News and Current Events

[SLF]

Both those countries had a very close relationship back in the Apartheid era too. Israel supported SA economically and militarily.

Yes, the nuclear weapons testing/development program was mutually beneficial.

 

[SLF]

This is an instantly iconic - and bitterly contested - image. It is quite something that it would be published in a mainstream European publication.

 

[giantroo]

Our Geelong refinery went up in flames last night (1 of only 2 we have in the country)

 

[Val Keating]

When are they going to impeach this campaigner?

 

[Val Keating]

The wealth the Trump family has made in his second term is staggering. I read an article the other day that I can’t find right now, that shows that it’s over $10B US.

 

[Chadwiko]

The wealth the Trump family has made in his second term is staggering. I read an article the other day that I can’t find right now, that shows that it’s over $10B US.

He's suing his own government for billions, after personally selecting the administrators that will oversee the process.

It's corruption on levels we've never seen before, and no one seems to care.

 

[muttley45]

With all those armed Secret Service dudes in attendance, how in the hell did that alleged assassin at the Trump event not end up like Swiss cheese ?

 

[SLF]

So Iran has just beaten the US and Israel in proper big boys war.

Its quite eerie how nobody wants to actually like say it out loud.

And the markets appear to be simply adjusting to the new reality of significantly higher prices.

 

[SLF]

He's suing his own government for billions, after personally selecting the administrators that will oversee the process.

It's corruption on levels we've never seen before, and no one seems to care.

The US is in its 90s Russia phase.

Oligarchs control media and key industries and bribe/push around the decrepit joke of a President to get what they want.

Life expectancy is falling, large swathes of the country have effectively been abandoned.

Its pretty grim.

 

[Samsquanch]

With all those armed Secret Service dudes in attendance, how in the hell did that alleged assassin at the Trump event not end up like Swiss cheese ?

The agent who fired peppered the other agent with friendly fire as well as blasting shots randomly into areas where hotel guests were wandering. It’s a wonder that there weren’t a few members of the public turned into swiss cheese.

Having said that, the “agent” was probably a former YouTuber or Mall Cop moonlighting from his day job at ICE.

 

[Samsquanch]

So Iran has just beaten the US and Israel in proper big boys war.

Its quite eerie how nobody wants to actually like say it out loud.

And the markets appear to be simply adjusting to the new reality of significantly higher prices.

Who could possibly have predicted that Iran could possibly have used tactics such as blocking ships in the strait or god forbid, booby trapping oil wells in case they do end up copping a hiding.

 

[Chip Scab1]

So Iran has just beaten the US and Israel in proper big boys war.

Its quite eerie how nobody wants to actually like say it out loud.

And the markets appear to be simply adjusting to the new reality of significantly higher prices.

Has it? By what measure?

Iran is still a shithole that you wouldn't let your dog run around in. Same with Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, UAE, Gaza, Jordan and Egypt.

I don't have a problem with any of these countries, just don't come to Australia and if you do, leave your 7th Century nonsense in the desert where it belongs or alternatively, some evidence (anything at all) that your nonsense is real, maybe.

Obviously there's nothing they can find, because it's a scam like all religious nonsense. Believe what you want just don't expect thinking-people to accept your unproven nonsense.

It's a very simple equation.

 

[tricknologist]

It's pretty simple of powers like Iran to win in these situations: the regime has to survive and show it has ways in which it can hurt bigger powers. They've shown they can cause global economic and energy shocks, so they'll win if the regime survives and endures. From the regime's perspective, it doesn't matter how much damage has been done to the country or how many people have been killed. They were slaughtering their own people earlier in the year, so why would they care about the US and Israel killing a few of them? The US and Israel might have even done them a favour by creating a rally around the flag effect.

It's a clear loss for the US unless they can topple the regime, and even then it probably doesn't matter at this point because it would have taken too long. The Trump admin has further tanked its reputation domestically and internationally, they've weakened the Gulf states, they've created global economic and energy shocks, they've strengthened China's hand, they've strengthened Russia's hand (though tbh this admin probably sees that as a positive outcome), and they've given China a live demonstration of their capabilities. It's an obvious loss in strategic terms, especially after how easily they pulled off the Maduro snatch and grab.

With Israel it's hard to say whether it's a win or a loss because Netanyahu is primarily concerned with short-term expediency atm. We probably need more time to assess and the benefit of hindsight, but I think that October 7 and their response to it wrecking their normalisation with other ME powers will be seen as the bigger issue for them 10-20 years from now.

 

[Chadwiko]

It's definitely a loss for the US/Israel. What an absolute cluster**** and all-time own-goal they've kicked.

But that doesn't mean it's a "win" for Iran. Iran's in much, much worse shape now than they were at the start of this whole mess.

Honestly, there's no winners in this situation. Everyone lost.

 

[SLF]

Who could possibly have predicted that Iran could possibly have used tactics such as blocking ships in the strait or god forbid, booby trapping oil wells in case they do end up copping a hiding.

Those things could have been predicted aye, but it seems only relatively recent Chinese and Russian assistance let them oblierate US bases and radars with such precision.

Still, that kind of payback was always coming after the US/UK helped the Ukranians pull stunts like attacking Russia's nuclear bomber bases and early warning radars.

I'm genuinely stunned at just how effective the Iranian missile fire is now.

 

[SLF]

It's pretty simple of powers like Iran to win in these situations: the regime has to survive and show it has ways in which it can hurt bigger powers. They've shown they can cause global economic and energy shocks, so they'll win if the regime survives and endures. From the regime's perspective, it doesn't matter how much damage has been done to the country or how many people have been killed. They were slaughtering their own people earlier in the year, so why would they care about the US and Israel killing a few of them? The US and Israel might have even done them a favour by creating a rally around the flag effect.

Yep, they've worn the US/Israel's heaviest punches and they're not only still standing they're sending diplomats to go negotiate with the Vice President and the President's son.

It's a generational win for the IRGC - which is a really really bad thing as it means the psychotic Millenarian hardliners are now firmly in control indefinitely.

Trump's greatest international crime was tearing up Obama's nuke deal with Iran. If that had been allowed to hold, the regime would likely have fallen to all intensive purposes, even if the old clerics were allowed to retain some ceremonial power like the Royal Family.

It's a clear loss for the US unless they can topple the regime, and even then it probably doesn't matter at this point because it would have taken too long. The Trump admin has further tanked its reputation domestically and internationally, they've weakened the Gulf states, they've created global economic and energy shocks, they've strengthened China's hand, they've strengthened Russia's hand (though tbh this admin probably sees that as a positive outcome), and they've given China a live demonstration of their capabilities. It's an obvious loss in strategic terms, especially after how easily they pulled off the Maduro snatch and grab.

Not only that, they've used all their ammo for the next decade and are reliant on Chinese goodwill to rearm, which isn't happening given they've bragged about boxing off China's oil supply etc.

With Israel it's hard to say whether it's a win or a loss because Netanyahu is primarily concerned with short-term expediency atm. We probably need more time to assess and the benefit of hindsight, but I think that October 7 and their response to it wrecking their normalisation with other ME powers will be seen as the bigger issue for them 10-20 years from now.

Israel is on the precipice. Their ground forces are exhausted and have effectively been defeated by Hamas and Hezbollah. The Iranians just wore everything their air force could throw at them.

I'm not sure how the avoid the South Africa in the 1980s international pariah fate - albeit that did end up overthrowing apartheid.

Somehow Israel has to jettison its garrison state mentality and try and life in peace with its neighbours, which it is perfectly capable of doing as per Egypt.

 

[SLF]

FPV drones, especially unjammable fibre optic ones, are a game changer here.

Ukraine has become an "empty battlefield" where neither side can really move in numbers because swarms of drones appear and attack vehicles - they can take out the heaviest armour too.

Given Israel's immense reliance on armour, the FPVs plus the Almas ATGMs means Hezbollah has multiple options for defeating Israeli Merkavas and Nabers.

I genuinely think Israel is facing a Germany World War 1 situation (and please note that was an immensley different society and culture to what followed).

A combination of an exhausted army and home front political turmoil - Netanyahu is attempting a judicial coup - may well lead to mutiny.

There's already lots of reports in the Israeli press about reservists not showing up for duty etc.

Netanyahu may need permanent war for his political purposes, but the IDF infantry brigades simply can't sustain it.

 

[SLF]

This is fascinating by Zaluzhnyi, always the most capable of the Ukranian commanders, even if subject to politics and forced into decisions he didn't want.

 

[ferball]

I don't have a twitter account. can you do us a solid and post the whole thread?

 

[SLF]

I don't have a twitter account. can you do us a solid and post the whole thread?

I'll try and remember later.

 

[SLF]

54 years on and a British court finally agrees the 13 year old girl shot in the head while talking to her friends wasn't a terrorist after all.

British soldiers lost control in 1972 Springhill shootings, inquest finds

Coroner says none of the five civilians killed in incident in Belfast during Troubles should have been shot

www.theguardian.com

 

[SLF]

Its grimly amusing watching Trump try his "madman theory" schtick on the IRGC.

When he was playing Manhattan real estate bigwig with Daddy's money these guys were teenagers charging across minefields shrouded in clouds of chlorine gas.

You can't scare a gang of religious maniacs with group PTSD who genuinely welcome the idea of death in battle.

Who every couple of years slaughter hundreds/thousands of people on the streets and then execute a bunch more by hanging them from cranes.