“If you’re trying to make your organization a bipartisan or cross-partisan organization,” Marley wondered, “how are you going to respond to rhetoric like that if it escalates and are you worried that if you respond in a forceful way that you will then be perceived as a partisan organization and turn off Republican voters you might otherwise be able to engage?”
The answer is: don’t worry about any of that. Everyone seems to tip toe around Republicans, which allows the illiberal flank to run amok without any muscular defense of liberal democracy from any side. Stop being so passive.
About Gaza et al...it's WAR people. Same as it ever was from time immemorial only this happens to be our time. Bloodshed and human suffering are the way the world recreates civilizations and that easily scalable "moral HighGround" proves, yet again, to be a shallow trench filled with lies and ignorance from the people sworn to protect us.
I think Biden believes in the inherent sanity and good of the American people. He simply cannot believe they would sell their democratic republic for a red hat. Pray God he is right.
As for the obscenity happening at a trial in NY, this only proves that there is absolutely, no shame and no honor left in the republican party.
Ten years residence in the US with five of those years after the age of 14. That was the immigration law in effect in most of the 50s for deriving citizenship from a parent. The illegal voting shouldnt be a huge barrier as long as he deregisters.
Yesterday in my comment on Morning Shots, I was happy the human experiment is winding down. We are terrible and terrible stewards of the planet. We are oh so smart, but also way to stupid. Maybe the octopus people that follow us will do better. Maybe not.
It's worth noting that taking Ukraine is a partial attempt by Putin to fix Russia's demographic problem. About 40m slavs, most of them white enough, or at least minimally black, to reduce the Chechen and Dagestani births...if they can take and hold it.
"We believe Israel can and must do more to ensure the protection and wellbeing of innocent civilians."
How? The world says the above as if a mantra, every day and every way. I want the world to lay out in precise statements exactly HOW Israel is to break Hamas without harming noncombatants in Gaza. Walk me through the plan of "ensuring the protection and wellbeing of innocent civilians" in the hottest of hot war zones in which Hamas hides itself in its children's diapers.
On Biden and Gaza and the perception he's now catering to the Pro Palestinian, presumably left leaning, groups by the refusal to send the bombs to Israel...could it also be that Biden (similar to how he deftly dealt behind the scenes with Mike Johnson on the foreign funding bills) is engaging in a game of multi dimensional diplomatic chess and withholding those weapons is important to keeping the Saudis/Arabs "in the long game" of a more secure, pro Israel Middle East? It seems the right and the left are both claiming it's all about domestic politics, vs national security and a realignment of the Middle East?
I will attempt to explain. There are so many people speaking about these items and most are, in my view, speaking nonsense:
- Apparently, words spoken and written about the Dobbs decision have caused many, or a significant number of, voters to believe that President Biden is responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade.
- Apparently, many believe, as an article of political faith, that the Biden administration is wholly responsible for the deaths of 35,000 Palestinians in the Israel - Gaza war.
- Apparently, explanations of the "pause" in supplying Israel with large bunker-busting bombs to Israel in the hope of avoiding massive non-combatant casualties are vehemently denounced as shutting off Congressionally-appropriated funding to Israel.
- Apparently, many are confused about Russia's responsibility for its actions in the Russo-Ukraine War despite the number of testimonials and fact-based analyses published about the bloody conflict.
- Apparently, the complete absence of any proof of treason, bribery, or “other high crime and misdemeanor" is no impediment to impeaching a U.S. President or Cabinet officer.
- Apparently, the need of U.S. media and its consumers to live vicariously through salacious tales causes them to ignore the underlying charge of illegally attempting to manipulate a federal election.
- Apparently, according to statements by U.S. Congressional Representatives, a state prosecution case based on local Grand Jury indictments is, in reality, a flagrant example of personal political bias led by a U.S. President.
- Apparently, the justices sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court are sufficiently confused by the concept of personal responsibility for criminal acts that some of them may be led to amend our Constitution by fiat.
"The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, unctuously wished Putin God’s blessings until the end of his days—and then added, “I will also have the temerity to say, may God grant that the end of your days should also be the end of your term in power.”"
If it weren't for the fact that Patriarch Kirill is a simpering Putin toadie, made obvious by his invoking G-d in support of Vladimir Vladimirovich's illegitimate presidency, I'd have interpreted the addition differently. Had this been uttered by someone not in thrall to Putin, by a patriot who wants what's best for Russia and doesn't conflate the country with its leader, I'd have read it as sarcasm: "may God grant that the end of your days should also be the end of your term in power[,]” can (and should) be read as "may it all end tomorrow, if not later today."
An old woman finally got permission to visit her nephew in Moscow. She had to wait hours for a bus, and when she tried, she got crowded out and had to wait hours again. The second time she managed to squeeze in, and sighed out "Glory to God". The bus driver turns and says to her "Ma'am, you can't say things like that. We're a modern, atheist society. In situations like these, you should say 'Glory to comrade Stalin!'"
The woman looks at him for a moment, and sheepishly says 'I'm just an ignorant country woman. Thank you for teaching me. But what should I say, if one day Stalin dies?'
As Ben Sasse (when he was still almost relevant) said of the current Trumpist party: "The weird worship of one dude". Too bad Sasse has decided to sidestep this whole thing. Just wondering if he will endorse Trump in the end.
I'm annoyed but not surprised by the Biden Administration glibly dismissing any notion that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
Typical response from Israeli apologists is that civilian deaths are merely incidental, Israel is only trying to kill militants. Leaving aside the fact that disproportionately killing civilians in pursuing a military objective is itself a war crime, Israeli cabinet officials have made well documented statements openly calling for genocide.
On December 28, 2022, this Netanyahu government was required to present its list of goals for the upcoming session. The VERY FIRST GOAL on the list was the following:
"The Jewish people have an EXCLUSIVE and inalienable right to ALL THE PARTS of the Land of Israel. The government will promote and develop the settlement of all parts of the Land of Israel — in the Galilee, the Negev, the Golan and Judea and Samaria."
This horrendous goal was not covered by international media for some reason (so much for there being an anti-Israeli bias). For the record Judea & Samaria = the West Bank. And note, the "goal" covers ALL of Israel proper. So that amounts to 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank & 2.5 million non-Jewish Israelis that will need to be displaced so that 4.7 million Jewish Israelis can exclusively occupy land held by non-Jews.
There are only two ways to accomplish this, both of which meet the definition of genocide: mass executions or forcible removal from their lands.
And remember, this was over 10 months prior to the Hamas attack, so it's not even a hasty response following a traumatic attack. Committing genocide in Israel & the occupied Palestian territories was ALWAYS goal #1 for this right-wing Netanyahu government.
What is deeply ironic is that goal #1 not only wasn't hidden, it MASSIVELY contributed to the efficacy of the Hamas attack. Precisely because Netanyahu shifted almost all IDF battalions from protecting the border with Gaza, in order to support illegal settlements in the West Bank. To date, Israel is also burning significant aid funding to subsidize new illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Then after the attack both Netanyahu & Gallant openly made recorded comments calling for genocide in Gaza.
And they've been putting that genocidal intent into action.
1) Almost everyone in Gaza has been displaced from their homes
2) Almost everyone in Gaza is food insecure and was starving
3) Some 1 million Gazans are starving to death. Over 30 have died of starvation including at least 27 kids.
4) 35,000 Gazans have been killed 70% of whom are women or children.
5) Over 70% of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged.
6) IDF troops have no rules of engagement. They shoot anything that moves as is evident from the incident where IDF troops murdered 3 Israeli hostages who were clearly not armed, waiving a white flag, and trying to surrender in Hebrew. They shot them like dogs. You really think a Palestinian civilian speaking Arabic would have fared better? The IDF is clearly indiscriminately shooting anything that moves.
But somehow the idea that Israel is engaging in genocide is considered crazy.
It's funny how the same folks who dismiss the possibility that Israel is committing genocide are also the same folks who will attack the Qur'an as radical, while never commenting on the Torah's more fucked "lessons".
There's a pretty strong correlation between being very religious and being a radical Zionist. It's not particularly difficult to see why given that the Old Testament openly praises genocide, especially in the context of gaining exclusive possession of the lands "promised" to the "chosen ones".
"somehow the idea that Israel is engaging in genocide is considered crazy."
Because calling it genocide *is* crazy.
The number of noncombatant deaths is high. That does not remotely equal genocide. The death count is in line with armies forced to fight a terrorist enemy that hides among the civilian population without wearing uniforms.
If genocide were the goal, Israel would have loaded its jets with thermobaric bombs, dropped them on Gaza, and two days later bulldozed the ashes of 2.2 million Palestinians into the Med. Instead, Israeli troops today are slogging through their 221st day of war.
Some genocide.
Next: Politicians sling a lot of trash talk during a war. They need to in order to confuse and deflate the enemy they're fighting. Netanyahu et al are no different than any other national leader in that regard. That they "talk" about genocide doesn't mean they're committing it--as I just proved, the number show they aren't.
To be clear, Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for treason and giving aid and comfort to the enemy because of his financial support of Hamas for political reasons. But that doesn't mean he's committing genocide or that he's running this war poorly.
Next: Israel became sovereign over part of Palestine in 1949 and over the rest in 1967. That gives Israel the legal and moral right to put its citizens anywhere it wishes, including West Bank and Gaza. Arabs lost the right to a say in where Israelis live when they lost the wars they started against Israel in 1949, 1967, and 1973.
Israel became sovereign over two-thirds of former Palestine in 1949, when it defeated the Arab armies who'd invaded the Jewish state with the goal of stealing its land and making Palestine free of Jews. In 1967, Arab armies tried invasion and conquest of Israel again, and this time were routed so thoroughly they forfeited the rest of former Palestine to the victors. That made Israel the sovereign of every square foot of former Palestine from river to sea, which means it has the right to put its citizens wherever it wants.
The only reason Israel hasn't done so? Hope that a Palestinian state could still be negotiated. In 1967, Moshe Dayan urged Israel to not formally assert its just-won sovereignty over West Bank and Gaza, because it held the bulk of the Arab population. He wanted to offer Arabs that land for an Arab State of Palestine because he didn't want Israel to rule over a hostile population. Israeli leaders agreed and have held off ever since formally asserting the sovereignty Israel won in TWO defensive wars against Arab forces.
But the time to make that deal is running out, so if Palestinians truly WANT their own state, they need to accept that they lost ALL the wars they started against Israel--which has every legal and moral right to be there --negotiate the borders of their state with owner Israel, get rid of the terrorists who rule Gaza and infest too much of West Bank, and start doing the hard work of running their state and taking care of their people.
You don't have to be a "radical Zionist" to know any of this. You only have to know how to read and not be so mesmerized by Palestinian propaganda that you'd swallow the pack of Hamas lies whole.
I can only conclude from your reply that your reading is limited to hasbara (Israeli propaganda). To cite the most glaring example, you call the 1967 war defensive on Israel's part.
"At the commencement of hostilities, both Egypt and Israel announced that they had been attacked by the other country.[83] The Israeli government later abandoned its initial position, acknowledging Israel had struck first, claiming that it was a preemptive strike in the face of a planned invasion by Egypt.[83][38]" Wikipedia.
Preemptive wars are not recognized as legal. Israel admits it attacked first. This information is found everywhere outside Israeli propaganda.
As for legal rights, under international law, there is nothing like the sovereignty you claim: "Israel became sovereign over part of Palestine in 1949 and over the rest in 1967. That gives Israel the legal and moral right to put its citizens anywhere it wishes, including West Bank and Gaza."
In fact, according to Occupation in International Law:
"The international law of occupation is the body of law, under international humanitarian law, that regulates the actions of states—and possibly other actors such as international organizations—that gain effective control over territory during armed conflict. The law of occupation seeks to balance several interests, which are often in tension with one another. Its most fundamental principle is that occupation does not confer sovereignty, and that the powers of the occupant are limited."
I deal in facts, not propaganda from Palestinians or Israelis. The facts are that Muslim Arabs invaded and tried to conquer Israel three times--1949, 1967, and 1973--and Israelis beat the Arabs so bad they were forced to hand over the land that would have become their state had they not chosen the war option. Palestinians chose badly.
Occupation does not confer sovereignty. But taking enemy territory in defensive actions designed to repel and defeat invaders does, meaning Israel is sovereign over all territory west of the Jordan River.
The Six-Day War came from Israeli aggression? Don't make me laugh. Egypt and its allies had been bellowing for months about invading Israel to take back "Muslim" land. In May, it removed UN peacekeepers from the waterway and closed the Straits of Tiran, which shut down Israeli shipping lanes, which is an act of war--which Egyptian President Nassar knew full well. From Wikipedia:
"On May 22, Egypt announced that the Straits of Tiran would be closed to "all ships flying Israeli flags or carrying strategic materials." In order to enforce the blockade, Egypt falsely announced that the Tiran straits had been mined. 90% of Israeli oil passed through the Straits of Tiran. Oil tankers that were due to pass through the straits were delayed. According to Sami Sharaf, Egypt's Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nasser knew that the decision to block the Tiran straits made the war "inevitable."
Following that act of war, Arab tanks and infantry moved to Israel's borders, and Nasser's belligerence ramped up. The combination of aggressive war actions gave Israel the legal right to strike before being struck, which made 1967 a defensive war . . .,
Which makes you wrong. Palestinians want a state, they have to negotiate one with the sovereign, Israel, period.
I just want to say I hope Maggie is reading today - Stormy was referred to as a porn performer, not a porn star. But I wonder if Stormy might be restored to star status, given her composure and grit during testimony. She's made me think of Mary Magdalene in the Jesus myth*- a woman of low status who displays depth and tenacity in difficult circumstances, who refuses to be shamed by hypocrites, who understands the message of Jesus better than her "betters." *by myth, I mean a tale that captures the imagination and attention, without conclusions as to its nuts and bolts veracity.
Agree with your implication that "star" is applied rather cavalierly in the adult film industry. But more to the point, of everyone in this drama, Stormy Daniels really comes out of this in a positive light. I don't know how much difference it will make. The public doesn't get to see live video, and only obsessives such as present company really follow the play-by-play.
The too many months hiatus in aid to Ukraine weakened that country's defensive capability (shell starvation, overwhelming of antiaircraft defenses, for example) and instead gave Muscovy the green light on planning and implementing a push westward to Kharkiv. All this butchery and devastation can be dumped on heads of MAGA/GOP. They are nihilistic Trumpian acolytes and fervently follow wishes of their god-king. It has been apparent for years: Trump wants to gift the peoples of Ukraine to Russian psychopathy. And thus, the GOP House has wreaked its desired cruelty on Ukraine. We will soon see if this few days ago Russian advance is the telling summer break though they have planned. Also, we shall soon see, if this breakout is real, the utter destruction of the land, settlements, and citizens ever closer to Kiev. If so, MAGA/GOP/Trump/Putin will have their victory long awaited.
And all this is so mercilessly, viscously, and pathetically sad.
Am I the only one who thinks R elected officials showing up at Trump's trial actually harm his chances with the jury? It looks like a power play and could cause them to be a lot less sympathetic to Trump. If I were his attorney, I'd be pleading for his family to show up. Not members of the U.S. Senate.
Actually, that's not accurate. They ended up with a highly educated jury. Two are even attorneys. Several are professionals, such as I believe a stockbroker, and some have advanced degrees. I am betting that some of those jurors are going to know the politicians. By the way, speaking as an attorney, putting an attorney on the jury is insane. Guess they were running out of strikes.
I thought I knew all the reasons there were to detest Donald Trump, but in yesterday's testimony there were two eye-openers: 1) The reason the payoff scheme had do many moving parts, including a covert tape recording, is that *nobody* trusted Trump not to renege on deals, not even those who counted themselves as his friends; and 2) Trump not only focused on politics in hatching the Stormy payoff scheme, he explicitly didn't give a shit about Melania. When the subject came up, his response was "I won't be on the market long.." [if Melania divorced him.) What an asshole.
Interest rates are only regarded as high because ultra low interest rates put in to place to address the 2008-9 meltdown--adrenalin into the heart of a dying patient--were made permanent for more than a decade. Think adrenalin by IV. These calls were made by Jay Powell s, but it did not help that Trump threatened to fire him if he dared to raise rates.
“If you’re trying to make your organization a bipartisan or cross-partisan organization,” Marley wondered, “how are you going to respond to rhetoric like that if it escalates and are you worried that if you respond in a forceful way that you will then be perceived as a partisan organization and turn off Republican voters you might otherwise be able to engage?”
The answer is: don’t worry about any of that. Everyone seems to tip toe around Republicans, which allows the illiberal flank to run amok without any muscular defense of liberal democracy from any side. Stop being so passive.
About Gaza et al...it's WAR people. Same as it ever was from time immemorial only this happens to be our time. Bloodshed and human suffering are the way the world recreates civilizations and that easily scalable "moral HighGround" proves, yet again, to be a shallow trench filled with lies and ignorance from the people sworn to protect us.
I think Biden believes in the inherent sanity and good of the American people. He simply cannot believe they would sell their democratic republic for a red hat. Pray God he is right.
As for the obscenity happening at a trial in NY, this only proves that there is absolutely, no shame and no honor left in the republican party.
Ten years residence in the US with five of those years after the age of 14. That was the immigration law in effect in most of the 50s for deriving citizenship from a parent. The illegal voting shouldnt be a huge barrier as long as he deregisters.
Yesterday in my comment on Morning Shots, I was happy the human experiment is winding down. We are terrible and terrible stewards of the planet. We are oh so smart, but also way to stupid. Maybe the octopus people that follow us will do better. Maybe not.
It's worth noting that taking Ukraine is a partial attempt by Putin to fix Russia's demographic problem. About 40m slavs, most of them white enough, or at least minimally black, to reduce the Chechen and Dagestani births...if they can take and hold it.
"We believe Israel can and must do more to ensure the protection and wellbeing of innocent civilians."
How? The world says the above as if a mantra, every day and every way. I want the world to lay out in precise statements exactly HOW Israel is to break Hamas without harming noncombatants in Gaza. Walk me through the plan of "ensuring the protection and wellbeing of innocent civilians" in the hottest of hot war zones in which Hamas hides itself in its children's diapers.
I'll wait.
On Biden and Gaza and the perception he's now catering to the Pro Palestinian, presumably left leaning, groups by the refusal to send the bombs to Israel...could it also be that Biden (similar to how he deftly dealt behind the scenes with Mike Johnson on the foreign funding bills) is engaging in a game of multi dimensional diplomatic chess and withholding those weapons is important to keeping the Saudis/Arabs "in the long game" of a more secure, pro Israel Middle East? It seems the right and the left are both claiming it's all about domestic politics, vs national security and a realignment of the Middle East?
"Nothing can be said without saying Too Much."
I will attempt to explain. There are so many people speaking about these items and most are, in my view, speaking nonsense:
- Apparently, words spoken and written about the Dobbs decision have caused many, or a significant number of, voters to believe that President Biden is responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade.
- Apparently, many believe, as an article of political faith, that the Biden administration is wholly responsible for the deaths of 35,000 Palestinians in the Israel - Gaza war.
- Apparently, explanations of the "pause" in supplying Israel with large bunker-busting bombs to Israel in the hope of avoiding massive non-combatant casualties are vehemently denounced as shutting off Congressionally-appropriated funding to Israel.
- Apparently, many are confused about Russia's responsibility for its actions in the Russo-Ukraine War despite the number of testimonials and fact-based analyses published about the bloody conflict.
- Apparently, the complete absence of any proof of treason, bribery, or “other high crime and misdemeanor" is no impediment to impeaching a U.S. President or Cabinet officer.
- Apparently, the need of U.S. media and its consumers to live vicariously through salacious tales causes them to ignore the underlying charge of illegally attempting to manipulate a federal election.
- Apparently, according to statements by U.S. Congressional Representatives, a state prosecution case based on local Grand Jury indictments is, in reality, a flagrant example of personal political bias led by a U.S. President.
- Apparently, the justices sitting on the U.S. Supreme Court are sufficiently confused by the concept of personal responsibility for criminal acts that some of them may be led to amend our Constitution by fiat.
'Nuff said.
"The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, unctuously wished Putin God’s blessings until the end of his days—and then added, “I will also have the temerity to say, may God grant that the end of your days should also be the end of your term in power.”"
If it weren't for the fact that Patriarch Kirill is a simpering Putin toadie, made obvious by his invoking G-d in support of Vladimir Vladimirovich's illegitimate presidency, I'd have interpreted the addition differently. Had this been uttered by someone not in thrall to Putin, by a patriot who wants what's best for Russia and doesn't conflate the country with its leader, I'd have read it as sarcasm: "may God grant that the end of your days should also be the end of your term in power[,]” can (and should) be read as "may it all end tomorrow, if not later today."
fnord
There's an old Soviet joke that goes:
An old woman finally got permission to visit her nephew in Moscow. She had to wait hours for a bus, and when she tried, she got crowded out and had to wait hours again. The second time she managed to squeeze in, and sighed out "Glory to God". The bus driver turns and says to her "Ma'am, you can't say things like that. We're a modern, atheist society. In situations like these, you should say 'Glory to comrade Stalin!'"
The woman looks at him for a moment, and sheepishly says 'I'm just an ignorant country woman. Thank you for teaching me. But what should I say, if one day Stalin dies?'
"Then you say 'Glory to God!'"
As Ben Sasse (when he was still almost relevant) said of the current Trumpist party: "The weird worship of one dude". Too bad Sasse has decided to sidestep this whole thing. Just wondering if he will endorse Trump in the end.
I'm annoyed but not surprised by the Biden Administration glibly dismissing any notion that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
Typical response from Israeli apologists is that civilian deaths are merely incidental, Israel is only trying to kill militants. Leaving aside the fact that disproportionately killing civilians in pursuing a military objective is itself a war crime, Israeli cabinet officials have made well documented statements openly calling for genocide.
On December 28, 2022, this Netanyahu government was required to present its list of goals for the upcoming session. The VERY FIRST GOAL on the list was the following:
"The Jewish people have an EXCLUSIVE and inalienable right to ALL THE PARTS of the Land of Israel. The government will promote and develop the settlement of all parts of the Land of Israel — in the Galilee, the Negev, the Golan and Judea and Samaria."
https://www.timesofisrael.com/judicial-reform-boosting-jewish-identity-the-new-coalitions-policy-guidelines/
This horrendous goal was not covered by international media for some reason (so much for there being an anti-Israeli bias). For the record Judea & Samaria = the West Bank. And note, the "goal" covers ALL of Israel proper. So that amounts to 3 million Palestinians in the West Bank & 2.5 million non-Jewish Israelis that will need to be displaced so that 4.7 million Jewish Israelis can exclusively occupy land held by non-Jews.
There are only two ways to accomplish this, both of which meet the definition of genocide: mass executions or forcible removal from their lands.
And remember, this was over 10 months prior to the Hamas attack, so it's not even a hasty response following a traumatic attack. Committing genocide in Israel & the occupied Palestian territories was ALWAYS goal #1 for this right-wing Netanyahu government.
What is deeply ironic is that goal #1 not only wasn't hidden, it MASSIVELY contributed to the efficacy of the Hamas attack. Precisely because Netanyahu shifted almost all IDF battalions from protecting the border with Gaza, in order to support illegal settlements in the West Bank. To date, Israel is also burning significant aid funding to subsidize new illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Then after the attack both Netanyahu & Gallant openly made recorded comments calling for genocide in Gaza.
And they've been putting that genocidal intent into action.
1) Almost everyone in Gaza has been displaced from their homes
2) Almost everyone in Gaza is food insecure and was starving
3) Some 1 million Gazans are starving to death. Over 30 have died of starvation including at least 27 kids.
4) 35,000 Gazans have been killed 70% of whom are women or children.
5) Over 70% of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or severely damaged.
6) IDF troops have no rules of engagement. They shoot anything that moves as is evident from the incident where IDF troops murdered 3 Israeli hostages who were clearly not armed, waiving a white flag, and trying to surrender in Hebrew. They shot them like dogs. You really think a Palestinian civilian speaking Arabic would have fared better? The IDF is clearly indiscriminately shooting anything that moves.
But somehow the idea that Israel is engaging in genocide is considered crazy.
It's funny how the same folks who dismiss the possibility that Israel is committing genocide are also the same folks who will attack the Qur'an as radical, while never commenting on the Torah's more fucked "lessons".
There's a pretty strong correlation between being very religious and being a radical Zionist. It's not particularly difficult to see why given that the Old Testament openly praises genocide, especially in the context of gaining exclusive possession of the lands "promised" to the "chosen ones".
"somehow the idea that Israel is engaging in genocide is considered crazy."
Because calling it genocide *is* crazy.
The number of noncombatant deaths is high. That does not remotely equal genocide. The death count is in line with armies forced to fight a terrorist enemy that hides among the civilian population without wearing uniforms.
If genocide were the goal, Israel would have loaded its jets with thermobaric bombs, dropped them on Gaza, and two days later bulldozed the ashes of 2.2 million Palestinians into the Med. Instead, Israeli troops today are slogging through their 221st day of war.
Some genocide.
Next: Politicians sling a lot of trash talk during a war. They need to in order to confuse and deflate the enemy they're fighting. Netanyahu et al are no different than any other national leader in that regard. That they "talk" about genocide doesn't mean they're committing it--as I just proved, the number show they aren't.
To be clear, Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for treason and giving aid and comfort to the enemy because of his financial support of Hamas for political reasons. But that doesn't mean he's committing genocide or that he's running this war poorly.
Next: Israel became sovereign over part of Palestine in 1949 and over the rest in 1967. That gives Israel the legal and moral right to put its citizens anywhere it wishes, including West Bank and Gaza. Arabs lost the right to a say in where Israelis live when they lost the wars they started against Israel in 1949, 1967, and 1973.
Israel became sovereign over two-thirds of former Palestine in 1949, when it defeated the Arab armies who'd invaded the Jewish state with the goal of stealing its land and making Palestine free of Jews. In 1967, Arab armies tried invasion and conquest of Israel again, and this time were routed so thoroughly they forfeited the rest of former Palestine to the victors. That made Israel the sovereign of every square foot of former Palestine from river to sea, which means it has the right to put its citizens wherever it wants.
The only reason Israel hasn't done so? Hope that a Palestinian state could still be negotiated. In 1967, Moshe Dayan urged Israel to not formally assert its just-won sovereignty over West Bank and Gaza, because it held the bulk of the Arab population. He wanted to offer Arabs that land for an Arab State of Palestine because he didn't want Israel to rule over a hostile population. Israeli leaders agreed and have held off ever since formally asserting the sovereignty Israel won in TWO defensive wars against Arab forces.
But the time to make that deal is running out, so if Palestinians truly WANT their own state, they need to accept that they lost ALL the wars they started against Israel--which has every legal and moral right to be there --negotiate the borders of their state with owner Israel, get rid of the terrorists who rule Gaza and infest too much of West Bank, and start doing the hard work of running their state and taking care of their people.
You don't have to be a "radical Zionist" to know any of this. You only have to know how to read and not be so mesmerized by Palestinian propaganda that you'd swallow the pack of Hamas lies whole.
I can only conclude from your reply that your reading is limited to hasbara (Israeli propaganda). To cite the most glaring example, you call the 1967 war defensive on Israel's part.
"At the commencement of hostilities, both Egypt and Israel announced that they had been attacked by the other country.[83] The Israeli government later abandoned its initial position, acknowledging Israel had struck first, claiming that it was a preemptive strike in the face of a planned invasion by Egypt.[83][38]" Wikipedia.
Preemptive wars are not recognized as legal. Israel admits it attacked first. This information is found everywhere outside Israeli propaganda.
As for legal rights, under international law, there is nothing like the sovereignty you claim: "Israel became sovereign over part of Palestine in 1949 and over the rest in 1967. That gives Israel the legal and moral right to put its citizens anywhere it wishes, including West Bank and Gaza."
In fact, according to Occupation in International Law:
"The international law of occupation is the body of law, under international humanitarian law, that regulates the actions of states—and possibly other actors such as international organizations—that gain effective control over territory during armed conflict. The law of occupation seeks to balance several interests, which are often in tension with one another. Its most fundamental principle is that occupation does not confer sovereignty, and that the powers of the occupant are limited."
So this occupation is neither legal nor moral.
I deal in facts, not propaganda from Palestinians or Israelis. The facts are that Muslim Arabs invaded and tried to conquer Israel three times--1949, 1967, and 1973--and Israelis beat the Arabs so bad they were forced to hand over the land that would have become their state had they not chosen the war option. Palestinians chose badly.
Occupation does not confer sovereignty. But taking enemy territory in defensive actions designed to repel and defeat invaders does, meaning Israel is sovereign over all territory west of the Jordan River.
The Six-Day War came from Israeli aggression? Don't make me laugh. Egypt and its allies had been bellowing for months about invading Israel to take back "Muslim" land. In May, it removed UN peacekeepers from the waterway and closed the Straits of Tiran, which shut down Israeli shipping lanes, which is an act of war--which Egyptian President Nassar knew full well. From Wikipedia:
"On May 22, Egypt announced that the Straits of Tiran would be closed to "all ships flying Israeli flags or carrying strategic materials." In order to enforce the blockade, Egypt falsely announced that the Tiran straits had been mined. 90% of Israeli oil passed through the Straits of Tiran. Oil tankers that were due to pass through the straits were delayed. According to Sami Sharaf, Egypt's Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nasser knew that the decision to block the Tiran straits made the war "inevitable."
Following that act of war, Arab tanks and infantry moved to Israel's borders, and Nasser's belligerence ramped up. The combination of aggressive war actions gave Israel the legal right to strike before being struck, which made 1967 a defensive war . . .,
Which makes you wrong. Palestinians want a state, they have to negotiate one with the sovereign, Israel, period.
The idea that f-16s will make any difference in this war is fanciful. Come on Cathy
I just want to say I hope Maggie is reading today - Stormy was referred to as a porn performer, not a porn star. But I wonder if Stormy might be restored to star status, given her composure and grit during testimony. She's made me think of Mary Magdalene in the Jesus myth*- a woman of low status who displays depth and tenacity in difficult circumstances, who refuses to be shamed by hypocrites, who understands the message of Jesus better than her "betters." *by myth, I mean a tale that captures the imagination and attention, without conclusions as to its nuts and bolts veracity.
Agree with your implication that "star" is applied rather cavalierly in the adult film industry. But more to the point, of everyone in this drama, Stormy Daniels really comes out of this in a positive light. I don't know how much difference it will make. The public doesn't get to see live video, and only obsessives such as present company really follow the play-by-play.
The too many months hiatus in aid to Ukraine weakened that country's defensive capability (shell starvation, overwhelming of antiaircraft defenses, for example) and instead gave Muscovy the green light on planning and implementing a push westward to Kharkiv. All this butchery and devastation can be dumped on heads of MAGA/GOP. They are nihilistic Trumpian acolytes and fervently follow wishes of their god-king. It has been apparent for years: Trump wants to gift the peoples of Ukraine to Russian psychopathy. And thus, the GOP House has wreaked its desired cruelty on Ukraine. We will soon see if this few days ago Russian advance is the telling summer break though they have planned. Also, we shall soon see, if this breakout is real, the utter destruction of the land, settlements, and citizens ever closer to Kiev. If so, MAGA/GOP/Trump/Putin will have their victory long awaited.
And all this is so mercilessly, viscously, and pathetically sad.
Yep and yet our idiotic voters will blame Dems
Am I the only one who thinks R elected officials showing up at Trump's trial actually harm his chances with the jury? It looks like a power play and could cause them to be a lot less sympathetic to Trump. If I were his attorney, I'd be pleading for his family to show up. Not members of the U.S. Senate.
This assumes the jury has any idea who these people are. I doubt it. I’m into politics and I doubt I could point them out in a crowd
Will the jury members recognize them? They were selected as people who don't follow the news obsessively.
Actually, that's not accurate. They ended up with a highly educated jury. Two are even attorneys. Several are professionals, such as I believe a stockbroker, and some have advanced degrees. I am betting that some of those jurors are going to know the politicians. By the way, speaking as an attorney, putting an attorney on the jury is insane. Guess they were running out of strikes.
fair point. I've heard that from a few people.
Since you mentioned it, one thing I was wondering about is: Does a jury ever have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions?
I thought I knew all the reasons there were to detest Donald Trump, but in yesterday's testimony there were two eye-openers: 1) The reason the payoff scheme had do many moving parts, including a covert tape recording, is that *nobody* trusted Trump not to renege on deals, not even those who counted themselves as his friends; and 2) Trump not only focused on politics in hatching the Stormy payoff scheme, he explicitly didn't give a shit about Melania. When the subject came up, his response was "I won't be on the market long.." [if Melania divorced him.) What an asshole.
Surprise! Trump is exactly as he appears to be!
I thought he was as bad as he appeared. Worse.
You and I both. Just a rhetorical comment above.
Interest rates are only regarded as high because ultra low interest rates put in to place to address the 2008-9 meltdown--adrenalin into the heart of a dying patient--were made permanent for more than a decade. Think adrenalin by IV. These calls were made by Jay Powell s, but it did not help that Trump threatened to fire him if he dared to raise rates.