Sky Blue Pete
Well-Known Member
Scary our allies behaving lawlessly and opens up every excuse for China and Russia to do the same with impunity
Forget that, I have real concerns that the integrity of the FIFA Peace Prize is under threat.Scary our allies behaving lawlessly and opens up every excuse for China and Russia to do the same with impunity
Good pointForget that, I have real concerns that the integrity of the FIFA Peace Prize is under threat.
“I don’t see any major impacts to the global economy” wasn’t even 30 minutes before this post!Do Iran believe in international law?
Iran wasn’t attacking anyone? They state sponsor Hamas and Hezbollah FFS
“I don’t see any major impacts to the global economy” wasn’t even 30 minutes before this post!
There might be a slight connection there…Are you OK? You seem to be making strange incoherent statements? So these state sponsored terrorist groups are only funded because of Israels actions in Gaza?
There might be a slight connection there…
Keep going - you’re doing a great job of proving to everyone how little you care about the Middle East!
Full house!Have you been removed from the Horoscope at the Basildon?
It's an easy one if you believe in upholding international law, and condemning those who breach it.
It's also easy to separate out attack from defence. If you're dropping bombs on someone, then by definition you're attacking them!
Iran wasn't actually attacking anyone with missiles or drones until Israel and America decided, in the middle of negotiations no less, to initiate a first strike. If you can't condemn that, then like Starmer, you can't pretend to genuinely believe in international law.
We’re allied to Israel which has done things just as reprehensible. The US as it happens aren’t even obeying their own laws never mind international ones as far as these attacks are concerned.Firstly, just to reiterate, I’ve said we should stay out of the war. However, we are dealing with a regime that themselves have consistently ignored/flouted international law, that funds proxies across the region/world against our interests and safety, randomly called for Death to England last year, was involved in 20 thwarted terror attacks on UK soil (including us arresting several Iranians under terror laws last year) and not forgetting recently slaughtered up to 30k of its own population for holding peaceful demonstrations.
So am I surprised Starmer didn’t condemn USA actions, not really. As for me, if someone wants us/others to respect international law in relation to them, maybe they should try following it themselves sometime. The U.K. hasn’t done anything wrong in this so not quite sure why some want to still try to kick off about it.
Edit - and before it’s asked, I’m as concerned about what happens next as anyone else
War doesn't take place in a court room.Scary our allies behaving lawlessly and opens up every excuse for China and Russia to do the same with impunity
We’re allied to Israel which has done things just as reprehensible. The US as it happens aren’t even obeying their own laws never mind international ones as far as these attacks are concerned.
If we are offered a choice between Israel and Iran, the correct answer is neither of them.
Starmer’s comments don’t seem to reflect that.And that’s currently our position even though we’re allied to US and Israel
Firstly, just to reiterate, I’ve said we should stay out of the war. However, we are dealing with a regime that themselves have consistently ignored/flouted international law, that funds proxies across the region/world against our interests and safety, randomly called for Death to England last year, was involved in 20 thwarted terror attacks on UK soil (including us arresting several Iranians under terror laws last year) and not forgetting recently slaughtered up to 30k of its own population for holding peaceful demonstrations.
So am I surprised Starmer didn’t condemn USA actions, not really. As for me, if someone wants us/others to respect international law in relation to them, maybe they should try following it themselves sometime. The U.K. hasn’t done anything wrong in this so not quite sure why some want to still try to kick off about it.
Edit - and before it’s asked, I’m as concerned about what happens next as anyone else
Ironically all this has done now is show that if you want to be left alone by the US, you need some nukes pronto. If Iran really had them ‘oven ready’ as the US keep insisting, there would be no attacks.I'd contend the U.K. is doing something wrong right now by failing to condemn an illegal war, one we've now been drawn into a de facto support of.
You can try to thread the needle, as Starmer is, by saying our bases are only being used by the US for 'defensive' purposes, but that defence involves bombing Iran.
Again. Either a war is illegal or it isn't.
If Iran was offering us, or Israel, or America an imminent threat, then there's a legitimate right to self defence. But this wasn't the case; in fact there were negotiations in progress in which Oman (leading the negotiations) said Iran were clearly offering to eliminate the possibility of them creating a nuclear weapon.
However, it's almost as if Israel and the U.S. don't want a negotiated settlement with Iran, and as soon as there's a chance of any agreement they need to start another war.
If you're surprised that people are "kicking off" about it, that probably points to a difference in values. I believe in the law and in exhausting all diplomatic avenues before engaging in something that will destroy countless innocent lives. On the other side are those who think might makes right and we should just go along with it.
I was thinking that there’s no way they’d use those 2000lb bombs if Iran could land one in ChicagoIronically all this has done now is show that if you want to be left alone by the US, you need some nukes pronto. If Iran really had them ‘oven ready’ as the US keep insisting, there would be no attacks.
The truth is that it’s been claimed for literally decades that Iran is close to a nuclear weapon. They never have been. Obama’s nuclear deal with them was working well and was popular even in Iran. Then an orange moron gets in and rips it up before holding a gun to their heads to ‘make a deal’.
It’s absolutely terrible foreign policy.
War doesn't take place in a court room.
Only the incredibly naive bleat about international law.
Russia took no notice of international law when it invaded Ukraine, and China is only prevented from invading Taiwan by the military build up in the area. To think its international law thats preventing atrocities is rediculous.
If Iran was offering us, or Israel, or America an imminent threat, then there's a legitimate right to self defence. But this wasn't the case;
I'd contend the U.K. is doing something wrong right now by failing to condemn an illegal war, one we've now been drawn into a de facto support of.
You can try to thread the needle, as Starmer is, by saying our bases are only being used by the US for 'defensive' purposes, but that defence involves bombing Iran.
Again. Either a war is illegal or it isn't.
If Iran was offering us, or Israel, or America an imminent threat, then there's a legitimate right to self defence. But this wasn't the case; in fact there were negotiations in progress in which Oman (leading the negotiations) said Iran were clearly offering to eliminate the possibility of them creating a nuclear weapon.
However, it's almost as if Israel and the U.S. don't want a negotiated settlement with Iran, and as soon as there's a chance of any agreement they need to start another war.
If you're surprised that people are "kicking off" about it, that probably points to a difference in values. I believe in the law and in exhausting all diplomatic avenues before engaging in something that will destroy countless innocent lives. On the other side are those who think might makes right and we should just go along with it.
The problem there Steve is that Obama showed that diplomacy was working with them as intended.I respect your view/position duffer and I’ve always been one for negotiation first but for the list of reasons stated I’m not sure diplomatic channels work with a regime like Irans, certainly not in the long term.
It feels like U.S./Israel jumped the gun for their own reasons and probably partly to ensure as many of the individuals targeted were taken out, however, after Irans conduct over the past few years I’m not sure we wouldn’t have ended up in this position at some point in the not to distant future anyway.
I just hope the end result isn’t the shitshow we’ve seen elsewhere in the Middle East but only time will tell. I’m not a big fan of Starmer but think he has probably made the right calls on this to date
I agree with the overall sentiment of your post, but this bit is a difficult balancing act now.
You're correct that obviously there was no imminent threat to the UK from Iran before this started. But now that it has started, and not by us of course, Iran have attacked our bases and so we do have an element of self defence.