tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2197051945822486684.post1933445146503895437..comments2024-03-29T18:17:34.956+11:00Comments on Thinking Out Aloud: Regimes have their own logic 3Lorenzohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00305933404442191098noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2197051945822486684.post-90597411026157956302010-04-13T20:01:26.853+10:002010-04-13T20:01:26.853+10:00The current policy of the Obama Administration can...The current policy of the Obama Administration can be read two ways: to make it very difficult for Israel to react militarily or to make the maximum amount of distance between the Administration and Israel when Israel does attack. I have no idea which, but I do not think the current Israeli government in particular will be passive on the matter indefinitely.Lorenzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00305933404442191098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2197051945822486684.post-67963122722304274882010-04-13T13:15:58.918+10:002010-04-13T13:15:58.918+10:00The Iranians have convinced me long ago that they ...The Iranians have convinced me long ago that they mean what they say. I know from my own experience that fear can make people, including myself, pretend to themselves that an adversary doesn't mean what they say. As a tactic it can buy time but in the case of Iran time will only result in a nuclear armed Iran. Given the Jewish experience with Hitler I find it hard to believe that Israel will not choose to fight now rather than wait - Obama notwithstanding.lgudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12774491337993415578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2197051945822486684.post-25195859500746332002010-04-08T19:06:07.743+10:002010-04-08T19:06:07.743+10:00by a commandment to be truthful
I am not sure what...<i>by a commandment to be truthful</i><br />I am not sure what commandment that would be. Shia Islam has historically been particularly marked by the practice of <a href="http://www.meforum.org/2095/islams-doctrines-of-deception" rel="nofollow"><i>taqiyya</i> or deception</a>, endorsed by the Prophet.<br /><br />The point would rather be that they are clearly not practising deception when talking to their own people.Lorenzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00305933404442191098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2197051945822486684.post-29906623154315918312010-04-08T09:44:18.248+10:002010-04-08T09:44:18.248+10:00Right, what many don't want to own up to is th...Right, what many don't want to own up to is that Shia leaders as devout Muslims are driven not only by religious zeal but because of that by a commandment to be truthful. So when they threaten they mean it. (Western) diplomats and politicians who are used to veiled language and their own spin doctor's ruses will one day die from lack of imagination on this front.CrisisMavenhttp://crisismaven.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com