So Israel launched an all out attack on Iran's nuclear program yesterday -- along with Mossad's operation confirming exactly the targets to hit. As I was in Budapest a few weeks ago, in the "Garden of Righteous Gentiles," I was suffused with pride that my people, who 80 years ago relied on the kindness of some to protect us, now has a homeland where they came up with pagers that blow terrorists' dicks off.
I first met Iranian folks as a UM freshman in 1979 -- we had a lot of well off kids here from Tehran admitted to UM's less than stellar Engineering School. Most were stylish -- guys favored the disco look -- silk shirts and coke spoons around their necks. Eric and I had one TA in Chemistry who wanted to be called "Moe," instead of his given name Mohammed. All was cool.
And then the Shah was deposed, and overnight these dudes showed up at UM in traditional Muslim garb -- lots of white -- adios to the silk shirts and coke spoons. I chatted with one -- his entire affect had changed, from 1980 Miami party boy to loyal follower of the Ayatollah. Whatever.
Over the ensuing years, when I met someone from their and they were mainstream, they identified themselves as "Persian," rather than Iranian. We have neighbors like that -- delightful folks who hosted a grand party when their daughter graduated medical school. Mohammed, however, keeps his actual name.
But in the decades since the Ayatollah played Jimmy Carter like a cheap violin, Iran became THE sponsor of Islamic terrorism. The awful Hamas raid on Israel's version of Burning Man was approved by Tehran, and they are sworn to the destruction of Israel and "Big Israel" -- the US.
Iran has been trying to develop nuclear "power" since they don't have enough oil for their energy needs. Ha. As if! Lately, the negotiations broke down, and Israel learned Iran was less than a month from having, as they used to call it, "The bomb."
And so last night they launched -- took out top military leaders and nuclear scientists, and at least one of two major nuclear manufacturing sites -- the other sits under a mountain and needs the "bunker buster" bombs only the US has -- I assume sooner than later the martyrs in charge in Tehran will order an attack on US installations, bringing us into the fight, and that will be the end of Iran's threat -- at least for a few years.
Bibi is problematic, but IS a fine wartime consigliere. He said, simply, that the Nazis stated they wanted Jews eliminated and went about doing it -- to the tune of 6 million. We've learned that when a government says that's their goal, they have to be listened to, and Tehran is sworn to the elimination of Jews. This time, though, we're taking action.
As far as I'm concerned, those sons of bitches have had it coming for decades. Maybe the non Islamist majority of Iran will seize this opportunity to finally depose the mullahs who have wrecked them since 1980. Boy -- that would be grand.
I also think back to the Summer of 1980, and a European undergrad I met. We discussed politics -- I was getting ready to vote in my first presidential election, and told her I was a third generation Democrat. She told me that, under Jimmy Carter, the rest of the world had lost respect for the US. It used to be that a US passport caused "the seas to part" in world airports -- under Carter, not so much.
I remember taking that to heart., and also watching how Castro had also played Carter in Miami with the Mariel boatlift. I wasn't ready to vote for Reagan, and so I voted for John Anderson, the ill fated Third Party guy. Of course, Reagan won in a landslide.
Now the GOP has turned into MAGA, and the Dems can't get out of their own way -- giving credence to far left creeps like AOC and Ilhan Omar.
Hopefully the pendulum swings back to the center. I have grandkids' futures to worry about.
But for now, Israel is doing the heavy lifting against a true existential threat -- go kick some tuches, blue and white!
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