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Comment by Matl

18 hours ago

Oh yes, and the fact that Israel is just sitting there occupying millions of Palestinians, attacking Syria, Lebanon etc. despite a 'ceasefire' has nothing to do with why these groups continue to exist, I am sure.

Iran's funding for these groups is a part of its 'defense in depth' strategy since it doesn't have the capability to project power otherwise. I am not saying that it is the right thing to do, but I am also not that surprised that backed into a corner, they're trying to build regional proxies. It's not like the US and Israel are not doing the same in and around Iran.

But I like how these statements, like yours, are always made with zero context and hope for an uninformed audience to upvote them.

> Iran's funding for these groups is a part of its 'defense in depth' strategy

That's the rationalisation. Not a justification. Defence in depth was Hitler's rationale for invading Russia, is Israel's strategy for pacifying neighbors, and is Russia's excuse for invading Ukraine.

Creating weak neighbors is checklist-item one for any classical aspiring land empire. It's also tremendously destabilising to its neighbourhood. (It's not a coincidence that China and Russia are bordered by (a) shitshows or (b) countries militarily posturing against them.)

  • > Hitler's rationale

    Ah yes, give any discussion enough time and Hitler inevitably gets to be whoever your opponent is.

    Unlike Hitler, unlike Israel and unlike the US, Iran has not proactively attacked.

    Hitler had no reason to fear attack from Russia, Czechoslovakia or France. Iran has every reason to fear an attack from the US and Israel, look at what is happening right now ffs.

    Western governments provide funding and shelter for extremist Iranian groups like People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran and various separatists movements inside the country, so please spare me this Hitler nonsense.

    • > give any discussion enough time and Hitler inevitably gets to be whoever your opponent is

      Because it fits. Nazi Germany was an aspiring land power. You can see the same effect in Imperial Rome and the Persian empires. (And, while America was conquering its own continent, on the peripheries of Manifest-Destiny America.)

      > Unlike Hitler, unlike Israel and unlike the US, Iran has not proactively attacked

      Of course they have. Its proxies are constantly proactively attacking everyone in their neighbourhood.

      > Hitler had no reason to fear attack from Russia, Czechoslovakia or France. Iran has every reason to fear an attack from the US and Israel, look at what is happening right now ffs

      Everyone has reason to fear attack from everyone. Defence in depth is a regionally-destabilising response to that security imperative. And by the way, Russia and Germany did wind up going to war with each other. Same as Iran and Israel, that same one whose anihiliation the former has been chanting for since its revolution.

      Arguing Iran has been some peaceful country minding its own business is totally inaccurate.

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