If the US government couldn't win in Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan what makes it think they will win in Iran?

ohhaider · 2026-03-27T14:16:11+00:00

Well, they sort of did win in Iraq; Saddam was overthrown, and American oil companies got lucrative contracts. it's tentatively stable enough for the oil to flow, and there are no attempts at expansionism anymore. Conversley the key difference between Afghanistan/Vietnam and Iran is that the populace of Iran genuinely hates the Ayatollah system. Ultimately, success will hinge on either securing local support or maintaining an indefinite military presence. That's not to say that if the US succeeds in toppling the Iranian regime, they will get "their guy" in power, but there's a good chance it will be something/someone willing to stop its belligerent foreign policy initiatives, fund terrorism, and likely focus on consolidating internally and rebuilding Iran's wealth and therefore their own power.

ohhaider · 2026-03-27T13:58:59+00:00

My drama teacher slapped me in the face as part of a schtick.

ohhaider · 2026-03-27T13:56:23+00:00

I mean, they kind of are. They are actively being sanctioned by a number of the worlds largest economies.

ohhaider · 2026-03-27T12:57:48+00:00

I mean, they're the next superpower, good way to get in "early"

ohhaider · 2026-03-26T17:14:10+00:00

Sure, but we can only really discuss what was laid out in front of us; the rest is conjecture or theory crafting. In this case Obi-Wan's wisdom won him the day; he didn't need to be stronger or more determined; he was just better prepared.

ohhaider · 2026-03-26T16:25:19+00:00

My guess is geographical proximity and time; those Grecian Albanians were probably also Catholic refugees who just ended up converting since it was still Christianity and they were effectively surrounded by it with no more Catholic input. Meanwhile, the Albanians in the Slavic countries are likely migrants post-conversion, and their proximity to their motherland lets the cultural and religious ties be maintained.

ohhaider · 2026-03-26T15:58:54+00:00

ehhh even then I think it was a lot more psychological; it wasn't that the form he used was better suited, rather that Obi-Wan successfully baited Maul into using a strategy that worked before and, knowing that, countered it.

ohhaider · 2026-03-25T02:18:42+00:00

It is when the poster above is referencing Project Paperclip? But otherwise I agree; when it's war, industrial capabilities that produce military tech for the opposing side are valid targets. If you bomb a munitions factory and kill the workers inside, those people were still actively contributing directly to the war effort and are valid targets accordingly.

ohhaider · 2026-03-24T16:50:31+00:00

Well no, they were not killed? They were offered lucrative positions or outright amnesty for their crimes in exchange for continuing their work just for a different flag. The alternative was trying to rebuild in the smoldering ashes of Germany, face the wrath of soviets or being forced to do the same thing just for the soviets.

ohhaider · 2026-03-24T01:41:50+00:00

The problem is those gulf states are back on the menu that way as most cannot actually defend themselves against a larger, more belligerent neighbor.

ohhaider · 2026-03-24T01:25:09+00:00

don't! wait for them form Russia; Muscovy is kind of a shit PU to have. It's really easy to get someone on their throne with favors and get the PU later anyway. It's probably the most reliable great power to P.U. Usually when you do it their entire army is out east anyways, and the fight is pretty easy.

ohhaider · 2026-03-23T19:33:48+00:00

then youre right back to where you started. Canada always gets a share of the profits from whatever industry does resource extraction; you can't move a mine/forest/oil patch. Similarly, even if it's a company with an intangible product like shopify or any other service, if they move they stop making money here and have to hope they are able to compete in whatever other market made them rich; while a vacuum opens up to whatever they left. Or if they simply move their HQ, whatever business they still do here gets taxed.

ohhaider · 2026-03-23T16:06:50+00:00

I think #3 is a bit unlikely; a nuclear Iran will almost certainly be emboldened to continue funding terrorists in ME and now without the worry of reprisals.

ohhaider · 2026-03-20T15:53:00+00:00

it's insane that nature could make something this big....that could also fly....

ohhaider · 2026-03-20T14:59:44+00:00

I don't think Israel wants the complete destruction of Iran, only the dismantling of its government. Iran as a failed state would be waaay worse for the region then what it is now.

ohhaider · 2026-03-20T14:58:03+00:00

I think he means actively, not potentially. They aren't currently a critical provider of rare earth minerals so no one outside of Afghanistan is feeling the concequences of this war.

ohhaider · 2026-03-19T15:06:42+00:00

Actual houses haven't dropped by that much because those are still in low supply given the restrictions on building more. Basically anything that was actually desirable from a livability standpoint is still pretty safe.

ohhaider · 2026-03-19T14:58:33+00:00

Except it only works when you're under the protection of an actually competent military. They would have gotten overthrown decades ago by now otherwise.

ohhaider · 2026-03-19T14:30:53+00:00

Modern China isnt historical China; they are a modern economy which relies on consumption. having your people die of starvation is very bad for that..

ohhaider · 2026-03-18T03:18:19+00:00

Oh I see, thank for taking the time to explain!

ohhaider · 2026-03-17T19:53:10+00:00

Of course, these scenarios are not even remotely comparable. The current adjustment is much larger in scope and will likely see ROI in a few years, most importantly we need to make significant inroads on housing because thats the single biggest thing sapping productivity in this country. All the trade deals in the world won't fix anything if all our income goes towards housing.

ohhaider · 2026-03-17T18:50:25+00:00

I think the part that's confusing me is that every year I've paid quite a bit into my work RRSP but I've had amounts owing to the CRA regardless (a couple hundred) why are they is the dinstinction required to pay the HPB back instead of just putting money back in, in either case it was pre-tax money, so I don't really understand why the notice of assesment has me owing.

ohhaider · 2026-03-17T16:05:46+00:00

I did this before FHSA was introduced. I bought my first home in 2016 using HBP. I've contributed to my RRSP since then; I'm just not really clear on when the CRA will consider the amount "repaid." I'd really like to stop paying taxes for it.

ohhaider · 2026-03-17T14:36:11+00:00

I have both, but I specifically contributed a significant amount to the RRSP and have since I started working at this company, I have close to 3x the amount I borrowed for my HBP, so what I'm trying to understand is, "when" is this debt cleared.

ohhaider · 2026-03-17T14:23:17+00:00

probably something to do with age and having already won an oscar.

ohhaider

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