The Exploding Pagers

[LuFins Dad]

But wait? I thought the US had no troops in an active war zone?

[Jolly]

Bwhahahahahaha!

[Mik]

@Axtremus said in The Exploding Pagers:

@LuFins-Dad said in The Exploding Pagers:

... no missile attack should ever be excused away because it was unsuccessful.

If the attack is "just for show", then the retaliation may also be likewise. Each "look good" domestically, but World War III is avoided anyway.

I don't see any evidence that Israel does for show operations. I don't think it will be anything as crude as lobbing missiles, but much more targeted.

[bachophile]

Correction. One casualty. A Palestinian in the West Bank.

***=NSFW content***

click to show

[Mik]

So... we now know where Baghdad Bob went after Iraq fell.

[Jolly]

From SCUD to THUD?

[LuFins Dad]

Again, I am astonished that the moderators on last night’s debate asked if the candidates would advise Israel against a preemptive strike against Iran. Preemptive? They’ve now had 2 separate strikes launched against them.

[taiwan_girl]

@LuFins-Dad UNfortunately (at least from the transcript I read), neither was willing to answer with a yes or no.

[jon-nyc]

Words like 'preemptive' and 'unprovoked' should simply never be used in relation to the Middle East.

[Jolly]

@taiwan_girl

Watch. The transcript never reveals everything about human interaction.

[Mik]

@jon-nyc said in The Exploding Pagers:

Words like 'preemptive' and 'unprovoked' should simply never be used in relation to the Middle East.

Yep. Those trains left the station a thousand years ago.

[jon-nyc]

The only way it would be appropriate if heavily qualified, like “a preemptive strike on their nuclear program”. Which would be a reasonable question for them both.

[Mik]

And a reasonable action, IMO. They have ballistic missiles and it's only a matter of time before they put a nuke on one.

[Mik]

Joe does not approve. I doubt Bibi cares. It could be just a show too. "Oh, I opposed that strike" wink wink.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-states-which-response-from-israel-to-iran-s-strike-us-will-not-approve/ar-AA1rBO77?ocid=msedgntp&pc=LCTS&cvid=b098a54595f6410880dbb48949228919&ei=28

[jon-nyc]

Lots of fun detail, worth a read if you can get around the paywall.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/10/05/israel-mossad-hezbollah-pagers-nasrallah/

[bachophile]

[George K]

More deets:

And the best picture:

[LuFins Dad]

I wonder what the cost of manufacturing, marketing, and distributing those pagers and walkie-talkies were vs how much Israel was actually paid by Hamas…

[LuFins Dad]

I mean, if Israel actually made money out of the deal, I might just have to emigrate…

[jon-nyc]

@LuFins-Dad said in The Exploding Pagers:

I wonder what the cost of manufacturing, marketing, and distributing those pagers and walkie-talkies were vs how much Israel was actually paid by Hamas…

On that metric they probably made a profit but if you factor in planning and engineering (ie, all the Mossad time) they definitely did not, though that’s hardly relevant. This was a national security operation not a business pursuit.