system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Song of Ice and Fire] The Iron Islands have no economy to speak of, spend the years raiding and stealing from other kingdoms, and can apparently only raise about 20k soldiers. Why are they tolerated, and why haven't they been wiped out long ago?
gpt
First you have to get to the island. They'll sink a lot of your boats along the way. Then, you have to land on the island. They'll sink even more of your boats and kill your soldiers as they wade ashore. Then, you have to breach the walls. They'll kill even more of your soldiers as you approach and climb. If you managed to land siege equipment, you might get inside the walls. Then, you have to kill 20,000 pissed off fighters who were raised believing fighting is the highest calling in life. And their wives and children, who also have lived their whole life in an armed fort. It's a hell of an undertaking and is likely to cost you hundreds of thousands of soldiers. While you're wasting your resources to stamp out an annoyance, the entire North marches south and conquers King's Landing. Congratulations, you played yourself.