Despite their victim hood overtures, Israel would hold up. They have nuclear deterrents, an advanced military, and can summon up diplomatic and political assistance other than the US, if they felt like it. Even if the US dropped the middle east like a rock, neighboring nations know that the US would honor our alliance eventually, making any plans for invasion or destruction a no-go. Israel can handle anything short of that. Effectively, all the wipe Israel off the map talk is just bellyaching talk, and not a realistic threat. Even if Iran had nukes.
One of the things about the Middle Eastern cultures thats very different from the West, is that you dont mean business until you start yelling. If you act calm, not animated enough, not enough posturing, etc, people wont take your word for it that youre angry or whatever. Thats basically why they yell a lot. And thats part of whats happening with the over-inflammatory speech.
At least, thats how Ive come to understand it....
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On a tangent, Iran President Amadinejad...or however its spelled, has no real politic power, and it is somewhat ridiculous to use his speeches and confrontational rhetoric as justification for any sort of military actions there.
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True. For as much noise as he makes, its much more useful to watch the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, or Chairman of the Assembly of Experts, Akbar Rafsanjani. Despite the organization of Iranian government, they have popular seniority, and pretty much have the final say in anything.
But then, even those guys have said some ridiculous shit too...
Ya know whats interesting, of all the places in the world that could be constant hotbeds of political turmoil, why the middle east? What started it all, why there? Its because of the geography. You have to go through there to cross between Asia, Africa, and Europe. You couldnt bypass it. It was always a trade hub, with a lot of very different cultures coming through and meeting and sometimes clashing. That was their source of riches back the in day, before oil. But also turmoil. By necessity, it was always moved through by conquering cultures, over and over.
Thats mostly what got the ball rolling, comparative with other regions...
At least thats what Ive come to understand.