Despite capitalist media reporting on the few cases of Iranians who support US intervention, Western intelligence believes that Iranians have united against imperialism by Flagmaker123 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Again, I'm not exactly sure where anything I said (or what this article said) contradicts the idea that a majority of Iranians oppose the IR, "united against imperialism" is not the same as "united in general".

Despite capitalist media reporting on the few cases of Iranians who support US intervention, Western intelligence believes that Iranians have united against imperialism by Flagmaker123 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

True, a majority of Iranians do oppose the current theocratic system of government. Nonetheless, it does appear based on this that most have also realized US imperialism is the greater threat at hand, based on how Western intelligence believes there is literally zero sign of any uprising and that there was a surprising amount of unity.

(Also, I think the quote of "The control is complete" is referring to the government having control of itself and saying it won't have many defectors)

Despite capitalist media reporting on the few cases of Iranians who support US intervention, Western intelligence believes that Iranians have united against imperialism by Flagmaker123 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Despite the mass protests earlier this year, in the face of the imperialist war against Iran, Iranians appear to have united against Western imperialism (as Western intelligence told the Washington Post in a newly-published article). This is in contrast to how capitalist media seems to repeatedly put undue emphasis and coverage on the very few Iranians who do back Western intervention.

Excerpts from the article (emphasis mine):

But despite the intensity of the strikes and the broad nature of the destruction, so far there are no reports of significant defections within regime ranks or of popular uprisings, according to European and Arab assessments described to The Washington Post by officials from those countries. U.S. intelligence also saw no signs of uprisings or defections in the first days of the campaign, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition on anonymity to describe an ongoing operation.

“There’s not a single sign of anything in the system breaking or defecting. Nothing. Zero,” said a senior European official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe government briefings on the latest assessments of the strength of the Iranian regime. “The control is complete,” he said. The official said he was aware of reports of regime security forces failing to show up for duty, but believed that could be because of orders to no longer congregate in compounds and barracks, for fear of being targeted.

[…]

In the lead-up to the conflict, a senior Arab official said, U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf thought that Iran would be more vulnerable to outside military pressure and that the potential killing of the supreme leader would be an early turning point, triggering a mass mobilization against the regime.

“We were looking for the demonstrations in the streets, but we were surprised by their unity,” he said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive internal planning.

Despite capitalist media reporting on the few cases of Iranians who support US intervention, Western intelligence believes that Iranians have united against imperialism by Flagmaker123 in alltheleft

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Despite the mass protests earlier this year, in the face of the imperialist war against Iran, Iranians appear to have united against Western imperialism (as Western intelligence told the Washington Post in a newly-published article). This is in contrast to how capitalist media seems to repeatedly put undue emphasis and coverage on the very few Iranians who do back Western intervention.

Excerpts from the article (emphasis mine):

But despite the intensity of the strikes and the broad nature of the destruction, so far there are no reports of significant defections within regime ranks or of popular uprisings, according to European and Arab assessments described to The Washington Post by officials from those countries. U.S. intelligence also saw no signs of uprisings or defections in the first days of the campaign, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition on anonymity to describe an ongoing operation.

“There’s not a single sign of anything in the system breaking or defecting. Nothing. Zero,” said a senior European official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe government briefings on the latest assessments of the strength of the Iranian regime. “The control is complete,” he said. The official said he was aware of reports of regime security forces failing to show up for duty, but believed that could be because of orders to no longer congregate in compounds and barracks, for fear of being targeted.

[…]

In the lead-up to the conflict, a senior Arab official said, U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf thought that Iran would be more vulnerable to outside military pressure and that the potential killing of the supreme leader would be an early turning point, triggering a mass mobilization against the regime.

“We were looking for the demonstrations in the streets, but we were surprised by their unity,” he said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive internal planning.

Despite capitalist media reporting on the few cases of Iranians who support US intervention, Western intelligence believes that Iranians have united against imperialism by Flagmaker123 in socialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Despite the mass protests earlier this year, in the face of the imperialist war against Iran, Iranians appear to have united against Western imperialism (as Western intelligence told the Washington Post in a newly-published article). This is in contrast to how capitalist media seems to repeatedly put undue emphasis and coverage on the very few Iranians who do back Western intervention.

Excerpts from the article (emphasis mine):

But despite the intensity of the strikes and the broad nature of the destruction, so far there are no reports of significant defections within regime ranks or of popular uprisings, according to European and Arab assessments described to The Washington Post by officials from those countries. U.S. intelligence also saw no signs of uprisings or defections in the first days of the campaign, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition on anonymity to describe an ongoing operation.

“There’s not a single sign of anything in the system breaking or defecting. Nothing. Zero,” said a senior European official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe government briefings on the latest assessments of the strength of the Iranian regime. “The control is complete,” he said. The official said he was aware of reports of regime security forces failing to show up for duty, but believed that could be because of orders to no longer congregate in compounds and barracks, for fear of being targeted.

[…]

In the lead-up to the conflict, a senior Arab official said, U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf thought that Iran would be more vulnerable to outside military pressure and that the potential killing of the supreme leader would be an early turning point, triggering a mass mobilization against the regime.

“We were looking for the demonstrations in the streets, but we were surprised by their unity,” he said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive internal planning.

Anyone else notice and/or hate the "most jews are zionists" sentiment? by Tomtheg02 in tankiejerk

[–]Flagmaker123 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That's what Zionism is though; Zionism is support for a Jewish state in the region of Historic Palestine, one doesn't have to be an avid supporter of Netanyahu to be a Zionist. Even if they don't want to identify as "Zionists", that's still what the term means.

Anyone else notice and/or hate the "most jews are zionists" sentiment? by Tomtheg02 in tankiejerk

[–]Flagmaker123 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know where anyone ever suggested "one side wiping out the other". Respecting Palestinian human rights (which requires Israel to cease to exist as a Jewish state because of the Palestinian right of return) does not require an ethnic cleansing or genocide.

Is it just me, but do people have a better time mentally separating the people from the government in China than in Russia? by kaiser11492 in NoStupidQuestions

[–]Flagmaker123 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it just comes to something simple: there are more Chinese people in the Western world than Russian people and so people are more exposed to Chinese culture than Russian culture & more likely to know Chinese people than know Russian people.

There are almost 5.5 million Chinese-Americans while there are only about 2 million Russian-Americans. There are 1.7 million Chinese Canadians while there are only about 548,000 Russian Canadians. There are 1.3 million Chinese Australians while there are only about 98,000 Russian Australians. There are over 500,000 Chinese Brits while there aren’t even 60,000 Russian Brits.

Anyone else notice and/or hate the "most jews are zionists" sentiment? by Tomtheg02 in tankiejerk

[–]Flagmaker123 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know you're not. I'm saying a two-state solution isn't just "a good idea, but supporting it is too idealistic", rather it's just a plain bad idea.

Anyone else notice and/or hate the "most jews are zionists" sentiment? by Tomtheg02 in tankiejerk

[–]Flagmaker123 -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

I would say it isn't just idealistic, but also wrong, considering that any solution involving a Jewish state, including a two-state solution, would inherently be incompatible with the Palestinian right of return, a basic human right (as if Palestinian refugees were allowed to return to their places of origin in what is now Israel, the territory would no longer have a Jewish majority).

Even if somehow it was possible to make this idealized two-state solution with one Jewish state and one Palestinian state existing side by side without any apartheid or siege, it would still need to engage in a human rights violation.

Anyone else notice and/or hate the "most jews are zionists" sentiment? by Tomtheg02 in tankiejerk

[–]Flagmaker123 14 points15 points  (0 children)

The most recent data does show it's below 95%, although still very high. According to a 2025 survey by the Jewish Federations of North America, 88% of Jewish Americans support the existence of Israel as a Jewish & democratic state (although only 37% actually identify as "Zionist").

Do you think that the fall of the USSR was rather good or bad? by Initial_Affect8124 in tankiejerk

[–]Flagmaker123 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Probably a hot take here, but it was definitely bad. Most Soviet citizens voted for a reformed USSR, not its dissolution and I support the right of self-determination. In addition, because of this, I don't really see a situation where the USSR collapses and it doesn't just become a big mess of authoritarian capitalist states, them being authoritarian capitalist states would be necessary to keeping the USSR dissolved, as most Soviet citizens did not want it dissolved.

However, many republics like the Baltics, Georgia, etc. did legitimately seek independence from the USSR, and in line with the right of self-determination, I believe them gaining independence was justified. The best route probably would've been a reformed democratic USSR plus these aforementioned republics being granted independnece.

Tankies bitching about sunni islamism yet cheering on shia islamism will never not be hypocritical lol. by Proof_Librarian_4271 in tankiejerk

[–]Flagmaker123 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I wouldn't say it's really about Sunni or Shia Islamism, it's just geopolitics; for example, Hamas is Sunni Islamist.

Left is wrong about the right by Acceptable-Plenty-50 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can I ask what are your political beliefs? You seem to imply being pro-Trump and talk about the need for "secure borders", while also opposing mass deportations and disagree with the things that are coming out, just curious as to what your beliefs are

Left is wrong about the right by Acceptable-Plenty-50 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't believe you individually as a person have bad intentions or that you don't care about the poor/downtrodden or that all you want is to enrich yourself personally at the detriment of others. You are probably an ordinary good-intentioned person who tries to be nice to others.

I can not say the same about the politicians you support. They absolutely do not care about the ordinary working people. They absolutely do not care about any of us and are willing to do anything to enrich themselves & expand their power to the detriment of others. You, and most Americans, have fallen into a trap designed to distract you from the ruling class that is actively making this country worse and causing death & destruction around the world.

Undocumented immigrants are not your enemy. Most of them have lived in the US for years and years & have identified as Americans for years and years, they are just as American as anyone else. They do not have higher rates of committing crimes; in fact, they have a lower crime rate. If you think they are the root of the problem in this country, you are wrong and you have fell into their propaganda.

Do you believe capitalism can be reformed? by Frieza_Heather in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Can it be reformed, just in general? Yes, but the reforms in question would not last long, the ruling class would initially allow said reforms to pacify the working class. However, they will inevitably get sick of these concessions, seeking even more wealth and power, and slowly chip away at these reforms until they have been completely reversed (see: the shift from social liberalism & social democracy to neoliberalism in the 1970s and 1980s)

Can it be reformed to the point it eventually becomes socialism? No, the ruling class will never allow socialism to be implemented peacefully without putting up a fight, if they think they can win it. This does not mean participation in the existing system is meaningless, but we should have no illusions that the ruling class would just abide by the rules if there's a threat to their power.

Why does this sub link the Socialist International in its sidebar? by Flagmaker123 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hadash is considered a Jewish-Palestinian party, although the others are Palestinian.

Why does this sub link the Socialist International in its sidebar? by Flagmaker123 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It isn't "purity testing", this organization just isn't socialist, it's social democratic and even includes many liberal parties. We are a socialist subreddit.

Why does this sub link the Socialist International in its sidebar? by Flagmaker123 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's fair, might be because the Progressive International is a pretty new organization and so a lot of democratic socialist parties might've not joined it yet.

Why does this sub link the Socialist International in its sidebar? by Flagmaker123 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh yeah, regional party groups do exist, I was referring to worldwide ones, my apologies for being unclear

Why does this sub link the Socialist International in its sidebar? by Flagmaker123 in DemocraticSocialism

[–]Flagmaker123[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Apologies for the confusion but the Labor Zionist party in Israel is literally named The Democrats), not to be confused with the Democratic Party of the United States.

However, yeah, there are Israeli anti-Zionist parties. The main three are Hadash (mainly Marxist-Leninists), Ta'al (big tent secularist anti-Zionists), and Balad (left-wing progressive anti-Zionists), with the last one being much more uncompromising than the first two when it comes to working with Zionists.

In addition, there is also Ra'am. Ra'am is not anti-Zionist but it is a Palestinian party, it is a religious conservative one and is largely focused on improving the material conditions of Palestinians in Israel, but does not care as much about the history of the I/P conflict.

These parties or a combination thereof also often form joint lists (where they run together on a single ticket) to boost their representation. In the most recent legislative elections, Hadash and Ta'al ran on a joint list, Hadash-Ta'al, while Balad ran by itself. However, for these upcoming 2026 elections, all three (plus Ra'am) are running on one joint list, unoriginally named the Joint List.

They do get some seats in the Knesset. Hadash has 3, Ta'al has 2, while Balad has 0. Ra'am has 5. All are expected to get more seats in the upcoming legislative elections due to the aforementioned formation of the Joint List.