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Iran

Old 20th February 2026 | 18:03
  #2721 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by Lyneham Lad
A USN Poseidon has been (understandably) scouring the depths for quite a few hours prior to their arrival.
Bound to be a Russian and/or Chinese sub/UUV or two shadowing her. Would be unprofessional not to.
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Old 20th February 2026 | 23:44
  #2722 (permalink)  
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Not only a Russian or Chinese sub ... and it will be well aware of any others
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Old 21st February 2026 | 01:20
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Originally Posted by MissChief
Deception is permissible in war, and to protect oneself or the community, according to the Koran. Seemingly both the USA and Iran are adopting this tactic.
Er, who has declared war on whom?

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Old 21st February 2026 | 08:45
  #2724 (permalink)  
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https://mei.edu/publication/irans-re...as-apocalypse/

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and the Rising Cult of Mahdism: Missiles and Militias for the Apocalypse

Last edited by T28B; 21st February 2026 at 12:52. Reason: response to deleted material, which was removed
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Old 21st February 2026 | 08:56
  #2725 (permalink)  
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From: Over the rainbow
I would imagine America will enter the conflict with a little concern. It only takes one drone or missile to hit something vital and a mighty warship can be sent to the bottom. Not to mention air assets.
Add to that fog of war and it can all go tits up very quickly.
You also have to consider that Russia or China may have slipped them a few things. Gary Powers will testify to that.
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Old 21st February 2026 | 09:15
  #2726 (permalink)  
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From: Biffins Bridge
Originally Posted by TURIN
Iran or any other country for that matter is never going to use a nuclear device as a first strike offensive weapon. It would be absolute suicide.
The same can be said for hijacking and slamming airliners into skyscrapers, the Pentagon etc. etc. The response is always going to be overwhelming and on an industrial scale that your society cannot even think about matching. And yet....... it happens.

Your error is that not everyone views the world from a western Judaeo-Christian mindset. Whether an individual decides to run amok with a machete which will end in their near certain death or an organisation chooses to commit an atrocity that will unleash revenge across a multi-faceted array of intelligence, resources and co-operation with 21st century technology, the same parameters apply. To a very different mindset, the act is always more important than the consequences.

In some parts of the world, it is still the middle ages and those guys have some rather nasty toys and a particular set of beliefs.

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Old 21st February 2026 | 09:42
  #2727 (permalink)  
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There was an interesting article in the Guardian yesterday, covering the start of the war in Ukraine. The Brits and Americans could not convince the French, Germans, broader Europeans or the Ukrainians that war was coming. Even on the night of the invasion, the Germans didn't believe it! No one thought the Russians were that crazy. Plus, we had blotted our copybook with the 2003 Iraq invasion.

There is a track record of countries not believing another is going to do something insane. And you don't need to be a religious fundamentalist to do things few others in the world can understand.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng...e-plans-russia
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Old 21st February 2026 | 09:45
  #2728 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by BANANASBANANAS
Really! Put Iran in a position where there is about to be a regime change as a result of a large conventional attack by US forces and ask yourself how the mad mullahs might react if they had an operational nuclear weapons capability!
Yes, that's called a deterrent. It's the reason we have nuclear weapons. The reason we don't have Russian military assets positioning throughout the North Sea threatening to bomb the hell out of London. FAFO.
I have no love for the regime in Iran but to suggest they want nuclear weapons to deliver a strike against an enemy risking total annihilation for their entire country is nonsense.

Last edited by TURIN; 21st February 2026 at 09:56.
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Old 21st February 2026 | 09:53
  #2729 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by B Fraser
The same can be said for hijacking and slamming airliners into skyscrapers, the Pentagon etc. etc. The response is always going to be overwhelming and on an industrial scale that your society cannot even think about matching. And yet....... it happens.

Your error is that not everyone views the world from a western Judaeo-Christian mindset. Whether an individual decides to run amok with a machete which will end in their near certain death or an organisation chooses to commit an atrocity that will unleash revenge across a multi-faceted array of intelligence, resources and co-operation with 21st century technology, the same parameters apply. To a very different mindset, the act is always more important than the consequences.

In some parts of the world, it is still the middle ages and those guys have some rather nasty toys and a particular set of beliefs.
Remind me which country the perpetrators of the 9/11 atrocity came from? What was the response against that country?
The acts of individuals are very different to the acts of a nation state.
Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Are they on your list of people with different beliefs.
This warmongering idiocy has to stop.
Remember Iraq and the lies over WMDs.

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Old 21st February 2026 | 10:55
  #2730 (permalink)  
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Re Post 2736

A USN Poseidon has been (understandably) scouring the depths for quite a few hours prior to their arrival.
Plus N1A pootling (presumably commercially) round the UAE.

Aaaah ! ... The Ghosts of ZP-14
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Old 21st February 2026 | 11:27
  #2731 (permalink)  
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at least 15 kc-46a pegasus seen on the ground at lajes field in the azores, located in the northern atlantic roughly 900 miles from the coast of portugal, a major stopping-off point for aircraft on the way to bases in europe and the middle east from the americas.

Aerial-refueling tankers positioned at lajes could also potentially support long-range bombers heading towards iran, with tankers stationed at lajes providing refueling for the b-2s that struck iran’s nuclear sites last june in operation midnight hammer.


​​​​​​​
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Old 21st February 2026 | 12:41
  #2732 (permalink)  
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this is worth a look
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Old 21st February 2026 | 15:50
  #2733 (permalink)  
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Originally Posted by TURIN
Yes, that's called a deterrent. It's the reason we have nuclear weapons. The reason we don't have Russian military assets positioning throughout the North Sea threatening to bomb the hell out of London. FAFO.
I have no love for the regime in Iran but to suggest they want nuclear weapons to deliver a strike against an enemy risking total annihilation for their entire country is nonsense.
I didn’t say it wasn’t a deterrent. But that is not all it might be. What I said, and what I maintain to be the case, is that Iran should never be allowed to develop operational nuclear weapons because of the ideological mindset which would control their use. First or second strike - the mushroom cloud is just the same! Put Iran in a situation where it knows it is about to lose a conventional war and ask yourself if you are 100% confident that Iran’s ideology would prevent it from going out with a big yellow flash!

As has already been correctly pointed out to you, your last sentence, to use your vernacular, is absolute tosh. That is precisely what Iran would be prepared to do. You are falling into the trap of judging Iran and trying to predict its actions and responses based on western values. Iran doesn’t run on western values!
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Old 21st February 2026 | 16:39
  #2734 (permalink)  
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"Put Iran in a situation where it knows it is about to lose a conventional war and ask yourself if you are 100% confident that Iran’s ideology would prevent it from going out with a big yellow flash!"

but people are saying on other threads that Russia might start firing off N weapons if they looked like losing in Ukraine. Thats the whole point of N weapons - they're something you can use when you're losing a conventional war - applies to everyone who has them.

" Iran doesn’t run on western values!" Neither does China, Pakistan, India, Russia, NOK or Israel
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Old 21st February 2026 | 16:50
  #2735 (permalink)  
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From: surfing, watching for sharks
Originally Posted by Asturias56
"Put Iran in a situation where it knows it is about to lose a conventional war and ask yourself if you are 100% confident that Iran’s ideology would prevent it from going out with a big yellow flash!"

but people are saying on other threads that Russia might start firing off N weapons if they looked like losing in Ukraine. Thats the whole point of N weapons - they're something you can use when you're losing a conventional war - applies to everyone who has them.

" Iran doesn’t run on western values!" Neither does China, Pakistan, India, Russia, NOK or Israel
Whataboutery. The (legitimate) question is how will Iran act or react.
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Old 21st February 2026 | 16:52
  #2736 (permalink)  
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Guess those KC-46's are not as worthless as some would lead you to believe.
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Old 21st February 2026 | 19:34
  #2737 (permalink)  
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I still hold the same opinion on the KC-46, It was all politics and nothing about capabilities, I won't rehash the questionable competition than led to the purchase,
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Old 22nd February 2026 | 06:59
  #2738 (permalink)  
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From: Brit living in Malaysia
Originally Posted by Asturias56
" Iran doesn’t run on western values!" Neither does China, Pakistan, India, Russia, NOK or Israel
But, unlike Iran, neither do they (including Pakistan) run on an ideology that doesn't care too much about its own survival and one which regards 'martydom' as a pathway to paradise!

Last edited by BANANASBANANAS; 22nd February 2026 at 09:42.
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Old 22nd February 2026 | 07:29
  #2739 (permalink)  
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From: Peripatetic
Video
​​​​​​​The massive USAF airbridge to support future strikes on Iran continued overnight, with dozens of airlifters moving additional air defense assets and munitions into the Middle East.
​​​​​​​"You don't fly 70 cargo planes into a single base for a 'limited strike.'

The airbridge we saw overnight confirms that the Pentagon is prepared for a weeks-long air campaign, not a one-off event.

​​​​​​​By moving THAAD batteries and bunker-busters simultaneously, the U.S. is signaling it is ready to both take the punch and deliver a knockout blow.
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Old 22nd February 2026 | 08:52
  #2740 (permalink)  
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Video with interesting comments about the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which apply whether the attack is on Monday, Tuesday or a later date….

​​​​​​​White House Inside Source tells
@JohnKiriakou
Trump has decided to ATTACK IRAN on Monday or Tuesday.

According to John’s source, Vice President JD Vance & DNI Tulsi Gabbard are ONLY 2 dissenting voices.

Rubio, Hegseth & Joint Chiefs of Staff all on board.
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