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Iran destroys five US refueling aircraft. (www.vietnam.vn)
submitted 7 months ago by to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml
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[–] 5 points 7 months ago (12 children)

If they're forced to abandon all their vassals in the Gulf, then their image as a world power collapses overnight.

As opposed to staying and their image being more like the loooooong, slow decomposition of an embalmed corpse? Like it's still going to happen, it's just taking too 🤬 long?

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  • [–] [S] 10 points 7 months ago (11 children)

    There are no good choices left for the empire here.

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  • [–] 8 points 7 months ago (10 children)

    Painful as it may be for underdeveloped egos, GTFO NOW and start making reparations seems the best option, but I'm an internet rando, so there's that

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  • [–] [S] 12 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    realistically that is the best option left, but the humiliation would be too much too swallow

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  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago (2 children)

    Well, even the best developed egos don't often like humble pie. And I don't think Trump's handlers really care much about results, as long as they're making money. I imagine they imagine money makes humble pie taste really good, until they're the pie filling.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (5 children)

    I don't think a path for deescalation exists anymore. JD Vance could maybe have taken the reigns by referring to Trump's ill health, promised to send more competent negotiators who could meet Iran in good faith, and essentially dropped Israel to save America (or at least give it a few more good years).

    But that's a very tall order, and he just went out to claim Iran is designing nuclear suicide vests, so I guess he watched Wag the Dog and took some inspiration.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (4 children)

    Why do you think that?

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (3 children)

    Because all sides have so much to lose, so they'll pursue maximalist goals. The US retreating essentially means giving up the Gulf and by extension the Middle East, which is central to their doctrine of energy domination and a huge part of their leverage over Asia.

    Iran on the other hand is fighting for its survival and needs to expel the US from the Gulf to ensure they can nevet attack them again.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago (2 children)

    Ok, but why do you think Vance can send more negotiators who will actually negotiate in good faith?

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  • [–] 2 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Vance, while clearly evil, is intelligent and flexible. I think that with some help he could find serious negotiators to send, and then he'd just need to make sure that there is clear communication.

    To be clear, I don't think he will do that, because he's also a coward, but I think it is within his ability to do so.

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  • [–] 1 point 7 months ago

    I mean it's within everyone's ability, outside someone with psychopathy, to do what the rest of society deems morally acceptable, but when they have a track record of doing what most of us find morally reprehensible, there's really no reason to expect a sudden change, until they prove they're trying, I guess.

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