Pray For Israel 🇮🇱 🙏
- Thread starter TulsaFanFromStigler
- Start date
We aren't going to go in there, the Democrats aren't that stupid. People issuing their worst fears as possible fact and imagining that is what the other party will do is a nice fear tactic.
We can't seem to break with Trump as a Republican party, and the republican response with Trump in office would be just as negligent.
None of the funds have “been spent or accessed in any way by Iran,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a news conference Thursday in Tel Aviv. “It’s still sitting in the Qatari bank, all of it. Every dime of it,” he told reporters at the White House on Thursday. “None of that money has been spent and I have no updates to provide.”
I know it was the first leap by many in the public, myself included. But that does not seem to be the case. Not unless they spent the money before they withdrew it, which would be rather imprudent of Iran. It has been once again frozen, if the Qataris keep their word.
I wouldn't be surprised at all, if this was a desperation move of Putin through Iran. It makes perfect sense, and is a cheap easy escape route for Putin. With the alliance already weakening it's resolve, it gave members of that alliance an easy out excuse. Perfect time to pull something like this.
I know it was the first leap by many in the public, myself included. But that does not seem to be the case. Not unless they spent the money before they withdrew it, which would be rather imprudent of Iran. It has been once again frozen, if the Qataris keep their word.
I wouldn't be surprised at all, if this was a desperation move of Putin through Iran. It makes perfect sense, and is a cheap easy escape route for Putin. With the alliance already weakening it's resolve, it gave members of that alliance an easy out excuse. Perfect time to pull something like this.
Isn’t giving $6B to the world’s biggest supporter of terrorism the real problem? We knew Iran’s ties and financial support to these terrorist groups and chose to agree to give them the money anyway. Hopefully Qatar keeps its word. I assume that money isn’t being wired back to the US treasury or US bank any time soon.
Last edited:
Philosophically, yes. Actionably at the moment, no. They never should have been so stupid to think their restrictions would change anything. They also never should have considered giving that money no matter the unenforceable restrictions. That placed too much value on five American lives, because that money translated to many more lives lost if they had been allowed access to that money. Ideally one would hope the Democrats realize the error of their ways and never pull something like this again. I have my doubts.
It never was in American banks. It was in South Korean banks for several years before it was transferred to Qatari banks. It was South Korean payment for Iranian oil that was frozen because of sanctions.
Our foreign policy as it relates to Iran is deeply flawed. It presumes we can influence their actions in exchange for money and elimination of sanctions. We can’t. Their hatred and opinions of the West are simply too deeply rooted. We are only giving them more money to use toward terrorism
This was actually a Trump approved policy(humanitarian aid) at the urging of European powers during the covid crisis. The policy was just broadened a bit, money specifically limited to South Korean funds, and formalized restrictions put on by the Biden administration. So Trump acting like it is taxpayer money and that it is so awful of the Biden administration to do this is knowingly hypocritical. And Trump allowed these funds to originally be paid for oil,(6 billion) in an 8 country exception to the oil embargo,(including South Korea) before he broadened the sanctions. At that point South Korea didn't allow the funds to be accessed.
But once again, it was a mistake regardless of the good intentions.
But once again, it was a mistake regardless of the good intentions.
No not really. That’s a drop in the bucket compared to what the Chinese are paying them for oil. $6 billion is petit cash in this context.
The real problem with this agreement was the “prisoner exchange” which was not really a prisoner exchange at all. They took hostages, we pardoned criminals convicted of things like espionage before they even served half their sentences. Two of the individuals are Iranian nationals who will be granted residency status in the United States. They were freed and now the American taxpayer will have to pay the FBI to keep tabs on them for the next thirty to fifty years. Another is a dual national. That’s right: half of the “prisoner exchange” is staying here in the USA because Iran doesn’t want them. Probably because they know how dangerous some of these guys are.
The next problem with the deal is that normalizes waivers for similar deals in the future, which our partners in Germany, the UK and Belgium are begging to do. Countries with significant voting populations of Iranian and Palestinian immigrants. Oman just brokered a prisoner swap for Belgium and both are now asking when Iran will get their money in Belgian banks. Keep that in mind when Congress says sanctions is the desired response.
The fact of the matter is the Iranians need hard cash to stabilize their currency and get 45% inflation under control. Long term e economic stability is the only way they stay in power if the local rural clerics are not getting their bribe money paid by countries buying oil from the government. So the $6 billion probably frees up roughly the same amount to fund domestic bureaucratic and stakeholder corruption and bring down inflation a bit. It buys them time. If they wanted to fund a covert ambush that took a year to plan in another country, it wouldn’t be that $6 billion or the funds such a commitment frees up. It came from sources long ago. They’ve got too much coming in elsewhere. And again, such an amount is petit cash to a country investing in a nuclear arsenal and probably doesn’t come close to what it cost if the Iranians called the shots on the attack.
Iran rarely captures spies, and most of the prisoners they take are guilty of almost nothing. That's one of the things that makes the evil axis evil. I didn't have a problem with their guys being guilty and ours generally not guilty. That's going to be the case in most of our prisoner exchanges.
Leaving the prisoners in the US, but freed was a big problem for me. The monetary exchange was another big problem. The main problem was precedent. Precedent of monetary exchange & precedent of the depenalizing effects on sanctions.(as you mentioned) Our deal gives others permission. This goes against our interests now and in the future not just due to our own actions. Also the deals are usually uneven, because we want them more than the Iranians do.
Last edited:
The most revealing part is the last minute. He essentially confesses:
His version of his religion/value system is tied to death and conflict, while the west sees war as a prelude to peace and the protection of life. These aren’t people you can negotiate with. They will negotiate with you and even sign agreements that they actually honor out of convenience. But they do not have the interests or goals in mind ultimately that you do. Brute force and submission to your will is all they understand because that is their value system and they will do the same to you if given the chances.
I’m surprised he was so bold to mention the Hamas prisoners and detainees in US custody. But yeah. We’ve got a lot of really bad people in custody that we keep quiet. Many detained in the last year or so. He is already tying them to the “peace process.”
The most surprising is his boasting that what they are doing is part of a loose confederation of nations with common interests engaging in a multi front war to frustrate US interests and activities. As we talked about above. I would love to know if that’s news to Putin. If the Russians funded their arms build up, which he alludes to, to alleviate pressure on the Donbass, and to make their new drone manufacturing buddy Iran happy, then the world war some of you keep wanting to start has probably already started. I’m skeptical of that. Israel is about one sixth ethnic Russian. You are just as likely to hear Russian on the street as English. He’s got some intertwining considerations with Israel - both domestic and international.
Pray for us. I don’t think the American media fully realizes just how bad this is. They keep wanting to talk about dead babies and cover any action in Gaza like it’s the first Gulf War or Grenada on CNN. This ain’t entertainment. This ain’t something where we wait and watch something happening to someone else. This is going to affect us all unless we get this under control.
Last edited:
We’re in a mess on both the foreign and domestic fronts. Foreign threats on numerous fronts. Deteriorating economic and fiscal environments. Very little leadership. Good times in the US. Things will get worse before they get better.
Wouldn't shock me at all. Putin is desperate enough that I don't think he cares about Israeli Russians. Regaining his footing in Ukraine and achieving 'victory' is of more importance to him. All he cares about is solidifying his power back to normalcy.
They will start by destroying Lebanon by provoking Israel.
I pray not for many reasons including my mother planning to visit her sister in Beirut next month. They are both in their 80s and the last of 10 siblings. Seems like a small thing but everyone has their losses small and large in war.
Looks like there will be a summit in Jordan. This is very encouraging, depending upon how Biden’s people handle it.
Nearly every American is oblivious to it, but the Hashemite King has single handedly kept the peace for almost half a century while sheltering several million refugees.
If there is a resolution, the Jordanians will find it.
Nearly every American is oblivious to it, but the Hashemite King has single handedly kept the peace for almost half a century while sheltering several million refugees.
If there is a resolution, the Jordanians will find it.
They’ve already taken 2 million refugees spanning several generations. And the birth rate of the refugees increases that population whether they admit more or not.
The welcoming of those refugees was meant to stabilize the situation and they were meant to be temporary camps. Decades ago.
Making those facilities larger is not a solution. And perhaps invites violence if they were to take on a substantial number and clear out residential areas into militarized zones that could be occupied for decades like the Korean DMZ.
Palestinian refugees have been a huge destabilizing influence in Lebanon as well. Probably the main cause of the Civil War there in the 70s and 80s. They remain stateless people in camp cities there to this day.
Looks like a lot of people are going to die because today the western press was super eager to believe lies from a terrorist organization and published them without verifying. Pretty much perfectly encapsulates the entire conflict for the past 3 decades
A member of the US Congress did the same. The lack of responsibility on behalf of the press and member of Congress is deeply saddening.
I am deeply distrustful of both sides when it comes to the origins of the hospital explosion. Both sides are not beyond deception in these matters. It could also be the case that neither side really knows.
There is no doubt, though, that the events of the past 10 days have greatly served Hamas's goals of destabilization and quashing any rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. I am quite certain this is playing out pretty much as they assumed. Ferocious Israeli response, American support, Arab opinion galvanizing against Israel and the West. Just perfectly according to their script of death, destruction and chaos.
In the bigger picture, Israel is far from blameless with their settlement and colonization policies. That's a real thing. Both sides are playing a long, multi-generational game. Hamas wanting to perpetuate hate and endless conflict as long as it takes, even centuries. Surely, they were also encouraged that their ideas have merit by our leaving Afghanistan - just wait it out, keep killing, and the infidels will eventually leave. And Israel working to establish facts on the ground to ensure that any meaningful Palestinian state is impossible in practice.
I say all this as someone who has been listening for anyone on the Arab side to simply say "it was horrific and completely unacceptable to murder people at a music festival and door to door in a village" as a preface to anything they want to say about the Palestinian cause. I've yet to hear that kind of frankness. They all have blinders on.
Now we enter a phase where we may see terrorism reigniting in the region and across the world. I hope not, but fear so. I have no answers whatsoever. Just observations and concerns.
There is no doubt, though, that the events of the past 10 days have greatly served Hamas's goals of destabilization and quashing any rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia. I am quite certain this is playing out pretty much as they assumed. Ferocious Israeli response, American support, Arab opinion galvanizing against Israel and the West. Just perfectly according to their script of death, destruction and chaos.
In the bigger picture, Israel is far from blameless with their settlement and colonization policies. That's a real thing. Both sides are playing a long, multi-generational game. Hamas wanting to perpetuate hate and endless conflict as long as it takes, even centuries. Surely, they were also encouraged that their ideas have merit by our leaving Afghanistan - just wait it out, keep killing, and the infidels will eventually leave. And Israel working to establish facts on the ground to ensure that any meaningful Palestinian state is impossible in practice.
I say all this as someone who has been listening for anyone on the Arab side to simply say "it was horrific and completely unacceptable to murder people at a music festival and door to door in a village" as a preface to anything they want to say about the Palestinian cause. I've yet to hear that kind of frankness. They all have blinders on.
Now we enter a phase where we may see terrorism reigniting in the region and across the world. I hope not, but fear so. I have no answers whatsoever. Just observations and concerns.
Was listening to NPR this evening, and they went into who was at fault on bombing of the hospital. Of course they stated that Israel & the IDF newly presented evidence that it was a jihad organization at fault, and that the US presented similar but separate evidence that it was not Israel who had caused the blast. Then they said that they could not confirm this evidence, and briefly went into a diatribe about them not being able to confirm it, that lent towards them appearing to be suspect about it.
I didn't hear this when they or any other news outlet initially said the bombing was being reportedly caused by Israel and the IDF. Obviously they should have said it was unconfirmed when they first reported it. When they later reported it as unconfirmed, but evidence showed it as this other jihad organization's accident, they should have left it at that. A simple report unconfirmed with no diatribe was the appropriate thing to do. This is a volatile situation that doesn't need to be influenced by biased reporting like this. Hold to ethics on both counts. None of the liberal media outlets held to this standard.
This is dangerous reporting that can contribute to starting a war.
I didn't hear this when they or any other news outlet initially said the bombing was being reportedly caused by Israel and the IDF. Obviously they should have said it was unconfirmed when they first reported it. When they later reported it as unconfirmed, but evidence showed it as this other jihad organization's accident, they should have left it at that. A simple report unconfirmed with no diatribe was the appropriate thing to do. This is a volatile situation that doesn't need to be influenced by biased reporting like this. Hold to ethics on both counts. None of the liberal media outlets held to this standard.
This is dangerous reporting that can contribute to starting a war.
Last edited:
I love NPR for its shows but as for its reporting it has becoming increasingly left leaning. To the point it is one of the most liberal news stations out there with a lot of West hating ideology. On top of that their stories I used to love have turned to nonstop stories on race. While I think it's good to have an increase in stories on race and relations...it's become force fed and feeds into the liberal take on dividing and separating us more and more and more with labels, "just causes", outrage, and every other offense taken at any given second.
I like how the same people who have been given hundreds of billions of our debt to see this stuff coming supposedly didn’t see all of this stuff coming but totally have two guys on the phone the next day who like literally say it’s their fault, and not Israels, for that hospital getting bombed. It jams my ‘gram. No cap.
I like how the same people who have been given hundreds of billions of dollars of our budget to see 911 coming supposedly didn’t see it coming but totally intercepted communications from terrorists talking about it immediately after.
This conspiracy theory isn’t clever or even new.
This conspiracy theory isn’t clever or even new.
NPR schills for its benefactors. It is no more independent than MSNBC, CNN or Fox...
The willingness of the media and members of Congress to spread an inflammatory claim from a terrorist organization without any verification or vetting is one of the more disturbing things I’ve witnessed. The NYT’s even reported an account from a nurse as she made her way through the “rubble of the ruined hospital”. As we know this turned out to be completely false as well. Suppose it’s where we are with news reporting and politics.
In defense of NPR they have been measured in reporting the source of that explosion.
I do hear some left leaning assumptions baked into their news but not nearly as bad as some are portraying IMO.
Were they as measured when they first reported it as being the IDF, as reported by the opposition? I didn't hear their reporting then.
If this Harvard/Harris Poll can be believed some 13% of 18-24 year olds and 19% of 25-34 year olds believe the attack was both genocidal AND justified. That’s……concerning
60% of those polled probably couldn’t find Israel on a map.
