Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed • Hacker News Board

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#101

Post by lwansbrough » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:11 AM UTC

carefree-bob wrote: post #92

lwansbrough wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tell me: is the US supposed to stand idly by while the Iranian regime develops nuclear weapons? They pursue nuclear weapons of their own volition, by the way. There are paranuclear states and nuclear threshold states which have not pursued nuclear weapons and have delivered on providing for their people in every manner in which a human society needs. So what does Iran hope to achieve that diplomacy cannot? At what po…

Yes, I am fine standing idly by as Iran gets nukes, just as we did nothing when Israel got nukes, and we didn't really do much besides sanctions after North Korea got nukes. Of all these three examples of nuclear states, Israel is the only one that actually committed espionage against the US to obtain nuclear secrets, and we didn't bomb them. The USSR also committed espionage to steal nuclear secrets from the US and…

The USSR acquiring nuclear weapons was the closest humanity has come to complete annihilation. We were one bad day away from extinction during the Cold War. I'm not sure I would point to that as something we should do more of. Not to mention the potential for accidents and mistakes.

I don't think bombing a country should be the first course of action. Diplomatic action should leave no stone unturned. But if all of that fails, it is strategically advantageous and safer for the world to prevent countries from acquiring nukes by any means necessary.

If you set the example that the cost of pursuing nuclear weapons is unbearable, countries will find better things to do, like enriching themselves in more productive ways.

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#102

Post by kuerbel » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:11 AM UTC

kome wrote: post #31

spiderfarmer wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Europe" is not following the US in this.

in what Europe are you living sorry? The only one outspoken against the war have been the Spanish. UK, Italy and Germany are on it - offering logistical support and everything the US needs.

I fear that the push for increasing defense spending in Europe was in preparation for a new NATO alliance case. They are certainly going to try it.

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#103

Post by applfanboysbgon » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:12 AM UTC

Al-Khwarizmi wrote: post #98

applfanboysbgon wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trump's approval rating among his base is still overwhelmingly high. They know what they were voting for, and they still support him. They know that Trump lies like he breathes, and they are perfectly fine with that . Trump supporters themselves are largely liars. They do not openly state the positions they actually hold. That Trump says X and does Y is fine because his supporters say X and believe Y. Words are a gam…

But will they still support him if gas prices and general inflation spike hard, as is nearly a given if Trump doesn't back out from the war? My impression is that most of his voters are selfish and couldn't care less for other people's woes (migrants, sexual abuse victims, Iranians or whatever), but will care if his antics hit their own pockets. I'm not American so I may well be wrong, though.

Yes, they will still support him. Republicans dying of COVID would still deny its existence on their deathbed, so you can be sure there is no consequence that is too far for them. Farmers bankrupted and people who lost jobs because of Trump's policies continue to support him. Inflation is bad when Democrats do it, but it is fine if Republicans do it, as with all things, because that is how their hierarchy works.

Their support is not the result of a rational calculation of self-interest, and never was. If it was, a base of rural and poor people would never be supporting a coastal city New York elite born with a silver spoon in his mouth as "one of them". But they do, because he is one of them in the way that matters to them. They are fighting for something larger than themselves, and are completely committed to a cultural war for social hierarchy.

> if gas prices and general inflation spike hard, as is nearly a given if Trump doesn't back out from the war?

As an aside, I don't think there is any backing out of this war. If somebody launched a missile at your country and killed hundreds of schoolgirls, and destroyed ships on diplomatic missions while leaving the survivors to drown, while also assassinating your country's leader (but not out of any intention of liberation), would you just let things go because they stopped bombing? Of course you wouldn't. Your country would continue to retaliate. And it is trivial to punish America. Even if America unilaterally decided to "declare peace" and withdraw from attacking Iran, Iran has every reason to continue locking down the gulf and making Americans pay the price. Unlike with tariffs, there is no backing down from these price increases even if Trump gets cold feet. But, even so, there is no reason to believe it will move the needle on his base. There is already talk of "short term pain for long term gain" among those who realise this.

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#104

Post by pzo » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:15 AM UTC

lwansbrough wrote: post #66

spiderfarmer wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well. After you've misled the world into supporting the USA in Iraq: "WHERE IS THE PROOF?" This time, you didn't even try to submit proof. The "feeling" of your delusional president should be enough. Or not even that, since the reasoning changes daily. Try harder.

I'm not American. There is a host of publicly available proof of Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. It is not, and has never been, a well kept secret of the regime.

Pentagon made few reports that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons - I bet they have better intelligence that you. Their killed religious leader made fatwa that forbid having or using weapons of mass destruction. Surprisingly now when he is gone they can pursue it after being attacked. Also worth to watch many Bibi talks since 1980s where he sais Iran will have nukes very soon and this didn't materialize in 40 years.

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#105

Post by lwansbrough » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:17 AM UTC

whycombigator wrote: post #99

lwansbrough wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Take it to the final form. It's game theory. The US is promoting system that enables a Nash equilibrium. By playing by the US' rules you empower yourself and you empower those around you. And the US takes a service fee for operating the market. The alternative is trying to fight that, and if you're picking a fight with the strongest player, you're playing to lose.

I agree that's what the US used to do. Now it's threatening to invade NATO allies, and other allies are deploying troops to deter that; Which makes perfect sense because you cannot appease authoritarians. The US is in fairly rapid, self inflicted, decline at this point.

I have faith that the Americans will right the ship. "Americans will always do the right thing, only after they have tried everything else."

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#106

Post by carefree-bob » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:23 AM UTC

lwansbrough wrote: post #101

carefree-bob wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I am fine standing idly by as Iran gets nukes, just as we did nothing when Israel got nukes, and we didn't really do much besides sanctions after North Korea got nukes. Of all these three examples of nuclear states, Israel is the only one that actually committed espionage against the US to obtain nuclear secrets, and we didn't bomb them. The USSR also committed espionage to steal nuclear secrets from the US and…

The USSR acquiring nuclear weapons was the closest humanity has come to complete annihilation. We were one bad day away from extinction during the Cold War. I'm not sure I would point to that as something we should do more of. Not to mention the potential for accidents and mistakes. I don't think bombing a country should be the first course of action. Diplomatic action should leave no stone unturned. But if all of th…

That is a very, uh, idiosyncratic reading of history.

You are conflating the Cuban Missile crisis of October 1962 -- which was the USSR placing nuclear weapons close to the US in Cuba in early 1962, in response to the US placing nuclear weapons close to the USSR in Turkey in 1961, and in your mind you have blended that crisis, which was a close call in which both sides ultimately agreed to withdraw their nukes, with the acquisition of nukes by the USSR 11 years earlier.

Yet when North Korea, India, China, Pakistan, South Africa, or Israel, got nukes this did not set off a crisis, it was the brinksmanship that set off a crisis.

Soon, both major powers in the gulf -- Iran and KSA will get nukes. Odds are this will happen within a decade. There is nothing anyone can do to stop it.

There are too many pressures forcing this to happen, not least of which is the clear understanding that these nations need to have nukes to prevent destruction by the other nuclear powers some of which are clearly hostile to them and bent on their destruction. It's why North Korea, which kept their nukes, is still around, but Libya, which gave up their nukes, has been dismembered. Just as a matter of self-defense and survival this is inevitable.

However what we can do is tone down the rhetoric of nuclear brinksmanship, threatening global war if a rival doesn't withdraw their nukes. That was the real lesson of the Cuban Missile crisis, which you have confused with Russia's 1949 achievement, or China's 1964 achievement.

Since no one is going to disarm their nukes, this is just something people have to live with. Threatening war over this issue is exactly what causes the risk of global catastrophe, not the spread of the technology, which is inevitable.

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#107

Post by sshine » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:23 AM UTC

keiferski wrote: post #27

This whole situation made me realize that the mechanism for holding presidents accountable for campaign promises really doesn’t exist. None of this is what people voted for, and is almost directly the opposite. That isn’t a new thing, of course, but this seems like a pretty huge turnaround from what the campaign was about. This seems like a fundamental problem with the system to me. If you can’t count on the candidat…

There's an election in my country, and every campaign is full of lies:

Every bold change, whether it's more or less taxes, will not realize.

It is just meant for people to vote on, not for the government to realize.

I do think that in multi-party systems, parties have more to lose long-term.

One crazy president won't fundamentally change your color.

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#108

Post by ahsillyme » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:24 AM UTC

piva00 wrote: post #48

jonatron wrote: post #35

Crude oil is over $100/barrel now, affecting almost everyone everywhere.

There's no off ramp whatsoever for both Iran, and Israel and the USA. This will trigger a global recession, everything is about to get much more expensive. Absolute disaster, all to fill up the coffers of American oil companies...

I don't think any reasonable person would think this decision works to fill the coffers of anybody. Everyone is getting shafted.

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#109

Post by mike_hearn » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:26 AM UTC

spankalee wrote: post #42

keiferski wrote: post #27

This whole situation made me realize that the mechanism for holding presidents accountable for campaign promises really doesn’t exist. None of this is what people voted for, and is almost directly the opposite. That isn’t a new thing, of course, but this seems like a pretty huge turnaround from what the campaign was about. This seems like a fundamental problem with the system to me. If you can’t count on the candidat…

The US needs a parliamentary system. Trump would have been dumped already. Instead we have to wait 3 more years to end this insanity.

In Parliamentary systems, governments still regularly do things that violate or weren't in their manifestos.

Re: Iranians describe scenes of catastrophe after Tehran's oil depots bombed

#110

Post by lwansbrough » Mon, Mar 09, 2026, 10:29 AM UTC

pzo wrote: post #104

lwansbrough wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not American. There is a host of publicly available proof of Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. It is not, and has never been, a well kept secret of the regime.

Pentagon made few reports that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons - I bet they have better intelligence that you. Their killed religious leader made fatwa that forbid having or using weapons of mass destruction. Surprisingly now when he is gone they can pursue it after being attacked. Also worth to watch many Bibi talks since 1980s where he sais Iran will have nukes very soon and this didn't materialize in 40 years…

You realize how much work has gone into ensuring that didn't materialize in those 40 years, right? JCPOA... Stuxnet?

The Pentagon agrees that Iran is not officially pursuing nuclear weapons. However, there are CIA reports that indicated there may have been covert operations taking place that were exploring cruder nuclear weapons. I imagine that was the basis for the US bombing of Iran in 2025.