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Rick  Batross's avatar

T Y Ms. Meow,

For clarification on the facts of this 47 year war. NOW i see why Trump has undertaken ,with his usual classic resolve,what no other president would. No more 'business as usual'. I have been holding my breath since the war on Iran began. I hope our intel delivered to Trump what is needed for us to overcome that Islamic serpent - to bite thru the spine.

Pablo Naboso's avatar

Agreed that most terrorist attacks worldwide are organized by Muslim extremists. Yes, they are, in their nature, aimed against our (Western) culture and values. But I do not think that the US war against Iran is aiming at the right enemy.

The USA has positioned themselves as enemy of Iran and ally of Saudi Arabia - and this I see as a problem. Indeed, Iran-backed groups have executed a number of terrorist attacks, but the more comprehensive picture is provided by the Global Terrorist Database from University of Maryland (that anyone can download). The database shows that terrorist groups linked today or in the past to the Saudis are actually no less deadly than Iran-sponsored ones. They've executed more attacks and killed more people. Talibans had support of Saudis, ISIS was related to them and Al Quaeda was too, alongside many other smaller groups. The list attacks by Hamas and Hesbollah, which you quote is correct, but the bigger picture is important, too.

To this I could add my private perspective (certainly not comprehensive). I have been to a number of the Gulf states and also Iran. I find the Iranian society the most Westernized, most educated and the least radicalized of all Middle Eastern (Muslim) states I've seen. Blow I've put together some recollection of what I heard on the street from people in Tehran, compared to Doha, Abu Dhabi and Cairo. For instance, in Tehran I did not find much hatred towards Israel - while I found it very common in Egypt, Quatar, Abu Dhabi and even Kuala Lumpur where large part of population is Muslim.

I agree the Muslim terrorists must be fought. But I am not convinced that attacking Iran while continually sending zillions of petrodollars to Saudi Arabia will help fight terror. Do not forget that Osama bin Laden was Saudi, not Iranian. Link to my story below.

https://nomadicmind.substack.com/p/no-taboos-in-tehran

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