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2026-08-29 Africa North
US targets Egyptian bank in fresh sanction on Iran as war hits six-month mark
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Posted by trailing wife 2026-08-29 00:00|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [304 views ]  Top
 File under: Govt of Iran Proxies 

1 The pressure is working or else Iran wouldn't be so eager to return to talks.

There are rumors on X that another shipping channel, closer to Oman, is being dredged to allow passage by the tankers.

The IRGC reminds of Japan toward the end of WWII, increasingly impotent, but unable to recognize the reality that they were losing and nothing could change thhat.
Posted by Chantry 2026-08-29 08:38||   2026-08-29 08:38|| Front Page Top

2 Some of Iran is eager to return to talks — the political side accustomed to horse trading and taqqiya. The truly fanatic side in the IRGC and such are perfectly happy to show Allah how pious they are by suffering even more.
Posted by trailing wife 2026-08-29 15:26||   2026-08-29 15:26|| Front Page Top

3 I hear those Shias love their martyrdom.
Posted by DooDahMan 2026-08-29 15:48||   2026-08-29 15:48|| Front Page Top

4 Give them their martyrdom then!
Posted by  chris 2026-08-29 16:11||   2026-08-29 16:11|| Front Page Top

5 Ashura Economic customer service
Posted by Frank G 2026-08-29 18:03||   2026-08-29 18:03|| Front Page Top

6 The IRGC reminds of Japan toward the end of WWII, ... but unable to recognize the reality that they were losing ...

A similar situation. But I would argue that the sticking point is not the inability to recognize an obvious reality, but a culture where surrender was considered worse than defeat.

Everyone has their own payoff matrix, their own set of values for judging possible outcomes. The big war in Iran now is between the IRGC and political/economic side. If we can see the world through their eyes, maybe we can predict and possibly even influence their behavior.

Which is not to say that martyrdom is off the table.
Posted by SteveS 2026-08-29 20:14||   2026-08-29 20:14|| Front Page Top

7 but a culture where surrender was considered worse than defeat.

Surrender to unbelievers, anyway. Look how much of the Arab heartland was perfectly willing to surrender to ISIS, when they were rampaging across the landscape. Ditto now in Syria for Al Nusra, when we all know how that will end in a few years — just like the Taliban, Erdogan in Turkey, Hamas in Gaza… and the West Bankers are so sick of the PA/PLO that they can’t wait to join them.
Posted by trailing wife 2026-08-29 20:25||   2026-08-29 20:25|| Front Page Top

21:14 Difar Dave
21:04 Skidmark
20:57 Lord Garth
20:33 trailing wife
20:32 trailing wife
20:25 trailing wife
20:14 SteveS
20:10 SteveS
19:38 Gloluter Phavick7614
18:54 Nero
18:04 Frank G
18:03 Frank G
17:58 Frank G
17:42 DarthVader
16:11  chris
15:48 DooDahMan
15:26 trailing wife
14:29 Abu Uluque
14:22 NoMoreBS
14:11 DooDahMan
13:57 DooDahMan
13:38 Bobby
13:25 Skidmark
13:15 Skidmark
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