Russia vaguely threatens to back Iran if Israel strikes

Indeed, if "pre-emptive strike" becomes legit reason, good bye peace. You can pretty much clain "pre-emptive strike" whenever and on whatever you want.

^ Welcome to 2000 years ago.

@FF Shinra: South Africa wasn't coerced to do it, as far as I know. One case is enough to dispute the point that no-one would voluntarily dispose of all their nukes.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.

In case you haven't noticed, last 60 years we have preferred not to create stupid reasons to start wars. Lately, it seems people are starting such thing again...

Israel has had nukes for 40-50 years now. In that time, they've been in at least two wars, and under nearly constant attack from Palestinian groups. In such a time, especially in an actual declared war with several different countries and badly outnumbered, they could have used nukes and the US would have backed them to the hilt. They haven't. I don't believe the same will hold true when it comes to Iranian leadership. If Israeli leaders were giving public speeches with "Death to all Muslims!" that would damn well make the news.

I fail to see how, short of another openly declared war, Israel could get any less popular. Also, this will only be the (third?) time Israel has blown Iran's budding nuclear program back to rubble. The response the previous two times was rather underwhelming.

Luxemborg is next to go / and who knows, maybe Monaco / We'll try to stay serene and calm / When Alabama gets the bomb / Who's Next?

I was under the impression that Turkey was increasing their trade with Israel?

Don't be ridiculous. The best place for it to hit would be Iran, which is in Persia not the Middle East.

Of course they don't matter. Nobody cares about brown people dying in little poor countries halfway around the world.*

^{Only not potholing to Sarcasm Mode because I have met people who genuinely believe this.}

I cannot see the US invading anyone else right now, short of a direct assault on an allied country. If Iran decides to invade, say, Iraq or Afghanistan, then, maybe we'd go tit for tat and squash them. But in that case, Russia and China would probably also be taking a very quick, very large step back.

I'd like a non-nuclear Israel, too. I don't think that's likely to happen without being predated by 50+ years of genuine peaceful relationship with every country within 200 miles of it, and that should happen about a millenia after we all upload into the computer singularity.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

I'd like to see an Israel uploaded into the computer singularity.

"We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent."

@Best Of - And I had not disputed your initial comment on South Africa. My only comment was toward the ex-Soviet states.

Anyway, the IAEA report was supposed to come out today. Anybody know WHEN exactly?

Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...

After lunch of course. so 1ish most likely.

Is using "Julian Assange is a Hillary butt plug" an acceptable signature quote?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45209267/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

It's official: Iran is working on nuclear weapons.

edited 8th Nov '11 10:45:18 AM by MyGodItsFullofStars

I see a separate thread created for just that, I guess we should move the talk there?

Moved to other thread...

edited 8th Nov '11 10:51:07 AM by MajorTom

Yes, let's try and focus on Russia's and Israel's involvement in the developing crisis in this thread, and we can talk about the reality and repercussions of a nuclear Iran in the other thread I started.

So I find that Russian support of Iran is very similar to Chinese support of North Korea. After the Shah fell, Iran was no longer a western ally, and then Russia could step in to support them. They'd sell them arms and whatnot but didn't have much direct or even indirect control of the regime, they just were commonly against the west.

In this case, Russia's continued vague support of Iran is perfectly fine so long as Iran is not the aggressor in any conflict and since Israel is attempting to create a pre-emptive strike, that relationship is in no way harmed but in fact strengthened. All Iran wants is more hardware from Russia and all Russia wants is Iran to keep westerners busy and waste our money.

And be a needy market for their military wares.

Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...

@Shinra, post #107:

Yeah, I'll concede that. Derail closed. (Only reason I even bothered to post this is that it would be unpolite not to say it out loud that I'm conceding your point.)

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.

Knowing your politics? Software conflicts. For DAYS.

On-topic, and forgive the mild necro, but I'm curious as to the Russian public's view on Iran. Someone get Beholderess in this thread stat!

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.

I don't think it would count as preemptive, they are already attacking us, and for nothing resembling a good reason. If they don't stop, sooner or later we will have to stop them.

They were armed, and attacked the soldiers.

And here is pretty much the only reason I can think of. I don't know what kind of bomb it was, though. EDIT2: It seems that you said the wrong nationalities, I found no other such incident.

edited 27th Nov '11 1:42:18 PM by ManInGray