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Culture War Roundup for the week of June 16, 2025

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Would Iran nuke America though? Thinking about it for more than 5 seconds, how can one honestly think they would? They act like people who care about continuing to exist (for example, their retaliations against US aggression, e.g. Soleimani's killing, are always highly calculated so as not to start a full-scale war with the US). And they must know that nuking America means they will cease to exist the same minute. So, I need more convincing that they are willing to commit civilizational suicide. Or is the idea that they're biding their time so they can reach the point where they can nuke one US city, and then having achieved that goal, they'll happily get vaporized? Somehow I doubt that.

Like the other person said:

Note that "marg bar _____", while literally translating as "death to _____", is often used as an idiomatic expression of general hostility; compare how N. W. A. were not expressing carnal desire for the local constabulary.

Iran's whole shtick since 1979 has been hyperbolic rhetoric and sabre-rattling. Doesn't mean they would commit country-level suicide.