Republican Senators send a letter to Iran. Wow. Damn!

[ChrisL]

Obviously, you do not understand this topic. It is too complicated for you. Now, run along little dummy.

How Nuclear Power Works - HowStuffWorks

Converting a civilian enrichment plant into a nuclear weapons material facility Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Iran’s nuclear program—specifically its ongoing uranium enrichment—has long been the subject of much debate. Iran insists its enrichment is peaceful, but the international community worries that Iran could be seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon. But exactly how can a civilian enrichment plant be turned into one that produces nuclear weapons material?

There are two paths to a bomb: using either uranium or plutonium. For either path, obtaining the material is considered one of the greatest hurdles to overcome.

Uranium has two isotopes—235 and 238. Uranium 235 powers both nuclear reactors and nuclear bombs, but it is less than 1 percent of naturally occurring uranium. The concentration of uranium 235 needs to be increased to about 5 percent (low-enriched uranium) for nuclear reactor fuel and to about 90 percent (highly enriched uranium) for nuclear bombs. This process is called enrichment.

Today, enrichment is done using high-speed gas centrifuges. Many centrifuges are interconnected in stages to form cascades. The pattern or shape of the cascade is determined by the required concentration of the final product and the properties of individual centrifuges.

Exactly the same machines that produce nuclear fuel can produce weapons material. That is why uranium enrichment technology is inherently dual-use. Any civilian enrichment facility can be used to produce nuclear weapons material.

Because of this danger, all nuclear material in civilian enrichment facilities owned by non-nuclear weapons states is under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. Inspectors monitor sites to ensure that a nation uses the facility as declared and that no nuclear material is secretly diverted.

That's why we want a deal so we can have inspectors there.

We've had inspectors try to go in there before, and they hide things and lie about things. You cannot be serious. Look, why don't you just admit, instead of trying to save face, that this is a terrible idea? I've killed every one of your arguments.

You realize they already have nuclear power right?

They have been working on it and lying about it. I know that much. You do realize that Iran wants a nuclear weapon, right?

 

[Brain357]

Well the link says they are moving to be moderate and that is why the sanctions are working. All your claims are counter to your own link.

Sanctions having an effect has nothing to do with how moderate they are. They are FORCED to come to the table and deal when the sanctions are in effect. It is the same idea as starving them out of the castle.

Your link says sanctions are working because they are becoming more moderate. Which your own arguments say is false.

No it does not say that. They have not become more moderate. They come to the table to negotiate because they are "starved out." This is what sanctions do. Sanctions do NOT change an ideology.

Just because the person in the link may THINK that is the reason for Iran coming to the table, that is not necessarily the reason. The reason why I posted the link was to show that sanctions can and do work when carried out correctly and with everyone participating. The reason WHY is because of desperation on the part of the Iranians.

Hey that's what your link says. I still know example where sanctions have worked.

What? Your posts don't even make sense. It's like work having a discussion with you.

You need to read your own links.

 

[ChrisL]

Some more interesting data from the link I posted above.

"A nuclear bomb requires only small amounts of uranium—a “significant quantity” of highly enriched uranium, according to the IAEA, is about 25 kilograms, or a little over 55 pounds. (Actual amounts may be smaller and depend on the bomb’s design.) A typical 1,000-megawatt nuclear reactor uses 27,000 kilograms of low-enriched uranium in a year. This means that an enrichment plant sized to fuel one reactor has the capacity to produce about 20 bombs per year. That is roughly 300 centrifuges of the kind run by Urenco, the European enrichment consortium, or over 100,000 centrifuges of the kind mostly used by Iran. To produce one bomb a year would require less than 20 Urenco machines or more than 5,000 Iranian ones.

There are several ways to “break out”—that is, produce enough material for one weapon or more—using civilian enrichment facilities. An operator can enrich beyond declared levels at a disclosed facility—covertly or after expelling inspectors—or divert nuclear material to another secret facility.

A cascade that enriches natural uranium to a 5 percent concentration is different from one that enriches to 90 percent only in the number of centrifuges used and how they are interconnected (assuming that centrifuges in both cascades have the same performance). Existing cascades can be re-piped to produce highly enriched uranium, but it also can be produced by “batch recycling,” which is running material several times through a cascade “shaped” for producing low-enriched uranium. Alternatively, an operator could manipulate cascade performance by adjusting the rate at which uranium flows through the centrifuges. Deciding on an option involves a trade-off between efficiency and speed.

The technical requirements for building a nuclear bomb include designing the weapon, producing nuclear material, “weaponizing” that material (converting and machining the material and assembling the bomb), and testing the weapon. Developing a suitable delivery system is also important.

However, the ability to produce weapons material has been widely used as a proxy measure for a country’s nuclear weapons potential. Two main factors determine the time required to produce highly enriched uranium: capacity to enrich uranium (determined by the number of operational centrifuges and the performance of those centrifuges) and the available stockpiles of material (enrichment level and amount). After there is enough feed material for one bomb, the size of the stockpile does not determine the time to a bomb—the enrichment capacity does. Starting with 20 percent uranium cuts by more than half the time to produce a significant quantity of highly enriched uranium compared to starting from 3.5 percent.

Estimates vary greatly because experts adopt different assumptions on the amount of material required for a bomb, the breakout method, and the amount of uranium lost as waste. Some include the time to weaponize the material.

Most estimates on a country’s time to a bomb are typically not predictions of when it will produce a weapon. Iran, for example, has been one to five years away from a bomb since 1985. Rather, they are used to measure the relative imminence of the threat and weigh policy options. They are also used to quantify how much threat reduction we have bought or, colloquially, by how much we have set back the nuclear clock."

 

[ChrisL]

Sanctions having an effect has nothing to do with how moderate they are. They are FORCED to come to the table and deal when the sanctions are in effect. It is the same idea as starving them out of the castle.

Your link says sanctions are working because they are becoming more moderate. Which your own arguments say is false.

No it does not say that. They have not become more moderate. They come to the table to negotiate because they are "starved out." This is what sanctions do. Sanctions do NOT change an ideology.

Just because the person in the link may THINK that is the reason for Iran coming to the table, that is not necessarily the reason. The reason why I posted the link was to show that sanctions can and do work when carried out correctly and with everyone participating. The reason WHY is because of desperation on the part of the Iranians.

Hey that's what your link says. I still know example where sanctions have worked.

What? Your posts don't even make sense. It's like work having a discussion with you.

You need to read your own links.

I have. Several times. I do notice, as do others, that you cannot refute any of my points.

 

[Brain357]

Your link says sanctions are working because they are becoming more moderate. Which your own arguments say is false.

No it does not say that. They have not become more moderate. They come to the table to negotiate because they are "starved out." This is what sanctions do. Sanctions do NOT change an ideology.

Just because the person in the link may THINK that is the reason for Iran coming to the table, that is not necessarily the reason. The reason why I posted the link was to show that sanctions can and do work when carried out correctly and with everyone participating. The reason WHY is because of desperation on the part of the Iranians.

Hey that's what your link says. I still know example where sanctions have worked.

What? Your posts don't even make sense. It's like work having a discussion with you.

You need to read your own links.

I have. Several times. I do notice, as do others, that you cannot refute any of my points.

Sure and Iran isn't fighting Isis. Just being reported by everyone. You haven't come close to making sense.

 

[Brain357]

Some more interesting data from the link I posted above.

"A nuclear bomb requires only small amounts of uranium—a “significant quantity” of highly enriched uranium, according to the IAEA, is about 25 kilograms, or a little over 55 pounds. (Actual amounts may be smaller and depend on the bomb’s design.) A typical 1,000-megawatt nuclear reactor uses 27,000 kilograms of low-enriched uranium in a year. This means that an enrichment plant sized to fuel one reactor has the capacity to produce about 20 bombs per year. That is roughly 300 centrifuges of the kind run by Urenco, the European enrichment consortium, or over 100,000 centrifuges of the kind mostly used by Iran. To produce one bomb a year would require less than 20 Urenco machines or more than 5,000 Iranian ones.

There are several ways to “break out”—that is, produce enough material for one weapon or more—using civilian enrichment facilities. An operator can enrich beyond declared levels at a disclosed facility—covertly or after expelling inspectors—or divert nuclear material to another secret facility.

A cascade that enriches natural uranium to a 5 percent concentration is different from one that enriches to 90 percent only in the number of centrifuges used and how they are interconnected (assuming that centrifuges in both cascades have the same performance). Existing cascades can be re-piped to produce highly enriched uranium, but it also can be produced by “batch recycling,” which is running material several times through a cascade “shaped” for producing low-enriched uranium. Alternatively, an operator could manipulate cascade performance by adjusting the rate at which uranium flows through the centrifuges. Deciding on an option involves a trade-off between efficiency and speed.

The technical requirements for building a nuclear bomb include designing the weapon, producing nuclear material, “weaponizing” that material (converting and machining the material and assembling the bomb), and testing the weapon. Developing a suitable delivery system is also important.

However, the ability to produce weapons material has been widely used as a proxy measure for a country’s nuclear weapons potential. Two main factors determine the time required to produce highly enriched uranium: capacity to enrich uranium (determined by the number of operational centrifuges and the performance of those centrifuges) and the available stockpiles of material (enrichment level and amount). After there is enough feed material for one bomb, the size of the stockpile does not determine the time to a bomb—the enrichment capacity does. Starting with 20 percent uranium cuts by more than half the time to produce a significant quantity of highly enriched uranium compared to starting from 3.5 percent.

Estimates vary greatly because experts adopt different assumptions on the amount of material required for a bomb, the breakout method, and the amount of uranium lost as waste. Some include the time to weaponize the material.

Most estimates on a country’s time to a bomb are typically not predictions of when it will produce a weapon. Iran, for example, has been one to five years away from a bomb since 1985. Rather, they are used to measure the relative imminence of the threat and weigh policy options. They are also used to quantify how much threat reduction we have bought or, colloquially, by how much we have set back the nuclear clock."

They already have nuclear power...

 

[ChrisL]

No it does not say that. They have not become more moderate. They come to the table to negotiate because they are "starved out." This is what sanctions do. Sanctions do NOT change an ideology.

Just because the person in the link may THINK that is the reason for Iran coming to the table, that is not necessarily the reason. The reason why I posted the link was to show that sanctions can and do work when carried out correctly and with everyone participating. The reason WHY is because of desperation on the part of the Iranians.

Hey that's what your link says. I still know example where sanctions have worked.

What? Your posts don't even make sense. It's like work having a discussion with you.

You need to read your own links.

I have. Several times. I do notice, as do others, that you cannot refute any of my points.

Sure and Iran isn't fighting Isis. Just being reported by everyone. You haven't come close to making sense.

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

 

[Brain357]

How Nuclear Power Works - HowStuffWorks

Converting a civilian enrichment plant into a nuclear weapons material facility Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Iran’s nuclear program—specifically its ongoing uranium enrichment—has long been the subject of much debate. Iran insists its enrichment is peaceful, but the international community worries that Iran could be seeking to acquire a nuclear weapon. But exactly how can a civilian enrichment plant be turned into one that produces nuclear weapons material?

There are two paths to a bomb: using either uranium or plutonium. For either path, obtaining the material is considered one of the greatest hurdles to overcome.

Uranium has two isotopes—235 and 238. Uranium 235 powers both nuclear reactors and nuclear bombs, but it is less than 1 percent of naturally occurring uranium. The concentration of uranium 235 needs to be increased to about 5 percent (low-enriched uranium) for nuclear reactor fuel and to about 90 percent (highly enriched uranium) for nuclear bombs. This process is called enrichment.

Today, enrichment is done using high-speed gas centrifuges. Many centrifuges are interconnected in stages to form cascades. The pattern or shape of the cascade is determined by the required concentration of the final product and the properties of individual centrifuges.

Exactly the same machines that produce nuclear fuel can produce weapons material. That is why uranium enrichment technology is inherently dual-use. Any civilian enrichment facility can be used to produce nuclear weapons material.

Because of this danger, all nuclear material in civilian enrichment facilities owned by non-nuclear weapons states is under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. Inspectors monitor sites to ensure that a nation uses the facility as declared and that no nuclear material is secretly diverted.

That's why we want a deal so we can have inspectors there.

We've had inspectors try to go in there before, and they hide things and lie about things. You cannot be serious. Look, why don't you just admit, instead of trying to save face, that this is a terrible idea? I've killed every one of your arguments.

You realize they already have nuclear power right?

They have been working on it and lying about it. I know that much. You do realize that Iran wants a nuclear weapon, right?

You didn't know, shocking. Well israel has them so why wouldn't Iran want them?
Nuclear program of Iran - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

 

[Brain357]

Hey that's what your link says. I still know example where sanctions have worked.

What? Your posts don't even make sense. It's like work having a discussion with you.

You need to read your own links.

I have. Several times. I do notice, as do others, that you cannot refute any of my points.

Sure and Iran isn't fighting Isis. Just being reported by everyone. You haven't come close to making sense.

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

 

[ChrisL]

What? Your posts don't even make sense. It's like work having a discussion with you.

You need to read your own links.

I have. Several times. I do notice, as do others, that you cannot refute any of my points.

Sure and Iran isn't fighting Isis. Just being reported by everyone. You haven't come close to making sense.

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

 

[Brain357]

You need to read your own links.

I have. Several times. I do notice, as do others, that you cannot refute any of my points.

Sure and Iran isn't fighting Isis. Just being reported by everyone. You haven't come close to making sense.

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

That is a lot of stupid. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

 

[ChrisL]

I have. Several times. I do notice, as do others, that you cannot refute any of my points.

Sure and Iran isn't fighting Isis. Just being reported by everyone. You haven't come close to making sense.

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

That is a lot of stupid. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

No, if you knew anything about Iran, it is not stupid. It makes perfect sense. The author has nothing to gain by lying and he knows a LOT about the ME.

Russell Chapman is a freelance photographer and writer. Originally from the UK, he is now based in Switzerland. He is well versed in Middle Eastern and Russian affairs. Using photography he tries to communicate strong messages and emotions in a way which will have a lasting impact on those who observe his work. His writing is based on a perspective that tries to look at events from different angles which are not always covered elsewhere.

He is recognized for his work in Syria, having been invited to present at international conferences such as Refugee Voices at the Refugee Studies Centre at St Annes College, Oxford University and Franklin University, Switzerland. His work was also exhibited at the Conference on Forced Migration in Washington DC.

The book, Syria: Refugees and Rebels, is a personal account documenting Chapman’s time in Syria in the Spring of 2013, as well as the refugee camps of Lebanon and Jordan. In it, he talks about his experiences of this war torn country but the main focus is on his photo documentary of what he saw.

He went to Syria because he wanted to better understand what is really happening. His Syrian friends told him that only a part of the full picture is given in the news. The only way to get the full pictures was to go there himself. Over the course of the month that he was in Syria, he saw for himself the effects of the war on the people, his book is very much a reflection of that. Telling the story of a people who have lost so much, those who remain in the country and those who have fled to refugee camps.

His approach to photographing the situation was not that of the hit and run style, but rather, a more thoughtful approach. He spent a lot of time with the Syrian people, getting to know them better and in so doing, discovered that they were prepared to really open up to him and share their personal stories. As a result, the images he captured show more of the soul of the people rather than simply focusing on their distressed situation.

All the time he was on this project he lived as the people, he even spent a night in a refugee camp in Jordan to try and understand on some small scale what these people have to live with every day. His interest in Syria is very much humanitarian, the purpose of his work and his book specifically, is to show the real people, the fact that they are the same as people everywhere. They have the same hopes and dreams, the desire for security, a home, work and family. Simply because they are living through this terrible time does not make them somehow less than we who do not have these problems.

Before going to Syria, Chapman was able to raise money to buy medicines to help the Syrians. His desire is to continue this work, sales of the book go toward Chapman continuing, in his own small way, his work of giving a voice to those who have lost so much, as well as trying to help them directly.

 

[Brain357]

Sure and Iran isn't fighting Isis. Just being reported by everyone. You haven't come close to making sense.

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

That is a lot of stupid. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

No, if you knew anything about Iran, it is not stupid. It makes perfect sense. The author has nothing to gain by lying and he knows a LOT about the ME.

Russell Chapman is a freelance photographer and writer. Originally from the UK, he is now based in Switzerland. He is well versed in Middle Eastern and Russian affairs. Using photography he tries to communicate strong messages and emotions in a way which will have a lasting impact on those who observe his work. His writing is based on a perspective that tries to look at events from different angles which are not always covered elsewhere.

He is recognized for his work in Syria, having been invited to present at international conferences such as Refugee Voices at the Refugee Studies Centre at St Annes College, Oxford University and Franklin University, Switzerland. His work was also exhibited at the Conference on Forced Migration in Washington DC.

The book, Syria: Refugees and Rebels, is a personal account documenting Chapman’s time in Syria in the Spring of 2013, as well as the refugee camps of Lebanon and Jordan. In it, he talks about his experiences of this war torn country but the main focus is on his photo documentary of what he saw.

He went to Syria because he wanted to better understand what is really happening. His Syrian friends told him that only a part of the full picture is given in the news. The only way to get the full pictures was to go there himself. Over the course of the month that he was in Syria, he saw for himself the effects of the war on the people, his book is very much a reflection of that. Telling the story of a people who have lost so much, those who remain in the country and those who have fled to refugee camps.

His approach to photographing the situation was not that of the hit and run style, but rather, a more thoughtful approach. He spent a lot of time with the Syrian people, getting to know them better and in so doing, discovered that they were prepared to really open up to him and share their personal stories. As a result, the images he captured show more of the soul of the people rather than simply focusing on their distressed situation.

All the time he was on this project he lived as the people, he even spent a night in a refugee camp in Jordan to try and understand on some small scale what these people have to live with every day. His interest in Syria is very much humanitarian, the purpose of his work and his book specifically, is to show the real people, the fact that they are the same as people everywhere. They have the same hopes and dreams, the desire for security, a home, work and family. Simply because they are living through this terrible time does not make them somehow less than we who do not have these problems.

Before going to Syria, Chapman was able to raise money to buy medicines to help the Syrians. His desire is to continue this work, sales of the book go toward Chapman continuing, in his own small way, his work of giving a voice to those who have lost so much, as well as trying to help them directly.

It's just a guess at best. It's backed by nothing. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

 

[ChrisL]

I have. Several times. I do notice, as do others, that you cannot refute any of my points.

Sure and Iran isn't fighting Isis. Just being reported by everyone. You haven't come close to making sense.

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

That is a lot of stupid. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

So, this is your response. "That is a lot of stupid." That's what you say about the very educated opinions of a man who has actually LIVED in the ME amongst the people and who has first-hand knowledge about what is going on there?

Sorry, but you are wrong, and I keep proving you wrong time after time after time, but you keep coming back to be proven wrong again. I'm beginning to think you like to be wrong.

 

[ChrisL]

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

That is a lot of stupid. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

No, if you knew anything about Iran, it is not stupid. It makes perfect sense. The author has nothing to gain by lying and he knows a LOT about the ME.

Russell Chapman is a freelance photographer and writer. Originally from the UK, he is now based in Switzerland. He is well versed in Middle Eastern and Russian affairs. Using photography he tries to communicate strong messages and emotions in a way which will have a lasting impact on those who observe his work. His writing is based on a perspective that tries to look at events from different angles which are not always covered elsewhere.

He is recognized for his work in Syria, having been invited to present at international conferences such as Refugee Voices at the Refugee Studies Centre at St Annes College, Oxford University and Franklin University, Switzerland. His work was also exhibited at the Conference on Forced Migration in Washington DC.

The book, Syria: Refugees and Rebels, is a personal account documenting Chapman’s time in Syria in the Spring of 2013, as well as the refugee camps of Lebanon and Jordan. In it, he talks about his experiences of this war torn country but the main focus is on his photo documentary of what he saw.

He went to Syria because he wanted to better understand what is really happening. His Syrian friends told him that only a part of the full picture is given in the news. The only way to get the full pictures was to go there himself. Over the course of the month that he was in Syria, he saw for himself the effects of the war on the people, his book is very much a reflection of that. Telling the story of a people who have lost so much, those who remain in the country and those who have fled to refugee camps.

His approach to photographing the situation was not that of the hit and run style, but rather, a more thoughtful approach. He spent a lot of time with the Syrian people, getting to know them better and in so doing, discovered that they were prepared to really open up to him and share their personal stories. As a result, the images he captured show more of the soul of the people rather than simply focusing on their distressed situation.

All the time he was on this project he lived as the people, he even spent a night in a refugee camp in Jordan to try and understand on some small scale what these people have to live with every day. His interest in Syria is very much humanitarian, the purpose of his work and his book specifically, is to show the real people, the fact that they are the same as people everywhere. They have the same hopes and dreams, the desire for security, a home, work and family. Simply because they are living through this terrible time does not make them somehow less than we who do not have these problems.

Before going to Syria, Chapman was able to raise money to buy medicines to help the Syrians. His desire is to continue this work, sales of the book go toward Chapman continuing, in his own small way, his work of giving a voice to those who have lost so much, as well as trying to help them directly.

It's just a guess at best. It's backed by nothing. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

This has already been explained to you multiple times. Ulterior motives. Everything is going exactly the way Iran has planned.

 

[ChrisL]

I just hope others can see how ridiculous the posters on this site are. I provide fact-based thoughtful posts about the situation with many links and have taken the time to excerpt quotes from those links. What do I get in return is "that's stupid." Lol. I think it is obvious who is a political mouthpiece and who is stupid, and it is certainly not me.

 

[ChrisL]

I never denied they were joining or at least claiming to. I said they have ulterior motives.

I also would not doubt that Iran was funding ISIS in order to cause chaos in the ME, so that they can take advantage of the situation and take Iraq.

As was noted in some of my prior links, there are connections between the Syrians, Iran and ISIS.

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

That is a lot of stupid. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

No, if you knew anything about Iran, it is not stupid. It makes perfect sense. The author has nothing to gain by lying and he knows a LOT about the ME.

Russell Chapman is a freelance photographer and writer. Originally from the UK, he is now based in Switzerland. He is well versed in Middle Eastern and Russian affairs. Using photography he tries to communicate strong messages and emotions in a way which will have a lasting impact on those who observe his work. His writing is based on a perspective that tries to look at events from different angles which are not always covered elsewhere.

He is recognized for his work in Syria, having been invited to present at international conferences such as Refugee Voices at the Refugee Studies Centre at St Annes College, Oxford University and Franklin University, Switzerland. His work was also exhibited at the Conference on Forced Migration in Washington DC.

The book, Syria: Refugees and Rebels, is a personal account documenting Chapman’s time in Syria in the Spring of 2013, as well as the refugee camps of Lebanon and Jordan. In it, he talks about his experiences of this war torn country but the main focus is on his photo documentary of what he saw.

He went to Syria because he wanted to better understand what is really happening. His Syrian friends told him that only a part of the full picture is given in the news. The only way to get the full pictures was to go there himself. Over the course of the month that he was in Syria, he saw for himself the effects of the war on the people, his book is very much a reflection of that. Telling the story of a people who have lost so much, those who remain in the country and those who have fled to refugee camps.

His approach to photographing the situation was not that of the hit and run style, but rather, a more thoughtful approach. He spent a lot of time with the Syrian people, getting to know them better and in so doing, discovered that they were prepared to really open up to him and share their personal stories. As a result, the images he captured show more of the soul of the people rather than simply focusing on their distressed situation.

All the time he was on this project he lived as the people, he even spent a night in a refugee camp in Jordan to try and understand on some small scale what these people have to live with every day. His interest in Syria is very much humanitarian, the purpose of his work and his book specifically, is to show the real people, the fact that they are the same as people everywhere. They have the same hopes and dreams, the desire for security, a home, work and family. Simply because they are living through this terrible time does not make them somehow less than we who do not have these problems.

Before going to Syria, Chapman was able to raise money to buy medicines to help the Syrians. His desire is to continue this work, sales of the book go toward Chapman continuing, in his own small way, his work of giving a voice to those who have lost so much, as well as trying to help them directly.

It's just a guess at best. It's backed by nothing. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

Oh, if you had read my previous links, the connections are quite clear. Iran is putting on a show and throwing about propaganda like always. They have ulterior motives and one of them is the destruction of the governing body of Iraq.

 

[Brain357]

I just hope others can see how ridiculous the posters on this site are. I provide fact-based thoughtful posts about the situation with many links and have taken the time to excerpt quotes from those links. What do I get in return is "that's stupid." Lol. I think it is obvious who is a political mouthpiece and who is stupid, and it is certainly not me.

You have provided bad opinions.

 

[Brain357]

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

That is a lot of stupid. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

No, if you knew anything about Iran, it is not stupid. It makes perfect sense. The author has nothing to gain by lying and he knows a LOT about the ME.

Russell Chapman is a freelance photographer and writer. Originally from the UK, he is now based in Switzerland. He is well versed in Middle Eastern and Russian affairs. Using photography he tries to communicate strong messages and emotions in a way which will have a lasting impact on those who observe his work. His writing is based on a perspective that tries to look at events from different angles which are not always covered elsewhere.

He is recognized for his work in Syria, having been invited to present at international conferences such as Refugee Voices at the Refugee Studies Centre at St Annes College, Oxford University and Franklin University, Switzerland. His work was also exhibited at the Conference on Forced Migration in Washington DC.

The book, Syria: Refugees and Rebels, is a personal account documenting Chapman’s time in Syria in the Spring of 2013, as well as the refugee camps of Lebanon and Jordan. In it, he talks about his experiences of this war torn country but the main focus is on his photo documentary of what he saw.

He went to Syria because he wanted to better understand what is really happening. His Syrian friends told him that only a part of the full picture is given in the news. The only way to get the full pictures was to go there himself. Over the course of the month that he was in Syria, he saw for himself the effects of the war on the people, his book is very much a reflection of that. Telling the story of a people who have lost so much, those who remain in the country and those who have fled to refugee camps.

His approach to photographing the situation was not that of the hit and run style, but rather, a more thoughtful approach. He spent a lot of time with the Syrian people, getting to know them better and in so doing, discovered that they were prepared to really open up to him and share their personal stories. As a result, the images he captured show more of the soul of the people rather than simply focusing on their distressed situation.

All the time he was on this project he lived as the people, he even spent a night in a refugee camp in Jordan to try and understand on some small scale what these people have to live with every day. His interest in Syria is very much humanitarian, the purpose of his work and his book specifically, is to show the real people, the fact that they are the same as people everywhere. They have the same hopes and dreams, the desire for security, a home, work and family. Simply because they are living through this terrible time does not make them somehow less than we who do not have these problems.

Before going to Syria, Chapman was able to raise money to buy medicines to help the Syrians. His desire is to continue this work, sales of the book go toward Chapman continuing, in his own small way, his work of giving a voice to those who have lost so much, as well as trying to help them directly.

It's just a guess at best. It's backed by nothing. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

This has already been explained to you multiple times. Ulterior motives. Everything is going exactly the way Iran has planned.

Yes and you want them to be stopped from getting nuclear power they already have.

 

[Lakhota]

They are not funding the same group they are fighting. Ridiculous. You've been proven to not know what you are talking about.

Oh yes they are. Consider this . . .

ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Who is it good for Russell Chapman

But why would Iran, which is Shia, help an extremist Sunni group? The answer is simple, to create havoc and chaos in Sunni dominated areas. Over time you will see that ISIS will not concentrate on trying to capture Shia areas. Baghdad is mixed between Sunni and Shia so they may try to take it but it is unlikely. However, the south-east of Iraq is by far majority Shia, I will be very surprised if they try to push into this part of the country. It will give a further strong indication that they are working with Iran.

Of course, to keep up appearances, Iran will make a show of helping Iraq to resist ISIS but it is more likely that Iraqi Sunni militias will be created from the remains of the army and other groups. It will end up similar to Syria, where the FSA while fighting the government, is also spending a lot of time trying to fight back against ISIS. The entire region will descend into a state of perpetual conflict, with only the Shia areas of Iraq remaining quiet. This is what Iran wants. The danger of using a proxy such as ISIS is that you have to keep control of it. Has Iran got ISIS on a short enough leash? Time will tell.

That is a lot of stupid. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

No, if you knew anything about Iran, it is not stupid. It makes perfect sense. The author has nothing to gain by lying and he knows a LOT about the ME.

Russell Chapman is a freelance photographer and writer. Originally from the UK, he is now based in Switzerland. He is well versed in Middle Eastern and Russian affairs. Using photography he tries to communicate strong messages and emotions in a way which will have a lasting impact on those who observe his work. His writing is based on a perspective that tries to look at events from different angles which are not always covered elsewhere.

He is recognized for his work in Syria, having been invited to present at international conferences such as Refugee Voices at the Refugee Studies Centre at St Annes College, Oxford University and Franklin University, Switzerland. His work was also exhibited at the Conference on Forced Migration in Washington DC.

The book, Syria: Refugees and Rebels, is a personal account documenting Chapman’s time in Syria in the Spring of 2013, as well as the refugee camps of Lebanon and Jordan. In it, he talks about his experiences of this war torn country but the main focus is on his photo documentary of what he saw.

He went to Syria because he wanted to better understand what is really happening. His Syrian friends told him that only a part of the full picture is given in the news. The only way to get the full pictures was to go there himself. Over the course of the month that he was in Syria, he saw for himself the effects of the war on the people, his book is very much a reflection of that. Telling the story of a people who have lost so much, those who remain in the country and those who have fled to refugee camps.

His approach to photographing the situation was not that of the hit and run style, but rather, a more thoughtful approach. He spent a lot of time with the Syrian people, getting to know them better and in so doing, discovered that they were prepared to really open up to him and share their personal stories. As a result, the images he captured show more of the soul of the people rather than simply focusing on their distressed situation.

All the time he was on this project he lived as the people, he even spent a night in a refugee camp in Jordan to try and understand on some small scale what these people have to live with every day. His interest in Syria is very much humanitarian, the purpose of his work and his book specifically, is to show the real people, the fact that they are the same as people everywhere. They have the same hopes and dreams, the desire for security, a home, work and family. Simply because they are living through this terrible time does not make them somehow less than we who do not have these problems.

Before going to Syria, Chapman was able to raise money to buy medicines to help the Syrians. His desire is to continue this work, sales of the book go toward Chapman continuing, in his own small way, his work of giving a voice to those who have lost so much, as well as trying to help them directly.

It's just a guess at best. It's backed by nothing. Fact is Iran is fighting Isis.

Oh, if you had read my previous links, the connections are quite clear. Iran is putting on a show and throwing about propaganda like always. They have ulterior motives and one of them is the destruction of the governing body of Iraq.

Wow, I bet Obama and Kerry don't know that. You should call and warn them.