IDIOTIZED PUBLICS

OLIVER BPYD-BARRETT—The most extraordinary feature of the political system of Iran is that it is, in effect, a vibrant democracy subject to the overriding guide-rails of a clerical system whose purpose is to ensure that governance is loyal to the precepts of Shi’a Islam. Perhaps you could argue that the Constitution is the nearest equivalent in the US, except that the Constitution seems to have a lesser impact these days on the conduct of governance than the influence of the precepts of Islam, interpreted by the clerical or mullah system, in Iran.

EDITOR—Laith explains why Iran and the rest of the anti-Colonialist resistance forces—from Hezbollah to Hamas and the Houthis, plus Iraqi militias, etc., must exercise patience in fighting an enemy as devious and depraved as the Zionist entity and its sponsor, the US Empire, lest a quick victory by the liberation forces detonate a panic to save their privileged position on the back of nuclear weapons. This translates into many more victims for the Resistance, the price Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Houthis and other nationalities must pay to attain victory without plunging all of humanity into a nuclear winter. 

P. FARRUGGIO—You who voted and continue to support that mindset, ask yourself what will happen to you or a loved one when someday (maybe very soon) you will need to go into a nursing home or assisted living. When the guys you voted for cut the hell out of Medicaid funding, who will care about you? When working stiffs and poor children need food sustenance and there is no money anymore to help feed them. When the weak and sickly elderly (maybe you) rely on Meals On Wheels for that one daily nutritious meal, and the volunteers cannot bring any.

MIKE MIHAJLOVIC—The historical background of the bunker busters’ use in the modern post-WWII conflicts includes the Gulf War & Iraq (1991–2003). Despite heavy use of bunker busters, many Iraqi bunkers survived due to their depth and construction. Some attacks resulted in civilian casualties, raising ethical concerns about the potential for collateral damage.

In Lebanon, bunker busters had mixed success due to complex geology and extensive tunneling.

To date, the MOP has never been used in combat. Simulated tests suggest potential effectiveness, but real-world conditions — weather, terrain, enemy countermeasures — remain unknown.

BILLY BOB—An in-depth discussion of an insane possibility that could land the world in an all-out nuclear war, made real by Donald Trump’s peculiarly overbearing temperament, his lack of understanding of the actual consequences of such choices, and the increasing pressure from the Zionists and Neocons’ lobby who, seeing Israel being increasingly pummeled by Iran’s surprisingly effective missile strategy, are now putting maximum pressure on Trump and his cabal to put the US Empire openly on their side. The panel also analyses the rise of China, and the historical stages she went through to attain her current status as the world’s leading superpower.