This whole system is corrupt and decrepit, from top to bottom. Rules are bent and broken, depending on who it involves. Things are invented on the spot if Juventus are involved, quickly made an example of, then everything is changed when it involves another side. And of course, the usual cry from other fans is 'what about Farsopoli? Juve fans shouldn't talk etc etc blah blah zzzzz zzzzzzzzz.
What happened to us was 20 years ago, how long is that going to be the same tired argument to dismiss us when we raise valid concerns? What has really changed since then, other than the slow and steady death of the league? There's no real transparency from the people in charge at the highest level, and instead, the league suffers damage to it's dwindling reputation, every single season.
They don't need an overhaul, commissioners....they need to tear the whole thing down and start over.
95 unidentified bodies in front of Beirut's Hariri Hospital, awaiting identification by their relatives. That’s one hospital out of dozens.
Lord have mercy.
Iran has been engaged in violent hostilities towards the GCC ever since the Islamic revolution; long before the presence of US bases.
Interestingly, MOST of the attacks took place before the establishment of US presence in GCC bases, and STOPPED for 15 years after the establishment of the bases.
Notably, the GCC never responded militantly to any of these hostilities. Iran casualties caused by the GCC in response, to date, is 0.
Whats more; it was the GCC who extended the hand of friendship to Iran in the late 2010s and early 2020s culminating with Saudi Arabia asking China to help broker a deal between them despite there being little to gain from it for the GCC countries other than achieving regional stability and quelling the bloodshed in Syria and Yemen.
Now lets go through them.
Islamic Revolution: 1979.
1. 1981 Bahrain: failed Iran-backed coup attempt.
2. 1983 Kuwait: bombings of embassies, airport, residential compounds, government facilities and petrochemical/refinery sites
86 casualties
3. 1985 Kuwait: assassination attempt on Emir via suicide bomber
5. 1986 Mecca/Hajj: explosives found Iranian operative pilgrims’ luggage
6. 1987 Mecca: Iranian operatives under cover as pilgrims start clashes during Hajj
7. 1989 Mecca: bombings near the Grand Mosque
17 casualties
8. 1996 Saudi Arabia: Khobar Towers bombing
391 casualties
9. 2015 Bahrain: Sitra bombing
8 casualties
10. 2016 Bahrain: foiled IRGC bombing plot
11. 2019 UAE Fujairah: sabotage of four commercial vessels
This isn’t even touching on their bloody involvement in Yemen, Iraq and Syria.
So next time someone says Iran is attacking the GCC because of US bases, poke their eyes with this thread. 🪡
Mocking Gulf states for ‘not retaliating’ against Iran like they’re losing a game of Risk is embarrassing. These are real countries making serious calculations with real consequences.
And spare me the ‘it’s only because of American bases’ reductionism. This is usually said by the same people whose entire lives are entangled in American economic and political infrastructure. This world is deeply interdependent. Pretending otherwise, and reducing complex geopolitics to clean identity camps, has never done anything but get people killed.
Diplomacy is serious. Grow up.
We should revive traditional clothing.
So many cultures have really cool traditions and manufacturing techniques shaped by local materials and climate.
Everything has become so homogenized now that many people don’t even know how their ancestors dressed.
It seems NO one learns from history. Biggest WWII lesson: Never add more foes to your list when you are already over-stretched. Germany’s new Eastern front with USSR drained its resources & diverted its elite air & armored units from the main European theaters.