Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran'; • Hacker News Board

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#271

Post by chickenzzzzu » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:04 AM UTC

chabska wrote: post #221

adastra22 wrote: post #20

OP, some context from the other side might be helpful. Yes, there are fines for American companies if they do business with Iranians. That's how sanctions work as I'm sure you're aware. But the story doesn't stop there. If an American finds out they are transacting with a sanctioned individual, or citizens of a sanctioned country like Iran or North Korea, the stakes go up: $1M USD fine and up to 20 years in federal p…

> Nobody should be expected to take that risk I've seen this sentiment so many times from westerners. You all say this, and yet at the same time you levy economic sanctions on countries like Iran, Cuba, and North Korea, with the justification that by making their citizens lives horrific, you encourage them to rise against their government. Their authoritarian militaristic government that doesn't care for human rights…

[flagged]

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#272

Post by uncletoxa » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:05 AM UTC

jwr wrote: post #249

slg wrote: post #64

>Iranian IPs are blocked here, due to your decision to arm Russia with drones so that they can indiscriminately massacre civilians. The "your decision" in that response is really off-putting. I know the law is what it is with sanctions like this. However, it is a failing of basic human empathy to blame other common citizens of a country for the actions of their government while we almost certainly do not endorse all…

[flagged]

Except the concept of Collective responsibility had been considered inhumane and Collective punishment is forbidden since the Hague convention, the Nuremberg trial considered this as a part of fascist ideology.

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#273

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:05 AM UTC

TiredOfLife wrote: post #224

jbm wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to agree with this line of reasoning, but then I saw that the same process was used to block war crimes investigators from using Microsoft's software.

Except that didn't happen https://www.politico.eu/article/microsoft-did-not-cut-servic...

[deleted]

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#274

Post by ivan_gammel » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:05 AM UTC

reissbaker wrote: post #45

ivan_gammel wrote: post #10

The stupid thing about those indiscriminate sanctions is that it goes against the very values the West is pretending to defend. EU charter of Human Rights is explicit about condemning collective responsibility, universal declaration of human rights demands justice to be applied reasonably and individually, yet here we are: punishing people without trial. Do those sanctions even work? North Korea still builds nuclear…

Do those sanctions even work? Well, you mentioned "North Korea still builds nuclear weapons," but didn't mention Iran having them. So, something worked. It wasn't 100% just sanctions... But the sanctions certainly hampered their ability to acquire effective air defense. (The NK sanctions were too late — NK had already started nuclear weapons testing before the sanctions were levied.) Off the top of my head: I don't t…

> But the sanctions certainly hampered their ability to acquire effective air defense.

Effective air defense against military superpower (and they were effectively fighting against American technology) is something very hard to build, with or without sanctions. Ukraine is a good proof: Russia was denied air superiority using manned aircrafts but they still manage to inflict significant damage with missiles and drones.

> I don't think the USSR is still around, and it largely collapsed due to economic pressure

It wasn’t external pressure at all. Soviet Union had everything to be self-sustainable (e.g. Russia and Ukraine have proven later that in agriculture it’s absolutely possible). They failed to execute transition to regulated market economy the way China did. Gorbachev thought democracy goes first (the entire Warsaw bloc collapsed thanks to “blue jeans” - KGB and Stasi feared Western culture the most, and the West was ready to send more of it).

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#275

Post by sofixa » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:06 AM UTC

chabska wrote: post #221

adastra22 wrote: post #20

OP, some context from the other side might be helpful. Yes, there are fines for American companies if they do business with Iranians. That's how sanctions work as I'm sure you're aware. But the story doesn't stop there. If an American finds out they are transacting with a sanctioned individual, or citizens of a sanctioned country like Iran or North Korea, the stakes go up: $1M USD fine and up to 20 years in federal p…

> Nobody should be expected to take that risk I've seen this sentiment so many times from westerners. You all say this, and yet at the same time you levy economic sanctions on countries like Iran, Cuba, and North Korea, with the justification that by making their citizens lives horrific, you encourage them to rise against their government. Their authoritarian militaristic government that doesn't care for human rights…

> You all say this, and yet at the same time you levy economic sanctions on countries like Iran, Cuba, and North Korea, with the justification that by making their citizens lives horrific, you encourage them to rise against their government.

That's (usually) a secondary goal of sanctions, if even that. The primary is to restrict the regime's ability to fund its growth, stability and military operations.

Russia can no longer (that easily) sell its oil and gas? Great, that's less money to invest into rockets and drones and tanks against Ukraine. It's also less money in the pockets of the oligarchs.

Realistically, you can't really push the civilians of a country to revolt with sanctions, or bombing. As Carl Spaatz said:

> Morale in a totalitarian society is irrelevant so long as the control patterns function effectively.

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#276

Post by Seattle3503 » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:06 AM UTC

chabska wrote: post #221

adastra22 wrote: post #20

OP, some context from the other side might be helpful. Yes, there are fines for American companies if they do business with Iranians. That's how sanctions work as I'm sure you're aware. But the story doesn't stop there. If an American finds out they are transacting with a sanctioned individual, or citizens of a sanctioned country like Iran or North Korea, the stakes go up: $1M USD fine and up to 20 years in federal p…

> Nobody should be expected to take that risk I've seen this sentiment so many times from westerners. You all say this, and yet at the same time you levy economic sanctions on countries like Iran, Cuba, and North Korea, with the justification that by making their citizens lives horrific, you encourage them to rise against their government. Their authoritarian militaristic government that doesn't care for human rights…

> You all say this, and yet at the same time you levy economic sanctions on countries like Iran, Cuba, and North Korea, with the justification that by making their citizens lives horrific, you encourage them to rise against their government.

I think the argument is that you deprive belligerent companies from the resources they need to attack and harm others. The suffering their citizens endure is unfortunate, but why should Americans take the blame when Kim Jong Un is so obviously culpable?

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#277

Post by Seattle3503 » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:08 AM UTC

ivell wrote: post #268

Keirmot wrote: post #254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sanctions have a theoretical basis behind them. In the Western Political Philosophical Canon, leaders and elites are expected to strive for the Common Good. From that perspective, sanctions aren’t meant as “torture for fun,” (as you put it) but as a way of creating pressure so governments change their behavior without having to resort to war. They’re basically a tool to raise the cost of bad actions and make it more…

The leadership of countries under sanctions rarely change their behavior due to sanctions. However the effect on the population of the countries is that they turn against the countries applying the sanctions. It becomes easier for the leaders to sell the sanctions to their populace as the enemy action. If the West is expecting any revolution due to sanctions, I have not seen it. However, sanctions do have a symbolic…

Sanctions diminish a counties capacity to wage war.

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#278

Post by dash2 » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:08 AM UTC

ivell wrote: post #268

Keirmot wrote: post #254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sanctions have a theoretical basis behind them. In the Western Political Philosophical Canon, leaders and elites are expected to strive for the Common Good. From that perspective, sanctions aren’t meant as “torture for fun,” (as you put it) but as a way of creating pressure so governments change their behavior without having to resort to war. They’re basically a tool to raise the cost of bad actions and make it more…

The leadership of countries under sanctions rarely change their behavior due to sanctions. However the effect on the population of the countries is that they turn against the countries applying the sanctions. It becomes easier for the leaders to sell the sanctions to their populace as the enemy action. If the West is expecting any revolution due to sanctions, I have not seen it. However, sanctions do have a symbolic…

On the whole, I’m inclined to agree, but didn’t South Africa eventually end apartheid because of sanctions?

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#279

Post by Keirmot » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:08 AM UTC

heyheyhouhou wrote: post #192

Iranian IPs are blocked here, due to your decision to arm Russia with drones so that they can indiscriminately massacre civilians. I always find amusing how the west always blames the people of the rivals "iranians", the "chinese", etc but when something is wrong with their side they blame an entity to detach themselves "the american government", "this administration", "nazi germany", etc

This comment is disingenuous.

In everyday speech, people don’t carefully separate “the people” from “the state.” A French person talking about the U.S. usually says les Américains. A German talking about the French will just say die Franzosen — or, if they’re in the mood to tease, die Froschfresser. It’s only in news or diplomatic language that you see “the American government,” “the French government,” or “London” when referring to Britain.

The phrase “this administration” is mostly used domestically, by citizens talking about their own rulers. In Portugal you’d hear "este governo é uma merda", and in Spain the exact same sentiment — give or take a letter or two.

And “Nazi Germany” is only used when distinguishing regimes — Weimar vs. Federal Republic, Estado Novo vs. the Portuguese Republics, the French Fourth vs. the Fifth Republic, and so on.

Re: Delete FROM users WHERE location = 'Iran';

#280

Post by andrepd » Tue, Sep 23, 2025, 9:08 AM UTC

> I came to the realization that Microsoft deleted my app, my developer account, and all those comments on my app supporting me and suggesting ideas on how to improve the program. I tried to contact the support and email whoever I could, but I was ghosted.

I think this is the most insidious part. These companies (on which you often depend for very important things, whether you want or not) will just ban you and delete your stuff, or even shadowban you, without (1) so much as an explanation beyond the Orwellian "you have violated our terms and conditions", and without (2) any possibility of appeal or customer support whatsoever.

This goes for google, discord, reddit, YouTube, github, notion, etc etc etc.