God bless the U.S.

[Phaeton]

Iran won't destroy Israel. They need each other. Iran needs a western foe to galvanize people along broader religious lines rather than sectarian or ethnic lines. If that were to happen, Iran would definitely be the odd one out.

Iranians are by and large (over 51%) ethnically Persian which in turn means that they are more or less ethnically Aryan rather than Semitic. They are definitely not Arabs. A realized pan-arab alliance/state/area in the middle east would be a horrible thing for Iran.

That doesn't even begin to discuss how most Iranians are followers of Twelver Shi'ism and that there are a number of significant cultural differences between most Persians and their Arab neighbors.

So we hear Iran talk and talk about destroying Israel. If they want to maintain power and follow any kind of path which ensures self preservation...they aren't going to nuke anyone.

[Greybeard]

Why, exactly, do we have to be the world police? Isn't there enough stuff going on over here to work on?

[thereom4]

You seem to forget how they have been trying to destroy Israel for the past 30+ years, and now they're within 3 years of getting the weapons necessary to do it. Do you want to stand by and let another Holocaust happen? And let the Holy Land be descecrated by terrorist scum?

You said that you're a Christian right? If you believe well then what are you worried about? Israel has enemies on the left and right of them and they are still standing. Re-evaluate.

[trickery dickery dock]

Iran won't destroy Israel. They need each other. Iran needs a western foe to galvanize people along broader religious lines rather than sectarian or ethnic lines. If that were to happen, Iran would definitely be the odd one out.

Iranians are by and large (over 90%) ethnically Persian which in turn means that they are more or less ethnically Aryan rather than Semitic. They are definitely not Arabs. A realized pan-arab alliance/state/area in the middle east would be a horrible thing for Iran.

That doesn't even begin to discuss how most Iranians are followers of Twelver Shi'ism and that there are a number of significant cultural differences between most Persians and their Arab neighbors.

So we hear Iran talk and talk about destroying Israel. If they want to maintain power and follow any kind of path which ensures self preservation...they aren't going to nuke anyone.

Self-preservation means nothing to a country of evil suicide bombers who worship allah.

[Phaeton]

Jews and Christians pray to Allah too, just FYI.

As for the suicide bombers...can't blame a troll for trolling eh?

[I_luv_saber]

You don't 'spread freedom' like peanut butter.

No, but according to this source, it is easily bought in stores, and is able to be readily distributed among those needing freedom. What a country!

(Jump to 4:50 in the video)

[trickery dickery dock]

Jews and Christians pray to Allah too, just FYI.

As for the suicide bombers...can't blame a troll for trolling eh?

I'm tired of hearing that, its not true. God is NOT allah.

Look it up, you ignorant liberal, the first suicide bombers were iranians in they're war with iraq.They don't care about dying.

[thereom4]

I'm tired of hearing that, its not true. God is NOT allah.

Look it up, you ignorant liberal, the first suicide bombers were iranians in they're war with iraq.They don't care about dying.

Abraham had two sons. Issac and Ishmael. Read your Bible.

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"
"I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.

9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."

11 The angel of the LORD also said to her:
"You are now with child
and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael, [a]
for the LORD has heard of your misery.

12 He will be a wild donkey of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and everyone's hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward [b] all his brothers."

Genesis 16:7-12

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
Genesis 21: 17-18

[Phaeton]

I'm tired of hearing that, its not true. God is NOT allah.

Allah just means the sole God. Ilah means God. You see, Arabs tend not to speak English as a first language. They quite often speak Arabic. In other languages they have different words. The Spaniards pray to God to. They just call him Dios. Plenty of Arabic speaking Christians pray to Allah. There was a lawsuit in Indonesia about it a few years back.

There's this thing called an Abrahamic religion. There's also this notion of progressive revelation. It's quite enlightening. Look it up. It turns out Muslims pray to the same God as the Christians just as Christians pray to the same God as the Jews.

And as to the suicide bombing: the first historical suicide bombing on record is the assassination of Czar Alexander II. The Vietnamese employed Suicide tactics. The Japanese did in WWII. They are most notable in the two intifadas. I can name numerous incidents in all of these circumstances where they occurred. Can you give me one cited incidence of this occurring in the Iraq-Iran war?

You know what. Actually don't.

I know. Being ignorant and sounding ignorant is difficult. I feel for your pain. So please, disregard me and keep on making an ass of yourself. Yes. And keep on mixing up their, they're and there. It makes you look quite intelligent.

[Greybeard]

I don't know, but the people who instruct and dispatch (no pun intended) these bombers are cowards. Why haven't they strapped one on?

[pigeonmeister]

Iranians are by and large (over 90%) ethnically Persian which in turn means that they are more or less ethnically Aryan rather than Semitic. They are definitely not Arabs.

More like 50%. There are some Iranian Arabs, mostly in Khuzestan, but they constitute a very small minority.

[thereom4]

You see, Arabs tend not to speak English as a first language. They quite often speak Arabic. In other languages they have different words.

Good one.

[erooMynohtnA]

While I'm not in the military, I know many people who are and my church supports them (we have a penpal program, donation program, and job placement program). What have YOU ever done for our troops?

That's a pet peeve of mine. Why do people act like they're somehow entitled to respect due to MY service?

[Rockstar44]

That's a pet peeve of mine. Why do people act like they're somehow entitled to respect due to MY service?

Get used to it.

[Phaeton]

More like 50%. There are some Iranian Arabs, mostly in Khuzestan, but they constitute a very small minority.

I meant 90% non arab and something along those lines non Sunni. I got my numbers flipped. Either way, the second largest minority in Iran to ethnic Persians are Azeris (as you stated) which culturally are closer to Persians than Arabs. (Although, it should be noted that they are by all accounts that they have had a heavy turkic influence).

My bad. I'm bad with numbers. I flip them sometimes. I think my point is still valid though. A less than 5% arab population makes Iran a non-arab state.

[Bayou Bum]

We can agree that the Bush years were a wash (if this is your opinion) and he "stole" the election. But I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason (this is not up for debate ) and good or bad he was our President. BTW he was elected the second time, so.......

Disclaimer: I voted for Gore, though truth be told Bush almost got my vote the second time around.

You have got to be kidding, right? I can't believe that there are still people claiming Bush stole the election of 2000! It was close, but Bush beat Gore. Gore did receive the majority of the popular votes nationwide but that is not how we elect a president in the US. It seems that you do not know that we elect the president with electoral votes, of which Bush won. And recount after recount of the votes in Florida (by the Washington Post and NY Times) show that Bush won in Florida. Bush won, Gore lost, you may not like it but grow up!

[lindajdunn]

You have got to be kidding, right? I can't believe that there are still people claiming Bush stole the election of 2000! It was close, but Bush beat Gore. Gore did receive the majority of the popular votes nationwide but that is not how we elect a president in the US. It seems that you do not know that we elect the president with electoral votes, of which Bush won. And recount after recount of the votes in Florida (by the Washington Post and NY Times) show that Bush won in Florida. Bush won, Gore lost, you may not like it but grow up!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_v._Gore

By December 8, 2000, the Florida Supreme Court, by a 4-3 vote, ordered a statewide manual recount. On December 9, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the Florida recount, by a 5–4 vote.

The dissenters opined: "Counting every legally cast vote cannot constitute irreparable harm... Preventing the recount from being completed will inevitably cast a cloud on the legitimacy of the election."

[FencingJunkie]

You used wikipedia to prove a point? nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

[thereom4]

You have got to be kidding, right? I can't believe that there are still people claiming Bush stole the election of 2000! It was close, but Bush beat Gore. Gore did receive the majority of the popular votes nationwide but that is not how we elect a president in the US. It seems that you do not know that we elect the president with electoral votes, of which Bush won. And recount after recount of the votes in Florida (by the Washington Post and NY Times) show that Bush won in Florida. Bush won, Gore lost, you may not like it but grow up!

Florida electoral votes= 25
Bush electoral votes=271
Gore electoral votes=266
Total electoral votes needed to win=270
Bush electoral votes (Florida excluded)=246
Gore electoral votes (Florida included)=291
246<291
Slim margin in Florida= recount
Florida Supreme Court orders recount= US Supreme Court stopping recount= regrets by Justices (read The Nine)= should not have gotten involved= legitimacy of Bush's presidency questioned=

Bush won, Gore lost, you may not like it but grow up!

Thanks for the advice.

[Philistine]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_v._Gore

By December 8, 2000, the Florida Supreme Court, by a 4-3 vote, ordered a statewide manual recount. On December 9, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the Florida recount, by a 5–4 vote.

The dissenters opined: "Counting every legally cast vote cannot constitute irreparable harm... Preventing the recount from being completed will inevitably cast a cloud on the legitimacy of the election."

I think Bayou Bum was saying that after-the-fact recounts conducted by media organizations using the methodology requested by Gore still resulted in Bush narrowly winning Florida.

Certain other methodologies, if used, would have resulted in a Gore win.

Here's a Wiki page on the media recounts.

--Philistine