The Big Middle Eastern Thread

[Dr. Gonzo]

The US just seized 4 Iranian tankers in international waters that were on their way to Venezuela.

[Michael]

This couple standing less than 600 meters away from the explosion were extremely lucky to survive the blast.

[Azeem]

 

[Bluewolf]

Just been watching this Documentary about the explosion... Heart breaking stuff for all those people involved.. 

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

The CEO of Arapat (Iran's YouTube) was sentenced to 10 years in prison... for a video that was uploaded onto his video platford (not that he had anything to do with the creation of the video). But the video was one where an interviewer asks kids questions about what they know about how they were born (not how they were conceived or anything)... and she also answer's a kid's question on the biology of asexual reproduction vs. how mammals reproduce vs. how fish reproduce. But the government deemed it to be "too graphic" for children.

So the 7 people involved in the creation of the video get between 10-12 years and the owner of the website gets 10 years.

It's so strange to me what the people high up in the Iranian government decide to prioritise while they're facing a complete economic meltdown and Iran is still pretty badly hit by the pandemic. But still, somehow, it's a government priority to be policing "morality"... but really punishing people for trying to teach kids about biology. And also punishing someone who was in no way related to the creation of the "offending" content... just to send a message to other owners of Iranian social media platforms that the government expects them to act as morality police as well.

It's a fucking joke tbh. Not a very good joke, but it's just so fucking sad and absurd.

[Azeem]

Reading about the rabbits breading in biology class was really fun, rabbits are alpha 

[Dr. Gonzo]

There was an explosion at a school in Pakistan: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/27/pakistan-blast-at-seminary-in-peshawar-kills-injured

...meanwhile, the Pakistani government is joining much of the Islamic world's governments in being outraged about cartoons being projected onto buildings in France.

And don't get me wrong, I think trolling Islamic extremists is giving into their idea that there is a culture war between Muslims & non-Muslims - which sort of serves to prove their propaganda right. And maybe resorting to an official government stance of trolling isn't the smartest thing to do - but I do think that France has been dealing with this bullshit for long enough and it's understandable that so many citizens and the government would have a really emotional response to this happening AGAIN in France - but this time in a pandemic.

Sort of boggles my mind how many official government statements have denounced how France has reacted as though the biggest victim out of recent events isn't the man who very literally lost his head.

[Azeem]

26 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

...meanwhile, the Pakistani government is joining much of the Islamic world's governments in being outraged about cartoons being projected onto buildings in France.

And don't get me wrong, I think trolling Islamic extremists is giving into their idea that there is a culture war between Muslims & non-Muslims - which sort of serves to prove their propaganda right. And maybe resorting to an official government stance of trolling isn't the smartest thing to do - but I do think that France has been dealing with this bullshit for long enough and it's understandable that so many citizens and the government would have a really emotional response to this happening AGAIN in France - but this time in a pandemic.

Sort of boggles my mind how many official government statements have denounced how France has reacted as though the biggest victim out of recent events isn't the man who very literally lost his head.

The tension with French government were already spiked when Macron made some remarks about Islam/Muslim World being in crisis prior to these events ( which is ironic since he's supporting a lot of MENA tinpot dictators warlords who create these crisis )

I agree with what you said it's only serving to the agenda of us vs them. Personally i see Macron as a dickhead in all this. The likes of Erdogan are cashing on it.

And trolling at governmental level has also brought an emotional response from Muslim community, they again as a whole community have to be apologetic/targetted about that one fucked up guys act.

I can only see future generations suffer because of this. 

[Azeem]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

There was an explosion at a school in Pakistan: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/27/pakistan-blast-at-seminary-in-peshawar-kills-injured

...

Expect a lot of these attacks in border region with Afghanistan ( there were was a smaller one days before ) bcz of the transaction of power and deals happening with US pulling out some or all troops. The guy whose school was attacked was a strong critic of ISIS and some Afghan groups. 

Afghanistan is pretty much like Bosnia there are so many ethnicity and sects. All striving for power they've had like 16-18 different national flags and anthem since the formation of the modern republic, when one faction within an ethnicity came to power they changed the flag according to their thing. And it being a mineral rich place makes it even more of a hotspot. 

And ffs Pakistan isn't in Middle East 

[Dr. Gonzo]

26 minutes ago, Azeem said:

Expect a lot of these attacks in border region with Afghanistan ( there were was a smaller one days before ) bcz of the transaction of power and deals happening with US pulling out some or all troops. The guy whose school was attacked was a strong critic of ISIS and some Afghan groups. 

Afghanistan is pretty much like Bosnia there are so many ethnicity and sects. All striving for power they've had like 16-18 different national flags and anthem since the formation of the modern republic, when one faction within an ethnicity came to power they changed the flag according to their thing. And it being a mineral rich place makes it even more of a hotspot. 

And ffs Pakistan isn't in Middle East 

I don't like using "Middle East" tbh and prefer West Asia.

[Azeem]

44 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I don't like using "Middle East" tbh and prefer West Asia.

It's catchy, West Asia sounds like Asia but not Japan China 

[Azeem]

Speculations that the recent Pompeo Saudi meeting was about striking Iran nuclear assets.

Possibly the reason Trump changed the Pentagon staff, create troubles for Biden administration so they can't revive the nuclear deal

[Azeem]

On 23/11/2020 at 22:20, McAzeem said:

Speculations that the recent Pompeo Saudi meeting was about striking Iran nuclear assets.

Possibly the reason Trump changed the Pentagon staff, create troubles for Biden administration so they can't revive the nuclear deal

Shit is real

[Azeem]

A very important founding member of Iran's nuclear program has been assassinated in Tehran. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Considering Netanyahu said we should remember the guys name... it’s not hard to guess which country is responsible 

[Azeem]

On 28/11/2020 at 19:02, Dr. Gonzo said:

Considering Netanyahu said we should remember the guys name... it’s not hard to guess which country is responsible 

Such a guy being killed in the capital must have some huge local collaboration

[Dr. Gonzo]

On 28/11/2020 at 08:24, McAzeem said:

Such a guy being killed in the capital must have some huge local collaboration

Looks like the attack was carried out by MEK

[Dr. Gonzo]

Iran has gone mental and decided to go after a South Korean tanker in international waters over a substantial amount of money that was held up by South Korean banks due to US sanctions.

Turning to piracy to settle international disputes isn’t a great look for anyone. But especially if you’re a country with few allies that will back you up and many countries that would be happy to Balkanize you...

I also think with a new US administration, not being antagonistic would probably be better considering Biden & co seem keen on returning to the negotiating table?

[Harry]

3 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Iran has gone mental and decided to go after a South Korean tanker in international waters over a substantial amount of money that was held up by South Korean banks due to US sanctions.

Turning to piracy to settle international disputes isn’t a great look for anyone. But especially if you’re a country with few allies that will back you up and many countries that would be happy to Balkanize you...

I also think with a new US administration, not being antagonistic would probably be better considering Biden & co seem keen on returning to the negotiating table?

It doesn't seem logical to me for Iran to do this. The US political establishment is worried Trump will start a war with Iran on his way out the door as a means of torching the place for the next administration. Why would Iran provoke that?

[Azeem]

The visuals out of Yemen are really disturbing. This is a humanitarian crisis largely being ignored as just another Saudi-Iran cockfight. US UK and co are complacent with their weapon supply. 

Hunger must be the most man made crisis.

Edited January 5, 2021 by Dr. Gonzo
Not everyone can casally handle seeing a starving child - please use spoiler tags next time

[Dr. Gonzo]

14 hours ago, Harry said:

It doesn't seem logical to me for Iran to do this. The US political establishment is worried Trump will start a war with Iran on his way out the door as a means of torching the place for the next administration. Why would Iran provoke that?

If I had to guess, I'd assume the Iranian government is taking the calculated gamble that the US political establishment is more concerned by the brazen coup attempt in the US, rather than starting a war to torch things on the way out. That Georgia call indicates Trump very seriously thinks he can hang onto the presidency despite losing an election - so maybe the gamble is paying off.

South Korea's sending over a diplomatic delegation... which is what Iran requested to send over when South Korea froze the funds - so honestly, it looks to me like Iran's act of piracy has sort of paid off. I think the way the world has gone over the past few years, we've even seen the US engage in actual piracy as well, we're seeing a more thug-ish approach to foreign policy. Russia with Crimea, Azerbaijan with Nagorno-Karabagh, basically any sort of Persian Gulf relations - it's not isolated to the Middle East.

But I think the Middle East is as fucked up as it is currently because of decades of Western foreign policy in the region that was concerned with only the short-term and never looking into the long term consequences of the region, being made progressively more and more unstable by more and more short term thinking.

Iran have also put out Interpol notices for Trump and other members of the US government  - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/5/iran-issues-interpol-notice-for-48-us-officials-including-trump - I think they're well past taking him seriously.

In other news: Saudi Arabia and Qatar have re-established normal ties.

[Dr. Gonzo]

12 hours ago, McAzeem said:

The visuals out of Yemen are really disturbing. This is a humanitarian crisis largely being ignored as just another Saudi-Iran cockfight. US UK and co are complacent with their weapon supply. 

Hunger must be the most man made crisis.

 

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Yeah - it's really fucked up what's happening in Yemen.

It's not going to get much news coverage because it IS happening with tacit support from Western governments... and people don't want to be made aware of the horrible shite that their governments bring to other parts of the world.

But yeah, it's a horrific humanitarian crisis.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Netanyahu storming out of his corruption trial is wild.

[Azeem]

Iran has had problems with it's Baloch population since the day's of Reza Shahs father. It also extends to our side of Balochistan to some extent.

Those killed were probably smugglers but these people are very poor and desperate not the best way to handle this

[Dr. Gonzo]

4 hours ago, McAzeem said:

Iran has had problems with it's Baloch population since the day's of Reza Shahs father. It also extends to our side of Balochistan to some extent.

Those killed were probably smugglers but these people are very poor and desperate not the best way to handle this

It's absolutely not the best way to handle this - it's totally inhumane tbh. It definitely extends into the Pakistan side of Balochistan too - that's where many of the Balochistan nationalist separatist leaders live, that both Iran & Pakistan governments are pretty fucking hostile too (because they want to separate and form their own nation, even though they're a minority of the Baloch population). They've had insurgencies in Pakistan multiple times since Pakistan's independence.