism?

Some people assert that the vast majority of Iranians are desperate to escape a horrible religious dictatorship. Im not one of them, but would be happy to be wrong if the Iranian people boot out the clerics and senior government and sue fir peace to firm a competent democracy.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Australia choosing not to intervene is very on brand for Australia these days

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Wait - wasn't the existence of these people part of the narrative supporting the war? Why the sudden skepticism?

Considering the media glazing ayatollah, taking things out of the context, together with echo chambers online - imagine believing iranian state news organizations - there is a bunch of doom and gloom, anti war, anti USA, anti Israel and so on takes. At this point, all of it can be ignored.

 

[kruis]

So? Do you think people are looking at it and saying - "I wish Khamenei was alive" or something? The people were literally massacred by the regime not so long ago. Nobody expects the regime to go away easily. People were even willing to rise against it and die. Nobody expects IRGC to give up easily and people understand that it won't be easy for them to free themselves from ayatollah's regime.

I'm sure that that the majority of Iranians would like an end to the regime, but I'm also pretty sure they wish it wouldn't happen like this: by the whole country being pounded by Israeli and American bombs and thousands of their country men dying. This is not how you capture the hearts and mind of secular Iranians.

BTW more evidence that it wasn't an Iranian missile that accidentally hit that girls' school.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

The F-14 Tomcat, famously seem in Top Gun, is a notable fighter jet in American military history. Designed in an era where adjustable sweep wings were a popular method of improving fuel consumption while also allowing for high performance with afterburners, the F-14's wings automatically swing out for low speed or low altitude flight and swing in when the pilot runs the engines for maximum speed or uses the afterburners. Another notable military jet from this era which also has adjustable sweep wings is the B-1 bomber

When the USAF retired its F-14 fleet, they purposely destroyed all the remaining aircraft in service to ensure that spare parts would not reach the Iranian regime. Iran was the only other country to ever fly the F-14, owing to a weapons deal to sell the fighter jets to Iran before the fall of the Shah in 1979

The F-14 is on display at many air and space museums in the US

 

[analog_future]

It's crazy how authoritarians deflect and obfuscate their own atrocities at every turn.

It sure is.

 

[Rentahamster]

Finally something to debunk the '4 Million Patriots Shooting $20.000 Drones LOL' crap:



It's actually a few hundred bucks in 30mm ammo shooting down the drones.

First of all do you think they're not using expensive missiles at all?

Here come the big bombs as US escalates strikes on Iran's huge military arsenal

Operation Epic Fury deploys JDAM precision bombs, Small Diameter Bombs, and Patriot missiles against Iranian weapons facilities with complete air control.

www.foxnews.com

Patriot and THAAD: U.S. forces are leading the defense against missile and drone threats. Patriot remains the gold standard for terminal-phase intercepts, and Hegseth noted inventories were in good shape. THAAD — Terminal High Altitude Area Defense — is also widely used.

Air-to-air missiles: For drones, there are many options, starting with fighter aircraft armed with AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles) and AIM-9 Sidewinders. Drones can be tricky to detect on radar, but recent experience in Ukraine means the U.S. has fresh identifying characteristics to work with. Once in range, the slow, hot, whirring pusher engine of Iran's Shahed drones is not difficult to target. However, Hegseth noted counter-UAS systems have been pushed forward. You knew American technology was the foundation of Ukraine's superb air defenses, right?

Second of all, how much do you you think a single sortie costs in operational costs in addition to the "few hundred bucks" in ammo?

 

[demigod]

Australia choosing not to intervene is very on brand for Australia these days

Has there been any of them escaping that shithole when played abroad?

 

[AJUMP23]

Cool footage

 

[calico]

High competence except for that one grade school we bombed.

Which was most likely Iran, but either way, if the best rebuttal to the utter dominance of this US military action is 'but what about that one strike missing its target', I think that speaks for itself.

No adversary is looking at this and thinking 'yes please, I'd like some of that because they might have a few less missiles left right now'. The suggestion is preposterous.

 

[Madonis]

It's kind of hilarious to realize those people sit in front of their computers in the West on their comfy chair with their mocha latte and have zero idea what a real totalitarian regime is like

The Iranians in Tehran will happily watch flaming rivers of oil run down the street and watch the IRGC's buildings burn and breathe in the smoke because that smoke is the smell off the freedom they have desperately dreamed of for 47 years

No one who has ever lived under one of these regimes has ever wished the despot was alive. Ever.

I hope you're right, frankly, but then again it's also a fact that you don't speak for all of them either.

They can still be happy that the ayatollah is dead and not want their lives to become a living hell during an escalating bombing campaign with unclear objectives.

Those sacrifices might be worthwhile if the end result is freedom, not just rotating through a couple of ayatollahs. It's going to depend on the relative balance of forces between the regime (plus its supporters, which are still a factor, despite their absence from the discussion here) and the opposition, which is hard to judge. If it works out, then great. I'd like to see that.

 

[Critical Hit]

Which was most likely Iran, but either way, if the best rebuttal to the utter dominance of this US military action is 'but what about that one strike missing its target', I think that speaks for itself.

Most likely, all the buildings on the base were bombed, and whoever entered the coordinates did not know (and did not check) that there was a school there.

 

[Critical Hit]

 

[DragoonKain]

I'm assuming he'll be targeted/killed next?

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Wonder where he's holed up

 

[calico]

He's probably already dead.

 

[Rentahamster]

Those sacrifices might be worthwhile if the end result is freedom, not just rotating through a couple of ayatollahs.

I agree but it seems that every decade we come across the same overly optimistic scenarios that don't stand up to the record of history.

Using military force against a ME nation that resulted in freedom and a better way of life for that nation - bad track record.

Using military force against a ME nation that resulted in oil assets being secured by the US and profits for oil companies - great track record

Using military force against a ME nation that resulted in weapons manufacturers and defense contractors making lots and lots of money - great track record

It's like a pharmaceutical company selling you endless amounts of treatments for the symptoms of your disease, but conveniently for them, never the cure. I still don't see any compelling argument why this one should turn out any differently.

 

[Rentahamster]

I'm assuming he'll be targeted/killed next?

More likely

 

[AtomicStarving]

How many hours left for him?

 

[EviLore]

Dynamics in the ME are already shifting

 

[Roll Fizzlebeef]

 

[Gp1]

Brent over USD 100.00

edit. too soon, it's already over 110.00

 

[kruis]

 

[DeepEnigma]

Dynamics in the ME are already shifting

Should expel them to the sun.

 

[EviLore]

 

[Bojji]

 

[rkofan87]

War is now nothing more than a bunch of memes stitched together. We're really living in the worst timeline right now.

Mortal Kombat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i love this so much

 

[Mr1999]

Yeah I'm sure nobody wanted that job so they all slowly stepped back and pushed him to the front. Either he suddenly becomes the best undercover asset the U.S. ever had or he's just the next guy on the chopping block.

 

[rkofan87]

Massacre tens of thousands of your own people: silence.

Get killed in return: UN reminds you that killing anyone ever is bad

 

[Atrus]

So it's now the theocratic monarchy everyone suspected it was. I for one am not going to lose any sleep if they keep blowing up until there's an intelligent one interested in getting along and continuing to live.

 

[Zathalus]

Crude just went past $100 per barrel. So that's going to be fun.

 

[rkofan87]

the White House just pissed off Master Chief

 

[vodka-bull]

Their hand gestures remind me of a very dark chapter of Austrias history. The meaning didn't change at all though.

 

[Rat Rage]

War is now nothing more than a bunch of memes stitched together. We're really living in the worst timeline right now.

Wtf am I looking at? Is this real? Is this the official White House twitter (fuck the name "X") account?
Please someone tell me this is a fake account.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

 

[Raven117]

Desert storm with this pic.

 

[Raven117]

War is now nothing more than a bunch of memes stitched together. We're really living in the worst timeline right now.

Please god. Don't be real.