Quote (ofthevoid @ Aug 26 2023 01:05am)

The two themes that struck out to me from article was not rly about the deodorization trend, it's something else.

First, the expansion is basically geared to bring in energy exporters. So you're de-facto seeing BRICS and OPEC merging in a sense. Doesn't bode that well for countries that are heavily reliant on importing energy, particularly ones that aren't part of the club.

The other point is how this severely undermines and in some ways completely defangs US sanction power. Like the article said, Iran will greatly benefit from this. If Iran is able to bring its oil to market to places like India, China, others, and is part of this huge economic bloc, what is the US left with as far as sanctions? It's a pretty powerful signal to the rest of the world, which is you don't have to abide by what the empire says or you'll end up sanctioned to death, there's group of 3.7Bn people in developing economies that will take you in. Sanctions only really work if you have a critical mass willing to enforce them, when half the world isn't...well lol.

Quote (TiStuff @ Aug 26 2023 01:37am)

we made mug shots great again.......

Quote (AyeCaramba @ Aug 26 2023 01:42am)

Yeah, let’s support the regime by investing instead. How is that going to turn out other than maybe prop up the regime we all think is deplorable? Seriously, what is your argument? No sanctions, because free markets means Ayatollah whatever will allow the country to be, you know, like, western(ish) and not oppressive?

Quote (Mondain @ Aug 25 2023 03:45pm)

It doesn't matter how many countries they get.

USD is king in the world market.



Rome NEVER fell, it transitioned into the Vatican. Caeser became the Pope.

Quote (JohnnyMcCoy @ 26 Aug 2023 00:08)

my argument is that a population impoverished to that degree has no power to resist

in a world where iran opens up the regime will be forced to let people taste some of the new potential wealth, which will be their downfall

if they dont people can properly mobilise and it will be their downfall

right now iran is sanctioned to a degree where you cant send protesters 50 bucks to support them

clearly the current approach is NOT working

Quote (AyeCaramba @ Aug 26 2023 02:13am)

Just try to think about what you’ve written here.

Seriously, let’s support the regime to give the people they are oppressing more money to resist them? Really?

Quote (JohnnyMcCoy @ 26 Aug 2023 00:17)

its not "support the regime", its "allow iran to participate"

of course you are free to be dumb and continue the shit that has not been working for literal decades

Quote (AyeCaramba @ Aug 26 2023 02:26am)

Sure. So you’re saying that if we ( as in the West) hadn’t disagreed with and opposed how the fairly radical and oppressive regimes in Iran had behaved over the last 40 years, their idea of how to allow their people to live free and prosperous lives would be an improvement on where we are today?

Clearly logical.

I take it you don’t remember much of 1980 then?

Quote (JohnnyMcCoy @ 26 Aug 2023 00:40)

the west aka the US are responsible for the mullah regime in the first place

you clearly dont get it, the benefits of free markets always lead to more freedom and the new BRICS are a great opportunity for the iranian regime to sign its own demise

Quote (AyeCaramba @ Aug 25 2023 08:56pm)

So Johnny, here is the thing. I get the whole free trade thing, and the rest of it. Probably a whole lot better than you do. Age and all that.

However, what you so easily dismiss is the fact that authoritarian regimes simply care about power. Religion is not about any god, it’s about power.

So nothing will improve for the people of Iran if we enable the regime to further their authority over the Iranian people. Theories are fine, but authoritarian governments don’t generally play by your text books

Quote (AyeCaramba @ Aug 26 2023 01:56am)

So Johnny, here is the thing. I get the whole free trade thing, and the rest of it. Probably a whole lot better than you do. Age and all that.

However, what you so easily dismiss is the fact that authoritarian regimes simply care about power. Religion is not about any god, it’s about power.

So nothing will improve for the people of Iran if we enable the regime to further their authority over the Iranian people. Theories are fine, but authoritarian governments don’t generally play by your text books