It is a big deal because it is a big deal to the Iranians. You have to remember the historical (look at a map of the Persian empire, they want it all back, and then some) it is more sociological and historical imperative than mercantile, though nobody in the Arab world ever really forgets the mercantile.
I may have the name (Hussein) of the king wrong (if so my dad will chastise me heavely). Major arabic empire (If I remember correctly he took a big chunk of it from the Persians), he dies with 3 sons, split the kingdom among the sons, 2 of the 3 sons bloodlines get waxed, only 1 remains today, that being Jordan. I could be mixing some stuff up in there.
Muslims aren't expecting a second comiong of Jesus, they do not recognize him as the mesiah, just a jewish prophet. Like the Jews, they are still waiting for the mesiah, if they actually still believe in the mesiah figure, maybe it has been replaced by the Madhi... I can't recall right now, I need more coffee.
I may have the name (Hussein) of the king wrong (if so my dad will chastise me heavely). Major arabic empire (If I remember correctly he took a big chunk of it from the Persians), he dies with 3 sons, split the kingdom among the sons, 2 of the 3 sons bloodlines get waxed, only 1 remains today, that being Jordan. I could be mixing some stuff up in there.
Muslims aren't expecting a second comiong of Jesus, they do not recognize him as the mesiah, just a jewish prophet. Like the Jews, they are still waiting for the mesiah, if they actually still believe in the mesiah figure, maybe it has been replaced by the Madhi... I can't recall right now, I need more coffee.
Between the ships, horses, bayonets, and lines about loving teachers...
- 23/10/2012 04:44:32 AM
1130 Views
He loves teachers, but only so long as we are seen and not heard.
- 23/10/2012 05:07:15 AM
577 Views
Which might those be?
- 23/10/2012 07:25:24 AM
574 Views
Romney did a good job, ultimately.
- 23/10/2012 05:13:00 AM
541 Views
I think it's safe to say foreign policy doesn't interest either of them all that much
- 23/10/2012 05:30:53 AM
538 Views
They really need to get together with the Greens.
- 23/10/2012 07:02:18 AM
592 Views
are you familiar with that scene in "life of brian"?
- 23/10/2012 05:25:54 PM
523 Views
I am indeed, but I do not see how proportional representation would help much.
- 23/10/2012 05:38:27 PM
490 Views
because PR coupled with IRV gives voters a lot more choice than D vs R
- 23/10/2012 09:47:27 PM
507 Views
PR mainly seems to give the same choices more OUTCOMES (and meshes poorly with IRV.)
- 24/10/2012 12:38:29 PM
554 Views
The instapolls declared Obama victor in #1 too, Romney won this one
- 23/10/2012 06:00:26 AM
734 Views
*blinks*
- 23/10/2012 06:08:00 AM
622 Views
With you on the first part, but most people conceded Obama had the edge on foreign policy.
- 23/10/2012 06:24:24 AM
571 Views
are you sure you weren't re-watching the first debate?
- 23/10/2012 06:08:36 PM
503 Views
No, defintely watching this one
- 24/10/2012 04:02:44 AM
601 Views
romney should be hanging in the wind with the way he campaigned
- 24/10/2012 06:28:40 AM
549 Views
So your rebuttal is to call for Romney's death? Nice *NM*
- 24/10/2012 06:57:19 AM
268 Views
yes, way to misconstrue what i said without actually responding to any of it 
*NM*
- 24/10/2012 05:20:07 PM
266 Views
*NM*
- 24/10/2012 05:20:07 PM
266 Views
You said it, not me, but way to double down on it, very classy *NM*
- 25/10/2012 03:00:10 AM
241 Views
i see romney has taught you the ways of the douchebag asshole. you used to be better than that...
- 25/10/2012 05:42:38 AM
466 Views
In fairness to Isaac, the terminology used typically describes hanging a criminal
- 25/10/2012 06:55:43 AM
594 Views
i'm sure if it were not the end of the election cycle he would not have taken it that way
- 25/10/2012 05:52:25 PM
555 Views
I must agree with Isaac and Legolas; violent language like that is a (literal) trigger for nutjobs.
- 29/10/2012 07:00:53 PM
487 Views
I have agreed with the post mortems till now; no idea how anyone can score that a Romney win.
- 23/10/2012 06:01:22 AM
607 Views
My favorite gaffe of the night:
- 23/10/2012 06:07:19 AM
588 Views
Honestly, it was hard to miss: The Persian Gulf is named after Iran.
- 23/10/2012 06:28:25 AM
568 Views
I was wondering what Iran would see as weaker
- 23/10/2012 12:59:38 PM
510 Views
Hopefully America is wondering the same thing, but that presumes most of us can find Iran on a map.
- 23/10/2012 04:01:19 PM
608 Views
..and the folks poking fun at him hope we only look at the cropped map they provide. *NM*
- 23/10/2012 07:18:11 PM
246 Views
It was a poorly worded statement, the "sea" being referred to is the Med, but essentially correct.
- 23/10/2012 07:16:37 PM
577 Views
What is this, the 19th century? Why is the Med so important?
- 23/10/2012 10:20:11 PM
599 Views
Commercial, Iran doesn't have a navy worth mentioning.
- 24/10/2012 03:41:46 PM
572 Views
Okay, commercial, that narrows it down. How, exactly?
- 24/10/2012 06:02:01 PM
560 Views
Right family (Hussein of Jordan), wrong generation by a few hundered years.
- 25/10/2012 06:16:51 PM
626 Views
Hm. Curious who you mean, then.
- 25/10/2012 11:52:06 PM
579 Views
You are too hung up on a "port"
- 26/10/2012 03:13:59 PM
496 Views
That's what Romney and you said, isn't it? Access to the Mediterranean.
- 26/10/2012 11:30:55 PM
675 Views
Re: That's what Romney and you said, isn't it? Access to the Mediterranean.
- 29/10/2012 02:23:33 PM
588 Views
Commercial interests are the only relevant ones, but commerical shipping has the Suez.
- 25/10/2012 11:31:23 PM
506 Views
and one he seems to keep making - how many times do you give someone the benefit of the doubt?
- 23/10/2012 11:46:55 PM
633 Views
it is simply a standard descriptive line.
- 24/10/2012 03:54:49 PM
611 Views
What is?
- 25/10/2012 11:15:28 AM
505 Views
Not really my contradictions, Frankly I think most of the political enteties in the ME are nuts. *NM*
- 25/10/2012 06:23:51 PM
238 Views
I'm refering to the contradictions of your argument, not the region
- 25/10/2012 11:47:29 PM
579 Views
Irans route to the sea is "not being landlocked;" it must go through Iraq to reach Syria.
- 24/10/2012 05:45:41 PM
572 Views
It is not ships and military conquest through the Med, it is political and ideological/religious.
- 25/10/2012 09:57:18 PM
573 Views
Um, I am pretty sure that stuff travels by internet and radio, not by sea.
- 25/10/2012 11:27:17 PM
545 Views
It is sociological, political, and religous, it does not have to make logical sense. *NM*
- 29/10/2012 02:26:43 PM
230 Views
If Romney wants to be president, he should make sense, particularly when arguing a cause for war.
- 29/10/2012 06:46:06 PM
630 Views
Obama trounced him but he was always going to and by this point nobody cares anymore
- 23/10/2012 12:58:12 PM
494 Views
The election is a tossup. Could really go either way at this point. *NM*
- 23/10/2012 11:06:39 PM
261 Views
inexplicably a tossup. normally the proven liar (romney) would have no chance
- 23/10/2012 11:36:16 PM
537 Views
Pointing to one side of a political debate/campaign and yelling LIAR is the definition of hypocrisy. *NM*
- 25/10/2012 09:59:08 PM
225 Views
well then prove to us mitt romney is not a liar and i will retract my statements *NM*
- 25/10/2012 10:32:18 PM
257 Views