These Words They Speak

By David Glenn Cox

And so, we wait. After an Israeli airstrike killed three Iranian Generals, the Mullahs vow revenge. Death to Israel and Death to America! How many times have you heard that ever popular Middle eastern refrain? A hit with a bullet. The Mullah’s using divine religious victimhood as a political tool. It always seems to happen in countries lacking food or heat or progress. “Sure, we suck. But God likes us!”

“We’re defending you from the enemies who help to keep us in power! Death to Israel and death to America! Why without us, you’d be in real trouble pal. Besides, we’re doing God’s work! How are you gonna argue with that, huh? So, sit down and shut up! I mean, stand up and shout! Death to Israel and death to America! Sound off like you’ve got a pair!”

A religious cult with a daily extended two minutes of hate dedicated to denouncing Goldstein and his friend Sam. But now, push has come to shove. Iran at first said they would respond within 24 to 36 hrs. Then said, they would respond at a time of their own choosing. Finally, sometime around the end of Ramadan. Why announce it like that? “Get ready, here it comes! On the count of three. One, two, two and a half, two and three quarters, two and fifteen sixteenths!”

Airlines have cancelled flights, and Iran has closed their airspace for 24 hrs. It looks like they mean it. But it’s a big step. Probably the biggest step the Mullahs have ever taken. A direct war with Israel means war or quasi war with the United States. All those years of tough talk. “Let me at ‘em, don’t hold me back. It’s a good thing you stopped me when you did.”

Iran uses proxies to carry out its dirty work and the only thing which protects those proxies is a fear of provoking a war with Iran. A war with Iran makes the Hooties fair game. And Hamas? It places the Mullahs in a difficult put up or shut up position.

But what if? What if as so often happens, plans and monies for military defense become sidetracked and the money diverted into the seeds of personal decadence? With an aging air force, “go on hit em! What are you waiting for?” It is an existential question.

The American media, as far as I can tell, play it as Iran might attack Israel but will probably attack the US. Making it personal to the American public. But how could Iran explain that to a gullible domestic audience? “We’re so damn mad at Israel, we hit somebody else! There! That oughta teach em!”

Iran’s bluff has been called. How do they respond? A strike too large risks a war they can’t win. A strike too small will most likely be swatted down. Exposing the Mullahs as either impotent or incompetent.

Any calls for replacement inventory will probably go unanswered. The second-hand market for Russian missiles is rather tight at this time. Iran’s domestic missile production is limited when compared to Israeli or US inventory. “Go ahead, knock that chip off his shoulder! Show em you ain’t afraid!”

An attack on Iran has been war gammed so much in the Pentagon and for so long, they wore out the game board. Targets inside Iran are numbered, cataloged, and color coded, while Iran is forced to just take their best shot and hope for a lucky punch. But the outcome is inevitable, isn’t it?

Either senseless civilian death or a public embarrassment for the Mullahs. Like Jenga, the Mullahs must choose carefully which block to pull. Lest their candy floss castles all fall down around their ears. Who is afraid of the big bad wolf now?

The situation is fluid, and the Iranian missiles could be airborne as we speak. They must be, or Iran will be shown as a paper tiger before the world. A user and exploiter of third world religious proselytes to achieve postering generally pointless political goals. Without any actual goal except smoothing the Mullah’s golden path.  

It’s simple, as long as the Mullahs can convince the public the country is under threat the game is easy. An authoritarian regime where “God is Great!” And since God picked us to be in charge, we’re great too! Or do you wanna go arguing with God, hmmm? Any public political dissension is akin to religious heresy.

Much like the Republican controlled House of Representatives. As even Republicans lament, “Even Jesus couldn’t control this caucus.” But! “At least he doesn’t lie like the other guy.” Moscow Marge Greene says we need to protect our own borders, not Ukraine’s. Playing solitary  checkers while the world goes on all around her. A friend of my friend is my friend, and an enemy of my enemy is also my friend.  

Supporting Ukraine is weakening Russia and Iran and China, all without firing a shot or risking one American life.

Nightly on Russian Television the commentators the “Tucker Foxskis” tell the public of evil America. While daily, Moscow Marge Greene tells us ole Vlad is really a great guy. Just in case you were unsure of what a useful idiot really meant. These words they speak, they mean something.

“Why of course the people don’t want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don’t want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.

Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” ― Hermann Goering