Well, do yourself what you would expect other people in a rogue state to do. How many cries of "the Russians should overthrow the government!" were there?

Or to bring in a parable: What would you have expected from the average German citizen in 1939?

The leaders know their time is running out (especially Chamenei, which is an old man by now), and I sincerely believe that in his perspective it is much more favourable to go out on the prospect of being worshipped by his followers for a long time to come instead of doing a Saddam.

You know that there is a concept known as "martyrdom", right?

As if the US have ever given a fuck who they blew up...

If the option to vote with paper is gone try lead.

Ways that could escalate:

• Iran finishes a nuke (or get one from somewhere [or use some other form of WMD]) and the regime decides to go out with a bang
• China using the moment of distraction to try something funny with Taiwan
• A new wave of international terrorism after the regime falls

So, even if that doesn't escalate up to full on WWIII there is enough shit on the horizon to be worried

Somehow i have the feeling that i will regret further participating in this conversation, but i feel somewhat masochistic today:

Any western nation is safer because no western nation is surrounded by countries that would happily do to the israelis what the israelis currently are doing to the palestinians. Yes, its unfair and brutal, but as a nation of a people that was selected for annihilation just about 90 years ago i personaly can understand that they are willing to commit every atrocity needed to ensure that nobody will attack them.

Do i LIKE it? Hell no! Would i like a better solution where everyone over there lives in peace? Absolutely! But i can UNDERSTAND why they acting the way they do.

I agree, but I will add that they are also indoctrinated from a young age to hate or fear the Palestinians. I don’t really think the long history means as much other than an excuse to continue the indoctrination.

The same could be said for the other side... which is the reason i think this conflict is absolutely hopeless...

I really don't give a shit

I care as much about the Palestinians as i care about the Israelis... from my personal point of view i have as much emotional investment in them as with any other people that kill eachother in other parts of the world, so not very much.

How about the side using suicide bombers and defaulting to terrorism? Shooting unguided rockets into the general direction of a city also does not scream "good guys", am i right?

Oh i can understand them also very well... but this doesn't change anything. Neither side is "good" or "bad" over there, both sides have very good reasons to keep on fighting.

I think at this moment the total annihilation of one of the two sides is ineviteable, too much blood has been spilled too much atrocities were conducted on both sides.

The thing is: I can understand them.

If you are part of a minority that was trampled on for a long, long period of time, being targeted for anhiliation and now, having a somewhat safe nation for not even 80 years within a sea of other nations wanting to destroy them... well, i absolutely can understand them to ensure their safety whatever it takes. Yeah, it may not be pretty (or to be more precise: Often outright gross), it may not be "fair"... but i can understand that they don't want to take any chances.