[jltsiren]

Military history is full of quotes like "war is too important to be left to the generals". When you put people who focus on technical matters in charge, they often make poor decisions, as they are not looking at the big picture.

The question is not about whether the US can blockade the Hormuz Strait but who gets blamed for the blockade. Iran is messaging that it is making serious attempts to reopen the strait, while China and Russia are probably reinforcing the message. When people around the world suffer from the consequences of the blockade, they are more likely to blame America for their troubles. Or at least that's what Iran is trying to achieve.

[spiderfarmer]

Iran doesn’t have to do anything, really. The Hormuz blockade is entirely on the moronic US, their feeble leader as well as their utterly corrupt and incompetent politicians.

A toxic mix of staggering arrogance, moral bankruptcy, a lack of strategic thinking, non-existing historical awareness and a desperate need to divert attention because of the Epstein files.

Try debating a MAGA supporter. The stupidity is astounding.

[alsetmusic]

> because of the Epstein files.

> The stupidity is astounding.

They "released the files" and handed out binders of Epstein documents to influencers. There was a ton of posting as though something monumental had happened. They were entirely comprised pre-existing publicly released information.

That's how much the admin respects the intelligence of its base and that's how much its loudest supporters think things through.

[watwut]

> They were entirely comprised pre-existing publicly released information.

This is not true. This is in fact straightforwardly false.

[sillyfluke]

You and the parent may be talking about two different events.

There was an initial release of "binders" to known rightwing influencers in a choreographed photo event. It was a predominantly bullshit release that pissed off the conspiratorial wing of MAGA and the Epstein Republicans (Massie et al). This happened in early 2025.

The blowback from this event resulted in Congress passing the Epstein Transparency Act in Nov. 2025.

The biggest dump of files came after this (tho congressmen are claiming most files are still unreleased) , which is what you might be referring to.

But feel free to argue your point either way.

[spiderfarmer]

Most have not been released and they didn’t even pay lip service to the ‘unredacted’ requirement.

The truth will come out eventually. When the US finally realizes how cringe their awful leader is. Like when you finally realize how your friends thought about your partner after the breakup.

[_DeadFred_]

You'd think the Epstein class would get along better with Iran, seeing as you can get 'temporary' marriages to underage girls in Iran. (google 'iran child bride' and 'iran temporary marriage').

[bannable]

Why would anyone post this comment?

[_DeadFred_]

To highlight that both sides are horrific when it comes to the topic being discussed and that both sides need leadership to be changed?

Do you not think horrible behaviors should be highlighted/called out/brought up? Or just that US leadership Epstein connections should be?

[cnd78A]

"both sides are horrific" is convenient, but only one keep invading and bombing others since decades

[bigyabai]

On the hierarchy of disagreement, attacking the character of either side is the lowest form of intelligent commentary you can make: https://paulgraham.com/disagree.html

> Do you not think horrible behaviors should be highlighted/called out/brought up? Or just that US leadership Epstein connections should be?

If non-sequiturs are your best argument, then yes, you you have nothing to contribute by participating in good-faith speculation. Iranian child marriages do not reframe the "Tail that Wags the Dog" scenario in Washington. It's textbook whataboutism that you failed to elevate into meaningful commentary, making you look suspiciously disengaged.

[cnd78A]

Iranian child marriages do not reframe

Israel too to be fair "They're 15, Married With Children: Inside an Israeli Hasidic Cult's Code of Silence" (the gov and the population knows it, but it's ok) : https://archive.is/v9Amc#selection-699.0-699.83

[_DeadFred_]

I simply stated "You'd think these Epstein file guys would be on better terms with a country whose religious and political leaders sanctify that kind of behavior, not going to war with them.". Seems like a reasonable comment. They are all awful people.

Paul Graham is saying you should not call people you are in a discussion with names. If I called OP names your link would fit. Calling out a horrific regime that murders their people and rents out children under the sanction of their religious leaders is not that.

Calling the person you are in a discussion with names = bad. Call the subject of the discussion bad, when they legitimately are horrific, is normal discussion. Trump is awful. The Islamic Republic is awful. Both of those are normal and acceptable things to state in a discussion. You DeadFred are a <xyz negative statement>, not normal or acceptable.

However Hacker New's ACTUAL guidelines state reguarding comments "Converse curiously; don't cross-examine." which your post seems to explicitly violate. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

[adjejmxbdjdn]

Iran didn’t start a war to distract from the Epstein files (I don’t agree the U.S. did that either, but you have implicitly accepted the premise, and since you have, it should be obvious that in the context of this war, the relevant information is whether the pedophilia loving govt started a war to distract its public or not, not whether either govt is pedophilia loving).

[TitaRusell]

Remember when MAGA was about isolationism?

[spiderfarmer]

Where did they manufacture those hats?

[tdeck]

I can see how this is confusing. The American foreign policy establishment's consensus definition of "isolationism" is something like "not invading or planning to invade other countries", it doesn't mean not trading with them.

For Americans, not bombing something in Asia at least every couple of months is considered an isolationist tendency. And of course Central and South America don't even count, that's our "back yard" after all.

[Jensson]

No government have accepted Iranian tolls so far, that is just not going to fly ever. If every country controlling a strait started taking out such tolls that would cause much worse issues than we are seeing currently, nobody will have that.

[telchior]

No government has accepted Iranian tolls so far, but some shippers sure have; ships have been passing through the strait. Those shipments go on to countries with governments. I don't think you can actually know that there wasn't government support for any of those payments so far.

And cryptocurrency should be even better for deniability. In reality it would be a really good idea for certain governments that rely heavily on Middle Eastern oil (e.g. Philippines) to pay fees in the short term. More than a month ago the Philippines was already claiming to have "safe and preferential access", if that involves money they'll pay it. (https://www.rappler.com/business/philippine-flagged-ships-sa...)

[markdown]

You think people care? The average guy on the street doesn't even think about the fact that part of the price they paid for their lunch went to Panama for the use of a canal.